US embassy cable - 03STATE73555

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 073555 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/13 
TAGS: MOPS, NATO, PREL, YI, AL 
SUBJECT: THE DEPUTY SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH ALBANIAN 
AMBASSADOR TARIFA, MARCH 12, 3 PM, WASHINGTON 
 
REF: TIRANA 395 
 
(U) CLASSIFIED BY RICHARD L. ARMITAGE, FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) 
AND (D) 
 
1. (U) PARTICIPANTS: 
 
U.S. 
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THE DEPUTY SECRETARY 
EUR DAS BOGUE 
ALBANIA DESK OFFICER GREGORY (NOTETAKER) 
 
ALBANIA 
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AMBASSADOR FATOS TARIFA 
DCM RUDINA MULLAHI 
 
 
IRAQ/NANO VISIT 
=============== 
2. (C) DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE, ACCOMPANIED BY EUR DAS 
BOGUE, GAVE AMBASSADOR TARIFA A WARM RECEPTION. THE 
DEPUTY SECRETARY SAID PRIME MINISTER NANO'S FEB. 9 LETTER 
TO THE BOSTON GLOBE, INVOKING AMERICA'S SACRIFICES AT 
NORMANDY, HAD "TOUCHED A CHORD." HE CALLED PARLIAMENTS' 
UNANIMOUS RESOLUTION ON MARCH 6 "COURAGEOUS." AMBASSADOR 
TARIFA ASSURED DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE THAT ALBANIA'S 
SUPPORT FOR AMERICA ON IRAQ WAS NOT FOR POLITICAL 
EXPEDIENCY, BUT CAME FROM THE HEART, AS A RESULT OF 
"KNOWING WHAT LIVING UNDER A DICTATORSHIP REALLY MEANS." 
HE SAID THAT 75 SOLDIERS WERE BEING SENT TO KUWAIT, AND 
MORE WERE BEING TRAINED FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE 
COALITION. (NOTE: AMBASSADOR TARIFA'S INFORMATION MAY NOT 
BE CURRENT. ALBANIA IS COORDINATING WITH CENTCOM AND THE 
U.S. EMBASSY IN TIRANA ON ALBANIAN PARTICIPATION (REFTEL). 
END NOTE.) THE DEPUTY SECRETARY PREDICTED THAT NON-ARAB 
MUSLIM COUNTRIES WOULD HAVE A VALUABLE ROLE TO PLAY IN THE 
POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION OF IRAQ. 
 
3. (C) DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE PREDICTED THAT U.S.- 
ALBANIA RELATIONS WOULD CHANGE, BOTH MILITARILY AND 
POLITICALLY, BECAUSE OF ALBANIA'S POSITIVE ACTIONS. 
AMBASSADOR TARIFA EMPHASIZED THAT, IN ADDITION TO ITS 
FOREIGN POLICY INITIATIVES, INCLUDING ARTICLE 98 
NEGOTIATIONS, THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUED TO MAKE PROGRESS ON 
RULE OF LAW ISSUES, INCLUDING BRINGING CORRUPT OFFICIALS 
TO JUSTICE AND STOPPING TRAFFICKING ACROSS THE ADRIATIC. 
HE HOPED THE U.S. WOULD RECOGNIZE AND ENCOURAGE ALBANIA'S 
EFFORTS BY ACCEPTING A PRIME MINISTERIAL VISIT TO 
WASHINGTON. THE DEPUTY SECRETARY SAID HE SUPPORTED A 
WASHINGTON VISIT BY PM NANO AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME. 
 
DJINDJIC ASSASSINATION 
====================== 
 
4. (U) DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE HOPED THE MARCH 12 
ASSASSINATION OF SERBIAN PRIME MINISTER DJINDJIC WOULD NOT 
EMBOLDEN DARKER ELEMENTS OF SOCIETY TO BE MORE VICIOUS AND 
VIOLENT. THE U.S. SUPPORTS THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS NOW 
UNDERWAY IN SERBIA TO CHOOSE A NEW LEADER. HE AGREED WITH 
AMBASSADOR TARIFA'S STATEMENT THAT DJINDJIC HAD BEEN A 
CALMING INFLUENCE IN THE REGION, AND THAT THE 
ASSASSINATION SHOWED HOW VULNERABLE PARTS OF THE BALKANS 
REMAIN TO INSTABILITY. 
 
ADRIATIC CHARTER 
================ 
 
5. (C) ON THE ADRIATIC CHARTER, THE DEPUTY SECRETARY 
AGREED WITH AMBASSADOR TARIFA THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR 
THE BALKAN COUNTRIES TO WORK COOPERATIVELY. HE ASSURED 
THE AMBASSADOR THE DEPARTMENT WAS WORKING TO IDENTIFY AN 
APPROPRIATE DATE TO ENABLE THE SECRETARY TO SIGN THE 
CHARTER FOR THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TARIFA JOKED THAT 
ALBANIA, CROATIA AND MACEDONIA WERE "TAKING THE TRAIN TO 
BRUSSELS TOGETHER." 
 
 
POWELL