Sidste Nyt fra Albanien, Kosóva og Makedonien

Indholdsfortegnelse Contents

Ugeoversigt Summary

Internationale organisationer   International organizations
FN   UN
Verdensbanken, IMF m.fl.   World Bank, IMF etc.
OSCE, Europarådet   OSCE, Council of Europe (CoE)
EU   European Union (EU)
NATO   NATO
ICTY - Tribunalet i Haag   ICTY

Balkan, generelt   The Balkans
Kosóva   Kosóva [Kosovo]
Øst Kosóva / Presevo-dalen / Syd-Serbien   Eastern Kosóva
Albanien   Albania
Serbien og Montenegro. Serbien (alene)   Serbia-Montenegro. Serbia
Montenegro (alene)   Montenegro
Makedonien   Macedonia [FYRoM]

Grækenland   Greece
Tyrkiet   Turkey
Italien   Italia

USA   United States (US)
England   England
Tyskland   Germany
Frankrig   France
Danmark (Norge, Sverige)   Denmark (Norway, Sweden)

Rusland Russia
Kina China

Fodbold (FIFA's rangorden) Football (FIFA)

»Albansk Almanak 2003« bd. 1-3

Almanak'en for 2003 er udkommet. Her finder du årets nyhedsbreve. Årets litteraturkommentarer vil udkomme hen over sommeren 2005 i »Albanske Studier« ## 3-4.

Bogen findes i trykt form og på CD (som pdf-fil). Papirudgave på 800 sider i 3 bind. Bogen sælges som papirudgave m/ CD og som CD alene. Se pris på: Bestillingsliste.

Udgaven for 2004 ventes at udkomme medio 2005.

»Albanske Studier« bd. 1-2

Kommentarer til Bjøl, Huntington, Machiavelli, Sørlander, DUPI (Humanitær Intervention), Clausewitz, Mao Zedong, Lars R. Møller, Malcolm og flere andre (kommentarerne er suppleret ift udgaver i Almanak'erne m.v.). Englændere på rejse i Albanien: Edward Lear, Edith Durham og Robert Carver. Bøger om slægtsfejder og blodhævn. Diskussion af Anne Knudsen's disputats om blodhævn på Korsika og af Ismail Kadare's roman »Ufuldendt april«. Baggrundsmateriale om den Sønderjyske general Christian von Holstein, der deltog i Habsburgernes felttog ind i Kosóva i 1689-90. Sidst i bogen et forsøg på en sammenfatning i form af nogle 'grundlæggende synspunkter'. Desuden en kommentar til Hans Hækkerup's »På skansen«. På CD'en supplerende materiale om traditionelle Albanske klædedragter og om Holstein.

Du kan downloade indholdsfortegnelsen og kommentaren til Hækkerup fra: http://bjoerna.dk/albansk-historie/studier-2002.htm

Bogen findes i trykt form og på CD (som pdf-fil). Papirudgave 368 A4-sider i 2 bind. Bogen sælges som papirudgave m/ CD og som CD alene. Se pris på: Bestillingsliste.

Til dig der kigger på et ældre nummer af »Sidste Nyt«.

Seneste udgave af denne »annonce« kan ses på:

»Sidste Nyt« (klik)

Seneste 4 udgaver af »Sidste Nyt fra Albanien, Kosóva og Makedonien«:

Sidste Nyt #257 - frem til 06.05.2005 (klik tv.)
Sidste Nyt #256 - frem til 29.04.2005 (klik tv.)
Sidste Nyt #255 - frem til 22.04.2005 (klik tv.)
Sidste Nyt #254 - frem til 15.04.2005 (klik tv.)

Urolighederne i Kosovo / Kosóva marts 2004: Sidste Nyt #206 (klik tv.)

Sagen mod Slobodan Milosevic: (1) Retsmødet 5.7.2004. Udsættelser osv. Links & materiale: Om udskrift af anklageskrifter og retsbøger | (2) Milosevic' indledende forsvarstale; tildeling af Forsvarsadvokater | (3) Afhøring af de første af Forsvarets Vidner. Sagen udsættes til 12.10.2004. Skriftlig begrundelse for at tildele Milosevic Forsvarsadvokater | (4) Forsvarernes appel (29.9.2004; som pdf); (5) Appelafgørelsen der - i høj grad - gav Milosevic medhold (1.11.2004; som pdf); (6) Afhøring af Professor Mihajlo Markovic (Nov. 2004)

Sagen mod Fatmir Limaj m.fl.: Se under: ICTY.

Alle årets udgaver: http://bjoerna.dk/nyt-oversigt.htm

UGEOVERSIGT (resumé)

Balkan: Der har været Balkan-topmøde i Bukarest med deltagelse af Præsidenter og udenrigsministre. Albanske, Serbiske og Makedonske taler optrykkes (refereres). Se under de nævnte lande.

Kosóva: Niels Aadal Rasmussen, Ministerråd, pt Forsker ved DIIS (på orlov fra UM), tidl. bl.a. Chef for den Danske Ambassade i Albanien, har netop udsendt et papir med titlen: »Kosovos fremtidige status – “Fra Sarajevo 1914 til Sarajevo 2014”?« (7 s.). Papiret kan downloades som PDF

Albanien: Opinionsmåling. Den første opinionsmåling er gennemført. De adspurgte har muligvis været lidt tilbageholdende mht at røbe hvem de ville stemme på. Tilsyneladende ligger Sali Berisha's Demokrater på en førsteplads. Der er mange små Partier i Albanien, men deres samlede størrelse er begrænset. Siden sidste valg har tidl. PM Ilir Meta dannet et nyt parti. Hans parti vil nok få nogle mandater (for han vil blive støttet af vælgere til venstre for midten der ikke har tillid til Fatos Nano), men om hans mandater kan få indflydelse afhænger af om Fatos Nano (og Meta) vil sætte sig ud over deres temmelig dybe uoverensstemmelser. Kommentar: Skulle Demokraterne vinde valget, dvs. få flest stemmer, er det dog ikke sikkert at de kan danne regering. Det mest sandsynlige er at der må dannes en koalitionsregering - eller en regering som hviler på aftaler med andre partier. De andre partier vil gøre hvad de kan for at få indflydelse og imødekommelser. Et særligt forhold består mellem Kredsmandaterne (100) og de landsdækkende tillægsmandater (40). Hvem af de to mest fremtrædende Partiledere, Berisha og Nano, der vil være bedst i stand til at spille på at man har to stemmer er svært at sige, men sandsynligvis Nano.

Jørgen Grunnet, tidl. Missionschef for Europarådet i Tirana - senere bl.a. i Beograd - er kommet tilbage til Tirana i forbindelse med det kommende Parlamentsvalg. Han er leder af den internationale overvågningsmission.

Handelstallene. Som nævnt i sidste nr. var der gået kludder i den seneste handelsstatistik ('nedgang' blev kaldt 'opgang' osv.). Ny udgave er lagt på nettet. Såvel eksport som import og det deraf afledte handelsunderskud er gået ned i Q1/2005 ift Q4/2004.

Det Albanske Udenrigsministerium har trukket Ambassadør Fatos Tarifa i USA tilbage; der går rygter om at han skal være indblandet i kritisable forhold (ordet 'bribery' er blevet nævnt).

Serbien: 60 Året for afslutningen af 2' Verdenskrig er blevet fejret. Man har benyttet lejligheden til at hædre General Mihailovic.

Danmark: Det Danske Forsvar er ved at rette ind ift det seneste forsvarsforlig. Forsvarschefen har briefet en række Chefer. Nedenfor følger Forsvarets egen omtale, dernæst indledningen og sidst et afsnit om 'udsendelseskapacitet'. Hele briefingen kan downloades som PDF.

Rusland: Præsident Putin har arrangeret festligheder i Moskva i anledning af 60 års-dagen for afslutningen af 2' Verdenskrig. Blandt gæsterne var Præsident Bush, SM Fogh-Rasmussen og Præsident Moisiu, Albanien. Putin dekorerede Moisiu med en særlig mindemedalje (Moisiu har modtaget en stor del af sin officersuddannelse i det daværende Sovjetunionen).

INTERNATIONALE ORGANISATIONER m.v.

Opmærksomheden henledes på Economic Reconstruction and Development in South East Europe. Adressen er www.seerecon.org. Her kan man finde materiale om aktuelle møder og konferencer.

VERDENSBANKEN, IMF M.FL.

Se under de enkelte lande / områder.

OSCE, Europarådet

Se under de enkelte lande / områder.

NATO

ICTY - TRIBUNALET I HAAG

Sagen mod Slobodan Milosevic: (1) Retsmødet 5.7.2004. Udsættelser osv. Links & materiale: Om udskrift af anklageskrifter og retsbøger | (2) Milosevic' indledende forsvarstale; tildeling af Forsvarsadvokater | (3) Afhøring af de første af Forsvarets Vidner. Sagen udsættes til 12.10.2004. Skriftlig begrundelse for at tildele Milosevic Forsvarsadvokater | (4) Forsvarernes appel (29.9.2004; som pdf); (5) Appelafgørelsen der - i høj grad - gav Milosevic medhold (1.11.2004; som pdf); (6) Afhøring af Professor Mihajlo Markovic (Nov. 2004)

Blic skriver:

Former Deputy Internal Affairs Minister of Serbia, Obrad Stevanovic, testified today in front of The Hague Tribunal in the defense portion of the case against Slobodan Milosevic.

“Everything that the police did in Kosovo, they did in accordance with the laws of internal affairs and other laws.” Stevanovic said in his testimony.

Answering Milosevic’s question of how many officers there were in Kosovo, the retired police general said that there were, at most, 16,000 officers in the region during wartime in 1999, with the priority of “preventing terrorism.”

Stevanovic denied that the Serbian police was “militarized” during the 1990s because of the large number of armed officers, which Milosevic said was mentioned by an earlier witness who worked on the indictment, Budimir Babovic.

According to Stevanovic, there were never more than 25,000 armed police officers at one time during the 1990s in Serbia.

Sagen mod Fatmir Limaj m.fl.: On 13 April 2005, the Prosecution concluded its case. The trial is to resume on 17 May 2005.

BALKAN LANDE, LANDE VED ØSTLIGE MIDDELHAV

BALKAN GENERELT

Udsnit af EU's Europakort 2004. [Udsnittet kan forstørres ved at klikke på det]. Kortet indgår i en præsentationsborchure, der kan downloades som pdf fra: http://europa.eu.int/comm/publications/booklets/eu_glance/20/da.pdf.

