TIRANA, Sept. 23 – Albania’s foreign ministry has mishandled diplomatic protocol and caused incidents involving the ambassadors of Israel, Palestine and several Arab league countries, according to a top opposition representative and reporting by the Panorama newspaper.
Aldo Bumà§i, the opposition’s deputy head of the foreign affairs commission in parliament and a former foreign minister, said the foreign ministry had committed a big blunder by inviting the ambassadors of Israel and Palestine to meet with Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati at the same time at the ministry to explain why Albania voted in favor of the Palestinian flag to be flown at the UN.
Bumà§i said the diplomats were understandably angry at the blunder.
“It is to be ignorant of the ABCs of diplomacy to call a joint meeting of the ambassadors of Israel and Palestine,” Bumà§i said at a parliamentary commission meeting.
The comments came as Minister Bushati was reporting to the commission. He did speak about the UN vote, but sidestepped Bumà§i’s questions on the incident. Bushati did not deny it happened, however.
Panorama, one of Albania’s most influential newspapers, reported that the foreign ministry had sought to quell the irritation of the diplomats and had apologized, explaining the good intentions of the meeting.
The newspaper reported the meeting was not held due to the ambassadors’ refusal to participate.
Panorama also published a letter by the Palestinian ambassador which explained his displeasure that Palestine had not been invited at another meeting, when all Arab League countries – and Israel – had been asked to attend.
The meeting was aimed at lobbying in favor of Kosovo’s UNESCO membership. That meeting too had failed as the Arab League ambassadors had refused to participate without Palestine and with Israel, according to the newspaper.
The meeting had taken place at a later date, only with the Arab League ambassadors present, according to the newspaper.
The Albanian ministry had said there had been “a technical error” in not inviting Palestine to the first meeting.
Palestinian Ambassador Yasser Al-Najjar did express his thanks for Albania’s support at the UN, according to Panorama.
Last week, Albania voted in favor of the presence of the Palestinian flag at the United Nations, in a break with its chief international ally – the United States.
Albania was part of the 119 votes for the flag to be flown at the UN. There were eight votes against and 45 abstentions.
Tirana said that was no change of its policy, adding that they favored a resolution sponsored by the European Union and the Arab League on the matter.
The resolution proposed that countries like Palestine and the Vatican, which are not full UN members, can still have their flags flown at the UN.
Tirana also wants the Kosovo flag at the UN.
Albania has had full diplomatic relations with Palestine since the communist era. It also has very friendly relations with Israel.
Tirana has been prodding both sides to recognize Kosovo’s independence – without any success so far.
