THE DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH ALBANIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 073555


E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/13
TAGS: MOPS NATO PREL YI AL
SUBJECT: THE DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH ALBANIAN
AMBASSADOR TARIFA, MARCH 12, 3 PM, WASHINGTON

REF: TIRANA 395

(U) CLASSIFIED BY RICHARD L. ARMITAGE, FOR REASONS 1.5 (B)
AND (D)


1. (U) PARTICIPANTS:

U.S.
--------------
THE DEPUTY SECRETARY
EUR DAS BOGUE
ALBANIA DESK OFFICER GREGORY (NOTETAKER)

ALBANIA
--------------
AMBASSADOR FATOS TARIFA
DCM RUDINA MULLAHI


IRAQ/NANO VISIT
===============

2. (C) DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE, ACCOMPANIED BY EUR DAS
BOGUE, GAVE AMBASSADOR TARIFA A WARM RECEPTION. THE
DEPUTY SECRETARY SAID PRIME MINISTER NANO'S FEB. 9 LETTER
TO THE BOSTON GLOBE, INVOKING AMERICA'S SACRIFICES AT
NORMANDY, HAD "TOUCHED A CHORD." HE CALLED PARLIAMENTS'
UNANIMOUS RESOLUTION ON MARCH 6 "COURAGEOUS." AMBASSADOR
TARIFA ASSURED DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE THAT ALBANIA'S
SUPPORT FOR AMERICA ON IRAQ WAS NOT FOR POLITICAL
EXPEDIENCY, BUT CAME FROM THE HEART, AS A RESULT OF
"KNOWING WHAT LIVING UNDER A DICTATORSHIP REALLY MEANS."
HE SAID THAT 75 SOLDIERS WERE BEING SENT TO KUWAIT, AND
MORE WERE BEING TRAINED FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE
COALITION. (NOTE: AMBASSADOR TARIFA'S INFORMATION MAY NOT
BE CURRENT. ALBANIA IS COORDINATING WITH CENTCOM AND THE
U.S. EMBASSY IN TIRANA ON ALBANIAN PARTICIPATION (REFTEL).
END NOTE.) THE DEPUTY SECRETARY PREDICTED THAT NON-ARAB
MUSLIM COUNTRIES WOULD HAVE A VALUABLE ROLE TO PLAY IN THE
POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION OF IRAQ.


3. (C) DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE PREDICTED THAT U.S.-
ALBANIA RELATIONS WOULD CHANGE, BOTH MILITARILY AND
POLITICALLY, BECAUSE OF ALBANIA'S POSITIVE ACTIONS.
AMBASSADOR TARIFA EMPHASIZED THAT, IN ADDITION TO ITS
FOREIGN POLICY INITIATIVES, INCLUDING ARTICLE 98
NEGOTIATIONS, THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUED TO MAKE PROGRESS ON
RULE OF LAW ISSUES, INCLUDING BRINGING CORRUPT OFFICIALS
TO JUSTICE AND STOPPING TRAFFICKING ACROSS THE ADRIATIC.
HE HOPED THE U.S. WOULD RECOGNIZE AND ENCOURAGE ALBANIA'S
EFFORTS BY ACCEPTING A PRIME MINISTERIAL VISIT TO
WASHINGTON. THE DEPUTY SECRETARY SAID HE SUPPORTED A
WASHINGTON VISIT BY PM NANO AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME.

DJINDJIC ASSASSINATION
======================


4. (U) DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE HOPED THE MARCH 12
ASSASSINATION OF SERBIAN PRIME MINISTER DJINDJIC WOULD NOT
EMBOLDEN DARKER ELEMENTS OF SOCIETY TO BE MORE VICIOUS AND
VIOLENT. THE U.S. SUPPORTS THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS NOW
UNDERWAY IN SERBIA TO CHOOSE A NEW LEADER. HE AGREED WITH
AMBASSADOR TARIFA'S STATEMENT THAT DJINDJIC HAD BEEN A
CALMING INFLUENCE IN THE REGION, AND THAT THE
ASSASSINATION SHOWED HOW VULNERABLE PARTS OF THE BALKANS
REMAIN TO INSTABILITY.

ADRIATIC CHARTER
================


5. (C) ON THE ADRIATIC CHARTER, THE DEPUTY SECRETARY
AGREED WITH AMBASSADOR TARIFA THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR
THE BALKAN COUNTRIES TO WORK COOPERATIVELY. HE ASSURED
THE AMBASSADOR THE DEPARTMENT WAS WORKING TO IDENTIFY AN
APPROPRIATE DATE TO ENABLE THE SECRETARY TO SIGN THE
CHARTER FOR THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TARIFA JOKED THAT
ALBANIA, CROATIA AND MACEDONIA WERE "TAKING THE TRAIN TO
BRUSSELS TOGETHER."


POWELL