The UN governor of Kosovo, former Danish defence minister Mr Hans Haekkerup, announced his resignation for personal reasons today after one year in charge of the southern Yugoslav province.
UN Secretary-General Mr Kofi Annan said he greatly regretted Mr Haekkerup's departure but stressed he respected the decision, which came as a surprise for many people in the ethnic Albanian-dominated province and elsewhere in Yugoslavia.
Mr Annan praised Mr Haekkerup (56) for his work to introduce a substantial degree of self-government in Kosovo, including holding last month's successful election of a new 120-seat legislative assembly.
The United States said Mr Haekkerup had contributed significantly to peace and democracy in Kosovo, a de facto international protectorate since NATO's 1999 bombing campaign to halt Serbian repression of its Albanian majority.
"The United States notes with regret the resignation announcement today by Hans Haekkerup," a US spokesman said.
Until a replacement is named, Mr Haekkerup's main deputy, American Mr Charles Brayshaw, will be in charge of the UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).
The soft-spoken and bearded Dane, who replaced Frenchman Mr Bernard Kouchner in January 2001 as the UN's Kosovo administrator, left the province today before his resignation was made public.
Mr Haekkerup, whose wife is expecting a child early next year, said he was looking forward to spending more time with his family and said the decision not to renew his contract when it expires on December 31st was his.
"It has been a very intensive year," he told Kosovo television RTK.