The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Madam Atifete Jahjaga during her stay in New York, accompanied by the Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo in the U.S., Mr. Avni Spahiu, met with former UN mediator for Kosovo Martti Ahtisaari. President Jahjaga thanked the former Finnish President Maarti Ahtisaari for his work and support for Kosovo and said that the country has made major progress in particular in implementing the plan drafted by Mr. Ahtisaari.
President Jahjaga said that the Ahtisaari Plan has offered great opportunities for the Serb community and stressed the importance of its expansion in the northern part of Kosovo as well, with the purpose of full integration of the Serb community living there. She said that the dissolution of Serb illegal structures in the north would also allow economic development for this part of Kosovo and cheaper more direct communication of the Serbian citizens in the north with the institutions of Kosovo.
President Jahjaga stressed that Kosovo is developing normal and friendly relations with neighboring countries and said that the promotion of these relations, including Serbia, is in the interest of long-term stability of the region.
She said that the dialogue with Serbia, which is being developed with the help and mediation of the EU, is the best way of resolving open issues, but stressed that the partition or exchange of territories is unacceptable. President Jahjaga said that Kosovo is a sovereign state and its independence is irreversible and recognized internationally.
She said that Kosovo and Serbia have the goal to integrate in Euro Atlantic structures and they should help each other on this path. President Jahjaga said that Kosovo needs contractual relationships with the EU to deepen the internal reforms and to accelerate the process of approximation to Euro-Atlantic structures.
She said that Kosovo needs the continuous help from its friends to assist in setting up its image and to lobby and she informed former President Ahtisaari about the idea of creating the group “Friends of Kosovo”, which includes Mr. Ahtisaari as well.
Former Finnish President Ahtisaari praised the President for her work and praised the achievements of Kosovo recently. He said he is ready to assist Kosovo in its efforts in the international scene but he is concerned with the slow process of the recognitions of its independence.
Former President Ahtisaari said that the fact that the 5 EU countries still haven’t recognized the independence of Kosovo has made its path more difficult and stressed that the EU should send a clear message for the entire region and for Kosovo in particular for the integration processes.
He said that all the obstacles which are made to Kosovo must be clarified in order that it can continue its development in all areas.
Former President Ahtisaari said that he hopes for changes of the situation in northern Kosovo and the integration of the Serbs of this part.
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Also today, President Atifete Jahjaga had a friendly meeting with the leaders of America Pan Albanian Federation “Vatra”, with whom she discussed a range of important issues. At the meeting, President Jahjaga praised the very large contribution that the Albanians in America have given in support of Kosovo, in all periods.
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