Tirana Times
TIRANA, May 19 – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ilir Meta held a speech at the 37th Session of the Council of Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Conference held in the ancient and beautiful city of Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Exchanging bilateral and multilateral views and also Kosovo were his main topics of the speech.
The 37th Session took place after a year, full of challenges and accomplishments for the whole international community and for us gathered here. Albania is fully confident that this session will provide us with further opportunities in sharing and exchanging experiences and ideas through dialogue as well as through bilateral and multilateral contacts, designed to enhance our endeavors, renew our energies and strengthen our unity, solidarity and prosperity. Our shared goal is to further our cooperation and produce even more positive values for our own countries and for the international community in terms of sustainable socio – economic developments, security and peace in our region.
Albania strongly supports the efforts to promote the OIC standing in the international scene through dialogue and cooperation with all relevant international organizations and institutions. We believe on the importance of dialogue, as the best tool to forge understanding and cooperation among the OIC and other international and regional organizations such as UN, EU, African Union, Arab League, OSCE, and Alliance of Civilization. We believe that all of us need to effectively contribute to build the necessary bridges to overcome the gaps, old prejudices, divisions, hatred, intolerance, and other negative occurrences. By doing so, we invest in strengthening our solidarity and boosting our prosperity.
Albania pays particular attention to the cooperation between the OIC and the OSCE. The potential in this field is indeed immense, as Secretary General Prof. Ihsanoglu mentioned during his recent appearance in Vienna. We believe that the cooperation can be further developed in a mutually beneficial way in the domain of tolerance and non-discrimination. In this respect we stand ready to explore concrete opportunities in the year 2012, when we plan to organize in Albania the OSCE’s high level meeting on tolerance and in the year 2014, in the framework of Albania’s possible OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office.
The situation in Middle East continues to be volatile; progress there is either slow or lacking. All of us know that the concrete activity for conflict resolution in Middle East bears the expectation for a safer and more peaceful world. Therefore, Albania supports without hesitation the current endeavors to move resolutely and courageously ahead to a peaceful settlement. In this regard, we fully support the role of Quartet and the implementation of Road Map; meanwhile, we hold that the international community and the parties concerned should monitor the whole process of negotiations; they should take an active part in its implementation and uphold human rights as well.
Meta also made a presentation of the situation in his country, Albania.
Albania believes that good governance is a key factor for the improvement of citizens’ life. Good-governance is an important precondition in ensuring sustainable economic growth and the eradication of poverty.
Thanks to the measures taken by the Albanian Government, including the fiscal bonus, huge investments in infrastructure, with the latter accounting for 10% of our GDP and a relatively small exposure of our banking system to international financial markets, appear to have had positive effects on the Albanian economic growth; the latter, unlike the economies of most of other countries showed positive figures during the year 2009; accordingly, our economy promises to maintain this trend during 2010. Albania continues to provide a friendly, safe and encouraging environment for foreign investments, where all the OIC member countries are mostly welcomed to contribute.
Kosovo remained a main topic during his trip to Dushanbe.
He said that at the 36th Conference in Damascus, there was adopted with consensus the Resolution No. 12/36 “On the situation in Kosovo”. This Resolution, together with other previously adopted resolutions and documents, constitutes a clear testimony of the sincere solidarity and commitment of our Organization towards the values of freedom and progress.
A year has passes ever since; during this period of time, Kosovo has become a witness of essential developments towards progress at all areas. Democratic institutions and the rule of law are in the process of consolidation. The successful local elections on 15 November 2009, the first in the new independent state of Kosovo, showed that democracy and multi-ethnic society are functional. A major achievement of these elections was the increased participation by Serbs; this accomplishment was also highlighted in the latest Report on Kosovo by the UN Secretary General. The minority communities increasingly view and feel that Kosovo is their own state and their future is linked with its development and consolidation.
Likewise, the functionality of the EU Mission EULEX throughout Kosovo’s territory, in harmony with the Constitution is an added guarantee for the continuation of this successful track.
Kosovo as an independent state has been recognized by 68 states to date; it has joined the IMF and the World Bank as a full – fledged member; it is also an active participant at several initiatives and regional fora. New recognitions are expected soon; likewise, other economic and financial institutions of regional and international nature are expected to admit Kosovo amidst them. Talking in real terms, independent Kosovo has produced a new climate, which radiates peace and stability in the areas of security, inter-ethnic relations and other fields, not only in Kosovo but all over our region.
The establishment of diplomatic relations among Kosovo and all its neighboring countries, except Serbia, is a clear evidence that its existence as an independent and sovereign state is acknowledged not only as a fact of the current reality in the Balkans, but also as a necessity for its security and stability.
Albania believes that the adoption of the Draft – Resolution on the situation in Kosovo at this Session would be a clear and positive signal and an encouraging step ahead, by the OIC Member States, for further developments in Kosovo.
Today we live in a rapidly changing world, said the minsiter. To realize our common aspirations to the benefit of present and future generations, we must work together to resolve common problems and challenges, to maintain a world without wars, to foster and uphold the basic human rights, to promote social progress and higher living standards among all our countries. We need to strengthen our unity and our solidarity for a more secure and prosperous world.
