Albania, 1995

It gives me special pleasure to

congratulate Mr. Diogo Frietas do Amaral of Portugal on

his election as President of the General Assembly at its

fiftieth session. I take this opportunity to extend to him my

best wishes for success in the deliberations of this

important gathering, and I assure him of the full

collaboration of the delegation of Albania.

I also congratulate Mr. do Amaral’s predecessor, Mr.

Amara Essy, on the excellent way he conducted the work

of the last session of the General Assembly.

To the Secretary-General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali,

I wish to express my highest regard for his unfailing

endeavours to provide the Organization with ever more

effective leadership.

My warmest greetings go to the Republic of Palau, the

newest State Member of the United Nations.

Since March 1992 — the time of the final break with

the Communist regime — Albania has made tremendous

progress in its democratic processes. The building up and

strengthening of political pluralism, the rule of law,

respect for human rights in general and for those of

minorities in particular, as well as the transition from a

centralized to a market economy, constitute the main

directions in which Albanian society is moving. The

country is sustainably engaged in speedy economic reform

supported by a whole new set of laws, and the results of

intensive transformation are very tangible.

Certainly reform is not painless. In this regard, the

Government is paying special and particular attention to

improvement of the living conditions of some social

groups that are more vulnerable to economic reform. I

wish, on behalf of the Albanian Government, to avail

myself of the occasion to express gratitude to the donor

countries, the European Member States, the United States

and the countries of the Organization of the Islamic

Conference, as well as to international agencies such as

the United Nations Development Programme, the World

Bank and the International Monetary Fund, for the

valuable assistance provided to Albania.

In its efforts to eliminate the consequences of fatal

long isolation, Albania is convincingly engaged in an

open policy and has firmly abided by one of the major

objectives that the Government set out in its

programme — the integration of the country into Europe,

which implies the building of a Western-style society,

adherence to its institutions and active participation in

European life.

Our growing cooperation with the European Union,

which we hope will in due course lead to the opening of

negotiations on and the conclusion of the Europe

agreement, is a process that enjoys the backing of all

political parties and all strata of the population. With a

view to achieving full integration, we attach special

importance to cooperation with the Euro-Atlantic

structures, primarily the North Atlantic Treaty

Organization (NATO). Albania is the first country of the

region to have formally requested membership of NATO,

and it is engaged in active cooperation within the

Partnership for Peace. In this spirit of close cooperation,

Albania has offered action facilities to NATO, and it will

continue to do so in the future, convinced that this will

benefit peace and security in the Balkans.

To this end, and desirous of demonstrating in a

practical way its commitment to peace and security,

Albania has set up its first Albanian military unit to

participate in the peace-keeping and humanitarian

23

operations of the United Nations and will soon put this at

the disposal of the Organization.

The tragedy of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina,

which is suffering the consequences of Belgrade’s ambition

to create a “Greater Serbia” — inspired by the philosophy

of national chauvinism, the policy of “ethnic cleansing” and

the forceful changing of borders — lies at the centre of the

present-day Balkan crisis, concentrated in the former

Yugoslavia. Identification of the causes and culprits of the

crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina now makes it easier for

the Balkan States and the international community at large

to make realistic assessments of the situation in all the

territories of the former Yugoslavia and to seek adequate

approaches for solution.

It is a fact that the international community and its

main actors have been present at all stages in dealing with

the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Unfortunately,

however, it has to be admitted that, despite the action taken

so far, they have not always been consistent. For that

reason, efficiency has for a long time left much to be

desired.

The many resolutions of the United Nations and of the

International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia, the

activities of the Contact Group, the projects offered and the

plans suggested have not yet yielded the desired results.

Nevertheless, we think that the United Nations peace force

deserves special praise for the humanitarian assistance it

has provided to the innocent civilian population. A special

tribute should be paid to the soldiers, officers, diplomats

and journalists who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Following recent developments, it appears that the

situation in the crisis areas is more balanced, politically and

militarily, and that it offers real possibilities for solution.

