From the speech of President SALI BERISHA at the "Franz Josef Strauss" Symposium Munich, 15-17 March '92 Dear friends, Feeling the pride that we are given the opportunity to be here at a scientific and political event dedicated to the man who gave Germany a statesman of European stature, gave Bavaria a modern politician and a political figure of planetary dimensions, and gave European politics a staunch defender of the values of freedom, allow me to greet you and wish you success in the work of this symposium. Franz Josef Strauss was, for me and in my youth, when I had just entered university, one of the best-known figures and one of the politicians I held dear. He represented in the most worthy way the Western orientation of Germany, with which we Albanians, although separated by an iron curtain, felt ourselves naturally connected through history, culture and aspirations. In Albania, for a long time, his name was associated with the idea of Europe, with a strong national and democratic policy, and with the defense of conservative values and the free economy. He was one of those statesmen who understood that without political freedom and without a market economy there can be neither prosperity nor human dignity. Today we Albanians are emerging from a long night of dictatorship. We have entered the path of democratic reforms, pluralism, the rule of law and the market economy. This road is not easy. Our country is exhausted by isolation, by poverty, by economic destruction, by the moral distortions brought by totalitarianism. But the Albanian people's will to break definitively with the past is irreversible. We believe that the future of Albania is Europe. This is not a rhetorical formula. It is a historical, political, cultural and moral choice. Albania belongs to European civilization, not only because of its geographical position, but because of its best traditions, its history, its culture and the aspirations of its citizens. In these difficult months of transition, we have come to understand even more how essential are the help, solidarity and understanding of Europe and the Western world. The Albanian people need support not only economic, but also political and moral. It needs to feel that it is not alone in this great effort for freedom, democracy and national reconstruction. We have chosen the path of deep reforms. We have begun to build democratic institutions, to guarantee human rights and freedoms, to unleash the creative energies of society, to open the economy and to re-establish normal relations with neighbors and with Europe. We are convinced that without such a radical transformation, Albania cannot emerge from its grave crisis. But our transition will be difficult. From a command economy and a primitive one, from a society controlled in every cell, from a state built on fear and isolation, we must build a new order based on freedom, law, property, private initiative and civic responsibility. This requires time, sacrifice and help. We want good relations with all our neighbors. Stability in the Balkans cannot be built on old hatreds, on hegemony or on violence. It must be based on respect for the rights of peoples, on regional cooperation and on European integration. Albania will make its contribution to peace, stability and understanding in the region. Within this framework, the Albanian issue in the former Yugoslavia is a major concern for us. We demand that the rights of Albanians in Kosovo be fully respected, that they be guaranteed freedom, dignity and the right to decide their fate in accordance with European and international norms. Without a just and democratic solution to this issue, there can be no lasting peace in the region. The new Albania is determined to become part of the European family. We do not ask for privileges, but for opportunities; we do not ask for charity, but for partnership; we do not ask for mercy, but for understanding and cooperation. Our people are ready to work, to sacrifice and to build a new life in freedom. I am convinced that, with the support of our European and American friends, with the help of democratic and international financial institutions, Albania will manage to overcome the difficulties and move firmly toward democracy and a market economy. That is why we see Europe not as a distant dream, but as the natural destination of the Albanian nation. The future of Albania is Europe. (the text in the photo is partly unclear; the full transcription of the inner columns cannot be read with sufficient accuracy in this image and may contain inaccuracies)