A former rebel leader comes to Washington

Ali Ahmeti, former leader of the National Liberation Army (NLA) that fought the Macedonian state in 2001, is visiting Washington for the first time this week.  The Ohrid agreement of 2001 ended the NLA insurgency.  Ahmeti is now the leader of the largest Albanian party in Macedonia.  With colleague Mike Haltzel presiding, I commented on Ahmeti’s presentation yesterday at the Center for Translatlantic Relations of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

The softspoken Ahmeti opened by underlining the big difference the Ohrid agreement made.  Before 2001, Albanians were not included in decisionmaking in the Macedonian state, to which they did not feel close.  The state, in order to gain the loyalty of its citizens, needs to be loyal to them.

The Ohrid agreement changed this situation.  It raised the political and juridical status of the Albanians in Macedonia, making them not just “renters” but “owners.”  Macedonia, Ahmeti said, is now my state.  It is committed to treating everyone equally, even if that promise has not been entirely fulfilled.  Albanian higher education has improved, their presence in the public administration is greater and they are entitled to use their “national” symbols.  Albanian is an official language of the state, but there are still some differences on when it can be used.  Such differences can now be solved through dialogue, with international community assistance.  Stability in Macedonia depends on interethnic relations, which have improved.

The major issue now is the dispute with Greece over the country’s name.  Albanians are the one group in the Balkans who have never challenged the identity of the Macedonians, with whom they share an unhappy history.  The Albanians of Macedonia want the “name” issue resolved, so that Macedonia can enter NATO and the European Union.  Those memberships are the ultimate guarantees of security for the citizens of Macedonia.

Compromise is necessary and possible.  If France and Germany can settle their differences after horrible wars and atrocities, Macedonia and Greece can as well, without recourse to force.  There are no deep differences between the governing coalition parties (which include Ahmeti’s) in Macedonia on the name issue, but solving it will require difficult decisions.

In the Q and A, Ahmeti was at pains to make some additional points:

• Macedonia has no claims on Greek territory,
• the idea of Greater Albania is not one the Albanians of Macedonia adhere to,
• the Albanians of Macedonia display the Albanian flag because of its ethnic significance but have no problem with the state flag of Macedonia,
• the Macedonian government’s use of police force in December against the parliamentary opposition was not wise and is being investigated by a commission of inquiry.

This was a fine performance.  Some of my correspondents wonder why Ahmeti, who was once excluded from obtaining a visa, was able to enter the US.  The answer is clear.