Minister Kodheli, visit to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE)

: Published: Monday, 26 May 2014 14:15

Minister Kodheli: Albania, a step forward in our commitment to NATO

The Minister of Defence, Mrs. Mimi Kodheli is visiting the Allied Command Operations (ACO) in Mons, Belgium. Today she was welcomed in a formal meeting by the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Philip Breedlove. During the meeting, Minister Kodheli acquainted the senior NATO military officer with the latest developments in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania. Mrs. Kodheli strongly underlined the Albania’s unwavering support to the future engagement in Afghanistan.

On his part, General Breedlove thanked Defence Minister Kodheli for the participation and contribution of the Albanian peacekeeping troops in Afghanistan and Kosovo. Part of the talks was also the recent developments in Ukraine.

Defence Minister Mrs. Mimi Kodheli and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Philip Breedlove signed the Supplementary Agreement of the Paris Protocol.
On this occasion, the Minister of Defence of Albania, Mrs. Mimi Kodheli stated: “By signing the Supplementary Agreement of the Paris Protocol, Albania takes a further step towards full integration to NATO, a process that started in 1992 and involved a lot of political, military and juridical efforts. We can proudly look at this path taken together with friends and Allies seeing what we have achieved so far. We faced many challenges, but we succeeded because we had a strong will, a solid commitment, a full support by the Albanian people and politics, and a sincere backing by all Allies to whom I must say thank you!”

The Supplementary Paris Protocol provides that the Republic of Albania shall take all measures, including the adoption and implementation of the necessary legal framework for the creation of necessary facilities for the normal activity of Allied Headquarters. The Allied Headquarters enjoys the legal status of international organizations in the country. If the North Atlantic Council will decide in the future to establish a headquarters, the country, where it will be established, will be selected through further negotiations between the parties.