SECRETARY'S FEBRUARY 6 MEETING WITH ALBANIAN PM

S E C R E T STATE 013860

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/06/2019
TAGS: OVIP CLINTON HILLARY PGOV PREL NATO AL ENRG
ECON
SUBJECT: SECRETARY'S FEBRUARY 6 MEETING WITH ALBANIAN PM
BERISHA

Classified By: EUR A/S Dan Fried, Reason: 1.4 (b) and
(d)


1. (U) February 6, 2009; 11:30-12:00 p.m.; Washington,
D.C., USA.


2. (U) Participants:

U.S.

THE SECRETARY
EUR-STUART JONES
ACTING A/S PA ROBERT WOOD
NSC-KATHERINE HELGERSON
EUR-JERRY ISMAIL-NTKR

Albania

PRIME MINISTER BERISHA
AMBASSADOR SALLABANDA
DCM COLLAKU
FIRST EMBASSY SECRETARY MISHTO


3. (S) SUMMARY. The Secretary met Albanian Prime
Minister
Sali Berisha February 6. Berisha was in Washington to
attend the National Prayer Breakfast and host a dinner
for
members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In a
warm and open exchange, the Secretary expressed
gratitude
for Albania's support for the U.S.-led mission in
Afghanistan, its collaboration against extremist groups,
and its acceptance of eight Guantanamo detainees.
Berisha
responded the GOA would continue to play an active role
in Afghanistan; Albania planned to send another 60
troops
to its mission there. The Secretary congratulated
Albania
on its impending accession to NATO, noting that the
invitation to join the Alliance reflected Albania's
reforms over the last decade. Raising concerns about
the
Lustration Law pending before Albania's Constitutional
Court, the Secretary underscored that the US wanted to
see
Albania as a fully democratic country that respected
independent institutions, rule of law, and promoted free
and fair elections. The PM assured her that there was
no
higher priority for his government than working closely
with the opposition to promote fair and transparent
elections. He pledged that the GOA would not interfere
in
the Constitutional Court's review of the Lustration Law.
Berisha also indicated that Albania could accept a
modest number of additional Guantanamo detainees and
asked if the U.S. could support a new gas pipeline
connecting Azerbaijan to Italy through Albania. The
Secretary requested a written proposal on the pipeline
initiative. END SUMMARY.

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SPEAKING AS FRIENDS ABOUT DEMOCRACY
--------------


4. (C) During their thirty minute meeting in Washington,
the Secretary warmly congratulated Albania on its
impending NATO membership, noting that the invitation to
join the Alliance reflected significant reform steps the
GOA had taken over the last decade. As a friend of
Albania, the Secretary urged the PM to redouble his
efforts to promote Albania as a fully democratic country
that respected independent institutions and the rule of
law. Emphasizing that June's parliamentary elections
would be a visible indicator of Albania's democratic
maturity, the Secretary signaled anything other than
free
and fair elections would be an embarrassment for Albania
and all its supporters.


5. (C) Berisha assured the Secretary that there was
nothing more vital to his government than holding free
and
fair elections. Although there were some technical
flaws,
international observers characterized Albania's 2007
local
elections as fair and credible. Through close
collaboration with the opposition Socialist Party,
Albania
was able to amend the electoral code, establish a
bipartisan elections committee, and complete
digitization
of voter rolls. The government also began issuing
biometric national ID cards and passports to ensure a
transparent vote that will reflect the will of the
people. He welcomed additional US and international
monitors to ensure June's elections met international
standards.


6. (C) The Secretary sought the PM's commitment to
respect
the rule of law as Albania deliberates over the adoption
of the anti-Communist Lustration Law. Berisha noted
that
Albania had a lustration law on its books in 1995, but
the
opposition party abrogated it the following year. A new
law was necessary, he said, to remove officials from the
communist era who have burrowed into high government
office. He blamed the opposition for failing to
cooperate
on the bill, claiming that it abandoned the drafting
process in June after two years of negotiations.


7. (C) Berisha acknowledged that appeals of the
Lustration
Law were pending before the Constitutional Court and
assured the Secretary that his government would not
interfere with the Court's review process. He added
that
the GOA would only "use legal and legislative means" to
address defects the Court identified. The PM said he
was
troubled that four members of the Constitutional Court
were "tainted" by their own Communist-era service and
that
Albania lacked the clear conflict of interest standards
that the US and EU have. While he would respect the
decision of the Constitutional Court, even if the four
judges did not recuse themselves, he held out the
possibility of appealing the Constitutional Court's
ruling
to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

--------------
IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, KOSOVO and GUANTANAMO BAY
--------------


8. (C) Thanking Berisha for Albania's contributions to
US
efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as its valuable
role in promoting Kosovo independence, the Secretary
said
she was convinced that Albania would make a strong new
NATO Ally. The Secretary also expressed the USG's
appreciation for Albania's decision to accept eight
former
Guantanamo detainees. Berisha noted his government had
maintained its presence in Iraq as long as it could but
the GOI had terminated its mandate in December. Albania
would continue supporting coalition needs by sending an
additional contingent of 60 soldiers to Afghanistan.


9. (S) Labeling the facility as the wrong symbol for
America, Berisha welcomed the decision to close the
Guantanamo detention facility. To facilitate the
process,
he offered to accept a modest number of additional
detainees in Albania, as long as they were not Uighur.
GOA acceptance of Uighurs had nearly severed Albania's
relations with China, he said, and the GOA could not
risk
another confrontation
with Beijing.

--------------
CORRUPTION, ECONOMIC REFORM AND INVESTMENT
--------------


10. (SBU) The PM underscored his government's commitment
to fighting organized crime and public corruption and
stressed Albania had developed strong working relations
with neighboring law enforcement agencies. GOA efforts
had led to the prosecution of hundreds of organized
crime
figures. Berisha also pledged to continue strengthening
conflict of interest rules for public sector employees.


11. (SBU) PM Berisha extolled the benefit of U.S.
assistance. USAID and Millennium Challenge Corporation
(MCC) projects to reform the GOA's revenue collection
arm
had helped the government realize revenue growth of 22%
annually over the last three years. The GOA has been
able
to collect $3.2 billion more in revenue over the past
three years even as tax rates have declined. The US
assistance programs also saved taxpayers $500 million in
administrative costs. And thanks to US programs, new
businesses can register in one day for virtually no
cost.


12. (SBU) Noting Russian attempts to dominate the
Balkans
energy market, Berisha asked if the U.S. could support a
new gas pipeline that would connect Azerbaijan with
Italy
running through Albania. His preliminary discussions
with
Italian and Turkish leaders indicated some interest,
although he acknowledged there was some hesitation due
to
downward pressure the plan would have on gas prices.
The
Secretary requested that the GOA provide the Department
with additional details on the proposal.
CLINTON