Prishtina, 3 April 2014
Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Mrs. Edita Tahiri participated in an international conference titled “Transatlantic cooperation for peace and security in the Balkans: Albanian agenda for integration in EU and NATO,” organized by the Albanian Policy Center in Tirana that was held yesterday on 2 April 2014. Mrs. Edita Tahiri was part of the main conference panel along Mr. Jonathan Moore, Director of the Office of South-Central European Affairs of the State Department, Mr. Lulzim Basha, head of PD party and mayor of Tirana, Mr. Pandeli Majko, member of the Assembly of Albania and former prime minister and former minister of defence of Albania and Mrs. Edith Harxhi, former deputy minister of foreign affairs of Albania and executive director of the Albanian Policy Center.
On the occasion, Mrs. Tahiri said that NATO is a synonym of the freedom of Kosovo as it was the North Atlantic Alliance led by US that liberated Kosovo in 1999 bringing an end to the war and Serbian genocide against Albanians. NATO put the sovereignty of the people above the sovereignty of states thus establishing values of the people above dictatorships.
Talking about the importance of Transatlantic cooperation for peace and security and the Euro-Atlantic agenda of Kosovo and Albania and Albanians in general, she said that such a cooperation is a strategic priority for us as a nation and as states, and also expressed her belief that such a cooperation is important also for all the region of Balkans in order to achieve sustainable values of peace and security.
Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri said that the agenda of Kosovo and the Albanian agenda for integration in NATO and the EU and the strategic alliance with US are the foundation of the foreign policy of Kosovo and in the recent history of the Albanian nation we have full unity in our pro-western and pro-American orientation.
She said that Transatlantic partnership should be further promoted and that this partnership should be founded on three paradigms: coherence between the Euro-Atlantic vision and values by further advancing reforms in our countries, closer unity in Transatlantic partnership, especially in cases of sensitive global security challenges and promotion of the transatlantic mentality in order to be more responsible for the role of cooperation amongst US, EU and NATO in maintaining international system and global peace.
She also said that Albanians united in their Euro-Atlantic agenda are an integration power, pointing out that the Albanian factor in the region should be organized and united and should work together on integration in the Euro-Atlantic structures. “Albania has been a NATO member for five years, Kosovo has been independent for six years, and Albanians in Macedonia, Presheva Valley, Montenegro are better positioned factors, while the issue of Çams has come out of oblivion, is internationalizing and is awaiting a serious treatment based on democracy principles. The twentieth century was the century of divisions and unjust oppression of Albanians, while the 21st century must be the century of empowering of Albanians and justice should be restored for us. The peace and security that we have achieved today is good but should be made sustainable. There should be cohesion between the Euro-Atlantic vision and Euro-Atlantic values,” said Mrs. Tahiri.
She also pointed out that “there must be investments in education. Let us empower our nation, by recognizing the system of values, we should recognize achievement but we should also spot problems. We should know each other better; and the division that lasted for one hundred years prevented us from knowing each other enough.”
She added that the Balkan countries should work more for the rule of law, adding that in all the Balkan countries there is still a lack of democracy, there are rule of law related problems, economy is weak and there is corruption that is becoming an obstacle to good governance.
Mrs. Tahiri also said that there are still some EU countries that have not recognized Kosovo and that recognition of Kosovo is not merely recognition of this state, but implies advancing of security in the region of Balkans, adding that it cannot be compared to Crimea, as Kosovo was born as a new independent state in a legal and legitimate way in full coordination with international partners after the dissolution of an artificial state like former Yugoslavia.
Apart from Mrs. Tahiri, other participants in the conference included Mr. Jonathan Moore, Director of the Office of South-Central European Affairs of the State Department, Mr. Lulzim Basha, Mrs. Arta Dade, head of the foreign affairs commission of the Parliament, Majlinda Bregu, head of the parliamentary commission for European integration Arben Malaj, former minister of economy, Mimoza Kusari Lila, mayor of Gjakova, Teuta Arifi mayor of Tetova, etc.
Mr. Jonathan Moore strongly supported Euro-Atlantic integration adding that Kosovo and Albania must work as much as possible in reforms to be made for a successful integration. He said that Kosovo is also expected to be included in the NATO peace partnership.
During her stay in Tirana, Mrs. Tahiri also participated in a reception that the President of Albania organized on the fifth anniversary of Albania’s accession in NATO.
Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri was accompanied by advisors Gazmir Raci and Visar Xani.
