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    Azerbaijan dismisses claims of involvement in Israel-Iran conflict

    Elite Purges: Internal Conflict or External Design?

    Trump’s Threat of U.S. Intervention in Iran Exposes Roots of Critics’ Fears

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    Forum of Alumni from Saudi Universities in the Balkans

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    Skopje Growth Plan Summit: Western Balkans Six Urged to Accelerate Reforms

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    Exclusive: “Even After Tito – Tito”/ Ambassador Zlatko Kramarić on Authoritarian Legacies and Democracy’s Future in the Balkans

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    Top Ukrainian delegation arrives in Paris for talks with Western officials

    Marta Kos: Albania Making Rapid Progress Toward EU Integration

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  • Home
  • OP/ED

    Azerbaijan dismisses claims of involvement in Israel-Iran conflict

    Elite Purges: Internal Conflict or External Design?

    Trump’s Threat of U.S. Intervention in Iran Exposes Roots of Critics’ Fears

    Crisis-Born, Purpose-Seeking: Can the EPC Define Europe’s Strategic Future?

    Serbia’s Request to the ICJ Turned Resolution 1244 into a Closed Chapter and Kosovo’s Independence into an Internationally Recognized Reality

    Unpredictable world

    Promoting Arab Culture and Language in the Framework of Cultural Diversity and Dialogue.

    ‘A Tragic Circus’: Albanian PD Figures Lash Out After LaCivita-Backed Campaign Collapses

    Erosion of Liberal Democracy in Europe Complicates Canada’s Search for Like-Minded Allies

  • Interview

    “Diplomacy, Not War”: Palestinian Ambassador to Albania Calls for Justice, Peace, and Global Action for Gaza

    Exclusive: “Even After Tito – Tito”/ Ambassador Zlatko Kramarić on Authoritarian Legacies and Democracy’s Future in the Balkans

    The Conclusion of the Diplomatic Mission / Ambassador Dancho Markovski: Strengthening Albania-North Macedonia Relations for a Shared European Future

    A Century of Diplomatic Relations Between Albania and Russia: Exclusive Interview with the Russian Ambassador to Albania, H.E. Alexey Zaytsev

    Exclusive/ The chairman of the Freedom Party, Ilir Meta: “The will of the citizens will triumph in Albania, as it did in North Macedonia”

    Exclusive/ The Russian Ambassador to Albania Mr. Mikhail Afanasiev: Russia only aims to end that war started by the West in Ukraine

    Exclusive/ Skopje’s top diplomat to Tirana, Dancho Markovski: OSCE Chairmanship a Project of National Importance for North Macedonia

    Exclusive interview of Croatian Ambassador Zlatko Kramaric: ‘There is progress in Croatian-Albanian relations, but it is still not enough’  

    The first anniversary of the appointment as Archbishop at the head of the Catholic Church/ Mons. Arjan Dodaj: Only God can be the author of our walk!

  • Realpolitik

    Summit G 6+1! The historic Summit and Trump show! Zelensky loses 0:2! Winners and losers of the 12 day war!

    Chancellor Merz passed “the exam”! Political stupidity! 5 per cent or study Russian! The Firing East!      

    A top phone call as disappointment! Exit from Brexit! Germany at the helm! End this political shame up!

    That’s it! The quartet of hope! Shame on Kosovo! The Summit of a Community without Identity!

    Only praises and prolises for Meloni! Facts versus untruths! Immediate ceasefire and genuine peace, no deal for new occupation! Back after 60 years !

    US nuclear tariff bomb!! Europa fires back! NATO ok, but with or without Article 5? Kallas urges reforms!

    Europe riarmed! Germany’s epochal shift! Spoiled soup! EU Commissioner Kos demands reforms!

    Europe tightens the ranks! The Euro-Atlantic Alliance in danger! USA-1945!! A true Peace, not new occupation!

    WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 20: President Donald Trump signs executive orders in the Oval Office on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC.  Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

    The law of force over the force of law! Multilateral diplomacy is the victim! Euro-Atlantism in danger! Munchen split the West!

