ALBANIA; STRONG MEASSURES TO ANNY DESTABILISATION OF BALKAN REGION Photo left: A Greek Class Frigate patrolling the greek albanian waters border on the Ionian Sea
Photo down: During the meeting between Berisha and Rama on press conference.

By Stavros Markos*

The Albanian President Bamir Topi said: "The endless suspension of a final status decision was doing serious damage to regional stability. Albania should be prepared for any unexpected situation." That is a quote from Albania National Security Council President and Army Chief Bamir Topi as he describes the deteriorating situation in the Balkans. This should not be surprising since Albanians were given the impression by the European Union (EU) and some NATO countries most of this year they were willing to recognize Kosovo independence until the Serbian government in Belgrade and Serbian para-military nationalist groups openly prepared for war to retain control over the province.
In response, the United Nations and the EU advised all parties to wait in the desperate hope some negotiated solution could break the entrenched impasse. In the meantime Albanian nationalists in Kosovo, with the full support of Tirana, made unofficial claims of independence with the assumption they had Washington's support.
According to the Pristina daily Koha Ditore, for the last few weeks word began to circulate Serbia Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, without the knowledge of Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, dispatched his private envoy, businessman Vojin Lazrevic to a number of European capitals to test their response to Kostunica's proposal on Kosovo being partitioned.
According to AKI, Lazrevic was in Rome last week. Kostunica's Belgrade office has responded with no comment to the reports and there has been no indication, officially, as to the responses so far from the European governments, but I suspect since they are desperate to avoid another wave of fighting in Southeast Europe they would be willing to support partition. However Lazervic may have informed them Tirana and the Kosovo Albanians would never support it even to the point of going to war to prevent it.
Lazervic may then mention since another war is inevitable the European Union and most of NATO should assist Serbia against any Albanian military unit, in Kosovo or from Albania itself and the reason being Albanian nationalists have support from Islamic militant groups. He should know of Tirana's increased relations with Tehran. Iran is eager to see any war that can be used to distract the West from attacking Iran. Tehran can also use the next war in Southeast Europe to silence Vienna and end the investigation into Iran's nuclear weapons program by the UN agency based there.
For the past three days Tirana has placed its military on "the second level of readiness" and all armed units set to active "pre-mobilization." In an attempt to defuse the situation Serbian Parliament member Dragan Todorovic is trying to portray reports of Albania's mobilization as "propaganda." Todorovic commented, "Still, I have to ask against whom Albania wants to go into war - Serbia, Montenegro or Greece."
Washington has expressed its serious concerns over these latest developments by sending CIA Deputy Director Stephen Kappes to visit Tirana Sunday evening where he held two hours of secret discussions with Albania Secret Service (SHISH) Director Bahri Shakiri.
The escalation of tensions in the Balkan area is making in alert also FYROM, Bullgaria, Montenegro and sure Greece which is going to politic elections. According to Macedonian Press Agency, the President Branko Cervenkovski, has rised in first level the Security Council of FYROM, after attack of Albanian paramilitary group against police patrol near Kumanovo.
Sofie continues to make propaganda about the rights of Bulgarian minority in Albania, "shutting down Skopie to silence his national rhetoric propaganda in Albania". Bulgarian government last year, has distributed about 50 thousand passports to Bulgarian in Albania, while the historians speak for about 100 to 300 thousands Bulgarian in Albania. But the Bulgarian offensive is making in difficulty Skopje after the decision of Former Macedonian Prime Minister Georgierwski to declare his nationality as Bulgarian. Georgiewski during an interview on TV Bulgarian station declares that, “The Macedonia state, must partition and Albanians can take Struga and Diber region, because after 5 years the Albanians could take more territories of this country”. Bulgaria is the second state after Greece which damages the rights of minorities in Albania, knowing also citizenship for Bulgarian who lives in Albania, after Athens, which gave citizenship for Greeks of Albania last year. Greece last year, now Bulgaria is riseing the diplomatic pressing to Tirana for counting proces popullation of Albania. Not only bulgarian academics are making the campaing, but also a decision of Association Municipalitis of Bulgaria to finance next year bulgarian schools in Albania has opened a large discution in Albanian opinion.
Anyway Albania is going to a large United Government after a meeting proposed from Albanian President Bamir Topi between the Prime Minister Sali Berisha and leader of Opposition Edi Rama. Last week NATO and Albanian Government put an agreement to friendly collaboration indicted for the rise of tension in Kosovo. Last month, Albania declared for the end of demilitarization Chemical Weapons process, financed from Washington with about 20 million $.

The rise not only of tenssion in the area but simmilar the organized crime and islamic groups in Albania had obligated FBI to estabilish in Tirana strong operators and aggents in accordance with albanian authority.

The Albanian Governament has also strong cooperation with EU and Europol under program "Intereg" financing albanian frontier authorities to be atented with communities who live in area with Greek borders.

Athens is going to anticipate politic elections but is seeing the tension in the area as protagonist of NATO and EU member. According to Greek media, is possibility to create a large government after elections including the Opposition of PASOK, seeing also for the strong measures of Greece for any escalation of conflict in Balkan Region(!).. The Greek National Army is in alert after catastrophic situation of fires in all the Greek territory and is including to the electoral process, but is observing his borders with Albania and FYROM for any extremely escalation from Kosovo in accordance with NATO and EU. ….In Southern Albania, (known as Northern Epirus separated province), lives a large Greek Community which obligates the Albanian government to be in attention for any provocation from Albanian national paramilitary groups. Athens always has been supporter of reforms of Albania to enjoy to NATO and EU but something is obligated from politically results particularly for the Human Rights values. During the visit of Under Secretary of State Department on 11 June 2007 in Athens Nicholas Burns, foreign Minister Dora Bakogianis declared that: "Albanian and FYROM to be clear, are not ready to enjoy to NATO next Summit of 2008 after no any progress in politically reforms”, while the Prime Minister Karamanlis during the electorate Campaign said “We will make veto "against any name of Macedonia" state to the NATO next year”.

Stavros Markos*
(Journalist, Member of the World Security Network Foundation -Southeast Europe Office)

References:
www.adnkronos.com
www.kathimerini.gr
http://www.focus-fen.net
www.balkanweb.com
www.gazeta-shqip.com
http://www.ana.gr/

www.worldpress.org