03 May 2003
U.S. Joins Albania, Croatia, Macedonia in Adriatic Charter
(Powell signs in ceremony with counterparts) (3340)
Secretary of State Colin Powell joined Albanian Foreign Minister
Ilir Meta, Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula, and Macedonian
Foreign Minister Ilinka Mitreva May 2 in Tirana, Albania, to sign the
U.S.-Adriatic Charter.
The Charter, Powell said, will serve as a roadmap to Euro-Atlantic
integration for the three countries. He said it "reaffirms our
partners' dedication to work individually with each other and with
their neighbors to build a region of strong democracies powered by
free market economies," and "underscores the importance we place on
their eventual full integration into NATO and other European
institutions."
Powell said the Charter also recognizes that hard work lies ahead for
the partner countries "as they bring their economic, military and
political institutions up to standards, not only those required by
NATO, but more importantly those that the citizens of these countries
deserve."
Powell said the Charter reaffirms pledges made by the three countries
"to continue strengthening their democratic institutions, and to drain
the swamp of corruption that stands between the region's peoples and
their dreams. It requires them to raise up the rule of law, as a
standard of fairness and dignity for all."
Following is a State Department transcript of the signing ceremony:
(begin transcript)
Remarks at the U.S.-Adriatic Charter Signing Ceremony
Secretary Colin L. Powell
With Albanian Foreign Minister Ilir Meta, Croatian Foreign Minister
Tonino Picula, and Macedonian
Foreign Minister Ilinka Mitreva
Tirana, Albania
May 2, 2003
MODERATOR: We have come here today for an historic event, that is the
signing of the U.S.-Adriatic Charter. After the signing there will be
statements by each of the ministers and the Secretary of State and if
time permits there will be a short session of questions and answers.
All the proceedings will be in English. Gentlemen, it is time to
exchange the signatures. (Charter signed) The signing is over, please
extend a warm applause. (applause)
I call on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Albania, His
Excellency Mr. Ilir Meta for his statement.
FOREIGN MINISTER META: Distinguished guests, dear Mr. Secretary
Powell, dear friends Ilinka and Tonino.
It is a special honor that Secretary Powell chose to come to the
region to sign this charter. It is not just our governments, but our
peoples as well, who truly share a special bond with the people of the
United States. We signed today the Charter of Partnership with my
fellow colleagues from Croatia and Macedonia and the United States
Government. We agreed to work together to bring our countries closer
to NATO. The door for us is open and in this process we are not alone.
This is a strong message on our commitment to promote freedom, peace,
stability, security and prosperity as fundamental values of the
Euro-Atlantic Partnership. We are committed to work together with our
international partners to face the challenges of the new millennium,
such as terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, organized crime,
and all sorts of illicit activities. We will continue to contribute in
peacekeeping operations in and out of the Euro-Atlantic area. This
will require hard work and tough decisions, but Mr. Secretary, you
have our commitment and strong resolve to show responsibility and
leadership to continued stability and prosperity of our region.
I will conclude by expressing our gratitude to the Government of the
United States and to the Secretary of State, Mr. Colin Powell, for the
permanent support that the United States and Secretary Powell are
giving to us. With your assistance, Mr. Secretary, we will all
succeed. (applause)
MODERATOR: May I now call on Minister for Foreign Affairs of Croatia,
His Excellency, Mr. Picula.
FOREIGN MINISTER PICULA: Thank you. Your excellencies, ladies and
gentlemen, dear friends. I would like to thank, of course, Minister
Meta, Albanian friends, for hosting this meeting. It's great to be in
Tirana again. The signing to the U.S.-Adriatic Charter is an
expression of our countries' commitment to the common values shared by
all members of the NATO and to our continued cooperation. It is
another step toward our countries' inclusion in European and
transatlantic mainstream, and it is another step in building
(inaudible) and security in our part of the world. I'm certain that
the level of understanding we are expressing by signing this charter
today will inspire other countries in the region as well, and that
message of understanding and cooperation will contribute in its own
way to closer dialogue with Southeast Europe, better. This dialogue is
about (inaudible) open issues, about promoting closer economic and
other ties, (inaudible) situation of each particular country in the
region into the NATO and European Union.
