ALBANIA: PRIME MINISTER THANKS PRESIDENT BUSH

UNCLAS TIRANA 000982 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/SCE E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: PREL AL SUBJECT: ALBANIA: PRIME MINISTER THANKS PRESIDENT BUSH ¶1. On November 5, Post received the following letter dated October 19, 2007, from Prime Minister Berisha addressed to President Bush. Original has been pouched to EUR/SCE. ¶2. Begin text. (Original as received in English.) Dear President Bush, It was a special honor and great pleasure to meet again with you in New York. Thank you very much for having me in your round table, for your warm hospitality and the nice and encouraging words. I take this opportunity to once again express my gratitude for the United States very important continuous support to strengthening Albanian democracy, Albania's integration in NATO and your personal attention and respect to my country. I would like to reassure you that my government is determined to enhance the overall reforms for consolidating the values of freedom and achieving all the necessary standards for country's integration in NATO and the EU. I am happy to inform you that in the past two months we have completed three very important projects for e-business registration, e-procurements and ombudsman on procurement, and e-taxes, which have thoroughly transformed business practices and significantly increased their transparency, and improved the image of Albania. These projects with a value of 15 million dollars were financed by the American Government, in the framework of the Millennium Challenge Threshold Account, and implemented with much success by the USAID. Taking the opportunity, I would also like to thank you for your unwavering commitment to the independence of Kosova, hoping that with the US support Kosova will soon be independent. Looking forward to meeting you again in the future, With my warmest greetings /s/ Sali Berisha End text. WITHERS