US defence secretary visits Montenegro, Albania
27/09/2006
TIRANA, Albania -- US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld visited Montenegro and Albania on Tuesday (26 September) to discuss military co-operation with the two countries and the global war on terror. In Podgorica, Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic assured him that Montenegro was "prepared to participate in the US-led coalition in fighting the terrorism threat to global peace". For his part, Rumsfeld promised US assistance in reforming Montenegro's armed forces, as well as support for the Balkan nation's bid to join NATO.
In Tirana, Rumsfeld received assurances from Defence Minister Fatmir Mediu that Albania will keep its military unit in Iraq until the end of the operation there. On Wednesday, Rumsfeld participated in the annual conference of the Southeast European countries' defence ministers, hosted by Tirana. (Pobjeda, Vijesti, Albanian News - 27/09/06; AFP, Reuters, AP, Albanian President's website, Xinhua - 26/09/06)