ALBANIAN FOREIGN POLICY IN ASIA, AFRICA AND LATIN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TIRANA 000875

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV AL
SUBJECT: ALBANIAN FOREIGN POLICY IN ASIA, AFRICA AND LATIN
AMERICA

Classified By: A/DCM PAUL POLETES FOR 1.4 (b) AND (d).


1. (C) Summary: In a December 9 meeting with Nuri Domi, the
Director of the Department for Asia, Africa, and Latin
America, Domi told Poloff that the Chinese continually pester
the GOA to not accept any more Uighurs from Guantanamo Bay,
and said that the GOA will formally open an Embassy in India
next week. In the Middle East, PM Berisha will travel to
Kuwait next week, and the Director said the GOA is politely
refusing offers from Iran's "very active" Ambassador for
increased assistance. Domi also labeled Egypt "confusing"
and said the GOA plans to open missions in South Africa and
Brazil in the coming year, the primary goal of which appear
to be lobbying for recognition of Kosovo and securing
economic assistance for Albania. End summary.

ALBANIAN FOREIGN POLICY IN ASIA
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2. (C) On December 9, Dr. Nuri Domi, Director of the
Department of Asia, Africa, and Latin America at the MFA,
painted a broad picture of Albania's foreign policy in these
three regions. Starting in Asia, Domi emphasized how the
Albanian Embassies in Asia are urging countries to recognize
Kosovo's independence, noting that Malaysia and a few others
have already recognized Kosovo.

CHINA TO GOA: DO NOT ACCEPT ANY MORE UIGHURS
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3. (C) Albanian-Chinese relations are also "very good,"
according to Domi, despite Chinese protests about Albania's
decision to accept four Uighur NLECs from Guantanamo Bay in

2006. To Domi, this is a "closed issue" but he added that
the Chinese occasionally bring it up. He said more recently
the Chinese have been "bothering" him about not accepting any
more detainees from Guantanamo should more be released. Domi
emphasized that economic ties are the basis for Albania's
relationship with China, adding that Albania imports a lot of
goods from China because they tend to be cheap.

NEW EMBASSY COMING TO INDIA
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4. (C) The GOA is also planning to formally open an Embassy
in India next week. Domi said FM Basha would travel to India
for the formal opening. He expressed disappointment that
India had not yet recognized Kosovo and made a vague
reference to Russia for India's reluctance to make the
decision. He said ties with India are in a developmental
stage, but emphasized that Albania must have a strong
relationship with such a large, democratic country. He said
the Indians have expressed an interest in developing
information technology in Albania.


5. (C) Japan is another key country for Albania and,
interestingly, Japanese PM Taro Aso was a member of a
Japanese-Albanian friendship society before becoming PM,
according to Domi. As a result, since his election in
September, Japan has sent four teams to Albania to provide
assistance in health, education, and other fields. High
level visits between the two countries will be forthcoming,
according to Domi.

WE DON'T WANT YOUR MONEY
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6. (C) Moving West, Domi said that PM Berisha will visit
Kuwait next week and added that the Saudi government has
offered limited assistance to Albania, primarily in the form
of mosque building. He praised the UAE for recognizing
Kosovo and said his government is urging others in the region
to follow suit. Regarding Iran, Domi said the Iranian
Ambassador in Tirana is "very active" and is always urging
Albania to accept more assistance from Tehran. However, Domi
said that Albania cannot accept assistance from a country
whose government talks about committing genocide. He said
Iranian programs have been declining in Albania as the GOA is
politely stalling any action or decisions on Iranian
proposals.

LIMITED REPRESENTATION IN AFRICA AND SOUTH AMERICA
-------------- --------------


7. (C) In Africa, the GOA has only an Embassy in Egypt, a
country which Domi called "confusing," because he cannot
understand why it has not recognized Kosovo. Domi said the
MFA has plans to open an Embassy in South Africa and perhaps
one more in Nigeria, noting that a few West African countries
have recognized Kosovo.

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8. (C) The only Embassy in Central and South America is in
Argentina, but the GOA plans to open another in the coming
year in Brazil. The Embassy in Argentina largely supports
the large Albanian contingent that moved there prior to the
First World War. Domi also noted that Costa Rica was the
first country to recognize Kosovo and he said the GOA would
like to expand its presence in Central America with a
particular focus on Mexico.

COMMENT
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9. (C) Domi has a Ph.D in nuclear physics and made the
transition to the diplomatic service about 12 years ago. He
has previously served as the director of the European Bureau
and is an unabashed supporter of the U.S. In each of these
regions, recognition of Kosovo seems to be Albania's main
goal and he frequently blamed Russia for some countries'
reluctance to recognize it. Albania's foreign relations will
naturally always be more Euro-centric, but it is interesting
to see how Albania is expanding its diplomatic presence
slowly but surely across the globe.
WITHERS