Kosovo's president resigns to face war crimes charges

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci announced he resigned from his duty after a war crimes indictment prepared by the Kosovo Special Prosecutor in The Hague was accepted by the court.

Thaci announced his resignation at a news conference in the capital Pristina.

He urged people of Kosovo to remain calm.

Thaci said the judge in the special court of Kosovo had just informed him that the indictment against him was accepted.

"It is a very difficult moment on behalf of myself and my family, for you who believe in me and support me in our 30 years of freedom, independence and state-building efforts," said Thaci.

Prosecutors in the Hague filed an indictment late June against Thaci for crimes against humanity and war crimes during the 1998-99 war with Serbia.