Powell: US, Albania to Strengthen Relations

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, May 03, 2003

Powell: US, Albania to Strengthen Relations

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US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Friday in Tirana that the United States and Albania would continueto strengthen their relations which will be helpful to Albania forthe membership into NATO, ATA news agency reported.

"I have always wanted to visit Albania considering the old Albanian-American friendship feeling, as well as the efforts of Albania to continuously support the US politics and to co-operate with the USA," Powell stated at a joint conference press with Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano.

He hoped the Albanian government will cooperate with other countries in fighting corruption and organized crime.

Powell, who arrived in Tirana for his first official visit to Albania, appreciated the willingness of Albania, Croatia and Macedonia to take part in the reconstruction of Iraq. He believed that these countries would play important roles in this process.

After the meeting, Powell and Nano signed an agreement on handing over persons to the international tribunal.

The agreement binds Albania not to hand over or transfer any official, employee, military personnel or US citizen by any means to the International Criminal Tribunal without US approval.

Powell and the foreign ministers of Albania, Croatia and Macedonia also signed the Adriatic Charter, which encourages the integration of the three countries into NATO.

The Adriatic Charter, which urges the three countries to cooperate in a variety of reforms designed to move them closer to NATO membership, highlights their commitment to strengthening democratic institutions, developing market economies, reforming their military to catch up with NATO standards, and intensifying the crackdown on corruption and crime.

Albania is the second stop of Powell's current four-country tour, which will also take him to Syria and Lebanon.

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