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Albania - Relations with U.S. (Notes)

U.S.-ALBANIAN RELATIONS Albania enjoys friendly and cooperative bilateral relations with the U.S. Pro-U.S. sentiment is widespread among the population. Even while the U.S., which had closed its mission to Albania in 1946, was being vilified by communist propaganda during the Hoxha regime, ordinary Albanians remembered that Woodrow Wilson had protected Albanian independence in 1919. Albanians credit the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999 with saving thousands of Kosovar-Albanian lives, and they greatly appreciate the U.S. Governments commitment to resolving the status of Kosovo. In 2003, Albania and the U.S. signed and ratified a number of agreements, including a treaty on the Prevention of Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Promotion of Defense and Military Relations; the Adriatic Charter; and an Agreement regarding the non-surrender of persons to the International Criminal Court. The U.S. strongly supports Albanias EU and NATO membership goals. Working towards NATO membership, the U.S. and Albania signed a Supplementary Agreement to the Partnership for Peace Status of Forces Agreement, an important step in strengthening bilateral cooperation and enhancing security, peace, and stability in the region. Since FY 1991, the U.S. has provided Albania with more than $550 million in assistance, not counting U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food aid. The aid has served to facilitate Albanias transition from the most isolated and repressive communist state in Europe to a modern democracy with a market-oriented economy, and to support long-term development. In 2006, the U.S. gave over $24 million to Albania under the Support for East European Democracy (SEED) Act program. Albania was among the first countries selected to participate in the Threshold Program under the Millennium Challenge Account, winning a grant of $13.8 million. In September 2006, Albania began implementation of the program, which targets two critical stumbling blocks to development--corruption and rule of law. Despite daunting problems at home, Albania has wholeheartedly supported the U.S. in the global war on terrorism by freezing terrorist assets, shutting down non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with possible links to terrorist financing, expelling extremists, and providing military and diplomatic support for the U.S.-led actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Albania has played a moderating role in the region and has fully supported UN mediation efforts in Kosovo. Principal U.S. Embassy Officials Ambassador--John L. Withers II Deputy Chief of Mission--Stephen A. Cristina Political/Economic Section Chief--Paula Thiede Political Officers--Dena Brownlow, Victor Myev, Chris Olson Economic/Commercial Officer--Robert Newsome Consular Officer--Abigail Aronson USAID Director--Edward Landau Public Affairs Officer--Leigh Rieder, Acting Defense Attaché--Cmdr. Brian Moore Regional Security Officer--Patrick Leonard Management Officer--C. Wakefield Martin The U.S. Embassy is located at 103 Tirana Rruga Elbasanit, Tirana; telephone: [355] (4) 247-285; facsimile: [355] (4) 232-222.