Prime Minister Thaçi: A new chapter has opened; a new stage also in the relations of the state of Kosovo with Serbia, a chapter of the future and cooperation. Therefore, the time has come to bring an end to the one-century long conflict between Kosovo and Serbia.
Secretary Clinton: Kosovo must take the lead, but I want you to know, Prime Minister, that just as we have been with you on the hard road to independence, we will stay with you. We are your partners and we are your friends and we are committed to your future.
Prishtina, 13 October 2010
The speech of Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi
Honorable Secretary Clinton,
Allow me, on behalf of the institutions of Kosovo and its citizens, to welcome you to the Republic of Kosovo.
The success and prosperity of the state of Kosovo is inevitably linked with the United States of America and you personally.
Therefore I would like to wholeheartedly thank you.
I briefed Secretary Clinton on the exceptional progress and successes that Kosovo as an independent state has marked over the last two years and on our clear vision for a Euro-Atlantic future for Kosovo and for the entire region.
We are building Kosovo as a state that is home to all its citizens, a democratic and multiethnic country.
Kosovo is making comprehensive democratic reforms, be it in politics, legislation or economy, in line with the Western standards.
We have taken big steps ahead, but a lot remains to be done still, especially in the field of European integration and economic development.
We believe in the United States of America as a serious partner supporting us in this journey, which represents the will of the people of Kosovo and the vision of the Kosovo politics.
Kosovo and its people will continue to nourish special relations with the US.
Honorable Secretary,
Kosovo has entered an important stage of successful conclusion of supervised independence according to the President Ahtisaari’s document.
Now we have started the stage of consolidation and strengthening of our state.
I want to thank you for your exceptional support and this is a joint success of Kosovo, United States of America and Brussels.
Honorable Secretary Clinton,
Regional cooperation is a requirement for Kosovo and for the entire region in terms of European integration.
Kosovo has always had good will to build relations of cooperation with all the neighbors.
As a proud and responsible partner we have established relations with Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia and all the other countries in the region.
We have expressed readiness and good will to build good and interstate relations also with Serbia, as two independent states with untouchable sovereignty and territorial integrity and with a shared vision to integrate in NATO and the European Union, especially after the presentation of the opinion by the International Court of Justice that affirmed the international legal right for the declaration of Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state and acknowledging of this opinion by the UN General Assembly’s Resolution of 9 September this year.
A new chapter has opened now, a new stage also in the relations of the state of Kosovo with Serbia, the chapter of the future and of cooperation. Therefore, the time has come to bring an end to the one-century long conflict between Kosovo and Serbia; the moment of cooperation and of looking towards the future has come. Kosovo is ready.
Kosovo has shown the will to engage in dialogue with Serbia about practical issues as two independent states and at an equal level.
Honorable Secretary, Clinton,
Dialogue is in the interest of both our countries and our people, it is in the service of peace, stability and regional cooperation or the realization of the vision of Kosovo and Serbia and the entire region.
I am convinced that the outcome of the dialogue with Serbia will be concluded with the integration of the state of Kosovo and of the state of Serbia in the NATO and European Union structures.
Honorable Secretary Clinton,
I would like to deeply thank you personally, your family, President Clinton, President Obama, the Government of the United States of America and the people of America.
Thank you very much!
The speech of US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton
Thank you very much Prime Minister Thaçi.
It is a pleasure to be here in Prishtina. I want to thank you for the warm welcome, and also thanks to the acting president, the foreign minister and the people of Kosovo who waved at me when I stopped to see my husband’s statue.
I am very excited to be here on behalf of President Obama, I come not only officially as the Secretary of State, but personally as a member of a family very committed to the future of this country.
Today’s meeting follows the Prime Minister’s recent trip to Washington, where he met with Vice President Biden and afterwards we had a joint meeting at the State Department. I was delighted to be his host then, and I’m delighted be his guest now.
And for me personally, it is a great honor, and I also want to send a special greeting to all of the American troops as well as the troops from our allies and partners serving at Camp Bondsteel. I’m sorry that I could not get out to visit you personally on this trip, but I thank you for everything that you are doing to support stability in Kosovo and across the region.
