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.

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ALBANIA: HOPEFUL ABOUT APRIL
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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
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.

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ALLIES: PROGRESS, BUT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE
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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.

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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.

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KOSOVO: HOW ALBANIA FITS IN
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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."

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HUSI RESPONDS
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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