Prime Minister Edi Rama hosted the visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the accompanying delegation at the Maps Hall of the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday.
After the bilateral talks focusing on ways to further strengthen Albania-US relations, a ceremony took place on signing two Memorandums of Understanding between the two countries, namely:
– Memorandum of Understanding on the Fulbright Academic Exchange
– Memorandum of Understanding on the Framework to Counter Foreign State Informational Manipulation Memorandum,
signed by the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Igli Hasani.
The signing ceremony was followed by a joint press availability between Prime Minister Edi Rama and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken:
* * *
Prime Minister Edi Rama: Dearest U.S. State Secretary, dear Tony, it’s always a remarkable day of special meaning in the history of Albania’s international relations, the day when a U.S. state secretary visits our country. Well, in our books you are the sixth state secretary visiting, but this time we have a special appreciation of this visit, as we are very much aware of the troubled times happening not only in the European world but also in other areas of strategic importance for the global balances. Consequently, actually this is something that adds especially to the burden of your agenda. The very fact that you found time and saw it necessary to stop in Tirana is, to us, a very important sign of our friendship but also of your appreciation of this friendship, of this partnership, and of course, the appreciation of this region.
We are highly honored by the visit of the state secretary today, and I could say without any diplomatic or any protocol embellishment that I am very pleased with our open, deep conversation and the level of interaction and understanding between us.
I feel very pleased that your visit coincides with Albania’s – at conclusion of its mission in the UN secretary – in the UN Security Council. And in addition to extending my thanks to the state secretary, the gratitude for the invaluable support we had from the United States and its mission at the United Nations, their support of our presence in the Council and the support to our success in the course of the two years where we were not permanent members of the UN Security Council. I also extended my gratitude for the very touching message that the United States ambassador in the United Nations shared for the high appraisal she actually made for the work of the Albanian team, for the very positive notes and words she shared with the public on the way in which Albania managed to represent itself, but even more than that, the way in which Albania managed to represent this community of countries and states that stand together for some values and principles that are non-negotiable to us.
On the other hand, I wish to thank the state secretary publicly also for another support that maybe is not so much talked about, and it’s not so visible, but it’s a constant, important, and useful support for Albania to progress on its path towards EU accession.
Clearly, this is a process that depends on what we do; it also depends on the assessment and judgment of our allies in the European Union. But since some years now, we have remarkably felt the constant interest of the U.S. administration, and in particular the continuous interest shown by the State Department, and the fact that in his important meetings with European allies, the state secretary always underscores the need to push further the integration process for Albania and Western Balkans in the EU as a strategic interest of the United States.
On the other hand, we spoke about the region and we shared the same perspectives and concerns.
As you know, Albania has a policy of an extended friendship hand for all the countries of the region, and we are interested and wanting that the region moves ahead as a whole, because first and foremost is – it is in our strategic interest. It is in the interest of our people to see its integration with Europe as an integral part of the integration of this region around values and principles that embody our being part of the large community of democratic states and countries. We have definitely encouraged, we encourage, and will continue to encourage the irreplaceable dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.
The United States have been our and will be the staunch supporters of the process for the final recognition of Kosovo and to meet the international subjectivity of Kosovo. And it is actually better for all Albanians and also Albanians in Kosovo to be reminded – remember that without the United States there would not be an independent state of Kosovo, and that the interest of the United States in this region, and specifically the interest of the United States for things to run smoothly in Albania and Kosovo, is not a second-hand interest. It is neither an interest that is separate in any respect from our interest in Albania and Kosovo to build a peaceful and prosperous future for the next generations.
It is unquestionable – so there is no doubt that we actually feel regret any time we witness steps back. Of course, we are aware of the difficulties of the dialogue. There is no doubt that we are cognizant of the wounds of a not so past strategy of – a tragedy of those who live in Kosovo. And we are also aware that in certain points in time, such as the terrorist attack in Banjska, Serbia does not always help the process as it should. But first and foremost, Albanians of Kosovo and all of us must be conscious that it is in our interest, it is in the interest of Kosovo, to progress even unilaterally, should the need arise, to meet all those requests put on the table of dialogue that are not restrictive demands. They are neither demands for Kosovo to give up a single millimetre of its dignity, of its sovereignty, and of its future. These are requirements or demands that through their delivery ensure the establishment of a context that elevates the Republic of Kosovo as a republic that deserves all the support, all the support and also the trust of our strategic partners, without whom the future becomes even more remote and the present becomes even more complicated.
So even today, after we discussed and talked, I want to repeat our appeal, my appeal, for the authorities in Pristina not to take any steps without consulting and being coordinated with our strategic allies because it is first and foremost in their interest, and of course it is in the interest of our alliance. Actions that are not consulted and uncoordinated could perhaps gain some votes for the moment, turning the foreign policy into a tool and function of the domestic policy. But there is no long-term gain.
