Topalli tries to convince China on Kosova’s status

TIRANA, May 14 – Parliament Speaker Jozefina Topalli visited China last week in an effort to urge Beijing to vote in favor of Kosova’s independence at the United Nations Security Council. Talks on Kosova and strengthening bilateral economic ties were the two main topics Topalli discussed in the meetings with top Chinese officials.
Topalli said that Kosova is a unique case and presents no precedent to fear. She stressed the Albanian government’s support to President Martti Ahtisaari’s package, which, she said, serves peace and stability in the region. Topalli told Chinese officials that Tirana considered their post in the U.N. as very important. China and Albania have been allies since 1961, when the tiny Balkan country broke its ties with the Soviet Union. However, the two countries also broke their close ties in 1978 after the regimes were displeased with each other’s policies.
Last year Albania granted asylum to five Chinese Muslims, or Uighurs, released from the U.S. prison in May. The five went to Albania after U.S. authorities said they posed no terrorist threat to the U.S. but might face persecution if returned to China.