Rugova and his family arrive in Rome RELATED VIDEO CNN's Rome Bureau Chief Gayle Young reports on Rugova's first trip to the West since the start of NATO bombing (May 5) Windows Media 28K 80K British officials vow to stand firm in NATO bombing campaign. CNN's Margaret Lowrie has the story. (May 4) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K A Muslim country is helping build a refugee camp in Albania. Because the country is the oil-rich United Arab Emirates, the site is being called the "Hilton of camps." CNN's Jane Arraf checks it out. (May 4) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K The U.N. says the Serbs have started a new ethnic-cleansing tactic: deporting one family member so others will follow. CNN's Nic Robertson talks with a family about their experience. (May 4) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K To view the latest video streams on the strikes in Kosovo, use the arrow buttons below to scroll through the video gallery.        Windows Media Real        28 K 80 K IMAGE GALLERY Latest from Kosovo The Kosovo refugees The Serbs and Kosovo  ALSO: U.S.: Serbs destroying bodies of Kosovo victims Jackson renews call for bombing pause, negotiations U.S. helicopter crew killed in crash in Albania Size may double for Kosovo peacekeeping force Albania might move refugees farther from Kosovo  THE DELUGE OF REFUGEES: Where are they going?  CNN WORLD REPORT CONFERENCE: Follow CNN's 1999 World Report Conference this week in Atlanta and New York  MESSAGE BOARD: Crisis in Kosovo  MAPS: NATO officials describe the air campaign  IN-DEPTH SPECIAL: NATO at 50 Strike on Yugoslavia

May 5, 1999
Web posted at: 9:54 p.m. EDT (0154 GMT)

In this story: 'We welcome the fact that he can travel' Humanitarian convoy attacked inside Kosovo NATO attacks target power supplies RELATED STORIES, SITES

ROME (CNN) -- Kosovo Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova arrived in Rome with his family Wednesday from Yugoslavia, and began talks at a villa with Italy's premier and foreign minister, officials said.

Western governments believe Rugova has virtually been under house arrest in Yugoslavia since NATO air strikes began March 24. He had been seen only a few times -- on television with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic -- and Western observers believe the appearances were either staged or dated.

Rugova, who was chosen "president" of Kosovo by an unofficial vote of the Serb province's ethnic Albanians, arrived on a special flight from Yugoslavia and was greeted by Italian Cabinet Undersecretary Marco Minniti.

Premier Massimo D'Alema, Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini and Rugova strolled together outside the villa before starting early evening talks. Tight security was ordered for Rugova and his family during his stay.

Rugova and his family are guests of the Italian government, D'Alema's office said, adding that Rome informed NATO, the U.S. government and European Union officials about the trip.

In Brussels, a NATO official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "We welcome the fact that he can travel. We hope that he will be able to speak freely."

Rugova is considered the father of the Democratic League of Kosovo, although his nonviolent approach to Kosovar independence was overshadowed by the aggressive stance of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

Rugova reportedly has held a series of meetings in Belgrade with Serbian officials, aimed at finding a political settlement to the Kosovo crisis. Western officials have expressed interest in speaking with the moderate leader.

Rugova's arrival in Italy occurred the same day that NATO suffered its first fatalities of the Yugoslavia campaign, and a relief convoy carrying medical supplies was attacked inside Kosovo.

The Greek ambassador to Yugoslavia said a four-vehicle mission of the Greek branch of Doctors of the World was on its way from Macedonia to the Kosovo capital, Pristina, when it came under attack by air. No injuries were reported.

The aircraft involved could not be identified, but Yugoslav Foreign Ministry spokesman Nebjosa Vujovic called the attack "a new NATO crime" aimed at undermining a peaceful solution to the Kosovo crisis.

At NATO's Wednesday briefing, military spokesman Gen. Walter Jertz denied NATO was responsible for the attack.

"We did not attack any convoy from Greece or anywhere else, because we are not going to attack civilian targets," Jertz said.

In Albania, two American soldiers were killed early Wednesday when their Apache attack helicopter crashed while on a training mission about 75 kilometers northeast of Tirana- Rinas Airport.

NATO Supreme CommanderGen. Wesley Clark said there was "no indication of hostile fire" and that the cause of the crash was under investigation.

The Apaches, known as "tank-killers," have not yet been authorized to fly combat missions in Yugoslavia. NATO lost another Apache in an Albanian training mission last month.

Meanwhile, NATO reported that Operation Allied Force attacks on Yugoslavia were hurting Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's military capabilities.

"(Serb forces) are now essentially avoiding NATO power," Clark said at a news briefing Wednesday in Brussels. "They are limiting their movement, they are limiting their activities. They are limiting their resupply, they are trying to do everything they can to reduce their vulnerability, because when they are seen, they are hit, and when they are hit, they are killed."

Yugoslav officials said Wednesday that their nationwide power system had "partially collapsed." Sixty percent of the country, the officials told CNN's Alessio Vinci, is without electricity.

Clark said that was part of the plan to limit Milosevic's ability to command his troops in the field.

"We've hit at his power plants because they're essential to running every part of his military machine," Clark said, "and this has proven to be effective."

But, said NATO spokesman Jamie Shea, paramilitary "thugs" are still conducting ethnic cleansing operations in Kosovo.

Rome Bureau Gayle Young and Correspondent Alessio Vinci contributed to this report.

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