“Albanian people underestimate their own power and their own importance. There’s a trick that I think politicians sometimes play, where they can fool people into thinking that they have no power. But, in a democracy and, with all its flaws, Albania is still a democracy, the people matter, you are the masters. So, I hope that people don’t forget this.”
With these words the U.S. Ambassador to Albania, Yuri Kim wanted apparently to raise Albanians’ moral and self-estimation and encourage them not to give up when they see the tide go out momentarily, because it will come back in, stronger than ever.
Ambassador Kim made that comment in a talk show with journalist Sokol Balla on News 24 TV while she was on a visit to Vlora, southern Albania, accompanied by Defense Minister Olta Xhacka. During her stay there she visited also the Pashaliman military naval base.
In a reference to the U.S. diplomat, Cathy Kavalec who was picked up as ambassador to Tirana before Yuri Kim but was not approved by President Donald Trump, Balla commented that Ms. Kavalec was supposed to coordinate the work against Russian influence and then, suddenly, she didn’t come. “Did you inherit her mission as well? I mean, politically?” was Balla’s question to Kim, who answered back saying there was no change in policy of President Trump.
“I’m his representative, just as Cathy Kavalec or anybody else nominated for the position would have been his representative.” But Ambassador Kim had no idea if it was lobbied against Kavalec from Albania for her not to come to this country.
As she was speaking from Pashaliman naval base looking around Kim said she could see why anybody would be interested in Pashaliman. “You know, I think it’s really important as we look around the world, we have a clear sense of who our friends are and who our not-friends are. And all I would say is that we are proud to be NATO allies with Albania just as we are proud to be NATO allies with Turkey.”
The Pashaliman base is one of the most important military structures serving the Albanian coastal fleet. In the 1992 an Albanian-Turkish military cooperation agreement was signed which included the reconstruction of the military base by Turkey and guaranteed its access to the Turkish forces.
Albania’s Parliament approved an agreement on military cooperation with Turkey in April 2020. According to the Cabinet, the agreement and a protocol on financial assistance will help the Albanian Armed Forces’ restructuring. They were signed last fall by Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and his Albanian counterpart Olta Xhachka. The two NATO allies also signed in February a Defense Cooperation Plan, reported AA news agency on April 24, 2020.
Today, the military facilities of Pashaliman base carry out checks along the Albanian maritime border as well as operations within the framework of NATO programs in Albania.
US Renewed Focus on Western Balkans
Ambassador Kim unveiled that there is a renewed focus on the Western Balkans and what it means to have a U.S. presence here. “And I think you’re going to see that continue. It’s not an accident that we have several high-powered people who are focused on the Western Balkans, including Matt Palmer and Rick Grenell. And you’ll notice, Ambassador Grenell stepped away from just about everything except for the Balkans issue and I think that that speaks to the importance we place on it.”
Ambassador Kim did not call a failure the cancelled meeting of Kosovo and Serbia scheduled to take place in Washington on June 27 this year. “I think it’s overblown. To call that a failure, I think is a mischaracterization. Things happen so let’s see what happens in the next few weeks and months.”
Asked how important remains Albania when it comes to the military point of view for the United States Ambassador Kim said: “I think for us, it’s very important. Every ally that we are side to side with in NATO is important. For Albania, the United States has invested many many millions of dollars, in the relationship and in trying to improve Albania’s capabilities as an ally. We think that it is money well spent. When we look at the contributions that the Albanian military, that Albanian forces have made, even to include the sacrifice of life from time to time, we are proud to be your ally. I think so far, we have provided over 180 million dollars in defense assistance, just in the last few years. And I think that we’re going to see that continue and we’ll see more of this … less of that.”
Albania, a dream job for US Ambassadors
Yuri Kim was pleased to be Ambassador to Albania. “I think for any U.S. Ambassador, Albania is a dream job, because you are surrounded by people who first of all, they love America. Second, it’s a place where, you know, we have a very special relationship. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced anywhere else and the country is going through some pretty important changes.”
Speaking about elections in Albania Ambassador Kim thought that rotation of power, if that’s what the people want, if that’s what they decide, is always a good thing in a democracy. “It’s like the circulation of blood. But it’s definitely one of those things where, you know, in my country too, in just a few months there’s going to be an election. And in a few months here in this country, there will be an election, hopefully, and we’ll see what the people decide.”
In a comment on the electoral reform in Albania Ambassador Kim considered it complicated, because she thought, the opposition that is out of parliament, made a mistake. “They shouldn’t have walked out. That said, they also won a lot of votes in the last elections so clearly they represent a significant portion of the population. So they need to be part of the discussion, which is why I think it is a very good thing that they came to the table to negotiate the electoral reform issue. At the same time, the opposition that stayed in parliament did exactly the right thing. In a sense, they saved Albanian democracy. And of course, the majority is the majority. What I do know is that on June 5th, the parties agreed and, as far as I’m aware, they have written up the laws that codify the agreement.”
“June 5th has to go through as is”
This is what the Ambassador said on the accord on the electoral reform reached between majority and opposition which, as opposition’s head Lulzim Basha said last Friday, had been broken by Socialist PM Edi Rama.
‘You can’t open that back up. You can’t do it because that would be a violation of a lot of trust. And, I think, if you give your word, as a politician, as a diplomat. If you don’t keep your word, you have nothing. So, I have every expectation that leaders here will do exactly what they told me they were going to do, which is that they’re going to pass June 5th. Now, I’m also aware that for many people, June 5th is not enough.”
But, as she said, the immediate goal for Albania is very specific. “It is to make sure that Albania gets into the EU. The rest of it, if an agreement can be achieved, that’s great. Go for it. But what we don’t want is a hostage situation.”