  • Current Events

    “Diplomacy, Not War”: Palestinian Ambassador to Albania Calls for Justice, Peace, and Global Action for Gaza

    Forum of Alumni from Saudi Universities in the Balkans

    Why Iran with Nukes is a Danger – Just Look at Cuba in 1962

    When bridges divide more than rivers…

    Skopje Growth Plan Summit: Western Balkans Six Urged to Accelerate Reforms

    Summit G 6+1! The historic Summit and Trump show! Zelensky loses 0:2! Winners and losers of the 12 day war!

    The NATO Summit in 2027 will be held in Tirana.

    Exclusive: “Even After Tito – Tito”/ Ambassador Zlatko Kramarić on Authoritarian Legacies and Democracy’s Future in the Balkans

    Geneva meeting begins in bid to halt escalating Israel-Iran conflict

  • Top News

    The NATO Summit in 2027 will be held in Tirana.

    NATO allies agree to allocate 5% of GDP to defense by 2035

    Reza Pahlavi: “This Is Our Berlin Wall Moment” — Exiled Prince Calls for Global Support as Iran Nears Regime Collapse

    Where does Donald Trump stand on the Israel-Iran conflict?

    Russia Proposes Second Round of Ukraine Peace Talks in Istanbul on June 2

    International leaders congratulate Prime Minister Rama after his victory in the parliamentary elections, securing a fourth term.

    Albania’s parliamentary elections competitive and well run but lacked level playing field, international observers say

    Top Ukrainian delegation arrives in Paris for talks with Western officials

    Marta Kos: Albania Making Rapid Progress Toward EU Integration

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Home ENGLISH

Moscow’s Top Envoy to Tirana Mikhail Afanasiev: Russia’s Only Interest in Balkans Is Peace, Stability and Cooperation

12 June, 2020
in ENGLISH, Interview
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“The Balkan Peninsula is important to Russia. We do not hide this. Russia has long been present in the Balkans, not for the last 30-40 years, but for several centuries. Russia is interested in this region, which is not so far from our borders, for peace, stability, and economic prosperity in it,” has said Russian Ambassador to Albania Mikhail Afanasiev.

Ambassador Afanasiev made that comment in an interview with Euronews Albania TV on June 11, 2020 during which he dwelt at length on many issues among which those related to the complicated relations with Albania, the eventual perspective of the improvement of Russian-Albanian ties, the Russian point of view on Pristina-Belgrade dialogue. According to him, the Balkans is important for Russia both from the point of view of its security and that of economic cooperation with all the countries of the region in the spirit of mutual benefit.

“We are all neighbors, part of a region where the Black Sea lies, and incidentally Albania, too, is a member of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization,” said Moscow’s top envoy to Tirana.

Afanasiev said that it was not his country which was preventing the cooperation between the two countries. “I would sincerely say that Russia is interested in the development of the relations in all fields with Albania. It is thought in Moscow that all the necessary preconditions exist for such a thing,” confessed the Ambassador. In this frame he recalled as a positive example the Albanian-Russian cooperation during the time of the Soviet Union. “Russia is ready to propose cooperation in many fields.”

With regard to the issue raised by the moderator that Russian media describe Albania with a touch of Islamism, high criminality and link it with claims on ‘Greater Albania’, Ambassador Afanasiev had the following answer: “Personally, I have never heard negative assessments of Albania by the Russian public opinion or the pro-government circles of my country. Historically, Albania has been considered a friendly country. As for the characteristics of Albania as a criminal, Islamic or extremist state, they are found in the publications of some media, which do not reflect the official point of view.”

The Ambassador also commented on Prime Minister Edi Rama’s statements during a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Albania’s stance on NATO, the United States and the European Union.

Rama visited Moscow on February 26 this year under Albania’s chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, where he held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Rama visited Moscow on an official visit as the OSCE chairman-in-office, and the focus of the talks was the crisis in Ukraine, but the parties also discussed bilateral relations at grassroots levels.

Moscow’s top diplomat in Tirana believed that choosing friends or partners is an indisputable right of every country. “If the Albanian side puts itself in such a narrow framework, we have nothing to interpret. However, I want to remind you that today’s world has long since lost its unipolarity,” he noted.

