[ALBSA-Info] Turkey promises to help Albania modernise its army

[Iris Pilika]

Turkey promises to help Albania modernise its army

   TIRANA, Feb 28 (AFP) - Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said
Monday his country plans to give Albania more than 120 million
dollars (euros) over the next four years to help modernise its
army.
   Ecevit, speaking at a joint press conference with Albanian
counterpart Ilir Meta during a two-day visit to Tirana, said Turkey
saw an up-to-date Albanian military as an important element for
peace and stability in the Balkans.
   Ankara has already earmarked 41 million dollars for the Albanian
defence force and planned to double that amount between now and
2004, Ecevit said, adding that the change would also have a positive
impact on the economy of Albania, considered the poorest country in
Europe.
   An uprising in Albania in 1997 resulted in army weapons depots
being pillaged and around one million arms are believed to be in
circulation. Large parts of the country remain lawless.
   Turkey, as a member of NATO, took part in the NATO bombardment
of Yugoslavia which eventually forced Yugoslav troops to end their
operation against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo and to pull out of the
Serbian province.
   Albania shares a border with Kosovo to the north and both
Albania and Turkey have predominantly Muslim populations.