KOSÓVA

Bynavne: Angives der to navne på samme lokalitet, er den Albanske nævnt først. Se oversigten på: http://bjoerna.dk/kosova/byer.htm ... Bynavne: Angives der to navne på samme lokalitet, er den Albanske nævnt først. Se oversigten på: http://bjoerna.dk/kosova/byer.htm ... Rapporter fra FNs Generalsekretær ... 040616 SG Kofi Annan udtaler at han agter at udpege Søren Jessen-Petersen som 5' SRSG. Søren Jessen-Petersen blev senere udpeget og tiltrådte i Kosóva 040816. ... 0308 Harri Holkeri tiltrådte som 4' SRSG. Fratrådt 0406 af helbredsmæssige grunde. ... 020214 Michael Steiner tiltrådte i Kosova som 3' SRSG og fratrådte i begyndelsen af 0307. ... En biografi over 2' SRSG Hans Hækkerup kan læses på Danske Politikere. En anmeldelse af hans bog »Kosovos mange ansigter« kan downloades fra: http://neva.hjem.wanadoo.dk/Haekkerup2.pdf (0,4 MB) ... Constitutional Framework for Provisional Self-Government. ... Kosova's Regering. ... Webside vedr. 2004-valgene ... UNMIK Politiets oversigt over 2001 (artikler, billeder og statistik i pdf-format (fil'en er forholdsvis stor: 2,6 MB)) ... Kriminaliteten i 2002 - Oversigt kan downloades [klik på titlen]

Parlamentsvalget 2004 [Præsidenten - Ibrahim Rugóva - er valgt af Parlamentet, the Assembly], se: http://kosovoelections.org/eng/

Blic har interviewet den fremtrædende Kosovo Serber Oliver Ivanovic:

'The authorities in Belgrade are not working sufficiently on preparations for negotiations over Kosovo status. On the other hand the Albanians have been intensively preparing themselves for years', Oliver Ivanovic, leader of Kosovo Serbs says for 'Blic'.

'We are delivering speeches mainly. Serbs do not have their representatives in the institutions. I am afraid that they might begin leaving Kosovo on the eve of negotiations over its status. That is why June is critical. If Serbia fails to make adequate influence of the Serbs here, the worst may happen to us that part of our people leave. After that, as far as I am concerned it will be of no importance at all who the responsible people are'.

Q: What is to be done then?
'People have to be sure that the authorities in Serbia shall do everything, absolutely everything to prevent independence of the province. However, if the matters take bad course, Serbs should fight for their interests with the international institutions. Secondly, it is important for Kosovo Serbs to know what politicians here they can count on. The role of Serbia Government in that sense is the most important one'.

Q: The State Council has repeated earlier decision by the authorities in Belgrade - not in institutions.
'So far 'no' has cost us so dearly many times. Our joining the institutions could be taken for presentation of the situation in Kosovo much better than it is. If we are not in the institutions, the Albanians for not have whose rights to violate. Where are we to prove that these institutions are not democratic? Where? We can do that with our presence only and not by speeches for media. Belgrade thinks that Serb presence in the institutions is giving them legitimacy. However, it should be understood that legitimacy of the institution is a fact, with or without us. Every day in Kosovo and Metohija proves that. It is wrong to think that any process in Kosovo can be stopped if we do not participate in it. All decisions that were made, were not brought in question because we have not participated in making such decisions. The worst thing is that such decision can be used as ground for accusation of the Serbs that they are an obstacle to democratic processes in the province'.

Ugerapport fra Dansk KFOR. Hærens Operative Kommando skriver (på http://www.hok.dk/):

Krisehåndtering og samarbejde

Uge 18 i Kosovo bød på nye oplevelser for den danske bataljon, hvor vi bl.a. øvede håndtering af en ulykke og udviklede samarbejdet med Kosovo Police Service. Vejret har været ”strålende”. Og så er det garderne, der har vagten.

Af: Panserinfanterikompagniet

Med kortene holdt tæt til kroppen, havde bataljonsstaben i al hemmelighed planlagt en realistisk øvelse for hele bataljonen. Formålet var at træne det kriseberedskab der vil blive iværksat, såfremt en soldat fra den danske bataljon kommer ud for en ulykke. Planen for krisehåndtering var forberedt og gennemgået i detaljer forud for øvelsen. Nu skulle det så vise sig, om de gode tanker kunne omsættes til praksis.

Samarbejdet med Kosovo Police Service (KPS) er i god gænge og praktiseres såvel indenfor som udenfor Camp Olaf Rye (COR).

Vejret har vist sig at kunne skifte fra bagende sol til tordenregn meget hurtigt. For tiden stråler Livgardens sol dog over vagten uanset vejret.

Kriseplanen blev indøvet og afprøvet

Scenariet var sat op efter ”worst case”, da bataljonen øvede krisehåndtering i mandags. En dansk panserinfanterigruppe samt en litauisk spejdergruppe skulle spille, at de var kørt på en mine ca. 15 kilometer nord for den danske lejr.

Bataljonen har et FALCON-beredskab, der netop har til opgave at kunne rykke ud til blandt andet sådanne ulykker. Dette er bedst at sammenligne med et dansk Falck beredskab. I FALCON indgår en sanitetsgruppe med en læge, et militærpoliti-hold, sektionsføreren fra bjærgningssektionen – alle under kommando af en indsatsleder. FALCON er på 5 minutters beredskab 24 timer i døgnet.

I samme øjeblik de første meldinger kom ind til bataljonens taktiske operationscenter (TOC’en) vedrørende ”ulykken”, blev FALCON hurtigt alarmeret og sendt ud til området. Håndteringen af de ”sårede” soldater på ulykkesstedet var naturligvis besværliggjort af, at der muligvis var flere miner, så man måtte afvente ingeniørerne, der først skulle skabe en gennemgang i minefeltet ud til den havarerede PMV.

Inde i lejren blev der iværksat mange forberedelser. Alt personel blev informeret om ”ulykken” og de rette myndigheder hjemme i Danmark blev kontaktet. Der blev klargjort lokaler, hvor de ”ikke tilskadekomne” og ”let tilskadekomne” kunne blive modtaget og tale deres oplevelser igennem med deres kompagnichef, delingsfører og feltpræsten.

Infirmeriet var klargjort til at modtage de ”sårede”; og de soldater der havde ”svære kvæstelser” blev transporteret til henholdsvis franske og amerikanske felthospitaler.

Hele sceneriet blev spillet fuldt ud, således at alle små facetter af en sådan ulykke kunne blive belyst og analyseret på den efterfølgende tilbagemelding på øvelsen. Alt i alt virkede kriseplanen, men der kom en masse gode erfaringer frem, som nu kan optimere planen.

Nye veje i samarbejdet med det lokale politi

Politistationen i Mitrovica syd er for nylig blevet overdraget fra FN politi (UNMIK POL) til lokale betjente fra Kosovo Police Service (KPS). Det er et stort skridt for det lokale politi selv at have ansvaret for at lede stationen, og de går til udfordringen med professionelt engagement.

I den forløbne uge har Panserinfanterikompagniet (PNINFKMP) gennemført mobile checkpoints (MCP’er) med betjente fra Station Syd. Betjentene ankom til COR onsdag kl. 16, hvor de først fik en generel orientering om PNINFKMP, for dernæst at få lejlighed til at se nærmere på soldaternes våben og udrustning og køre en tur i pansret mandskabsvogn. Dette har vist sig at være en god måde at ryste politi og soldater sammen.

Derefter gjaldt det øvelser i oprettelse, bemanding og nedlæggelse af MCP, hvor soldaterne primært håndterede sikkerheden imens betjentene koncentrerede sig om at kontrollere bilerne, personerne i bilerne samt kørekort, registreringsbeviser osv.

Gruppeføreren lægger slagplan med politipatruljen via albansk tolk

Efter øvelserne var det tid til at møde den virkelige verden uden for hegnet. Fra mørkefald og indtil kl. 23 gennemførte politi og soldater flere MCP’er sammen i området omkring Mitrovica. Udbyttet var én ulovlig springkniv, anholdelse af én eftersøgt person samt en masse gode erfaringer for såvel soldater som betjente.

Oven i dette gav det fælles virke mulighed for at vise befolkningen, at politi og soldater arbejder udmærket sammen, og at vi bakker fuldt op om KPS. For soldaterne var det en god oplevelse at kunne koncentrere sig om at styre trafikken igennem MCP samt sørge for sikkerheden og overlade politiarbejdet til betjentene.

I den kommende måned gælder det udvikling af samarbejdet i f.m. gennemførelse af større operationer, hvor vi også forventer at kunne forbedre opgaveløsningen ved at politi og soldater i samarbejde gør det, de hver for sig er bedst til.

Gardere på vagt

Imens litauerne gennemfører leave, er det garderne fra PNINFKMP, der har vagten i COR. Det er jo noget de kender til hjemme fra, og de har da også straks benyttet lejligheden til at justere vagtens rutiner til livgardens standarder.

Og vejret kort

Vejret i Kosovo har i denne uge vist sig at kunne spille på flere tangenter. Ugen startede med sol, sommer og temperaturer op til 28 grader og sluttede med efterårstemperaturer, regn i stride strømme og ”thunderstorms”. Flere afløb i COR havde svært ved at følge med, hvilket førte til oversvømmelser. Men heldigvis er CAMP sektionen udstyret til også at tage hånd om den slags.

Oversvømmelse i Camp Olaf Rye

Så vidt beretningen fra Kosovo i denne uge, hvor vi i sol og regn sikrede, at vi kan håndtere selv den værst tænkelige situation – døde og sårede soldater - imens vi fortsat arbejder på at sikre fred, ro og orden for fremtidens Kosovo.

ØST KOSÓVA / PRESEVO-DALEN / SYD-SERBIEN

For nemheds skyld bruges betegnelsen Øst Kosóva / Presevo-dalen om det omstridte område med byerne: Presheva, Medvegja og Bujanoci (Albansk stavemåde). Ca. 75 % af befolkningen skønnes at være etniske Albanere - måske omkring 70.000. En modstandsgruppe har været i funktion, men synes nu at være »lukket ned«. Gruppen kaldtes i forkortet form UCPMB (som står for noget i retning af: Ushtria Clirimtare e Presheva, Medvegja dhe Bujanoci; på Engelsk: Liberation Army of Presheva, Medvegja and Bujanoci). Gruppen sagde at den intet havde at gøre med Kosova's UCK, og at den var en lokal gruppe.

ALBANIEN

Klik på kortet, hvis du vil have det forstørret / click http://bjoerna.dk/kort/Albanien.gif to enlarge it

Det Engelske Udenrigsministeriums 'Country Advice' til rejsende kan findes på adressen: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618385522. Det Danske UM har pt ingen rejsevejledning, men henviser til det Engelske UM. Den Norske Ambassade kan findes på: http://www.norvegji.org/. Det Amerikanske UM har Juni 2004 offentliggjort en 'Background Note' om Albanien: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3235.htm

Mother Teresa: http://bjoerna.dk/albanien/Teresa.htm.

Præsident Moisiu's aktiviteter [Billederne i denne sektion kan som regel forstørres ved at klikke på dem (mens man er på nettet)]:

Der har været Balkan-topmøde i Bukarest med deltagelse af Præsidenter og udenrigsministre. [Se også under: Serbien og Makedonien]. Præsidentens kontor skriver:

PRESS RELEASE OF PRESIDENT MOISIU AFTER THE EIGHTH SUMMIT OF THE HEADS OF STATES OF SEECP.

May 11, 2005 Bucharest

I would like to thank the hosts for the very good organizing of this Summit. Albania praises a lot SEECP for its organization and mission. The enhancing of its political and economic dimension and also with other fields of cooperation has increased the importance of the initiative and its responsibilities in the further strengthening of the regional peace, security, stability and cooperation.

