Cafo Boga: Welcoming Ambassador Eric Wendt to Albania
Dear Ambassador Wendt,
As an Albanian-American committed to strengthening the friendship between our two peoples, I warmly welcome you to Albania and offer my sincere congratulations on your appointment.
Your more than 34 years of service in the United States Army, including your command of NATO’s Special Operations Headquarters, bring valuable experience to a demanding diplomatic mission. Your understanding of security and alliance cooperation will be an important asset at a time when Albania and the Western Balkans need steady American engagement.
You arrive amid deep public concern over Albania’s direction. For more than four months, citizens have gathered daily in Tirana, calling for the Prime Minister’s resignation and political renewal. Their voices deserve a respectful hearing. Albania’s future belongs to its people, who must be free to shape it through peaceful democratic participation and institutions worthy of their trust.
The wider region also faces persistent risks. Serbia’s refusal to recognize Kosova and unresolved regional disputes, compounded by pressures from ongoing wars beyond the Balkans, underscore the need for principled diplomacy. American leadership remains essential to protecting peace and encouraging lasting reconciliation.
The United States has few friends more sincere and steadfast than the Albanian people. This bond transcends governments and borders. Albanians remember President Woodrow Wilson’s opposition to the partition of Albania after the First World War. They remain equally grateful for America’s leadership in NATO’s intervention against the violence and mass expulsion of Kosova’s Albanians, and for its subsequent support for Kosova’s independence and development.
Such a friendship is strongest when diplomacy remains faithful to democratic principles. When engagement becomes too closely associated with individual political leaders, public confidence suffers. I hope your tenure will reaffirm that America’s enduring partnership is with the Albanian people and their institutions, with accountability upheld consistently, regardless of political affiliation or personal relationships.
I also believe that a peaceful, democratically agreed union between Albania and Kosova could contribute to regional prosperity and lasting stability. German reunification offers inspiration, although the circumstances differ. Any such prospect must rest on democratic consent, respect for constitutional and international obligations, protection of every community, and close consultation with allies and neighbors. This is a personal vision for a peaceful future, to be pursued through dialogue and mutual agreement.
Ambassador Wendt, you will find among Albanians enduring goodwill toward the United States and a strong desire for this partnership to flourish. May your mission strengthen democratic confidence, expand economic opportunity, and help secure a peaceful future for the region. I wish you every success and would welcome the opportunity to contribute constructively to these shared goals.
With sincere respect: Cafo Boga.
