YouSaid · the spoken record

Rexhep Meidani

lines on the record: 39
first: 1999-09-24
most recent: 2001-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Finally, the United Nations must devise and implement wholeheartedly mechanisms that are not bureaucratic or complex but streamlined and effective, in order to ensure that its activities become more concrete and bear more fruit and that its voice carries the highest authority throughout the world.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The Millennium Summit showed yet again that it is essential for each State Member of our Organization to maintain an ongoing commitment to contribute to resolving regional and international conflicts and tensions and to address such challenges as globalization, poverty, HIV/AIDS, drugs, and the achievement of sustainable development. But beyond these challenges, the United Nations is facing a multitude of problems related to its reform. It must manage its resources even better so that they can be used as much as possible for peacekeeping and for development projects in all of the poor countries, the countries in transition and the developing countries. The United Nations should also become as representative a body as possible.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Conflicts between States; inter-ethnic conflicts; terrorism and organized crime; widespread poverty and the wide gap that exists between the poor and the rich countries, including the digital divide; natural disasters and the drying up of energy resources; diseases such as AIDS and other epidemic illnesses, and those spread by bioterrorism, have long been the subject of study in the international community. Current developments throughout the world have shown, now more than ever, the vital importance and the crucial role of the United Nations in achieving peace and security and in fostering development throughout the world.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We are convinced that integration has to start at home and that we will have to do more to achieve the results required by the European Union in all areas, particularly when it comes to progress in effecting reform, and especially in terms of consolidating our legal system, harmonizing our legislation with the existing body of community agreements, and the carrying out of effective macro- and micro-economic policies. Joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is one of Albania's strategic objectives. Thanks to its close relationship with the Euro-Atlantic Alliance in the last few years, it is one of the nine countries that the Alliance has designated as being potential candidates for NATO membership. Today humanity is facing both new and old threats.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Like the other countries of the region, Albania has embraced with enthusiasm the process of integration into Euro-Atlantic bodies, as its strategic objective and principal priority is to become a member of the European Union. The Albanian Government welcomed the decision taken last June by the Gˆteborg Summit to begin in the near future the process of negotiations for the signing of a stabilization and association agreement. The Albanian Government hopes that these negotiations will be concluded as soon as possible and that the agreement will be signed within the next year. We are aware that this will require coordination and cooperation at all Government levels in order for us to be able to meet the political, economic, social and other standards emanating from this process.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“It has endeavoured to play its part in contributing to peace and stability in the Balkans, including through the framework of the Southeast Europe Cooperation Process, whose chairmanship Albania currently holds. In the framework of this initiative, Albania will play an even more active role in coordinating the efforts of member States with a view to strengthening multilateral cooperation in all areas, in order to overcome the crises and problems of the region. The Albanian Government will continue with this commitment over the next four years. It will work also within the framework of other regional initiatives, where one of our important commitments is to implement joint infrastructure projects in the framework of the Stability Pact for South-eastern Europe.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Practices aimed at averting inter- ethnic conflict in Kosovo such as compromises in the area of territorial compensation based on the concept of parcelling out its territory, and the establishment of parallel institutions, are harmful and should be 3 deplored. They will not benefit Kosovo. They will simply give rise to a fresh surge of the inter-ethnic hatred that was fuelled by Milosevic. The international community and the active political forces in Kosovo must make every effort to build a new and open society that respects ethnic, religious and cultural diversity. Albania has established good relations of cooperation with the countries in the region, both bilaterally and multilaterally.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“The elections will represent an important chapter in the history of Kosovo and of the region, because this will be the first time in their history that the people of Kosovo will be electing, in a free and democratic manner, democratic Government bodies that will take charge of the future of Kosovo. We would like to express our sincere hope that the Serb minority and the other minorities living in Kosovo will participate in these elections, because we consider them to be an integral part of Kosovar society. Although I do not wish to speak at great length about the many problems that are facing Kosovo, I would simply like to appeal to the international community to actively seek a solution to the issue of divided Mitrovica.