France & Albania agree on strategic partnership

Paris, France | Tirana Echo – France and Albania have agreed to raise their level of cooperation to that of a strategic partnership, through several agreements signed yesterday in Paris between Albanian PM Edi Rama and his French counterpart Bernard Cazeneuve.

Rama and Cazeneuve oversaw the signing of several bilateral agreements which raise the level of cooperation to that of a strategic partnership between the two countries, which point to aan increased level of French interest in terms of security and defense in the Balkans.

As France prepares for general elections and the Balkans is going through renewed turmoil, the two prime ministers confirmed the special relationship between France and Albania and agreed that the two should work closer on strengthening the rule of law across the region as well as security and defense capacities, where France is a leading EU member.

Albania’s PM Edi Rama said that Albania values French assistance on the European integration of the country and its special dedication to regional projects, where Albania is a key player. Both Rama and Cazeneuve agreed that the fight against corruption and organized crime should be toughened while French authorities are grateful for Albania’s cooperation in fighting violent extremism and terrorism.

France is particularly keen to see Albania speed up its reform of the highly corrupt justice system and play a stronger role in the Balkans, a region of transiting routes for networks of terrorists and illegal immigrants.

This is why foreign and interior ministers of both countries signed yesterday a declaration of strategic partnership as well as two bilateral agreements in the fields of defense and security.

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