Withers: We only say the truth

Through an open letter, one year after leaving Tirana, Withers brings back the events that attracted the attention of the Albanian public, not only in the time when they actually took place, but also a few weeks ago, when the US Embassy cables were made public by the Wikileaks, mentioning the main characters of the Albanian politics.

“In the recent weeks, your media outlets have broadcasted cables allegedly belonging to the US State Department, discovered through Wikileaks. There have been speculations about these cables, and unfortunately, parts of these speculations were disorienting and incorrect. I write to you with the hope to clarify a series of bad perceptions that have been circulating. I am not doing this as the US Ambassador in Albania, but as a citizen in my country and as a friend of Albania, as someone that believes in the truth”, Withers writes.

Although retired and standing loyal to the stance of the US State Department for the Wikileaks issue, Withers admits the truth of the content, and explains the way how the cables were composed.

“As a former diplomat and citizen of my country, I deeply regret the Wikileaks phenomenon. The diplomats’ ability to speak clearly and in confidence with each other is and has been an essential element of our profession, since in the beginning. Our information, including that about Albania, is collected by a wider range of sources, including the highest government ranks”, Withers underlines.

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