Washington reassures Albania of support for NATO membership

TIRANA, Feb. 6 – Defense Minister Fatmir Mediu has started an official visit to the United States, just ahead of the Bucharest NATO summit in April.
Albania hopes to get the membership invitation at the summit.
Together with Croatia and Macedonia Tirana has created the Adriatic 3 Charter agreement that helps them coordinate efforts and reforms along the integration into NATO. The deal has been also signed by Washington.
Mediu met with Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England presenting to him the reform of the Albanian army and their missions to Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Albania has also pledged to send army units in peacekeeping operations in Lebanon and Darfur.
England assured Mediu of Washington’s support at the Bucharest summit.
In meetings with other military and parliamentary officials Mediu also thanked the U.S. continuous support in its integration road toward NATO.
The minister assured all of them that the reform process in his tiny country was irreversible and all political forces were determined to go ahead with the most urgent reforms, that in the judiciary and the electoral process.
Albania is working to reform the army and turn it into a totally professional one.
Mediu also talked on Kosova status process, repeating that a further delay of independence would be dangerous for the Balkan region.