Albania |
The foreign relations of Albania are its relations with other governments and peoples. Foreign relations are conducted through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tirana. The current minister is Igli Hasani . The current ambassador to the United Nations is Ferit Hoxha.
Albania is a sovereign country in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean that declared its independence on 28 November 1912. Its foreign policy has maintained a policy of complementerianism by trying to have friendly relations with all countries. Since the collapse of Communism in 1990, Albania has extended its responsibilities and position in European and international affairs, supporting and establishing friendly relations with other nations around the world.
The main factors defining Albanian foreign policy consist of geopolitical location, population, economic crisis, and ties with Albanian diaspora throughout the world. It also maintains strong diplomatic relations with the EU (primarily Croatia, France, Germany, Italy) Balkan countries (primarily Kosovo, Greece and North Macedonia), Arab world, Canada, China, Turkey, Israel, India, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, UK and the United States.
The main objectives of the Albanian foreign policy are the accession of Albania to the European Union, the international recognition of Kosovo, the recognition of expulsion of Cham Albanians, [1] helping and protecting the rights of Albanians in Montenegro, North Macedonia, Greece, Serbia, Italy, and the Albanian diaspora.
Albania was voted to become a member of the 15-country United Nations Security Council for a two-year term, 2022–23.
The government of Albania was concerned with the developments in neighboring Kosovo, particularly in the post-Dayton agreement period. During the Kosovo War in 1999 as well as the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Albanians by Serbs alongside the subsequent refugee influx into the country, Albania's status as an ally of the United States was confirmed. [2] Albania emerged as being generally supportive of the United States. [2] The support for the United States has remained high at 95% in Muslim majority (56% of the population) Albania in contrast to the rest of the Islamic world. [2]
During the post-cold war, geo-political complexities and conflicts in the Balkans, made Albania seek a protector power with Turkey, which is a NATO member. [3] During the 1990s, state relations between Albania and Turkey were marked by high level visits, military agreements and the deployment of Turkish soldiers. [4] [3] [5] An Albanian-Turkish military cooperation agreement was signed on 29 July 1992. [4] [3] The military agreement entailed education and training of personnel, bilateral cooperation in weapons production, joint military exercises, the exchange of military delegations and joint commissions on expanding further military ties into the future. [3] The agreement also encompassed rebuilding Albania's Pasha Liman Base in the Bay of Vlorë on the Ionian Sea by Turkey, in return for granting Turkey's access and use. [6] [5] Turkey has trained the Albanian Armed Forces, in particular officers and commando units. [4] [6] [5] During civil war in 1997, Turkey alongside other countries, participated in Operation Alba by providing a brigade of 800 Turkish troops to restore order and its involvement served mainly as a stabilising force. [4] [7]
Turkey considers its friendship with Albania as important due to the context of state relations with Greece and through policy have exploited difficulties arising in Albanian-Greek relations. [8] [9] Having a powerful ally in Turkey has suited Albania at times regarding difficult interstate relations with Greece. [10] Albania's emergence in the Balkans as a key NATO partner contributed to good and stronger Albanian-Turkish relations, in particular relating to military matters. [11] The military alliance during the 1990s between Turkey and Albania was also aimed against Serbia in case a war over Kosovo had a wider regional spread. [12] Greece has expressed concerns regarding Turkish relations with Albania and interpreted them as an anti-Greek measure to isolate Greece within the wider context of Albania being a potential outlet for expanding Muslim influence and Turkey allying with Muslim populations in the Balkans. [3] [13] [14] Turkey on the other hand claimed Greece increased tensions within the region and conveyed concerns relating to Albanian and Greek polemics with Ankara expressing a partial bias on Albania's side angering the Greeks. [15] Greece, aware of Albanian-Turkish military agreements denounced Turkey's interference in Greek affairs. [15] Though not officially considered in Turkey as a rival within Albania, during the unrest of 1997 Greece was able to become an influential actor in Albania and the early period of the Kosovo crisis (1998-1999) when Albanian officials looked to Greece for assistance. [16] The resumption of closer Albanian-Turkish relations ensured during the Kosovo crisis that made both countries act along the same policy lines toward Slobodan Milošević and the issue of Greater Serbia. [17]