On the other hand, we discussed about the dimensions of our bilateral cooperation, with the latter not only being a constant strategic operation in the area of security, but it is also a cooperation that is increasingly gaining an economic dimension. While it is unquestionable the need and importance of U.S. investments in Albania as a testament not only of this relationship but also of the awareness of the large potential Albania has in critical sectors for the world today and for our region, for example, like the energy sector.
The U.S. administration is highly engaged in working to tackle the climate challenge, and it is highly committed to supporting all the programs and projects of green energy. And we believe that in this respect, U.S. companies are a desired partner, and we hope that this process that has already kicked off will progress further. Equally so, we believe that Albania is a country – and the Secretary actually is a witness of this himself – this is a country that the U.S. tourists actually can visit because it’s worth it. As differently from the United States or other countries, in a very small country without going hours of distance, one can find everything, all the natural beauties, ranging from the beaches to the mountains full of snow.
By way of concluding, last by not least, I wish to publicly thank the state secretary for what we’ve been discussing again and again in all our meeting. And something that we repeated in our meeting as well that is the irreplaceable support to transform Albania from a country that had never justice and where the impunity culture was the norm, that made the citizens of the country, from the establish of the Albanian state, that it would never be possible in this country for the law to be actually equal for everyone, and so that no one could be above the law. They made it possible for us to see today that even in Albania, just like in every country that is ambitious for their own children, it is possible that people in office, also people who are also part of the current executive power, could actually be called accountable before the law for breaching the law.
This is something whose weight and importance Albania will be able to fully perceive many years later.
But there is something we know even now: that when we started the reform in justice and we received the support of our allies, all the polls and questionnaires of the public on the reform saw an overwhelming support, irrespective of the political affiliations and irrespective of the typical and tradition polarization of politics; either left- or right-wing supporters or those who are not affiliated with any parties, support this reform in justice.
It is no secret, Mr. Secretary, that here we have a problem. We can’t find a consensus even on time. If you ask anyone on what the time is, we have a left wing time, a right wing time, and we have also a central time. However, when it came to the question whether those who supported the reform in justice believed that they would be able to see in their lifetime important people going before the justice, the majority answered with a no.
Well, here we are today. We are living in a time where the myth of impunity and the myth of the powerful above the law has been debunked.
Of course, there is a lot of work that remains to be done. We talked about the challenges. We talked about the advancement of the reform. We talked about how imperative it is to counter the phenomenon of corruption as a phenomenon that must be looked at from the perspective of the integration process with all its aspects as well. But if there is a reason, an important reason today to be more convinced than ever of the value of this partnership, of the value of this friendship, this reason is the commitment of our strategic partners to offering support and assistance to change a chapter of the history of Albania that seemed to be unchangeable throughout a lifetime and for all the generations.
Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary. Thank you very much! Tony, the floor is yours.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken: Prime Minister, Edi, thank you so much for welcoming us here today, and not just welcoming us – the warmth, the hospitality, the substance, directness, frankness of our conversations – something I always deeply appreciate.
I’m going to start with two expressions that we have. One is the expression “rain check.” So if you miss out on someone’s hospitality, if you miss out on a kind invitation to dinner, you ask for a rain check. So I’m asking for a rain check, if you’ll have me back. Second is another expression we have and that is the notion of a “fair weather friend.” That’s a friend who’s with you when the sun is shining but not when the rain is coming down. Albania is not only a fair weather friend, it’s also a foul weather friend – together, even when the going is tough, even when we’re facing challenges. And that’s something I can’t begin to tell you how much we appreciate and value. And it’s a tribute to this country and the friendship we have, and it’s a tribute to the prime minister, who is an extraordinary partner for the United States.
I’m here on my first visit as Secretary to Albania because this partnership between our two countries is stronger than it’s ever been. And the relationship for us is vital to addressing so many issues that matter to our people. This is a two-way street, and we are doing things with each other and for each other that are to the benefit of people here in Albania and in the United States and beyond, I would argue. As a key NATO Ally, a powerful voice on the UN Security Council – and you heard the prime minister allude to this – we had a really extraordinary partnership during the two years that Albania was a non‑permanent member of the council, and that was reflected in the message the prime minister referenced from our ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield. We did, I think, very, very important and strong work together, particularly holding the pen together on the question of Ukraine and the Russian aggression, something we deeply value; now a new member of the Human Rights Council, and also playing a growing role in other critical international institutions, including UNESCO. This is consequential not just for Albania, not just for the region, not just for Europe; it’s actually consequential for the world, and we deeply, deeply appreciate it.