Another delicate topic addressed during the interview was Prime Minister Rama’s commitment to reviewing the agreement with Russia signed in 2004 with the then Socialist- led government. The Ambassador was specific on explaining how the matters stand with this issue, and regarding this he made the following comment: “I would like to bring some explanations regarding this information, which is not completely accurate. The agreement on friendship and co-operation, signed by our foreign ministers in 2004, was unfortunately not signed, and therefore did not enter into force. Therefore, we cannot talk yet about its implementation. If the Albanian side wants to regulate its content in accordance with current realities, then we are ready to meet its requirements in a reasonable manner. So far, we have not seen such intentions.”

In the meantime the diplomat turned again to the vote in Albanian parliament on the resolution condemning, among other things, Russia’s involvement in the country’s electoral process. “I am deeply shocked and still cannot find an explanation as to what facts these allegations were based. It is true that there has been a lawsuit against an opposition leader, allegedly because of his connections with Russian citizens and the financing of their election campaign by them in Albania. Albanian justice has acquitted him. It is not necessary to return to this issue, especially since there are currently no Russian financial or political interests in Albania,” he said.

In a comment on Russian influence in the Albanian media, Afanasiev denied that his country had influence in the local media, and even described it as “anti-Russian”. According to his feeling, the Albanian media pursues a general anti-Russian orientation, catching with pleasure the anti-Russian fabrications published in the European press. “I have never seen pro-Russian articles.”

The Ambassador was also asked if Russia would ever recognize Kosovo, and his answer was that his country’s position on the Kosovo issue is well known, and in a way he was stunned at being asked such a question.

“No matter what anyone says, UN Security Council Resolution 1244 remains the current element of international law that should guide UN member states in this matter. Against this backdrop, it is strange to hear calls for Russia to recognize Kosovo’s “independence.” Perhaps this call should be addressed to some EU countries, membership of which is Albania’s top priority? That would be more logical.”

There are five EU member countries which continue not to recognize Kosovo’s independence and they are Spain, Slovakia, Cyprus, Romania, and Greece.

In addition the Ambassador clarified: “As for the possibility of recognizing the province’s independence from Russia, Moscow has repeatedly said: we will support any mutually acceptable compromise decision on Kosovo’s status, reached as a result of direct negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina.” Russian Ambassador declared solemnly: “If our Serbian friends agree with the recognition of Kosovo as an independent state, we will certainly consider this possibility.”

In a nutshell Afanasiev repeated Moscow’s stance saying that the issue is directly related to the stakeholders within the negotiation process. “Only a compromise solution will be sustainable, capable of guaranteeing stability and security in the region. We also believe that one of the preconditions for resolving the issue is the continued observation of the UN Security Council on Kosovo. The final solution to the Kosovo issue must be supported by the UN Security Council by adopting a new resolution to replace the current resolution 1244.”

Asked about the visit of the Russian FM Lavrov to Belgrade he revealed that he had just seen the news that Moscow’s top diplomat would be in Belgrade on June 18 this year. “The talks will focus on bilateral relations. I have no other information on the agenda. As for the purposes and timelines of this visit, it is not my job as a diplomat to evaluate them. Media representatives have freedom of action here.”

“What does Russia want in the Balkans?” was one of the questions during the interview, and Afanasiev’s answer, which was mentioned even above this article, is as follows: “The Balkan Peninsula is important for Russia. We do not hide this. Russia has long been present in the Balkans, not for the last 30-40 years, but for centuries. It would be wrong to say that we develop relations only with the Orthodox countries, as one of our biggest partners is mainly Turkey. Of course, we have close relations with Greece. The countries of the former Yugoslavia are also among our successful partners. Therefore, it cannot be said that Russia has a selective orientation towards certain countries in the region. With someone the relationship is better, with someone else not so much. Russia is interested in peace, stability, tranquility and economic prosperity in this region, which is not far from our borders. For us, this is important both from the point of view of our security and from the point of view of mutually beneficial economic cooperation with all the countries of the region. We are all neighbors, part of a region where the Black Sea lies. Incidentally, Albania is also a member of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization. We are partners in pan-European organizations, such as the OSCE. All countries in the region aim to join the EU, which is Russia’s largest economic partner. From this point of view, peace, stability and cooperation are our only interests in the Balkan region.” /argumentum.al

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