Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ROME2452
2004-06-24 07:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

ALBANIANS MAKING THE ROUNDS ON ISTANBUL SUMMIT

Tags:  PREL AL HR MK IT NATO 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002452 

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2014
TAGS: PREL AL HR MK IT NATO
SUBJECT: ALBANIANS MAKING THE ROUNDS ON ISTANBUL SUMMIT
STATEMENT

REF: USNATO 591

CLASSIFIED BY: A/POLMIN GARY ROBBINS. REASON: 1.5 (B)(D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 002452

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/RPM

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2014
TAGS: PREL AL HR MK IT NATO
SUBJECT: ALBANIANS MAKING THE ROUNDS ON ISTANBUL SUMMIT
STATEMENT

REF: USNATO 591

CLASSIFIED BY: A/POLMIN GARY ROBBINS. REASON: 1.5 (B)(D).


1. (C) ACTING ON INSTRUCTIONS, ALBANIAN EMBASSY DCM SAKO
MIROSH CONTINUED HIS GOVERNMENT'S PUSH (REFTEL) FOR A FORWARD
LEANING STATEMENT AT THE ISTANBUL SUMMIT, WHICH WOULD EXTEND
ALBANIA, CROATIA AND MACEDONIA "THE MEMBERSHIP INVITATION IN
THE NEXT ENLARGEMENT SUMMIT." SAKO PRESENTED TO A/POLMIN
GARY ROBBINS A COMPLETE SUGGESTED PARAGRAPH FOR INCLUSION IN
THE ISTANBUL DOCUMENT (SEE PARA 4 FOR TEXT). SAKO WAS UNSURE
WHETHER THE STATEMENT HAD BEEN COORDINATED WITH SKOPJE AND
ZAGREB. HE DID SAY THAT HIS COUNTERPARTS WOULD BE DELIVERING
THE SAME DEMARCHE IN NATO CAPITALS. HE SAID HIS OWN
DEMARCHE TO THE ITALIAN MFA WAS MET WITH A PROMISE TO "DO
WHAT WE CAN" BY BALKANS OFFICE DIRECTOR ANDREA ORIZIO, WHO
CAUTIONED SAKO THAT THE DECISION ON HOW THE THREE ASPIRANTS
WERE TREATED IN THE STATEMENT WAS NOT UP TO THE US AND ITALY
ALONE. (POLOFF LATER CONFIRMED THIS READOUT WITH ORIZIO.)


2. (C) SAKO JUSTIFIED HIS GOVERNMENT'S REQUEST BY NOTING
RECENT PROGRESS ON MILITARY RESTRUCTURING, AND SUPPORT FOR
NATO ACCESSION AMONG ALBANIANS, WHICH ACCORDING TO SAKO IS AT
OVER 90 PERCENT. HE POINTED OUT ALBANIA'S ROLE IN REGIONAL
STABILITY, INCLUDING SAM DEFMIN DAVINIC'S JUNE 22 VISIT TO
TIRANA, THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS A DEFENSE MINISTER FROM
BELGRADE HAD VISITED TIRANA. SAKO UNDERLINED THE SACRIFICES
A POOR COUNTRY SUCH AS ALBANIA MUST MAKE IN DEPLOYING
MILITARY UNITS TO IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN AND BOSNIA, AND HOPED
THAT THIS CONTRIBUTION WOULD BE RECOGNIZED IN ISTANBUL.


3. (C) REITERATING AMB. BURNS' APPRECIATION FOR ALBANIA'S
CONTRIBUTIONS TO REGIONAL STABILITY AND THE GLOBAL WAR ON
TERROR (REFTEL),ROBBINS POINTED OUT THAT ALBANIA SHOULD
FOCUS ON ITS MAP PROGRESS AND CAUTIONED THAT AT THIS LATE
POINT IT COULD BE DIFFICULT TO GARNER CONSENSUS ON INCLUDING
THE SUGGESTED LANGUAGE IN THE ISTANBUL DOCUMENT. SAKO ALSO
REGISTERED ROBBINS' POINT THAT RECEIVING AN ACCESSION DATE AT
THIS STAGE WOULD PRESUPPOSE MAP SUCCESS FOR THE ASPIRANTS.


4. (SBU) BEGIN SUGGESTED ALBANIAN TEXT:
HAILING THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE ALLIANCE WITH SEVEN NEW
MEMBERS AND APPRECIATING THE PROGRESS ACHIEVED FROM THE THREE
ASPIRANT COUNTRIES, WE EXTEND OUR WISH THAT THEY RECEIVE THE
MEMBERSHIP INVITATION IN THE NEXT ENLARGEMENT SUMMIT. END
TEXT.

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2004ROME02452 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL