TIRANA, Dec. 12 – Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah made an official visit to Albania on Wednesday to strengthen bilateral ties, especially in the economic sphere.
That was the first Kuwaiti visit to Albania.
Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha said that both countries will seek stronger ties in the future.
Al Sabah also said they would work to further deepen bilateral relations in the future.
The Kuwaiti premier said that Albania’s stand on Kuwait during the 1990 Iraqi invasion was written in the history of his country, adding their ties were not purely diplomatic but also in culture, finance, investment, and others.
Berisha said that Albania has always been a supporter of a free Kuwait, adding Albania’s support was a duty.
Berisha also supported “U.S. intervention in Iraq, fully convinced that without Saddam Hussein the world was freer and surer, as it is without Slobodan Milosevic.”
Al Sabah praised the Albanian efforts to facilitate the investment climate and expressed the interest of the private Kuwaiti businesses to be present throughout the Balkan country with investment.
Al Sabah also praised Albania’s contribution in the fight against world terrorism.
Both premiers said that the agreements signed would help to reinforce improved relations as they make up the legal context required for further expansion.
The Kuwaiti Fund has been a continuous presence to help Albania in many economic and social aspects such as infrastructure, agriculture, education, health and others.
Berisha pledged further support to their investment and urged a larger Kuwaiti presence in the country throughout all sectors of the country’s economy.
“The Kuwaiti Fund is an extraordinarily important donor with a series of projects covering almost all fields including infrastructure, agriculture, education, health and other spheres,” said Berisha, adding Albanian army units in Iraq had always found strong support in neighboring Kuwait.
Berisha also considered Al Kharafi as the country’s main investor, calling them honest and respected in all its investment.
Al Kharafi has a tourism complex and also owns the country’s flag flight company, Albanian Airlines.
Berisha further urged the Kuwaiti businesses to look for investment in the energy sector in the country, which is in a difficult transition, and also infrastructure.
Berisha had visited Kuwait in 1992 when he was president.
Al Sabah said that Kuwaiti businesses were present in one or two sectors in Albania. “We would like to be present in all other sectors to make different investment not only in Tirana but all around Albania,” he said, mentioning tourism.
“As the constitutional guarantees for foreign investment already do exist, you will see that Kuwaiti investors will come to Albania,” pledged Al Sabah.
Kosova
The Kuwaiti premier said his country hoped that the United Nations Security Council would positively agree on Kosova’s independence soon.
“We hope that the General Assembly will discuss it and that our vote will always be positive,” said Al Sabah.
Berisha said that after the failure of the extended 120-days talks there were some very important development on Kosova. “The United States fully supports independence as the only solution that will bring peace and stability to the region.”
Another positive development was the unification of the European Union member countries in their stand toward the Antiwar project as the best solution.
“That was a very important test not only for Kosova but for the whole of Europe, for the whole region, Albanians and non-Albanians,” said Berisha.
“I see that the finalization of the status will be soon. There is no more time to buy time but a necessary procedure must be followed,” he said.
It was forecast that the UNMIK would be replaced by the EU mission and that could not happen within a night, according to him. That process should be completed, he said.
“U.S. and EU countries will recognize it (Kosova). Albania will do all it can to assist Kosova on its path and consolidate independence,” he said.
“The declaration of independence will be in coordination with the US and EU. Albania has and will recognize an independent Kosova,” he said.
