Minister Hoxhaj delivered a speech before global leaders at the conference “Friends of the People of Syria" held in Paris

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In his first speech before world leaders, on behalf of Kosovo institutions Hoxhaj expressed great concern about the situation in Syria.

Hoxhaj said that the regime's brutal response to the needs of people produces “no other than even more casualties", and that what is happening in Syria is the Syrian people's suffering, and a threat to regional peace.

"The Republic of Kosovo strongly condemns the bloody campaign of the Assad regime against the aspirations of Syrian opposition to transform their country into an open and pluralistic country. The Republic of Kosovo expresses full solidarity with the demands of the people for political change in Syria and we support the efforts of UN Secretary General Ban Ki - Moon, and the special envoys of the UN and Arab League Secretary General Kofi Annan ", said Hoxhaj.

Before the attendees of the highest level of world diplomacy, Kosovo’s Minister of Foregin Affairs said that the Assad regime has lost its legitimacy at the time when the legitimate demands of the when Syrian people were faced by artillery fire, tanks and mass murder of civilians.

Hoxhaj, also evoked the events of thirteen years ago in Kosovo when Kosovo's people suffered a genocide, noting that at that time the genocide in Kosovo prompted NATO to act and intervene to prevent a new Bosnia.

"Today, in Syria, once again, same as in Bosnia and Kosovo years ago, the international community faces a dilemma in undertaking appropriate action to prevent violence and victims. Syrian opposition aspirations to transform Syria into a democratic, open and pluralistic country are similar to those of the people of Kosovo a few years ago. We were a victim of ethnic cleansing and the violation of human rights because of the logic of a tyrant like Slobodan Milosevic was. Today, Kosovo is a democratic, independent and a factor of peace and stability in the Balkans and in Europe, "said Hoxhaj.

He also expressed the strong belief that the international community is able to effectively respond to the Syrian crisis.

"The International Community has a moral responsibility to act. A regime that has lost its legitimacy in the eyes of his people cannot and should not claim any legitimacy from the international community. I think we should all be very concerned about the situation in Syria, while many Syrian citizens are being killed every day. We should worry because, at the same time, this is a moral test for the international community. This situation is an assault on every fundamental aspiration of the United Nations. These aspirations are an integral part of the collective security system of the United Nations Charter and, as such, are included in the concept of "liability protection". It is right and a moral duty of the international community not to allow the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations in Syria destroyed,” Hoxhaj stated.

Kosovo Foreign Minister also stated that the Republic of Kosovo, as a country, whose sufferings for freedom and independence were supported by many democratic countries of the world, is ready to support international efforts to bring peace and democratic transition in Syria.

"From the beginning, the Government of the Republic of Kosovo has supported the people of Syria. We are the first countries in the Balkans that have publicly supported a free and democratic Syria. I believe that the future of Syria belongs to the people of Syria and that should be created by them, "said Minister Hoxhaj.

At the conclusion of his speech, Foreign Minister of Kosovo declared Kosovo has openly supported democratic change after the "Arab Spring" and he believes that no regime can remain immune to being reached by the wave of democratization and freedom," so that is only a matter of time for this to happen in Syria."

Apart from the highest state authorities of France, the international conference "Friends of the People of Syria" in Paris was also attended by the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton ,Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Gudio Westerwelle and more than 100 other leaders of democratic diplomacy around the world.