Press Conference by Prime Minister Rama, following the closing of the NATO Summit in Wales:

I would like to enumerate a few points that I consider very important, as the very first conclusions of this special Summit. First, I am proud because I believe that the work done by our delegation, which is in fact a culmination of the work done intensively in all these months in the new dynamics of our foreign policy, Albania emerges with a strengthened position.

But I believe that Albanians as well feel proud after this summit, in the sense that we are not only focused on Albania as a country and as a state, but on Albanians as a people, in a region where I believe we do not wrong anyone, if we feel the biggest investors of peace, with much effort, with many sacrifices, and with more conviction and willingness to join the big family of free and democratic countries through full integration in all branches of this family, including NATO.

On the other hand I believe also that, since it became very clear to all, as serious investors of peace and of multi-ethnic and multi-religious coexistence in the region, we have the right to demand more attention, more support, more cooperation from the big forces of the Alliance, both as forces involved in this Alliance, and as forces representing the major allies of Albania, the United States of America, European Union, but also the respective countries in bilateral relations.

These have been two very intense days. Particularly intense has been the open conversation during a working dinner behind closed doors, between heads of states and governments, where the emphasis was strongly put on the need to take forward the design of a sustainable response to the threats that are known and identified as such, but on the other hand it has been very important for us to emphasize the necessity of a consistent strategy and foresight that goes beyond today’s threats. Because we believe that today, the free and democratic world is threatened by an extremely risky and highly structured strategy, to obfuscate and destroy it. It is a pretty clear clash, in front of which it is necessary for the whole world that the values ​​and principles embodied by the Euro-Atlantic Alliance win.

I would like to highlight the fact that we are more than pleased with what we have had as a result for putting an emphasis in all issued, for a greater openness to other countries in the region, starting from Kosovo, for which we have asked to accelerate the process to a strategic partnership with NATO, and for which there was a very encouraging paragraph in the Summit conclusions.

On the other hand I have appealed, in the presence of all member countries, those countries that have not recognized Kosovo as an independent state yet, in order to recognize it, because now it is not anymore what it was until yesterday, but it is a matter of strategic importance and a matter of extraordinary importance for Europe’s geopolitics, in order to put an end to the odyssey of the recognition of Kosovo within the countries of the European Union, and to give them a very clear message of the Albanians in Kosovo, but also to all those forces that try to find cracks to convey negative energies of the darkness with which they want to cover our vision for the future.

On the other hand we have strongly supported Montenegro, joining all those who think that Montenegro should receive an invitation for membership next year and we have emphasize that everyone should work together with more persistence and more intensely, to pave the way also for Macedonia but,

a) By pressuring the parties to resolve and put an end to the prolonged name odyssey;

b) By asking the government of Skopje to respect lock, stock and barrel the Ohrid Agreement.

We consider as a very important step to make, the fact that what I just said is underscored also in the conclusions of the Summit.

Of course I have not forgotten that in such cases my predecessor would do ​​a parade of meetings done or hands shaken in the hallways. I will not do this parade, but I will pick out on one hand the conversation I had face to face with President Obama and thereafter, a structured meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry to address in more detail what we talked with the President. In addition, we had three bilateral meetings with strategic partners in the region, Prime Minister Renzi, Prime Minister Samaras and President Erdogan, therefore namely Italy, Greece and Turkey, to strengthen the strategic partnership and to jointly identify everything we need to do both in relation to our commitments within the framework of security, and in relation to anything else connects us.

To conclude and leave the floor to your questions, I want to say that once again it has been the case not only to highlight, but also to see the extraordinary impact of the initiative by Chancellor Merkel, who took a historic step for sitting together all representatives of the Balkan countries, by providing for all peoples in the Balkans a very clear message of their European perspective, but also by giving a very clear message for all allies and partners, in view of the perspective of these countries.

 

Mr. Rama, speaking of bilateral meetings and specifically, yesterday’s meeting you had with Greek counterpart, Samaras, has Athens considered the issue of territorial division, namely, that of minorities, an issue to add to the dossier of unresolved issues between Tirana and Athens?

The administrative and territorial division is an attribute of decision-making bodies of Albania. The decision-making bodies of Albania, the Government and then the Parliament, took a decision in the spirit of protecting the national interest and without any hesitation in the spirit of protecting the minorities, their freedoms and rights. So, for us there is no such issue.

 

Did you show the same attitude yesterday to Prime Minister Samaras, Mr. Rama?

Absolutely, it is necessary for us to move forward with this reform, from which all Albanian citizens will benefit, be they of Albanian nationality or Greek nationality.

 

Did the Greek party mention the start of negotiations for the “Agreement of the Sea”?

We have a very clear position on this: Dialogue, dialogue, dialogue; equality, equality, equality, and will, will, will to find as soon as possible a solution to an issue in which, of course, we cannot step back, but we have to go forward. This means that we need a stable and fully accepted solution by both parties. I believe, this is also the Greek approach. I believe also that it is in our hands, as we have made progress with some of the issues, to make progress with this issue, and not forget to continue asking, as we have done so far, the ban of the absurd law of war between the two countries.

I want to emphasize that with Prime Minister Samaras we have an extremely constructive, open and friendly dialogue. I invited him to visit Albania and he accepted the invitation with pleasure. On the other hand, we believe that the issues between us are one more reason to understand that we are neighbors who share, let us say, the same wall of the courtyard and that we needed to cooperate with each other. More so at a time when we need to strengthen cooperation with Greece, Italy and Turkey, as with all countries that have an impact on organized crime networks, with an emphasis on information exchange and coordination between police forces and intelligence of the countries I mentioned.

I emphasized in the Summit our necessity, of Albania and of the region, to rely on the development of human and technical intelligence as a necessity in this battle with a ferocious, barbaric, murderous and not fully known force of the new face of terrorism in the name of the Caliphate or whatever it is called.

 

Mr. Prime Minister, another panel of leaders of NATO is about to start in a few minutes, where defense budgets are expected to be discussed; in addition a statement will be adopted according to which defense budgets will not be affected. Is Albania ready to meet this obligation, despite the difficult financial situation?

 

The statement is an expression of good will. It is not a postulate or a sentence written in any Holy Book. So, we will be fully committed, as we already are. And let me tell you, we have been mentioned, we have been praised and we have been looked at with respect for what we are doing in the new front where we have joined the United States, Germany and a number of other countries, to actively participate in a battle, which apparently is taking place far away, but that in fact is a battle being fought inside our homes. For this new form of aggression to the world, and to the families of free and democratic countries, is a form that knows no boundaries and that can show its brutality in a twinkling, wherever we live.

Thanks again for following the Summit. Let me close by saying that once again I have been encouraged by concrete and tangible results of a foreign policy that has already been turned into an instrument in the hands, not only of Albania, but of Albanians, to continue on our way towards full integration into the European Union and above all, to continue on our way towards Renaissance that, without any doubt, will become a reality for Albania and Albanians.