Mr President,
In the last six months Albania and its people have indeed experienced a difficult and uncertain time. The international community played an important supporting role in overcoming chaos and the risk of civil war, but the key to resolving the situation always remained with Albania itself. For the future, it is equally true that the responsibility for achieving constructive development and reform remains firmly with the people, Government and all political forces of Albania.
The case of Albania emphasises the need for the international community to be vigilant of early warning signals of potential conflict and unrest. Decreasing faith in political institutions, in combination with economic and social hardship, provide fertile ground for civil unrest. The Multinational Protection Force constituted a last minute response to a grave situation.
When assisting Albania to create a stable society and to prevent similar crises in the future, the original causes for the unrest should be borne in mind. If the international support is to yield lasting results, Albania needs reconciliation not only in the political arena, but also in the building of democratic institutions. Popular confidence in the impartiality of the public administration is a prerequisite for the return to normalcy. This development will require international contributions of know-how and experience.
The successful holding of elections in the most challenging circumstances should not least be credited to the efforts of the OSCE and its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. We welcome the crucial role played by the Multinational Protection Force in providing a secure environment as well as logistic support in the election process. Of equal importance was that the Force created the necessary conditions for the international organizations to provide humanitarian assistance in Albania. For this we extend our appreciation to the troop contributing countries, in particular Italy who took the lead in this important mission.
Sweden also welcomes Dr Vranitzky's efforts so far and his stated willingness to head an OSCE mission designed to coordinate the efforts in the stabilization and reconstruction phase of Albania's recovery.
Although working conditions have not been ideal, the WEU through its Multinational Advisory Police Element is making a significant contribution, helping Albania to build a democratically controlled and capable police force, which will be needed to guarantee internal security in the future.
The security situation in Albania still gives rise to concern. The positive results achieved so far cannot be allowed to be reversed. As the Protection Force has scaled down, there have been numerous reports on the dangers of a possible security vacuum. Common criminals as well as more organized gangs have anew increased their activities. There is certainly a need to continue to closely monitor this development.
Further efforts of the international community will be needed also following the withdrawal of the Multinational Force. If a security related presence is deemed necessary, the form of such a venture should of course be considered carefully. The current NATO plan to study the prospects for reconstruction of the national army, in the framework of the Partnership for Peace cooperation, is welcomed.
Considering the difficult situation in Albania a few months ago, achievements have been remarkable. The international community is ready to support Albania in consolidating stability, democracy and prosperity. What is asked of Albania is that she, in cooperation with the international community, uses the resources made available to achieve positive and sustainable results in the fields of security, democratic consolidation and economic reconstruction.