“In my view, it is time to focus on the economy of the region, in order for the Western Balkans to be physically connected to Europe with roads, transportation system and the standard of living, while being committed to the important building blocks of democracy such as good governance and the rule of law.”
June 13, 2019 – The latest Angier Biddle Duke Lecture Series hosted by the National Committee on American Foreign Policy held at Cosmopolitan Club featured US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt and career diplomat, Ambassador Frank G. Wisner and brought together high-ranking US officials, policy advisors with senior level representatives of the Albanian-American community. Mr. Agim Rexhaj, Vice-Chairman of The Pan-Albanian Federation of America ‘Vatra’, attended the talk whose particular topic was “American Diplomacy in an Era of Great Power Competition”. The invitation noted that the remarks made at the event were not for attribution. On his capacity as member of Council on Foreign Relations, Mr. Agim Rexhaj, related to Dielli that he approached Ambassador Wisner at the reception to thank him for his role as US Special Representative of the State Department in Kosovo in 2005. Also Mr. Rexhaj asked the International Affairs Advisor to give a statement to the oldest Albanian newspaper Dielli in recognition of the 20 years since NATO campaign ended the ethnic cleansing of the Albanian majority by the Serbian forces. So Dielli communicated by phone with Ambassador Frank Wisner and got the following statement in response to the question of the forward focus for independent Kosovo: “First, we must recognize the historic act of the intervention by the NATO forces that resulted in saving thousands of lives, ending violence that had gripped the region and putting Kosovo on the road of independence. Twenty years ago, an amazing history was made by NATO’s American forces and the European Allies. The question that remains concerns issues outside of what NATO could accomplish, namely the political question between two independent countries that have enormous historical sensitivities. Despite the good will of the United States and the European Union partners, there remain a number of unresolved issues. I am worried that the current situation will continue for as long as both sides remain strongly unmoved in their positions. It will go on until one day, just like there came a day for North Macedonia and Greece. Western Balkans are a fragile collection of societies that have little prospect of economic development, hope of young people to see their countries physically placed within European structures. In my view, it is time to focus on the economy of the region, in order for the Western Balkans to be physically connected to Europe with roads, transportation system and the standard of living, while being committed to the important building blocks of democracy such as good governance and the rule of law. Therefore, the emphasis for the region is on the economy.”
Ambassador Frank G. Wisner is an International Affairs Advisor with Squire Patton Boggs(R.P)