Tirana talks with US on defense reforms

TIRANA, Feb. 6 – U.S. Deputy Assistant of the Defense Secretary Celeste A. Wallander and Rear Admiral Mark C. Montgomery made a visit to Albania to meet with top defense officials – Minister Arben Imami and also Chief-of-Staff Gen. Maj. Xhemal Gjunkthi to discuss on the Strategic Defense Review, security and reforms in defense.
Imami thanked them for all the support that the United States provides towards full integration, Albania in NATO, as well as transformation and modernization of the Armed Forces.
“Training process of the Armed Forces, Strategic Defense Review, modernization of the Armed Forces, demilitarization and the outcome of this process by 2013 are very important issues for us,” said Imami.
Wallander said she was pleased with how the Strategic Defense Review process and missions have progressed, complimenting particularly the commitment on peacekeeping missions abroad.
They also exchanged views on missions that must be reconfigured.
Albania has a mission in Afghanistan and it has said it will stay there until the alliance decides to dismiss it.
Another very important issue that was discussed at this meeting was the importance of “Smart Defense,” which despite budget constraints, each NATO member countries will face the same duties as before.
During the talks they discussed the importance of missions abroad, training of soldiers serving in these missions, and the fact that immediately after returning they have brought a certain experience and expertise for the Albanian army.
Wallander is in a tour in the Balkan countries: Albania, Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Albania became a NATO member in 2009 and Washington was the main supporter for that move.