Controversial Claim

Albania has started something. Last week, Prime Minister Sali Berisha's government said it wanted Mother Teresa's remains sent back to Albania before the 100th anniversary of her birth in August 2010.

He said his country had begun negotiations with India and was planning to "intensify" them later in the year.

But on Tuesday, the Indian government flatly refused the Albanian request.

"Mother Teresa was an Indian citizen and she is resting in her own country," Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Vishnu Prakash said. "The question does not arise."

Mother Teresa, born Agnese Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, moved to India in 1929 and remained there until her death as a Nobel Prize winning humanitarian in 1997. She was post-humosly beatified by the Vatican in 2003.

During her life in India, she took her vows, taught and founded the religious order, Missionaries of Charity, subsequently spending more than four decades ministering to orphans, the sick and the poor.

Lived, died and buried in India

Her dedication to her adopted homeland has created a strong sense among the Indian people that she belonged to them, and as such, the Albanian request has not gone down well.

Calcutta-based author Mahashweta Devi told the IANS news agency that whatever her origins she became Mother Teresa because of her work in India.

"She lived here by choice. She also died here, so I think in respect to her memory, her remains should be allowed to remain here."

And even if India were not so steadfast in its resolution, Albania would have to fight one of its neighbors for a claim to the late nun's national identity. As while she was born to an Albanian family, her place of birth was in what is now Macedonia.

tkw/dpa/AP
Editor: Trinity Hartman