Meta strengthening Albania-US ties in Washington

TIRANA, March 21 – Foreign Minister Ilir Meta held a two-day visit to Washington where he met with US officials and took part in other activities in an effort to further strengthen the already excellent ties between the two countries.
During his visit to Washington DC, Meta met with the US Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg to talk about issues of cooperation between Albania and the USA on international security, on the role of Albania in the region and on the process of recognition of Kosovo.
Meta emphasized once again the consolidated stance of the Albanian Government for an active participation in international security operations, by pointing out the presence in Afghanistan and the cooperation within NATO, and by guaranteeing an increased engagement and contribution of Albania in the operations of the Alliance.
Meta and Steinberg talked about the situation in the Balkans by emphasizing the strategic role of Albania as a factor of peace and stability in the region.
Meta also informed Steinberg on his recent visit to Serbia, his meetings with political leaders and the visit to the Presheva Valley.
“This visit serves not only to an increased cooperation between the two countries, but also to peace, security and stability in the Balkans, a region that has a secure future towards the European Union,” said Meta.
Meta and Steinberg shared similar views on the issue of Kosovo’s independence, which was considered as an irreversible process which serves peace and stability in the region, said a ministry statement.
Meta expressed Albania’s engagement for the intensification of diplomatic work at the service of continuous recognition of the Republic of Kosovo from other countries.
The Albanian minister said that the visit in Washington served to meet different officials from various departments of the US Administration; at the National Security Council, at the US Congress and he also held a discourse at the John Hopkins University of International Relations and in the Transatlantic Forum regarding Albania’s foreign policy.
“It was a visit designed to reconfirm once again the extremely close relations between Albania and the USA and at the same time to exchange views and ideas on various issues, particularly on those related to the state of play in our region and its integration prospect, as well as on other important international issues, as that of Afghanistan, where Albania continues to be engaged with an increased contribution, now as a NATO member state, the most important security Alliance we are in, thanks also to US support,” Meta said in an interview to the Voice of America.
All meetings expressed in absolute terms the determination to foster further the close relations between Albania and the USA, which are considered brilliant in several aspects: political as well as cooperation on issues of security for regional policy; however, we think that there is a need to improve them further also in the field of trade and economic area, since it remains much to be done in this respect, he said.