Albania praised the expansion of our cooperation in the frame of SEECP in the field of law enforcement and defense, in the fields of trans-border security, judiciary and especially at the academic, parliamentarian and governing institutions levels. Our region has been transformed from a center of ethnic conflicts into a space where different cultures, nations and religious faiths dialogue, cooperate and demonstrate a clear political will to build a common European and Euro-Atlantic future.

In this aspect, to Albania the other important part of the process remains the real intensifying of the work for the major facilitation of the free movement of citizens among our countries. The founding of a “task force” for the visa regime in our region should be accompanied by concrete results, visible and felt by our citizens. We also share common interests in the measures against terrorism, cooperation in the judiciary and environment, in the fight against organized crime and various trafficking, which are fields that Albania is interested and willing to offer all its contributions.

Regarding the future of SEECP and the concrete proposals, Albania praised its safeguarding and strengthening as the voice of our region directed to the European Union. Our interest is about an intensive cooperation with the European Union, with the Stability Pact and other European institutions or initiatives in the region. Based on the Article 14 of the Appendix of the Bucharest Charter, Albania also supports the request of Moldova in the SEECP.

We view our future and that of the region in the full Euro-Atlantic integration. Our will is the progress with quicker steps and as part of this aim we view that the determination of the final status of Kosova will give an even greater encouragement to the regional security and cooperation system. Without the solution of this issue, we cannot state that our region has finally put behind the past and that it has managed to achieve the desired calmness and stability.

- - -

THE SPEECH OF PRESIDENT MOISIU AT THE EIGHTH SUMMIT OF THE HEADS OF STATES OF SEECP.

May 11, 2005 Bucharest

Distinguished Mr. Chairman,

Distinguished Heads of States of the participating countries,

Allow me to express first the gratitude to the hosts about the very good organization of this Summit. Our meetings in the framework of SEECP are being transformed into a positive experience and through them we have transmitted optimistic messages to our countries and peoples and to the other part of Europe.

Albania praises a lot SEECP for its organization and mission. It is our joint initiative and serves to get the region closer to the democratic and economic standards of the European family. The enhancing of its political and economic dimension and also with other fields of cooperation has increased the importance of the initiative and its responsibilities in the further strengthening of the regional peace, security, stability and cooperation.

A few days ago in Tirana, together with our neighbors Macedonia and Croatia we celebrated the second anniversary of the Adriatic 3 Charter. Our three countries are optimistic that we will receive the invitation of NATO membership during the next summit. We hail the fact that the Rumanian Presidency had included in its program the promotion of the candidacies of our countries – the Adriatic 3 Charter countries – in the frame of membership in NATO and the support of the projects and transfer of the experiences in the reforms in the defense field.

Albania praised the expansion of our cooperation in the frame of SEECP in the field of law enforcement and defense, in the fields of trans-border security, judiciary and especially at the academic, parliamentarian and governing institutions levels. The Rumanian Presidency has its own merits in these achievements, which we praised as very important for the future of the cooperation among our countries. Our region has been transformed from a center of ethnic conflicts into a space where different cultures, nations and religious faiths dialogue, cooperate and demonstrate a clear political will to build a common European and Euro-Atlantic future.

I think that this new understanding climate should be accompanied also with the freeing of the education and scholarly texts from the used old clichés that contain negative evaluations about the neighbors. We support the priorities in the field of electrical energy, regional transportation, tourism development, encouraging strategies for small and medium enterprises, strengthening of local democracy and cultural exchanges.

In this aspect, the other important part of the process to Albania remains the real intensifying of the work for the major facilitation of the free movement of citizens among our countries. Fortunately, our countries are not yet preferred countries for emigration, and that is why a more liberal movement of citizens would not influence the levels of emigration, on the contrary. It would help the enhancement of the real bed of cooperation, the concretizing of our objectives for deeper reciprocal recognition, the increase of trade exchanges and enhancement of the understanding among citizens. The founding of a “task force” for the visa regime in our region should be accompanied by concrete results, visible and felt by our citizens. We also share common interests in the measures against terrorism, cooperation in the judiciary and environment, in the fight against organized crime and various trafficking, which are fields that Albania is interested and willing to offer all its contributions.

Regarding the future of SEECP and the concrete proposals, Albania praised its safeguarding and strengthening as the voice of our region directed to the European Union. Our interest is about an intensive cooperation with the European Union, with the Stability Pact and other European institutions or initiatives in the region. Based on the Article 14 of the Appendix of the Bucharest Charter, Albania also supports the request of Moldova in the SEECP.

Distinguished participants,

The cooperation in the region and the enhancing of peace, security and stability rest at the heart of the policies and interests of Albania. The Albanian contribution in this direction has been proven and accepted. We are determined to progress on this path, because we view our future and that of the region in the full Euro-Atlantic integration. Our will is the progress with quicker steps and as part of this aim we view that the determination of the final status of Kosova will give an even greater encouragement to the regional security and cooperation system. Without the solution of this issue, we cannot state that our region has finally put behind the past and that it has managed to achieve the desired calmness and stability.

Once again I would like to assure you about the active contribution of Albania in facing the common challenges. Allow me to wish good luck to Greece in its Presidency for the 2005-2006!

Thank you!

Det Albanske UM skriver:

ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA MR. KASTRIOT ISLAMI

Bucharest, 10th of May 2005

Honorable Mr. Chairman, Honorable Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all, by congratulating this Ministerial Meeting, let me take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the excellent organization of this meeting and the warm hospitality offered by the Rumanian Presidency in the beautiful city of Bucharest.

This successful year of the Rumanian Presidency has obviously been a major contribution to the strengthening of our cooperation, through a series of activities in key areas. We all agree that regional ownership in the face of addressing and solving our common problems has increased, thus confirming the positive dimension of SEECP as the “Voice of the Region”.

We are deeply convinced that, based on the current achievements and the firm support of all our countries, this positive trend will continue even in the future during the Hellenic Presidency.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

To our view, in the course of this year, the Region has witnessed positive developments, with an increasingly improved climate of cooperation among our countries both in bilateral and regional level. The need for dialogue and cooperation is being consolidated as a new culture of teamwork in order to focus on the added values instead of new problems.

The core element, the driving force and at the same time the main challenge of this process remains the target of European and Euro-Atlantic perspective and integration of our region. Despite the differences in the pace of reforms, our agendas of regional cooperation and integration directing us towards the EU integration are the same.

I find this a favorable occasion to congratulate our Rumanian and Bulgarian friends for the signing of the Treaty of Adherence with EU on the 25th of April. The imminent membership of these countries to the European family encourages the aspirations of all our countries and the region as well.

Ladies and Gentlemen

On the 8th of May, the end of the Second World War which was commemorated everywhere in Europe, denoted at the same time the beginning of the big project of the European Community. After 60 years of inducing the incredible progress and achievements related to the built up of Europe, it must also be acknowledged that this great project is still incomplete. And it will not be so unless all SEE countries and the Western Balkan countries in particular, are also included and fully integrated. Before we can honestly say that Europe is whole, free and prosperous, there is still a job to do – in the Western Balkans.

To be realistic, the fall of the Berlin Wall marked a significant change in the Western Balkans as well. The situation in our region has significantly ameliorated now that our countries are governed by democratically elected governments that are absolutely committed and seriously engaged in the European and Euro-Atlantic integration processes. Just as it is also true that there is still so much work ahead to be done for all of us.

After the Dayton Agreement in 1995, there are still pending issues that require close attention not only via the declarative terms of “Open Door Policy” and “European Perspective” but also through a genuine engagement and assistance, with an ambitious plan backed up by concrete projects and action, enabling this part of Europe to move forward faster and in a more effective fashion. In this respect, we must gain the lost momentum on resolving the issue of Kosovo’s final status, or the inclusion of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro in the PfP and the SAP.

In more general terms, I think that we must take some time to reflect, in order to find a more effective mechanism that would guarantee a quick and steady socio-economic development, which would raise the local regional ownership through the Europeanization of the region and the transformation of the international mechanisms in local capacities of European standards. Without a proper balance between the obligations in the SAP programmes related to security issues, such as border management and fight against organised crime, and the assistance that must come from the EU for a steady economic and social development, the inclusion and integration of the Western Balkans in Europe will be more costly and distant.

Apparently, time has come so that the SEE countries, and particularly the Western Balkan countries articulate in an argumentative manner the need for a specific plan stimulating a more efficient action and a well-defined time frame, regardless of the problems related to the process of enlargement and/or deepening of the EU.

The principal elements of this ambitious plan, including some suggestions for a time deadline, would be:

· First, the solution of Kosovo’s final status and a clear approach for Serbia and Montenegro in its integration root to NATO and the EU; · Second, the inception of an Integration Package aiming at fostering the local political, economic and legal capacities in order to achieve a transfer of responsibilities from an international to a European level, within a two to three year period; · Third, setting down the measures and mechanisms that position all countries and/or the communities and territories of the region in the EU accession track by 2008. Otherwise the pre-accession and pre-partnership processes would be prolonged and consequentially result less efficient and more costly; · And last but not least, a European future for the Balkans translates also into a need for a changing visa policy. It is a paradox that neither the diplomats, nor the experts of our countries negotiating with the European Commission, or the professors and academicians and above all students who live and study in the EU countries can freely move in the Continent. While trafficants are, so to speak, fully integrated and mobile, able to freely move in the region and Europe, in close cooperation and effective interaction with one another, knowing no border barriers to their means of operability.

Nonetheless, remaining in the context and making use of standard terminology we could say that the future of the entire West Balkan is the European Union, and that the Stabilization Association Process remains, for the moment, the only path to EU integration of all our countries.

In this framework, praising the progress of reforms in Croatia, we express our hope for an early start of accession negotiations. The progress done by Macedonia (FYROM) so far, in its application for EU membership is significant and encouraging. We are looking forward to a positive opinion from the European Commission this autumn to proceed with its candidate country status. We welcome the significant progress of Serbia and Montenegro as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina in fulfilling the required standards for the opening of the Stabilization Association Agreement with EU. Their institutional involvement in this Process complements the integration map of the region.

Albania has made good progress in the fulfillment of its obligations and the progress of reforms, aiming at the imminent conclusion of the Stabilization and Association Agreement. The rhythm of progress in Albania is the same with those of other countries of the Western Balkans, except the different heritage and lack of ethnic problems.

As I mentioned earlier, the issue that needs outmost attention, especially during the second half of 2005 is Kosova. We appreciate that, far from being perfect but still maintaining a sense of realism, the relative progress in Kosova has been marked by the free elections; the maturity and civil act of former Prime Minister Haradinaj; the respect for and cooperation of the entire political spectrum and the people of Kosova with the ICTY; the progress marked in the second assessment of standards’ implementation. All these evident facts of the progress made combined with the commitment of UNMIK and KFOR, provide a substantive ground for an overall positive assessment of the implementation of the standards in mid 2005, thus leading the way for the commencement of the final status talks next fall.

We are confident that the status aiming at and guaranteeing a European future for Kosova, full respect of human rights of all its citizens, including all minorities, excluding partition, division or any change of size of the territory of Kosova, would be the best framework to guarantee peace and security in the region. Equally important, we think that the status determined by the Security Council of the United Nations should reflect the will of the people of Kosova.

