Defence Minister Mrs. Kodheli hosted today the journalists for a conversation regarding the issues that are expected to be discussed at the NATO Summit which will be held in Warsaw on 8 and 9 July 2016.
Initially Minister Kodheli noted that this time the NATO Summit takes place in a moment when we face serious security challenges, which are the main topics of this Summit. Afterwards Mrs. Kodheli spoke about Albania's participation in international missions, as well as our country's posture regarding the open door policy of NATO.
Below you find the full speech of minister Kodheli to reporters:
Greetings to everyone,
Tomorrow we are travelling together with the Prime Minister Mr. Rama, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Bushati and all our supporting staff to participate in the NATO Summit in Warsaw, which will last over two days, on 8-th and 9-th July. This summit is an important event that takes place in a subtle moment of the geopolitical situation. A delicate moment when security is the main subject and definitely a future problem not only of the region in which we live, but also a problem of Europe and of the entire world.
When talking about future, certainly we refer to security, something that, as a NATO member country, we have prepared in detail. What will be said, which will be our commitments as Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government and certainly which are our common things, that we will need to do in the following years?
Warsaw Summit, Warsaw, the capital of Poland, will host 60 Heads of State and Government and Defence Ministers of 28 NATO member and partner state. The 60 delegations will have a discussion on the approaches to face the danger that derives from the East and the South. Certainly there will be a discussion of 360 degrees up on the way to approach this risk, the strategies that will enable increasing security, enhancing collective protection, and crisis management, which day after day, unfortunately, are being even more present on our environments, in our lives, in NATO allied countries and undoubtedly in countries which we should take into consideration. To increase their defence capabilities, develop their democracies, as it is in fact a country like Afghanistan, where as everyone already knows, for many years Albania is part of this mission not only today but even when not a NATO member country. One of the discussion points is the "Resolute Support Mission", or let’s say the proceeding of this mission and what will happen to Afghanistan in the future. How we are going to handle in the future the refugees crises in the Mediterranean and in the Aegean Sea.
And certainly one of the main topics will be the approach of NATO member countries towards Russia, as well as NATO’s boarder defence, and more than that, in which way will NATO member countries enhance the defence capabilities of Ukraine. Along that is the issue of NATO relation with Russia on finding the way, as soon as possible, to arrange a common discussion table on major issues of global security. Of course we have different kind of problems of military and politically approach which should be certainly combined with each other.
In addition, the discussions will be focused on internal problems of NATO member countries dealing with the increase of defence capacities of each country, increase of cooperation, implementation of so called “Rapid Action Plan” which is the immediate quick action plan of NATO forces, countries and militaries. Meanwhile, this plan is being implemented in view of the Task – force of very high response, in which Albanian is taking part with a company for a period of 3 years (2016 - 2018). In the last NATO Ministerial of defense ministers held in June of this year, Albanian stated that it will take part in NATO missions in the Aegean Sea with its flagship by rotation, will double its presence in Afghanistan "Resolute Support Mission” and very soon, I believe that we will take the final approval of our participation in capacity building operations in Iraq. Meanwhile Albania is participating, with 14 military troops in the most successful mission of NATO, which is KFOR, and also for the first time takes part with its demining experts in an EU mission in Mali, as it has been participating for many years in another mission of the EU "ALTHEA" in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
While talking about EU, NATO - EU cooperation, in terms of security will be another topic of discussion at the Warsaw Summit. Regardless the fact that in both Ministerials held in May and in June, most of the issues are nearly ironed out, and discussion points of the Warsaw Summit are set up, there are many things to be discussed. So we should be very careful and pay attention to opinions coming from not only allies, but also from partners, because I believe that cooperation with partners is a very important issue. And when I refer to partners, I mean all kind of partners, countries like Jordan that is a longstanding partner, countries such as Australia which is the largest and most powerful partner with greater military presence in NATO missions, as well as partners of the Nordic countries such as Sweden or Finland.
Despite the problems that Northern Sea, Baltic Sea is facing due to the Russian presence, we still have a strong partnership, of course also in our region, the Western Balkans. We have always supported the policy of open doors, thus supporting strongly and with confidence the membership of our neighbor country, Montenegro, which is already exceeding the approval procedures in the Parliaments of the respective NATO member countries, until the finalization of this membership. And certainly we are strong supporters of the two countries Kosovo and Macedonia that are working to adhere to the biggest political military organization, the North Atlantic Alliance.
Another interesting discussion I think will be the relationship NATO - Serbia, as a country that doesn’t seek to join NATO, but as country that undoublty seeks cooperation in terms of security, something that can and should be accomplished.
In conclusion, the last thing that I want to share with you, hoping that I have mentioned more or less all the topics of discussion of the Warsaw Summit, is the discussion about fighting asymmetric hybrid warfare, air defense and the whole discussion that comes from the way we will approach a phenomenon that is more than present on our television screens, on global media, the phenomenon of extreme terrorism. Unfortunately the presence of this phenomenon becomes even more troubling, more problematic to severe consequences. It has been widely discussed and a strategy is set up and has already been adopted, which will be implemented. Our country has played an important role on the establishment of this strategy; let’s say in the coalition against ISL or DAESH. The importance of our role is prominent and has been acknowledged by the Pentagon, as a contribution of exceptional value, for which we have been thanked more than once.
Furthermore let me share with you, by bringing to your attention the fact that the NATO Military Committee has already approved the establishment of a NATO Center of Excellence in Albania which will deal with the issue of foreign fighters. This kind of issues have specific procedures to deal with and to be respected, but we believe that, as soon as possible, we will be able to welcome and host this NATO center, perhaps here within the Skanderbeg garrison, with the intention that it could serve as much as possible in increasing the security of Albanian citizens, of our borders and no doubt in the commitment that we have as a worthy country of this organization which is usually called NATO.
