ALBANIA'S ANNUAL NATIONAL PROGRAM WINS OVER SOME

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USNATO 000528 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL NATO AL SUBJECT: ALBANIA'S ANNUAL NATIONAL PROGRAM WINS OVER SOME SKEPTICS IN SPC/R SEPTEMBER 25 REF: A. STATE 133672 ¶B. USNATO 0500 ¶C. ALBANIA'S ANP (E-MAILED TO EUR/RPM) Classified By: DCM Richard G. Olson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: NATO's Senior Political Committee (Reinforced) (SPC/R) met with an Albanian delegation on September 25 to discuss their latest Annual National Program (ANP) for the final Membership Action Plan cycle before the April 2008 summit in Bucharest. The delegation outlined its successes to date and continuing challenges, acknowledging the need for continuing reforms over the coming months. Albania drew broad support from NATO allies for serving as a stabilizing presence in the region, and for meeting their plan to meet their earmark target of two percent of GDP for defense spending. Allies also reminded Albania that much still needed to be accomplished in the few months remaining before the Bucharest Summit, focusing especially on reform of judicial and electoral systems, deepening an emerging bipartisan support for NATO issues, decreasing excessive partisanship in key public policy, protection of minority populations, and fighting corruption, organized crime, and human trafficking. The Albanian delegation insisted that they would continue to make reforms as they seek NATO accession by Bucharest. END SUMMARY. -------------- ALBANIA: HOPEFUL ABOUT APRIL -------------- ¶2. (C) Glori Husi, Albania's National Coordinator for Membership in NATO, led an interagency delegation to present Albania's 2007-2008 ANP to NATO's SPCR on September 25. Husi noted that integration of Albania into NATO and the EU remains a top national priority supported by all Albanian political parties and more than 94% of Albanian citizens. He relayed Prime Minister Berisha's assurances to the NAC of Albania's determination to take all necessary measures to meet NATO's standards and requirements to merit an invitation for NATO membership. Husi noted Albania's fair, open, and peaceful national, local, and Presidential elections over the last few years. He pointed out the high growth and stabilization of the Albanian economy, noting that inflation was hovering around 2.4% and the economy was growing annually at a rate of approximately 6%. Husi further noted successes and progress in Albania's fight against corruption and �00A;organized crime, and asserted that Albania was no longer a conduit for human trafficking. Husi acknowledged that many achievements had been made in a short time, but acknowledged areas where more tangible results still need to be delivered. These areas included: stronger constructive dialogue between political parties in the Albanian parliament, legislative reform, judiciary reform, electoral reform, police professionalization, and property reform. ¶3. (C) Petrit Karabina, Deputy Minister of Defense, addressed defense reform, pointing to strong overall progress in the defense sector. He observed that reform has significantly benefited from, and would not have been possible without, the successful democratization of the government as a whole. Karabina committed Albanian defense to the following: professionalization of the civilian and military personnel system, advancement of the training management system (to include better standardization and more joint programs), focus on Operational Capabilities Concept (OCC) guidelines, and continued participation in NATO-led operations. He further said Albania would have a battalion-size deployable group by 2013 and would seek to maintain an eight percent deployability goal. -------------- ALLIES: PROGRESS, BUT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE -------------- ¶4. (C) Allies were generally supportive of Albania's NATO membership aspirations, particularly in comparison to previous, more critical evaluations. Almost all Allies were impressed with the progress Albania had made regarding defense issues and voiced appreciation for Albania's commitment to ISAF and other international peacekeeping operations. The U.S. also focused on the new Joint Investigative Unit (JIU),noting recent high profile arrests. USNATO 00000528 002 OF 002 However, the U.S. noted that while progress had clearly been made, it was watching closely the lofty goals Albania had set for itself, which now needed to be met. As an example, the U.S. called for speedy, transparent trials to follow up the JIU arrests. ¶5. (C) Allies expressed concern over Albania's need to reform both its judicial and electoral systems (RO, BU, SP, CA, CZ, PD, NL, FR, LI),to ensure continuing and strengthening bipartisan dialogue within the Albanian parliament, build tax transparency and property registration, and to do a better job of ensuring and protecting the rights of minorities (SN, GR, NL). While all nations indicated a willingness to support Albanian entry into NATO in 2008, most qualified this by linking it to continued reform over the coming six months. On that basis, certain nations (IT, PT, SP, GR) were much more open and enthusiastic about a possible Albanian entry into NATO, while some nations (RO, CZ, DK) took a harder line with regard to Albania's progress, emphasizing what still needed to be accomplished. -------------- KOSOVO: HOW ALBANIA FITS IN -------------- ¶6. (C) A number of Allies raised Kosovo in light of the looming December 10 deadline for Troika-led negotiations. They expressed appreciation for Albania providing stability in the region, but Romania objected to the ANP reference to the relationship with Kosovo under the section entitled "Relations with the Regions and countries," arguing that including Kosovo in this section was "counterproductive at this point." -------------- HUSI RESPONDS -------------- ¶7. (C) Husi responded to the issues of judiciary reform by noting that an independent and impartial committee had been set up to help ensure progress on the issue and that the committee was being assisted by a group of experts on the topic. In regard to electoral reform, Husi reiterated the improving trend line in elections over the previous few years and then went on to note his understanding that much still needed to be accomplished and he said that a draft proposal on the topic could be expected by the end of the year. Finally, he noted an understanding over the concern for minority rights (he pointed to improved rights for Roma as an example),and dismissed the issue of Kosovo being included in the countries section by noting that there was no place else to put it, as Tirana has independent relations with Kosovo that do not run through Belgrade. NULAND