Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TIRANA255
2008-04-02 05:40:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tirana
Cable title:
GOA URGES PRESHEVO VALLEY ALBANIANS TO PARTICIPATE IN
how-toVZCZCXRO0818 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHTI #0255 0930540 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 020540Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6922 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS TIRANA 000255
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL YI AL
SUBJECT: GOA URGES PRESHEVO VALLEY ALBANIANS TO PARTICIPATE IN
SERBIAN ELECTIONS
UNCLAS TIRANA 000255
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL YI AL
SUBJECT: GOA URGES PRESHEVO VALLEY ALBANIANS TO PARTICIPATE IN
SERBIAN ELECTIONS
1. (U) Local Albanian leaders from Serbia's Preshevo Valley visited
Tirana March 31 to discuss upcoming elections and general concerns
about the rights of ethnic Albanian residents. Representatives of
the four major Albanian political parties, including Riza Halimi,
Chairman of the Party for Democratic Action; Ragmi Mustafa, Chairman
of the Democratic Albanian Party (and Chairman of the Preshevo
Commune); Adnan Salihi, Deputy Chairman of the Movement for
Democratic Progress (and Chairman of the Assembly of the Bujanovc
Commune); and Merxhan Memishi, of the Albanian National Movement,
met with Prime Minister Berisha and Foreign Minister Basha.
2. (U) Foreign Minister Basha discussed the scheduled May 11
elections at length, encouraging the political parties to
participate as well as to use their influence to encourage the
ethnic Albanian community to vote. Basha emphasized to the group
that active democratic participation is their best opportunity for
input in local decision-making processes.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: In contrast to its polarized domestic agenda,
the GOA's foreign policy continues to be forward thinking and
nuanced, increasingly adept at outreach and persuasion, as seen in
the GOA's interaction with the Preshevo Valley delegation. That the
GOA took this time to meet with the Serbian-Albanians, with the NATO
decision looming and Gerdec political fallout continuing to mount,
demonstrates the high priority that the most senior levels of the
GOA places on its efforts to enhance regional stability. END
COMMENT.
WITHERS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL YI AL
SUBJECT: GOA URGES PRESHEVO VALLEY ALBANIANS TO PARTICIPATE IN
SERBIAN ELECTIONS
1. (U) Local Albanian leaders from Serbia's Preshevo Valley visited
Tirana March 31 to discuss upcoming elections and general concerns
about the rights of ethnic Albanian residents. Representatives of
the four major Albanian political parties, including Riza Halimi,
Chairman of the Party for Democratic Action; Ragmi Mustafa, Chairman
of the Democratic Albanian Party (and Chairman of the Preshevo
Commune); Adnan Salihi, Deputy Chairman of the Movement for
Democratic Progress (and Chairman of the Assembly of the Bujanovc
Commune); and Merxhan Memishi, of the Albanian National Movement,
met with Prime Minister Berisha and Foreign Minister Basha.
2. (U) Foreign Minister Basha discussed the scheduled May 11
elections at length, encouraging the political parties to
participate as well as to use their influence to encourage the
ethnic Albanian community to vote. Basha emphasized to the group
that active democratic participation is their best opportunity for
input in local decision-making processes.
3. (SBU) COMMENT: In contrast to its polarized domestic agenda,
the GOA's foreign policy continues to be forward thinking and
nuanced, increasingly adept at outreach and persuasion, as seen in
the GOA's interaction with the Preshevo Valley delegation. That the
GOA took this time to meet with the Serbian-Albanians, with the NATO
decision looming and Gerdec political fallout continuing to mount,
demonstrates the high priority that the most senior levels of the
GOA places on its efforts to enhance regional stability. END
COMMENT.
WITHERS