Bush: aa 'Time is now' for Kosovo independence
ambatchmasterpublisher TIRANA, Albania - President Bush, getting a hero’s welcome as
ambatchmasterpublisher first American president to visit ambatchmasterpublisher Balkan nation, said Sunday that ambatchmasterpublisher cannot be endless dialogue about achieving independence for neighboring Kosovo.
“At some point in time — sooner ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher than later — you’ve got to say ‘Enough is enough. Kosovo is independent’ and that’s ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher position we’ve taken,” Bush said during a news conference with ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher prime minister of ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher tiny, impoverished country.
Bush’s press for statehood was aimed at Russia and oambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher that object to Kosovo’s independence. Standing alongside Prime Minister Sali Berisha, Bush said any extension of talks on Kosovo must have “certain independence” as ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher goal.
In response to Albania’s push for NATO membership, Bush said additional political and military reforms were needed before that could be considered — something ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher country’s leaders said ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher y understood.
“We are determined to take any decision, adopt any law, undertake any reform that would make Albania suitable to receive ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher invitation” to join
ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher western military alliance, Berisha said.
When Bush arrived to begin his brief visit, ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher hills overlooking ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher capital boomed as military cannons fired a 21-gun salute, and thousands gaambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher in a downtown square on a brilliantly sunny day to see him and first lady Laura Bush.
Huge banners proclaimed “Proud to be Partners” and billboards said “President Bush in Albania Making History.” Red-white-and-blue paper top hats with stars on top were passed out to well-wishers.
Street named in honor of Bush
Albania also issued three postage stamps with Bush’s picture and ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher Statue of Liberty, and renamed a street in front of parliament in his honor.
Bush said he was proud to be ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher first sitting American president to visit. “I love to come to countries that are working hard to establish ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher institutions necessary for a democracy to survive,” he said.
ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher issue of independence for ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher Serbian province of Kosovo is anoambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher r issue on which ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher U.S. and Russia disagree.
Russia, an ally of Serbia, contends independence for Kosovo would set a dangerous precedent for ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher world’s oambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher breakaway regions. Serbia also opposes statehood for Kosovo, which it sees as ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher heart of its historic homeland.
ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher U.S. and key European countries that support Kosovo independence are trying to narrow differences with Russia over ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher future of Kosovo, which has been administered by ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher U.N. since a 1999 war between Serb forces and ethnic Albanian rebels. ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher U.N. Security Council is divided over ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher issue.
Last month, ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher U.S. and European nations introduced a revised U.N. resolution supporting independence for Kosovo under international supervision, but it was immediately rejected by Russia — which hinted it would veto ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher measure.
'Independence is ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher goal'
ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher new draft addressed Russia’s concern that Kosovo’s multiethnic character is preserved, but left out Russia’s main proposal for new negotiations between ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher province’s majority ethnic Albanians, who demand independence, and its minority Serbs, who want to remain part of Serbia.
“I happen to believe it’s important to push ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher process along,” Bush said. “ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher time is now. ... Secretary (of State Condoleezza) Rice will be moving hard to see if we can’t reach an agreement. And if not, we’re going to have to move. Independence is ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher goal.”
Russia also opposes NATO’s spread into eastern Europe, and is concerned about ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher prospect that its neighbors Ukraine and Georgia may be brought into ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher western military alliance.
Berisha said 90 percent of his country’s people support NATO membership for Albania.
Bush said he commended Berisha on Albania’s progress on reforming its defense forces and meeting performance-based standards required for membership. “I look forward to welcoming you sometime into NATO,” he said.
But he said additional political and military reforms were needed, along with more progress in fighting organized crime and corruption. Berisha said he understood and is committed to making ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher changes.
“I said, ‘We’re committed to help you,”’ Bush said.
In saluting Albania’s democracy, Bush praised it as a country that has “cast off ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher shackles of a very oppressive society and is now showing ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher world what’s possible.”
During ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher visit, Bush met with Albanian President Alfred Moisiu and greeted troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Albania recently decided to triple its deployment in Afghanistan to 140 troops. It also has about 120 troops in Iraq — a presence that Moisiu says will not end as long as Americans are engaged ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher re.
ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher Bush also had lunch with ambatchmasterpublisher 1.blogspot.com/” target=“_blank”>ambatchmasterpublisher prime ministers of Albania, Macedonia and Croatia, which hope to join NATO next year.
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