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We also warmly welcome the indispensable role of, and the efforts made by, international mediators, which led to the signing of the Agreement, as well as the commitment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to ensure its implementation on the ground. The Albanian State has good relations of cooperation with Kosovo, and we greatly appreciate the positive developments that have taken place there. The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, and Mr. Haekkerup personally, have taken a number of very important steps in order to finalize the legal framework for Kosovo and to organize the general elections, which will be held on 17 November.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“On behalf of peace and stability in the region, as well as on behalf of good-neighbourliness, Albania has adopted a realistic attitude, even with regard to the most recent crisis in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The position we adopted was very much appreciated by the international community. The Albanian Government welcomed the Ochrid framework Agreement between the Macedonian authorities and the Albanian political forces, and we hope that it will soon be implemented in a comprehensive manner, as this would contribute to peace and stability in Macedonia and in the region.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Believing that domestic political and economic stability are intrinsically linked to regional stability, Albania has committed itself to applying a regional policy of good-neighbourliness towards all Balkan countries, and has already given concrete proof of that desire. One clear sign of that policy was the re-establishment of diplomatic relations with the Belgrade Government at the beginning of the year. That was a logical follow-up to the democratic developments begun in the Republic of Serbia that led to results that were eagerly awaited by the whole of the international community, namely, the fall of the Milosević regime and his dispatch to the Tribunal at The Hague. The same fate should also befall the other criminals who carried out the policy of genocide and ethnic cleansing he planned.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Thanks to sustained efforts, Albania has already established an encouraging climate for individual Albanian entrepreneurship as well as for foreign investment. Moreover, Albanian institutions will keep the struggle against terrorism, organized crime, illegal trafficking and corruption at the centre of their activities. The responsible commitment of the country's leaders to an uncompromising struggle against those phenomena, as well as their cooperation with other countries in the region and beyond, has in most cases kept in check the activities of criminal elements who seek to exploit Albania as a transit country for various types of illegal trafficking. Albania believes that a mosaic of fledging democracies is already taking shape in the Balkans, albeit with difficulties.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“We strongly support Security Council resolution 1373 2 (2001) and call on all Member States to fulfil their obligations under the resolution. We also support the current efforts aimed at completing the United Nations legal framework for coordination and for the international community's efforts to combat terrorism. For its part, Albania is already a party to eight major international conventions on the struggle against terrorism. We shall soon adhere to six more conventions. The new Albanian Government's four-year programme has set very clear objectives to definitively take the country out of its long transition stage and place it on the path towards stable economic development, the consolidation of its democratic institutions and legal framework, and integration into the European family.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“On the contrary, we Albanians see it as a struggle between good and evil and as a confrontation in which the values of humanism and peace are set against obscurantism and the negation of values. The only way to win this war is for all of our countries to unite their forces to create a common front, to take increasingly Draconian preventive measures at the national level, and to deploy ways and means for cooperation at the bilateral and multilateral levels to block any individual terrorist or terrorist group that threatens international peace and security. For its part, with the mechanisms at its disposal, the United Nations could and should do more to coordinate those efforts. Albania welcomes the measures taken by the United Nations to respond to acts of terrorism.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“It is essential that the international community tackle this phenomenon with the greatest seriousness, for it is replete with catastrophic consequences in many areas. Albania considers the military actions of the anti- terrorism coalition led by the United States and Great Britain against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and the Al Qaeda terrorist group, under the leadership of bin Laden, to be just and in full conformity with Chapter VII of the Charter and Security Council resolutions. Taking that into account, and as a country that defends the values of liberty and democracy, Albania expressed its determination to be part of that coalition from the outset. The international action that has just begun against terrorism should not be seen as a clash between civilizations.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“This year's session of the General Assembly is marked by profound sadness over the innocent victims of the macabre acts perpetrated by terrorists two months ago here in the United States of America, and now also by the events of this morning. On behalf of the Government and the people of Albania, I would like to express our utter indignation and our strongest and categorical condemnation of those acts, which were aimed not at a single country but, rather, were a serious attack on the values of democracy, freedom and world civilization. At the same time, I would like to convey our deepest sympathy to the American people and to all the families that lost loved ones in those tragic events. International terrorism is today becoming one of the greatest challenges for the world in which we live.”
