Germany supports reforms in Albania
President Berisha begins official visit in Bonn
Germany supports
reforms in Albania
Herzog: Albania will have Germany's support in the future as well
Kohl: We are interested in your success and in the success of your reform
A law against genocide cannot be opposed
LAZER STANI
Bonn, 18 December
The President of Albania, Sali
Berisha, began the three-day
official visit to Bonn with the
first meeting at Villa Hammerschmidt,
with President Roman Herzog, who
greeted him and wished him a pleasant
stay in Germany. After the playing
of the Albanian and German
national anthems, inside the residence
President Berisha and Mrs. Berisha
signed the guest book "For honored
friends". President Berisha and
President Herzog held a forty-five-minute
meeting, focusing on bilateral
relations as well as regional and
international issues, with particular
emphasis on the crisis in the former
Yugoslavia and the solution to the
Kosovo issue.
At the beginning of the conversation,
President Herzog expressed his pleasure
at receiving the Albanian President in
Germany, and assured him that he
retains indelible impressions from the
welcome he was given during his visit
to Albania.
Later, President Berisha praised
the generous aid that Germany has
given Albania, and especially the
efficiency of its use. "German support
has been multifaceted, political,
economic and moral," President Berisha
stressed.
Berisha
praised
German support in the future
for the further development of
Albania and its integration into
Europe.
Integration into Europe is
essential in order to overcome the
historical difficulties facing the Albanian
nation. President Berisha praised
Helsinki and is not for
the changing of borders by force.
Kosovo was a constituent unit of
the federation and it has headed and
it too had its own Parliament and
government.
For his part, German President
Herzog praised the achievements of
the democratic government, and was
widely interested in the details of the
BERISHA:
Albanians belong to
European civilization and,
after what they endured for
half a century, they no longer
look toward the East. They are
determined to take their place in
the Western family and every
day accelerate their integration.
Albanians are
smart and will
develop very quickly
Then President Berisha's activity
in Bonn continued with the meeting
with the Chancellor of Germany
Kohl: we will
support the inclusion of
Albania in all
European Community projects
and in those for the
reconstruction of Bosnia.
You will have
our support for
the association agreement with
the EU because you
deserve it
fully and I am
convinced that we will
succeed.
Photo: REUTERS
Germany's aid continues
[?], has won that before us that
Albania and this was felt in the
attempts to change
Albania. You are one of the friends
[?] with Germany and the German
government in its democratic support,
the experience [?]
] effective has been [?] of
Germany for the democratic government according to [?]
yours. It was broad [?]
helpful moral support in
[?] with the success of being [?] of
concrete results.
the fair stance of Germany
throughout the current crisis in the former
Yugoslavia. Germany's stance
toward Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina
and has been very fair, as has
your commitment to finding ways
to resolve the conflict and to direct
the Kosovo issue. The
German community will continue to
support and firmly uphold the
national rights of the people of Albania and Kosovo, taking as an
example the anti-national act of 1974. Albania respects the charter of
respect in our country. He assured
President Berisha that Albania will
have the help and support of
Germany, even in the future. He
praised the achievement of the agreement for
Bosnia-Herzegovina, describing it as
necessary and also the solution of the
crisis of the Kosovo problem. "Then
Germany will support the Albanians of Kosovo
for the restoration of Kosovo's
autonomy as an autonomous entity.
Respect for borders in the Balkans
is necessary to avoid war," said Herzog.
Helmut Kohl. I invited you to speak
openly as friends and as diplomats," said
Chancellor Kohl, wishing
President Berisha a warm welcome.
In the conversation with the German
Chancellor, President Berisha said
that relations with Germany have been set as a priority
in the PDSH program and expressed
his satisfaction with the very good level
of relations and comprehensive
cooperation between our two countries.
During the meeting President Berisha
presented the two major problems
Albania has experienced during this century,
the splitting of the Albanian nation in half as well as
its much more pronounced economic
backwardness compared with
other countries.
But we are determined, said
President Berisha, to overcome
these difficulties through the
consolidation of democracy,
market economy and integration into
Europe, as well as the borders by force,
we will insist on defending the freedoms and rights
of Albanians in Kosovo.
Furthermore President Berisha
said that it is necessary for
Albania, and he thanks in a special way
for German aid, especially for infrastructure,
and praised the economic, technical
and military cooperation between the two
countries.
Albania sees these as very important
factors for
Albania's integration into the
European Community and into
Euro-Atlantic structures," President Berisha
emphasized.
Berisha welcomed the sending
of German troops to Bosnia, and
stressed that Germany's participation
is right and necessary for the solution
of the crisis in the region and of the Albanian issue.
He told Chancellor Kohl
that your opposition to
changing borders by force and the
creation of Greater Serbia, as well as
your insistence on a peaceful solution
to the Kosovo issue, are in
necessary alignment with Germany.
Chancellor Kohl stated that
Germans feel sympathy for the
Albanians and that historically there
has been understanding between our two countries
and our two nations. He
praised Albania's achievements. You
have accomplished things that many others
have not. From Albania we receive very
good news
(To be continued on page 3)