Mustafaj lobbies for Kosova at UN

TIRANA, April 4 Albanian Foreign Minister Besnik Mustafaj completed his diplomatic lobbying in New York at the UN Security Council for Kosova’s independence with a meeting with U.N. Envoy Martti Ahtisaari. Mustafaj thanked Ahtisaari for his role and contribution, the report and recommendations which he considered as realistic, balanced and the solution offered by him as the only solution stabilizing Kosova and the region.
Independence is “the only viable option” for Kosova, the U.N. envoy for the province said in a report that accompanied his proposal on the territory’s future. The two documents by Martti Ahtisaari, who mediated yearlong talks between ethnic Albanians and Serbs, were delivered to the U.N. Security Council which is expected to make the final decision. Ahtisaari said he had “come to the conclusion that the only viable option for Kosova is independence, to be supervised for an initial period by the international community.” It is the first time the envoy has explicitly mentioned independence for the Serbian province in an official document. The report was turned down by Belgrade asking for another observation mission headed by someone else to visit the two capitals. Russia supports Serbia _ which vehemently opposes independence for Kosova _ and has implied it could use its veto power in the Council if Belgrade’s interests are not addressed. The United States and the European Union back the U.N. Plan. Mustafaj said that such a mission had not to double or replace the existing one and that any delay of the Kosova’s status decision would bring problems and no results.
Mustafaj also met Tuesday with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Mustafaj said that any delay would bring ‘unforeseen consequences’ in solving the Kosova status. A new mission should not avert the work done by the UNMIK and the Ahtisaari’s mission, he said.
Mustafaj also talked with U.S. top diplomat at the Security Council Alejandro Wolf thanking him for his country’s special role in the process. Mustafaj also assured him of Albania’s unchanged stand on the Kosova issue. In another meeting with the Russian envoy Igor Shcherbak Mustafaj said that anything hapeening in Kosova directly affects Albania as well. He reiterated that Tirana would nto change borders after an independet Kosova and asking for a intensification of ties with Belgrade.
Mustafaj also met with Italian envoy Marcello Spatafora, Indonesia’s Rezlan Ishar Jenie, Britain’s Emyr Jones Perry, Germany’s Thomas Matussek, Belgium’s Oliver Belle, Slovakia’s Peter Burian.
Albania has hailed the United Nations Secretary-General’s and Ahtisaari’s plan. “Implementation of recommendations presented by Mr. Ahtisaari will make possible to the region as a whole to finally get rid of the past on behalf of a new Balkans, based on peace, stability and prosperity for all, oriented toward European and Euro-Atlantic integration,” according to a statement before he left for the trip last week.