Voice of America:
Hashim Thaçi: The invitation by the President of the United States, George W. Bush to visit Washington and to have meetings of such a high level, is of utmost importance for the institutions and the people of Kosovo, for our independent, sovereign and democratic state; it is a visit of success and progress for Kosovo, it is an acknowledgement of this success, and the highest assessment of the Kosovo leadership and the people of Kosovo. We declared independence in a coordinated way, managed the entire process in a successful way, then we immediately started with the implementation of the Ahtisaari Plan, then we went ahead and put in force the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, a very modern constitution that respects in the best affirmative sense the minorities, and we also continued with another splendid success, the Donors’ Conference, which turned Kosovo into a huge and deserving beneficiary. Now, the meetings we are having in Washington are meetings acknowledging the success, are meetings of our engagement, and are also and opportunity for us to express our priorities, dilemmas or concerns as institutions of the country. During the meeting with the Secretary of State, Rice, and during the meeting with the Secretary of Defense, Gates, we expressed all the commitment we have shown as institutions to establish a good governance in Kosovo, rule of law, democratic and effective functioning of all the central and local institutions, for respecting of all the minority communities, to build Kosovo as a democratic country, that is home to all the people, and our commitment to continue building of excellent relations with all the countries in the region, Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, and in the future also with Serbia; but at the same time we also got confirmation during these two meetings of special importance that Kosovo will continue to have the full support of the United States of America, and at the same time the territorial integrity of Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state will be guaranteed. This cooperation will continue, and of course will reach the climax tomorrow with the meeting with President Bush.
Voice of America: Mr. Thaçi, your Government had the historical fate to be the first Government of the independent state of Kosovo; it also has the responsibility and the burden to show that this new state will be successful. Kosovo is today facing a wide range of problems. What plans does your Government have to make Kosovo overcome these huge difficulties?
Hashim Thaçi: In fact, the United States of America has always trusted Kosovo; they trusted the people of Kosovo, their pro-Western orientation. Starting with the administration of Bush Senior, then the concrete commitment for the liberation of Kosovo, launch of bombing campaign by President Clinton, and now with the commitment by the current President Bush, all show that these are historical relations of a joint success. It is a historical destiny, but at the same time it is a merit and responsibility for what we have done in Kosovo, because at the end of the day, the people of Kosovo have elected their people to lead, to make the decisions that we have made. Now after the democratic transition we will face different challenges; foster economic development, rule of law and fight on corruption and organized crime and opening of Kosovo’s perspective to integrate in NATO and the European Union. There will be challenges and difficulties, but I have full trust that Kosovo will have a splashing success.
Voice of America: The Donors’ Conference pledged almost 2 billion dollars in assistance for Kosovo. What are some of the biggest and most urgent projects the Government of Kosovo is expected to undertake?
Hashim Thaçi: This conference is a conference of full success and of the new international support for Kosovo thanks to the good governance and the effectiveness we have shown, the tolerance we have shown also for minorities, but above all it is a support for the vision we have for development and integration. We will focus on building the legal infrastructure according to European standards. We will primarily focus on education, investments in the health sector, road infrastructure, environment, agriculture and many other fields of institutional and social life in order to work on modernizing Kosovo so that every citizen of Kosovo feels good to be the citizen of Kosovo.
Voice of America: Mr. Prime Minister, one of the goals of your Government is recognition of Kosovo by as many states as possible, but so far, Kosovo has not yet opened its first embassy. When is this expected to happen?
Hashim Thaçi: The decision to open diplomatic missions has already been taken by the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo. We will soon appoint the representatives of these missions. In a near future the first 10 embassies will be opened throughout the world, including here in Washington. The recognitions are continuing and if we make a comparison with how long it took for the other countries of the former Yugoslavia to be recognized, I think that in the Kosovo case, a miracle happened. We have been recognized by two thirds of the members of the European Union and NATO, by Japan, the United States and seven countries from the G8. As Madam Secretary Rice said, the recognitions for Kosovo will continue. All this commitment is channeled towards this direction and the meetings we had with Madam Rice and Mr. Gates, and the meeting with President Bush all contribute to continuation of support for Kosovo, but also for new recognitions of the independent state of Kosovo.
Voice of America: Your visit will reach the climax tomorrow when you will meet with President Bush. What do you expect from this meeting?
Hashim Thaçi: We will thank President Bush for the determination that he has shown for peace and stability in Kosovo and the region, and for supporting Kosovo to become a state and I can state with full responsibility that this pro-Americanism in Kosovo is a culture, civic and political and it is a culture that we will further foster as a leadership and as citizens. The relations between Kosovo and the United States will keep strengthening and will be relations of mutual respect and Kosovo will always be grateful to the United States for their unreserved support during all the times and circumstances Kosovo went through. Above all we will also thank the President for the new commitment to support Kosovo’s integration in NATO and the European Union. On our part, Kosovo is aware of its duties, which we will carry out with high state responsibility, and especially our firm commitment in the fight against global terrorism, fundamental groups, organized crime, corruption and to strengthening of the rule of law and our good governance. This is what I confirmed on behalf of the Government of Kosovo, this is what I will confirm tomorrow in the meeting with President Bush, that Kosovo in this respect has no dilemmas whatsoever, but there are only new responsibilities and a clear pro-Western vision and excellent relations with the United States of America.
Prime Minister Thaçi: Kosovo will carry out its duties with high state responsibility
The Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi and the President of the Republic of Kosovo Fatmir Sejdiu will meet on Monday at the White House with the US President, George W. Bush.
The leaders of the state of Kosovo are in the United States in their first official visit following the declaration of independence.