Honorable Colleagues, Albania has considered the priorities of our cooperation during this year of the Rumanian Presidency, as the fields where enhancing regional cooperation, brings added values in our agendas of integration. Our cooperation in fields like the integrated management of the borders; the intra-parliamentary cooperation, modernization of the infrastructure; the efforts for the establishment of the common energy community; cooperation in the fight against the organized crime and corruption; the dialogue with the EU, and others, have marked new, qualitative steps.

The Meeting of the Ministers of Defense (Bucharest, 30-31 March) offered opportunities for the exchange of the experiences on the issues of transformation of the armed forces and the conversion of the military industry in the conditions of the market economy. In this context, Albania is in particular interested in the programs of the reintegration in the civil life of those affected by the reform and downsize in the military. The exchange of experience with the countries applying similar programs remains important in order to obtain the necessary financing for an adequate implementation in the Albanian reality, where this problem is present and thus needs to be tackled.

A major contribution by the Rumanian Presidency is the strengthening of the Parliamentary dimension of our Process. I would like to mention the successful organization of the Conference of the Chairpersons of the Parliamentary Groups on Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the SEECP countries, where the main focus was to identify more efficient legal basis towards the European integration of our countries, as well as the strengthening of the bilateral and multilateral processes of cooperation among us.

The South Eastern European Energy Community, as a process that aims the application of the domestic EU Energy Market benefits in our region is one of the most notable achievements of our regional cooperation during this period.

The signing in June 2005 of the Treaty on Energy Community by the South Eastern countries and EU, offers to SEECP members a unique opportunity for the acceleration of their integration in the domestic energy market and the attraction of the needed investors. The signing of the Treaty, formalizing this cooperation, is a contribution towards lasting stability and prosperity in the region, as well as progressive integration in EU.

The very good cooperation in the energy field must be expanded even in the other fields of the “critical infrastructure”, in particular in the sectors of transportation, telecommunication, etc.

We took note of and welcomed the Bulgarian proposal, “On the development of the Regional infrastructure”. We are convinced that joining our voices and willingness we would be more successful in obtaining the financing of major projects of the regional infrastructure, where we can distinguish the Pan European Corridor 8 and AMBO Pipeline Project. Regarding this project, with the submission of the Study on Environmental Impact in the meeting held in Tirana, in April 2005, by the group of experts of the member countries, exist real opportunities for their advance towards the implementing phase.

My country welcomes the efforts done in the fight against trans-border crime by the regional center of SECI in Bucharest and offers the political support, in principle, for the change of the functional status of SECI, considering of great interest the idea of the Rumanian Presidency that a political agreement of the region, in this direction would facilitate reaching an agreement in the framework of the SECI Center.

Honorable Colleagues,

During April 2004- April 2005, Albania through the structures of MFA, accomplished successfully the Presidency of the Regional Forum of MARRI. Upon finalization of the formal measures for the institutionalization of the Forum of this Initiative and the establishment of the Regional Center in Skopje, this initiative makes a significant example of ownership and the voice of the region. Being that MARRI is an initiative that functions in the framework of SEECP, our party has asked to the Rumanian Presidency to integrate its activities in the general programs of cooperation of the Process.

The Atlantic process remains an initiative, where the most important, strategic interests of our countries converge and are reflected in regional and Euro Atlantic integration. A few days ago, in Albania was successfully organized the Extended Meeting, on the second anniversary of the signing of Adriatic Charter, with representatives of Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Rumania, Slovenia, Turkey and NATO, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia-Montenegro.

Honorable Chairperson,

As a conclusion, please allow me to stress once again the important role of SEECP as a major political forum for the discussion and solution of our common challenges in the framework of the European and Euro Atlantic integration processes.

I am convinced that the future presidency of Greece will provide our process with new impetus in content and values, especially to increase and affirm its visibility to the EU structures. Wishing to our Greek colleagues many successes in this enterprise, I would like to reconfirm the full support of Albania during their presidency,

Thank you for your attention!

Jørgen Grunnet (se nedenfor) har været rundt om Præsident Moisiu. Det kunne se ud som de d'herrer sætter stor pris på hinanden. Præsidentkontoret har udsendt flg.:

May 12, 2005

The President of the Republic, Alfred Moisiu received today in the morning Jorgen Grunnet, the Head of the ODHIR Mission for monitoring of the elections in Albania together with Ambassador Vacek, the Head of the OSCE Presence in our country.

President Moisiu praised the appointment of Mr. Grunnet at the head of the Mission for the elections in Albania, who has been a former representative of the Secretary General of the European Council in our country and a very good connoisseur of Albania and assured him for full support in carrying out his mission. Mr. Moisiu pointed out the very important role of OSCE/ODHIR in the elections and presented the need to know up close the election situation and then the compiling of a Final Report that would be as firm and clear as possible in its evaluations. The Head of State made a description of the positive achievements to have a democratic electoral process according to the European standards and treated the troubling problems such as “the Dushk” phenomena, which threatens the trust on the elections, the tendency for abuse of the state posts in the campaign, the financing of the electoral campaign, the danger of the entrance of businessmen in politics, etc.

It was stressed the role of the Code of Conduct, in order for the signing political parties to fulfill their engagements and there were also treated the issues connected to the role of the State Police. President Moisiu pointed out his engagement in this process in accordance to the constitutional obligation and in report to other independent institutions.

On his part, Mr. Grunnet informed the Head of State about his mission in our country, the number of the observers, the preliminary reports and expressed the conviction that this mission will contribute in the successful accomplishment of the electoral process.

050511 Den Albanske PMs Informationskontor skriver:

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania Fatos Nano had a special meeting with the Head of the Long-term Election Monitoring Mission of OSCE/ODIHR, Mr. Jorgen Grunnet and the Head of the OSCE presence in Albania, Mr. Pavel Vaçek.

During the meeting the Prime Minister Fatos Nano appraised the important role that OSCE/ODIHR plays in the election field in Albania. Mr. Nano pointed out once again the pertinacious will of the Albanian government for an election process according to the democratic standards and principles. Mr. Nano appraised also that for the progressive leading majority, the election standards are very important.

Mr. Nano presented to the senior representatives of the OSCE/ODIHR the commitment of the government for the complete and on time implementation of all the requests of the Electoral Code, while he pointed out the will to cooperate with all the international organizations that will follow and monitor the electoral process in Albania.

Interlocutors shared the same opinion for the importance of monitoring the elections in the entire territory of the country. On this occasion, Mr. Nano thanked OSCE/ODIHR for the disposition shown for the establishment of the Long-term Monitoring Mission here.

The senior representatives of OSCE/ODIHR pointed out that the Monitoring Mission will cooperate closely with the government, Albanian central institutions, and with all political forces to make possible the completion of a process in accordance with the required standards.

PM Fatos Nano's aktiviteter: [Billederne i denne sektion kan som regel forstørres ved at klikke på dem (mens man er på nettet)]

PM Nano har holdt en tale på 'Europadagen' 050509:

The speech of the Prime Minister Fatos Nano in the ceremony organized for May 9, the Day of the united Europe

“Dear Ambassador, dear friend,
Honorable friends,
Excellence Ambassadors
Ministers and Deputies,
Ladies and Gentlemen!

The festive and joyful atmosphere that this day gives, bears in itself special and unusual emotions; the feeling of corresponding like the stars in the blue sky of the European Union, the emotion of being a member of the same common family, called EU. Your essential values, dear members of the European Union, we every day try to adapt them, to share them now and in the future. Here are meant values which have created the new European identity which neither does not oppose nor denies our different cultural identity, despite the fact they are small or big countries. So the motto, “All different, but together” is the formula that harmonizes in the best way the diversity and variety of our traditions, without discriminating but in the contrary, encouraging us.

In the historical point of view, Albania like all the other countries of the Eastern Europe, comes from a dark period of dictatorial regimes, which violated especially the basic human rights and freedom. We are still paying the cost of these regimes, the challenge that is facing our societies. It is a challenge, not only for the governing teams, but also for all the democratic representatives and institutions.

The real democracy and the basic human rights do not reconcile with the misery and backwardness and of course we have the same inspiration and reference; The statesmen, like those who set the foundations of the United Europe, Schumann, Adenauer, De Gasper etc, who recognized that the united Europe worn out from two World Wars couldn’t get out of the vicious circle of total hatred and destruction, without shaking the hand with each other looking at the future. Let me assure you that as long as these symbols constitute the example and inspiration even for us. They are an impetus to pass the drama of the past, taboos and problems of the past and especially consolidate our decisiveness to go ahead in this peace and integration route. I believe that what brings us closer to each other and with you is the task to interfere to change every anachronic or poisonous element of our society.

We have the advantage of the one coming after, that’s why the idea, our project and European responsibility does not allow that the history to be repeated in e vicious circle.

Mr. Ambassador, this is our fresh memory, because fresh are even the wounds of the past, that’s why we have the political will and the consensus that that those who elect and support us to overcome the evil and to move forward looking at the same polar star, that is the United Europe.

After all we do not meet to invent models, the model is in front and beside us, and it just need to be implemented, that’s why the rhetoric;- are we as skillful as to emancipate once and forever once and for all from the prejudices, intolerance, all the other madness of the paranoiac culture we inherited from the dictatorship -, has already got its answer. We are as skillful as to liberate ourselves and to orient our children towards the best values of the western civilization. This is for sure, that’ why I invite everyone to to work with the same will and with a common agenda, the one of the European Albania.

You are right Mr. Ambassador, we should follow the example of those who have preceded us. The most part of the 10 countries that marked the historic enlargement of the European Union, on May 1, 2004, came from behind the iron curtain and this great transformation destroyed once and forever the a big part of the Berlin wall; the remaining part is still falling and will be forever flattened when Albania and all the other countries of the western Balkan will be an integral part of the political map of the United Europe. Dreams are becoming a reality and this reality has the shape of this mosaic.

We have chosen in a decisive way this route as the only real option for the peace, stability and prosperity for our citizens. We have always opposed the frustrations of the nationalist and chauvinist paranoia. We are ready to issue parts of sovereignty, but not on behalf of any utopia, loosing the national, cultural, or religious identity, but becoming part of the European integrity and culture. it is obvious that the idea and the reality of an integrated Balkan goes on the same way with the course of the European construction. The idea of an integrated region is complementary with the one of the European integration, that’s why we believe that it precedes our membership in the European Union, in the vortex of integration in a world that is becoming more and more a global one.

In this special anniversary of the historic declaration of Schumann that corresponds with the 60 anniversary of the victory over fascism, in this anniversary when the member countries of the big European family will vote for the new constitution, at which even us are trying to standardize, our attention naturally goes at those fundamental values that are implanted in it, at the value “Acqui comminotare”, which we believe with our mind and our heart, and that’s why these values we share give our political and human will the courage and faith that I can say in the 25 anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall Albania will be regenerated and worn with the European attire”.

Parlamentsvalget i 2005 [Præsidenten vælges af Parlamentet for 5 år, næste gang i 2007]:

Valgloven for 2005 kan hentes i pdf-format på: http://www.osce.org/item/14076.html (Engelsk) og http://www.osce.org/item/14076.html?lc=SQ (Albansk).

