Albania Special Forces Headquarters for Europe; Peleshi: Strong link between two partners displayed

Published: Wednesday, 09 March 2022 19:26

The Advanced Headquarters of the US Special Forces Command in Europe is activated in Albania. The ceremony was attended by the Defence Minister Niko Peleshi, the USA Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim, Deputy Minister Dallëndyshe Bici, Major General David Tabor, Commander of the US Special Forces in Europe, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Begaj, as well as the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Manushaqe Shehu.

The Defence Minister expressed in his speech his satisfaction for this assessment of Albania, and said: "The importance and echo of the establishment of this headquarters, cross the 'borders' of our country, as it is of great importance to all the region. We appreciate and welcome the countless efforts of the United States to increase the military capabilities and capacities of the countries in our region and, in particular, the continued support and assistance provided by the United States to the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania. The deployment of this headquarters in Albania is another strong proof of these efforts." , - emphasized Minister Peleshi. 

According to Defence Minister Peleshi: "This decision came at the right time, at the height of insecurity and the grim situation that our continent is going through, and proved for him several times the strong connection that stems from Albania's strategic partnership with the United States. Our country has made clear its position on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, according to its internationally recognized borders. Our support for Ukraine has been and will continue to be unwavering. This support consists of political, diplomatic positions, which culminates with our actions and positions in the UN Security Council, but also the support of a practical military nature. "Furthermore, whoever thought he would disunite us in this difficult situation made the wrong calculations, as our Alliance, the EU and the entire Western community came together and are more united than ever, in support of Ukraine." , - Minister Peleshi emphasized.

According to him: "Albania remains committed to continue and increase the efforts that these actors keep away from our region with malicious intentions and influence."

The Defence Minister said that the establishment of this headquarters in our country is a strong signal for the entire region.
As regards the American Ambassador Yuri Kim, the presence of this American base displays that the relations between Albania and the USA are stronger than ever: "Last year, you hosted Defender '21" proving that our security relationship was ready for the next level. And here we are. "With the launch of the Task Force for the Balkans for the first time in history, Albania, perhaps to everyone's surprise, will be the basis of a permanent US military presence.", - US Ambassador Yuri Kim said.

This headquarters will provide high expertise and will ensure interoperability with the Albanian Special Forces, but also with those in the region.