Albania–United States relations
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Albania-United States relations are friendly and cooperative. Pro-United States sentiment is widespread among the Albanian population. Even while the U.S., which had closed its mission to Albania in 1946, was being vilified by communist propaganda during the regime of Enver Hoxha, 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. Government's 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 Albania's European Union 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 $616 million in assistance, not counting Foreign Agricultural Service food aid. In 2007, the U.S. gave over $21.1 million to Albania under the Support for East European Democracy 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 corruption and rule of law.
Albania has 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.
[edit] References
This article contains material from the US Department of State's Background Notes which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain.[1]
