Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TIRANA602
2006-06-07 02:53:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tirana
Cable title:
ALBANIA WILL FOLLOW UN/EU POSITIONS IN OIC
how-toVZCZCXRO0236 PP RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHTI #0602 1580253 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 070253Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4385 INFO RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 2926 RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 2723 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1136 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1195 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1086 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 5291 RUEHVJ/AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO 0440 RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE 4119 RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 2945 RUFNPKB/COMUSNAVEUR NAPLES IT RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 2163 RUEHPS/USOFFICE PRISTINA 3425
C O N F I D E N T I A L TIRANA 000602
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FDOR EUR/SCE (BENEDICT, SAINZ)
NSC FOR BRAUN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2016
TAGS: PREL OIC AL
SUBJECT: ALBANIA WILL FOLLOW UN/EU POSITIONS IN OIC
Classified By: Ambassador Marcie B. Ries for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L TIRANA 000602
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FDOR EUR/SCE (BENEDICT, SAINZ)
NSC FOR BRAUN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2016
TAGS: PREL OIC AL
SUBJECT: ALBANIA WILL FOLLOW UN/EU POSITIONS IN OIC
Classified By: Ambassador Marcie B. Ries for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) During a May 31 meeting, chief of the UN section at
the MFA Repishti stressed that Albania was formally alerting
the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) that it would
follow UN and/or EU official positions on most issues
considered by the OIC.
2. (SBU) Albania joined the OIC in 1992. After the 1997
crisis, the Socialist Government quietly diminished Albania's
involvement in the OIC, sending only Ministers or Deputy
Ministers to the OIC's heads of state meetings or just their
local ambassador to OIC ministerials. Albania's parliament
has never actually ratified its membership in the OIC.
3. (C) Albania's membership in the OIC has occasionally been
raised by the Opposition, which tries to paint PM Berisha as
more pro-Arab than pro-Western. In this context, FM Mustafaj
asked Ambassador last fall for her views on Albania remaining
in the OIC. Ambassador replied that while membership in an
international organization was certainly a national decision,
the U.S. saw merit in the OIC having moderate, responsible
members.
4. (C) COMMENT: It appears that the GoA wants to officially
distance itself -- in advance -- from radical proposals or
resolutions, a position underscored by Repishti's additional
comment that the GoA would probably only substantively
participate in OIC discussions concerning Cyprus and perhaps
"the Middle East." Their decision would also seem to
indicate that Albania plans to stay in the OIC. We have
heard from USUN that in the past, Albania's Ambassador
provided useful information about OIC activities. We would
hope that this kind of cooperation would continue.
RIES
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FDOR EUR/SCE (BENEDICT, SAINZ)
NSC FOR BRAUN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2016
TAGS: PREL OIC AL
SUBJECT: ALBANIA WILL FOLLOW UN/EU POSITIONS IN OIC
Classified By: Ambassador Marcie B. Ries for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) During a May 31 meeting, chief of the UN section at
the MFA Repishti stressed that Albania was formally alerting
the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) that it would
follow UN and/or EU official positions on most issues
considered by the OIC.
2. (SBU) Albania joined the OIC in 1992. After the 1997
crisis, the Socialist Government quietly diminished Albania's
involvement in the OIC, sending only Ministers or Deputy
Ministers to the OIC's heads of state meetings or just their
local ambassador to OIC ministerials. Albania's parliament
has never actually ratified its membership in the OIC.
3. (C) Albania's membership in the OIC has occasionally been
raised by the Opposition, which tries to paint PM Berisha as
more pro-Arab than pro-Western. In this context, FM Mustafaj
asked Ambassador last fall for her views on Albania remaining
in the OIC. Ambassador replied that while membership in an
international organization was certainly a national decision,
the U.S. saw merit in the OIC having moderate, responsible
members.
4. (C) COMMENT: It appears that the GoA wants to officially
distance itself -- in advance -- from radical proposals or
resolutions, a position underscored by Repishti's additional
comment that the GoA would probably only substantively
participate in OIC discussions concerning Cyprus and perhaps
"the Middle East." Their decision would also seem to
indicate that Albania plans to stay in the OIC. We have
heard from USUN that in the past, Albania's Ambassador
provided useful information about OIC activities. We would
hope that this kind of cooperation would continue.
RIES