Bulgaria: Serbia, Albania to Build EUR 1 B Nis-Durres Motorway Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic (L) and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama (R), during Tirana Talks at the Vienna Economic Forum held in Tirana, Albania, 28 May 2015. EPA/BGNES
Serbia and Albania will sign a protocol for the construction of a EUR 1 B motorway that will link Nis with the Adriatic port of Durres, Serbia’s Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Zorana Mihajlovic said on Saturday.
The document will be signed within the next 15 days by Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama who discussed the construction of the motorway during Vucic’s two-day visit to Albania earlier this week, Mihajlovic said on state-run Serbian TV channel RTS.
The motorway will stretch from Nis to Merdare in Serbia, through Pristina in Kosovo, before reaching Tirana and Durres in Albania.
The project is extremely important because it will enhance the entire region’s integrity and political stability which are prerequisites for economic stability, Mihajlovic said. For landlocked Serbia the motorway will also provide access to Albania’s Adriatic ports, she added.
A project for the construction of the motorway is currently being drafted. It will be unveiled in Vienna in August.
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Former
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, a fugitive from justice in his
home country, has officially been appointed governor of the Odessa
region by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, local media has
confirmed.
The
Ukrainian president arrived in Odessa on Saturday for a working visit
along with the new governor. Speaking before reporters, Poroshenko
characterized Saakashvili as the "independent, decisive person who
changed Tblisi," adding that among the new governor's main tasks will be
the 'deoligarchization' of Ukraine. He noted that Saakashvili was "a
friend since my student years. I remember him as a strong-willed and
determined person, and I have every reason to trust him."Saakashvili officially received his Ukrainian citizenship on Friday.
His connection to Ukraine is not entirely tenuous; he had graduated
from the Institute of International Relations of the National University
of Kiev in 1992, and had briefly served with the Soviet Border Troops
at Kiev's Boryspil Airport in 1989-1990. Earlier this year, Poroshenko
had appointed him the chairman of Ukraine's International Council
on Reforms, a group of foreign advisors ostensibly tasked with helping
the country in carrying out its political and economic reforms. Saakashvili, disgraced in his home country, was forced to flee
Georgia in 2013, after the Georgian Prosecutor's Office launched a
criminal case against him. The charges leveled against him include abuse
of power, misappropriation of funds and over $5 million in embezzlement
charges. Georgia has repeatedly asked Ukraine to extradite Saakashvili.
The former president is also known for his failed invasion of the
breakaway region of South Ossetia in August, 2008, which coincided
with the Beijing Summer Olympics and prompted a decisive military
response from Russia. The disastrous conflict prompted Russia's official
recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states. Saakashvili had vaguely hinted at his imminent appointment on Friday night:
German Ambassador in
Belgrade Heinz Wilhelm stated on Friday that Germany wishes Serbia's
negotiating chapters to open as soon as possible.
Source: Tanjug, TV Pink
(Tanjug, file)
He added that the Kosovo issue needs to be resolved.
From the German perspective, the prerequisite for opening
the chapters is embodied in the opening of Chapter 35 on the Kosovo
issue as the first step, and the condition for opening this chapter is
full implementation of the Brussels agreement, Wilhelm told the
Belgrade-based Television Pink.
The German ambassador noted
that the constitution of the community of Serb municipalities is another
matter that has not been completed yet, and added that the talks on the
matter are being conducted with difficulties. He noted that after the
opening of Chapter 35, Chapters 23 and 24 could open as well.
Asked to explain the exact meaning of the phrase "normalization of
relations with Kosovo," Wilhelm said that the normalization "does not
mean recognition, but establishment of good neighborly relations."
Asked about the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Serbia,
Wilhelm confirmed that the preparations for the visit are underway
although the date has not been specified yet, adding that he believes
Merkel will meet with Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic.
He also
assessed that the visit of Germany's minster for economic cooperation
and development, Gerhard Miller, went well and was important, adding
that Germany was the biggest bilateral donor to help Serbia reach the EU
as soon as possible.
The diplomat reminded that 370 companies
with German capital are active in Serbia and more big companies are
ready to invest, while trade between the two countries reached EUR 3.2
billion last year, "with room to further increase the cooperation."
Prime Minister Aleksandar
Vucic said in Albania on Thursday that "regional countries must work on
joint infrastructure projects and seek support from the EU."
