[ALBSA-Info] {QIKSH =?ISO-8859-1?Q?=AB?=ALBEUROPA=?ISO-8859-1?Q?=BB?=} Turkey, Albania To Boost Defense Cooperation For Regional Peace

[Nikoll A Mirakaj]

Turkey, Albania To Boost Defense Cooperation For Regional Peace 

ANKARA, Turkey, Oct 19, 2000 -- (Agence France Presse) Turkey and Albania expressed determination Thursday to boost defense cooperation to bolster stability and peace in the volatile Balkans.

"We will expend efforts to strengthen our cooperation in the defense and security realms," visiting Albanian Prime Minister Ilir Meta told reporters after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Bulent Ecevit.

Ecevit, for his part, said the Turco-Albanian military cooperation would contribute to peace and stability in the war-ravaged Balkan region.

The ministers did not elaborate what concrete steps the two sides would take.

Turkey has already provided 40 million dollars for upgrading Albania's army, a sum expected to double by 2004, and is involved in modernizing Albania's principal military base at Pasha Liman, which was completely destroyed during a rebellion in 1997.

Ankara also plans to help restore an arms factory in Albania.

Meta said that Turkey and Albania would also work for boosting bilateral economic exchange and increasing Turkish investments in Albania.

Meta had arrived in Turkey earlier this week to participate in a business meeting in Istanbul.

Turkey has close historical, cultural and religious ties with Albania, which was a part of the Ottoman Empire during its half-a-century rule in the Balkans. ((c) 2000 Agence France Presse) 

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