Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TIRANA33
2008-01-15 09:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tirana
Cable title:
PRESIDENT TOPI TO EMPHASIZE TOLERANCE IN JANUARY 25-27
how-toVZCZCXRO2227 PP RUEHPOD DE RUEHTI #0033 0150933 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 150933Z JAN 08 FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6549 INFO RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA PRIORITY 3728 RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE 4467 RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 3247 RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 3035 RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 0706 RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA 0059 RUEHLJ/AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA 0786 RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 0067 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 3509 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2378
UNCLAS TIRANA 000033
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: PREL AL
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT TOPI TO EMPHASIZE TOLERANCE IN JANUARY 25-27
VISIT TO KOSOVO
UNCLAS TIRANA 000033
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: PREL AL
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT TOPI TO EMPHASIZE TOLERANCE IN JANUARY 25-27
VISIT TO KOSOVO
1. (SBU) Deputy Foreign Minister Edith Harxhi told us on Janury 11
of upcoming plans for President Topi to visit Kosovo January 25-27.
Harxhi said he would travel with a delegation of some 90 people.
This trip has now been released in the press, which reported the
entourage could reach 100, to include business and cultural leaders
and politicians.
2. (SBU) Harxhi, who said she was planning and advancing the
visit, suggested it would highlight tolerance. She said Topi would
visit Gnjilane, which Harxhi described as "a center of
multi-ethnicity," and deliver a message of support for respect and
tolerance. She hopes to arrange for him to tour what she described
as a well-known shopping bazaar. According to Harxhi, Serbians from
Southern Serbia also come to the bazaar and sell local items, such
as a particular cheese. She also expects Topi to visit a Catholic
(vice Orthodox) church in a village near Gnjilane, where Mother
Teresa was baptized. (She said several times that the goal is for
Topi's visit to be different, not to repeat exactly what was done by
PM Berisha or other Albanian leaders in previous trips.)
3. (SBU) Harxhi also said President Topi would visit Camp
Bondsteel to thank the soldiers for their support to Kosovo and the
region. She said this had already been approved by USOP and by the
Commander at Bondsteel.
4. (SBU) President Topi has requested a meeting with Ambassador
Withers prior to the January 25 trip.
CRISTINA
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE
E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: PREL AL
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT TOPI TO EMPHASIZE TOLERANCE IN JANUARY 25-27
VISIT TO KOSOVO
1. (SBU) Deputy Foreign Minister Edith Harxhi told us on Janury 11
of upcoming plans for President Topi to visit Kosovo January 25-27.
Harxhi said he would travel with a delegation of some 90 people.
This trip has now been released in the press, which reported the
entourage could reach 100, to include business and cultural leaders
and politicians.
2. (SBU) Harxhi, who said she was planning and advancing the
visit, suggested it would highlight tolerance. She said Topi would
visit Gnjilane, which Harxhi described as "a center of
multi-ethnicity," and deliver a message of support for respect and
tolerance. She hopes to arrange for him to tour what she described
as a well-known shopping bazaar. According to Harxhi, Serbians from
Southern Serbia also come to the bazaar and sell local items, such
as a particular cheese. She also expects Topi to visit a Catholic
(vice Orthodox) church in a village near Gnjilane, where Mother
Teresa was baptized. (She said several times that the goal is for
Topi's visit to be different, not to repeat exactly what was done by
PM Berisha or other Albanian leaders in previous trips.)
3. (SBU) Harxhi also said President Topi would visit Camp
Bondsteel to thank the soldiers for their support to Kosovo and the
region. She said this had already been approved by USOP and by the
Commander at Bondsteel.
4. (SBU) President Topi has requested a meeting with Ambassador
Withers prior to the January 25 trip.
CRISTINA