Kosova citizens mourn the death of their president
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-22 09:58

An ethnic Albanian holds a photo of Kosovo President Ibtahim Rugova as Kosovo citizens hold candles in Kosovo's capital Pristina January 21, 2006. Rugova died of lung cancer on Saturday, leaving a leadership vacuum for ethnic Albanians on the eve of talks to secure the independence from Serbia that he championed. A government source in Kosovo said the funeral would take place on Wednesday, the day the United Nations was due to begin direct negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina to decide whether Kosovo's 90-percent ethnic Albanian majority wins independence or remains part of Serbia as Belgrade insists.  [Reuters]