Army chief visits US

TIRANA, April 2 – Army chief of staff Gen. Maj. Xhemal Gjunkthi was the latest to visit the United States in the last two months among the Albanian top officials or politicians.
Gen. Gjunkthi met in the Pentagon with his U.S. counterpart Gen. Martin Dempsey to discuss on the country’s efforts to modernize the army and also its contribution at the international peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan.
Together with the New Jersey’s National Guard the Albanian army is cooperating with a team in training the local afghan police and troops there.
The U.S. is assisting the Albanian army in many areas like training, education, firefighting, coping with emergency situations, medical assistance and other areas.
The Albanian army is under a continuous stage of reform following its three years as a full NATO member.
In 2010 it turned into a totally professional one– getting rid of excess ammunition remains and the United States has been a main source of assistance both financially and with experts.
Albania has pledged to complete elimination of all the remaining amounts of excess ammunition by next year.
Deputy Defense Minister Ekrem Spahiu said that during the first half of 2013 the country would have no more excess ammunition. From 92,651 tons of ammunition in 2009 now the country has to dispose of 38,845 tons, from which 26,000 tons should be eliminated this year.
In 1992 Albania had 194.000 tons of ammunition of Russian, Chinese and local production held in hundreds of storage places all around the country.
Gen. Gjunkthi repeated his government’s pledge to be in every international mission that the alliance has or may have and it will continue to be present in Afghanistan.
During his trip to the States Gjunkthi also met with other top military there.