However, it is still very complex, and there is still the risk

of a spill-over of the conflict to other areas — a widely

held view. In the face of this situation, we appreciate the

fact that, on the initiative of the United States of America,

the international community is reviewing its stand on this

conflict, including insistence on thorough implementation of

Security Council resolutions adopted pursuant to Chapter

VII of the United Nations Charter. These provide for

continuation of the sanctions against the Bosnian Serbs and

Serbia and Montenegro, as well as the stepping up of

diplomatic activity, backed by the use of NATO military

intervention when necessary.

The Republic of Albania is deeply concerned about the

grave situation in Kosova. The Serbian military and police

regime that has been installed in Kosova, with the

elimination of the autonomy that this federal unit of the

former Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia enjoyed,

is continuing widespread terror against the Albanian

population. The brutality of the Serbian police is evident

every day and in every part of Kosova. The apartheid

policy and practices pursued by the Serbs against the

Albanians have led to the compulsory exodus of hundreds

of thousands of Albanians, mainly youngsters, to different

countries of the world. Part of this systematic terror are

the endless killings, the ransacking and the plotted

political trials against the Albanians of Kosova.

As if this extremely tense and eruptive situation

were not enough, the Belgrade authorities are now

sending to Kosova, as colonists, the Serb refugees from

Croatia and Bosnia. This grave provocation, under the

guise of humanism for Serb refugees, is in reality part of

the old plan of the Belgrade authorities to carry out

“ethnic cleansing” in Kosova, which is inhabited to the

extent of 95 per cent by Albanians, and forcefully change

its ethnic-demographic composition.

The consequences of what Belgrade is doing to

attain the “Greater Serbia” ambition are already common

knowledge and have been internationally witnessed in

Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. We appeal to the

international community and to concerned humanitarian

organizations not to be duped by the intentions of

Belgrade and not to assist it to settle the Serb refugees in

Kosova — an activity that falls short of being a simple

humanitarian action.

We also call upon the international community not

to ignore the extremely important issue of Kosova. The

Belgrade authorities have clearly challenged General

Assembly resolution 49/204, the resolutions of the

Commission on Human Rights in Geneva and the

decisions of the Organization for Security and

Cooperation in Europe on Kosova. If Serbia is not put

under international pressure to refrain from its policy of

confrontation in Kosova, it will not be long before

another tragedy with unpredictable consequences

explodes. The Kosova Albanian leaders have miraculously

managed to avoid it so far through their peaceful

resistance, but the question immediately arises: How long

will they be able to do so?

The Republic of Albania holds that the United

Nations, the major Powers and NATO should anticipate

and take adequate measures in order to prevent a conflict

in Kosova: demilitarize its territory; protect human and

24

national rights of Albanians there; put an end to ethnic

cleansing and Serb colonization; reopen the institutions of

Kosova; create a climate of dialogue between Albanians

and Serbs in Kosova, and between Pristina and Belgrade;

open and continue dialogue in the presence of a third party.

Albania is of the view, and insists, that the Kosova

issue be included in the agenda for discussion and solution

of the problem of the former Yugoslavia. In the meantime,

the lifting of sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro

should be subject to the strict condition that there should be

a complete and lasting solution of the Kosova issue. There

is more than one problem to tackle and solve in Kosova;

they all need to be addressed properly and not overlooked.

When we see today the progress in solving the

constitutional status of the entities in Bosnia, which we

hope will be just and equitable and will satisfy all parties,

we have reason to hope and believe that the international

community will proceed in the right direction to solve the

question of Kosova as well. The world is right in thinking

that, in so doing, we are respecting one of the fundamental

principles of the Charter, especially the right of peoples to

self-determination. The application of double standards will

undoubtedly generate future conflicts.