2001-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 56 (2001)
“Allow me to express once again to you, Mr. President, and to all the delegations present here my fervent wish that this session of the Assembly will meet with success in advancing global peace, stability and prosperity.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Albania salutes the efforts of the United Nations to continue to strengthen its role in resolving the acute problems facing humanity today in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres. I take this opportunity to express my great appreciation for the action of the Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, aimed at reforming and reviving the Organization. In connection with this reform, Albania is in favour of the democratization and strengthening of the Security Council so that it better reflects new international realities and has more transparent procedures and working methods and a simplified decision-making process. We support the financial and budgetary reform of the United Nations, the objective of which is better management of financial resources and, thus, the increased effectiveness of United Nations programmes and projects.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“For my part, I would like to express the fervent hope that these processes prove irreversible. We appreciate the role played by the United Nations in organizing the referendum on the future of East Timor. We hope the most recent agreements and resolutions, with the international presence, in particular that of the United Nations, will lead to the stabilization of the situation in that country as soon as possible. Given the ever-growing importance of multilateral international cooperation, Albania intends to become an ever more active Member of the United Nations and of other international organizations, in order to be able to better contribute to safeguarding peace throughout the world.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Reciprocal free movement would contribute greatly to bringing people together and to cultural exchanges and, thereby, to the elimination of the hatred and inter-ethnic conflicts that up till now have so cruelly shaken this part of Europe. Albania appreciates the role currently being played by the European Union, the United States of America and other countries in the framework of these positive developments. It hopes that this interest in the development and democratization of the region will persist with the same level of commitment and the same intensity. While attaching priority to the problems of our region, the State and the Government of Albania have been and continue to remain attentive to developments in other parts of the world. We welcome the progress in the peace process in the Middle East and Northern Ireland.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The Albanian State expects that in the near future the Balkans will become a democratic region with an economy intended to reach the level of those of the developed countries, a region that respects human rights, in accordance with advanced European and global standards. We believe that because of the damage suffered during the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, and particularly in Kosovo, Albania deserves preferential treatment within the framework of the Stability Pact. As far as we are concerned, the free circulation of people, ideas, capital and goods — a Balkan mini- Schengen — is the precondition for a rapid development of the economy, social life and democracy of our region. A democratic Balkans is unimaginable if our countries build walls in order to prevent the free circulation of people.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We welcome all democratic developments in Serbia, the consequence of which should be to remove from power the political group responsible for the crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia and to eliminate the chauvinistic mindset that encourages war. Such a mindset is no longer acceptable in civilized Europe. The Albanian Government is adopting measures with a view to attaining the objectives of the Stability Pact. The immediate objectives include various ideas and concrete proposals aimed at the development of economic relations with the countries in the region, the creation of inter-Balkan institutions to monitor respect for human rights and the strengthening of security measures.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Thus we believe that all the countries of the region should coordinate their efforts in order to become — all together, not separately — integrated into those structures. The Stability Pact on South-Eastern Europe is the fundamental document for the consolidation of democratic values, for economic growth and for the strengthening of security in our region. I take this opportunity to salute the full support provided to this initiative by the countries of our region at the Cologne and Sarajevo meetings. The State and the Government of Albania support all efforts 3 that have been undertaken within the political boundaries of the former Yugoslavia to promote democracy and the process of integration in the region.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We must struggle towards and succeed in quarantining all policies that encourage hatred and ethnic divisions, because such anachronistic policies have been the source of human catastrophes and remain one of the main causes of the destabilization of our region and the delay in our economic development. Our countries share common interests in the strategic, economic and security spheres. In this regard, we want to become integrated into powerful structures such as the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). But it would not be realistic to think we will easily attain this objective. We fully realize that we are at the initial stage of this process.