Turkey supported Albania's membership to become part of NATO. [4] Military cooperation between Albania and Turkey is viewed by NATO as a stabilising factor within the volatile region of the Balkans. [18] Albania has come to depend heavily on Turkish assistance and a high amount of military security. [3] Turkey remains for Albania an important military ally alongside the U.S. [19] Through its military personnel Turkey continues to train Albanian armed forces and also to provide assistance in logistics and modernisation efforts of the Albanian military. [20] [21] Radar systems for the surveillance of Albanian airspace in addition to telecommunication equipment have been supplied by Turkey to Albania. [22] Albania receives Turkish assistance for police training. [17] Turkey has continuously supported Albania from the 1990s on EU related matters as both countries view EU membership as an eventual final goal and common objective. [23] State relations of Albania with Turkey are friendly and close, due to maintenance of close links with the Albanian diaspora in Turkey and strong Turkish sociopolitical, cultural, economic and military ties with Albania. [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [4] Turkey has been supportive of Albanian geopolitical interests within the Balkans. [28] [4] [30] In Gallup polls conducted in recent times Turkey is viewed as a friendly country by 73% of people in Albania. [31] Albania has established political and economic ties with Arab countries, in particular with Arab Persian Gulf states who have heavily invested in religious, transport and other infrastructure alongside other facets of the economy in addition to the somewhat limited societal links they share. [32] Albania is also working to develop social-political and economic ties with Israel. [33]
After the fall of the Albanian communist regime in 1991, relations between Greece and Albania became increasingly strained because of widespread allegations of mistreatment by Albanian authorities of the Greek ethnic minority in southern Albania and of mistreatment the Albanian communities in northern Greece. A wave of Albanian illegal economic migrants to Greece exacerbated tensions. The crisis in Greek–Albanian relations reached its peak in late August 1994, when an Albanian court sentenced five members (a sixth member was added later) of the ethnic Greek political party Omonia to prison terms on charges of undermining the Albanian state. Greece responded by freezing all EU aid to Albania, and sealing its border with Albania. In December 1994, however, Greece began to permit limited EU aid to Albania, while Albania released two of the Omonia defendants and reduced the sentences of the remaining four. [ citation needed ]
There are still other impending issues in the relations between the two countries, regarding many Albanian workers in Greece who have not received legal papers despite promises by the Greek government. In 1996, the two countries signed a Treaty of Peace and Friendship and discussed the issues of the status of Albanian refugees in Greece and education in the mother tongue for the ethnic Greek minority in southern Albania. In the 1990s, Greece preferred and assisted Fatos Nano as Albanian leader due to him being Orthodox over Sali Berisha a Muslim, as Nano was seen as being friendlier to Greek interests. [34] The government of Fatos Nano was viewed by Turkey as having a pro-Greek orientation and expressed some dissatisfaction though during that time still maintained close military relations with Albania in rebuilding its armed forces and a military base. [19]
Today, as result of very frequent high-level contacts between the governments and the parliaments, relations between the two countries are regarded as excellent. Greece is a staunch supporter of the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Republic of Albania. Since Albania's NATO entry in May 2009, Albanian-Greek relations have been developing on all fronts, and especially after the election victory of Edi Rama in 2013, [35] with the Albanian Chief of Foreign Policy, Ralf Gjoni, describing the diplomatic relations between two countries as "excellent". Greece today is Albania's most important European Union ally and NATO partner. [36] At the Albanian government's request, about 250 Greek military personnel are stationed in Albania to assist with the training and restructuring of the Albanian Armed Forces, as part of the NATO programme. Big projects currently in running between the two countries include the touristic development of the Ionian coastline shared between the two countries, and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which helped boosting the relations of the two countries even further.
Albania's ties with Greece are also based on cultural and historic relations of the two peoples, including migration and national minorities. In addition, since Albania's transition to democracy, Greece has become a major financial partner of the country with Albania's economy being heavily reliant on investments from Greece. Culturally, the two nations' populations, whilst having a tense history, share numerous cultural and historic traits that have been used to boost the political relations of the neighbouring countries.
