AHEPA praise for new NATO commander nominee

WASHINGTON (ANA-MPA) - The American Hellenic Educational and Progressive Association (AHEPA) this week expressed its satisfaction over a decision by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates to propose the appointment of US Navy Adm. James Stavridis for the post of NATO commander in Europe.

"We are overjoyed with the news," said AHEPA President Ike Goulas said in reference to the highly decorated US admiral of Greek descent, adding that "we are extremely proud of his excellent achievements and we are convinced that, following his appointment, he will serve the nation and lead the Alliance in an excellent and discreet way."

THE GREEK NEWSPAPER "ELEFTEROS KOSMOS"

The Pan Epiriotic Federations send in The International Criminal Court of Hague the rights of the Greek Community in Albania

On 24 February 2009, has been submteed to the ICC (International Criminal Court, ICC) of the United Nations, with headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, the accuse against the Albanian state and the Albanian authorities for the violation of basic human rights for the Greek minority living in Albania.

On appeal, after the first mention in history, the undisputed Greekness of Northern Epirus and the struggles for independence, were violations of basic human rights regarding: Avoid the formal counting of the Greek population and other minorities in the country, the operation of Greek schools, the seizure of property of northern epiriotes both Greeks and the Orthodox Church, political rights and representation of the Greek minority in public service, sense of security the use of Greek as the official language of the rule which provides for the allocation of economic aid from the Albanian state and the representation of Greek northern epiriotes media in the country.

For all the above provided a wealth of evidence (documents, newspaper clippings, brochures, books, etc.) and a list with about a thousand signatures from Greeks of Northern Epirus. It should be noted here that both the list of evidence of violations of basic human rights and the list of signatures, remain open for further evidence and signatures of the Greek Northern Epirus.

It`s for the second time in history that the Albanian State is accused in the International Court of Hague for the rights of the Greek minority in Albania. In 1935 the Himara Community has accused the Albanian state for the close of the Greek schools wining the right to reopen from the Hague the Greek institutions in Himara Region.

http://www.elkosmos.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=941:2009-03-18-15-55-57&catid=87:epikairotita&Itemid=277

A border dispute in Balkans imperils Europe's expansion

By Dan Bilefsky

OBREZJE, Slovenia, or BREGANA, Croatia: Thanks to the vagaries of history and an accident of geography, customers at Kalin, a rustic 180-year-old tavern here, can eat their roast pork dinners in Slovenia, step a few meters away to Croatia to go to the bathroom, saunter back to Slovenia to pay their bill and end their meal on Croatian soil over a game of billiards and a shot of local pear brandy.

Just in case clients are confused, Sasha Kalin, the 36-year-old owner, has painted a fluorescent yellow line across the floor to delineate the very spot — next to a pool table — where the border between Slovenia and Croatia bisects the property. Tipsy customers who step outside and accidentally walk through a row of concrete potted plants demarcating the border are stopped by unsmiling armed Croatian border guards.

...The disagreement also threatens to derail NATO's 60th anniversary celebrations next month in Strasbourg, where Croatia and Albania are expected to be admitted into the alliance. While the Slovene government insists that it supports Croatia's NATO accession, the Party of the Slovenian Nation, a nationalist Slovene group, is racing to gather 40,000 signatures necessary to hold a referendum on Croatia's entry bid. In the event of a no vote, Slovenia's government could be forced to block Croatia's entry.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/20/europe/border.php

Albania:Agreement Between the Hellenic Republic and the Republic of Albania on the Delimitation of Their Maritime Space and Continental Shelf Initialed

On 19 March 2009 the “Agreement between the Republic of Albania and the Hellenic Republic on the Delimitation of their Maritime Space and Continental Shelf” was initialed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This Agreement of special national significance for both our countries, which is based on the international law principles and on the UN Maritime Convention, is due to be signed soon.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs extends the conviction that the conclusion of this Agreement will contribute to the further strengthening and intensification of the good and friendly relations existing between our two friendly countries.

STATE DEPARTMENT REGULAR BRIEFINGBRIEFER: ROBERT WOOD, ACTING DEPARTMENT SPOKESMANSTATE DEPARTMENT BRIEFING ROOM, STATE DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D.C.11:34 A.M. EDT, THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2009

........ Okay, Mr. Lambros.

QuestionOn; Cyprus, Mr. Wood, for 36 successive years, Turkey has
occupied illegally the Republic of Cyprus, using ammunition and
weapons. But I cannot understand why Mrs. Clinton has given her
consent to receive here officially the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet
Ali Talat, without seeing first the president of the republic or the
foreign minister

It's confirmed. I would like to know when it's going to happen.
It's done.