Source: Tanjug
(Tanjug)
He was addressing "Tirana Talks" of the Vienna Economic
Forum, where prime ministers of Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
and also Kosovo are taking part.
Vucic spoke after Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama to say
that "the request for help and support from the European Union must be
made together."
"If we can't get EU's help and support, we must try and do as much as we can alone together," he said.
"Finally we agreed on two important issues - a common goal for all of
us, and that is the European path, and about the full membership in the
EU. It cannot be expected tomorrow, there are plenty of things to do
before it happens,"said Vucic.
"I suggested to Edi (Rama) and
Milo (Djukanovic) to sign joint projects, to go to Brussels and ask for
support for these projects, and if we don't get it we on the Serbian
side will be ready to start financing them from our funds," he said.
Vucic added that "the state of the Serbian budget is better than
before," and that Serbia is "ready for the integration processes in the
Balkans."
Serbia, as he said, is also "ready to deal with
concrete questions and have a joint presentation before the institutions
in Brussels, but also to take steps alone to improve the lives of
citizens and the connectedness of the region."
"Peoples will appreciate that extremely," said Vucic, adding that "the popularity of the European Union in Serbia is growing."
Enlargement fatigue is being mentioned, he remarked - but added that he "could not comment on that" because he is "no expert."
Taking part in a discussion during the same event on Thursday, Vucic said that "we need money from European funds," and added:
"We have had enough of seminars, we need money to build roads and
railways. If you can't set aside funds then say so, we will find the
means."
He added that "our people should not be underestimated because they expect concrete results."
The meeting in Tirana, the prime minister continued, represented "a cry
of all its participants," and a call to the EU and the European
Commission "to analyze the situation, consider it well, and properly
evaluate - to help us better and more."
One of the forum's
moderators, former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, asked "what
premieres of the region expect from the upcoming Summit on the Western
Balkans," to be held in late August in Vienna, and Vucic replied that
"citizens need something tangible, some concrete results."
He
added that the most important projects in the region have been defined
and agreed on during a meeting with EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn in
Brussels.
According to Vucic, the acceleration of European
integration for all in the region is something that is very important
for this part of Europe, because the Balkan region is still "vulnerable
and faces many political and economic problems."
Albanian Prime
Minister Edi Rama also stressed that expected he expected the Vienna
gathering to provide "more attention and assistance from the EU."
China
may reportedly build some 415 warships by 2030, according to former top
intelligence officer James Fanell as cited by US journalist Zachary
Keck; Keck underscored that this would be a significant increase over
China's current naval power.
American
journalist Zachary Keck, who has interned at the Center for a New
American Security and in the US Congress, where he worked on defense
issues, pointed out that China is steadily increasing its military
potential, and particularly, its naval forces.
Citing former senior intelligence officer James Fanell, the
journalist stressed that the PLAN (People's Liberation Army Navy) "will
continue to expand for the next 15 years." Furthermore, China is
expected to build some 415 navy ships by 2030.
"China will have an incredible 99
submarines, 4 aircraft carriers, 102 destroyers and frigates, 26
corvettes, 73 amphibious ships and 111 missile craft. That will give
Beijing a total of 415 warships," the journalist highlighted.
At
the same time, the Pentagon has recently admitted in its 2015 "Annual
Report on Military and Security Developments Involving the People's
Republic of China," that over the past 15 years, China's naval
modernization program has resulted in a more technologically advanced
and flexible force.
"The PLA Navy now possesses the largest number of vessels
in Asia, with more than 300 surface ships, submarines, amphibious ships,
and patrol craft. China is rapidly retiring legacy combatants in favor
of larger, multi-mission ships, equipped with advanced anti-ship, anti-air, and anti-submarine weapons and sensors," the report stated.
According
to the journalist, at last week's the annual conference of the US Naval
War College's China Maritime Institute James Fanell stressed that
Beijing's new Luyang III Type 052D class destroyers could be considered a
"game changer," allowing China's Navy to expand its operational area
and project its power far beyond "first island chain."
Zachary Keck noted, however, that Fanell has long been known
for his alarmist stance and "blunt assessments" regarding Beijing's
naval force. In 2013 James Fanell noted, for instance, that China was
"bullying its adversaries" and labeled it as "hegemonic." In 2014 Fanell
insisted that Beijing was preparing for a "short, sharp war" with Japan
over disputed islands, while in February 2015, during his retirement
ceremony the former senior US Navy officer warned about an upcoming war
with China.