In order for the Balkans to be an area of peace,

stability and prosperity, it is necessary to bring war to an

end, to bring the perpetrators of the Bosnian tragedy before

the Court and to punish them, to demilitarize over-armed

States and areas, to reconstruct what was damaged by war,

to settle the Kosova issue and to thaw the already frozen

bilateral relations. Internal democratization of all States, the

creation of the democratic space where Albanians live in

the Balkans, as repeatedly stated by the President of the

Republic, Sali Berisha, constitute a most positive response

to any international initiative for peace and stability in the

Balkans. Furthermore, transition to broad programmes of

inter-Balkan and Euro-Balkan cooperation is also an

absolute requirement for development and for full

integration of the Balkans into developed and civilized

Europe.

In the coming December, Albania will celebrate the

fortieth anniversary of its membership in the United

Nations. Over all these years the Republic of Albania has

demonstrated its commitment to the purposes and principles

of the Charter. While the region is living through a

profound and complex crisis, Albania is testifying that it is

a factor of peace and stability. It has never provoked

conflicts or tensions between States and has repeatedly

asserted its firm stand against the forceful alteration of

internationally recognized borders. This is demonstrated

first in its policy towards its neighbours.

I am glad to declare that bilateral relations with

Greece have improved following a period of tension last

year. Dialogue and good will, which Albania has always

favoured, have prevailed, and today the two countries are

taking concrete steps in the direction of extending,

deepening and speeding up cooperation in fields of

mutual benefit.

It is worth mentioning here that we are glad to see

that the international community, in general, recognize the

great improvement in the rights of the Greek minority in

Albania in the last three years. The Albanian

Government has consistently demonstrated its willingness

to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental

freedom for all the citizens, including members of the

Greek minority, and its commitment to do so. We have

always emphasized that the Greek minority in Albania

constitutes a bridge of friendship and we are glad that this

is not our view alone. There is no political reason

whatsoever that could hinder this since the realization of

rights stems from our political will and from the very

essence of Albanian society.

As to the right of education in one’s mother tongue,

in addition to the measures already taken by the

Government to apply international standards and fulfil its

international commitments, such as the Copenhagen

Declaration and Programme of Action, the national

legislation on education, in particular the law on private

schools — which entered into force a few months ago —

has resolved this question.

Albania maintains good relations with the former

Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and supports the full

integration of this Republic into international institutions.

However, we encourage it to take concrete steps to

improve the situation of the Albanians there and to ensure

full respect for their human and national rights, including

the right to education in their mother tongue. This is all

the more so because of our conviction that equality

between citizens of any nationality leads to the integration

of that country and that integration is to the benefit of all

the citizens of the former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia and of stability in the region.

Albania does not hold a prejudiced view in its

relations with Serbia and Montenegro, either. However, it

should be said that their improvement is dependent on the

renunciation of violence against and suppression of the

25

Albanians in Kosova. Though Italy is across the sea, my

country has considered, and considers, Italy a neighbouring

country of great importance for bilateral relations and for

the developments in the Balkans and the Mediterranean.

Our relations with this country are built on an ancient

tradition and are characterized by very positive

developments in all fields.

Albania attaches great importance to the work with a

view to the reform of the Security Council. Albania is the

only country from the Eastern European Group, except the

newly created countries in the region, that has never served

in the Security Council in its course of 40 years’

membership in the Organization. We believe that the

Member States, by giving Albania the first chance to sit in

the Security Council, will offer encouragement and support

to the good will of the small States for active participation

in multilateral cooperation in the service of international

peace and security, and will show that it will not take long

for our fruitful discussions on the reform of the Security

Council to be implemented. I would like to assure you that

the election of Albania to the Security Council will be a

contribution to peace and security in the troubled region of

the Balkans as well.

In conclusion, I would like to express Albania’s

support for the United Nations, its desire to strengthen the

Organization and its role in safeguarding international peace

and promoting and supporting democracy, development and

well-being.