HTML-udgaver: http://www.osce.org/item/14076.html?html=1 (Engelsk) og http://www.osce.org/item/14076.html?html=1&lc=SQ (Albansk)

Opinionsmåling. Den første opinionsmåling er gennemført. De adspurgte har muligvis været lidt tilbageholdende mht at røbe hvem de ville stemme på. Tilsyneladende ligger Sali Berisha's Demokrater på en førsteplads.

Der er mange små Partier i Albanien, men deres samlede størrelse er begrænset. Siden sidste valg har tidl. PM Ilir Meta dannet et nyt parti. Hans parti vil nok få nogle mandater (for han vil blive støttet af vælgere til venstre for midten der ikke har tillid til Fatos Nano), men om hans mandater kan få indflydelse afhænger af om Fatos Nano (og Meta) vil sætte sig ud over deres temmelig dybe uoverensstemmelser.

Kommentar: Skulle Demokraterne vinde valget, dvs. få flest stemmer, er det dog ikke sikkert at de kan danne regering. Det mest sandsynlige er at der må dannes en koalitionsregering - eller en regering som hviler på aftaler med andre partier. De andre partier vil gøre hvad de kan for at få indflydelse og imødekommelser. Et særligt forhold består mellem Kredsmandaterne (100) og de landsdækkende tillægsmandater (40). Hvem af de to mest fremtrædende Partiledere, Berisha og Nano, der vil være bedst i stand til at spille på at man har to stemmer er svært at sige, men sandsynligvis Nano.

Jørgen Grunnet, tidl. Missionschef for Europarådet i Tirana - senere bl.a. i Beograd - er kommet tilbage til Tirana i forbindelse med det kommende Parlamentsvalg.

Tv for Grunnet ses OSCE's Missionschef, Ambassadør Pavel Vacek. Til højre PM Nano. Tv for ham hans udenrigspolitiske rådgiver Agim Isaku. PMs kontor skriver: Kryeministri Fatos Nano gjate takimit me kryetarin e Misionit Vëzhgues Afatgjatë të OSBE/ODIHR, amb. Jorgen Grunnet dhe Kryetarin e Prezencës së OSBE-së në Shqipëri, amb. Pavel Vaçek. [Klik evt. på billedet for at få det frem i større format]

En anden »afdeling« af Europarådet har været i Albanien for at studere decentralisering og regionalisering. CoE skriver:

Tirana and Durres, 11-12 May 2005 – Ms Ömür Aybar (EPP/CD, Turkey), Congress Rapporteur, paid an official visit to Albania in the framework of the preparation of a monitoring report on regional democracy in this country. Assisted by Professor John Loughlin, Vice-President of the Group of Independent Experts on the European Charter of Local Self-Government, the Rapporteur examined in particular the recent legislative developments in the field of regional democracy, the competencies and financial resources of the regions since their creation in 2000.

On the programme of the visit were meetings with Government and Parliamentary representatives responsible for regional self-government issues, as well as with the Chairman of the Association of Regions of Albania.

Handelstallene. Som nævnt i sidste nr. var der gået kludder i den seneste handelsstatistik ('nedgang' blev kaldt 'opgang' osv.). Ny udgave er lagt på nettet. Såvel eksport som import og det deraf afledte handelsunderskud er gået ned i Q1/2005 ift Q4/2004. Man skriver:

In the first quarter of 2005 export and import fall compared with the fourth quarter of 2004.

Export decreased from 15,784 mln leks to 15,343 mln leks (2.8%) and import decreased from 68,727 mln leks to 52,818 mln leks (23.1%) Aid in this quarter is 224 mln leks.

Trade deficit for this quarter is 37,475 mln leks signing an decrease of 29.2 per cent comparing with the previous quarter.Trade with the EU countries is 71.7 per cent.

The main trade partners for this quarter remains Italy and Greece. Export to Italy is 74.8 per cent and import 31.5 per cent. While the export to Greece is 12.3 per cent and import 16.7 per cent.

Comparing the data of this quarter with the previous quarter for some main countries and group of products we have:Export of “Chemical and plastically products” increased from 142 mln leks to 161 mln leks (13.3%), “Wood manufacture and article of paper” increased from 497 mln leks to 558 mln leks (12.6%), “Wood manufacture and article of paper” increased from 425 mln leks to 497 mln leks (16.8%), “Textile and footwear” increased from 9,442 mln leks to 10,068 mln leks (6.6%). While for the group “Minerals, fuels, electricity”, export decreased from 352 mln leks to 188 mln leks (46.5%), “Food, beverages, tobacco”, imports decreased from 1,573 mln leks to 1,121 mln leks (28.7%).

Export to Great Britain, Belgium, Romania, Bulgaria, Switzerland, etc. increased, while export to Russia, Croatia, Yugoslavia, Netherlands, etc. decreased.Import of “Machinery, equipment, spare parts” decreased from 17,153 mln leks to 11,549 mln leks (32.7%), “Minerals, fuels, electricity " decreased from 8269 mln leks to 5600 mln leks (32.3%), “Wood manufacture and article of paper” decreased from 2,225 mln leks to 1,682 mln leks (24.4%).

Import from Austria, Australia, Romania, Ukraine, etc. increased, while import from USA, Belgium, Yugoslavia, Canada, Germany, Macedonia, etc. decreased.

Indicator of specialization is the difference between the percentage of export for each product to total and percentage of import for each product to total. This indicator is calculated for the group products of the nine sections of Harmonized System (HS). On first quarter of 2005 increase of this indicator is noted on the group “Textile and footwear”.

Møder i Tyskland. Den Albanske Nationalbank har udsendt flg.:

During the first week of May 2005, the Governor of the Bank of Albania, Mr. Ardian Fullani participated in a number of meetings in Frankfurt of Germany.

The meeting with the Central Bank’s Governor, Prof. Weber and two members of the Bank’s Board of Directors was organized in a spirit of hospitality and cooperation for the future.

Prof. Weber stated that Albania is a country that has made headway in economic and particularly banking development reforms, but it still has much to do in structural reforms. The financial and banking market development in the country was discussed at length, particularly as concerns to lending to economy and increasing banking products. In this context, special importance is assigned to banking supervision at the central bank. Banking system and credit growth and development require the raising of banking supervision into a higher level so as to precede any kind of situation.

Mr. Fullani emphasized that under the current situation, special importance will be given to payment system, so that payments are effected through banks. Therefore, it is important to set up the payments infrastructure, a process in which the Bank of Albania plays a primary role. Simultaneously the cooperation between banks and business has to be further encouraged. Also it is important to create all preconditions and respective facilities to public at large, so as to invite it to the banking system for using banking services in everyday life. In this sense, increasing the range and variety of banking products and the presence of the banking system in the whole country become indispensable. The banking system must be present in every cell of the country’s life, providing banking services at an as competitive cost as possible to the population.

During the meeting, ideas were exchanged on the use of credit cards and there was accepted that the development of credit cards remains a very effective tool for encouraging the use of payments and for reducing informal economy.

As concerns to financial system, there was stressed that all preconditions should be created as an indispensability for the country’s economic growth and development. Special importance is given to the opening of markets and restructuring of financial and lending companies, through regulating the legal basis so as to turn these institutions into genuine financial institutions supervised by the central bank.

Also, the growth and extension of T-bills market and the participation of banks in primary and secondary market will make this market more efficient, more useful and will open premises for urging the financial intermediation role. In this way, we will have more competition, more banking products and undoubtedly the transmission mechanism of monetary policy will be more effective.

Special importance in the discussion was given to statistics and researches. The idea is to produce clear statistics by the central bank itself, serving as a basis for considering policies it drafts. This implies that besides further consolidation of monetary and financial statistics, the Bank of Albania should start to plan the establishment of real economy statistics, including even statistical methods, such as surveys.

The Governor Fullani was supported by the Governor Weber in the idea that the Bank of Albania branches must be transformed into powerful centers of statistical information for the whole region where they operate. This would enable the Bank of Albania to have a clearer image, not only for the overall economic development but also for specific local and regional development trends.

In this context, researches take a primary role. Researches must be completely efficient, applicable and involved in everyday life of the Bank of Albania in terms of organizational structure. Also the research should precede economic developments; it should be the main feeding ground for decision-making process, mainly through increasing the predicting power in terms of future economic-financial developments of the country.

An important issue of discussion, on which ideas were exchanged, was the further improvement of the Bank of Albania’s management. It was deemed that at present the Bank of Albania, besides improving the legal basis of banking supervision, it must consider with priority even the improvements in management. This would enable further consolidation of the Bank of Albania and the making of its monetary policy decision-making as effective and as transparent as possible.

Prof. Weber supported the initiative of the Governor Fullani for organizing an open forum in December of the current year, where management issues of the Bank of Albania in compliance with European integration of the country will be discussed. Given the importance of these issues, Prof. Weber stated that these are big challenges and he was committed, in cooperation with the ECB and the European Commission, to support these developments, being regarded as a long-term potential partner.

Another issue of focus was even the regional cooperation. The fact that there exists a number of countries with more or less the same chances, the same distances in time from integration with the EU, makes large cooperation between the main institutions of these countries indispensable.

In technical level, the meetings of some officials of the Bank of Albania were made concrete by making steps towards cooperating and offering technical assistance in twinning level of the Bank of Albania and the Bundesbank in the future.

During other meetings with senior officials of KFW (German Bank for Development) and GTZ (Technical German Cooperation), which currently has a project with the Bank of Albania in terms of approximating it to the European System of Central Banks, discussions were made in terms of technical assistance and simultaneously in terms of developing the banking and financial sector with assistance in legislation area.

Assistance by KFW will be further extended in the banking system for the consolidation of banking institutions and for creating a possibility for long-term funds in the future.

Det Albanske Udenrigsministerium har trukket Ambassadør Fatos Tarifa i USA tilbage; der går rygter om at han skal være indblandet i kritisable forhold (ordet 'bribery' er blevet nævnt).

Fatos Tarifa er født i 1954. Fik et Fulbright Stipendium til Cahepl Hill, North Carolina, hvor han fik en PhD i Sociologi. Senere fik han også en PhD i Politologi (Tirana). Har været Sociologiprofessor i Tirana. Blev Ambassadør i Nederlandene i 1998. Kom til USA i Sommeren 2001.

Præsidentkontoret har udsendt flg.:

May 11, 2005 18.30

The President of the Republic, Alfred Moisiu answering to the interest of the journalists about the Albanian Ambassador in the United States of America, stated during a press conference after the conclusion of the Summit of SEECP.

“I have followed and continue to follow with worry the media news and the comments regarding the Ambassador of Albania in the United States of America.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has undertaken already the first step, the urgent recall of the Ambassador to Tirana to clarify the circumstances and the verification of the facts.

I expect from the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Ambassador for this problem to be treated seriously and with full transparency.

Based on the correct official conclusions, I assure you that I would not have any hesitation to act in the right manner.”

Migrationsforhold: IOM skriver:

Albania - Regional Seminar on Irregular Migration & Migration Data

IOM offices in Vienna and Tirana are co-organizing a regional seminar on irregular migration, migration data collection, exchange and protection.

The four-day event, which opens on 9 May in Tirana, will bring together 30 officials from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the FYR of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro and experts from Denmark, Slovenia and Sweden. Representatives from UNHCR and ICMPD will also attend as observers.

