Turmoil in Tirana over Diplomatic Ties with Belgrade

AIM Tirana, January 18, 2001

The Jan. 11 decision of the Yugoslav government to re-establish diplomatic relations with Albania, and the readiness the Albanian government expressed the same day to accept the initiative, announced by a spokesman of the Albanian Foreign Ministry, caused a veritable storm on the country's political stage. Belgrade has fulfilled Albania's number one condition: it made the first step, and it caused havoc among Albanian political parties. The largest opposition party -- the Democratic Party -- and its allies from the Union for Democracy bloc, immediately blasted the government for responding positively to Belgrade's initiative. The Democratic Party vice president and deputy speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Jozefina Topalli, called the Albanian government's decision rash and demanded that new conditions for re-establishing diplomatic ties be made: that all political prisoners from Kosovo held in Serbian prisons be released, that war reparations be paid for the damage done by the Serbian army in northern Albania during the war in Kosovo, that maps of mines laid down by Serbian army in certain parts of northern Albania be given to Albanian authorities, and so on.

The allies of the Democratic Party, such as the Liberal Union, through its president and former foreign minister, Starova, branded the Albanian government's response as against national interests. Even the former foreign minister demanded that in addition to the problem of Kossovars held in Serbian prisons, other conditions be posed as well, such as the resolution of the problem of Kosovska Mitrovica, Presevo, and others.

Particularly strong and surprising was the reaction of the chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Albanian Parliament, Godo, who enjoys majority support in Parliament. The same day the Albanian Foreign Ministry replied to Belgrade's proposal, he blasted it as an irresponsible move and open servility. He also called for additional conditions and requested that the Albanian Prime Minister explain this "irresponsible decision."

The uproar on the Albanian political scene should have come as no surprise. Relations between Belgrade and Tirana, and particularly when it comes to Kosovo, have always been a bone of contention of Albanian politics. But the initiative for resuming diplomatic ties came at a rather inconvenient moment, because the campaign for parliamentary elections set for June was well under way and political competition is gaining momentum. In such conditions political parties, and particularly opposition groups, are doing their best to politically profit from the national question and -- more specifically -- from the question of Kosovo.

It should be noted that not a single opposition party or leader spoke against re-establishing ties with the FRY in principle. It is very difficult for them to be against having diplomatic relations with a country in the region with which Albania had relations even at the apex of their ideological and political confrontation. This time the opposition's objections are linked to Kosovo.

The decision to resume diplomatic relations has opened a new chapter in relations between official Tirana and Kosovo political parties as well, and put them under an additional strain. In one form or another, major Kosovo political parties have constantly urged Tirana to exert greater pressure on Belgrade, and the Jan. 11 decision of the Albanian government completely chilled Pristina. The very next day, Alush Gashi, foreign policy advisor to Ibrahim Rugova, said the decision of the Albanian government was "hasty." Speaking on the Voice of America he even said that Tirana should have waited for relations to be established between Pristina and Belgrade, and only then accept Serbia's offer.

The Kosovo political parties and politicians, in fact, are well aware they cannot oppose the re-establishment of ties between the two states, which existed even during Kosovo's darkest times. Their concern, however, might have been prompted by fear that the Belgrade-Tirana relations could complicate and undermine Pristina's negotiating position in future international talks on Kosovo.

On the other hand, the Kosovo political parties are gearing up for upcoming legislature elections that will be organized by UNMIK. Because of this, they are opposing any improvement in relations between Belgrade and Tirana in a bid to present themselves as the true protectors of Kosovo.

Aware that this question is extremely sensitive, the Albanian government attempted to appease the Kosovo political parties by saying that its stance regarding Kosovo will not change. Thus, on Jan. 12, Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo was forced to make a statement on the issue at a press conference, not only because of the renewal of diplomatic ties, but also because senior officials in Belgrade, such as Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic, for example, recently claimed that they had received "signals from Tirana indicating that it will alter its position on Kosovo."

The storm has not yet subsided, and official Tirana cannot disregard this firm opposition both in Tirana and in Pristina, when planning its future steps in relation to Belgrade. There is an extenuating circumstance to its actions, which is characteristic for all former communist countries which can hardly wait to join European structures. It involves the position of EU countries, the U.S., and other Western countries which supported the re-establishment of diplomatic ties between Yugoslavia and Albania. On Jan. 12, in an official announcement, the French Foreign Ministry praised the intention of Belgrade and Tirana to once again have diplomatic ties.

The Zeri i Popullit newspaper, run by the ruling Socialist Party, carried on Jan. 13, a statement by American Ambassador to Tirana J. Limprecht who said, "I am happy to be able to convey statements issued by the White House and the State Department that it is our policy to encourage the peoples of the region to develop normal relations with Belgrade." The U. S. ambassador even had a special meeting with Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Godo, where he expressed his disagreement with Godo's opposition to upgrading diplomatic relations between Yugoslavia and Albania, and once more expressed his support for the initiative.

There are signs that the government in Tirana, for the time being, has brushed off domestic criticism, but that the tensions will persist and that their possible future escalation should not be ruled out. Since the re-establishment of diplomatic relations will be a process, it will have far-reaching effects and will require gradual steps. Thus, it will continue to be a source of dispute both at home and in relations between Tirana and Pristina.

All the noise and opposition to the recent diplomatic move are like a battle in which neither side is likely to win -- neither the political parties in Tirana, nor those in Pristina. But they will continue to fight anyway, hoping that, eventually, they might not come out empty-handed.

Arian Leka

(AIM)