Kosova, unfinished business

TIRANA, Feb. 7 – Rosemary DiCarlo, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, started a two-day visit to Tirana Wednesday talking with top Albanian officials on the forthcoming local polls, integration into NATO. Her main topic of discussion was U.N. envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s proposal on Kosova status. DiCarlo strongly urged Belgrade to “constructively” cooperate with Ahtisaari’s team in the coming weeks which she considered as decisive for the process. Speaking at a news conference at the end of the visit, DiCarlo said that the Untied States and other Contact Group member countries strongly supported the view that Ahtisaari’s proposal would promote regional stability, more respecting of the multiethnic society in Kosova and the wish of the Kosova people. She urged Belgrade to cooperate with Ahtisaari and expressed her belief of the continuous constructive commitment from the Kosovar ethnic Albanian leaders. DiCarlo said that the Kosovo process should end successfully without delay. There was no hint of a possible Russia or China obstacle at the U.N. Security Council as she repeatedly said that there was a same opinion of the Contact Group member countries.
Prime Minister Sali Berisha expressed his government’s gratitude to the United States on their efforts for the final solution of the Kosova status. Berisha also added that the international community should approve an economic aid package for Kosova which is encountering serious economic and social problems like poverty and unemployment. President Alfred Moisiu also stressed that this was an important moment for Kosova, but also for peace and stability in the Balkans and its integration efforts into NATO and the European Union. “I am convinced that the Kosova people will be mature and will not allow damaging the successful closure of this process,” said Moisiu.
Albania’s integration into NATO was another main topic of discussion. While Berisha expressed his government’s full commitment for the military reforms and the rule of law, especially the fight against organized crime and corruption, DiCarlo expressed Washington’s support to Albania’s aspirations for NATO membership. But she repeated that Albania had to continue military reforms, establish full rule of law, fight organized crime and corruption and also have general consensus of all the groupings, be they political or institutional, on such reforms. Albania’s acceptance to NATO membership was performance-based, she said, adding the U.S. authorities were closely cooperating with Albania in the road of reforms. She also highly considered Albania’s constructive and moderate role in the region for its peace and stability.