Bush’s visit a historic important moment, says Nikolla Pano

TIRANA, June 5 – Nikolla Pano, a well known Albanian personality who fled to the United States many years ago, considers U.S. President George W. Bush’s visit to Pano’s homeland as a important historic moment that will mark a culminating point in the relations between the two countries.
“President Bush’s visit stresses the important role Albania has played in the fight against terrorism,” said Pano in an interview to the Voice of America. Albania has sent small army peacekeeping units to Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq. The country has also banned and sequestered properties of some Islamic organizations that are considered by the international community and United Nations to be linked to terrorist groups. Albania has also accepted a group of eight ex-Guantanamo detainees and has strengthened the control of its border in an effort to stop human trafficking. “All these are evaluated by the United States government,” he said. According to Pano, the close links between the two countries dates back to the beginning of the last century when many Albanians immigrated to the States, especially between 1892-1914. These Albanians played an important role in the support of their homeland’s independence in 1912, especially the Vatra organization. At the peace conference after World War I, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson became a strong advocate of Albanian interests. His determination not to sign certain treaties preserved Albania’s borders at the time. Diplomatic ties between Albania and the United States were established in July 1922. They were interrupted during the communist regime and resumed again in 1991.
Albania is one stop on Bush’s European trip this week. He will stop in the Czech Republic, Germany’s Baltic Sea resort town of Heiligendamm for three days of meetings between the leaders of the world’s eight major industrialized democracies, and then for eight days to Poland, Italy, Albania on June 10 and Bulgaria. The Albanian capital has been beautified with posters and large Albanian and U.S. flags joined by equally large posters saying, “Proud to be partners.” Unlike many other countries, Albanians are very close to the United States and consider it their best partner and protector, according to a poll conducted in the country before Bush’s visit.