President Obama and I are committed to helping the countries of the Balkans achieve lasting stability and prosperity. Certainly, my husband, President Clinton, shares our commitment and is deeply connected to this place. As president, he worked hard to help the people of Kosovo live in peace, free from persecution. He and I and President Obama and all Americans have been proud to stand with Kosovo through the years. We are honored to be your friends and your partners and we are impressed by all that you have achieved in the past few years. So my being here is a real vote of confidence, Mr. Prime Minister, in what you are doing and in the future that you are attempting to chart – a new future not only for Kosovo, but for the region. And I thank all of you for being part of that great commitment.
Kosovo and the United States have been partners through war, through the intensive rebuilding that followed the war, and through Kosovo’s hard-fought journey to independence. From the start, the United States supported Kosovo’s right to exist as a sovereign, independent state within its existing borders. We welcomed the International Court of Justice’s recent advisory opinion affirming Kosovo’s legal right to declare independence. And now we will continue to support Kosovo as it does the hard work of building a stable, prosperous, and democratic country that is at peace with its neighbors and increasingly integrated into the Euro-Atlantic community. To that end, the United States is encouraged by the upcoming dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia which offers a chance for these countries to settle practical problems and overcome obstacles to being good neighbors.
As I said to Prime Minister Thaci today and to Serbian President Tadic yesterday, some matters, like the status, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Kosovo, are not up for discussion. But the leaders of both countries must approach the dialogue in good faith and with respect for each other’s concerns. These talks represent an opportunity to address immediate and practical needs while making progress toward mutually beneficial goals
So the United States has urged both Serbia and Kosovo to come to the table with a plan – and we know that Kosovo has already presented a framework — and to lay the groundwork for a positive, long-term relationship.
Now, this is not easy. We understand that. But there are many countries in Europe and elsewhere who have long histories of conflict, such as France and Germany, that are now cooperating, trading, working together. It is our hope that in the future, we can say the same about Serbia and Kosovo.
As a brand new country with a dynamic, multiethnic population and the youngest population in Europe – as I saw in the streets with all the beautiful babies and children that I had a chance to see – Kosovo is called to do many things at once. Kosovo is called to instill a tradition of democracy and establish strong public institutions to spark sustained economic growth, attract foreign investment, and create jobs for all of those young people; to continue with a transparent plan to privatize inefficient state enterprises like the electricity and telecom companies; to establish a firm commitment to the rule of law; free, fair, transparent elections; and to encourage people from different backgrounds and ethnicities to live in harmony and work together to build a common future.
All of these tasks are essential and none of them is easy.
The United States will continue to provide whatever support we can to the people and Government of Kosovo as you work toward these goals in the months and years ahead. We will assist as needed with the upcoming elections. They are a milestone for this new democracy. And we know that they will be transparent and faithful to the constitutional order.
We will support the development of Kosovo’s private sector. We see great potential for Kosovo’s economy to grow, especially if you make investments in your young people, who are, after all, your country’s greatest resource.
We will support Kosovo as you prepare to join Euro-Atlantic institutions like the European Union and NATO. They represent Kosovo’s best chance at a long-term future of stability and prosperity. And we will help as Kosovo works to integrate Serb communities more deeply into the country. Kosovo’s multiethnic heritage is a point of pride for many of your citizens who recognize that your diversity is a national strength, one that we share and cherish in the United States
Later today, I will visit one of Kosovo’s cultural treasures, Gracanica Monastery, a Serbian Orthodox site dating back to the 14th century.
I will also visit with the newly elected mayors of Serb-majority municipalities, who are pursuing a path of engagement and integration with the national government. This is to be commended and actively supported.
The people in these communities must see that being full and engaged citizens of Kosovo pays off in concrete improvement to their lives. Now, this is mainly a task for the central government. But here again, the United States will support leaders at every level who are working toward a united, diverse, democratic Kosovo.
While there is no question that there is a long road that we must travel together ahead of us, let us stay focused on where this road leads, a future in which an independent, multiethnic Kosovo is secure and thriving, where opportunities for young people are abundant, where democratic traditions are strong, and where peace reigns throughout the region. That is a future worth working for.
Kosovo must take the lead. But I want you to know, Prime Minister, that just as we have been with you on the hard road to independence, we will stay with you. We are your partners and we are your friends and we are very committed to your future. Thank you very much.
Thank you!
Last modified: July 28, 2022