Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Sali Berisha in his historic speech given at the United Nations General Assembly, said that the independence of Kosovo has turned into an important fact of peace and stability in the Balkans, its recognition of independence as an irreversible reality is the stronger reaffirmation.

Albania PM called on all UN member states to recognize the independence of Kosovo, emphasizing that recognition is great contribution to the peace, stability and security in the Southeastern Europe.

NKR will bring a fragment of the historic speech of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania at the United Nations General Assembly given yesterday:

I must stress at this point that the establishment of the independent state of Kosovo, although only a small period of time has passed since its declaration of independence, has turned into an important factor of peace and stability in the South Eastern Europe. In this country [Kosovo], which declared its independence 20 months ago, inter-ethnic tensions have significantly been reduced. Serbs are not leaving Kosovo anymore, the opposite is happening, many Serbian families are coming back to Kosovo to build their future there. My Government [Albania] is determined to help and assist the government of Kosovo in its projects that facilitate the return of the displaced people in the country."

The European Union has send its EULEX monitoring mission, which it's doing an excellent job and providing an extremely precious help to the government of Kosovo and its authorities into consolidating the rule of law and functional democracy in Kosovo as well as into developing the best European standards of co-existence of various ethnic communities. KFOR also has played a very positive role and the fact that mission has been drastically reduced is a clear evidence for stability in this country.

Meanwhile, 62 country-member of the United Nations have recognized the independence of Kosovo, and the Republic of Kosovo has become a member of International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

I would like to point out in this occasion that all countries that recognize the Republic of Kosovo and the international institutions that accepted it in their fora as an independent member-state did so because, above all else, they are convinced that the independence of Kosovo and its international recognition bring a major contribution to the peace and stability in the Balkan region.

This why I take this opportunity and express my deepest gratitude to all the governments of the member-states of the United Nations that will consider in their agendas the review and assessment of this existing reality in the Southeastern Europe and the possibility of recognizing the independence of Kosovo. In my humble judgment, this would be a great contribution to the peace, stability and security in our region.

14 years ago, after condemning the coercive oppression, violence and barbarisms of the Milosevic regime against Kosovar Albanians, 137 member states of the United Nations voted in the Resolution 49/204 of 23 December 1994 to recognize and respect the will of the citizens of Kosovo. Today, this will is turned into the reality of the independent Kosovo. Today this will is recognized by 62 countries that took that historic vote.

I hope and firmly believe that the rest of the countries that voted that historic resolution will reaffirm the will that they expressed 14 years ago, this time through recognition of the newest European state, the Republic of Kosovo.