ALBANIA APPROVES AMENDMENT TO CLAIMS SETTLEMENT

UNCLAS TIRANA 000479

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

EUR/SCE (BENEDICT); L/CID (MWALTER)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV EIND AL US
SUBJECT: ALBANIA APPROVES AMENDMENT TO CLAIMS SETTLEMENT
TREATY

REF: 05 STATE 205603


1. Per reftel, we approached the MFA last year to request
the suggested amendment. The Council of Ministers approved
the amendment in mid-April 2006 and the MFA issued a
confirmatory Diplomatic Note (Note verbal 6012) on April 27th.


2. Embassy's translation of the MFA's note follows:

(Verbal note) No. 6012

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania
presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United States
of America in Tirana and has the honor to refer to the
Embassy,s note verbale nr. 123, dated November 18th, 2005,
which states the following:

"The Embassy of the United States of America presents its
compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Albania and has the honor to refer the Ministry
to the Agreement between the Government of the United States
of America and the Government of the Republic of Albania on
the Settlement of Certain Outstanding Claims signed March 10,
1995 and to paragraph 1 of the Agreed Minute to the
Agreement, which reads as follows:

For purposes of article 1, the term 'United States nationals'
shall include dual United States-Albanian nationals only if
those nationals are domiciled in the United States currently
or for at least half the period of time between when the
property was taken and the date of entry into force of the
agreement.

The Embassy also has the honor to refer to discussions
between representatives of our two governments that have
concluded that this provision of the Agreed Minute is no
longer necessary. Therefore, the Embassy proposes that the
Agreement be amended be deleting paragraph 1 of the Agreed
Minute in its entirety and renumbering the remaining
paragraphs accordingly.

If the foregoing proposal is acceptable to the Government of
the Republic of Albania, the Embassy proposes that this note
and the Ministry,s affirmative note in reply shall
constitute an agreement, which shall enter into force on the
date of your note in reply.

The Embassy of the United States of America avails itself of
this opportunity to renew to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Albania the assurances of its highest
consideration."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania
has the honor to notify that the Albanian counterpart agrees
with the proposal of the Embassy of the United States of
America in Tirana on amending the Agreement between the
Government of the United States of America and the Government
of the Republic of Albania on the settlement of certain
disputes, signed on March 10th, 1995.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also the honor to confirm
that the verbal note of the Embassy of the United States of
America in Tirana, no. 123, dated November 18th, 2005, and
this replying note, constitute an agreement, which enters
into force upon the date of this replying note.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania
avails itself once more of this opportunity to renew to the
Embassy of United States of America in Tirana the assurances
of its highest consideration. Tirana, April 27th, 2006.
ZATE