Kosovo, Albania must take risk of Russian, Turkish influence seriously

Foreign Policy expert David Phillips says the danger posed by Russia and Turkey's influence in the Balkans is real. Leaders of the countries of the region must take it seriously.

Prof. Phillips, director of the Peace and Human Rights Construction programme at Columbia University in New York, says leaders of Albania and Kosovo should take this threat seriously and seem to maintain clear positions for their alliances.

Voice of America: Professor Phillips is often talking about the danger of the influence of Russia and Turkey in various Balkan countries. How serious is this threat?

David Phillips: The United States has no better allies than Albania nor better friends than Albanians. Threats to the sovereignty of Albania and Kosovo are in direct proportion to the proximity of the United States and Albanian communities. The threat is real. It represents real danger. Political leaders in the Albanian world must be aware and beware of threats to sovereignty coming from Russia and Turkey.

Voice of America: This is a problem not only for Albanian majority countries, I have in mind interventions in Montenegro and Macedonia, and the fact that a Russian MP said this week in Bosnia that Balkan countries' entry into NATO is a threat to security in Europe. How would you comment on this kind of environment?

David Phillips: Russia strongly opposes the membership of the countries of this region in the Balkans. That's why they organised a coup in Montenegro, which supported the ultranationalist V party. MRO in Macedonia. Russia has a programme and this is to undermine NATO and the European Union and use this as an attack point not only against Euro-Atlantic institutions but also the United States itself. For this reason, the United States and the Western Balkan countries must co-operate even more closely on security issues, in economic and diplomatic direction. To contain Russian and Turkish risks, the United States needs to engage more and for the European Union to integrate more into its institutions Kosovo and Albania.

Voice of America: On the other hand, how would you assess the response of these countries, especially Albania and Kosovo, and their leaders to these dangers?

David Phillips: It seems that among the political leaders of these countries, they do not want to accept this reality. On Monday at Columbia University, we had a visit by Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati and when he spoke to Russia and Turkey, he refused this risk and tried to minimize the risk to Albania. It is known that Edi Rama has close ties with Tayp Erdogan. This is not in Albania's interest. He should not dance at weddings in Ankara, he should focus on the needs of Albanian citizens. After all, Turkey wants to use countries in the Western Balkans to re-impose its neo-Ottoman programme. There is no interest in the welfare of Western Balkan peoples. Turkey is simply convenient to use them economically, to talk about great cultural co-operation, but in fact it is a programme Turkey follows for its national interest.

Voice of America: Are you suggesting that these leaders should clearly explain what their relationship with Turkey is in this case and what strategies they have to deal with these intervention efforts and to exercise influence?

David Phillips: Prime Minister Rama cannot go to Berlin, and Chancellor Merkel says if Albania is not further integrated into the European Union, there will be an increase of Islam. Meanwhile, he accepts construction of a $30m mosque in Tirana, images of Skenderbeu covered by T IKA, the Turkish Cultural Agency when organizing activities at Skanderbeg Square. So Albania must choose: Will he be with the West, be with the United States, or will he try to play with both sides? To have a relationship with Turkey, which is not in its own interest, and at the same time offering bases to the American Defence and NATO Department, which brings Albania's security co-operation forward. After all, Albania will have to choose whether it is pro-Western or pro-Islamic, and be close to Turkey and have a relationship with Tayyp Erdogan, it places Albania on the Islamist camp.

Voice of America: But on the other hand Turkey is a NATO member...

David Phillips: If NATO were to rise today, because of the fact that Turkey is anti-democratic, anti-American and Islamist, there would be no chance of being approved in NATO. Yes, Turkey is a NATO member on paper, but on the other hand, buys S400 missiles from Russia, actively sabotages NATO interests and Syria's interests, Turkey is working against the interests of the United States even against the interests of the Syrian people. Therefore, there are some serious doubts about how much Turkey meets the criteria as a NATO member today. Being a member of the alliance does not mean that he belongs there.

Voice of America: What should the United States do to curb these efforts to anti-Western influence?

David Phillips: The United States must make very clear to Erdogan that we expect Turkey to function democraticly, has approached elections on June 24th, and that is undemocratic because it does not give opposition parties time to prepare. If Turkey wants to have an agreement with the United States and wants to return to the close co-operation we've had before, then it's time to take a stand. The United States must communicate what we expect, and if Turkey is not ready to co-operate with the United States, if it is not ready to withdraw from intervention in the Western Balkans, then it must pay a price.

Voice of America: One of the reasons Russia has no influence in Albania is that it does not exist with Albanians that historic connection, for example, exists with Serbia. From this standpoint, danger can come indirectly from those very relationships, right?

David Phillips: Russia poses a threat through Serbia's support and ongoing provocations that are being made against Kosovo. The train that was sent to Mitrovica, the establishment of the intelligence base in Nis, the fact that Belgrade is now the centre for Russian propaganda that is anti-American, and anti-Albanian, all of these mean that Russia and Albania are at opposite angles. It would be a mistake to think that Russia's malicious efforts target only Kosovo. Any provocation that could lead to a spiral of deadly violence would certainly have consequences in Albania, so in this case, both Kosovo and Albania are endangered in the face of a Russian policy that is provocative and trying to undermine NATO and the European Union and weaken the friendship the United States has with its friends in the Western Balkans.

Voice of America: The European Union sparked the green light for negotiations with Albania and is taking a more welcoming stance on Balkan countries. Do you think that the domestic situation with the challenges of EU Iliberalism and these dangers we are talking about have influenced this attitude?

David Phillips: It is very good news that the European Commission recommended opening negotiations on Albania's candidacy. What motivates him to take these steps now? The EU sees Russia's actions in the region and wants to open the prospect of membership of other countries as a safeguard clause to prevent Russia's influence. It also acts in view of the empowerment of liberal actors in Europe, including member states of the European Union. Therefore, Albania's introduction to the European tent is a preventive measure. This moves Albania to move ahead with democracy and free markets.

The fact that Kosovo and Montenegro have reached a border agreement and that Kosovo residents can benefit from visa-free travel to EU countries is also a very positive development. But these developments must have a clear result. It is not about the process, it should be the emphasis on results, and the result should be a deeper integration for Kosovo into Euro-Atlantic institutions, beyond visa liberalisation and for Albania to enter an accelerated process with negotiations.

For that to be done, political leaders in Albania must show seriousness for strengthening democracy, fighting corruption, deepening co-operation with counterparts in the EU. I am confident that the leaders of Albania can do this because it is clearly in Albania's national interest.

The United States can help and should continue to remain engaged and integration will need continued US encouragement and co-operation between Washington and Brussels to have real progress.