Albania has already recognized Kosova’s independence and will do so again, says Berisha

TIRANA, Dec. 10 -Prime Minister Sali Berisha said Monday that Albania had already recognized an independent Kosova and would do so, again, in the future, though he declined to say if Tirana would be the first to recognize the state following a unilateral declaration.
Speaking on a talk show Monday evening at a private television channel, Berisha said that Albania would open its border and make available the Adriatic coast to Kosova in case of a Serbian embargo following a declaration of independence.
‘The possibility that Serbia may apply old forms is not excluded, to react in an abnormal way to make the life of Kosova citizens more difficult,” said Berisha at TV Klan show.
Berisha urged Kosova businessmen to be ready to cope with a possible Serb embargo.
“Albania will open all its roads of communication to Kosova and its people,” said Berisha, naming those facilities to be available to Kosova citizens and talking about other international consequences of independence.
Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha said that European Union seemed to have reached a consensus on an independent Kosova and a declaration of its independence is expected in only a matter of weeks.
Both Berisha and Basha appealed for calm in Kosova.
Berisha, and also Kosova premier-elect Hashim Thaci, hinted they knew of a date for the declaration of Kosova’s independence but declined to provide details saying everything would be made in full accordance with the international community, United States and European Union.
“Leadership of Kosova politics is not unilateral. It is based on a document with world support, except for Belgrade and Kremlin,” said Berisha.
Berisha also said that Albania’s national flag could be used by all Albanians, in or out of the country.
Thaci said that Kosova would soon have its own flag but added that Tirana’s flag belongs to Kosova as well, meaning it would be used in the future the Kosova flag.
Albanian opposition Socialist party leader Edi Rama also said that Kosova would soon be formally independent.
“(An independent Kosova) would bring a new breath to our region, to all its citizens, including Serbs, who should wake up once and for all from the calamity of a history which created in the midst of Europe an unfair issue repaired by this process,” said Rama.