Meanwhile,
according to Keck, many of Fanell's also had taken note of China's
improved nuclear-powered the Type 094 Jin class ballistic missile
submarine. They also pointed out that Beijing is seemingly seeking
to boost its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities.
Keck quoted former US Navy officer Christopher Carlson, who
said with a touch of anxiety: "We're going to see some very impressive
ASW changes…. We have a problem when they become proficient."
Macedonian Prime Minister,
Nikola Gruevski, has confirmed his attendance at the Prime Ministers'
Summit, to be held in Tirana on Thursday.
The Summit will also be attended by the Serbian Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vucic.
However,
the Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tspiras has refused the invitation
from Edi Rama and will be not make an appearance at the Summit.
On May 27, Ambassador Lu together with Minister of Interior Tahiri
spoke at the annual security conference “Religious Radicalism and
Extremism as a Security Threat: The Case of Albania and the Western
Balkans” organized by the Albanian Institute for International Studies
with the support of the NATO Public Diplomacy Division. In his remarks
Ambassador Lu noted that “…I share Albania’s dream of a Europe whole,
free and at peace. ISIS and other extremist groups threaten that dream.
We must not delay in rising to meet this challenge. And we cannot
leave this work to our children’s generation.”
The first track of the investigation is that of revenge, but by the collision are also seriously wounded four other people.
It reported that the conflict occurred between two criminal groups who were in two separate cars /
The killings occurred just when Tirana, is strengthened by about 1600 police officers, who are providing continually few days, a series of international conferences for regional security.
Today The Serbian Prime Minister Alexander Vucic, is holding a historically visit in Tirana, called from Albanian counter part to take part with some other leaders of Balkan, for Security Cooperation in Region.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson
Konstantinos Koutras made the following statement in response to
journalists’ questions regarding statements made today by Albanian Prime
Minister Edi Rama:
“The political leadership of our friendly
neighbouring country is lapsing, in word and deed, every day. A return
to the logic of, and to respect for, legality and international law is
the surest path for Albania’s European perspective. No further comment.”
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic speaks at
the news conference after talks with host Albanian Prime Minister Edi
Rama, in the first Serbian leader to visit the nation after a troubled
past, at the Palace of Brigades in the Albanian capital, Tirana,
Wednesday, May 27, 2015. Both countries are trying to overcome their
troubled past while working toward EU membership. Relations between the
two Balkan states remain strained, mainly over the former Serbian
province of Kosovo where majority ethnic Albanians declared independence
in 2008 which Serbia refused to recognize.
HEKTOR PUSTINA — AP PhotoTIRANA, Albania — The leaders
of Serbia and Albania sought to mend their thorny relations Wednesday
during the first visit to Albania by a Serb prime minister.
Aleksandar
Vucic's visit was held under tight security, with some 1,300 policemen
deployed in the capital Tirana, police and army helicopters overhead and
streets in the city center blocked to traffic.
"Relations between
Serbia and Albania will be the backbone of relations in this part of
Europe," Vucic said after talks with his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama.
"If we are smart and responsible enough, and we understand that wars and
bloodshed will not solve our problems, but with talks, with dialogue,
with honest relations, then I can say that both Serbia and Albania have a
much better future compared to the past we had together."
Relations
between the two Balkan states have been strained, mainly over the
former Serbian province of Kosovo where majority ethnic Albanians
declared independence in 2008. Serbia, which considers Kosovo the cradle
of their statehood and Christian Orthodox religion, refuses to
recognize its independence.
"The courage that Germany and France
had to overcome rivers of blood after World War II should inspire us to
turn this peaceful time into a history of building up the foundations of
a sustainable coexistence," Rama said.
The two premiers discussed
increasing bilateral trade and investment, cooperation in energy and
tourism and recognizing their countries' university diplomas.
Both countries have applied for European Union membership. Albania is a NATO member while Serbia is still on the waiting list.
Vucic
said the two would jointly ask the EU for funding support for a highway
linking Nish in Serbia with Durres in Albania and passing through
Kosovo.
Vucic's visit follows Rama's visit to Belgrade in November, the first by an Albanian head of government to Serbia in 68 years.
Rama's
trip to Serbia had originally been scheduled to be held in October, but
was postponed over tension arising from a European Championship soccer
qualifying match between the two national teams. The game in Belgrade
was suspended after a drone carrying an Albanian nationalist flag
ignited clashes between players and fans.
