Transcript of Press Conference of U.S. Ambassador to NATO Victoria Nuland (November 7, 2007)

Ambassador Nuland: It is wonderful to be back in Tirana. I haven’t been here in more than a year. I must say the city looks wonderful. I would like to thank my old friend Ambassador Withers for his and his Embassy’s hospitality and also to thank the Albanian government and the parliament for seeing us today.
As you know, I am here with an interagency delegation including representatives from the State Department, the Defense Department, the White House, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. We are not here to make decisions about whether Albania is ready for NATO. No decisions will be made by any NATO countries until some time next year. Instead we are here for a series of intensive consultations on the progress that Albania has already made and the further progress we would like to see on the road to the Bucharest Summit in April.

Our message today was a positive one, first to thank the Albanian government and the Albanian people for the very strong contribution this country is making to global security today with your soldiers serving on the front line with ours in Afghanistan, the Balkans, and in Iraq today. It’s really an incredible story of a country which has gone from a net importer of security to a net exporter of security in three continents. Also, to applaud the strong commitment to fighting crime, corruption and the fight against corruption in Albania, but also to encourage further progress in these areas.

Our message today was that Albania has made a huge mount of progress but as we head towards the Bucharest summit, now it is the time to keep the foot on the reform gas pedal and keep rolling. We talked specifically about the need to strengthen judicial reform and the fight against crime and corruption. We talked about the continuing process of electoral reform. We talked about the need for continuing progress on trafficking in persons.

And we also talked about the strong role that Albania is playing in the Balkans neighborhood in promoting peace and security, and to encourage the strong and responsible position that Albania has taken with regard to Kosovo and other parts of the neighborhood.

So, again, we leave Tirana for our next stop which is Macedonia tonight encouraged by the progress made here, but with a strong message that neither the Government of the United States nor any other NATO ally has made any decisions yet so it is the time to accelerate reform efforts.

Question: You said you will be in Macedonia today. Do you have any comment on the worsening situation in Macedonia today?

Ambassador Nuland: Well, as you know, we have been on the road today. We have had some press reports. I look forward to being there later this evening and to consulting with the government tomorrow and hearing more about the situation.

Question: You mentioned electoral and justice reform as two areas the Albanian Government needs to work on. Is the time left until the Bucharest Summit to accelerate the work that can be done on these two issues?

Ambassador Nuland: Our message today was that with hard work we believe Albania could be ready. She’s not ready today. But we are committed to working with you to strengthen the reform process here, so that Albania can make the best possible case for an invitation to NATO. And Ambassador Withers is my partner in that.

Question: While there has been certain optimism recently, we have also witnessed a certain sense of skepticism with regard to the A-3 countries’ receiving an invitation to join NATO at the Bucharest Summit? If any invitation will be extended for the A-3 countries, will it be en block or individual for each country?

Ambassador Nuland: NATO always makes decisions on an individual basis. We look, as allies, at two issues: what contribution can the applicant country make to our collective security, to global security? And, is the country, the applicant country’s democracy strong enough, are the institutions strong enough, are the reforms strong enough, irreversible enough to be a member of the greatest alliance in history. So, Albania will be judged on those criteria. Obviously, it is a very very important season in the Balkans. The United States has, for many years, shared the aspiration of the applicant countries to achieve their goal. We hope that April is the time, but it is up to you, not to us.

Question: You said you have not made a decision yet, but will make one soon. Will there be a decision soon on Albania?

Ambassador Nuland: Well, thank you for the opportunity to talk about the calendar. We are currently undergoing the membership action cycle at NATO that will not end until February. This is another cycle of intensive mentoring and coaching by the countries of the Alliance with each applicant country. Only after the results of that cycle will individual nations, including my own, make decisions about which of the countries we think are ready. And the Alliance as a whole will not make a decision until the day of the summit, April 3, 2008. And it takes 26 positive votes.

Thank you very much.

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