The objective of the seminar is to train participants on existing EU standards in the field of migration (Acquis), to identify gaps between EU Migration Acquis and national assessments and to encourage cooperation amongst countries of the Western Balkans to control irregular migration.

This seminar will be followed later this month by separate meetings in each of the capitals of the western Balkan States to align national migration policies with EU Acquis.

This EC funded regional programme is part of the Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilisation (CARDS programme).

For more information, please contact

Pier Rossi-Longhi, IOM Vienna, Tel: +43.1.585 33 22 28, E-mail: PRossiLonghi@iom.int

SERBIEN og MONTENEGRO. SERBIEN (alene)

Det Amerikanske UM har Juli 2004 offentliggjort en 'Background Note' om Serbien - Montenegro: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5388.htm ... Det Engelske Udenrigsministeriums 'Country Advice' til rejsende kan findes på adressen: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618386622 ... En biografi over tidligere Forbundspræsident Kostunica kan læses på Serbiske Politikere ... Mht ICTYs sag mod tidligere Præsident Milosevic, se (evt.) under ICTY ovenfor.

Præsidentvalg i Serbien. Boris Tadic blev i Juni 2004 valgt som Præsident. Seneste Parlamentsvalg: 031228.

Der har været Balkan-topmøde i Bukarest med deltagelse af Præsidenter og udenrigsministre. [Se også under: Albanien og Makedonien]. Den Serbiske Regering skriver:

Belgrade/Bucharest, May 11, 2005 – Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica addressed the 8th summit of heads of states and governments of South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) member states in Bucharest saying that every violent or imposed change of internationally recognised borders threatens regional stability, which is why Serbia strongly pledges for joint affirmation of the general principle of inviolability of internationally recognised borders.

The Prime Minister said that the forum yielded many important achievements this year, specifically in the further setting up of foundations for a more intensive cooperation between its member states.

Kostunica said that forming the Southeastern European energy community is of great importance because it will be a model for future concrete forms of cooperation, both among the member states and in cooperation with the EU.

The transfer of EU Stability Pact’s Migration, Asylum, Refugees Regional Initiative (MARRI) under the wing of the forum is a big step toward strengthening the general concept of regional ownership and building responsibility in line with European standards, Kostunica said.

He went on to note that the recent signing of the joint document on Roma inclusion initiative will draw special attention to this ethnic community in the region in the next decade.

The Prime Minister said that the time has come for creating truly multicultural societies within existing states where ethnic issues will not be resolved through separation but rather through integration.

The state union of Serbia-Montenegro has made several important steps in this sense in order to overcome the inherited problems, Kostunica said.

There has been advancement in the area of legal and economic reforms and constitutional and institutional changes, he said and added that the whole process of internal consolidation resulted in a positive feasibility study by the EU Council of Ministers.

The launch of negotiations on the stabilisation and association agreement should start on October 5, Kostunica said, noting that this clearly shows Serbia-Montenegro’s resolve to integrate within Europe.

Serbia-Montenegro, taking the central place in the region, is once again an important factor for regional stability, he said.

Kostunica noted that relatively small markets are not attractive for serious foreign investors, which is why Serbia-Montenegro will keep supporting further liberalisation of trade relations in the region.

“Only through strong regional economic cooperation can our economies upgrade their levels and boost their efficiency. That is why we support Bulgaria’s initiative to sign a declaration on building infrastructure network in Southeastern Europe. An improved transportation infrastructure and shorter and safer roads for transporting energy sources are crucial not only for us, but also for our European partners”, said Kostunica in his address.

Kostunica expressed assurance that political stability and strong regional cooperation are preconditions for sustainable economic development in Southeastern Europe.

Kostunica reiterated that every violent or imposed change of internationally recognised borders threatens regional stability, which is why Serbia strongly advocates joint affirmation of the generally accepted principle of inviolability of internationally recognised borders so that the politics leading to sustainable political and economic stability in the region can be implemented.

Serbia-Montenegro has recently confirmed once more its commitment to compromise and dialogue as methods for resolution of open political issues in the region, Kostunica said noting that Kosovo is currently the most complex problem in the region. It has to be solved gradually and carefully, he noted. Serbia-Montenegro requires full respect of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and much more resolute engagement of UNMIK in the implementation of standards, especially in securing conditions for the return of as large a number of displaced Serbs and other non-Albanians as possible, according to Kostunica.

The Prime Minister said that less than 3 percent of those who were forcibly expelled have returned so far. That is largely influenced by poor results in the return of confiscated property, especially apartments and houses, he said.

According to Kostunica, Serbia has recently initiated a political dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina at all levels. He expressed satisfaction with the fact that four groups of the Vienna dialogue discussing the so-called technical issues have resumed their work. “We hope that a real progress will be made soon concerning the beginning of dialogue on the problem of decentralisation as the most important political problem in Kosovo-Metohija and a precondition for survival, return and safe life of non-Albanian population”, he noted.

Kostunica stressed that with all these initiatives, Serbia wants to contribute to real implementation of standards in the province. However, he assessed that the real measure of the level of implementation is not the political process, but the results in the field, especially concerning the freedom of movement, safety and return. “We will do everything to contribute to their implementation, but we will take into account only the real progress made, and not promises and proclamations”, said Kostunica adding that that is why Serbia endorses dialogue, agreements and compromise, and not forced and one-sided solutions. A solution cannot be just and acceptable if one party gains everything, and the other looses everything.

“We want interests of both peoples to be taken into account because only a compromise solution can lead to a sustainable and lasting regional stability. This means that our common obligation is to find a solution that would not entail changing the existing state borders, but granting greater autonomy to Kosovo-Metohija”, Kostunica said in his address to participants in the Bucharest summit.

The SEECP member states are Serbia-Montenegro, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Process was established in 1996 as a political forum of foreign ministers, and the first summit was held the next year in Greece.

Kosovo / Kosóva: UM i Serbien-Montenegro citerer:

BELGRADE'S STRATEGY FOR KOSOVO MET WITH GOOD RECEPTION, SAYS DRASKOVIC

BUCAREST, May 10 (Beta) - Serbia-Montenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic has stated that Belgrade's "more than autonomy, less than independence" strategy for a European Kosovo met with a very good reception with his counterparts from South East Europe. Having participated at a meeting of foreign ministers of the South East Europe Cooperation Process, on May 10 in Bucharest, Draskovic told the press that the Kosovo issue had had an important place in all addresses in the course of the meeting. He added that he had familiarized his counterparts with the situation in the province and with Serbia-Montenegro's strategy for Kosovo.

Kosovo, in his words, will be "either stable, European and in the interest of all Serbs, Albanians, the region and Europe, or some imposed solution, against the will of Serbia, such as the independence of Kosovo, will cause new upheavals, hatred and instability in the entire region."

The Serbia-Montenegro foreign minister said Belgrade fully supported the conclusions of the Contact Group that things in Kosovo cannot return to the situation before 1999. He observed that Serbia-Montenegro had "eliminated" its extreme pre1999 position, while, according to him, the ethnic Albanians had stuck to their old stands.

Draskovic surmised that the outcome of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue could be positive only if Serbs "do not use the word sovereignty, and Albanians the word independence." "Any other solution would be disastrous," Draskovic emphasized. He reasserted that he had asked officials from the South East European Cooperation Process for support for the speedier entry of Serbia-Montenegro into the Partnership for Peace program, with no conditions, since the country, as he stated, did not deserve the isolation it is now in.

Den Serbiske Regering skriver:

Belgrade/Bucharest, May 11, 2005 – Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica met today with Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and welcomed Greece’s stance on the importance of the preservation of territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders in the region.

Karamanlis came forward with this position at the 8th summit of heads of state of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP).

The Greek Prime Minister congratulated Kostunica on the positive feasibility study on Serbia-Montenegro’s integration into the EU and he stressed the study’s importance for overall development and progress of the state union on its road to the EU.

Kostunica and Karamanlis discussed the situation in Kosovo-Metohija and they both stressed the importance of establishing dialogue.

Kostunica said that it is essential to find a compromise that would produce neither an absolute winner nor a loser, which he said will lead to a kind of expanded autonomy for Serbia’s southern province.

The two prime ministers welcomed the traditionally good relationship that exists between Serbia-Montenegro and Greece and they expressed commitment to further improve cooperation in all fields.

B92 skriver:

Wednesday – US Ambassador Michael Polt says that Serbs should take part in the work of Kosovo’s temporary institutions.

Polt, speaking on Radio B92, said that if a decision had been reached to retrench from engagement in Kosovo he would consider that to be a very negative development, adding however that he had not yet verified the exact circumstances of the alleged decisions.

“I have argued ever since I have first arrived here that the only way to reach a solution on the Kosovo issue is full engagement by all sides: by the government in Belgrade, by the individuals in Kosovo, be they Serb or Albanian, by the international community and by my country, bilaterally as well. Only through engagement, negotiation, discussion and finding common solutions can answers actually be reached. Boycott politics will absolutely reach no result whatsoever,” said Polt.

Decision “not for comment”

Asked to comment on Polt’s description of the Council decision as negative, Kosovo Coordination Centre head Nebojsa Covic said that the Council’s information was that the conditions for entering the temporary institutions did not exist and that the decision would be respected and not commented on.

He said that he had no intention of entering into a polemic with the US ambassador or the state’s senior officials. “We don’t need to hurry. Gradually everything will be all right,” Covic told journalists, adding that any decision could be changed but that this would happen at another time.

Covic also said that what he described as a flurry of campaigning in the media and various organisations for an independent Kosovo would have the effect that, through constant reiteration, the demand would come to seem a normal and regular thing,

Balkan leaders on Kosovo

Vojislav Kostunica said today that a compromise solution should be found for Kosovo, without any change in the existing state borders and with broad autonomy ensured.

“That means that it is our joint obligation to find a solution, without changing the state borders, and which will secure some kind of broad autonomy for the province of Kosovo,” the prime minister told participants in the Eighth Summit of heads of state from countries in the South-East European Cooperation Process.

“Serbia strongly supports joint affirmation of the commonly accepted principle of not altering internationally accepted borders, which is the political way to ensure joint political and economic stability of this region,” said Kostunica.

Describing the Kosovo problem as the most complex in the region at the moment, the prime minister said that the problem must be solved step by step, with care and with deliberate, stable and irreversible changes. He emphasised that Serbia wants to contribute to the meeting of standards in Kosovo, but that “the real measure for the meeting of standards is not a political process but the results in the field, especially in terms of freedom of movement, security and repatriations,” the prime minister added.

Present at today’s summit were the presidents of Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia and Moldavia, the prime minister of Greece and representatives of the OSCE, the European Union and the South-East European Stability Pact. It was opened by Romanian president Trajan Basescu, who spoke about European integration.

“The positive result of the imposition of standards on Kosovo will have an impact on negotiations on the future status of Kosovo and on the situation in the region,” he said.

Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis said in Bucharest that Greece would take over the rotating presidency of the organisation at a critical moment for the region, because the Kosovo issue would be resolved this year.

He pledged that Greece would support the fundamental principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and preservation of borders, and the protection of human and minority rights in Kosovo.

“Conditions must be put in place for the return of thousands of displaced Serbs from Kosovo and to immediately restore the Serbian churches and monasteries destroyed in March, 2004,” said the Greek prime minister.