There had been numerous discussions, research and attempts by Albanians and Greeks to form a confederation during the Ottoman period. [37] In the 19th century there were plans to create a Greek-Albanian confederation, which was revived from the earlier 18th century plans. In 1907 a special protocol and memorandum of understanding was signed by Neoklis Kazazis and Ismail Qemali, the first prime minister of Albania. Furthermore, Arvanite author Aristides Kollias in his book "The proclamation of the Association of Arvanites" states "from 1881 to 1907 we have sustained efforts and repeated consultations between Greeks and Albanians to create a Greek-Albanian state." In addition, Thanos Paleologos-Anagnostopoulos in his book "Greece and Albania in the early 20th century (1995)" stated that Ismail Qemali, a philhellene, worked with numerous Greek politicians and lobbyists, including Arvanite leaders, on a possible Greek-Albanian federation, one that "maintains national and religious independence of the two peoples." [38] Likewise, Neoklis Kazazis saw this as a way of Greece quashing Italian influence in the region. [39]
Albania was voted to become a member of the 15-country UN Security Council for a two-year term, in 2022–23, on June 11, 2021. [40] Former ambassador Kadare said that Albania's priorities in the Security Council will include a focus on women, peace, and security, promoting human rights and international law, preventing conflicts, protecting civilians, countering violent extremism, addressing climate change and its links to security, and strengthening multilateralism and the rules-based international order. [40] She tweeted thanks to all countries that: "entrusted us with this huge responsibility". [40]
The Albanian government supports the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders but has downplayed them to further its primary foreign policy goal of regional cooperation; Albanian majority in Kosovo seeks full recognition of the declared independence from Serbia; Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to public-sector jobs, and representation in government.[ citation needed ] A handful of Albanian troops have participated in the U.S.-led military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. [41] Albanian policy is very favorable to that of the United States and European Union.
The $30 million Albanian-American Enterprise Fund (AAEF), launched in 1994, is actively making debt and equity investments in local businesses. [42] AAEF is designed to harness private sector efforts to assist in the economic transformation. U.S. assistance priorities include promotion of agricultural development and a market economy, advancement of democratic institutions (including police training), and improvements in quality of life.
List of countries which Albania maintains diplomatic relations with:
# | Country | Date |
---|---|---|
1 | Romania | 28 December 1913 [43] |
2 | Italy | 21 February 1914 [44] |
3 | Serbia | 25 April 1914 [45] |
4 | Bulgaria | April 1914 [46] |
5 | United Kingdom | 9 November 1921 [47] |
6 | Austria | 18 February 1922 [48] |
7 | Japan | 18 April 1922 [49] |
8 | Hungary | 23 May 1922 [50] |
9 | France | 16 June 1922 [51] |
10 | Czech Republic | 5 July 1922 [52] |
11 | United States | 4 December 1922 [53] |
12 | Greece | 4 January 1923 [54] |
13 | Turkey | 15 December 1923 [55] |
14 | Russia | 4 July 1924 [56] |
15 | Poland | 7 April 1937 [57] |
16 | North Korea | 29 November 1948 [58] |
17 | Mongolia | 24 March 1949 [59] |
18 | China | 23 November 1949 [60] |
19 | Vietnam | 11 February 1950 [61] |
20 | Egypt | 14 March 1956 [62] |
21 | India | 3 March 1956 [63] |
22 | Finland | 8 June 1956 [64] |
23 | Sudan | February 1957 [65] |
24 | Ethiopia | 26 June 1958 [66] |
