German Minister for Foreign Affairs Michael Roth spoke against exchange of territories between Kosovo and Serbia. He also made a remark on Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama’s “neutral” position during his official statements.
Q: Albanian opinion id currently somehow concerned with regards to the diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict between Kosovo and Serbia. Albania’s Former Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati was against change of the borders in Balkans. Albania’s Prime Minister and de jure Minister for Foreign Affairs Edi Rama avoids response to this question in public, but many consider that he has already agreed with this plan. How do you see Albania’s help on the solution of Kosovo matter?
“Territorial integrity of Western Balkan countries is important to us. Efforts to shift borders has inflicted endless suffering in the past. So, in my opinion, these persuasions not only do not promise much success but are also extremely dangerous. What we need is a comprehensive agreement, which ultimately regulates relations, enables Serbia and Kosovo to join the EU, and resolves through agreement all the technical issues that are still open.
We expect from Albania to use in a constructive manner its political impact and continue to engage constructively in the stability of the entire region. This is especially valid for the matters that concern normalization between Kosovo and Serbia. It may only be in the interest of Albania, as part of the region, to prevent a new destabilization of the Western Balkans at all costs, which would necessarily come from changing the borders,” Roth said.