ALBANIA

STATEMENT

BY

H. E., MR. PASKAL MILO,

MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

OF

THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA,

TO

THE 55^th SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

New York, 16 September 2000

Honourable Mr. President,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Allow me, Your Excellency, to congratulate You on your election as the President of the General Assembly, and to express my strong conviction on the successful conduct of this Session under your direction. I am also taking the opportunity to express my best appreciation for the work conducted by your predecessor Mr. Theo Bin Gurirab, for a competent direction of the previous Session.

Mr. President,

Albania, as a sovereign and peace loving country, is committed at the start of the new millennium, to give its modest contribution for more peace, stability, security and economic prosperity in the activities of the UN member countries community. First, it tried to do that by creating an internal political and economic stability, as well as by pursuing a foreign policy, which aims at achieving a constructive cooperation with the countries of South-eastern Europe, and wider. From the last year's Session until now, Albania has taken further steps towards the consolidation of its democratic institutions and its constitutional order, strengthening and liberalisation of its economy, consolidation and respect for human rights. Due to the efficient measures undertaken by the Albanian Government, but also thanks to the help provided by our partners, Albania is recovering from the consequences of last year's conflict in Kosova.

Albania has actually become an open and safe country for foreign investments. The policies of the Albanian Government for the privatisation of strategic sectors and absorbing foreign capital are giving their fruits. The strengthening of security and public order, as well as fight against organised crime have reached satisfactory levels that are appreciated not only within my country. The abrogation of the death penalty and the establishment of the Ombudsman institution raised the level of protection and respect for human rights in Albania to a higher scale.

Albania currently finds itself in the eve of its local elections, which will be of a fundamental importance for the future developments of the country, not so much for the out-coming results, but for the way they will be conducted. For this reason, the Albanian Government, in close cooperation with specialised international institutions, such as the OSCE, Council of Europe, UNDP, etc., has made all the attempts to ensure that these elections be fair, free and democratic.

Albania has clearly expressed its tendency to play a primary and constructive role in the common attempts to transform Balkans into a developed and stabilised region, clearly aiming at European integration. The policy of good neighbourliness is already not a geographical demand, but above all the good will and eloquent expression of mutual interest in the protection of democratic institutions, fundamental freedoms, stability and prosperity in the region. The Albanian Government has proceeded in the consequent line of creating stable and mutual cooperation relations with the Balkans countries, considering it as a primary strategy for future European integration.

The relations with these countries have been institutionalised not only bilaterally, but also multilaterally. Albania has placed in the core of these relations the common economic, political and security interests, as well as the respect for human freedoms and rights, including those of national minorities living in the territory of the Republic of Albania. It has tried to make inter-Balkans relations follow the model of the relations existing among EU member-countries, i.e. free movement of people, goods and capital.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

More than a year after the bloody conflict in Kosova, that endangered peace and stability in the region, the Albanian Government is of the opinion that situation in Kosova has been improved significantly, since the starting of the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1244; deployment of KFOR and UN administration. Hundreds of thousands of refugees returned home, houses destroyed by the war were reconstructed, the rebuild of the Kosovar economy and of the common administration institutions started, the political situation and order in the country improved significantly. The current situation in Kosova is opposing the sceptical and nihilistic opinions, expressed here and there, against the NATO military intervention In Kosova and against the establishment of UN administration there. Our memories on what happened in Kosova, a year ago, will not be vanished, but shall make us more conscious about catastrophic consequences that a chauvinistic policy of a totalitarian regime can bring to a civil innocent population.

In order to give our contribution to the founding of a democratic society in Kosova, where the human and national rights are My respected, we have established very close relations with UNMIK, KFOR and their representatives. Albanians, more than the others in the region, wish and hail the democratisation of Serbia, because, historically, they have suffered more than the others have from the Serb nationalism. But often wishes do not suit with reality, and we have to face the latter with realism.

Following very attentively the preparations for local elections in Kosova, the Albanian Government expresses its conviction that the political forces in Kosova will conduct their pre-electoral campaign in accordance with democratic principles and values, far from acts of political violence. We would also like to express our sincere will for a My participation of the Serb community and the other minorities in Kosova in this electoral process because, as we have previously stated, we support a multiethnic and multicultural Kosova.

I would like to use this opportunity to appeal to the whole international community in order to apply a stronger pressure against Miloshevic regime. To force him to release all 7000 (seven thousand) Albanian political prisoners and hostages being kept in the Serb prisons. To help in bringing the criminals, who caused the massacre against the Kosovar population, in front of the UN Tribunal for War Crimes in Former Yugoslavia. To strengthen the international police-presence and to work on the strengthening of judicial bodies, in order to detect any kind of crime in Kosova and combat it.

I would also like to reiterate that the realization of the UN goals for the fulfillment of the promises for donning the reconstruction of the Kosovar economy is of a special importance. It should be included in the regional cooperation projects, especially in the framework of the Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Although Balkan political scenery has changed, and its countries are engaged in a cooperation process, there still exist a tension and conflict generating source in this region. A source that brings consequences to the countries of the region and wider. It is the regime of Miloshevic. He was not satisfied by the ten-year long catastrophic conflicts that he, personally, blew up in the former Yugoslavia. By now, he is destroying Serbia itself, as well as the remaining Yugoslavia.

Next week, presidential and parliamentary elections will be held in Serbia. The current situation there indicates that it exist very little chance for them to be free and fair. The recent amendments in the Yugoslav Constitution, the brutal violence against opposition and student movement, as well as the censorship and closing down of independent media are explicit facts proving that Miloshevic may transform these elections into a tool in his hands for illegally maintaining power. Like the whole international community, the Albanian Government looks forward at genuine democratic forces to come into power in Serbia, forces that possess new visions for the future of their country and of the whole region. Taking advantage from this opportunity, I would like to thank Dr. Kouchner, the Special Representative of UN Secretary General, for the positive developments in Kosova and for all he and his stuff is doing for the stabilization of Kosova and for the establishment of democratic institutions there.