25 | Iraq | 14 August 1958 [67] |
26 | Guinea | October 1958 [65] |
27 | Somalia | September 1960 [68] |
28 | Cuba | 15 December 1960 [69] |
29 | Brazil | 4 April 1961 [70] |
30 | Ghana | August 1961 [65] |
31 | Morocco | 11 February 1962 [71] |
32 | Algeria | 12 February 1963 [72] |
33 | Mali | 9 February 1965 [73] [74] |
34 | Pakistan | July 1965 [65] |
35 | Indonesia | 18 August 1965 [75] |
36 | Mauritania | September 1965 [65] |
37 | Tanzania | May 1966 [65] |
38 | Cambodia | 24 June 1967 [76] |
39 | Republic of the Congo | 23 June 1968 [77] |
40 | Kuwait | 8 August 1968 [78] |
41 | Sweden | 20 June 1969 [79] |
42 | Zambia | 9 July 1969 [80] |
43 | Libya | 6 May 1970 [81] |
44 | Central African Republic | 23 May 1970 [82] |
45 | Denmark | 29 May 1970 [83] |
46 | Switzerland | 20 July 1970 [84] |
47 | Belgium | 13 November 1970 [85] |
48 | Netherlands | 17 November 1970 [86] |
— | Iran (severed) | 24 May 1971 [87] |
49 | Norway | 29 May 1971 [88] |
50 | Chile | 10 September 1971 [89] |
51 | Peru | 6 December 1971 [90] |
52 | Luxembourg | 15 April 1972 [91] |
53 | Equatorial Guinea | 30 November 1972 [92] [93] |
54 | Nepal | 23 May 1972 [94] |
55 | Costa Rica | 20 February 1973 [95] |
56 | Malta | 5 March 1973 [96] |
57 | Senegal | 26 April 1973 [96] |
58 | Nigeria | 22 May 1973 [97] |
59 | Cameroon | 20 August 1973 [98] |
60 | Argentina | 4 October 1973 [99] |
61 | Tunisia | 8 October 1973 [96] |
62 | Burundi | 7 November 1973 [100] [101] |
63 | New Zealand | 1973 [100] |
64 | Lebanon | 28 May 1974 [92] |
65 | Benin | 4 October 1974 [102] |
66 | Mexico | 15 October 1974 [103] |
67 | Guinea-Bissau | 15 November 1974 [104] |
68 | Gabon | 16 November 1974 [105] |
69 | Laos | 18 June 1975 [106] |
70 | Mozambique | 25 June 1975 [107] |
71 | Venezuela | 14 October 1975 [108] |
72 | Iceland | 9 April 1976 [109] |
73 | Madagascar | 28 April 1976 [110] |
74 | San Marino | 21 June 1976 [111] |
75 | Sierra Leone | 23 August 1976 [112] |
76 | Myanmar | 15 December 1976 [113] |
77 | Burkina Faso | 15 January 1977 [114] |
78 | Portugal | 21 June 1977 [115] |
79 | Togo | 25 June 1977 [116] [117] |
80 | Bangladesh | 10 August 1977 [118] |
81 | Mauritius | October 1977 [119] |
82 | Syria | May 1978 [120] |
83 | Yemen | May 1978 [120] |
84 | Panama | 20 August 1978 [121] |
85 | São Tomé and Príncipe | 20 November 1979 [122] |
86 | Nicaragua | November 1979 [123] |
87 | Colombia | 5 December 1979 [124] |
88 | Ecuador | 31 January 1980 [125] |
89 | Sri Lanka | 4 March 1980 [126] |
90 | Djibouti | 2 April 1980 [127] |
91 | Seychelles | 16 May 1980 [128] |
92 | Zimbabwe | May 1980 [129] |
93 | Niger | 18 June 1980 [130] |
94 | Cape Verde | 6 August 1980 [131] |
95 | Malaysia | 24 June 1981 [132] |
96 | Botswana | 30 August 1982 [133] |
97 | Thailand | 30 September 1982 [134] |
98 | Kenya | 2 February 1983 [135] |
99 | Barbados | 19 May 1983 [136] |
100 | Australia | 16 September 1984 [137] |
101 | Ivory Coast | 9 January 1985 [138] |
102 | Guyana | 1 May 1985 [139] |
103 | Malawi | 12 July 1985 [140] |
104 | Spain | 12 September 1986 [141] |
105 | Singapore | 20 November 1986 [142] |
106 | Jordan | 18 May 1987 [143] |
107 | Philippines | 11 June 1987 [144] |
108 | Bolivia | 21 August 1987 [145] |
109 | Canada | 10 September 1987 [146] |
110 | Germany | 2 October 1987 [147] |
111 | Uruguay | 18 October 1987 [148] |
112 | Angola | 17 August 1988 [149] |
— | State of Palestine | 26 October 1989 [150] |
113 | Namibia | 2 August 1990 [151] |
114 | Israel | 19 August 1991 [152] |
115 | South Korea | 22 August 1991 [153] |
116 | Papua New Guinea | 28 August 1991 [154] |
117 | Cyprus | 29 August 1991 [155] |
— | Holy See | 7 September 1991 [156] |
118 | Kyrgyzstan | 4 January 1992 [157] |
119 | Estonia | 17 January 1992 [158] |
120 | Slovenia | 10 March 1992 [159] [160] |
