"Rapprochement in relations with Albania"

Albanian Foreign Minister and Deputy PM Ilir Meta has arrived for a visit to Belgrade, during which he will meet with top Serbian officials. He will speak with Serbian President Boris Tadic, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic and Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Bozidar Djelic. "Rapprochement in relations with Albania" Ahead of the meetings, political analysts see the Albanian minister’s visit, the first after five years, as a gesture of rapprochement in relations between Belgrade and Tirana after Albania had recognized Kosovo's ethnic Albanians' unilateral independence declaration. The cabinet of the Albanian foreign minister stated previously that Meta's trip to Belgade would be "historic". No similar comments are made in Belgrade, with ethnic Albanian MP Riza Halimi claiming that "there has never been a lack of contact between Tirana and Belgrade". “We know that the Presevo valley, is in a way, a hostage of this, so to speak, unbearable situation which currently exist between Belgrade and Pristina and it’s probably not a factor which is helpful for relations between Belgrade and Tirana, but I still think that there is a big mutual interest,” Halimi said. However, analysts from both sides are saying that relations have been bad so far and that it is now time for improvement. Dusan Janjic of the Ethnic Relations Fund thinks that Meta’s visit to Belgrade is very important. “Ilir Meta is coming to show that Albania is ready for unfreezing of relations with Serbia. But this visit is symbolically important and an important political test for Boris Tadic. Primarily, (because of) how the public in Serbia will accept the visit,” he said. Remzi Lami of the Albanian Media Institute says that Belgrade and Tirana have numerous joint topics despite the differences regarding the status of Kosovo. “This is the first visit after Kosovo's independence. In any case, I think that the two countries have agreed that the Kosovo independence is a point of disagreement, opinions are completely opposite there, but on the other hand, there are several things that should be talked about and I think that this will happen and that it is very important,” he said. “I must mention that there is huge trade exchange and contacts between businesspeople between Albania and Serbia. Serbian businesspeople are very present in Tirana. There are also other things which should be done like border control and combat against people trafficking and other issues which they will put on the table, I think,” Lami was quoted as saying. Janjic, on the other hand, is linking the Albanian foreign minister’s visit to relations in the entire region, more precisely with a regional conference on the Western Balkans planned in Slovenia for later this month, which still hangs in the balance. “It’s harder not to say 'I’m not coming'. It’s practically expected 100 percent that Boris Tadic will go. Since it is a big expectation, you know, the possible absence could be a big disappointment for those watching things in the Balkans from outside, meaning for neighboring countries and for the U.S. and Brussels,” he said. Tadic had said previously that he would only travel to Slovenia if the Kosovo Albanian officials, who were also invited, took part under the name of Kosovo/UNMIK. They, on the other hand, insist to be represented as a "state". Meta is arriving to Belgrade a day ahead of the marking of the anniversary of the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, and it has been announced that he will attend the commemoration. Analysts are pointing out that the Albanian foreign minister and Djindjic were very close and that they did a lot to improve relations between Tirana and Belgrade. Lami states that the date of the visit is accidently coinciding with the date of the murder anniversary. “I don’t think that the visit is directly connected to the anniversary of Zoran Djindjic’s death. It’s clear that Meta and Djindjic were good friends and they created a completely new atmosphere in the relations of the two countries and I think, in the sense of reviving of Zoran Djindjic’s spirit, when it comes to the relations with the neighbors, that it is very important because I must say that not all Serbian or Albanian leaders are aware of how necessary it is to look after each other. Today’s visit is not symbolic, it’s a coincidence,“ the Albanian analyst said. During his visit to Belgrade, Meta will sign a treaty on cooperation in combat against organized crime, international illegal drug trade and international terrorism. The document will also be signed by Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic.

"Rapprochement in relations with Albania"

Ahead of the meetings, political analysts see the Albanian minister’s visit, the first after five years, as a gesture of rapprochement in relations between Belgrade and Tirana after Albania had recognized Kosovo's ethnic Albanians' unilateral independence declaration.

The cabinet of the Albanian foreign minister stated previously that Meta's trip to Belgade would be "historic".

No similar comments are made in Belgrade, with ethnic Albanian MP Riza Halimi claiming that "there has never been a lack of contact between Tirana and Belgrade".

“We know that the Preševo valley, is in a way, a hostage of this, so to speak, unbearable situation which currently exist between Belgrade and Priština and it’s probably not a factor which is helpful for relations between Belgrade and Tirana, but I still think that there is a big mutual interest,” Halimi said.

However, analysts from both sides are saying that relations have been bad so far and that it is now time for improvement.

Dušan Janjić of the Ethnic Relations Fund thinks that Meta’s visit to Belgrade is very important.

“Ilir Meta is coming to show that Albania is ready for unfreezing of relations with Serbia. But this visit is symbolically important and an important political test for Boris Tadić. Primarily, (because of) how the public in Serbia will accept the visit,” he said.

Remzi Lami of the Albanian Media Institute says that Belgrade and Tirana have numerous joint topics despite the differences regarding the status of Kosovo.

“This is the first visit after Kosovo's independence. In any case, I think that the two countries have agreed that the Kosovo independence is a point of disagreement, opinions are completely opposite there, but on the other hand, there are several things that should be talked about and I think that this will happen and that it is very important,” he said.

“I must mention that there is huge trade exchange and contacts between businesspeople between Albania and Serbia. Serbian businesspeople are very present in Tirana. There are also other things which should be done like border control and combat against people trafficking and other issues which they will put on the table, I think,” Lami was quoted as saying.

Janjić, on the other hand, is linking the Albanian foreign minister’s visit to relations in the entire region, more precisely with a regional conference on the Western Balkans planned in Slovenia for later this month, which still hangs in the balance.

“It’s harder not to say 'I’m not coming'. It’s practically expected 100 percent that Boris Tadić will go. Since it is a big expectation, you know, the possible absence could be a big disappointment for those watching things in the Balkans from outside, meaning for neighboring countries and for the U.S. and Brussels,” he said.

Tadić had said previously that he would only travel to Slovenia if the Kosovo Albanian officials, who were also invited, took part under the name of Kosovo/UNMIK. They, on the other hand, insist to be represented as a "state".

Meta is arriving to Belgrade a day ahead of the marking of the anniversary of the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić, and it has been announced that he will attend the commemoration.

Analysts are pointing out that the Albanian foreign minister and Đinđić were very close and that they did a lot to improve relations between Tirana and Belgrade.

Lami states that the date of the visit is accidently coinciding with the date of the murder anniversary.

“I don’t think that the visit is directly connected to the anniversary of Zoran Đinđić’s death. It’s clear that Meta and Đinđić were good friends and they created a completely new atmosphere in the relations of the two countries and I think, in the sense of reviving of Zoran Đinđić’s spirit, when it comes to the relations with the neighbors, that it is very important because I must say that not all Serbian or Albanian leaders are aware of how necessary it is to look after each other. Today’s visit is not symbolic, it’s a coincidence,“ the Albanian analyst said.

During his visit to Belgrade, Meta will sign a treaty on cooperation in combat against organized crime, international illegal drug trade and international terrorism. The document will also be signed by Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dačić.