MR. WOOD: I don't know. Mr. Lambros, I can't answer that
question for you. I'll see if I can get you an answer on that.

Question; Can you take this question? It's very important.

MR. WOOD: I said I would.

Question: On Northern Epirus, Mr. Wood, Mayor of Himare Vasil Bollano in Northern Epirus is under constant attack by the Albanian government of Sali Berisha. Without any excuse, Mrs. -- Mr. Bollano is going to prison for clearly political reasons. I know that Secretary Hillary Clinton has different opinions in respect with the Albanian court.

Once again I ask the government, the U.S. government, right now, in order to stop this unpopular Albanian political plan.

MR. WOOD: I'm not aware of this issue, Mr. Lambros. I'm sorry.

Question: But can you take this question? Because it's -- .
MR. WOOD: I'm not sure it's -- what's the question?

Question: The question is that the mayor of Himare is going to prison for political reasons. I would like you to get to the bottom to stop this movement.

MR. WOOD: I'm not going to take this it's not a question you're asking; you're making a request, and I'm ...

Question: No, the question is that he's going to prison for political reasons already.

MR. WOOD: Are you asking or telling me? I'm not quite sure here. What -- ..

Question: No, the question is, he's going to political for political reason. It has been done by a court, and I would like you to get involved.

US envoy to Albania cleared in Chinese arms probe

Photo: US ambassador to Albania John Withers

WASHINGTON (AFP)

The United States said Wednesday that its ambassador to Albania and five staff have been cleared of any wrongdoing in the alleged trafficking of Chinese weapons that surfaced in a newspaper report.In a letter last year to then-secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, Congressman Henry Waxman said Ambassador John Withers had helped hide illegal Chinese origins of ammunition that a Pentagon contractor bought to supply Afghan security forces.



"At the time, the matter was submitted to our inspector general for review," State Department spokesman Robert Wood said Wednesday, reading a statement.
"The inspector general has reviewed all evidence made available and found nothing to substantiate criminal or any other allegations concerning Department of State employees," he said. "The Department of Justice has informed the Office of the Inspector General that these six Department of State employees at Embassy Tirana are not targets or subjects of investigation," Wood added.

"The department welcomes the statements by the Department of Justice and the inspector general and considers this matter closed," Wood said.The spokesman said "Withers and his team performed exactly as we would have expected them to do," adding that the State Department is "proud and grateful for their service." In June last year, Withers denied any involvement in the trafficking of Chinese weapons after allegations of US congressional investigators emerged in a New York Times report.


Seven people were arrested in Tirana after a blast in a military depot in March in which 26 people were killed and 302 were injured. The incident gave rise to suspicions of possible arms trafficking in the country.The New York Times said Withers "met with the Defence Minister Fatmir Mediu hours before the New York Times reporter was to visit the American contractor's operations in Tirana" in a bid to "hide several boxes of Chinese ammunition from a visiting reporter."


The ammunition was "being repackaged to disguise its origins and shipped from Albania to Afghanistan by AEY, a Miami Beach arms-dealing company," the daily said.At the time, AEY was under a contract with the US army as "the main munitions supplier for Afghan security forces" despite US law prohibiting trading in Chinese arms.AEY head Efraim Diveroli, 22, and three other people were charged in June with selling prohibited Chinese ammunition, presented as being of Albanian origin, to the Pentagon, said the Times.

US to pick admiral as NATO commander-officials

WASHINGTON, March 18 (Reuters) - The United States is expected to appoint a Navy admiral, James Stavridis, to NATO's top command post as the alliance prepares to step up its Afghan war effort, two U.S. officials said on Wednesday.

Stavridis is currently head of U.S. Southern Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in Latin America, and previously served as the senior military assistant to Donald Rumsfeld when he was Pentagon chief. (Reporting by Andrew Gray, editing by Jackie Frank)

Albania Real State Shows Signs of Crises

By Gjergj Erebara in Tirana
Commercial tower in TiranaReal estate agents in Albania are seeing a drop in demand for property, forcing a decline in prices as banks tighten their rules on mortgage loans and as demand weakens.

Agencies in Tirana contacted by Balkan Insight say that they are currently flooded with offers to sell luxury apartments and commercial property. “Dozens of luxury apartments that costs at least €150,000, are now available for sale because many owners are eager for cash,” said one real estate agent.

“We have offers for commercial properties that cost up to €1 million”, she added.In Tirana's suburbs prices have declined by 20-30 per cent.

see more: http://www.balkaninsight.com/?tpl=304&tpid=144

A double standard for Kosovo (Serbia - Albania)

Australian Macedonian Advisory Council
March 17, 2009

It is a year since Kosovo, with NATO backing, made a unilateral declaration of independence, breaking away from Serbia. Fifty countries, most of which have little knowledge of the political intricacies of the Balkans and even less about the complicated historical interplay between the various ethnic and religious groups living in the area supported the move. As a state it is doubtful whether Kosovo can survive. ............