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The end of the conflict in the Kosovo region and the concern of the international community to transform the Balkans from the powder keg it has been into a region of peace and stability have given the countries in our region a historic opportunity to achieve development, prosperity and democratization. We have resolved not to miss that opportunity. First and foremost, our societies must abandon their archaic chauvinistic mindset, which has been the sources of division and hatred and which should no longer outweigh the desire for unity, friendship and cooperation among peoples.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“KFOR is carrying out the difficult task of preserving stability and the fragile peace in the Kosovo region. I take this opportunity to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Bernard Kouchner, for his efforts to attain the established objectives. I am confident that the United Nations and the organizations supporting it will continue their action so as to eliminate all negative factors that might compromise a secure and complete peace and the future of the Kosovo region. We support the efforts of all the international and Kosovar political forces to ensure peaceful coexistence between Albanians and the ethnic minorities in Kosovo. We express our wish and conviction that these efforts, based on Security Council resolution 1244 (1999), will be crowned with success.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“As I recall this period, I would like to express our deep gratitude for he invaluable assistance given us by States and international organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, especially those working within the United Nations framework. The United Nations, implementing Security Council resolution 1244 (1999), is today, in the aftermath of the Kosovo crisis, playing a decisive role. The new civil administration, composed of representatives of the entire population of Kosovo, is almost in place, with the help in particular of the United Nations, the European Union and the OSCE; it is working feverishly in the edification, democratization and strengthening of a multi-ethnic civil society, with respect for human rights and a framework of institutions imbued by that respect.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The Albanian State, while committing itself firmly to defending its territorial integrity and sovereignty, has refused to respond to provocations by Serb forces at the border. Albania has not fallen for Milosevic's manoeuvres designed to extend the conflict in the region. Despite our great economic and financial difficulties, Albania has borne the burden of the humanitarian crisis of the refugees from Kosovo. Half a million Kosovars deported from their homes have found shelter among their brothers in Albania. Albanian families opened their doors to their blood brothers, thereby earning widespread respect for their generosity.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“I also pay special tribute to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for its commitment to public exposure of the crimes against the Albanian people of Kosovo and for becoming an interpreter for the whole Albanian nation in their just request that all those responsible for crimes against the innocent population be put in the dock. I call on all countries, especially those in our region, to cooperate with the Tribunal, as recommended in Security Council resolutions. The Albanian State has done everything to ensure that the conflict in Kosovo is resolved as soon as possible and peace is re-established in the Balkans. Engaging in intense political activity, we have striven to ensure that the political forces in Kosovo adopt a common attitude and accept the Rambouillet peace plan.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We congratulate the international community on having shown on this occasion unlike the similar situation in Bosnia, a firm will to condemn the crimes perpetuated against a defenceless population, take effective measures to put an end to those crimes and establish peace in the troubled region of the Balkans. The whole Albanian nation has expressed its profound gratitude to NATO, the United States of America, the United Nations, the Organization for 2 Security and Cooperation in Europe, and all the international forces which contributed to ending the humanitarian disaster in Kosovo and re-establishing peace there. In particular, I pay tribute to the action and the personal commitment of Mr. Kofi Annan, the Secretary- General of the United Nations, in the settlement of this conflict and the ending of the humanitarian crisis.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It is with horror that I condemn the execution of dozens of eminent Kosovar intellectuals and the imprisonment of hundreds of others. The Milosevic regime ignored the warnings of the international community and its call for an acceptable resolution of the Kosovo crisis. It arrogantly rejected the proposals formulated in the Rambouillet agreement by the Contact Group and increased the repression of the Albanians in Kosovo, thus endangering peace and security in the Balkans. In these circumstances, the NATO countries, legitimately defending the sacred principles of the United Nations Charter, had to intervene militarily in order to force Belgrade to withdraw its armed forces from Kosovo.