“THE INEXISTENT SEA ISSUE, A GREEK OR ALBANIAN DIPLOMATIC INTRIGUE?” BOOK PROMOTION

“ALSAR” Foundation published and inaugurated the book of the renowned diplomat and researcher, Mr. Shaban Murati, also known with the title “Great Master”.

On 27 March 2018, in “Balsha” conference room of Tirana International Hotel, the Educational-Cultural ALSAR (Alternatives of the Future) Foundation inaugurated the renowned diplomat and researcher, Shaban Murati’s book,” The inexistent sea issue, a Greek or Albanian diplomatic intrigue?” published by the Foundation. State institutions and diplomatic corps accredited in our country, historians, professors, lecturers, various field researchers and friends of the author participated attended the activity. The “ALSAR” Foundation’s president, Mr. Mehdi Gurra, opened the ceremony. Afterwards, Prof. Dr. Ksenofon Krisafi, Prof. Dr. Pëllumb Xhufi, Prof. Assoc. Dr. Sokol Sadushi, former ambassador Çlirim Çepani, delivered speeches about the book. The activity concluded with the book’s author, Mr. Shaban Murati’s greeting speech.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

The new book, which comes after ten previous books of the author written for diplomacy, Balkan studies, and foreign policy, addresses for the first time in the fullest way the dynamics and the sea issue between Albania and Greece backstage actions, by presenting and analyzing many archived documents, which help in understanding the sea issue genesis and development until our days.

The author elaborates the sea issue as a matter that was artificially created because of the Albanian diplomacy’s incompetence at that time, and because of the Greek diplomacy’s competence to make the sea issue a central problem to the bilateral relationship, even after the annulment of 2009 agreement by the Albanian Constitutional Court. In the book, this issue’s artificial character is argued, by providing convincing scientific arguments that this case has never existed in the history of the bilateral relationship, and that it has been raised upon the wrongful and illegal assumption that the sea borders do not exist.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

In the first chapter, the author deals with the haste of Albanian diplomacy for backstage actions for the conclusion of sea agreement with Greece in 2009, which was subject to many historical, diplomatic, legal, and documental violations. In the second chapter, the author deals with the interesting and enigmatic problem of changing the negotiations subject on the side of the Albanian diplomacy, from continental shelf negotiations to sea border determination negotiations. In the third chapter, there is a deep and documented historical analysis for the entire centurial timeframe of Albanian-Greek relationship related to the truth that sea borders have existed and have been recognized by the Greek government. In the fourth chapter, the author analyzes for the first time the entire diplomatic process of the sea issue as an artificial conflict, prevailing the diplomatic relationships and negotiations between the two countries during the last decade.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Being founded on the Constitutional Court of Albania historical decision, the book brings an interpretation and documentation enrichment, which determines the Constitutional Court decision’s unchangeable strategic foundations. Among those foundations, he pays special attention to sea borders existence, illegitimacy of any type of negotiation on sea borders and international courts wrong addressal hypotheses.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

In order to fully understand the sea issue and its perspective, the author includes a broad framework of open and unsettled issues in the bilateral relationships, from the Cham issue, to the Vjosa waters issue. The diplomat, Shaban Murati’s new book, which is published at the right time, is a valuable contribution to the Albanian diplomatic opinion, and to the practical diplomatic activity as well, for the academic studies and for the international relations science in Albania.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Having also been a journalist, the author, besides his professionalism in arguments has compiled a book with a comprehensible, nice and communicative style to the readers of all categories, starting from the academics to the common reader.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

 

GREETING SPEECH                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

 

Honorable representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in our country!

Honorable state institutions representatives.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Heads of civil society organizations!                                                             

Honorable participants, friends and guests!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

I would like to greet you on behalf of “Alternatives of the Future” Foundation and I thank you for the honor and respect that you showed with your participation in this activity.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

In the framework of its cultural activities, in cooperation with the author, today, we are organizing this ceremony, aiming at supporting and promoting the values and contributions that beneficial our national cause and the Albanian diplomatic opinion.

We feel privileged having cooperated with the renowned diplomat, Mr. Shaban Murati, who is famous for the valuable contributions in the field of diplomacy and publicity, making this book’s publication possible: “THE INEXISTENT SEA ISSUE, A GREEK OR ALBANIAN DIPLOMATIC INTRIGUE?                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

Honorable Participants!                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

The sea agreement between Albania and Greece issue has been the subject matter of a heated debate and Albanian public opinion’s keen interest since the signing of this agreement on 27.04.2009.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Later on, this agreement was declared null by the Constitutional Court of Albania, which considered unconstitutional and declared it legally invalid.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

The sea issue has been placed again at the forefront of the Albanian and Greek public opinion, because the issue negotiation process has been initiated by both parties.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Considering the sea issue between Albania and Greece as one of the cases that are of utmost importance and national interest, the “ALSAR” Foundation has enabled the publication of (in two languages: Albanian and English) and is promoting today the diplomat and researcher, Shaban Murati’s book, entitled, “The inexistent sea issue, a Greek or Albanian diplomatic intrigue?”

It is the first time that an expert, with a long diplomatic career, in a full study on the diplomatic, political, and historical viewpoint, has analyzed the sea issue as one of the greatest and most complicated contemporary issues between Albania and Greece.

The author analyzes the diplomatic dynamics of sea and negotiations file between the two Ministries of Foreign Affairs since the time of 2009 sea agreement until nowadays.

The book is drawn from various documents and references from Albanian National Archives, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Archive and a diverse bibliography on the sea issue topic. The author presents a large number of historical documents, treaties and international agreements that are related to the borders of Albania, so as to prove that the Great Powers have demarcated the sea and land borders as an obligation for both countries since 1913-1926.

For the first time, he as presented documents from the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Archive, which prove that in the previous bilateral agreements on different issues between Albania and Greece, both countries have admitted the existence and recognition of the sea border between them.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

The “ALSAR” Foundation is honored by the presence of renowned researchers and experts in the field of diplomacy, jurisprudence and history in this activity, for accepting to give their valuable opinions in regard to the content and values of the book and the importance the arguments it puts forward will have in the Albanian and foreign public and politic opinion understanding.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Much honorable participants!                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

I would like to grab this opportunity to express our appreciation and gratitude to the valuable contribution offered by the author of the book entitled, The inexistent sea issue, a Greek or Albanian diplomatic intrigue?, with which, he put another precious stone in the crown of his publishing activity in the field of diplomacy.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

We congratulate and wish further success to the author of this book!                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Wishing this activity, a further successful, allow me to declare it open.

Thank you!                                                                                                 

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