Tirana Times
TIRANA, Sep. 6 – Albania’s President Bamir Topi has asked all U.N. General Assembly members to back Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia.
Topi said in a letter last week Friday that approval of a Serbian resolution challenging Kosovo’s independence would “negatively affect” Balkan peace and stability.
The resolution for the early September General Assembly gathering in New York calls Kosovo’s 2008 declaration “unacceptable.”
The U.S. and 68 other countries recognize the independence of Kosovo, which has a majority ethnic Albanian population. Belgrade lost the province after a crackdown on ethnic Albanian rebels prompted NATO bombardments in 1999.
Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci is in Tirana to coordinate lobbying efforts with the Albanian government.
The Kosovar and Albanian prime ministers said they were working together against a Serbian resolution at the United Nations challenging Kosovo’s declaration of independence.
The UN General Assembly is due on September 9 to discus the resolution on Kosovo. It was introduced by Serbia, which claims Kosovo is still part of Serbia, immediately after last month’s ruling by the UN’s International Court of Justice (ICJ) that Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence does not violate international law.
Thaci said that he believed “the UN General Assembly will mark a new chapter in the process of recognizing Kosovo.”
Referring to the ICJ verdict, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha said that recognition of Kosovo’s statehood is now a matter of “respecting international law.” Berisha said he and Thaci welcome all efforts that seek to help Belgrade adopt this “new reality.”
meanwhile Albanian Foreign Minister Ilir Meta is on a tour in Latin America also lobbying for Kosovo. Consequently Honduras became the 70th country to recognize Kosovo last week.
The minister said that more countries are expected to do the same in the next days. Though not setting any day, everyone believes that will come during the UN General Assembly annual meeting this month.
