Prishtina, 5 July 2013
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, received in a meeting today Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Philip T. Reeker. Following the meeting, Prime Minister Thaçi and Mr. Reeker gave a press conference at the media center of the Government of Kosovo.
Following there is the complete statement by Prime Minister Thaçi in a joint press conference with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Philip T. Reeker
It was a special pleasure for me today to meet Mr. Reeker again, after we met yesterday, and to thank him for his visit to the Republic of Kosovo, for his personal support and of the Government of the United States of America for the progress that Kosovo and the region are making.
This visit by Mr. Reeker to Kosovo and to the region coincides with lots of other good news for Kosovo and the region; the opening of the Stabilization and Association process for Kosovo which is an outstanding achievement that definitely puts Kosovo on a safe path towards its Euro-Atlantic perspective.
At the same time, I informed Mr. Reeker today on the further steps that the Republic of Kosovo, its institutions and the citizens are taking to continue with the implementation of the Agreement achieved on 19 April between the state of Kosovo and Serbia.
The Government of Kosovo and the institutions of Kosovo will continue working diligently by fully respecting the implementation agenda and timeframes.
We have just ratified the Agreement between Kosovo and Serbia in the Parliament of Kosovo, and yesterday we had an interesting debate on the Amnesty Law.
After the explanations made also today amongst the political spectrum, we decided as Government of the Republic of Kosovo to resend the draft law to the Assembly and we the political spectrum will act together to also overcome this sensitive matter directly linked to the implementation of the Agreement reached in Brussels between Kosovo and Serbia.
Therefore, I have full trust that we will move ahead steadily and that we will move together in implementing our joint agenda.
One more time, honorable Mr. Reeker, I want to thank you and all the Government of United States of America for your strong supporting of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia on normalization of relations and on good neighborly relations. This agreement has been welcomed by the majority of political parties in Kosovo, by the citizens of Kosovo and its implementation is showing positive effects in the north and positive reflections for the European perspective of the entire region.
I would also like to point out that the implementation has now started in more segments in the north. A lot remains to be done. But I am optimistic that things will move in line with the agenda, and that gradually conditions and circumstances will be created also for a closer and more normal and more acceptable communication also with the Serbs in the north, so that the 3 November local elections are also held there, with the participation of local Serbs and others in that part. And Kosovo, for the first time in fourteen years, will organize elections throughout its entire territory with the participation of all the communities.
This is a joint success, and I am very grateful for the strong support from you personally and from United States of America.
The statement by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Philip T. Reeker in a press conference with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi
Thank you very much Prime Minister Thaçi,
Thank you ladies and gentlemen who have come here today.
I told the Prime Minister in the meeting we had earlier and also President Jahjaga that it is a pleasure to come back to Prishtina.
The last time I was here to celebrate the conclusion of supervised independence, and then the Secretary of State, Madam Clinton was here together with Madam Ashton encouraging you to engage in this process that has been very successful.
I commend Mr. Prime Minister and all the people of Kosovo for the progress made in terms of the Stabilization and Association agreement with the EU. This is an outstanding step and US is proud of the progress made and of the support that we have given the EU facilitators of the dialogue.
I think that it is appropriate to return here after the conclusion of the supervised independence to celebrate the 237th anniversary of the independence of US and I am glad to have the opportunity to join Ambassador Jacobson and a fantastic team of US diplomats who have been working tirelessly to help Kosovo in many fields.
The progress we have had through the dialogue and the 19-April agreement is a huge step for Kosovo, for the region and for the whole of Europe and it is important also for US.
We have seen huge progress over the last few months in the region.
President Obama sent me to Zagreb last Sunday to represent him in the celebration of Croatia’s accession to the EU and the US Secretary of State, Kerry, asked me to travel to Belgrade and Prishtina to reiterate our support for the steps and the progress made.
We have seen positive elections in Albania and all these are all positive steps the region is taking to move ahead.
I need to repeat what I have said earlier that more Europe does not mean less United States and I am glad to be here to commend Prime Minister Thaçi for his leadership in achieving the agreement and for his commitment and courage and of his team to demonstrate that participation in direct negotiations with the support of international community can achieve solutions for the region, and this we have seen with Serbia and Kosovo.
I also want to thank the Assembly that represents the people, the citizens of Kosovo, for the ratification of the agreement last week as an important part for the implementation of the agreement. Because, at the end of the day its implementation is the key and I hope that the Prime Minister and his team will continue working on it. Teams are working every day in Brussels to support this and US will continue to support this process because as Secretary Kerry has said we will continue supporting the EU facilitated process.
I also want to acknowledge the courage of the members of the Assembly of Kosovo to ratify the agreement, as they put the interests of Kosovo above everything else, as the ratification of the agreement strengthens the sovereignty of Kosovo, and will bring stability to the region, and as we have seen will sent Kosovo to a free and peaceful Europe.
Prime Minister Thaçi mentioned the Amnesty Law which is a critical and very important part of the agreement of 19 April and I am glad to see that the Assembly and the Government will continue working to meet their responsibilities, as it will be a key step for the implementation of the agreement.
I think that the yesterday’s debate has shown that there some people who are misinformed because some media distorted what this law says.
I encourage all the citizens to read and understand that this law has come out of the dialogue and that an agreement for it was reached in Brussels and it was also supported by expertise from US and EU. Our legal advisors too have supported this process and I encourage you to show the seriousness that Kosovo has shown in the past.
I also want to say that US strongly condemns the violent acts that we have seen, very unfortunate acts by those parties who simply want to distort the process and who do not have original ideas, and who only want to show a complete lack of respect for the institutions, including the Assembly and also diplomats and representatives of the international community.
We want to encourage all the legitimate and relevant factors to refrain from undemocratic and unacceptable solutions and to work constructively with your institutions and your new democracy.
Therefore, I want to thank you one more time, Honorable Prime Minister, thank you very much for your warm reception. On behalf of Secretary Kerry and President Obama, congratulations one more time to you and the people of Kosovo on the exceptional progress made, because this is a huge step ahead and you need to continue building on the progress made. United States of America will stand by you in all these efforts.
Thank you very much.
Last modified: July 31, 2022