Karamanlis emphasised that the problem of Kosovo is not only a problem of Belgrade and Pristina, but of the whole region and Europe at large. He gave Greece’s position as being that the future status of the province must be resolved through peaceful dialogue in line with the UN Charter, the Helsinki Document and the Paris Charter on New Europe. He also said that the discussions on the issue should include the United Nations, in close cooperation with the European Union, the US and Russia.

60 Året for afslutningen af 2' Verdenskrig er blevet fejret. Man har benyttet lejligheden til at hædre General Mihailovic. Blic skriver:

The ceremony of celebration of the 60th anniversary of victory against the fascism will be finished by commemoration of the anniversary of General Dragoljub Draza Mihailovic's return into the country.

Apart from cultural and artistic program, exhibition of the photographs and flags of Yugoslav Royal Army, the visitors of the Ravna Gora Mountains shall be met with completed infrastructure for which Serbia has provided from its budget for this occasion two million Dinars.

The meeting shall be attended by SCG Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic as well as representatives of our and foreign countries, war veterans including those who save American pilots whose planes were shot down in Serbia. USA President Hari Truman has posthumously decorated General Mihailovic with the Legion for Merits for his contribution in victory of the allies over fascism. With delay of 57 years this decoration was couple of days ago presented to General's daughter Gordana at the Day of victory over fascism. Referring to speculations that the decoration was presented in secrecy, USA Ambassador in Belgrade Michael Polt said that 'the only reason for giving of the decoration to General Mihailovic was because he had save the lives of 500 American pilots in WWII'.

General Mihailovic's daughter Gordana said that she would give the decoration presented to her father to the Serb Orthodox Church.

MONTENEGRO (alene)

Præsidentvalg 030511: Filip Vujanovic blev valgt. Seneste Parlamentsvalg 021020.

MAKEDONIEN

Det Engelske Udenrigsministeriums 'Country Advice' til rejsende kan findes på adressen: http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618386163 ... Det Amerikanske UM har Maj 2004 offentliggjort en 'Background Note' om Makedonien: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/26759.htm

Der er omkring 25 % etniske Albanere i Makedonien. Folketælling afholdtes 021101-021105.

Præsidentvalg i Maj 2004: Branko Crvenkovski - hidtidig PM - blev valgt (efter Boris Trajkovski som omkom ved en flyulykke). Seneste Parlamentsvalg fandt sted 020915. Der kan henvises til flg. OSCE/ODIHR-oversigtsside: http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/field_activities/skopje2002/.

Folkeafstemningen 041107 om decentralisering (= imødekommelse af Makedonien-Albanske interesser): Folkeafstemningen "faldt". Stemmedeltagelsen var kun omkring 26 %. Hvis afstemningen skulle have kunnet udvirke en ændring af decentraliseringslovgivningen, skulle deltagelsen have været mindst 50%, og desuden skulle der have været flertal mod lovgivningen. Det var ventet at stemmedeltagelsen ville have været noget større, selv om både Regeringspartierne og den Albanske minoritet anbefalede at man blev hjemme. Man kan nu gå videre i overensstemmelse med Ohrid-aftalerne.

Der har været Balkan-topmøde i Bukarest med deltagelse af Præsidenter og udenrigsministre. [Se også under: Serbien og Albanien]. MIA skriver:

Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski Wednesday addressed the 8th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the South East European Co-operation Process (SEECP) member countries in Bucharest.

Crvenkovski said that the fact Romania and Bulgaria will soon join the EU shows that the countries from the region are led by leaders who make efforts for creating new reality which will make us proud of in the future.

"Today, the region is led by the leaders who promote cooperation, friendship, leaders who urge for same values and are led by the same strategic goals. This new climate must not be missed and a benefit must be derived from this historical opportunity. We witnessed that our frequent meetings in the past years contributed to our better mutual understanding, sharing viewpoints and development projects of certain countries and the region in whole, creating climate of larger mutual confidence and openness as well as successful cooperation within the frameworks of the international organisations," Macedonian President said.

The dream of the promoters of a united European home for all Europeans gradually but more certainly is becoming realistic. Last year's admission of the ten new member states as well as the sooner integration of Romania and Bulgaria into the EU are encouraging and motivating facts.

"The Republic of Macedonia has submitted the answers to the EC Questionnaire. Now its up to us to concretely show our firm preparedness for full inclusion in the European structures through consistent carrying out of reforms and respect of the principles and values upon which the EU is based. In the Republic of Macedonia there is unanimous expectation that the positive opinion in regard to the Questionnaire will presented by the end of 2005 and soon afterwards the country will gain EU candidate country status. Welcoming the decisions of the NATO Summit in Istanbul, we are assured that NATO door will be opened for new members and the three aspirant countries - Macedonia, Albania and Croatia will be invited for membership at the new Alliance Summit in 2006," Crvenkovski said.

He said that the previous experience showed that the regional economic cooperation is an assumption whose realisation has significant influence on sustainable regional economic development. He also pointed the need of enlargement of markets and creation of more attractive conditions for investors, which is of great importance for small economies and small countries, as those in the South East Europe.

"Modern infrastructure and infrastructural connection of the countries from the region are not less important. In this context I point out the importance for construction of Corridors 8 and 10 in the sphere of transport, energetic and telecommunications. I also welcome the recent initiation of the agreement for energetic community of SEE," he said.

He referred to the issue of long-term stability and security as well as fight against crime and corruption and corps of human rights and freedoms.

"The decade of continuous conflicts in the region is finally behind us. The last open issue, the Kosovo's status resolving will hopefully be solved by negotiation between Belgrade and Pristina, mediated by the international community. We believe that this issue will be closed in the way that will generate additional stability in the wider region," Crvenkovski said.

He considered that the countries from the region should focus on fight against organised crime especially in the sphere of trafficking in people, weapons and drugs and corruptive and criminal activities.

"National legislation and mechanisms for their implementation should be approximated with international standards and consistently implemented. SECI Regional Centre for Combating Trans-border Crime has an important role in this fight. I am convinced that we will soon begin a discussion within the frameworks of the Cooperation Process for passing Anticorruption Charter. I want to share with you the data that Macedonia notes significant successes in this sphere which has been emphasised in the latest UNICEF report on child trafficking in the SEE," Crvenkovski said.

Crvenkovski in the margins of the summit will hold bilateral meetings with Romanian President Traian Basescu, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn and Croatian President Stipe Mesic.

GRÆKENLAND

Seneste Parlamentsvalg 040307. Olympiade 13.-29. August (se Græsk side: http://www.athens2004.com/athens2004/ og Dansk side: http://www.dif.dk/index/ol-3/ol-ol2004.htm).

TYRKIET

UMs rejsevejledning: http://www.um.dk/da/menu/Borgerservice/FoerRejsen/Rejsevejledninger/RejsevejledningTyrkiet.htm.

Seneste Parlamentsvalg blev holdt 021103. Det blev i December 2004 aftalt (med EUs Regeringschefer)at der i Oktober 2005 skal indledes forhandlinger om optagelse af Tyrkiet i EU.

LANDE UDEN FOR BALKAN OG ØSTLIGE MIDDELHAV. NATO-LANDE

ITALIEN

Mother Teresa. I anledning af saligkåringen ('beatificeringen') 031019 har Vatikantet etableret en internetside: http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20031019_index_madre-teresa_en.html

USA

Det Albanske Udenrigsministerium har trukket Ambassadør Fatos Tarifa i USA tilbage; der går rygter om at han skal være indblandet i kritisable forhold (ordet 'bribery' er blevet nævnt).

Fatos Tarifa er født i 1954. Fik et Fulbright Stipendium til Cahepl Hill, North Carolina, hvor han fik en PhD i Sociologi. Senere fik han også en PhD i Politologi (Tirana). Har været Sociologiprofessor i Tirana. Blev Ambassadør i Nederlandene i 1998. Kom til USA i Sommeren 2001.

Præsidentkontoret har udsendt flg.:

May 11, 2005 18.30

The President of the Republic, Alfred Moisiu answering to the interest of the journalists about the Albanian Ambassador in the United States of America, stated during a press conference after the conclusion of the Summit of SEECP.

“I have followed and continue to follow with worry the media news and the comments regarding the Ambassador of Albania in the United States of America.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has undertaken already the first step, the urgent recall of the Ambassador to Tirana to clarify the circumstances and the verification of the facts.

I expect from the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Ambassador for this problem to be treated seriously and with full transparency.

Based on the correct official conclusions, I assure you that I would not have any hesitation to act in the right manner.”

ENGLAND

TYSKLAND

FRANKRIG

DANMARK (NORGE, SVERIGE)

Niels Aadal Rasmussen, Ministerråd, pt Forsker ved DIIS (på orlov fra UM), tidl. bl.a. Chef for den Danske Ambassade i Albanien, har netop udsendt et papir med titlen: »Kosovos fremtidige status – “Fra Sarajevo 1914 til Sarajevo 2014”?« (7 s.). Papiret kan downloades som PDF fra: http://www.diis.dk/graphics/Publications/Briefs2005/nra_sarajevo_sarajevo.pdf. En mere omfattende publikation vil bliver udsendt hen over sommeren. Nedenfor aftrykkes det indledende Abstract:

FN’s Sikkerhedsråd tager den 27. maj 2005 under dansk formandskab fat på drøftelsen af Kosovos fremtidige status. Der synes på forhånd bred tilslutning til, at en sådan drøftelse seks år efter Kosovo-konflikten er på tide. Hovedansvaret for processen, som kan lede frem til Kosovos uafhængighed, påhviler foruden Generalsekretær Kofi Annan den såkaldte kontaktgruppe af USA, Rusland, Frankrig, Storbritannien, Tyskland og Italien, men også Danmark spiller i Sikkerhedsrådet en særlig rolle. Mange af de grundlæggende spørgsmål er fortsat uløste. Det gælder princippet om folkenes selvbestemmelsesret, etniske stridigheder med rødder i fortiden, regionens erhvervsgeografiske og -økonomiske forudsætninger samt ikke mindst den demografiske udvikling indenfor de respektive folkegrupper. EU forventes at påtage sig en særlig rolle for Kosovos fremtid, men drøftelserne om områdets fremtidige status forventes at blive omstændelige og vanskelige. 2014 kan blive slutpunktet for en proces, der startede for 100 år siden. Mere udførlig DIIS Report i sommeren 2005.

Ugerapport fra Dansk KFOR. Hærens Operative Kommando - se under: Kosova.

Det Danske Forsvar er ved at rette ind ift det seneste forsvarsforlig. Forsvarschefen har briefet en række Chefer. Nedenfor følger Forsvarets egen omtale, dernæst indledningen og sidst et afsnit om 'udsendelseskapacitet'. Hele briefingen kan downloades som PDF fra: http://forsvaret.dk/NR/rdonlyres/77518894-3D38-4FD3-BD38-6DA7C8F0B98E/0/PIversionrettetnoter.pdf

Køreplanen er klar

Forsvarets chefer er i disse dage samlet på Høveltegaard og Høvelte Kaserne for at høre om den endelige køreplan mod et nyt og stærkere forsvar. En køreplan, som det ligesom andet i livet kan blive nødvendigt at justere undervejs.

