Albanian President Bamir Topi said on Friday his country would be among the first countries to recognize Kosovo once the U.N.-run breakaway Serbian province declares its independence, said reports reaching here from Kosovo's capital Pristina.
"We will be among the first, and I believe we will not be the first ... with the heart and soul we will be the first," Topi told reporters after visiting the headquarters of the U.N. Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).
Topi, who began his first visit to Kosovo as an Albanian head of state, said that Kosovo is on the verge of a historical moment and that local authorities will declare the independence in consonance with the international factor in a moment considered by them as reasonable.
Serbia strongly opposes the independence of its ethnic Albanian-dominated southern province, which has been run by the UNMIK since1999 when Serbian forces were pushed from Kosovo by the NATO bombing.
Serbia has also accused Albania of inciting the Kosovo rebellion for the purpose of creating a Greater Albania, which would unite ethnic Albanians living in Macedonia, Montenegro and Greece, but Tirana has denied the charges.
Topi reiterated that his country would respect national borders when Kosovo declares its independence, expected in coming weeks.
In remarks aimed at dismissing speculation about possible territorial changes or a union between Albania and Kosovo, Topi confirmed Albania's opposition to such developments.
"We will respect the borders of our countries, and there will be absolutely no move towards any change."
He expressed the hope "Serbia would not remain a hostage to nationalistic scenarios" and would eventually recognize Kosovo independence.
Topi met with Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu, UNMIK chief Joachim Rucker and will meet with Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci on Saturday.
Serbia has hinted it might impose an embargo on Kosovo if it declared independence, but Rucker said "Kosovo institutions and UNMIK were prepared to overcome a possible embargo by Serbia."
Asked how Tirana would react if Belgrade imposes a trade and energy blockade on Kosovo after a unilateral declaration of independence, Topi said: "We are sure that impacts of such a blockade will be zero."
Serbia's ally Russia has blocked independence moves in the U.N. Security Council, but the United States and most EU countries said they would recognize Kosovo independence and were preparing a civilian mission for Kosovo to replace the U.N. administration. Belgrade and Moscow have said such a mission would be illegal without the approval of the U.N. Security Council.
Thaci talked with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Brussels on Friday and said the declaration of independence was only days away.
Serbian minister for Kosovo, Slobodan Samardzic, told a press conference on Friday that Washington was pressing the EU to interfere in Kosovo to serve "American goals."
Samardzic said Serbia, as a state, should "respond decisively" to such moves. He expressed regret that the "entire EU has become a pawn of the United States."
The EU has pressed Kosovo ethnic Albanians not to declare independence until after the Serbian presidential election, not to diminish chances of pro-western incumbent Boris Tadic, who lost the first round to a nationalist challenger Tomislav Nikolic and was facing an uphill battle in the run-off set for Feb. 3.
Source: Xinhua
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