Page 13 - Gazeta AFP

E martë, 14 nëntor 2017
Tuesday, 14 november 2017
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13
ENGLISH EDITION
NEW WINE IN THE OLD BARREL
BUSHATI-KOTZIAS
MEETING, WHERE
ISMAIL QEMALI LEFT IT
was held under such a friendly atmosphere and the Greek have for freedom will en-
and with so much desire to solve so many able them to reach a new balance in the
issues, resembles to the meeting taken Balkan Peninsula, a balance which will
place in 1900, when Ismail Qemali visited serve everyone's interests".
Athens. Historians and researchers of rela- The meeting between Kotzias and Bushati
tions between Albania and Greece, have seems to be a continuation of the meeting
marked the meeting taken place 117 years held between Ismail Qemali and George I.
ago between him and the king of Greece, The no. 1 problem for both ministers re-
George I. It was an absurd situation, because lates to the heavy burden of the events that
in 1900, Greece had just declared its inde- have been produced in these 117 years.
pendence, while Albania hadn't and in that Time has come to leave this dark part
meeting, Ismail Qemali represented Turkish of history between the two countries be-
By ROLAND QAFOKU administration. While Ismail Qemali entered hind. Once again, Ismail Qemali comes to
the meeting with the Greek king, Ismail our aid with the fact that his wife, Kleoniki
This article has been written for Qemali learned that his adjutant in the ante- Surmeli was Greek and he had 10 children
Albanian Free Press newspaper room was Albanian. In his memoirs, Ismail with her. This is what the founder of the
Qemali writes that the Albanian adjutant of Albanian state wrote:
he Crete meeting between the the King of Greece told him: "Similarities in race and traditions and the
Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos "Please, Ismail bey, don't let these hot- role that the two nations have played in ancient
Kotzias with his Albanian coun headed people get to you. Do everything and modern times, had prompted mutual sym-
you can to build a free Albania for all of us, pathy between Albanians and Greeks".
be introducing a new era of relations be- in order for all of us to unite there". Today, Ditmir Bushati is accused of
Following the audience and the official being welcomed with songs and dances
would bring a solution for all six important visit, Ismail Qemal Vlora didn't mention any in Crete. But, let us not forget that even
issues which start with the agreement on hot-headed people or a tense situation. He Ismail Qemali, who would become the first
sea borders and continental shelf, the war didn't mention any disgruntlement or war Albanian Foreign Minister, was received
law, Greek minority in Albania, the issue of with the neighbors. Instead, in his mem- with celebrations in Athens.
Cham properties, the Greek soldiers fallen
"The reception that I received everywhere
oirs he wrote something which was ahead
in Albania and the Chams killed in Greece, of his time and worthy of the 21st century. in Athens, a city which I had loved and ad-
the Apostille stamps, school texts and the The Albanian, who 12 years later would mired since childhood, touched me profoundly
recognition of Albanian driving licenses. declare Albania an independent state by and for a moment, I thought I was in my coun-
In the history of relations between the two being a Prime Minister and a Foreign Min- try, going from one celebration to another."
states, the three day meeting in Crete ister at the same time, he wrote a terrible The good news in this story is that
brought the two countries closer and filled prediction for that period: Kotzias and Bushati will soon hold another
the participants in this meeting with so much "Although the political events ever since meeting, but this time, in the Albanian capi-
desire to address so many issues at the have given a different turn to the feelings tal. A new era has started. A continuation
same time, issues which have not been ad- between the two countries, I'm sure that of what Ismail Qemali pinpointed during his
dressed for decades. Such meeting which sooner or later, the love that both Albanians visit to Athens in 1900.
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Albanian Free Press' editorial policy