Bøgen er sprunget ud, det samme er køreplanen for et nyt og stærkere forsvar. I disse dage er Forsvarets chefer samlet på Høveltegaard og Høvelte Kaserne i det nordlige Sjælland for at høre, hvordan planen for implementeringen af forsvarsforliget bliver.

Men planen har været igennem en hård fødsel. Med den øgede detaljeringsgrad i de mange udregninger har der også vist sig udgifter, som kun kan dækkes ved at justere tempoet i opbygningen af det nye forsvar. Men målet, som politikerne bag forliget har fastlagt, er fortsat som hugget i granit.

Der har undervejs været sået tvivl om, hvorvidt der nu også er sammenhæng mellem mål og midler. Det er der, og det er netop det, der har været arbejdet med i de seneste måneder. Men selv om køreplanen nu er lagt fast, så kan der sagtens komme justeringer til planen undervejs. Forsvarschefen er således helt bevidst om, at en plan som rækker 5 år ud i en usikker fremtid nødvendigvis må undergå løbende ændringer. ”Det danske forsvarsforlig er en meget positiv aftale og lige præcis det, som NATO har brug for. Forsvarsminister Søren Gade (V) har gjort et godt job, fordi Danmark erkender, at man må bevæge sig væk fra det tunge territorialforsvar til mere brugbare styrker, der hurtigt kan udstationeres.”

NATOs generalsekretær Jaap de Hoop Scheffer til Jyllands-Posten 9. januar. - Der er ingen tvivl om, at implementeringen af forliget ikke bliver en ’walk in the park’. Men målet ligger fast. Når det er sagt, kan der - som med forsinkelsen af materieltjenestens nye domicil - opstå udfordringer, der kan rykke ved planen, siger general Jesper Helsø, der derfor understreger vigtigheden af, at Forsvarets chefer holder sig målet for øje - også hvis der opstår vanskeligheder undervejs.

Rekruttering i medvind

Selv om begyndelsen på det nye forsvarsforlig har været krævende, har der også været lyspunkter. Især er omstillingen til den nye værnepligt og den efterfølgende rekruttering gået over al forventning.

Mange værnepligtige har efter at have afsluttet hærens basisuddannelse ønsket at skrive kontrakt og fortsætte på hærens reaktionsstyrkeuddannelse. Ingen tjenestesteder er under de planlagte 20 procent og et enkelt, Gardehusarregimentet, er helt oppe på 44 procent. Det betyder, at hærens gennemsnitlige kontrakttegning er helt oppe på 35 procent, hvis man tæller sergenteleverne med.

Ros fra NATO

Den store omvæltning, som Forsvaret nu skal igennem, har skabt opmærksomhed langt ud over Danmarks grænser. Eksempelvis har NATOs generalsekretær, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer rost det danske forsvarsforlig, idet han påpeger, at omstillingen af det danske forsvar er et eksempel, som andre NATO-lande bør kigge nærmere på. Blandt flere NATO-lande, herunder USA og England, får Danmark også ros for at være en stærk tilhænger af NATO Response Force (NRF) og for at arbejde for at kunne stille den tilhørende nødvendige strategiske løftekapacitet.

Tidslinie for implementeringen

Juni 2003: Kapacitetsnotatet (K-notatet) udarbejdes. Notatet beskriver den ændrede prioritering i fremtidens Forsvar med hensyn til rationalisering og effektivisering af stabs- og støttestrukturen til fordel for den operative struktur.

August 2003: Over 50 projektgrupper begynder arbejdet med at definere slutmål for Forsvarets omdannelse til ”Et nyt og stærkere Forsvar”.

2. september 2003: Forsvarschefen præsenterer det militærfaglige bud på omlægning af dansk Forsvar til ”Et nyt og stærkere Forsvar”.

10. marts 2004: Regeringen offentliggør oplæg til nyt forsvarsforlig 2005-09.

10. juni 2004: Aftale om Forsvarets ordning 2005-09 indgås.

28. oktober 2004: Forsvarschefen orienterer Forsvarets chefer om implementeringsplan for nyt forsvarsforlig.

1. november 2004: Forsvaret afleverer implementeringsplan for nyt forsvarsforlig.

7. december 2004: Forsvarsforligets implementeringsplan godkendes af forligspartierne, Forsvarschefen orienterer Forsvarets chefer.

1. marts 2005: Endelig implementeringsplan fra Forsvarsministeriet.

8. maj: Forsvarschefen orienterer Forsvarets chefer om implementeringsplanen.

31. maj: Forsvarskommandoen udsender implementeringsgrundlag til underlagte enheder.

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Velkommen til X-Tjenestestedskonference - den sidste X-konference i en række af forligsmøder. Når det bliver det sidste i denne del af processen, så er det jo selvsagt fordi, at vi nu er nået til det tidspunkt, hvor FKO implementeringsdirektiv skal sendes på gaden => og dermed er affarende plads sat ud i søkortet.

Jeg skal være ærlig og sige til jer, at jeg ved, at flere medarbejdere har betænkeligheder over ”det nye og stærkere forsvar”. Jeg er også klar over, at jeg ikke kan overbevise ”tvivlerne” med en bunke dias eller gennem en talestrøm af ord. De bliver nemlig først overbevist, når de ser flere aktiviteter ved enheder, flere soldater i garnisonerne og det nye materiel bliver taget i brug. Først dér får alle - også tvivlerne - det synlige bevis på, at vi valgte rigtigt, da vi besluttede os for at omlægge Forsvaret i en grad, der ikke er set i mange generationer.

Jeg får mange positive tilbagemeldinger på mine besøg i missionsområderne. Fra mit seneste besøg i bl.a. Irak er det mit klare indtryk, at den operative logistik virker meget tilfredsstillende og at de danske soldaters motivation er i top. Soldaternes ”thumbs up” er for mig et synligt bevis på, at vi er på rette kurs.

Målet er fastlagt nu og kursen mod målet er udstukket. Implementeringsdirektivet kommer på gaden meget snart, vel at bemærke et direktiv, der er i økonomisk balance både periodiseret og i slutmålet, og et direktiv, der indeholder de samme operative kapaciteter i slutmålet, som er udstukket politisk i forligsteksten. Altså et forsvar i balance. Men der skal ikke meget til at bringe ubalance. Lad mig blot nævne dollarkursen og olieprisen. En stigning i dollarkursen og/eller i olieprisen vil bringe ubalance i økonomien, hvorfor jeg som ansvarlig chef har pligt til atter at bringe balance i systemet.

Som sagt er vi nu kommet til et tidspunkt i denne proces, hvor målet er i gaffel og vi kan iværksætte virkningsskydning => nu må vi have direktivet og det tilhørende ÅPGRM 2005 ud, så vi i stedet bruger kræfterne på, at projektstyregruppe-processen (det vi i sidste forlig kaldte implementeringsstyregruppe-processen) holdes på sporet, så vi når slutmålet til tiden og til prisen.

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Udsendelse af en kapacitet svarende til ca. 2000 soldater vil fra 2009 kunne ske således:

Fra Hæren udsendes personel til to store missioner:

- en mission med 625 fastansatte fra 1. brigade.

- en mission med 775 personer fra 2. brigade, heraf 175 fastansatte samt 600 kontraktansatte.

Fra Søværnet og/eller Flyvevåbnet udsendes kapaciteter svarende til 500 personer, hvoraf alle er fastansatte.

Herudover forventes udsendt 100 personer i FN/EU/OSCE eller andre missioner som enkeltmand. 50 fastansatte og 50 kontraktansatte.

I forligsperioden opbygges udsendelseskapaciteten gradvist frem til 2009.

LANDE UDEN FOR BALKAN OG ØSTLIGE MIDDELHAV. IKKE NATO-LANDE

RUSLAND

UMs Rejsevejledning: http://www.um.dk/da/menu/Borgerservice/FoerRejsen/Rejsevejledninger/RejsevejledningRusland.htm

Præsident Putin har arrangeret festligheder i Moskva i anledning af 60 års-dagen for afslutningen af 2' Verdenskrig. Blandt gæsterne var Præsident Bush, SM Fogh-Rasmussen og Præsident Moisiu, Albanien. Putin dekorerede Moisiu med en særlig mindemedalje (Moisiu har modtaget en stor del af sin officersuddannelse i det daværende Sovjetunionen). Nedenfor et billede af Præsidenterne Bush og Putin i et russisk automobil af ældre dato.

Det Hvide Hus har udsendt flg.:

PRESIDENT PUTIN: Mr. President, allow me to cordially welcome you to Moscow. I'd like to thank you for having decided to visit Moscow to participate in the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, giving confirmation by that fact to the immense role played by the United States, Soviet Union and Russian Federation in the victory over Nazism.

Tomorrow we'll be pleased to receive our guests of ours. But the visit by the President of the United States is of special importance. On top of that, even today, we've enjoyed a very large volume of cooperation between our countries. And I hope that this cooperation will be helpful to us in addressing our domestic problems in both countries.

And I'm aware of the fact that you currently are confronted with immense tasks with respect to social sphere. (Laughter.) So if we are very positive in addressing those energy-related and security-related questions, that will be very helpful in addressing the problems which are confronted by people in the street in our countries. Besides, I recently visited the Middle East. Therefore, I'd like in this conversation with you today, to compare the notes regarding the current state of the Middle East.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Vladimir, thank you for having me. It's such an honor to be here. This locale where we are is a place where the President welcomed me and Laura two years ago. And it's great to be back here. I am looking forward to the celebration tomorrow. It is a moment where the world will recognize the great bravery and sacrifice the Russian people made in the defeat of Nazism. The people of Russia suffered incredible hardship, and yet the Russian spirit never died out.

I'm equally grateful that you would take -- invite me and Laura for dinner tonight. And having had one of your meals before, I'm looking forward to this one a lot.

PRESIDENT PUTIN: Recently I took a look at the coverage of your meeting with the press corps. Well, I could see how Laura attacked you sometimes, so at today's dinner we will have a chance to protect you. (Laughter.)

PRESIDENT BUSH: She was quite the comedian. But I'm looking forward to -- Russia is a great nation, and I'm looking forward to working on -- together on big problems. And I want to thank you for your work on Iran and the Middle East. And there's a lot we can do together. And so thank you for having us.

KINA

Fodbold: FIFA meddeler med. April at Albanien ligger som nr. 89 med 505 points [forrige nr.: 88]. Andre lande: Makedonien nr. 96 [94], Serbien Montenegro nr. 47 [46], Grækenland nr. 12 [14], Italien nr. 10 [10], Tyrkiet nr. 14 [15], USA nr. 10 [10], Frankrig nr. 4 [2], Spanien nr. 7 [5], Tyskland nr. 20 [18], England nr. 6 [8]. Danmark nr. 18 [17], Norge nr. 36 [35] og Sverige nr. 13 [13]. - Brasilien ligger som nr. 1 [1].

Kvalifikationskampe til VM-slutrunde 2006 i Tyskland. Danmark skal møde Albanien, Georgien, Grækenland, Kasakhstan, Tyrkiet og Ukraine.

Du må citere hvis du angiver hovedsidens adresse: bjoerna.dk ... Siderne om Albanerne: bjoerna.dk/albanerne.htm ... Søgning på internettet: bjoerna.dk/soegning.htm