[ALBSA-Info] {QIKSH «ALBEUROPA»} NEWS: Turmoil in Tirana over Diplomatic Ties with Belgrade (AIM Tirana, January 18, 2001 published 31 JAN 2001)

[Wolfgang Plarre]

http://www.aimpress.org/dyn/trae/archive/data/200101/10131-012-trae-tir.htm

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WED, 31 JAN 2001 21:44:26 GMT

Turmoil in Tirana over Diplomatic Ties with Belgrade

AIM Tirana, January 18, 2001 

The Jan. 11 decision of the Yugoslav government to re-establish
diplomatic relations with Albania, and the readiness the Albanian
government expressed the same day to accept the initiative, announced by
a spokesman of the Albanian Foreign Ministry, caused a veritable storm
on the country's political stage. Belgrade has fulfilled Albania's
number one condition: it made the first step, and it caused havoc among
Albanian political parties. The largest opposition party -- the
Democratic Party -- and its allies from the Union for Democracy bloc,
immediately blasted the government for responding positively to
Belgrade's initiative. The Democratic Party vice president and deputy
speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Jozefina Topalli, called the
Albanian government's decision rash and demanded that new conditions for
re-establishing diplomatic ties be made: that all political prisoners
from Kosovo held in Serbian prisons be released, that war reparations be
paid for the damage done by the Serbian army in northern Albania during
the war in Kosovo, that maps of mines laid down by Serbian army in
certain parts of northern Albania be given to Albanian authorities, and
so on. 
    The allies of the Democratic Party, such as the Liberal Union,
through its president and former foreign minister, Starova, branded the
Albanian government's response as against national interests. Even the
former foreign minister demanded that in addition to the problem of
Kossovars held in Serbian prisons, other conditions be posed as well,
such as the resolution of the problem of Kosovska Mitrovica, Presevo,
and others. 
    Particularly strong and surprising was the reaction of the chairman
of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Albanian Parliament, Godo, who
enjoys majority support in Parliament. The same day the Albanian Foreign
Ministry replied to Belgrade's proposal, he blasted it as an
irresponsible move and open servility. He also called for additional
conditions and requested that the Albanian Prime Minister explain this
"irresponsible decision." 
    The uproar on the Albanian political scene should have come as no
surprise. Relations between Belgrade and Tirana, and particularly when
it comes to Kosovo, have always been a bone of contention of Albanian
politics. But the initiative for resuming diplomatic ties came at a
rather inconvenient moment, because the campaign for parliamentary
elections set for June was well under way and political competition is
gaining momentum. In such conditions political parties, and particularly
opposition groups, are doing their best to politically profit from the
national question and -- more specifically -- from the question of
Kosovo. 
    It should be noted that not a single opposition party or leader
spoke against re-establishing ties with the FRY in principle. It is very
difficult for them to be against having diplomatic relations with a
country in the region with which Albania had relations even at the apex
of their ideological and political confrontation. This time the
opposition's objections are linked to Kosovo. 
    The decision to resume diplomatic relations has opened a new chapter
in relations between official Tirana and Kosovo political parties as
well, and put them under an additional strain. In one form or another,
major Kosovo political parties have constantly urged Tirana to exert
greater pressure on Belgrade, and the Jan. 11 decision of the Albanian
government completely chilled Pristina. The very next day, Alush Gashi,
foreign policy advisor to Ibrahim Rugova, said the decision of the
Albanian government was "hasty." Speaking on the Voice of America he
even said that Tirana should have waited for relations to be established
between Pristina and Belgrade, and only then accept Serbia's offer. 
    The Kosovo political parties and politicians, in fact, are well
aware they cannot oppose the re-establishment of ties between the two
states, which existed even during Kosovo's darkest times. Their concern,
however, might have been prompted by fear that the Belgrade-Tirana
relations could complicate and undermine Pristina's negotiating position
in future international talks on Kosovo. 
    On the other hand, the Kosovo political parties are gearing up for
upcoming legislature elections that will be organized by UNMIK. Because
of this, they are opposing any improvement in relations between Belgrade
and Tirana in a bid to present themselves as the true protectors of
Kosovo. 
    Aware that this question is extremely sensitive, the Albanian
government attempted to appease the Kosovo political parties by saying
that its stance regarding Kosovo will not change. Thus, on Jan. 12,
Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo was forced to make a statement on
the issue at a press conference, not only because of the renewal of
diplomatic ties, but also because senior officials in Belgrade, such as
Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic, for example, recently claimed that they
had received "signals from Tirana indicating that it will alter its
position on Kosovo." 
    The storm has not yet subsided, and official Tirana cannot disregard
this firm opposition both in Tirana and in Pristina, when planning its
future steps in relation to Belgrade. There is an extenuating
circumstance to its actions, which is characteristic for all former
communist countries which can hardly wait to join European structures.
It involves the position of EU countries, the U.S., and other Western
countries which supported the re-establishment of diplomatic ties
between Yugoslavia and Albania. On Jan. 12, in an official announcement,
the French Foreign Ministry praised the intention of Belgrade and Tirana
to once again have diplomatic ties. 
    The Zeri i Popullit newspaper, run by the ruling Socialist Party,
carried on Jan. 13, a statement by American Ambassador to Tirana J.
Limprecht who said, "I am happy to be able to convey statements issued
by the White House and the State Department that it is our policy to
encourage the peoples of the region to develop normal relations with
Belgrade." The U. S. ambassador even had a special meeting with Foreign
Policy Committee Chairman Godo, where he expressed his disagreement with
Godo's opposition to upgrading diplomatic relations between Yugoslavia
and Albania, and once more expressed his support for the initiative. 
    There are signs that the government in Tirana, for the time being,
has brushed off domestic criticism, but that the tensions will persist
and that their possible future escalation should not be ruled out. Since
the re-establishment of diplomatic relations will be a process, it will
have far-reaching effects and will require gradual steps. Thus, it will
continue to be a source of dispute both at home and in relations between
Tirana and Pristina. 
    All the noise and opposition to the recent diplomatic move are like
a battle in which neither side is likely to win -- neither the political
parties in Tirana, nor those in Pristina. But they will continue to
fight anyway, hoping that, eventually, they might not come out
empty-handed. 

Arian Leka 
(AIM)


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