Albania supports US in stand on Syria

TIRANA, Sep 4 – Albania has made it very clear they fully support the United States and NATO in any action they might take to put an end to massacres in Syria.
There have been several statements from outgoing Prime Minister Sali Berisha, Tirana’s foreign ministry and also the elected Prime Minister Edi Rama that the country is ready to support any action, be that military or otherwise, on Syria.
“Following the situation in Syria with concern, Albania, as a NATO member, is ready to politically support the US and NATO in any action needed to be undertaken to put an end to the massacre of Syrian population and to support the Syrian opposition in building a free and democratic Syria,” said the ministry.
Socialist Party leader Edi Rama, who won the general elections on June 23 and would take over the Prime Ministry in September, made public the support for the possible military intervention of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Syria.
Rama said that the government would take side of any action to prevent pressure on the Syrian opposition.
“We historically owe to our allies who supported Albanian people’s demand for freedom. As a new government, we would support the possible military intervention of NATO in Syria.”
Albania joined the NATO in 2009.
Some 3000 British royal marines, mostly commando and navy forces, as well as a group of 35 militaries from Dutch Armed Forces are holding “Albanian Lion 2013” joint exercise.
The joint exercise is holding training from Biza to Pashaliman, Kucove, Karaburun and Sazan Isle.
The exercise is the first major outing for the Response Force Task Group (RFTG) – a Royal Naval force involving four warships and five support vessels. The task force is exercising in the Mediterranean and Gulf over the next three months under the name Cougar 13. The Cougar 13 deployment will operate in the Mediterranean, Red Sea, Arabian Gulf, and Horn of Africa.
It involves exercising with partner nations, and will show the UK Armed Forces’ capacity to project an effective maritime component anywhere in the world as part of the RFTG.
Exercise Albanian Lion will see the Lead Commando Group of 42 Commando – the Royal Marines unit that stands ready to react to events anywhere in the world – carry out a series of mock assaults on enemy positions near Biza as they continue to build their core skill of amphibious warfare. Launching their assault from HMS Bulwark, this will be the third time the two forces have worked together after the RFTG was formed following the 2010 Strategic Defense and Security Review.