Ambassador Walker, greetings to you sir – it’s nice to see you, as always.  Being in the presence of Ambassador Walker makes me feel that for as long as there are people like him — in this troubled world of ours — there is hope for humankind. Being in his presence restores my faith in humanity! We are honored and privileged to have you with us today, Mr. Ambassador.

Ladies and gentlemen. We are here, to promote a book authored by the great friend of Kosova and the Albanian people, Ambassador William Walker.  A firsthand testimony from an American diplomat — about a Serbian massacre of civilians in the village of Reçak in Kosovë.

We are here also to express our gratitude to Ambassador Walker. To thank him for deciding that cold January day to go to Reçak where he uncovered the massacre on January 15, 1999 — the site where Serbian government terrorist forces massacred 45 Albanian civilians in cold blood.

And then in a press conference for the world media, gathered in Prishtinë, he denounced, before the whole world what he had seen in Reçak:  as a “massacre” and a “crime against humanity”.  Ambassador Walker will tell us — that it was a day that changed his life, for sure, but more importantly, it marked a day that changed the future of Kosova and the history of the Balkans.

Ladies and gentlemen – Ambassador Walker did not have to go to Reçak that day. Instead he could have chosen to stay in a warm hotel room in Prishtinë, but he decided to go and, subsequently, to report to the world what he witnessed there. For those who believe in a higher power, him going to Reçak and holding a news conference afterwards, may seem like a divine intervention to save a people.

Just think for a second, if it had been someone else instead of Mr. Walker as Head of the Kosovo Veri fication Mission at that time in Prishtinë. Someone who for whatever reason, would not have gone to Reçak that day.

Just imagine!  The world would have never learned about the massacre in Reçak and as a result, God knows what the future of Kosova would be today. So many what ifs?!

But it was Ambassador Walker who decided to go to Reçak!  As a result, I remember the reaction was very quick in Washington to what Mr. Walker was reporting about atrocities of Serb forces against Albanians in Kosova.

I remember how the whole US government reacted by mobilizing to deal with the situation after the massacre in Reçak.

Let me tell you! Mr Walker’s press conference denouncing the Reçak massacre as a crime against humanity, shook-up the official Washington and the world. I remember that as Director of European Division of the Voice of America at the time, I attended almost daily inter-agency meetings dealing with Kosova situation.

The purpose was to coordinate activities among US government agencies as well as with US allies in Europe and throughout the world, to stop dhe bloodshed in Kosovë. At that point, there was no doubt in anybody’s mind that the mass murder at Reçak would become a turning point in the Kosova crisis.

But here we are today, 26 years later…tragic events indeed that led to the liberation and independence of the Republic of Kosova – In a permanent friendship and alliance – and in a shared commitment to truth and justice — with the United States.

So, my friends, Ambassador Walker’s book, “Reçak: The Story of a War Crime” is a huge document and a monument to the truth about the Serbian crimes against Albanian civilians in Kosova. Every Albanian American family should have this book in their library.

That’s the least we can do today: to express our gratitude, our thanks and admiration for all that Ambassador William Walker has done and continues to do for our people! Mr. Ambassador, we wish you good health and a long life, so that you can continue to tell the truth about the Reçak massacre. Thank you, my friend!

William Walker pays homage in front of Recak/Racak massacre memorial on January 15, 2025. Photo: BIRN