President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, decorated the American ambassador William G. Walker, whom he said is the person who changed the course of the history of Kosovo, the region and NATO itself. 

In his speech, Begaj stated that Ambassador Walker was the first, who exposed to the whole world the massacre of Recak, a cruel act that he described in front of the media as "a crime against humanity". 

Among other things, the President expressed his gratitude to the ambassador for his commitment to the protection of human rights and for the continuous support of the rights of Albanians, as well as for the close cooperation with the Albanian community in the United States of America. 

"Today we are honored to have in our midst the American Ambassador Walker, who is a friend of the Albanians and I can say with all my heart that he is the man who changed the course of the history of Kosovo, our region and NATO itself. Ambassador William Walker is an international personality, diplomat and humanist, who with his work and contribution created an indissoluble bond with the Albanian nation and with all the citizens of Kosovo. 

Twenty-four years have passed since the day when Ambassador Walker, head of the OSCE Monitoring Mission in Kosovo, witnessed one of the worst massacres committed in Reçak, on January 15, 1999. 

Forty-five innocent citizens of Recak were brutally massacred by the military and paramilitary troops of the Milosevic regime. Ambassador Walker, the first, exposed this cruel act to the whole world and described the massacre in front of the media as "a crime against humanity". 

Thanks to his actions and commitments, the whole world was informed about the crimes in Kosovo. 
The whole civilized world was shocked! 

Civilized and democratic countries as well as the international community reacted quickly to condemn the genocide in the heart of Europe and to end the Milosevic regime in Kosovo. 

Dear Ambassador Walker, 

We are grateful for your commitment to the protection of human rights and for the continuous support of the rights of Albanians, as well as for the close cooperation with the Albanian community in the United States of America, the greatest ally of Albanians. 

You will publish a book about Reçak. I am sure that this book will be an important and added contribution to the reasons and principles that the democratic world, the USA and NATO decided to intervene and put an end to the Serbian genocide in Kosovo. 

For all these reasons, but not only, I have the honour to give Ambassador William Walker on behalf of the Albanian state and on behalf of all Albanians one of the highest medals of the Republic of Albania, that of the 'Knight of the Order of the Flag'," Begaj said.