30 Nov. 2005

Albanian Prime Minister visits NATO News 28/11/2005 - NATO Visit to NATO by the Prime Minister of Albania, Sali Berisha Multimedia High resolution photos of the visit Audio file of the press point with NATO Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and the Prime Minister of Albania, Mr. Sali Berisha (.MP3/1615Kb) The new Prime Minister of Albania, Sali Berisha, visited NATO HQ on 30 November, to outline his government’s reform plans. The Prime Minister addressed the North Atlantic Council and met with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer to present the state of play regarding his country’s reform efforts. Mr. Berisha said his government was determined to press ahead with defence and political reforms, as well as tackling corruption and organized crime. He outlined a number of areas in which progress has been made. Albania is one of three countries participating in NATO’s Membership Action Plan, a p rogramme of support tailored to the individual needs of countries wishing to join the Alliance . Performance-based membership The Secretary General and the Prime Minister also discussed regional issues, particularly the talks on Kosovo’s final status, which have now begun. Speaking to reporters, the Secretary General emphasized that NATO membership remained “performance-based” and that the pace of progress depended on Albania. He also praised Albania for its contributions to NATO-led operations. Mr. Berisha has previously visited NATO HQ as President of Albania.