BERISHA DISCUSSES CONCERNS OVER MACEDONIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L TIRANA 000433

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV AL
SUBJECT: BERISHA DISCUSSES CONCERNS OVER MACEDONIA

Classified By: Amb. John L. Withers, II for Reasons 1.4, (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) Summary: Albanian Prime Minister Berisha believes
political instability in Macedonia will continue for the
foreseeable future. However, he sees no deeper crisis on the
horizon and believes the Macedonian leadership can eventually
put the genie of ethnic nationalism back into its bottle.
Berisha said Albania would continue to urge calm and
moderation to ethnic Albanian politicians in Macedonia. End
Summary.


2. (C) Ambassador met with Prime Minister Berisha on June 9
and elicited his views on recent political developments in
Macedonia. The Prime Minister expressed his concerns
regarding regional implications of political instability in
Macedonia. Specifically, he said that Prime Minister
Gruevski had reduced his political room to maneuver with
Athens over the name issue and had also enflamed tensions
between ethnic Albanians and Macedonians in the recent
elections. Berisha said, "If you play the nationalist
(ethnic) card, Albanians will play it twice. We must have
peace and stability in Macedonia. If you play the
nationalist card, it must be to this end." Berisha also said
that the recent electoral losses by President Crvenkovski's
party meant that more moderate approaches in Skopje will be
eclipsed for the near term.


3. (C) Berisha said he saw Albania's mediating role as
having a calming, moderating influence on ethnic Albanians in
the region. He said he had been in contact with both
Albanian ethnic party leaders in Macedonia, Thaci and Ahmeti,
and had urged them to remain calm in their public statements
and avoid violence. However, despite his long association
with Gruevski, the Prime Minister said he lacked influence
with his Macedonian counterpart on his recent political
maneuverings. Berisha expressed frustration in not
convincing Gruevski to eschew policies he characterized as
divisive, such as Gruevski's move to change the Macedonian
commission on minorities. Nonetheless, Berisha said he would
maintain his consistent message of stability and moderation
to Skopje. The Prime Minister also dismissed out of hand the
notion that instability among ethnic Albanians in Macedonia
could spill over into Albania, although he did worry about
possible turbulence affecting Kosovo. Berisha said he had
urged the Kosovar leadership to constructively intervene with
ethnic Albanian politicians in Macedonia.


4. (SBU) Comment: Giving lie to some long-standing regional
fears of a desire to create a "Greater Albania," Berisha is
deftly following the GOA's traditional approach with its
neighbors with large ethnic Albanian populations: urging
calm, seeking consensus and avoiding extremism. Although
Berisha's influence with Prime Minister Gruevski is limited,
his eye was focused on the long-term need to encourage ethnic
harmony in Macedonia in the interests of regional stability.
The Prime Minister's message to the USG was that the GOA will
continue its slow, patient work of engaging ethnic Albanians
in the region to foster political stability. End Comment.
WITHERS