Dear friends, I would particularly like to thank the Secretary of
State, Colin Powell, for joining us today and thus expressing the U.S.
support for the efforts that Croatia, Albania and Macedonia are
putting in to create stability in Southeast Europe. The support of the
United States is particularly valuable, since it comes from a country
that has been for so many decades, and continues to be a vital factor
in European security. Thank you. (applause)
MODERATOR: I now call upon Minister for Foreign Affairs of Macedonia,
Her Excellency, Madame Mitreva for a statement.
FOREIGN MINISTER MITREVA: Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,
colleagues. Today, Macedonia, Croatia and Albania concluded a charter
of partnership with the United States of America. This is a document
of vision that will guide us to the alliance where we belong, the
transatlantic family of democracies. This is a document of values that
affirms our common beliefs in democracy, rule of law, and human
rights. Allow me to extend my deep appreciation, Secretary Powell, for
being with us today. These are times that seek your utmost engagement
and the will of your country. I would also like to thank our partners,
the Albanian host, for their kind hospitality.
This charter builds another bridge over the Atlantic. This charter is
a firm demonstration of partnership and commitment of our own
countries. This charter builds enduring security in the Balkans. In
the spirit of Vilnius, it is an addition of impetus for our common
endeavor towards full membership in NATO in the next enlargement
round. By signing this charter, the United States invests their
authority and trusting us with their support towards our strategic
integration.
President Bush has seen a community of European countries that
stretches from the Baltic to the Black Sea. The Prague summit made one
part of this vision true: we are here today to enrich this dream. We
will bring with him that community of countries that extends from
(inaudible).
There is a natural tendency of the democracy to ally with another in a
collective effort to defend values they share. The idea of Europe,
whole and free, does not allow any part of it to remain isolated. We
recognize that joining in NATO and EU requires national decisions,
national action, and national commitment for political, economic and
military reforms. But we also recognize that many of the problems we
face require regional cooperation, especially the fight against
transnational criminal networks. Regional solidarity and regional
coordination fit into global peace, security and prosperity.
We stand together with the United States and NATO to face bold threats
of our times: international terrorism, proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction, and militant (inaudible).
Dear friends, some problems we can solve by ourselves. Some, we
cannot. But there are no problems we cannot solve together - we,
Macedonia, Albania, Croatia and United States of America. Thank you.
(applause)
MODERATOR: Thank you, all right, I call on the Secretary of State of
the United States of America, His Excellency, Mr. Colin Powell, for a
statement.
SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you very much. Minister Meta, Minister
Mitreva, Minister Picula, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
I am very pleased to be here in Tirana for the signing of the Adriatic
Charter with Albania, Croatia and Macedonia. The very fact that we are
here in Albania's capital city shows how far Albania and Southeast
Europe have come over recent years. Once Albania was a watchword for
isolation, a land and people cut off from the rest of Europe. Today we
meet in a city that is opening to the world. Tirana is truly a fitting
place from which to survey the road ahead. That road is the
Euro-Atlantic road.
At last year's NATO Summit in Prague, President Bush reaffirmed the
United States commitment to a strong relationship with a Europe that
is whole, free and at peace and linked to the United States.
When pledging America's support for further expansion of NATO,
President Bush made it clear that the Europe of his vision does not
end at the Drava or the Danube, but embraces all the peoples of the
Continent, including those of Southeast Europe. As the President
stated, every European democracy that seeks NATO membership and is
ready to share in NATO's responsibilities should be welcomed in our
Alliance.
In this spirit, we warmly welcome the initiative launched with our
partners here today to draft the Adriatic Charter. This Charter will
serve as a roadmap for them and their path to Euro-Atlantic
integration as well as a guide for our collective efforts to help them
achieve their aspirations. The Charter reaffirms our partners'
dedication to work individually with each other and with their
neighbors to build a region of strong democracies powered by free
market economies. It underscores the importance we place on their
eventual full integration into NATO and other European institutions.
