PRISTINA, Feb 17, SPA -- Kosovo's ethnic Albanianleadership called a special session of parliament for 3p.m. (1400 GMT) Sunday to declare independence _ a bold andhistoric bid for statehood in defiance of Serbia andRussia, reported ap. Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said lawmakers would vote on adeclaration proclaiming the formation of the Republic ofKosovo as «an independent, sovereign and democraticstate.» «This is the will of the people,» he said.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/527780