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“In the framework of this chauvinistic policy, the most barbarous crimes were committed: tens of thousands of Albanians were massacred, thousands of houses were destroyed or set on fire, and more than half the population were expelled from their land and had to go to neighbouring countries, particularly Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro. Thousands of other people went into the mountains and lived in unimaginable conditions in order to escape certain death. The massacres at Raçak, Peja, Rahovec and Malishevo, the daily discovery of mass graves containing children, women, young people and old men and women, killed by the Serb army, militias and policemen, will continue to testify to a genocide without precedent on the threshold of the new millennium.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“There have also been positive developments in our rapprochement with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), following the modernization of the Albanian army, and above all thanks to the unreserved help provided to the NATO forces during the Kosovo conflict. I am also happy to note that my country's efforts over many years to become a member of the World Trade Organization seem to be about to be crowned with success. The work of the current session is taking place while Kosovo and the entire region are making efforts to heal the wounds inflicted by the Milosevic regime. The concerns expressed by the Albanian delegation at the fifty-third session with regard to the policy of “ethnic cleansing”, which went as far as genocide, perpetrated by the Belgrade regime against the Albanian population of Kosovo, proved well-founded.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“During previous sessions, Albania has stated — and we still hold — that the main objective of our strategy is integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures and into other global and regional organizations. Our clear objective is to join the European Union, which we do not doubt for a moment can be achieved, so the Albanian Government considers as a fundamental priority raising the level of its relations with the European Union. I am glad to say that there has been a qualitative improvement in those relations. Cooperation has been intensified in various fields, which bodes well for the signing of an association agreement fairly soon.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“At the same time, I would like to say that the Government of Albania, and I myself, attach great importance to the direct commitment of the United Nations to the process of disarming the civilian population. I would like to take this occasion to congratulate Mr. Dhanapala on his last visit to Albania. Considering corruption to be an extreme evil and a serious obstacle to the development of a healthy democracy, the Albanian Parliament and Government have adopted tough legislative and administrative measures to deal with it, establishing specific structures to better uncover and punish abuse of power in certain corrupt sectors of the administration and the judiciary.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Among the thorniest problems now facing Albanian society and especially the Albanian State are neutralizing both common and organized crime and putting an end to corruption in certain sectors. Great efforts and substantial resources have been deployed in this area to increase the effectiveness of the police and other administrative structures engaged in crime-fighting. I take this opportunity to express my great appreciation for the assistance provided by the Multinational Advisory Police Element of the Western European Union and by a number of individual States, in particular for the restructuring and training of the Albanian police and for the provision of logistical equipment.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We have also made a continuous effort to formulate and implement modern legislation that can encourage and support domestic investment and can channel foreign investment into especially profitable vital sectors of our economy. We have every reason to appreciate the beneficial cooperation between Albania and the World Bank, which has resulted in the implementation of projects of great importance to the Albanian economy, and also in their effective management. We are grateful too for the support of the International Monetary Fund, whose activities have made a great contribution to revitalizing my country's finances. We are well aware that no State can have a healthy economy or a solid democracy without secure public order, the rule of law and a strong civil society.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Albania has made progress in strengthening its democratic institutions and its civil society, in achieving respect for human rights and freedoms, and in enhancing public order and the rule of law. As a new democracy, Albania is tireless in its efforts to strengthen and consolidate its institutional structures. There has been tangible progress in bringing about the independence of the legislative, executive and judicial branches. At the same time, efforts to coordinate them are moving forward without in any way affecting their separate identities. The Albanian State and Government have given priority to economic development by promoting free initiative in the privatization process, principally in strategically important sectors.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Let me begin, Sir, by congratulating you on your election to the presidency of the General Assembly, and to voice my full confidence that the work of this session, under your leadership, will be crowned with success. I wish also to express my great appreciation of the way in which your predecessor, Mr. Didier Opertti, guided the work of the fifty-third session. I take this opportunity also to welcome the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru and the Kingdom of Tonga to the great United Nations family, and to convey to them our best wishes for the future. I am pleased to say that this year has been marked by genuinely positive developments for Albania in the political, social and economic spheres.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)