In an interview for the Voice of America, Prime Minister Thaçi points out that Kosovo will be eternally grateful to the US for their unreserved support in all the times and circumstances Kosovo went through.
Washington, 20 July 2008
Voice of America:
Hashim Thaçi: The invitation by the President of the United States, George W. Bush to visit Washington and to have meetings of such a high level, is of utmost importance for the institutions and the people of Kosovo, for our independent, sovereign and democratic state; it is a visit of success and progress for Kosovo, it is an acknowledgement of this success, and the highest assessment of the Kosovo leadership and the people of Kosovo. We declared independence in a coordinated way, managed the entire process in a successful way, then we immediately started with the implementation of the Ahtisaari Plan, then we went ahead and put in force the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, a very modern constitution that respects in the best affirmative sense the minorities, and we also continued with another splendid success, the Donors’ Conference, which turned Kosovo into a huge and deserving beneficiary. Now, the meetings we are having in Washington are meetings acknowledging the success, are meetings of our engagement, and are also and opportunity for us to express our priorities, dilemmas or concerns as institutions of the country. During the meeting with the Secretary of State, Rice, and during the meeting with the Secretary of Defense, Gates, we expressed all the commitment we have shown as institutions to establish a good governance in Kosovo, rule of law, democratic and effective functioning of all the central and local institutions, for respecting of all the minority communities, to build Kosovo as a democratic country, that is home to all the people, and our commitment to continue building of excellent relations with all the countries in the region, Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, and in the future also with Serbia; but at the same time we also got confirmation during these two meetings of special importance that Kosovo will continue to have the full support of the United States of America, and at the same time the territorial integrity of Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state will be guaranteed. This cooperation will continue, and of course will reach the climax tomorrow with the meeting with President Bush.
Voice of America: Mr. Thaçi, your Government had the historical fate to be the first Government of the independent state of Kosovo; it also has the responsibility and the burden to show that this new state will be successful. Kosovo is today facing a wide range of problems. What plans does your Government have to make Kosovo overcome these huge difficulties?
Hashim Thaçi: In fact, the United States of America has always trusted Kosovo; they trusted the people of Kosovo, their pro-Western orientation. Starting with the administration of Bush Senior, then the concrete commitment for the liberation of Kosovo, launch of bombing campaign by President Clinton, and now with the commitment by the current President Bush, all show that these are historical relations of a joint success. It is a historical destiny, but at the same time it is a merit and responsibility for what we have done in Kosovo, because at the end of the day, the people of Kosovo have elected their people to lead, to make the decisions that we have made. Now after the democratic transition we will face different challenges; foster economic development, rule of law and fight on corruption and organized crime and opening of Kosovo’s perspective to integrate in NATO and the European Union. There will be challenges and difficulties, but I have full trust that Kosovo will have a splashing success.
Voice of America: The Donors’ Conference pledged almost 2 billion dollars in assistance for Kosovo. What are some of the biggest and most urgent projects the Government of Kosovo is expected to undertake?
Hashim Thaçi: This conference is a conference of full success and of the new international support for Kosovo thanks to the good governance and the effectiveness we have shown, the tolerance we have shown also for minorities, but above all it is a support for the vision we have for development and integration. We will focus on building the legal infrastructure according to European standards. We will primarily focus on education, investments in the health sector, road infrastructure, environment, agriculture and many other fields of institutional and social life in order to work on modernizing Kosovo so that every citizen of Kosovo feels good to be the citizen of Kosovo.
Voice of America: Mr. Prime Minister, one of the goals of your Government is recognition of Kosovo by as many states as possible, but so far, Kosovo has not yet opened its first embassy. When is this expected to happen?
Hashim Thaçi: The decision to open diplomatic missions has already been taken by the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo. We will soon appoint the representatives of these missions. In a near future the first 10 embassies will be opened throughout the world, including here in Washington. The recognitions are continuing and if we make a comparison with how long it took for the other countries of the former Yugoslavia to be recognized, I think that in the Kosovo case, a miracle happened. We have been recognized by two thirds of the members of the European Union and NATO, by Japan, the United States and seven countries from the G8. As Madam Secretary Rice said, the recognitions for Kosovo will continue. All this commitment is channeled towards this direction and the meetings we had with Madam Rice and Mr. Gates, and the meeting with President Bush all contribute to continuation of support for Kosovo, but also for new recognitions of the independent state of Kosovo.
Voice of America: Your visit will reach the climax tomorrow when you will meet with President Bush. What do you expect from this meeting?
Hashim Thaçi: We will thank President Bush for the determination that he has shown for peace and stability in Kosovo and the region, and for supporting Kosovo to become a state and I can state with full responsibility that this pro-Americanism in Kosovo is a culture, civic and political and it is a culture that we will further foster as a leadership and as citizens. The relations between Kosovo and the United States will keep strengthening and will be relations of mutual respect and Kosovo will always be grateful to the United States for their unreserved support during all the times and circumstances Kosovo went through. Above all we will also thank the President for the new commitment to support Kosovo’s integration in NATO and the European Union. On our part, Kosovo is aware of its duties, which we will carry out with high state responsibility, and especially our firm commitment in the fight against global terrorism, fundamental groups, organized crime, corruption and to strengthening of the rule of law and our good governance. This is what I confirmed on behalf of the Government of Kosovo, this is what I will confirm tomorrow in the meeting with President Bush, that Kosovo in this respect has no dilemmas whatsoever, but there are only new responsibilities and a clear pro-Western vision and excellent relations with the United States of America.
Mr. Thaçi, you are the first Prime Minister of the independent state of Kosovo, also the first prime minister to pay an official visit here in Washington. How do you feel about this visit?