New army contingent, ‘ambassadors’ leave for Afghanistan

TIRANA, Jan. 18 – A new army contingent of commandos left for Afghanistan as part of peacekeeping operation in Herat province. The 222 commandos will spend six months under Italian command. There are four Albanian contingents in Afghanistan. In 2010, 554 soldiers served in those missions. It has now 305 forces in Afghanistan.
Defense Minister Arben Imami called them the best ambassadors for the country.
In an interview with the Coalition magazine, Imami said that last year Albania sent an additional contingent of combat troops to Afghanistan at a time when other NATO members have been reducing, or even pulling out from Afghanistan.
“Albania is a small country, with a tragic wars and invasions history; a victim of dreadful decisions that left big territorial parts outside the borders, a country that has always been under consistent threats. The Albanian membership in NATO was the milestone in our history which granted us the safety that we always have been looking for. Albania today enjoys the status of full membership rights, but at the same time, we are eager to contribute for the peace and security not just in the region but wherever the alliance needs us in the world,” he said.
Imami said that Albania had been reforming the army in line with the NATO standards.
The former communist regime had more than 100,000 active duty personnel, old equipment and with a Cold War oriented doctrine and strategy. The process of transformation to meet the NATO standards was a challenge that required immense efforts.
It changed from a territorial defense force to a professional force, able to accomplish the requirements of constitution, and to contribute to the peacekeeping operations. That is an ongoing process, said the minister
One year after the NATO membership, Albania has increased its contribute in the operations abroad. Albania has had or has troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, Chad, BiH, and in the operation “Active Endeavour.”
Despite the global economic crisis, Albania’s funding on the defense ministry has a 9 percent increase this year, according to the minister