.........The main argument of NATO for Kosovo's independence was that it was inhabited by a majority of Muslim Albanians who were oppressed by the Christian Serbs. If we accept this argument for secession why don't we look a little further and cast our eye on Albania proper. If the NATO Kosovo argument is valid, then why has NATO not supported the secession of Northern Epirus, the southern Albanian province populated by a culturally, religious, and ethnically oppressed population who are Greeks?

Northern Epirus has a better argument for secession than Kosovo because it is an area that always had a predominantly Greek population, it was a part of Greece, and at one time in the early 20th century even had several North Epirus Greek members sitting in the Greek Parliament.

Further, the Albanians themselves agreed to the self determination of the Greeks in their southern Greek provinces by signing the international Treaty of Corfu. It was a foregone conclusion that Northern Epirus would devolve to become a part of Greek Epirus, a logical development since the area was nationally, culturally and religiously a seamless continuation of Greek Epirus............

more see: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/94838

Albania Muslims Take Elections to Court Tirana

Muslims praying in Albania’s capital, Tirana.A group of imams have filed a civil court suit against the head of the Albanian Muslim Community Selim Muca contesting election procedures that they say will inevitably lead to his reelection.

Muca is standing for reelection, while no other rival has stepped forward. The elections are expected to be held at the next meeting of the community's general council in the city of Kavaja on March 21. The imams contest as irregular the absence of other candidates apart from Muca.

more see: http://www.balkaninsight.com/?tpl=304&tpid=144

Meeting of Deputy FM Mr. M Varvitsiotis with representatives of Greek national minority associations of Albania

Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Miltiadis Varvitsiotis briefed representatives of the nine biggest Greek national minority associations of Albania on his contacts and their results during his recent visit to Tirana.

Yesterday, Sunday, 15 March, Mr. Varvitsiotis attended an event organised jointly by the nine biggest Greek minority associations in Athens and referred to last week's contacts with Albanian government officials.

Mr. Varvitsiotis stressed that in his meetings with the Albanian side, he unequivocally raised the long-standing problem of the properties of members of the Greek minority of Albania and stressed the need for their participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections in Albania.

Mr. Varvitsiotis also announced that two major road infrastructure projects – particularly helpful for regions with Greek minorities – have been initiated in consultation with the Albanian side.

He also pointed out the sensibility and care shown by the Greek government on issues relating to the Greek minority of Albania, through the resolution of a series of long-standing issues,such as dual citizenship and military obligations.

THE HIMARA UNION CALLS THE GREEK GOVERNMENT AND STRASBOURG FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE GREEK MINORITY

THE GREEK GOVERNMENT MUST STOP ALBANIA TO THE EURO ATLANTIC INTEGRATION IN NATO AND EU FOR THE EXTREME TRIAL AGAINST THE PRESIDENT OF OMONIA AND THE MAYOR OF HIMARA REGION VASSILIS BOLLANOS

CRANS MONTANA ECONOMIC FORUM IN ALBANIA

TIRANA; 25-27 MARCH 2009

http://www.cmf.ch/events/tirana2009/main.php

"ELEFTEROS KOSMOS"

THE TRIAL OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREEK ETHNIC MINORITY AND MAYOR OF HIMARA REGION VASSILIS BOLLANOS ON THE GREEK PRESS

SECURITY NEWS

Meeting in Athens for the Northern Epirus

On Sunday 15 March at 10.30 am hotel Titan (52 University, Athens) will be meeting on «Developments in the Balkans and Northern Epirus in Albania and Greece, Prospects and priorities ».

The extraordinary meeting is Organized by northern epirus associations: Association of northern epirus, Northern Epirus Forum, Himara Union, Youth of Northern Epirus , O.S.E.V. «Agios Kosmas», Association DELVINO & Saranda, E.K.A.V.I., Movement for the regeneration of Northern Epirus ecct.

ISLAMIC COUNTRYES AGREEMENT WITH ALBANIA

Berisha firms the join of Tirana on Islamic Corporate giving exclusively priority in favor of Islamic Bank

According to the Albanian newspaper “Libertas” about the tour of Prime Minister Sali Berisha in Qatar referring that, Tirana is opened to the Islamic Conference supporting agreements on economic and investments field in Albania.

