NATO Headquarters 9 Dec. 2004

Intervention of H.E. Prof. Dr. Kastriot Islami Minister of Foreign Affairs of Albania at the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council News 08/12/2004 - NATO NATO Foreign Ministers meet in Brussels Events Programme of the Foreign Ministers meeting at NATO HQ on 8 and 9 December 2004 Honorable Mr. Secretary General, Honorable Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen, (Taking into consideration the time at disposal to treat such an important and complex issue regarding the perspective of the developments in the Western Balkans region for 2005, please allow me to express some ideas on the Balkans region, the stability and security of which remains a priority of the commitment of Euro- Atlantic Community). The vision of Albania on the security of the region, the role of NATO in it and the progress of the process of membership of the regional countries in NATO during next year, stands on these main pillars: 1. The continues inclusion of other countries of the region in the integration concept in NATO has progressively increased security and stability of this European area at regional and sub-regional level. 2. The integration process, becoming an even more clear integrating perspective for the region, would mark an evident progress and an important step forward, in 2005, making possible for some countries of our region to join NATO, in a near future; 3. The success of membership in NATO is defined mostly by the individual performance related to the achievement of the Alliance standards. The quality of regional cooperation and the level of regional security as a whole constitute an added value towards membership progress. 4. The further strengthening and/or the clear perspective of integration of each country of the Western Balkans, in both, the European and Euro-Atlantic structures, would enhanced the reciprocal positive influence although, these two complementary integrating processes remain unconditioned to each other. Actually, the Balkans has progressively changed from a region consuming security, into a region that as a whole, provides more stability, that is conditions for sustained development and prosperity. In a modest way our region participates in generating security gradually increasing its ownership in this aspect, as well. Despite the existence of some fragile security areas in the Balkans, we believe that the inclusion of the region in the European and Euro Atlantic integrating processes has enabled setting up of the mechanisms capable of avoiding the spreading out to the region of the crises and/or conflicts, that are actually of sub regional dimension. We assess 2005 as the year of challenges not only to accomplish "winning peace" in the whole region, but particularly in the achievement of the progress which will guarantee the solution of the some unsolved sub-regional issues. (Such a progress would make possible the further consolidation of security at macro-regional level, but above all it would contribute to the enhancement of security at micro-sub regional level). The increase of the intensity, quality and level of communication in the bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the region have made it possible to increase the presence of mechanisms of dialogue and good understanding in facilitating the solution of delicate issues. (We believe that the entire region generally generates the positive image of communication and good understanding which not only aligns with the attitudes and decisions of important international institutions, but can contribute to facilitate the solutions even of the delicate issues). Albania, together with two other MAP countries are totally committed that 2005 will be an important year in our progress towards NATO membership, respecting the monitoring and evaluation mechanisms of the individual performance. We are looking forward to materialize within the first trimester of the 2005 our project to send in Afghanistan the Joint Medical Unit. This is a concrete contribution of our countries to NATO. The most complicated problem for Western Balkans remains that of the ethnic character. Among others an issue to be solved remains Kosova. The processes of standard's implementation and the definition of its status, in spite of having different timely positions in different time moments, would be possible to advance only in case they are perceived and designed on a clear integrating perspective into NATO and EU. The region and its countries would have also, during 2005, to be engaged to collaborate and operate alongside with the other international partners in the war against terrorism, organized crime, drugs trafficking, weapons of mass destruction and the improvement of the integrated borders management. These were some of the viewpoints that briefly I would like to share with you in this short intervention. Thank you for the attention. Brussels, December 9, 2004