Albanian Government Decision to Give Albanian Citizenship to All Kosovars

Daily Press Briefing

Tom Casey, Deputy SpokesmanWashington,

DC October 12, 2007

....Okay, Mr. Lambros, on Kosovo.
QUESTION: On Kosovo. The Albanian Government has decided to give Albanian citizenship to all Kosovars. What is the U.S. position since this move is a big step for the creation of "great Albania."
MR. CASEY: Mr. Lambros, I'm not aware of what the Albanian Government may or may not have -- have chosen to do. Certainly each country is entitled to determine who is or isn't entitled to citizenship under their own appropriate laws and regulations. But the important issue for us, of course, with Kosovo is that we continue to work through the Contact Group and the troika on discussions between the Government of Serbia and the Kosovars on an equitable solution that's agreeable to all sides to the situation there.
Certainly, as we've said, if by the end of the established negotiating period in December the parties have not been able to come to an agreement, what we expect would happen would be a decision to move forward with supervised independence for Kosovo that is in keeping with the outlines of the Ahtisaari plan. I am not aware of anyone in this country or anyplace else that believes that independence for Kosovo would somehow result in or would lead to some kind of greater Albanian state.
QUESTION: (Inaudible) FYROM Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski and the Albanian leader of FYROM Ali Ahmeti declared the other day the unification, "great Albania" all the Albanians in FYROM. Any comment?
MR. CASEY: No.
QUESTION: Because that contradicts whatever you are doing in order to find a solution (inaudible) --
MR. CASEY: Mr. Lambros, you're -- I think you've exceeded your quota for today. But look, we support the territorial integrity of the states in the region, of Albania, of Macedonia, Greece, the other players. Kosovo, as you know, is a unique circumstance. It's a unique circumstance because of the way the conflict occurred. It's a unique circumstance because of the current status of it, which falls under the outlines of UN Security Council Resolution 1244. No one views Kosovo and its probable independence as a precedent for any other conflicts. We certainly are not trying to reopen discussions that I think most of us believe were long settled over other borders.
Thank you.

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2007/oct/93486.htm

Education minister attends opening of new Arsakeio school in Tirana

TIRANA (ANA-MPA - I. Patso)

Greek Education Minister Evripidis Stylianidis on Friday attended the inauguration of new school grounds belonging to the private Greek-Albanian school operated by the Greek Arsakeio chain of schools in Tirana - the first of the chain founded outside of Greece. Also attending were the Albanian Education Minister Genc Pollo, ruling New Democracy party's Central Committee Secretary Lefteris Zagoritis, former Albanian prime minister Fatos Nano, a number of former Albanian foreign ministers and Greek ambassadors to Tirana, as well as the former rector of Athens University and current president of the Greek Foundation of Culture George Babiniotis. In speeches at the opening of the new school, the two ministers said it would act as a bridge of friendship between Greece and Albania. Earlier, Stylianidis and Pollo had a brief meeting at the Albanian education ministry and expressed their satisfaction at the good level of bilateral ties in the education sector. According to the Greek minister, this cooperation would continue and would be built up "into a model of international cooperation that would be an example for other Balkan states".

The Albanian Parliament prohibits the Hellenic Beneficences Activities in Albania

Photo: The inaguration of Modern Medical Scanner in Albania

Tirana, October 8, 2007

The Albanian Parliament approves to put out of law the Foundations activities in Albania.
The decision took some Foundations activities but the must important of the country where Hellenic investments. The Diagnostic Orthodox Center, the Greek School “Arsakeio” in Tirana and some other beneficence activities of Orthodox community are obligated to close or would continue their activity in “accordance of their finance obligations to albanian authority”.

The HRU Party has been against government even it’s coalition member of Berisha`s cabinet. Vangjel Dule and tow other MP has voted against the decision requesting the demission of Finance Minister Ridvan Bode and reformation of Albanian Government. Dule said for immediate new position of government particularly to be transparent with public finances.


The Diagnostic Orthodox Center has the Most Modern Medical Scanner in Albania which was provided by the initiative of Archbishop Anastasios and with the cooperation of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, two Greek NGO’s (the Orthodox Center “Poreuthentes” in Athens and the Human European Network of Human Development, Ioanina)

Medical clinics of the Orthodox Church exist also in other parts of Albania (Korça, Kavaja, Lushnja, Gjergucati, Gjirokaster), and a mobile dental clinic provides free dental care to young and old people in different parts of the country.

According to observers, the anti Hellenism rhetoric continues to rise in Albania particularly during Kosovo Independence Status finale, “Chameria issue and the unknown status of Albanian emigrants” in Greece. While in Southern Albania the people of Himara Region a strong oldest greek community, demonstrated last Sunday in center of Himara Municipality against the land and proprieties assimillisation process from Albanian tribunals and government, which use any “administrative form” to change the propriety identity with falls documents. The protesters sent ultimatum to Prime Minister Berisha to take in high consideration their requests, before beginning violence protests against albanian authorities.

ALI AHMETI: "A DAY, THE ALBANIANS OF FYROM WILL UNITE WITH ALBANIA"

Photo: Ali Ahmeti and the map of "Greater Albania"

After Ex FYROM Prime Minister Lupco Georgewski and albanian kosovo publicist Rexhep Qosja, the Leader of BDI and MP of FYROM Ali Ahmeti, declares the Unification under "Greater Albania" to albanians of FYROM.

Tirana, October 8, 2007

Ali Ahmeti has declared to Newspaper "SHQIP" the unification of albanians of Macedonia (FYROM) with Albania and Kosovo. During the intervew Ahmeti, ex politic leader of UCK in FYROM on 2001, now the leader of Union Democratic Integration Parti of FYROM (BDI, first big Albanian Parti in Parliament, now in oposite) Ahmeti said for union in future with Albania not only Kosovo but also the albanians of Macedonia".

The declaration of Ali Ahmeti has been shoked the foreign diplomates and isntitutions in Tirana, which done after some days of another declaration of albanian kosovo publicist Rexhep Qosja. Qosja in an intervew on "SHQIP" newspaper called the albanian of Kosovo to be united for the unification of albanian factors in Tirana and Prishtina. "The Greater Albania must became a reality" said Qosja on "SHQIP" newspaper.

One month ago, the former Prime Minister of FYROM Lupco Georgjewski declared the realy provability of division of Macedonia (FYROM) in tow parts betwen albanians and macedonias. Former Prime Minister also has ben declared bulgarian nationality hemself in macedonian parliament suprised the "macedonian opinion" for individual declaration.

Tirana "de facto" is united with Kosovo, even the Kosovo Albanian border function to be free for all kosovo citizens with UNMIK document who move border sides. Now Tirana gives albanian pasaport for any albanians of kosovo who works or is student, while is waiting to give for all albanians both kosovo and FYROM albanian citizen from albanian parliament.

One day ago, BDI (The Democratic United for Integration Parti) , non parliamentary member Parti, but a strong supporter of "chameria community" urged to albanian government to support their efforts against Greece "chameria issue". Chameria Community has members in Albanian Parliament and in some Municipalities such are Vlora, Delvina, and Saranda.

During his discution last month in ONU, the Prime Minister of Albania Sali Berisha declared that: "We does not suport of any rethoric declaration for Greater Albania make from albanian nationalists. The albanian Government is making any efforts to joint NATO Alliance and EU". Ali Ahmeti visited Tirana some days ago who met the albanian leaders including the President Bamir Topi.

Sources: www.gazeta-shqip.com