His appearance in
Belgrade was marred by an open clash at a press conference between the
two prime ministers over Kosovo's statehood. Vucic reacted angrily to
Rama's remarks that Serbia should view Kosovo's independence with
"realism."
During Wednesday's visit, both Vucic and Rama stuck to
their respective positions regarding Kosovo, but without placing
particular emphasis on the issue during their joint appearance after
their meeting.
Serbia has been accusing Tirana of wanting to
create a Greater Albania encompassing Kosovo, large chunks of Macedonia
and other territories where ethnic Albanians live in the Balkans.
Albania has repeatedly denied such ambitions, saying borders in the
Balkans would not matter once all its states become EU members.
Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2015/05/27/6247013_serbias-pm-vucic-in-landmark-visit.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy
Bulgaria: Bulgaria’s Chief of Defence Staff to Attend Annual Balkan Countries CHODs Conference Vice Admiral Rumen Nikolov, Chief of Defence Staff of Bulgaria, photo by BGNES
Vice Admiral Rumen Nikolov, Chief of Defence Staff of Bulgaria, will participate in the Annual Meeting of the Chiefs of Defence/General Staffs of the Balkan Countries on May 27-28 in Budva, Montenegro.
Apart from the Chiefs of Defence of the nine founders of the initiative for enhancing military cooperation on the Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, and Montenegro), the conference will also be attended by the Deputy Chairman of NATO's Military Committee, Mark Schissler, Allied Joint Force Command Naples commander, U.S. Navy Adm. Mark Ferguson III, and the Chiefs of Defence of Croatia and Slovenia.
The topics on the agenda of the two-day conference revolve around the importance of regional military cooperation and good neighborly relations for maintaining and improving regional and European security, according to reports of the BGNES news agency.
The Coordination Group and the two sub-working groups is to create an appropriate framework for a fruitful discussion on today’s challenges and security threats that need to be solved through the joint efforts of the Balkan military leaders.
Russia's ambassador to the
UN has told a Security Council session on to Kosovo that statements
about the creation of a Greater Albania are a cause for concern.
Source: RTS, Tanjug
(Tanjug)
Vitaly Churkin also communicated his country's concern
"over the manner in which the West is talking Pristina into forming a
court for the crimes committed by the KLA," RTS has quoted him as
saying.
Tanjug reported that Churkin said it was "wrong to be
encouraging Pristina to set up the court as soon as they could to avoid
the job being done by the UNSC, and letting the Russian influence grow
that way."
"I don't see in what way this approach by the West
helps the rule of law, while Macedonian police officers in Kumanovo were
attacked by bandits in KLA uniforms, who planned more attacks," noted
the Russian diplomat.
Suspected war criminals must be brought to justice regardless of the status of Kosovo, said Churkin.
Special court
Ambassadors of UN Security Council (UNSC) member states
urged the government in Pristina to set up a special court for crimes
committed by the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during the
debate on Tuesday.
They also "welcomed the continuation of the
Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, and condemned the recent attacks in
Macedonia," Tanjug said.
David Pressman, Alternate
Representative of the United States to the UN, welcomed the continued
progress on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and urged both sides to
continue their efforts to resolve the telecommunications and energy
issues.
“Kosovo must respond appropriately to allegations of
serious crimes committed between 1998 and 2000” and promptly adopt the
necessary legal measures to set up the Special Court, added Pressman.
He also "commended Belgrade and Pristina for their continued commitment
to fighting terrorism, and, in that context, congratulated Serbia on
hosting a successful counter-terrorism conference in April, particularly
commending the country's inclusive approach with regard to Kosovo's
participation."
Pressman also proposed that the UNSC extend the
reporting period for the Secretary-General to every six months, instead
of the three months as is the case now.
"Strong leadership"
Head of the UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, Farid Zarif
expressed his regret on Tuesday that there are still no results
concerning the formation of a community of Serb municipalities in Kosovo
and Metohija and stressed that a strong leadership by both Belgrade and
Pristina is necessary in order to make progress in the technical
dialogue and deliver results.
Speaking about the establishment
of a specialist court for the crimes committed by KLA, Zarif "stressed
that in his meetings with the political leaders of Kosovo he underlined
that the international community and relatives of the victims expect
Pristina authorities not to delay the formation of the court."