We had the opportunity today to discuss a lot of issues and challenges that we’re facing together, and we focused first on what we’re doing to promote our shared security. As you know, Albania has been from day one a strong supporter of Ukraine – really the first to step up, to raise its hand. It was one of the first countries to send military aid to Ukraine in the wake of the Russian aggression – guns, ammunition, mine resistant vehicles – and it’s currently one of the top ten per capita in terms of its support for Ukraine and security assistance.
The prime minister said this at the Security Council last September, and I’m going to – Edi, if I can, I’m going to quote you: “The struggle of Ukraine is also the struggle of everyone who aspires to live in a world where nations are free and equal, where territorial integrity is indisputable, and [where the] right to live in peace is unquestionable.” It’s hard to think of a more elegant way to put what’s at stake in Ukraine. Over its 15 years now in NATO, Albania has made significant contributions to our alliance. Albanian troops are helping to keep the peace in Kosovo to deter Russian aggression on NATO’s Eastern flank.
Next month, Albania will inaugurate a NATO airbase in Kucove. Our 31 Allies, soon to be 32 Allies, bring different histories, different experiences, different geographies, different capabilities. But each of us has the same ironclad commitment to our mutual defense, and each of us makes important contributions and sacrifices. In the last three years alone, virtually every Ally has increased defense spending as a percentage of its GDP.
Together, our collective strength is much more than the sum of our parts. It’s an enduring investment in shared security, shared prosperity, and in the principles that join us together. We’re grateful that Albania is doing its part, prepared to continue to do its part. We’re fully committed to upholding our obligations as well.
Our countries are also growing our bilateral security partnership. Albanians and Americans have fought side by side from Afghanistan to Iraq. Albanian pilots fly American-made Blackhawks. U.S. Special Forces are training their Albanian counterparts and helping to keep watching the Balkans. In the wake of the recent Iranian cyber attacks targeting Albanian critical infrastructure, the United States has supported Albania cyber defenses, helping to train experts, to upgrade equipment, to improve technology so that they’re more resilient to future attacks.
I thank the Prime Minister as well for something that is near and dear to my heart, and near and dear to the hearts of so many Americans, and that is the extraordinary generosity that the Albanian people have shown in welcoming thousands of Afghan evacuees. Albania was the very first country to do so.
I had a chance a little bit earlier today to meet with some of the most recent evacuees from Afghanistan who will be going on to the United States. They’re getting their Special Immigrant Visas, and then they’ll come to be part of the next chapter in the story of the United States. These are people who have endured incredible hardship, who’ve shown remarkable courage. And what I heard from them today was not just gratitude for being welcomed here, Mr. Prime Minister, in Albania, but the way they were welcomed by the Albanian people: with extraordinary warmth and support. And it’s hard to – it’s hard to describe how much that means to people like our Afghan colleagues and friends who are in the midst of the most uprooting experience possible. We’re committed to resettling them in America, offering them a similarly warm welcome, but I have to say we’re really inspired by the way that you’ve done it.
The prime minister and I also discussed how to keep making Albania’s democratic institutions more accountable to Albania’s citizens. Justice reform has not been easy, perfect, or quick, but it is showing real results, and you heard the prime minister describe them. Today I met with key judges and prosecutors who are helping to lead the reform effort. Corrupt officials are being held accountable. Members of organized crime are going to prison and losing their assets. So this is a very powerful process, but it’s a process, and it continues to move forward.
We’ll continue to strongly support Albania in these efforts, which are critical steps toward Albania joining the European Union and what the people in Albania deserve.
Our democracies are also threatened, both of us, by disinformation. And that fuels division and it erodes trust. We just signed with the foreign minister memorandums of understanding, and the one that we signed a moment ago will enable the United States and Albania to develop a shared approach to countering dangerous distortions and lies and build a resilient information ecosystem.
There is an information competition, even an information war, that goes on day in, day out. And it’s critical that democracies have the tools that they need to act effectively in dealing with it. We also discussed ways to further strengthen our economic relations, again, as the prime minister said. American investment in Albania has tripled since 2019, and it will only grow more as the business climate continues to improve. Our companies are exploring hydropower, wind, solar projects in Albania. These have great potential to diversify Albanian energy resources and sources to help our shared planet and to create inclusive economic growth for everyone through assistance in hydro power, wind and solar power sectors.
Finally, we committed to deepening ties between our people. Edi and I just came from a really terrific gathering at the Pyramid just a few doors away from here, where I met some of the young people who are participating in our exchange programs – their alumni and current participants. These programs are making the bonds between us stronger every single day. So the other memorandum of understanding that we signed for the Fulbright Program will double the number of Albanians who can study on scholarships in the United States, bringing our people even more closely together. One of my predecessors who I see on the wall here to my left, Secretary James Baker, famously told the Albanian people, and I quote, “You are with us and we are with you.” That was true three decades ago. It remains true today. It will remain true tomorrow.
Thank you, Prime Minister.
