By Bamir Topi
At the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Albania becomes the symbolic example of a people which after toppling the harshest dictatorship and breaking the chains of the longest political isolation only because it believed on the ideal of freedom, on the ideal of human rights and in the true meaning of the word democracy, became a member of the greatest organization championing liberty and universal values.
We are alongside you because we remain determined to face and overcome our domestic political, economical and military challenges, because from today on, the contribution and active and moderating role of Albania in the Balkans will be transformed into an added valued to its sustainable and long-term peace and stability, in support of the young state of Kosova and in making healthier the spirit of cooperation and good neighboring policy for a common Euro-Atlantic future.
Small Albania comes to this Summit to re-iterate its determination that it deserves this membership. It enjoys almost the full support of its citizens, the full political and media consensus and the responsibility to fulfill its commitments while facing the common challenges.
This accession will help the development of domestic democracy and the political, military and economic reforms in Albania and it will encourage its steps regarding the further Euro-Atlantic integration. Its first test will be the holding of the upcoming political elections in June 2009 according to the required standards.
The NATO full fledged membership will increase the active and moderating role of Albania in the Balkans by expanding the regional security belt in the borders of Kosova, Montenegro and Macedonia and by establishing a new standard of Balkans cooperation and by joining the Mediterranean security space. NATO’s presence is an instrument to guarantee a multi-ethnical Kosova in order to consolidate the country’s stability and security and to share its experience with the newly founded security force of Kosova.
I think that the support of Euro-Atlantic tendencies of Serbia will positively contribute by halting the sources of financing by Belgrade to the parallel structures in Kosova.
Our accession makes us responsible to the global challenges of the Alliance and more determined to take part in facing them and in the political or military solutions offered by the Alliance.
We will join the commitment of the Alliance to the new policies and steps aimed at the stabilization of Afghanistan by adding one more company to the framework of ISAF, by being ready to offer education to the Afghan students in the medical field by trying together with the Afghan government to find and explore the priorities of cooperation in other fields. In order to secure a sustainable progress, it is fundamental an all-inclusive in all the aspects. For this scope, Albania supported the holding of the Conference on Afghanistan on March 31st.
Albania hopes and wishes for Russia to be engaged in the NATO-Russia dialogue with the good wish and cooperating spirit. Albania holds the view that the pragmatic benefit from the commitment of Russia’s engagement through NATO-Russia Council will be welcomed only if it would not ride on the back of the fundamental Alliance principals and values.
The Alliance objectives for a safer future and for a more sustainable and long-term security, for a collective defense make us stand firmly and more powerfully connected to the overall values and principals of democracy about the development and wellbeing of our nations.
The contribution of Albania as the new Alliance member will be part of the reform in the NATO headquarters to produce the common required result by using the efficient human and financial resources. We will embrace the concepts of Alliance’ strategy so we can successfully face together the difficult challenges lying ahead.
This speech of President Bamir Topi was delivered at NATO summit Strasbourg April 4th, 2009