He also noted that fast progress in solving the cases of missing persons is necessary to continue the reconciliation process.
Incidents affecting the returnees are particularly alarming, said
Zarif, adding that an agreement was reached with the Kosovo government
to deploy additional police forces to Klina, where a number of attacks
on Serb returnees has been reported.
The
EU on May 27 asked its member states to admit over the next two years
40,000 asylum seekers from Syria and Eritrea who have already landed in
Italy and Greece.
"We... have a proposal for an emergency
mechanism to relocate 40,000 asylum seekers to other European (member)
states," home affairs commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos told a press
conference.
"Syrians and Eritreans will be relocated from Italy
and Greece to other European Union member states over a period of two
years," he said.
Repeating an earlier proposal, Avramopolous said
the European Union is also asking member states to admit 20,000 people
from third countries who have "a clear need for international
protection".
"They will be resettled from countries outside Europe to European Union member states."
He
insisted that the European Commission, the executive arm of the
28-nation EU, was not proposing a quota system for distributing people.
Many
member states, who are under pressure from anti-immigrant parties
during tough economic times, have strongly objected to quotas.
"It's up to each member to decide how many refugees they will grant refugee status," he added.
"If countries want to relocate or settle more, they can, but we want to insure minimum solidarity," Avramopoulos said.
The EU was prodded into action after nearly 800 migrants died in April in the deadliest such shipwreck in the Mediterranean.
More
than 5,000 migrants, many escaping civil war in Syria, have died over
the past 18 months while trying to cross the Mediterranean, often on
flimsy rubber dinghies or fishing boats.
AFP
Romanian Prime Minister
Victor Ponta has told the Pristina-based Klan Kosova television outlet
that his country "could recognize Kosovo."
Source: Tanjug
(Beta/AP, file)
Ethnic Albanians in Serbia's southern province in early
2008 unilaterally declared independence, but Serbia rejected the
proclamation as a violation of its territorial integrity and
Constitution.
Romania is one of five EU member-states that have not recognized Kosovo.
"In 2008 Romania decided not to recognize Kosovo. However, things have
changed since then. Governments have changed and some new decision on
the recognition of Kosovo could be made," Ponta said after a summit of
heads of state of Southeastern Europe - according to Albanian language
Pristina-based daily Epoka E Re.
The media in Kosovo are
reporting that Ponta said his country would consider recognizing Kosovo
"because many things have changed in Kosovo since 2008."
According to the paper, he "stressed that one of the main reasons is
that Kosovo and Serbia are successfully conducting their dialogue."
Rama: Tirana wants the same rights for Albanians in Preshevo, as have Serbs living in Mitrovitsa"
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic comes in Tirana with high security measures
Rama for Greece:
"We do not negotiate the national interest for the sea with Greece ,,,
but do not want to close our eyes to such problems that affect our
national security." Vucic: We havedifferent opinions, SerbiaconsideredKosovoandMetohijaaspart of Serbia, while Albaniaconsidersas an independent country"
Edi Rama, Parallels Autonomy of Srpska Mitrovista the Albanians of Preshevo
During the press conferece Rama - Vucic, Prime Minister's Albanians Rama, made it clear that: "Tirana wants the same rights for Albanians in Preshevo, have today Serbs living in Mitrovitsa"
Vucic: We havedifferent opinions, SerbiaconsideredKosovoandMetohijaaspart of Serbia, while Albaniaconsidersas an independent"
Ramaasked from journalist of Top Channel TV, forworseningrelationshipwithGreece and Turkey, whileregulating therelationshipwith Serbiawas, hereplied:
Rama asked for worsening relationship with Greece and Turkey, while regulating the relationship with Serbia was, he replied:
Rama: "To share the attitudes Kosovo absolutely unacceptable .."
Rama: The position of Serbs in Albania is an example and have the same rights that have minorities in Albania, almost spectacular best .. "
Rama 'For Greece have underscored bilateral interactions strategic and have no kind of problem with Athens, I invited Alexis Tsipras in Tirana, and I do not see any extraneous reasons neither Athens nor other circles wonder why the Albanian state, asks the Greek authorities, international law for research information in the sea, and that is not our secret attempt to find common ground to solve an issue of interest of tow countryes.
Rama: "We do not negotiate the national interest for the sea with Greece ,,, but do not want to close our eyes to such problems that affect our national security."
