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What is hidden behind the Kurdish delegation's visit to Tirana?
While the attention of international politics is focused on the NATO Summit, where leaders of allied countries gather tomorrow, Prime Minister Edi Rama chose a completely different agenda.
In his office, he hosted the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Qubad Talabani, a visit that passed almost in silence, but which raises a simple question: what interest does Albania have in Kurdistan?
This is not about the state of Iraq, but about the Autonomous Region of Kurdistan, a territory in the north of the country with its own government, parliament, and administration, which controls a significant portion of the oil reserves and has been seeking to attract investment and international partners for years.
The official announcement of the Kurdish government states that cooperation in tourism, trade, investment and exchange of experience were discussed with Rama, while Deputy Prime Minister Talabani did not spare praise for the Albanian government, praising reforms, infrastructure, tourism and digitalization.
But beyond the diplomatic statements, the visit remains unusual. Albania has not had any prominent relations with the Kurdistan Region, there are no known economic projects, nor a history of cooperation that would justify the importance given to this visit by the Prime Minister. So we will likely have some affair on the horizon.
Years ago, there was talk of a relocation of the "Kurdish Mujahideen", similar to the Iranian Mujahideen sheltered in Manëz, but there have been no developments. Rama also meets the Kurds a day before his visit to Turkey where the NATO Summit will be held, while Erdogan's relations with them are known.
The reasons for this visit, which comes at a time of tensions between the US and Iran, are not known at the moment. The US even used the Kurds to infiltrate Iranian territory. Historically, the affairs of this government have come to light after a few months. On many occasions, Rama has received delegations without giving details and months later scandals would break out.
But one detail escaped no one.
For years, Edi Rama has been known for an element that never leaves him behind at official meetings: white sneakers. This time, it seems that the "Rama protocol" has also been embraced by his Kurdish friends. In the official photo, almost the entire Kurdistan delegation appears in white sneakers, making the photo look more like a dress code than a coincidence.
In the absence of any concrete agreements publicly announced, the visit has left more questions than answers. Why now? And above all, is this simply a courtesy visit or the beginning of a new economic and political relationship between Tirana and Erbil, a region with many complex interests?
For now, the most obvious answer remains the picture: Rama has successfully exported at least one thing to Kurdistan... white sneakers. / Pamphlet
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