PRISTINA (AFP) -- Kosovo's parliament approved on Wednesday the new government proposed by Prime Minister Hashim Thaci to lead the ethnic Albanian UN-run province to independence from Serbia.

The parliament also voted to give President Fatmir Sejdiu a second five-year term, under a power-sharing deal between the two main parties.
""We will not promise miracles, but we believe that, with this team and with a support from the U.S., EU and NATO, we can do better in Kosovo,"" Thaci said after the vote.
Sejdiu said the deal guaranteed Kosovo's determination to proclaim its independence.
""Independent Kosovo, which will soon get international blessing, will be fully devoted to development and cooperation with all countries in the region,"" he said after his election.
Sejdiu, who took over the presidency after the death of Ibrahim Rugova in January 2006, heads the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). Thaci is leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK).
Sejdiu insisted that ""special attention"" would be paid to the Serb minority ""and its full integration in Kosovo"" and to Serb institutions.
And Thaci, speaking in Serbian instead of his native Albanian, promised his government ""will pay a special attention to minority rights.""
""We will give our best to create a climate of tolerance in relations with minorities, especially with the Serb community,"" Thaci said in his speech.
He also called on those Serbs who have fled the province fearing violent reprisal attacks by ethnic Albanian extremists to return to their homes, promising they would be ""welcomed.""
""Kosovo is a homeland for all of its citizens and I will be the prime minister of all citizens of Kosovo,"" Thaci said.
Kosovo, technically still a Serbian province, has been run by the United Nations since 1999 when a NATO bombing campaign drove out Belgrade's forces waging a brutal crackdown on independence-seeking ethnic Albanians who make up 90 percent of the population.
Thaci's government is expected to declare unilateral independence early in 2008 following the collapse of international attempts to reach a negotiated deal with Serbia.
The move is likely to be approved by the United States and a number of European countries, but Serbia and its ally Russia say they will oppose it.
In a speech to the parliament, Kosovo's UN chief Joachim Rucker said that ""status quo"" in the province ""is untenable.""
""There is also broad agreement that Kosovo's political status needs to be resolved as soon as possible,"" he said, while adding that Kosovo's leaders should make their decisions in ""close coordination with the international community.""
""They require a very high degree of responsibility,"" Rucker said.
European leaders have said they are ready to send a major police mission to Kosovo to ease the transition from the UN administration to independence.
But Belgrade, backed by Moscow, says UN Security Council approval is required, with a new resolution replacing the previous one, 1244, that set up the UN administration.
EU officials believe 1244 gives the bloc the right to back the kind of internationally-supervised independence which UN special envoy Martti Ahtisaari has suggested.
Ahtisaari's plan was accepted by Kosovo Albanian leaders and most Western countries, but Russia supports Serbia, which says the province should be allowed wide autonomy, but no more.