Italian Defense Minister visits Albania

TIRANA, May 17 – Italian Defense minister Arturo Parisi visited Albania Thursday to meet with all top officials to discuss on further military relations between the two countries.
Parisi was welcomed from his Albanian counterpart Fatmir Mediu with an official ceremony and then met with President Alfred Moisiu and Prime Minister Sali Berisha.
Italy has been a main supporter of Albania’s reforms in the army along its efforts to become a full NATO member, probably by next year.
Albania has army units in peacekeeping operations in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Albania has pledged to send another army unit in the peacekeeping operation in Lebanon under the Italian command.
Parisi also spoke on the recent bus hijacking in Italy from three Albanian immigrants saying that would not affect the bilateral ties and would also have no negative impact on Albanian immigrants in the neighboring country.
But Parisi also added and appealed to the Albanian authorities to make more efforts to cut the illegal human trafficking.
Italy serves as a main destiantion country for Albanian immigrants trying to get a better life than in their home country. Hundreds of thousands of Albanians have crossed the Adriatic, often in illegal ways, to go to Italy.