On behalf of the Council of Albanian Ambassadors, I warmly thank you all for your presence in this friendly gathering.
Slowly – but hopefully surely- we are leaving behind a very difficult period for all mankind. Besides immeasurable human grief and distress, COVID-19 deprived us from meeting each other, from even a simple handshake, a conventional sign of friendship. This is exactly among the reasons of this gathering, to meet again, as friends.
Members of the Council of Albanian Ambassadors remain convinced that the ultimate objective of good diplomacy is to build bridges of friendship between individuals, nations and states. With its very modest means, the Council of Albanian Ambassadors works towards this goal.
All members of our organization have spent a good part of their lives under a regime, whose foreign policy was inspired by the totalitarian ideology of animosity against other nations, ending up to seclusion and total isolation of the country.
This memory will accompany us to the end of life. Although, it is a useful reminder to better understand and support our foreign policy, whose priority must remain Albania’s European integration, serving to the present and future of the nation, by strengthening democracy, the rule of law, free trade, and fundamental rights and freedoms.
The Council of Albanian Ambassadors has also supported and continues to do so, on every foreign policy effort to intensify Albania’s relations with the United States. We believe that relations with the US and the EU, are of strategic importance for Albania as well as for Kosova and NorthernMacedonia.
I included Kosova and NorthernMacedonia along with Albania, because the Council of Albanian Ambassadors, since its establishment, has been welcoming towards our colleagues from Pristina and our Albanian colleagues in the Republic of Northern Macedonia. This fact deserves a little explanation.
Kosova’s independence is already an irreversible reality. We note with great satisfaction the full determination of all political forces in Kosova to be guided by Western values, clearly reflected in the activity of state institutions to move the country forward on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration.
There can be no secure and prosperous future for Kosova outside the Euro-Atlantic family. The support of experienced diplomats for a pro-European and pro-American foreign policy, is certainly valuable, regardless of them being no longer part of the diplomatic corps of the Republic of Kosova.
We had the same approach in mind when we invited our Albanian colleagues from the Republic of Northern Macedonia to join our organization.The Albanian political factor in Northern Macedonia has played a vital role in preserving the unity and integrity of this new republic. And just as vital continues to remain the role of Albanians in safeguarding and advancing the Euro-Atlantic orientation of their multiethnic country.
It has been the Euro-Atlantic orientation therefore, the common denominator uniting us with our colleagues from Pristina, Skopje and Tetovo, as well as the Albanian language and the common will to serve this orientation unconditionally, despite the fact that we live in three sovereign republics. We are jointly convinced that there is no secure and sustainable future for our countries and societies away from this path.
We have consistently expressed our full readiness to voluntarily offer our experience at the service of state institutions, especially those planning and implementing our foreign policy.
We publicly reiterated this willingness upon Albania’s election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2022-2023. Some of the members of our Council have been at the very origin of this initiative, the first of its kind in the centennial history of our state.
We remain as confident as we were fifteen years ago, when this initiative was launched and Albania submitted its candidacy bid, that the Albanian diplomatic corps indeed has the necessary capacities to distinctly fulfill this remarkable undertaking. We, as fellow diplomats, are proud and happy to see Albania in its role as direct contributor to world peace and stability.
The Council of Albanian Ambassadors reaffirms its absolute wish and willingness to support our country’s foreign policy towards its European and Euro-Atlantic pathway, as well as its openness to further build lasting relations of mutual interest with all countries working for world peace and prosperity.
Although, let me bring to your attention, dear friends, that CAA is not an appendix of state institutions and agencies in charge of international relations.We are and continue to be an independent organization.
Our independence serves only to the public interest. This means that, besides our support and encouragement, we will always take a critical look and recommend as appropriate, when we perceive something is going the wrong direction.
For example, many of our positions regarding the European integration process have encouraged implementations of precisely those standards, the lack of which compelled Chancellor Merkel to emphasize during the BrdoSummit, that “so far no accession could take place because the conditions haven’t yet been met by any of the Western Balkan countries.” Therefore, we will continue to follow such realistic approach in the future.
It is high time that the Albanian political class demonstrates political maturity and responsibility, by resolving pressing issues without foreign mediation, for every case and on every occasion.
The Albanian politicians and institutions must grow to the expected levels in meeting current challenges. Their action and approach must reflect the dignity and integrity of a European and civilized nation.
Thanking you once again for your presence, please enjoy yourselves!