As a neighboring country, Albania closely follows developments in Montenegro. It condemns the Miloshevic's attempts to destabilize this Republic and to undermine the democratic and integrating processes that are being undertaken by the legitimate Montenegrin leadership. Following the good neighbourliness principle of its foreign policy, the Albanian Government has recently intensively developed its cooperation with Montenegro. Current relations have reached the highest level ever known, being extended in areas of mutual interest, like political, economic and trade Cupertino, free movement of people, etc. It is our intention to further extend and strengthen these relations in the future.

Mr. President,

The countries in our region are involved in an already irreversible process, Euro-Atlantic Integration. Not only the Balkans, but also Western Europe is now aware of the danger coming from a divided Europe, of the danger coming from an non EU-integrated Balkans. Regions last decade's Conflicts are more than sufficient for understanding this tendency. The stability in the Balkans is not only in the interest of its countries, but also In the interest of the European Union, itself. An economically developed and democratically consolidated Balkans cannot exist without an Europeanized Balkans. Balkans' European integration and its development consist of an inseparable unity. It is of no importance whether a country tries to protect its democratic institutions, laws and public order, or respect the human rights. It can never reach the wanted success if it is not economically developed.

We are conscious that European integration is not an easy process, on the contrary it is a long and difficult path. Before being integrated into European Union, all the countries of our region should firstly be integrated among themselves, and the existing societies in the Balkans should demonstrate and reflect the best features of European civilization. In order to achieve this, we should firstly combat and overcome the extreme nationalistic concepts, mentalities and policies, because "Europeanization" means cooperation, tolerance, and integration.

The end of the conflict in Kosova marked a turning point for the future of the Balkans. The Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe was the best reply to the crisis in the region. Our countries, like the EU member-countries, consider this initiative an instrument and a bridge for the integration of Southeastern Europe into the European structures. The Albanian Government regards the implementation of the Stability Pact as one of its main priorities. Albania is highly appreciated by its international partners for the engagement and responsibility it has shown in the drafting of the feasibility studies of the projects of the Stability Pact. We wish that the strong political will expressed in Sarajevo, at the end of the Kosova conflict, be vigorously followed by the will to finalize the financial support for a rapid implementation of the Stability Pact projects.

Albania's achievements in its domestic and foreign policy in the year 2000 had only one goal: its further integration within the Euro-Atlantic structures. The Albanian people have a clear European orientation, and that's why all the Albanian Governments of the last ten years have enjoyed its total support for their European integration policy. The present Albanian Government, representing and expressing the will of the people, has continuously fulfilled all the required conditions, during the last year, aiming at reaching a higher level in relations with EU. We hope that in the near future the EU institutions will approve the Status-Report that the Albanian government presented to Brussels several months ago. This approval will pave the way to the beginning of the negotiations for reaching Albania's Association and Stability Agreement with EU. Albania's acceptance in the WTO, in July this year, was also an encouraging and very optimistic event, in this respect.

The Albanian Government has welcomed the initiative of President Chirac to organize, on behalf of the European Union, a Regional Summit, in Zagreb, in November this year. It is another affirmation of the common efforts to further urge the democratization and integration processes in the

region, and the consolidation of security and stability there.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The new century has started. We should keep on facing old problems, alongside with our new challenges. Some of those may be local crises, organized crime, traffic in human beings, terrorism, anus control, etc., which all require a practical and well oriented cooperation. Bitter experiences of

various regions of the world, like the Balkans, Africa, Southeastern Asia, etc., made the role of such organizations like UN, OSCE, etc., more evident. On the other hand, the world has entered the era of globalization. Despite its positive sides, globalization is unavoidably accompanied by effects, which

may bring negative consequences, especially to small and poor countries. In order to avoid these consequences, it is needed to compile and implement global strategies. And United Nations can easily do it.

Only a week has passed from one of the most distinguished events for the international community, the New Millennium Summit. It was a unique meeting of all the leaders of the world, where they affirmed their good will to cooperate for facing the new millennium challenges, and for strengthening UN. The Albanian Governments hails the results of this Summit and expresses its conviction that all UN member-countries to unite all their forces for the fulfillment of the engagements embodied in the final

declaration of this summit. Following what the UN Secretary General, Kofi Anan, wrote in his report "We must do more than talk about our future, however. We must start to create it..." I would like to declare that it is the tune to take concrete steps in this direction.

Time requires UN and its structures to gain new features in better suiting the new developments and changes. First, they must assume a stronger political influence in the world developments, and in order to achieve this, they have to become more representative, more democratic and efficient in their action. 55 years of experience indicate that our organization needs to do more towards crises prevention, be they political or humanitarian, and this may be achieved through political pressure and effective cooperation of our entire community. The Albanian government esteems and strongly supports the steps taken by the General Secretary of the United Nations and other bodies towards the reform in the United Nations.

Albania, as a UN member, is of the opinion that hitherto political and economic developments have disclosed the need for the Security Council to become an eventually more representative body for all member countries of the organization. Hence, we think that time has come for an increase in the number of members of the Security Council, taking into account a better geographical distribution, so that all countries of the world have an opportunity to be represented to that important body.

We likewise support the administrative and financial reform in various UN structures. Our organization must better manage the financial resources made available to it by its members, and use them for programs aiming at the reduction of poverty, maintaining of peace operations, development of the world economy and consolidation of the democratic order.

Concluding this speech, I would like to wish success to our Organization,, for more effective activity in the years to come, to the advantage of peace, security and prosperity in the world.

Thank you