NAAC Representatives, U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman Discuss Albanian Issues
Declaring support for the “hopes and aspirations of the Albanian people”, Senator Lieberman underlined the importance of continued U.S. leadership in the Balkans, especially with regards to Kosova. He expressed appreciation for the outpouring of support Albanians have demonstrated for the U.S. - led military effort in Iraq. “It is great to witness that the rising new democracies in Europe are on our side and that the Republic of Albania committed troops to fight by the side of predominantly U.S. and British forces”, said the Senator, referring to the 39th Munich Conference on Security Policy where Albanian defense Minister Pandeli Majko assured the prominent American lawmakers, including Senators Lieberman and McCain, of Albania’s military commitment.
 NAAC Chairman Richard S. Lukaj emphasized that the Albanian people in Albania, Kosova and all over the world will always remain strong, loyal allies of the U.S. Lukaj also accentuated the significance of the Albanian territories as the U.S. contemplates more permanent homes for their military operations which currently reside in Germany and parts of the Middle East. Lukaj reminded the Senator that Albanians have extended an open invitation for the U.S. to consider more permanent operations in Kosova and Albania.
 More immediately, the NAAC Chairman sought the Senator’s support for concrete investments in the region by the U.S and perhaps, even Israel, to develop the Military intelligence capacities of Albanian security apparatus and the Kosova Protection Corps. Much training and development of these competencies are needed in the region in defense of law and order. These investments would go a long way towards enabling Albanians to rout out organized crime, the thousands of hostile operatives that continue to destabilize the region, combat traffickers of contraband, weapons, etc. and deter terrorists who thrive in regions with weak policing capabilities. The Senator endorsed this line of thinking. Senator Lieberman noted that he was honored by the support Albanian-American voters had given him in the past while he was part of the Gore/Lieberman ticket, adding that he looked forward to similar backing in his bid for President. If he emerges victorious in the 2004 Presidential race, the Connecticut Senator will be the first American President of Jewish descent in the U.S. history. Jews and Albanians “have been through so many challenges together and have such correlated histories that I feel very connected to the Albanian people, their hopes and aspirations”, Lieberman said. He added that despite many serious trials, Albanians and Jews have always managed to overcome and prevail. NAAC Executive Director Martin Vulaj, made the case for Kosova’s independence, arguing that it would be the only way to peace, political stability and economic prosperity in the Balkans. Emphasizing that continued U.S. aid would be crucial to Kosova’s economic recovery, Vulaj stressed the importance of providing Kosova’s elected officials with greater fiscal authority and direct access and control over foreign aid. Vulaj also emphasized the immediate significance of accelerating the transfer or power and competencies to the local authorities. In addition, he focused the group on the fiscal calamity that has befallen the Kosova economy and highlighted the approximately 80% unemployment level. Chairman Lukaj reiterated NAAC’s pursuit for the development of a $100 million Kosova Enterprise Fund and sought the Senator’s support, seeking to replicate the tremendous success of the Albanian Enterprise Fund. In addition, Lukaj informed the Senator regarding the millions of dollars that the Albanian Diaspora has committed to the creation of the American University in Kosova and sought his support and assistance in finding institutional funds to complete the proposed $65 million project. NAAC Vice Chairman Ilirjan Rusi made an important plea for continued U.S. leadership throughout the region, including in Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro and Greece where there are significant issues of concern to all Albanians. NAAC representatives cited countless human rights abuses against ethnic Albanians that continue in the region, important Agreements such as those reached in Oher that still are not respected or implemented properly, ancient relics of Laws related to past conflicts in the region that are still used to discriminate against Albanians, etc. All of these matters need an objective voice of leadership that only the U.S. has demonstrated on matters concerning the region. Community activist Rexh Xhakli, expressed his recent concerns regarding the appearance of religious extremists in the Balkans and emphasized the importance of the investments Lukaj proposed to protect the region from potential hostile activities of such individuals and to preserve stability. He also highlighted the secular nature of Albanian Muslims and the exceptional record that Albanians of all faiths, be they Muslim, Albanian Orthodox, Catholic or Jewish, have had throughout history. Lukaj then shared with the Senator some literature evidencing the role of Albanians during the Holocaust and that Albanians were responsible for providing travel documents for countless individuals such as Albert Einstein to travel safely to the U.S. during World War II. Lukaj also cited that Albania had a 100% record of saving every Jew in the country during the Holocaust and was the only country in Europe after the Second World War with more Jews after the war than before the War. The literature was compliments of the Frosina Information Network (www.frosina.org) The meeting ended with a significant agenda of follow up topics and a strong commitment to work together towards the achievement of the topics discussed.
Subsequent to the meeting, Rusi identified the gathering as an indication of the Albanian-American community’s growing partnership with U.S. institutions and senior statesman, such the senator. “Senator Lieberman has been a long-time friend of the Albanian people. Our meeting with a presidential candidate was a demonstration of the growing maturity of the Albanian-American community. NAAC is proud to be leading this important process,” Rusi said. A great example of Lieberman willingness to work across party lines is the “Kosova Self-Defense Act”, a legislative bill proposed by him and John McCain (R-AZ) in April of 1999 that called on the U.S. government to arm the Kosova Liberation Army (KLA). The senator defended his strong pro-Albanian stance in a statement given to the The Guardian on April 9, 1999. "If, after extended air strikes, it becomes clear that Mr. Milosevic intends to continue his war of aggression, we must have an answer to the question of what next? The bill we are proposing (The Kosova Self-Defense Act) provides us with such an answer, and an opportunity to send an uncompromising message to Mr. Milosevic: we will not stand idly by and allow him to brutalize the people of Kosovo any longer”, Lieberman said for the London-based daily. A few weeks later, on March 28, 1999, Lieberman gave the following quote to the The Washington Post: “[The] United States of America and the Kosovo Liberation Army stand for the same human values and principles... Fighting for the KLA is fighting for human rights and American values.”
Senator Lieberman is Ranking Member and former Chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, which is responsible for assuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the Federal Government. In addition, he is a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee; of the Armed Services Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on AirLand Forces and sits on the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities; and of the Small Business Committee.
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New York, March 31 - Albanian community leaders and representatives of the National Albanian American Council (NAAC) met yesterday with United States Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) to enlist his support on a number of important Albanian issues, most particularly emphasizing independence for Kosova and Albania’s integration into NATO and Euro Atlantic structures. Senator Lieberman, an outspoken supporter of U.S. intervention in Kosova, is a leading Democratic Candidate for President in 2004.