121 | Lithuania | 27 April 1992 [158] |
122 | Latvia | 29 April 1992 [158] |
123 | United Arab Emirates | 1 June 1992 [161] |
124 | Paraguay | 29 July 1992 [155] |
125 | Croatia | 25 August 1992 [162] |
126 | Qatar | 26 August 1992 [163] |
127 | Saudi Arabia | 2 December 1992 [164] |
128 | Oman | 7 December 1992 [165] |
129 | Moldova | 23 December 1992 [166] |
130 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 28 December 1992 [167] |
131 | Slovakia | 1 January 1993 [158] |
132 | Ukraine | 13 January 1993 [155] |
133 | Guatemala | 29 January 1993 [155] |
134 | Armenia | 18 February 1993 [168] |
135 | Liechtenstein | 23 April 1993 [169] |
136 | Bahrain | 10 May 1993 [170] |
137 | Belarus | 17 May 1993 [171] |
138 | Georgia | 8 July 1993 [172] |
139 | Kazakhstan | 21 September 1993 [173] |
140 | Azerbaijan | 23 September 1993 [174] |
141 | Uzbekistan | 23 November 1993 [175] |
142 | Tajikistan | 22 December 1993 [176] |
143 | North Macedonia | 24 December 1993 [177] |
144 | South Africa | December 1993 [178] |
145 | Brunei | 27 January 1994 [179] |
146 | Turkmenistan | 24 March 1994 [180] |
— | Sovereign Order of Malta | 14 July 1994 [181] |
147 | Ireland | January 1995 [182] |
148 | Andorra | 15 February 1996 [183] |
149 | Jamaica | 3 April 1996 [155] |
150 | Dominican Republic | 27 May 2002 [184] |
151 | El Salvador | 22 May 2003 [185] |
152 | Montenegro | 1 August 2006 [186] |
153 | Afghanistan | 16 August 2006 [187] |
— | Kosovo | 18 February 2008 [188] |
154 | Maldives | 25 June 2008 [189] |
155 | Samoa | 1 August 2008 [155] |
156 | Fiji | 23 June 2010 [190] |
157 | Honduras | 2 September 2010 [191] |
158 | Saint Lucia | 14 July 2010 [155] |
159 | Nauru | 20 April 2011 [155] |
160 | Solomon Islands | 19 May 2011 [192] |
161 | Tuvalu | 1 June 2011 [155] |
162 | Monaco | 24 November 2011 [193] |
163 | Trinidad and Tobago | 13 May 2014 [155] |
164 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 31 October 2018 [194] |
165 | Uganda | Unknown [195] [196] |
In 2008 and 2009, the Albanian Parliament ordered the Foreign Ministry to establish diplomatic relations with countries which Albania did not maintain diplomatic relations with, namely Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Belize, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, East Timor, Eswatini, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Gambia, Grenada, Kiribati, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Rwanda, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda and Vanuatu. [196]
Diplomatic relations were suspended with Iran on 7 September 2022. [197]
Albania maintains very good relations with the European Union, since 2014 is an official candidate.
Albania is member in these international organizations: [198]
AC, APF, BIE, BSEC, CEB, CoBx, CoE, CERN (Non-Member State), CEI, CCC, CEFTA, ECE, EAPC, EBRD, EITI, ECAA, ECAC, EC, ENTSO-E, Eurocontrol, FAO, FIUs, IAEA, IAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICC, ICRC, ICRM, ICCROM, IDA, IDB, IHO, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, IOM, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, OAS, OB, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, OTIF, PCA, SEECP, SECI, SETC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNDSS, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNW, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, UfM, VC, WB, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO and WTO.
Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
---|---|---|
Algeria | 1963 [199] |
|
Egypt | 1958 [199] | See Albania–Egypt relations The father of the modern Egypt Muhammad Ali of Egypt was Albanian commander in the Ottoman army. Albanian Muhammad Ali dynasty reigned in Egypt from 1805 to 1952.
