Havel’s body lies in state in Prague Castle

2011-12-22 31

A line of mourners file through Prague Castle to pay their respects to former Czech President Vaclav Havel.
The body of the playwright-turned president will lie in state until a funeral mass on Friday.
Havel died aged 75 at his country home on Sunday, 22 years after leading the "Velvet Revolution" that ended Communist rule over Czechoslovakia in December 1989.
(SOUNDBITE) (Czech) MIROSLAV KORCKY, MOURNER, SAYING:
"Mr. Havel to me is the man who dug our country out of the swamp of Communism again. He gave people the trust that when they behave right, in Havel's humanistic intentions, everything will turn out well."
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Polish dissident-turned-president Lech Walesa are among those expected at the funeral on Friday, which will end three days of national mourning.
Nick Rowlands, Reuters.

Free Traffic Exchange