COUNCIL OF ALBANIAN AMBASSADORS ONE YEAR OF INTENSE ACTIVITY 2019-2020 No 2 CAA is an non-profit, non-political independent organization founded by a group of former Ambassadors, aiming to promote the highest ANNUAL REPORT standards in international and Albanian diplomatic Mission News Meetings practice. and and and Members Statements Partners Table of Contents The Mission of CAA ...... 1 CAA Commemorates its First Anniversary ............. 2 News and Statements ..... 6 Members of CAA........... 32 General Assembly .......... 33 Albanian Senior Diplomats 1912-1944.... 38 Albanian Ambassadors 1912-1991 ........................40 Albanian Ambassadors after 1991 ........................ 41 Albanian Ambassadors of Kosovo and North Macedonia .......... 42 Contacts E-mail: [email protected] www.albanianambassadors.al Mob: +355 68 20 43 785 Postal Address: Bulevardi “Zogu I” P.O. Box 1400, Tirana - ALBANIA The second Annual Report of CAA was prepared by: Genci Muçaj Spiro Koçi Jorgji Kote Mal Berisha Bekim Sejdiu Muhamed Halili Gazmend Pulaj 1 COUNCIL OF ALBANIAN AMBASSADORS The Mission of the Council of Albanian Ambassadors The mission of the analyse the issues, events Foreign Service for at Council of Albanian Am- and developments, of a least one term as well as bassadors (CAA) is to set permament interest for government officials who up the moral tones of the have served with distinc- Albanian National For- tion in international fora eign Policy as well as to and missions abroad. provide professional The members of support to the Al- the Council of banian Foreign Albanian Am- Policy, on behalf bassadors may of the nation’s in- be senior career terests in the field diplomats, who of international have held major relations. responsibilities The Council of and worked in Albanian Ambas- key positions at sadors shall provide the Ministry of For- its assistance to achieve eign Affairs for at least a more efficient and pro- five (5) years, and former fessional performance of Foreign Ministers. the Albanian diplomacy, Albania, by giving the rel- They are elected by in compliance with the evant recommendations, their peers based on cri- highest international stan- either in confidence or teria of professionalism dards and the Albanian publicly. and achievement, and re- nation needs. The Council of Alba- flecting the CAA’s com- The Council of Alba- nian Ambassadors is a mitment to diversity. nian Ambassadors shall voluntary union of the The Council of Alba- promote the image of the off-duty highest-ranking nian Ambassadors is an Albanian diplomacy, state diplomats that have served independent, non-polit- and nation in the interna- as career and non-career ical social organization, tional arena. Ambassadors of the Re- detached from all political CAA shall monitor and public of Albania in the parties. COUNCIL OF ALBANIAN AMBASSADORS 2 The Council of Albanian Ambassadors Commemorates its First Anniversary Remarks from the President of the Council of Albanian Ambassadors, Mr. Besnik Mustafaj, on the occasion of the 1st Anniversary of its foundation, on May 29th, 2019. Honorable Mr. Presi- Council. of Albania. True, we are dent of the Republic, In fact, one year is a very not part of our Diplomatic Excellences, Ambassadors, little time for the life of an Corps; yet, our solid con- Dear Friends, organization. It is also very fidence has been and re- On behalf of the Coun- little for the professional mains that this experience cil of Albanian Ambas- life for each one in our is useful for our national sadors, I extend to you a Council. Nonetheless, this foreign policy interests. warm welcome to the cel- first year has been quite We do also believe that ebration of the First An- sufficient to affirm the goal speeding up Albania’s EU niversary of our organiza- of our joining together. integration is the major tion. We view your high Each of us has a long and interest for all Albanians. presence here today as a unique experience behind Accordingly, we have pro- token of appreciation and at the service of the for- vided and will continue to encouragement for our eign policy of the Republic do so and, on voluntary 3 COUNCIL OF ALBANIAN AMBASSADORS route within one of the largest political formations. As we all know, this year has marked an escalating tension in the political life to reach up the point of extreme polarization to- day. An indication of this polarization is also the different way how one or the other political camp “ read” the messages from our international Euro- basis, with our expertise, eign affairs as well. pean and US partners. in support of this process. It should be admit- In such conditions, the For well-known historic ted that this year was not challenge for our Council reasons, a part of Albanian the most appropriate to has been and remains to ambassadors during the last start up the life of an or- preserve