“I was saddened when I saw how they celebrated freedom” / James Baker recalls the speech of July 1991 in front of 300 thousand Albanians in the square

An event which has entered the history of post-communist Albania for the weight and importance of the visit at that time.

“It was the first visit of a US Secretary of State to the small Balkan country from where the river of people in the square cheered USA USA” would go to the front page of the New York Times a day later.

For Secretary Baker, this was the most extraordinary reception in his entire career, which through a video message for the 100th anniversary of Albanian-American relations, he remembers with full emotion today 31 years later.

“America’s relationship with Albania, in many ways, is one of the strongest that my country has. That relationship, of course, is based on unwavering faith and belief in the democratic ideals that govern both our countries. Both Americans and Albanians support self-government against the strong hand of authoritarianism. I say this with conviction because I personally witnessed how Albania celebrated its freedom on June 22, 1991. That day, I became the first senior US official to visit Albania after the long period of forced isolation of the country, which began during World War II and continued until the end of the Cold War. While standing in Tirana, on an improvised wooden stage, in front of 300 thousand Albanians, I was amazed at how the gathered people responded to my simple words: “Freedom works”. They replied: “USA, USA, USA”!

Secretary Baker notes that since then, relations between the United States and Albania have strengthened and progressed.

Albania has had the support of the United States to open its economy and provide opportunities for all its citizens. While America has had an unwavering ally in regional and global security efforts, especially as a strong member of NATO. Our relationship is especially important during the current threat against Ukraine. On the 100th anniversary of US-Albanian relations, I want to congratulate you on the progress Albania has made towards building a better and more secure world for itself and its neighbors.

Secretary Baker encapsulates this video message with the words: “Above all, I want to congratulate them on being committed to the belief that freedom really works”.

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