Kosovo welcomes former US president

02/11/2009

Bill Clinton, who was welcomed in Pristina by crowds and fanfare, praised the country's efforts for peace and stability.

By Besa Beqiri for Southeast European Times in Pristina – 02/11/09

Former US President Bill Clinton was in Pristina on Sunday (November 1st). [Laura Hasani/SETimes]

Former US President Bill Clinton was welcomed to Pristina on Sunday (November 1st) by thousands of people waving banners with the slogan "Kosovo honours a hero!"

Clinton, who is celebrated in Kosovo for the role he played in stopping the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Albanians by former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic more than ten years ago, asked the Kosovo people to continue building tolerance and working for the integration of minority groups.

"What we have to decide is something simple: are we going to focus our hearts and minds in the past or in the future," Clinton said.

"What you have done in the last ten years is to build something good," Clinton said. "The power of your example remains the same. You should be very proud of what you have achieved," he said, noting the recent consolidation of the democratic institutions, the free press, civil society and political parties working together.

Clinton also reiterated US backing for the former Serb province. "President [Barack] Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are with you today and will be with you in the future, as you build a better future tomorrow."

The former president was in Kosovo to participate in the unveiling of a statue of him in the capital. The monument, 3.4m high, weights approximately 900kg.

Clinton also met with President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.

Sejdiu expressed gratitude for the US stance regarding the young country, and reiterated Kosovo's goal of obtaining equality.

"The tradition to forgive, but not to forget, has existed in my country. Based on this principle, we have built our democratic state, equal for all Kosovo citizens," Sejdiu said.

Thaci said Kosovo's people will always remember what Clinton and the United States did to make Kosovo's dream of freedom and independence a reality.

"Kosovo and the US are and will remain forever friends. We share the deep dedication for freedom, democracy and peace. Our future is safe and it's getting better and better," Thaci said.

Although the visit was Clinton's third to Kosovo, it was his first since the country became independent last year.