ALBANIA: In Tirana, Kosovo PM says Kosovo will not be partitioned despite Serb intervention

Record ID: 563055

  • Title: ALBANIA: In Tirana, Kosovo PM says Kosovo will not be partitioned despite Serb intervention
  • Date: 20th June 2008
  • Summary: THACI AND BERISHA WALKING ONTO PODIUM THACI AND BERISHA LISTENING TO BAND PLAYING KOSOVO NATIONAL ANTHEM GUARD OF HONOUR BAND PLAYING
  • Embargoed: 5th July 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Albania
  • Country: Albania
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAGPU4ROQRSCJPBUO51HBP5O2V
  • Story Text: Kosovan Prime Minister Hashim Thaci meets with his Albanian counterpart on his first official visit to Tirana.
    Kosovan Prime Minister Hashim Thaci was in the Albanian capital Tirana on Thursday (June 19), on his first official visit since the Kosovo Albanian majority declared independence from Serbia in February.
    Thaci and Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha signed a memorandum as the two countries began officially cooperating as two independent states, pledging to step up efforts to build a key road linking the two Balkan nations, cooperate to build new power resources and renew their commitment to join the European Union and NATO.
    Thaci said Kosovo was trying to build good relations with all its neighbours, although only Albania has so far recognized Kosovo.
    Montenegro and Macedonia have yet to do so, while Serbia has vowed never to.
    Speaking at a news conference Thaci said he did not believe there would be new enclaves of Serbs in the territory of Kosovo and added that any attempt to divide Kosovo ethnically or territorially would not be successful.

    "There won't be enclaves in Kosovo. There will be freedom of movement. We are working together with the international representatives in Mitrovica, to broaden the authority of the institutions and government. This will of course happen under the counsel of the international representatives as well as the presence of NATO," he said.
    Berisha said a road linking the Albania's main Durres port to Kosovo's, a project of around 600 million euros, was the main project to help bring the two countries' peoples and economies closer. Thaci said Kosovo was also considering building a bigger road in its territory to help tourism and trade.
    They also agreed in principle to joint efforts in building a 500MW power station in Kosovo, with Thaci saying Kosovo welcomed Albanian participation. Both countries suffer from chronic power shortages, but believe they can have their systems harmonized by having Albania export to Kosovo in the spring and Kosovo export to Albania in the winter.
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