Albania Rejects Kosovo’s Partition

Tirana – Albanian President Bamir Topi rejected the option of Kosovo’s partition along ethnic lines, in a joint press conference with his Kosovo counterpart on Monday in Tirana.

“Kosovo has been recognized by the most important countries in the world and her independence is something that cannot be turned back and as such there can be no scenarios for the partition of Kosovo,” said Topi.

“The implementation of the (European Union’s law-and-order mission to Kosovo) EULEX mission in all the country will bring stability to all political lines,” Topi added.
 
Last month the Serbian President Boris Tadic said the partition of Kosovo, Serbia’s southern province which declared independence in February “is not on the agenda” right now, and Belgrade insists on “the broadest possible autonomy for Kosovo within Serbia.”

“I’m ready to think about that option (partition) as well if we exhaust all other numerous alternatives. There are a lot of possibilities to find a solution within substantial autonomy,” Tadic said.

“But”, he added “if we drain all choices, we can then take up that alternative (partition).”

Although Tadic did not specify where the line of partition would run, it is most likely to include the Serb-dominated municipalities of Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok as well as the northern half of the flashpoint town of Mitrovica.
 
All these areas lie north of the River Ibar however half of Kosovo’s 100,000-strong Serb community live south of the river in isolated pockets and enclaves.
 
Meanwhile the Albanian president said he considered the visit of his Kosovar counterpart as historic and praised the relationship between the two countries.   
 
The visit is the first as head of state that Sejdiu has made outside of Kosovo. The Kosovo president argued that integration into EU and NATO remain a goal for both countries. He also expressed optimism that new recognitions of Kosovo would follow soon.
 
On his first day, Sejdiu is to address Albania’s members of parliament while special meetings will be held with Parliamentary speaker, Jozefina Topalli and Prime Minister, Sali Berisha.

Sejdiu will be announced as an Honorary Citizen of the town of Shkoder, in northern Albania.

Along with his Albanian counterpart, President Sejdiu is to visit the construction site where a road connecting Albania and Kosovo is being built, Albania’s largest public work project in more than two decades.