Ambassador Kim was sharp and cut: “[What] I’m saying is that the agreement, June 5th, is closed, we can’t open it back up again.”
Albania’s European integration a historic project
In a comment on European integration process of Albania Ambassador Kim said: “I think it’s a historic project and I congratulate the Albanian people and the Albanian government [for] getting to this point in its history. This will change Albania’s future, and I was saying to Luigi Soreca, the EU Ambassador, that we are the friend of Albania for the last 100 years and you want to add the EU as another friend for the next 100 years. I know we talk about what is to be gained by the process. It’s not just about what is to be gained, it’s actually what is to be done. And so, this is going to require that the Albanian government and that Albanian political leaders, Albanian lawyers, judges, prosecutors really join forces to make justice reform real. It’s hard.”
But, according to the Ambassador, not everybody wants it. “Not everybody wants all the pieces, but it’s really necessary and what I also know is that the vast majority of the Albanian people desperately want it. What I also know is that the American business people that I talk to desperately want it. No one’s going to invest in Albania unless they have a sense that contracts are going to be enforced, that if there is a dispute, if they go to court, they will get a transparent and fair judgment. I’ll give you one example: the duty free situation at the airport. What a shame! When I think of that, I am ashamed for all the people involved in that case. It was a big opportunity and instead, I think the way that the situation turned out where a contract was not enforced as it should have been, gives exactly the wrong message. I hope that changes.”
Justice reform a long way…
With regard to the justice reform Kim was of the opinions that it is a long way. “I think you have to see where the story ends and we’re a long way from the ending of the story. I will say to you that I take the vetting process very seriously. And I think judge Dvorani is one of the judges who clearly passed this very tough process. I have faith in that process and I have respect for the judge. What happens between now and whoever knows, we’ll see. We’ll see what happens, but I think that the key point now, in this moment, is that we have the Venice Commission opinion and I think it’s an opportunity, and we need to keep our eyes on the prize and look for ways to keep moving forward. I don’t like to get bogged down in theological questions. I don’t like to get bogged down in philosophical issues. As I’ve said before, I’m not a priest to judge who is pure and who is impure, I’m not a police officer to decide who should be in jail and who should not. I’m just an American diplomat and I’m here to represent my country’s interests, which happen to include a future for Albania as a strong, sovereign, democratic nation. That’s why I’m here and that’s my mission.”
Ambassador Kim believed that Albania will have an independent constitutional court. “I think if you want it and you fight for it, and you give it some time and effort, yes, I do believe it. I think what’s not going to happen is that it’s not an instant process. That’s not it. It’s not: all of a sudden you’re going to have a court system that is 100% perfect. If that’s your expectation, then you’re going to be disappointed. What will happen is that you’ll see progress and you’ll see something terrible happen, and then you’ll see progress again. As I said before, it’s like watching the tide come in and the tide go out. It’s not a simple, clear, linear process.”
Further on Kim thought it’s a terrible thing to see all these young people looking for a future outside Albania. “I think it’s the responsibility of political leaders; I think it’s the responsibility of judges, lawyers, journalists, everybody who has even an ounce of power in Albania to make it better. We will support, but fundamentally it’s not my job. It’s your job and so I’m going to ask you, what are you going to do to make Albania better so that young people will stay. What are you going to do? I’ve told you what I am going to do. I want to know what you are going to do.”
Ambassador Kim’s priorities in Albania: defense, democracy, business
When asked on what is the main U.S. investment in Albania the answer of Ambassador Kim was: “I think we have a very broad investment in Albania. It begins with the military relationship. Security is extremely important. We have been here supporting Albania’s development as a democracy, supporting the development of Albania’s infrastructure, for example its health infrastructure; we have supplied many hundreds of millions of dollars over the past 20 years. What I’d like to see though is investment as most people understand it, which means American businesses. Really important… So I have three priorities: defense, democracy, business. And to get the business investment, you have to have the rule of law. You have to have a sense of contract enforcement. You asked earlier about other countries. I want to focus on Albania and I think what’s important to recognize about Albania are certain factors, including scale. It’s a small market so the reality is you’re going to have to work harder to draw investment than larger economies, right? Because in larger economies, it’s obvious why you should be there. I think with Albania it’s not that obvious. But my job here is to say to American investors: if you come, we will be able to help you make money here, we will help you create jobs in America, and create jobs in Albania. So, that’s my goal.
U.S.-Albanian relationship getting stronger
Asked about the relationship of Democratic Party with U.S. since 1990 she said: “I think that relationships are complex. They change over time. But I think that the relationship between the United States as a country and Albania as a country, Americans as a people and Albanians as a people, remains extremely strong and I only see it getting stronger.”
Answering a questions related to a certain animosity towards the United States in Albania and if it is because of other influences or because of what the U.S. is doing when it comes to justice reform in this country Ambassador Kim said:
“I think if you read the National Security Strategy of the United States of America, it talks about great power competition, the resurgence of great power competition. And I think you’re seeing some of that playing in Albania as well as in the rest of the Western Balkans, the rest of Europe, and the rest of the world. Are there some who would like to exploit these issues? Of course. But when I go out on the streets, when I talk to the Albanian people, all of them universally express nothing but strong friendship toward the United States and I hope they know that that sentiment is returned and I consider it job number one to make sure that that friendship, that alliance, stays as strong as possible.”
(Excerpts of the transcript of the interview with U.S. Ambassador Yuri Kim by Sokol Balla taken from the website of the US Embassy in Tirana, July 10, 2020)
