Today's Date:

Eastern Europe

Tirana, September 7, 2004

(...)

FRENCH HOSTAGES

THE MINISTER – (...) I considered this second Balkans visit – to Kosovo yesterday, Macedonia and Albania today – very important despite the difficult circumstances. Thank you for your show of support at a time when two of your fellow journalists are still missing, held by kidnappers in Baghdad.

ALBANIA/FRANCE

Like you, Prime Minister, I think the time has come to give a new boost to cooperation between Albania and France. Hence my visit to Tirana today. And it’s with this in mind that I confirmed to the Prime Minister that President Chirac will be happy to have a personal meeting with him during one of his forthcoming visits to Paris.

There are several reasons for the new boost to cooperation between our two countries: firstly, reasons to do with (...) our histories, cultural closeness, languages – I’m told that 30% of young Albanians choose to learn French as a first foreign language; you yourself are proof of this, as is the Foreign Minister and other Albanian leaders. We’re going to step up our cultural and economic cooperation, thinking firstly, as I said earlier, about the Albanians, their daily lives which must be improved, I’m thinking of what we’re doing in the centre of Tirana as regards urban development, water treatment, sanitation and health. There are other areas too in which French companies can be useful and effective partners.

ALBANIA/BALKANS

The second reason which justifies this new boost is clearly Albania’s position and role at the heart of the Balkans. We think, Prime Minister, that your country has played a moderate, moderating, responsible role in the recent crises, and can contribute very positively, through all the Albanian communities to whom you are close, to making a success of the democratic and stabilization processes in Kosovo, Macedonia and other parts of the Balkans.

ALBANIA/EU

And then there’s a third reason which goes with the one I’ve just told you about, since a stable Balkans is a stable Europe: your country’s progress towards the European Union. I believe in a European Albania. I believe that the prospect of the integration of your and other Balkan countries is necessary for young Albanians and the whole of Europe. The path is a long one. There are no shortcuts, there are compulsory stages to complete, but you’re on the right path. In order to complete these stages you have, since you know it’s necessary, set in train an important series of reforms which must be pursued on the economic front and particularly vis-à-vis the rule of law and fight against international crime and corruption. On this path, Prime Minister, France is going to support you in your dialogue with the European Commission. Those are the three reasons which justify and explain this visit and justify the new boost we want to give cooperation between Albania and France. (...)

THE MINISTER – The European Union is a tremendous political project, in my opinion the finest continent-wide project, because it doesn’t prevent us from keeping our national identity, our language, our difference. Albania will remain Albanian and France has stayed French for fifty years. But we’ve got something extra which brings us together, makes us stronger: common policies and protection schemes, and a common voice, particularly in trade and political negotiations. And this project has kept all its promises for fifty years – I say this to you as a minister of one of its founding countries –, we don’t impose it on anyone; those who join it do so because they want to. This is the case of the ten countries which have just joined us. One day it will be that of those Balkan countries who wish to do so. I believe it's in both the European Union and Balkans’ interest to come together so that this project of peace and stability extends to Europe’s borders.

You don’t join the European Union simply by knocking at its door. The door is open, but to go through it you have to meet a number of conditions, [take on board] the so-called acquis communautaire, which all the countries which have just joined have had to do: the market economy, rule of law – along with a ruthless and rigorous battle against every form of organized crime and corruption –, environmental legislation and other rules and laws which must be incorporated into each country’s own national law in order to join the European Union. And at the same time, when you join, the EU provides economic aid, mainly through the structural funds which I know about from my five years as European Commissioner in charge of regional policy. Your country has begun to go down this path and is preparing itself. This preparation will take some time and, once again, I’ve said that we’ll help Albania in her dialogue with the Commission so that she can successfully complete each stage one by one. (...)./.