UNCLAS TIRANA 000365

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR/SCE (MBENEDICT/DSAINZ)
NSC FOR BRAUN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR AL
SUBJECT: ALBANIA: PROTESTING THE IRANIAN REGIME'S
TREATMENT OF RELIGIOUS MINORITIES, PARTICULARLY THE BAHA'I

REF: A. STATE 54484


B. TIRANA 40


1. (U) Pol/Econ Chief raised reftel demarche with Mimoza
Kondo, Office Director for the Americas desk at the MFA.
Kondo was not aware of the issue, and thanked us for the
information. She noted the sensitive nature of religious
issues in Albania, but agreed that religious tolerance was
something governments should support. Kondo agreed this is
certainly something MFA officials could raise with Iranians
provided the issue came up. She would undertake to see if
this was also something the GOA could more publicly.


2. (SBU) Comment: The mufti in the northern city of Shkodra
(a Catholic stronghold) has raised concerns about the
placement of a statue of Mother Teresa in a public square
(Ref B). While tensions are not particularly high, and the
mufti appears to be walking back some of his more strident
comments, we expect that the GOA will want to steer clear of
commenting publicly on any religious issue for now. End
Comment.
RIES