For the selection of Shpetim Idrizi (Cham community) as deputy of Parlamenit Albania, ... is our interior problem not for others, .
Journalist: do you accept the idea of Greater Albania?
Rama,,, we have made strong dialogue for the region. Great Albania is not a project, but peace in the Balkans, could be put in danger by a football match.
Greater Albania, I said, Great Albania is an idea, which they promoted and feed those who do not want the Albanians Irene.
"We intend self-determination of our nation surfaces between Albanians in the European Union, but not Greater Albania "
The Metropolitan Dryinoupolis, Pogoniani and Konitsa, Andreas once again expresses its deep concern over what is happening with regard to Albania and the new open longer anti-Greek stance towards Greece, with the creation of new issues that did not exist anymore as that of land borders.
Bishop Andreas in his open letter to the Greek state, calls for regarding all the latest developments in Greek-Albanian relations, developments that inevitably affect the Ethnic Minority in Northern Epirus.
The Bishop also mentioned the claims of Chams while sounding the alarm to Athens for the 'black clouds' coming regarding Northern Epirus calling controllers and "responsible" to awaken finally.
Read the open letter of the Bishop:
His Eminence Metropolitan Dryinoupolis, Pogoniani and Konitsa Mr. ANDREAS,
made the following statements:
"I have often pointed out, that Albanians worn with impudence and insolence towards to Greece. And this proves successive events involving the Greek national community of Northern Epirus.
Albania raises border issue with Greece and plans to create ...the "Greater Albania".
And forgets that the current borders in the south at least, comes from the theft of Greek territory of Northern Epirus with the help mainly of Italy in 1914.
One more recent samples of the Albanian ingratitude, but also anti-Greek policy is that the Socialist Party of Prime Minister Edi Rama put in place third vice Albanian Parliament in Spetim Idriz, who is Chairman of the Nationalist Party of Chams.
However, developments in the neighbor are rapid, the Greek Government monitors awkward movements of Albanians, and risks of Northern Community in particular, by criminals 'Chams', which the Albanians obvious now incite anti-Greek sentiments.
Expressing once again our concerns, we pray and while crying to the government and citizens around the world: Gentlemen, wake up! The country and the Northern Epirus risk the End Times. Why, if we continue to indifferent, we will pay dearly one - God forbid - a national humiliation and destruction. "
The
United States will build a fleet of more than 300 vessels by the end of
the decade, US Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said. He pointed out that in
2001 the US Navy comprised 316 vessels, but by 2008 the number had
dropped to 278.
The
US Navy will number more than 300 ships by 2020 with 60 percent of them
in the Pacific Ocean, US Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said.
"We are building the fleet above 300 ships.
We’ll get there by the end of the decade. We’re shifting at least 60
percent to the Pacific," he said during a MSNBC show answering the
question on how the US will keep competitive with the Chinese Navy.
Mabus pointed out that in 2001 the US Navy comprised 316 vessels, but by 2008 the number had dropped to 278.
According to the secretary, from 2005 to 2009 the US put
under contract 27 ships, and in the following five years – over 70
ships.
ZAGREB/SKOPJE – Situation in Macedonia is very serious and, after
armed conflict in Kumanovo, European institutions have realized it, said
an envoy of European Parliament Ivo Vajgl, not excluding the
possibility that it was a clash of radical Islamists, but also fighters
for a “Greater Albania”, reported “Vecernje Novosti”.
Photo from: Novosti.rs
Vajgl, who is one of three mediators in negotiations with Macedonian
leaders VMRO-DPMNE Nikola Gruevski and opposition leader Zoran Zaev on
overcoming the months-long political crisis, says that problems in
Macedonia are multilayer.
“We have a post-transition situation in which the main principal is
how to grab as much of the state property of the former Yugoslavia as
possible, and the level of corruption is high. Inside the ethnic groups
there are interests that are largely influenced from outside,” said
Vajgl in an interview with Zagreb’s “Vecernji List”.
Asked whether he speaks about Albania, Vajgl said:”I think of the
Albanians in whom it is difficult to determine who represents authentic
Albanian political and social structure, and who can be directed into
the framework of the idea of which no one wants to speak about, but it
is there. The idea of a ‘Greater Albania'”.
He recalled that the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama threatens Macedonia with veto on NATO membership.
The situation, says Vajgl, is complicated and that is why the
incident in Kumanovo can be explained only by an independent
investigation.
