By Ilir Meta
As another intensive year for the OSCE is drawing to a close, we are very pleased to note that Greece has fully lived up to the expectations reposed on a Chairmanship-in-Office at a time when the Organization has embarked upon a challenging process of intensifying the dialogue on Europe’s current security architecture and the state of implementation of all OSCE commitments. In this regard, the efforts, the creativity and the leadership shown by Greek Chairmanship during the Corfu Process deserve due praise and recognition.
We note with satisfaction that during the last year the OSCE has taken a central stage in the European security dialogue and has been identified as the most appropriate forum to address the security concerns of the Euro-Atlantic community. The proceedings of the Athens Ministerial Council offer the opportunity to take stock of the constructive dialogue held under the Corfu Process and task the Organization to further advance with the dialogue on the current security architecture and the state of implementation of the existing commitments. In this light, Albania strongly supports the adoption of the Corfu declaration and the relevant decision.
We do believe that Europe’s current security structure is already tested as being solid and effective, while its foundations are consistent with the geopolitical realities and needs of the continent. Over the last two decades we have been able to develop an effective network of international organizations, whose mandates, institutions and values reflect the comprehensive nature of European Security and are complementary to each other.
20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall we note with appreciation how successful this structure has been in drastically improving the European security environment and in providing peace and stability to Eastern and South-eastern Europe. Hence we see no need for radical changes in this area.
On the other side, we understand that the very existence of this dialogue suggests that the transatlantic community perceives that the principles of cooperative and indivisible security for all have not been entirely fulfilled. In our opinion this cannot be attributed to the shortcomings of the current security architecture, but rather to the persistence of protracted conflicts and to the selective implementation of the commitments adopted in the Human Dimension, which is at the core of the OSCE’s comprehensive concept of security.
For this reason Albania supports the idea that the Corfu Process should clearly reaffirm the entire validity of the current comprehensive acquis of the OSCE, and at the same time explore ways for selective improvements in the existing security architecture, including the adoption of new mechanisms to strengthen the effectiveness of the OSCE in conflict prevention and resolution, to better address transnational threats, as well as to independently monitor violations of human rights. These aspects deserve and call for our renewed attention during the discussion that will take place next year.
During this year Albania has reached important milestones in its Euro-Atlantic integration process, not least the organization of the June parliamentary elections that met most of the OSCE commitments. As an outcome of the popular vote Albania is governed by a coalition of parties that are strongly committed and is working hard to materialize a long-standing aspiration of the Albanian people, notably the integration into the European Union.
In this endeavour the current government will build upon the encouraging developments in the state of relations between Albania and the European Union, resulting after Albania’s membership application and the Council’s latest decision to request the opinion of the European Commission on Albania’s readiness to become a candidate country. Albania commends this decision and is making the necessary preparations to face the next steps of this process that we expect will turn Albania into an EU candidate country within the shortest period of time possible.
Never in its turbulent history has the Western Balkans enjoyed such a peaceful and stable geopolitical environment and such a clear perspective of Euro-Atlantic integration. In April 2009, Albania and Croatia become fully-fledged members of NATO, while the other countries of the region have steadily advanced their respective integration agendas. Albania welcomes these developments and takes the opportunity to reiterate our strong support and unwavering contribution for the European perspective of the whole region.
We commend the Government of Kosova for organizing free and fair municipal elections; the first held after the independence of the country and entirely run by the local authorities. Albania considers these elections are yet another example of the increased maturity of the Kosova people and its political representatives. They further reconfirm that an independent Kosova is perfectly able to provide a tangible contribution to the security of the Western Balkans. In this regard, we would like to express our satisfaction for the encouraging level of participation of the local Serb community in these elections. Their participation in the democratic and legitimate institutions of independent Kosova is the best contribution they could make to their future, which is naturally and inevitably linked with a stable, prosperous and European Kosova.
_______________________
This speech was delivered by Ilir META, Deputy prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Albania, at the 17th Ministerial Council Meeting of the OSCE. Athens, 1-2 December 2009
