Rice Urges Continuation of Albanian Reforms to Meet NATO Criteria

WASHINGTON, May 9 – Albanian Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha met Tuesday with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice in Washington in what seemed a preparatory meeting ahead of U.S. President George W. Bush’s visit to Albania next month.
Rice urged Albania to step up its program of economic and political reforms to meet the criteria for NATO membership, which Albania hopes to achieve next year, saying that Tirana should take every possible step to meet the requirements of the NATO plan.
Basha expressed his government’s intent to comply with all the elements of the plan. The minister, only days in the post after replacing resigned Besnik Mustafaj, presented an introduction of his government’s work, stressing that Albania’s goal was to join the European Union and NATO.
Basha considered the meeting “extremely encouraging” and a high point in relations between the two countries. The minister said they discussed Albania’s efforts to join NATO, the country’s economic reforms, Albania’s efforts to eliminate corruption and its informal economy, as well as the battle against organized crime.
“Bush’s visit has larger dimensions for Albanians, such as NATO membership and Kosova’s quick resolution,” said Basha.
Rice and Basha agreed that Bush’s visit to Albania is both historic and sends a clear message of U.S. support for Albania’s role in the region and an encouragement for the continuation of reforms Albania is pursuing.
Basha, appointed foreign minister last week, told a Washington gathering Tuesday that his country, along with ethnic Albanians in Kosovo and Macedonia, have a “shared vision” of one day joining NATO and the European Union.
They also talked about Albania’s efforts to urge Kosovar Albanians to show “patience and restraint” as the U.N. Security Council weighs a plan to grant the Serb province supervised independence.
On Monday, speaking to an audience at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Basha rejected the idea that his country has aspirations to create a “greater Albania.”
Basha told Rice that his government has urged patience and restraint in neighboring Kosova.
Rice was invited to visit Albania after Bush’s visit in June 10.
Following the meeting, a State Department spokesman said, “We want Albania in the (NATO) Alliance when it is ready, and are helping Albania prepare for membership. We look forward to continuing our work with Albania to meet NATO’s performance-based standards as we approach NATO’s 2008 Summit meeting.”