Prime Minister Edi Rama hosted Monday the visiting U.S. Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, a member of President Joe Biden’s cabinet.
During the meeting at the Maps Hall at the Prime Minister’s office, the government head Edi Rama hailed Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s visit to Albania as a crucial moment in the context of cooperation in the UN Security Council: “Thank you very much for coming! It is a great pleasure after having met each other in New York and you promised me. However, we live in a time when promises are made and not kept, and therefore keeping promises is a big deal. It is a great honour for us and we greatly appreciate the cooperation in the UN Security Council, but also the fact that during all this time we have been valued for what is real, not as new partners, and I am sure that this is also a result of the high qualities of our ambassador in New York and our excellent team there, as well as your readiness and inclination to make sure that we are an added value. If I recall correctly, you are the first member of President Biden’s cabinet visiting our country since we haven’t had such a high-level friend visiting us and I really appreciate it. Last but not least, we greatly appreciate hosting an American Ambassador visiting our country and adding importance and value to the U.S. Ambassador already here,” Prime Minister Rama said.
On her part, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield praised cooperation and partnership with the Albanian government: “Thank you very much for having me. I promised you, but I will tell you something. I don’t always deliver on all my promises, yet I try to keep the promises I make and I personally committed to visiting Albania, because you have been an exceptional partner of ours, not only in the Security Council. I have had the experience of working in the Security Council with Ambassador Hoxha and he has been an exceptional partner and an exceptional neighbor in the Council. We have been always sharing the very same opinion in that Council too as soon as we all 15 of us sit in those chairs, we are all equal, our voices are equal and your voice in the Council has been very strong, very respected and we have shared same mindset and this has been one of the most important relationships I have had between the 10 elected Council members.
On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of U.S.-Albania relations, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield thanked Albania for being a steadfast ally, particularly in the face of threats from Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and Iranian cyberattacks.
I am here to thank you! I am here to thank the Albanian citizens for your extraordinary partnership, for your friendship to honour the 100th anniversary of our ties and of course to convey a strong message of support from the American people.
The Prime Minister and Ambassador discussed Albania’s vital role as a member of the UN Security Council. The Ambassador congratulated Albania for being a leader in energy security and a valuable partner in promoting stability in the Western Balkans.
