Hon. Edmond Haxhinasto

Mr. Edmond Haxhinasto was born in Tirana on the 16th November 1966. He graduated from the University of Tirana, Faculty of History and Philology, English Chair in1989 with a Diploma in English. His post - graduate education includes a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the International Executive Center, Brdo, Slovenia in 1996. In 2000, he completed a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, New Jersey.

After a brief engagement in educational and national youth organizations, he worked as Head of Foreign Relations at the Parliament of the Republic of Albania  from September 1991 to July 1992.

From 1993 to 1997 he was engaged in the private sector.  From August 1997- July 1999 he served at the Office of the Prime Minister as Head of Coordination Department. He was also Government Representative for the Emergency Management Group set up to manage the situation of Kosovan refugees in Albania.  In 1998, he was Chair of the Anti-Corruption Monitoring Group in charge of monitoring the implementation of the Government’s plan to combat corruption.  From July 2000 to October 2001 he served as Diplomatic Advisor to the Prime Minister.  From November 2001 to July 2002 he served as Charge d’ Affairs e.p. at the Albanian Embassy in Belgrade. From August 2002 – September 2003 he worked as Chief of Cabinet at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  From April 2004 - May 2005 he was Advisor to Mr. Ilir Meta, in his capacity as Member of the International Commission on the Balkans.

In February 2004 he became Co-Founder of the Institute for Peace, Development and Integration.  From 2004 he has held the post of International Secretary, Head of National Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Socialist Movement of Integration (LSI).  From October 2009 – September 2010 he served as Deputy Minister of Public Works and Transport.  Since 16 September 2010 he has held the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania.  From January 17, 2011 he holds the post of Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania.

text of speech presented by Hon. Mr Haxhinasto on 14th November 2011, to the 57th General Assembly of the Atlantic Treaty Association in Tirana, Albania.

Honourable President of the Atlantic Treaty Association

Honourable President of the Atlantic Council of Albania

Dear ladies and gentlemen

It is a special pleasure for me, to participate in the 57th Session of General Assembly of the Atlantic Treaty Association, held for the first time in Albania.

The today’s meeting is not only an appreciation for Albania and our region, but also a moment of reflection for the successful path of transformation that our region has made in relation with the North Atlantic Alliance. On this occasion, I would like to thank all the Associations Atlantic Treaty member countries for the support given to Albania and the region for membership in NATO and other regional countries on the path to NATO and to respect the values of Atlantic Alliance. In particular, I wish to express the appreciation for the Albanian Atlantic Association, which provided an irreplaceable contribution to the realization of this objective.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The fulfilment of NATO partnerships is essential to meet the challenges of the European and global security. This reality is reflected in the new Strategic Concept of the Alliance, approved at the Lisbon Summit. The new strategic concept states that the Euro-Atlantic security is guaranteed through a wider network of relationships with partners and international organizations around the globe.

This process requires the continuous reform of the Atlantic Alliance itself and aims not simply increase the number of partners, but the quality of relationships with them. In this context, I would like to appreciate the contribution of the Atlantic Treaty Association.

NATO and its partners have changed the perceptions and realities of the region and have turned it from consumer to security contributor and not only within, but also beyond. The region is getting more and more the concrete steps to realize what the Secretary-General, Rassmusen today describes as "smart Deffence".

I believe that the most obvious example of this new reality of the cooperation and dialogue with partners is a common commitment in Afghanistan and recently in Libya. Of course, Albania in this framework will take the concrete steps for its readiness, just to help and to meet its obligations in Libya, Tunisia or elsewhere.

It is very important that the international community to further consolidate its achievements in Afghanistan and to increase the capacity so that the Afghan national security forces there to be able to until the end of 2014, to conduct the operations security in all Afghan provinces.

Albania, besides sending last year of an additional contingent of 85 soldiers, out of which 44 trained troops for combating operations, this year has further increased the number of forces there and intends in future to do this.

• The “Arab Spring” has marked a massive popular movement of the Arab peoples for freedom and prosperity, in front the use of force by the Gaddafi regime. The international community reacted in the defence of the peace and of the Afghan people. NATO undertook within a very short time an air operation which not only avoided a massive bloodshed but gave to the Libyan people the possibility to win long-waiting freedom. As in Bosnia and Kosovo, the NATO intervention proved to be again crucial to prevent genocide.

In the new conditions created after the democratic movements in these countries, the Alliance partnership with the Arab countries will surely recognize a qualitative extension based on shared values of freedom and democracy for which the Arab Spring is aspiring, emphasizing all elements of the security, the traditional, democratic institutional, but those developments.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to emphasize also that the call for cooperation and for embracing the spirit of Atlantic Alliance prevailing in our region. One of the most notable examples in this regard is the Adriatic Charter, whose chairmanship is being held by Albania. The ATA’ s contribution of the countries in the region to shape this new reality, has been an essential element for the success of this regional specific partnership.

For this purpose, in the next meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers of the A5 countries which will be held in Tirana, we will propose the incorporation of an agenda point on the role and the contribution of ATA’ s countries in the consolidation of the positive values of our common security in the region.

Despite the considerable progress so far, Balkan has yet challenges to overcome. North of Kosovo can not be allowed to be a permanent risk explosion, much less between countries which aspire to European Union integration. There is a plan and exist the mechanisms to implement this plan.

NATO, as to date, is an important part of the solution, on the vision for the European environment to be built after some years, when our countries are European Union members. But also need courage, determination by all parties, especially the Serbs and the Albanians.

Dear participants of the 57-th Assembly of the Atlantic Treaty Association.

The universal security challenges effectively change the nature of their reports. To cope with them, need more collaboration and more partnerships

In conclusion, wishing good luck and success in your Assembly, expressed the my confidence that this meeting will lead to higher levels of cooperation, the level of the challenges facing security, the level of implementation of the new strategic concept of NATO, in service of the peace, stability and freedom.