its coherence to 30 years have not come only ganization like ours; in the the benefit of national in- from the career diplomatic landscape of the Albanian terest, avoiding both the service. Therefore, in the civil society, the Council of euphoria of a party and course of preparations for Albanian Ambassadors is the nihilism of the other. founding our Council, we a very specific and atypi- Thanks to their unity, our had two choices: either to cal example; and, it is its Council Members have go beyond this reality and members that have made it succeeded to rise over indi- join one another for a single so. Many from us entered vidual political preferences. goal over the party beliefs the foreign service after a Certainly, we shall keep or set up two separate or- notable career and a long on this track, believing that ganizations, thus extending despite our modest capa- the political debates among bilities, we shall be useful parties to our Council. in supporting Albania’s We made the first Euro – Atlantic aspirations. choice, also the most diffi- We have only advice and cult one; we wanted to set suggestions; besides, we out an example how even speak in public or in con- those who think differently fidential encounters for all may come together. Thus, those who want to listen we had the liberty to en- to us. The Council of Al- large our Council, includ- banian Ambassadors has ing former ministers for- been cautious in averting COUNCIL OF ALBANIAN AMBASSADORS 4 internal party debates, by largely focusing on the for- eign policy developments of our state. However, taking advan- tage from the presence of some of our major politi- cal leaders here today, we use this opportunity to voice our great concern on the grave situation that has swept over the country. In to the common point – the national history. We still our judgment, this unusual major country’s interests. hope that they would not situation impairs the con- This would be a compro- miss this chance. fidence of our strategic mise with painful conces- And now, permit me European and American sions by both sides and to extend our deepest partners on Albania and its from those in power, in gratitude to the Coun- political establishment; It particular; it would be one cil of American Ambas- does also put to direct dif- of those compromises sadors. Our friends from ficulties the EU integration reached only by a politi- Washington have accom- process. cal leadership with deeply panied and encouraged Moreover, it is not only rooted convictions to serve us from the very first mo- the reasons lying at its ori- democracy. This compro- ment when the idea for gin but also the mode of mise could be an opportu- this Council was born. the management of this nity for those leaders who Our cooperation with the crisis which do not cor- dream to have an esteemed Council of American Am- respond to the values of place in our political and bassadors and the US Dip- European democracy. The CAA cannot reconcile with this reality. We think that the only healthy solution to this crisis is a compromise that should be necessarily reached through an open and fair dialogue. Therefore, we expect from both sides to pull out from the party trenches and without losing any more time to come closer 5 COUNCIL OF ALBANIAN AMBASSADORS lomatic Academy is very precious for us. Likewise, special thanks go to the ambassadors of our friendly countries ac- credited in Tirana. They have realized from the very outset our goal, establish- ing an open and friendly communication with us as among colleagues. We also thank the media for their echoe to our statements. Finally, let me assure you that we shall continue to perform our duty, hop- ing we would be useful for the public opinion, for the Diplomatic Corps of the Republic of Albania and for all state institutions, that in one way or another, are involved with Albania’s international relations and our partners. Thank you all! COUNCIL OF ALBANIAN AMBASSADORS 6 NEWS STATEMENTS & CAA welcomes EC’s positive recommendation 05/30/2019 and North Macedonia. We encourage full endorsement of this recommendation by the EU Council as soon as possible. Albania has reached another important milestone, but this is no time for compla- cency or euphoria. We invite all Albanian stakeholders to employ every effort to consolidate EU-re- lated reforms in comprehensive and concert fashion, in the best interest of the country. Council of Albanian Ambassadors wel- The Albanian people have made a clear come EC’s positive recommendation to choice which makes Albania’s EU integra- open accession negotiations with Albania tion path irreversible. The Council of Albanian Ambassadors meets Ambassador of Greece in Tirana 06/10/2019 Members of the Council of Albanian Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic in Ambassadors had a working luncheon with Albania Ms.