At the invitation of the Council of Albanian Ambassadors, an enlarged delegation of the Council of American Ambassadors ( CAA) led by its President, Ambassador Timothy Chorba is in our region for a one- week fact-finding visit.
In Tirana, the US delegation met and held talks on Albania’s intergration, regional developments and domestic political processes with the President of the Republic of Albania, H.E. Bajram Begaj, the Chairwoman of the Foreign Parliamentary Committee of the Assembly, Mrs. Mimi Kodheli, former President, Ilir Meta and with high representatives of other political parties.
On the 5th of May, the delegation of the Council of American Ambassadors did also attend the festive ceremony on the occasion of the 5th Anniversary of the founding of the Council of Albanian Ambassadors, with which it maintains a close institutional partnership.
In his greeting speech at this ceremony, Ambassador Chorba stated as follows:
“Our Council of American Ambassadors in Uashington has had the honour to offer advice to our albanian counterparts in Tirana during the whole process of your Council’s evolution, turning it into such an exceptional Organization as it is today”.
This visit continued in Kosovo, Prizren and in Pristina. In Prizren, the historic capital of our nation, the US delegation was received by Mayor Shaqir Totaj; there they visited the Museum House of Albania’s Prizreni League.
The CAA delegation visited also the Wine Canteen “Stone Castle” in Rahovec, one of the largest investments of Albanian – American Diaspora in Kosovo.
On 10 May, the US delegation held meetings in Pristina with the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Konjufca, Prime Minster Mr. Kurti, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Mrs. Gërvalla-Shvarc, Mayor of Pristina Përparim Rama, and with representatives of the opposition politial parties.
The US ambassadors commended the democratic developments in Kosovo, the strengthening of democratic institutions and the fact that Kosovo is already a contributor of stability in Western Balkans; they did also express the future US unequivocal commitment for the multifaceted consolidation of the Republic of Kosovo.
The US delegation paid a special visit to the US military camp Bondsteel, which has become an element of stability and security for Kosovo and the region.
At the end of the visit in Kosovo, the Council of Albanian Ambassadors and the Council of American Almbassadors attended a special event in the ABB College in Pristina on the occasion of the 101st Anniversary of the US – Albbanian diplomatic relations and the 15th Aniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Kosovo and the USA.
Among other contributors with their assessments at this event were also the Rector of the ABB College, Prof. Lulzim Tafa, President of the Council of Albanian Ambassadors, Ambassador Besnik Mustafaj, President of the Council of American Ambassadors, Ambassador Timothy Chorba, its Vice President, Ambassador Philip Hughes, Ambassador Avni Spahiu, the first Kosovo’s Ambassador in the USA and others.
Likewise, in the context of their fact – finding mission, the CAA met respectively in Tirana and in Pristina representatives of Albanian political parties in Montenegro and Prescevo Valley, with whom they exchanged views on regional developments and the promotuion of the rights of albanians in their respective states.
On 11 and 12 May, the delegation of the Council of American Ambassadors, accompanied by members of the Managing Board of the Council of Albanian Ambassadors continued its tour in the region in the Republic of Northern Macedonia; there it is due to meet with the highest authorities and other major domestic political actors.
