On 14 June, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Ms. Bintou Keita, and Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNMIK, Mr. Zahir Tanin, met Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana.
ASG Keita and SRSG Tanin expressed appreciation for the important moderating role of PM Rama, one of the distinguished leaders of the region.
Prime Minister Rama highlighted the importance of the EU integration process for the Western Balkans. He said he hoped EU values of solidarity would prevail over internal problems. PM Rama also expressed the opinion that it was unfair Kosovo had not yet achieved visa liberalisation, given authorities had fulfilled the final condition asked of them by ratifying border demarcation with Montenegro.
PM Rama expressed Albania’s interest in participating in the UN peacekeeping system, both as a sign of sympathy for peacekeeping operations and as a way to upgrade Albania’s human capital in police and military.