The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, together with President Fatmir Sejdiu participated in the annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting that gathered hundreds of leaders and former leaders from all around the world.

Based on the experience of President Clinton in public life, the Clinton Global Initiative reflects the principle that the Governments need to cooperate with the private sector, non-governmental organizations and other global leaders in order to face with major world challenges.

In 2005, President Clinton established the CGI in order to turn his ideas into actions and to support the world in moving the current global situation towards a more integrated community with shared benefits, responsibilities and values.

In the annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting that was held today in New York, with the participation of 125 leaders and former leaders from all around the world, including 15 Nobel Peace Prize winners, hundreds of executive managers, global executives, noted philanthropists and foundation chiefs, directors of the most noted non-governmental organizations and prominent world media representatives, Prime Minister Thaçi and President Sejdiu met with many country leaders and talked about the current international political environment surrounding Kosovo.

In this ceremony, Prime Minister Thaçi and President Sejdiu had a frank meeting with the former US President, Bill Clinton, and discussed about topics related to the achievements made so far and the development opportunities of the Republic of Kosovo and further strengthening of friendly relations with the United States of America.

While, in the meetings that he had with other world leaders participating in the Clinton Global Initiative, Prime Minister Thaçi expressed the vision of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo that now after the ICJ positive opinion and the UN Resolution on Kosovo, a definitive overall development perspective has opened, therefore the commitment of the state institutions of Kosovo will specifically focus on bringing powerful investors from all around the world in the country. Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi, accompanied by President Sejdiu and Foreign Minister, Skender Hyseni, also had another meeting with Kuwait Prime Minister, Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah.

The key topic of discussion was the political international reality surrounding Kosovo created after the opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of the declaration of Kosovo’s independence and after the adoption of the UN General Assembly’s Resolution on Kosovo recognizing this opinion.

Kosovo state leaders briefed the Kuwaiti Prime Minister on the achievements of the Republic of Kosovo after the declaration of independence and the commitment of the state institutions to ensure good, effective, transparent and rule-of-law based governance and to promote a sustainable economic development, and above all to guarantee an affirmative respect for the rights of all the communities, foster good neighborly relations and strengthen overall cooperation with all the countries in the region. Prime Minister Thaçi said that Kosovo as an independent state has proved to be a factor of peace, stability, cooperation and development to the benefit of the entire region of the South Eastern Europe.

Prime Minister Thaçi and President Sejdiu reemphasized during the meeting their request for the recognition of the Kosovo’s independence by Kuwait.

Now, following the opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of the declaration of the independence of Kosovo and after the adoption of the UN General Assembly’s Resolution on Kosovo recognizing this opinion, all legal or political obstacles have vanished, therefore it is the right time and moment for Kuwait to take a formal decision to recognize the independence of Kosovo – said Prime Minister Thaçi.

On his part, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Sabah highly acknowledged the commitment of the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo to advance regional cooperation and emphasized that it is only this open vision that will ensure progress in all regional aspects in the South Eastern Europe.

The Kuwaiti Prime Minister said that the Government he is leading supports development and prospering processes in Kosovo and the region and that they are in the process of taking a formal decision on recognizing the state of Kosovo in coordination with other states in the Persian Gulf that have not recognized the independence of Kosovo yet.

Prime Minister Thaçi is continuing his visit at the United States of America. In the days to come, Prime Minister Thaçi will have other meetings with leaders from different world countries. While tomorrow he is going to participate in the Balkan Leaders Summit to be held in New York.