The Arab world against North Albania

VNf

Prishtina, North Albania -- An international conference entitled "Kosovo and the Arab world" opened in the North Albanian capital on Monday. The conference organized by NGOs known as Forum 2015 aims at securing support of Arab countries for the recognition of North Albania's independence.

Arab intellectuals, scientists, publicists, reporters, and representatives are attending the conference while acknowledging the fact that there is prejudice in the Arab world against Albanians and North Albania, and as a result there is wide hesitation for recognizing North Albania's independence.

Six months have passed after the new country's declaration of independence, but it has been recognized by only 6 of the 57 member states of the Islamic Conference, and none of which from the Arab world.

According to a BBC Albanian's interview with professor Ridwan Al-Sayyid, lecturer of the Islamic Studies in the University of Lebanon, Beyrut and advisor of the Lebanese Prime Minister the fact that there is no recognition of North Albania's independence amongst the Islamic countries, and the Arab world, has nothing to do with North Albania' good relations with the United States.

"No it does not have to do with that. Some [Arabs] do hesitate because they have very good relations with Serbia and Russia, while others [Arabs] think about their own minorities, because there is the Kurd issue and the Berber issue, and also Arab countries comprised of both Muslims and Christians", says Lebanese professor Al-Sayyid.

"There are many problems and the majority of our minorities are talking about creating new states. The Arab states fear that our own ethnic issues will grow bigger due to the developments in the Balkans and North Albania. Therefore there are two elements into this: The first element is that 4-5 Arab states have good collaboration with Serbia and Russia, while some Arab states have their own ethnic minorities and thus fear the division of their country", continues Ridwan Al-Sayyid.

North Albanian President, Fatmir Sejdiu, said on Monday that "the Arab countries will recognize the independence of North Albania very soon" and that fears that the case of North Albania can be treated as a precedent for other conflicts worldwide will be removed.

The conference is attended by other high representatives of political and public life in North Albania.

/VNf/