And most importantly, the Charter promises to strengthen the ties that
bind the peoples of the region to the United States, to one another
and to a common future within the Euro-Atlantic family.
The Charter also recognizes that hard work lies ahead for our partner
countries as they bring their economic, military and political
institutions up to standards, not only those required by NATO, but
more importantly those that the citizens of these countries deserve.
The Charter reaffirms our partners' solid pledges to continue
strengthening their democratic institutions, and to drain the swamp of
corruption that stands between the region's peoples and their dreams.
It requires them to raise up the rule of law, as a standard of
fairness and dignity for all.
I am confident that the spirit of cooperation that created the
Adriatic Charter will now speed our partners' reforms and the region's
integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. With my signature in the
Charter today, I am confirming that the United States will do
everything possible to assist the people of Albania, Croatia and
Macedonia to reach their potential and together complete their
historic journey back to the heart of Europe. Thank you very much.
(applause)
MODERATOR: We are now in the questions and answers session. I
emphasize all the proceedings will be held in English. Are there any
questions? CNN, please.
QUESTION: The Adriatic Charter seems like a nice move toward world
peace. But that said, we also understand today that India and Pakistan
may have taken their first step toward normalizing relations and I was
wondering if the Secretary had any comments on that.
SECRETARY POWELL: I am very pleased with the developments on the
sub-continent over the last several weeks. The United States has been
in very close touch with both sides. I've been in touch with my Indian
colleagues as well as my Pakistani colleagues. And I think the
reaching out that has taken place, first on the part of the Prime
Minister Vajpayee a few weeks ago and the response from the Pakistani
side and then that was followed up with a phone call between Prime
Minister Jamali and Prime Minister Vajpayee, got the process moving
along and now I understand there has been some additional openings
with respect to air corridors and we are on the verge of seeing their
representatives return to each other's capitals.
All this is very, very promising. At a time when people were beginning
to wonder whether or not we were going back up on a slope of potential
conflict, a conflict of the kind that we feared last year. So, I
congratulate the leaders of both sides and I hope that these first
steps are just that; first steps on the way to finding a way for the
difficulties that existed between these two nations to be resolved
through good will and through the solid conversation and dialogue.
MODERATOR: I recognize the representative of Macedonian A-1 TV.
QUESTION: Mr. Powell, a question for you, sir. Can Macedonia, Albania
and Croatia hope for a bigger role in the reconstruction of Iraq?
SECRETARY POWELL: I'm sorry, I didn't hear that.
QUESTION: Can Macedonia, Albania and Croatia hope for a bigger role in
the reconstruction of Iraq?
SECRETARY POWELL: Yes, we've spoken about that this morning with all
of my colleagues. I think every nation should be examining their
policies now to see how they can participate in the reconstruction of
Iraq; reconstruction of Iraq not from what happened in recent weeks
with the military conflict, but reconstruction of the society and the
infrastructure of a society that was systematically destroyed by over
two decades of dictatorship and bad leadership under Saddam Hussein.
What we are finding in Iraq now with the hospitals inadequate, water
supply inadequate, roads inadequate, other things inadequate, the
results of a dictator who spent the money of the people, the wealth of
the country, its oil revenue on weapons of mass destruction and on
threatening his neighbors. Now, the Iraqi people have new hope that
they will be able to create a government that is democratic and that
will serve the interests of its people.
And I think that the three nations here with me today have an
opportunity to participate, not only in the reconstruction, but in
showing the people of Iraq how to move forward out of the past and
into the future. They have experience that is quite relevant and each
and everyone of them has said to me that in one way or another, in
other words, in the limited capacity that they have, that they are
willing to help. Some have already helped by putting forces on the
ground or making financial commitments or other types of commitments
to the people of Iraq. And we're very pleased with their response,
we're very pleased that they were supportive of our efforts from the
very beginning.
MODERATOR: I recognize the representative of the Croatian television,
HRT, Mr. Thomas.
