PARIS - The Council of Europe on Tuesday condemned a bomb attack aimed at the president of Kosovo, and called on the people of the UN-administered Serbian province to work together towards democracy.
The attack on the car of President Ibrahim Rugova, which failed to kill him but left a bystander injured, was also condemned by the president of Serbia and by the Greek government.
The Council of Europe secretary general Terry Davis described the attack as an "unacceptable terrorist act" which occurred "when all democratic forces in the province should be working together to safeguard and promote the fundamental values of democracy and human rights".
Davis called on the people of Kosovo to co-operate in the building of a democratic future, respectful of diversity and founded upon shared European values.
In Belgrade, Serbian President Boris Tadic "strongly condemned the act of violence," according to a statement from his office.
"Tadic called on all citizens of Kosovo to remain calm and to show restraint so the situation will not lead to the destabilization of our country and the region."
The Greek government also condemned the attack and expressed concern about the future of the province.
"Greece, as its European partners and NATO, are closely following the situation and are concerned by these developments," said Greek government spokesperson Evangelos Antonaros.
A roadside bomb exploded early Tuesday as Rugova's car headed for a meeting with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana in the provincial capital Pristina.
A visibly shaken Rugova attended the meeting with Solana, who is in Kosovo to discuss the formation of a new government following the resignation of prime minister Ramush Haradinaj to face charges at the UN war crimes court.
The international community called for calm this month after Haradinaj, a former ethnic Albanian rebel who commanded guerrilla fighters against Serbian forces during Kosovo's 1998-1999 war, resigned after being named in a war crimes indictment.
About 1,000 extra NATO peacekeepers were dispatched to the UN-run province amid fears of a new explosion of violence by Haradinaj loyalists targeting the Serb minority or even UN staff.
Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority demands independence from Serbia and opposes any moves to try former guerrillas in the UN war crimes court, insisting they were freedom fighters.

03/15/2005 13:44 GMT