The Albanian delegation from the Presheva Valley (Southern Serbia) in conversation with the US special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Gabriel Escobar, former deputy-assistant of the US Secretary of State
Washington, October 14 – A high-level delegation from the Presheve Valley visited the Washington office yesterday. A five-member delegation (Shaip Kamberi, deputy in Serbia, Nagip Arifi, president of Buajoc, Ramgi Mustafi, president of the Albanian National Council in Serbia and Ragmi Mustafa, former president of Presheva and DPA) were received by the US special envoy for the dialogue Kosovo-Serbia, Gabriel Escobar, former deputy-assistant of the US Secretary of State, announces the Swiss Albanian newspaper Canton27.ch
The Brussels dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia takes place from April 19, 2013, which means that for almost ten years at the EU headquarters, only the Serbian minority in Kosovo is spoken about, but not a word about the Albanians of Serbia (Presheve Valley)? ! For this very reason, the representatives of the Presheva Valley have constantly requested that within the framework of the Prishtina-Belgrade dialogue process, the issue of Albanians in Serbia, who feel discriminated against by the Belgrade regime in education, employment, symbols and life, should also be included. institutional in Serbia for what has provoked a large exodus towards Switzerland and other EU countries.
For the European Union, the Preševo Valley is « Serbia’s internal issue », while for the North of Kosovo, they have never said that it is « Kosovo’s internal issue ». This refrain was heard most often in Brussels. Therefore, a delegation from Presheva yesterday knocked on the doors of Washington officials who were welcomed by Escobar.
Russia is interested in the Serbs, America in the Albanians in Serbia. The high American official Escobar has received in Washington a delegation of ethnic Albanians from the Presheve Valley (Southern Serbia)
Albanians in Serbia are numerically more than Serbs in Kosovo, who feel more discriminated against, because the Serbs of the North are privileged both by the Government of Kosovo and by the international community.
In Serbia before the war there were about 300 thousand Albanians, where only in the Serbian capital in Belgrade there were over 100 thousand Albanians, wrote the Swiss newspaper Le Canton27.ch, referring to official sources from Belgrade.
The numbers and facts prove that the Albanians of the Valley are indeed discriminated against. Since the war in the Presheva Valley, over 20 Albanians, mainly political intellectuals, students and businessmen, have been killed, and so far no one has been arrested or punished by the Serbian authorities?!
In addition to this, the skirmish continues in the Presheve Valley, which the NGO association and the Human Rights Council consider as ethnic cleansing. According to the Swiss newspaper Le Canton27.ch, there are currently over 80 thousand Albanians from Medvegja, Bujancola and Presheva in the west. In Switzerland alone there are 20,000 Albanians from the Presheva Valley and in Germany 25,000 as well as thousands of others in Belgium, France, Italy, Austria, America, Australia… not counting those in Turkey.
It is learned that from this meeting between the delegation from Presheva and the US special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Gabriel Escobar, the State Department discussed the current political and economic situations, the discrimination of Albanians by the Serbian regime for the need for fair treatment and the demands of the Albanians of the Presheva Valley.
The Swiss newspaper Le Canton27.ch has also learned from the Valley’s delegation in Washington that Mr. Escobar discussed the need for equal and reciprocal treatment of minorities through the same standards as a prerequisite for a future agreement for long-term peace in the Western Balkans. .
Since for years Eussia has been interested in the Serbs, recently the USA has also become interested in the Albanians not only in Kosovo, but also in the Presheve Valley, who should live in freedom and democracy like the undiscriminated Kosovo Serbs, who all rights are well integrated in social and institutional life in Kosovo.
The Presheva Valley is in focus was underlined in the meeting with the American delegate for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, at the same time deputy-assistant to the American Secretary of State.
The Albanian MP in Serbia, Mr. Shaip Kamberi, for the Swiss newspaper Le Canton27.ch, described the visit to Washington as a new historical page for the perspective of the Presheva Valley, which awaits good days.
According to them, there were very important meetings in « U.S. Department of State » in Washington DC with Mr. Gabriel Escobar and other senior American officials.
« With Mr. Escobar, I have discussed all the problems that concern the Albanians of the Presheva Valley and their political evolution since the beginning of the plural political system, the referendum of March 1 and 2, 1992, the glorious struggle of the UÇPMB, political platforms up to the vital demand of the Albanians of the Presheva Valley for union with the Republic of Kosovo. Mr. Escobar had the patience to listen to everyone carefully and among other things he says: « even the Albanians of the Presheva Valley are a strategic partner of the USA ». Of course, Mr. Escobar will use much of what he heard from us in a positive direction during the Prishtina-Belgrade talks in Brussels.