Kosovo PM Hashim Tha詠Fears Berisha’s Influence, Wikileaks Says

Tirana Times

TIRANA, July 12 – The Kosovo and Albanian media reported a Wikileaks-based news that Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has expressed fears that his Albanian counterpart Sali Berisha could damage his personality through an increased influence in the new state.
Neither Thaci nor the US embassy accepted to comment on such words. During a meeting at the US embassy in Prishtina for a private talk with charge d’affaires Michael Murphy in August 2009, Thaci had expressed his concern on Berisha’s mixing in Kosovo’s internal issues, According to Koha Ditore newspaper.
That was made only days after Berisha had met with Kosovo’s politician Ramush Haradinaj in Tirana, in which both parties also signed an agreement of cooperation.
Thaci had said that Berisha would be welcomed for a visit to Prishtina in autumn 2009 but the Albanian premier could not come for political support to Haradinaj ahead of the parliamentary elections there. Thaci had allegedly asked US intervention to Berisha and ask him refrain from statements on “pan-Albanianism” in the region.
As if to patch their things up and also show to the Albanians they do not ‘fear’ each other both premiers had a working dinner last weekend. That was reported by Berisha’s press office in a very dry and short announcement.
It continued to say they discussed in detail the intensification of the compre-hensive cooperation between the two countries, a statement said.
Both premiers also focused on the regional cooperation and the European agenda for the two countries, as well as the coordination of efforts for more recognition for Kosovo.
That press office also emphasized that “talks were characterized by a complete spirit of understanding.”
Sure there is understanding between the two countries, inhabited by the same ethnic Albanian population. Sure Tirana has been one of the most active factors lobbying for neighboring Kosovo’s recognition (until now 76 countries have recognized) since its independence three years ago.
Yet there was still a hint of suspicion throughout the event. Unlike the usual public nature of such meetings at which both parties hail their counterpart and future cooperation, this meeting was unusually subdued with little public exposure or announcements.