QUESTION: I have a question for Mr. Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Why did you choose Albania for signing the Adriatic Charter? Why not
Macedonia or Croatia?
SECRETARY POWELL: Any one would have been fine by me, all three of
them are partners in this together, and I regret I cannot be in three
places in one time. They've all (inaudible). I look forward to
visiting in their countries in the near future. But this was a
convenient time and it was scheduled on relatively short notice. The
Charter came together, and so I just took this opportunity on a
planned trip to come to Tirana, but I cannot think of a better place
to do this, except the capitals of the other two that you mentioned.
(laughter) We are not going to have a fight up here over this.
(laughter)
What is important is that it wasn't a problem. Everybody was anxious
to sign this Charter, to show partnership and in a partnership
sometimes you are working in one country, and sometimes in another,
sometimes it's in one capital, sometimes it's another. But there was
no competition for this. It worked, it was convenient and we are all
very pleased to be here today in Tirana.
MODERATOR: You, the Albanian TV 8.
QUESTION: Mr. Powell, why did you choose Tirana, was it for our
position on war in Iraq? And for the other Ministers, I will just ask
the same question: What do you mean?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, clearly I took the opportunity of being here
today to thank the President, Prime Minister and my Foreign Minister
colleague for the strong support that Albania did provide to the
coalition of the war on Iraq, and especially to thank them for the
contribution with the troops -- a small contingent, but an important
contingent that is working with our great 101st Airborne division in
Iraq. And so that was certainly one additional reason, but it was more
convenience for my schedule, as well as convenience on the part of my
other two colleagues to join your Foreign Minister here today.
FOREIGN MINISTER META: and I want to have an additional answer with
your permission Mr. Secretary to the Albanian journalist but also to
the Croatian journalists and Macedonian journalists, that this Charter
was having a very long travel until today. Skopje, Prague, Dubrovnik
and our ambassadors in Washington etc. At the very beginning of my
statement I said that it is a special honor that Secretary Powell
chose to come to the region. I didn't mention Tirana because I hoped
that everybody, even the Croatian journalists and the Macedonian
journalists feel at home here as my colleagues Ilinka and Tonino are
feeling.
MODERATOR: Last question, very short one today. 55.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary Powell, I will ask you that what is your
opinion about the support of the United States in the war against
organized crime, because it's not only a problem of Albania, but all
the region and we have read all the last reports of the State
Department on this issue.
SECRETARY POWELL: We have had a very candid discussion about the
subject of crime and corruption and trafficking, and I think we are in
agreement. It was here in my conversations with the Albanian
leadership that this requires the efforts of all of us. You can't just
fight it alone. You have to fight it as part of the regional
cooperation and international cooperation. Terrorists, traffickers,
those who deal in drugs, cross boundaries and destroy societies, both
here and in far away as well. And so this is something the entire
international community must come together on and the point I was
making earlier here today, was that all of the nations in Southeast
Europe have to be part of this campaign against this kind of activity.
And you're not doing it just to satisfy American interests or European
interests, you're doing it for yourself, you're doing it to help your
own people realize that as a society that wants to be part of a
greater Euro-Atlantic partnership, you have to meet the standards
expected of that partnership. And you want your country to be free of
these kinds of influences; you don't want the world to look at your
country and see these elements having sway, having power in your
country.
So you are doing it for yourselves, and especially if you want to
attract investment in your country. You want people to feel free to
come here and invest and through that investment create jobs for your
citizens. That's what it's all about. Investment is not just for a
company to come in and making a profit, it's for a company to come in
and trust your country and trust your people so that jobs can be
created, wealth can be created for the people of Southeast Europe. And
so they can provide better lives for their children and that's what
it's all about, not just ending crime for the sake of ending crime.
Ending crime for the sake of building a better society that gives hope
to the children of your societies. Thank you.
MODERATOR: Mr. President, Mr. Prime Minister, distinguished Foreign
Ministers, honorable guests. We were all very much honored by the
visit of Secretary of State. We thank him very much for that. Now I
thank you all for participating in the ceremony. Thank you very much
for coming. (applause)
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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