- REUTERS
Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova, icon of the ethnic Albanian drive to win independence from Serbia, died yesterday, a source close to his office said. Rugova, 61, was diagnosed with lung cancer in September 2005 and had been undergoing treatment at his residence in Pristina.
PRISTINA, Serbia and Montenegro (Reuters):
KOSOVO PRESIDENT Ibrahim Rugova died of lung cancer yesterday, leaving a leadership vacuum for ethnic Albanians on the eve of talks to secure the independence from Serbia that he championed.
His death came just days before the United Nations was due to begin direct negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina to decide whether Kosovo's 90-per cent ethnic Albanian majority wins independence or remains part of Serbia as Belgrade insists.
Wednesday's talks would be rescheduled for some time in early February, the U.N. special envoy Martti Ahtisaari said.
"President Rugova died at home in Pristina surrounded by his close family, aides and American doctors. He passed away ... after fighting this illness with great bravery and extraordinary morality," said a statement from the Kosovo presidency.
LUNG CANCER
Rugova, 61, had been under care at his villa in the capital, Pristina, since being diagnosed with lung cancer in September 2005 at a U.S. military hospital in Germany. U.S. doctors were supervising his treatment.
He died without seeing the independence he worked for most of his adult life. But virtually all of the people he led today demand self-determination from Serbia and many flocked to his home yesterday to pay their respects.