In addition, with Sheik of Qatar met PM Berisha asking the assistance of Islamic countries to solve the serious economic problems facing Albania. The Albanian prime minister said that both sides agreed that Qatar will send a delegation to the Albanian capital to strengthen bilateral economic relations.

"I am suprised that my visit to Qatar will be followed by a visit by the Emir in my country," said Berisha. Earlier, Albania and Qatar signed a joint-operation, technical, financial and commercial sector. More agreements are expected to be signed in Tirana. Berisha also called on Arab businessmen invest in Albania and especially in the tourism industry!

more see: http://www.gazetalibertas.com/

In the shops of Albania clothes Stolen of last December rots

in Lazarati! If you are wondering where did all those goods which disappeared in the twinkling loot held on «nights Alexis» (through the broken branches in the center of Athens), the answer is: in the bazaar stolen by revealing Albania.

According to investigation of the newspaper "Express" all the spoils of "protesters" last December in Greece are transported to neighboring countries and sold in «dream» prices in a hotel situated in the village Lazarati between minority village Dropoli and Gjirokaster!

The hotel has been transformed to the free market, with costumes of the really cost EUR 600 in Athens to sold only 50 euros in Albania!

see more: http://www.epiruspost.gr/

U.S. President Barack Obama to attend March 25 national anniversary event

Photo: Archbishop Demetrios of America honored the two national co-chairpersons of “Greek-Americans for Obama”, State Treasurer from Illinois Alexi Giannoulias and Eleni Tsakopoulos

The Archbishop of America Demetrius will again be heading this year the expatriate Greeks who will be attending the event to be held at the White House on March 25, to honour the national anniversary of Hellenism.

The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, is expected to speak of the values of Greek Democracy and Independence, as well as of Greek-U.S. relations. The Archbishop will be speaking on behalf of the expatriate Greeks, after previously holding a private conversation with President Obama.

The guests will include leading members of expatriate agencies, American government officials and Congress members of Greek origin, as well as Greece's ambassador in Washington, while the presence of Greek government and Parliamentary representatives cannot be ruled out.

Kosovo Battle Moves to Maldives

The recognition of Kosovo’s independence by the Maldives has created a furore in this small chain of Indian Ocean islands. After a good of lobbying by Kosovo politicians, the Maldives recognised the country on February 19. But just two weeks on, President Mohamed Nasheed has ordered police to investigate allegations that government officials were bribed to bring this about.

An alleged bribe of $2 million, according to media in the Maldives, was delivered by a Kosovo businessman, Behgjet Pacolli. Pacolli, head of the New Kosova Alliance party, AKR, the first public figure to announce recognition by the Maldives, has firmly denied the allegation. “This is speculation made up by the Serbian government,” he told Balkan Insight.

Pacolli, who has been publicly announcing and promoting himself as a lobbyist for Kosovo’s recognition, especially in Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries, said that he was facing an active counter-lobby from the Serbian side. “Serbia is lobbying against Kosovo’s recognition in the same countries where I am [working],” Pacolli said.

He noted that a 21-member delegation from Serbia, led by the Centre for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies, CANVAS, had lobbied Maldives opposition groups to bring about a cancellation of the recognition of Kosovo.

more see: http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/17301/

http://www.minivannews.com/news_detail.php?id=6125

Berisha calls Islamic countries for help

Qatar, Albania sign pacts to boost ties

HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani receiving the visiting Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha at the Emiri Diwan yesterdayBy Nour AbuzantQatar and Albania yesterday reiterated their resolve to strengthen relations in all fields, especially in the economic sector.

Addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani, the visiting Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha said his country might get a loan from Qatar for infrastructure development. The Qatari premier said that the visit of the Albanian leader further strengthened the strong relations between the two countries.

The premier said that both sides agreed that Qatar would send a delegation to the Albanian capital Tirana to strengthen bilateral economic relations.The Albanian premier said he came to Qatar holding a strong desire to strengthen the relations between the two countries, adding that his talks with HH the Emir and the premier were very fruitful.“I am happy that my visit to Qatar would be followed by a visit by HH the Emir and the Qatari premier to my country,” he said.Earlier, Albania and Qatar signed agreements for co-operation in the technical, economic and trade fields. More agreements are expected to be signed in Tirana.

The Albanian premier said that his country would soon open an embassy in Doha, urging Qatari businessmen to invest in his country.“There are many Qatari companies working in the tourism sector in Albania and they are achieving quick progress.”He said that his country welcomed Qatari companies working in the energy, health and education fields.

The Albanian premier said that HH the Emir and the premier showed great interest in the gas to liquid project in Albania which was a huge project “and Qatari investors are welcome”. The Albanian premier said that both Qatar and Albania agreed to facilitate the issue of visas for their citizens.