He noted, however, that there are a lot of indications for an
assumption that clashes in Kumanovo have links to radical Islamism.
“Some of those people who participated in clashes in Kumanovo in –
obviously – very professional terrorist action, fought in Syria and
Iraq. They know with what idea they came to Kumanovo. And it is jihad
and spreading radical Islam to the European continent. There may be
other motives – a Greater Albania or connection to domestic political
scene, although it is difficult to believe that anyone is willing to
take responsibility for the deaths of eight police officers,” he said.
It seems, he says, that because of Kumanovo European institutions
realized that the situation is extremely dangerous, that it can be
manipulated from outside and that it can turn into a regional conflict.
“I have never excluded it and I believe that the guarantee for the
stability of the region is only a membership in the EU and probably NATO
although I have reservations about NATO as a global policeman,” he
said.
To the remark that he is not referring to Macedonia as a former Yugoslav Republic, Vajgl says that it is “absurd denomination”.
“By that logic I could say that I come from former Yugoslav republic
Slovenia or the former Austro-Hungarian province of Kranjska. It is
completely absurd and irrational that Greece, who is asking us for
support and understanding, shows so little solidarity for neighbors and
lack of understanding for the fact that non-recognition of Macedonia
creates a focal point of the crisis on their borders,” said Vajgl.
According to him, the name dispute is a bilateral dispute, as well as
the demarcation of Croatia and Slovenia, which Slovenia used to block
Croatia.
“I’ve never been in favor of having former Yugoslav republic
blackamiling each other. My attitude was, both as the Minister of
Foreign Affairs and President of the Board for Foreign Affairs, to have
states resolve their conflicts before entering the EU, because these
issues in some cases become weapons of nationalists. I already see on
the horizon the following disputes: Croatia and Serbia, Croatia and BiH,
BiH and Montenegro,” said Vajgl.
Albanian
President Bujar Nishani, left, meets with visiting Romanian Prime
Minister Victor Ponta in Tirana, Tuesday May 26, 2015, during the South
East European Cooperation Process summit, a regional grouping of 13
Balkan and eastern European countries. (AP Photo/Hektor Pustina) (The Associated Press)
TIRANA, Albania – Albania's
president says the crisis in Macedonia could be a setback for the Balkan
region's efforts to add new members to the European Union.
President Bujar Nishani told regional leaders meeting in Tirana that
the Macedonia crisis showed the "fragility of stability in the region."
Macedonia is grappling with a political crisis triggered by
wiretapping allegations against the government, while tension has been
stoked by a shootout this month between police and suspected ethnic
Albanian militants that left 18 dead.
The leaders were meeting as part of the 13-nation South-East European
Cooperation Process. Five of its members are in the EU, while five
others are candidates.
Albania hands over South-East European Cooperation Process presidency to Bulgaria
World Bulletin / News Desk
EU memberships for Balkan countries can play a role in uniting them
around common goals despite their historical and cultural differences,
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said Tuesday.
Babacan made the remarks in the Albanian capital Tirana where Albania
handed over its presidency of the South-East European Cooperation
Process (SEECP) to Bulgaria.
"The EU membership process of Balkan countries is very important for
Turkey. We believe that the EU (memberships) could play a role in
bringing these countries together around common goals and ideals despite
any historical issues or cultural differences they may have," he told
reporters.
About the South-East European Cooperation Process, he said that it
served a significant role in developing cooperation and dialogue between
Balkan countries, adding that it "creates an opportunity to further
improve political relations in particular, and unite countries around
common areas of interest, values and ideals despite differences."
The Turkish deputy premier also highlighted the importance of
facilitating trade among Balkan countries as increased free circulation
of goods, people and capital would have positive consequences.
"If we can establish a common ground and a strong economic
cooperation, and countries become more dependent on each other
economically, this would be very helpful both for security and
stability," he added.
Babacan was joined by Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, Moldovan
President Nicolae Timofti and Romanian Prime Minister Victor-Viorel
Ponta at the SEECP event.
Albanian President Bujar Nishani said that the country during its
SEECP presidency fought organized crime, championed regional peace and
made efforts for EU membership for non-EU countries.
The SEECP was established in 1996 in Bulgaria to establish peace and stability in the Balkans.
Turkey has been a SEECP member since its founding and held the presidency in 1998-1999 and 2009-2010.
