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Kosovo mourns for President Rugova
YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS(CNN) -- Kosovo is in mourning as it prepares for the burial of its president Ibrahim Rugova this week, with thousands of ethnic Albanians lighting candles in the capital Pristina. Often called the "Gandhi of the Balkans," Rugova, 61, died of lung cancer. U.N. officials say Rugova's death comes at a crucial time -- just as talks on Kosovo's future are set to begin. His death has left a leadership vacuum among Kosovo's ethnic Albanians. The literary scholar turned politician who was the symbol of the fight for Kosovar self-rule, was diagnosed with cancer last year, and died in Pristina on Saturday. "He carried his battle with cancer with great dignity and courage until his last breath," his spokesman Muhamet Hamiti said. "He was surrounded by his family, personal physician and American physicians who were treating him," The Associated Press quoted Hamiti as saying. Tearful staff, bodyguards and neighbors gathered at Rugova's hillside residence in Pristina, where a flag was lowered to half staff, AP reported. The capital's streets were empty, with people glued to their radios and TV screens. Television stations were playing classical music. A region of Serbia and Montenegro, Kosovo has been a cauldron of tension between the majority ethnic Albanian population and a minority population of ethnic Serbs. The United Nations has administered the region since NATO forces ousted Serb-led Yugoslav troops in 1999. Last year, the international community finally agreed to begin negotiations on independence for Kosovo. Rugova died at a "crucial moment of final preparations for the talks on Kosovo's future status," according to a statement released by the United Nations that is "attributable" to Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The U.N. head mourned Rugova's death, saying he "demonstrated true leadership and advocated a peaceful solution for Kosovo." According to the United Nations, 2006 "will likely see the end of the process to determine the status of the ethnically divided Serbian province which the world body has administered since 1999." Until the parliament chooses a new leader, the head of parliament, Nexhat Daci, is expected to be named acting president, AP reported Annan urged Kosovo's leaders to "maintain their unity and continue extending their full cooperation to the Secretary General's Special Envoy, Mr. Martti Ahtisaari, and his Special Representative, Mr. Soren Jessen-Petersen." Meanwhile, talks on decentralization in Kosovo" set for Wednesday in Vienna "will be temporarily delayed out of respect" for Rugova, said Ahtisaari on Saturday. Late to politicsLong before most outsiders even knew the province existed, Rugova was agitating nonviolently for Kosovo self-rule, squaring off against the Serb-dominated Yugoslav regime led by Slobodan Milosevic -- now on trial at The Hague for war crimes during the Balkan wars of the 1990s. As a president with few powers, however, Rugova struggled to subdue squabbles within the ethnic Albanian leadership. He survived at least two assassination attempts. Rugova did what he could to reconcile Albanians and the Serb minority in the face of mutual hatred that often exploded into violence,. He even shook hands with Milosevic during the NATO bombing campaign against Yugoslav forces, but Rugova said he'd been held against his will. At Milosevic's trial in 2002, Rugova's testimony provided details of his early life. A founder of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Rugova said it wasn't until the late 1980's that he got into politics. A slight figure in spectacles and a trademark scarf, Rugova received a doctorate in the history of literary criticism and Albanian literature. CNN's Tim Lister contributed to this report Copyright 2006 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report. 
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