E. VENIZELOS: The statements we made with Mr. Bushati reflect the spirit of the talks I had yesterday evening with Prime Minister Rama and the talks I had this morning with the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Meta, with the President of the Republic, to whom I conveyed the warm Greetings of the President of our Republic, and the talks I had with the head of the opposition, with the mayor of Tirana and the President of the Democratic Party, because our relations are the relations of two states, of two peoples, of two nations. Of course, we always respect the will of the Albanian people, every government. And in every democratic system, contact with the opposition is also important.
From the content of the statements Mr. Bushati and I made, you can see how substantial our talks were on the level of European policy and on the level of our bilateral relations, because we really do want to follow a speedy process for resolving all the issues and for completing our partnership with Albania; a partnership that will have a positive effect on the whole region.
Here we have to include the statements we made yesterday and the day before in Kosovo, following the meeting with Prime Minister Thaci, and in Skopje, following the meeting not just with the governing authorities, but also with Mr. Ahmeti, the head of the Albanian community’s largest party, which is participating in the government.
So I want to express my satisfaction, because this trip to the six capitals of the Western Balkans is coming to a close in Tirana, in what is, I think, a very successful and practical manner.
I talked by telephone today with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about the critical development in Ukraine. I stressed to him that the Hellenic Presidency of the EU, in close collaboration with the High Representative, and within the framework of the Council’s decisions, is prepared to provide its good offices for the completion and implementation of the agreement in Ukraine, with the aim of bringing stability, averting violence, ensuring the institutional and territorial integrity of this important country. And of course with the aim of safeguarding the relations between the EU and Ukraine, and – you will allow me to say – between the EU and the Russian Federation, because these relations are of strategic importance – not just regional, but global.
Mr. Lavrov set out for me the Russian position and stressed that any solution must be inclusive, with the participation of not just all the political forces, but also all of the regions of Ukraine, and I will pass this on in my conversations with Lady Ashton and my counterparts in the EU.
We are always prepared to provide our good offices. We are working closely with Lady Ashton. We support the mission of the three Foreign Ministers – of Germany, France and Poland – who were in Kiev yesterday. You can see the particular interest of these countries.
As the rotating Presidency of the Council, we are particularly sensitive to and respect the initiatives of Lady Ashton, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Council. From our point of view, chairing the General Affairs Council, and based on the EU’s enlargement policy, we are prepared to help, because Europe, not just as a Union, but also as a continent, really must ensure its stability and perspective. This is vital in a turbulent world that is constantly facing new crises and outbreaks of violence; violence that is extensive and out of control. This challenges the core panhuman values.
February 21, 2014