Washington DC, 6 March 2011
Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Edita Tahiri and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Enver Hoxhaj visited the United States of America.
During the visit, the delegation of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo held meetings with senior officials in the US State Department, the National Security Council at the White House, the US Congress, as well as holding a lecture at the Johns Hopkins-SAIS university, on the topic: “Kosova post elections and before challenges.”
At the State Department, Deputy Prime Minister Tahiri and Minister Hoxhaj met the Deputy Secretary of State, Mr. James B. Steinberg; the Principal Deputy Assistant of State Mr. Tom Countryman; Ms. Jennifer Brush, Director of the Office of South Central European Affairs and Mr. Paul Pfeuffer from the Office of South Central European Affairs.
In the National Security Council, Ms. Edita Tahiri and Mr. Enver Hoxhaj met with Mr. Rick Holtzapple, Director for South East and Central Europe.
In the meeting with the US Deputy Secretary of State, Mr. James B. Steinberg, the delegation of the Republic of Kosovo thanked the American Government for continually supporting Kosovo, in all the important phases of liberation, independence and Kosovo’s state building and called for the further strengthening of relations between Kosovo and the U.S. and the strategic alliance between our two countries.
Then the government delegation presented its vision and the program of the new Kosovo Government for the development and strengthening of the independent state of Kosovo, emphasizing the key priorities for economic development, strengthening the rule of law, good governance, strengthening foreign policy and national security, lobbying for recognition and inter-state technical dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. “The Kosovo Government is committed to good governance and deep reforms for Kosovo’s internal and external development in the interest of all citizens and communities, and is seriously committed to fulfilling its international obligations”, said Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri.
US Deputy Secretary of State Steinberg welcomed the creation of new democratic institutions in Kosovo after the first general elections since independence. He guaranteed that the US would continue to strongly support the independent state of Kosovo and its Euro-Atlantic perspective. Mr. Steinberg continued to emphasize the importance of Kosovo’s sustainable development and state-building, at the same time offering assistance and comprehensive support. Supporting the dialogue for practical issues between Kosovo and Serbia Mr. Steinberg reconfirmed the American position that Kosovo’s independence is a closed issue and a new reality for the Balkans.
The Delegation of the Republic of Kosovo also held special meetings with the Congressmen Eliot Engel and Dana Rohrabacher who reaffirmed their determination to support Kosovo in the new challenges facing the new state.
During the visit to Washington, the Government Delegation held a lecture at the Johns Hopkins SAIS University, in which the Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri and Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj participated in a panel with Daniel Serwer, the well-known analyst of the Balkans.
Last modified: July 31, 2022