(15 Jul 1999) Albanian/Nat
Kosovo Albanian leader, Ibrahim Rugova, made his long-awaited return to Kosovo from wartime exile on Thursday.
Rugova has long been an advocate of passive resistance against Yugoslav authorities over their harsh treatment of ethnic Albanians in Serbia' southern Kosovo province.
He briefly disappeared once the NATO bombing campaign began on March 24, before Yugoslav authorities claimed he was under house protection.
He was unexpectedly allowed to leave Yugoslavia with his family on May 5th to visit Pope John Paul the Second in Rome but remained in Italy until Thursday.
Rugova made his way to Pristina after arriving in Skopje on Thursday morning.
He made a brief stop at the Blace border point to greet the crowd of supporters who had gathered to see their leader return to his homeland.
UPSOUND: (Albanian)
"I feel very happy."
SUPER CAPTION: Ibrahim Rugova, Kosovo Albanian leader
The convoy then crossed into Kosovo, headed for the capital Pristina.
Hundreds of people cheered and threw flowers in nearly every town Rugova passed through on the drive north.
As many as 1-thousand 5-hundred people applauded his arrival in Pristina for a meeting with the chief U-N administrator in Kosovo, Sergio Vieira de Mello at the United Nations mission headquarters.
A pacifist moderate, Rugova could be the key to helping the United Nations establish critical support from Kosovo's majority Albanian population for their efforts to rebuild demolished institutions and re-establish political life.
Rugova was twice elected president of Kosovo before the NATO-Yugoslav conflict, in elections not sanctioned by the international community.
But his popularity has diminished during his extended exile with his leadership being challenged by Kosovo Liberation Army leader, Hashim Thaci.
Rugova has also come under criticism over his conduct during the war particularly over his relationship with Yugoslav president, Slobodan Milosevic.
But Rugova insisted he was still president of his people, saying his mission was to see Kosovo gain a democracy it's never had from Yugoslavia.
Earlier in Skopje, Rugova gave a statement saying his aim was to rebuild Kosovo economically and politically.
He also called for support to be given to the international administration in Kosovo until an election can take place to see whether Kosovo, with a majority Albanian population, will be allowed to govern themselves.
SOUNDBITE: (Albanian)
"Today is a great day for me and the people of Kosovo who after so much time are back home. My message is to reveal to Kosovo, freedom and democracy and to go towards the independence of Kosovo."
SUPER CAPTION: Ibrahim Rugova, Kosovo Albanian leader
His comeback is seen by some as a test of whether he has the power to unify Kosovo Albanians and temper their desire for vengeance.
Sporadic violence from angry Kosovar Albanians against Serbian minorities in Kosovo have prompted an exodus of Serbs out of the region and complicated efforts to stabilise the region for the NATO led peacekeeping force, K-FOR.
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