|
Libya | 1970 [199] | See Albania–Libya relations Albania was one of the first countries to recognize the National Transitional Council on 18 July 2011 as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people. [202] [203] [204]
|
Tunisia | 1973 [199] |
|
Morocco | 1962 [206] | Since the start of diplomatic relations, both countries have shown a willingness to collaborate, particularly in the field of trade. In January 2005, Albania revoked its 'de facto' recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in favor of Morocco. [206]
|
Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
---|---|---|
Argentina | 1973 [199] |
|
Brazil | 1974 [199] | See Albania–Brazil relations
|
Canada | 10 September 1987 [207] | See Albania–Canada relations |
Cuba | 1980 [199] | |
Mexico | 15 October 1974 [199] | See Albania–Mexico relations Mexico recognized and established diplomatic relations with Albania on 15 October 1974. Shortly thereafter Mexico opened a resident embassy in Tirana, however the embassy was closed in 1979. [210]
|
United States | 1922 [213] | See Albania–United States relations
|
Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
---|---|---|
Armenia | 18 February 1993 | |
Azerbaijan | 23 September 1992 | See Albania–Azerbaijan relations
|
China | 23 November 1949 | See Albania–China relations People's Socialist Republic of Albania under Enver Hoxha, moved an annual resolution in the General Assembly to transfer China's seat at the United Nations from the Republic of China to the People's Republic of China. On 25 October 1971, Resolution 2758, sponsored by Albania, was passed by the General Assembly, withdrawing recognition of the ROC as the legitimate government of China, and recognizing the PRC as the sole legitimate government of China. Albania was the first country to recognize the People's Republic China. Albania and People's Republic China established diplomatic relations on 23 November 1949. [60]
|
Cyprus | 28 August 1991 [216] | |
Egypt | 1958 [199] | See Albania–Egypt relations The father of the modern Egypt Muhammad Ali of Egypt was Albanian commander in the Ottoman army. Albanian Muhammad Ali dynasty reigned in Egypt from 1805 to 1952.
|
Georgia | 8 July 1993 [222] | See Albania–Georgia relations
|
India | 1956 [223] | See Albania–India relations
Mother Teresa, one of India's national symbols, was of Albanian origin. |
Iran | 1971 [199] Diplomatic Severed 16 September 2022 | See Albania–Iran relations
|
Israel | 20 August 1991 [224] | See Albania–Israel relations Albania recognized the State of Israel on 16 April 1949 by a telegram of Prime Minister of Albania Enver Hoxha. |
Japan | April 1922 re-established in March 1981 | See Albania–Japan relations Albania and Japan resumed established diplomatic relations in March 1981. [227]
|
Kuwait | 1968 [199] |
|
Malaysia | 1981 [199] |
|
Mongolia | 24 May 1949 [228] |
|
Nepal | 23 May 1972 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 May 1972. [229] |
North Korea | 29 November 1948[ citation needed ] | |
Pakistan | 1965 | In December 2006, Albanian deputy foreign minister Anton Gurakqui visited Pakistan to hold bilateral consultation with Pakistani political leadership. Pakistan also offers training facilities to young Albanian bureaucrats in the field of banking, finance, management and diplomacy. [230] |
Palestine | 1990 | See Albania–Palestine relations Albania had previously recognized the State of Palestine as a state since 1988.
|
Qatar | 1992 |
|
Russia | 7 April 1924 | See Albania–Russia relations
|
Saudi Arabia | 1992 |
|
South Korea | 22 August 1991 [153] | See Albania–South Korea relations
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ban Ki-moon and minister of foreign affairs, Besnik Mustafaj signed the Convention between South Korea and Albania for the Avoidance of Double Taxation with Respect to Taxes on Income and for the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion on 17 May 2006. [231] The number of the South Korean citizens living in Albania, in 2020 was about 102. [232] |
Turkey | 1981 | See Albania-Turkey relations |
United Arab Emirates | 1992 |
|
Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
---|---|---|
Armenia | 18 February 1993 | |
Austria | 1912 | See Albania–Austria relations Austria-Hungary supported the Albanian Declaration of Independence in 1912.
|
Azerbaijan | 23 September 1992 | See Albania–Azerbaijan relations
|
Belgium | See Albania–Belgium relations
| |
Bulgaria | 1922 | See Albania–Bulgaria relations
|
Croatia | 25 August 1992 | See Albania–Croatia relations
|
Cyprus | 28 August 1991 [216] | |
Czech Republic | See Albania–Czech Republic relations The multi-national Communist armed forces' sole joint action was the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968. All member countries, with the exception of the People's Republic of Albania and the Socialist Republic of Romania participated in the invasion. Albania formally withdrew form the Warsaw Pact in 1968 over the matter. [235]
| |
Denmark | 1 May 1970 [236] | See Albania–Denmark relations
|
Finland | ||
France | See Albania–France relations | |
Georgia | 8 July 1993 [222] | See Albania–Georgia relations
|
Germany | See Albania–Germany relations
| |
Greece | de facto in 1971 [239] [240] de juro 21 March 1996 | See Albania–Greece relations
|
Holy See | 7 September 1991 [250] | See Albania–Holy See relations
|
Hungary | See Albania–Hungary relations
| |
Iceland |
| |
Ireland |
| |
Italy | 1912 | See Albania–Italy relations
|
Kosovo | 18 February 2008 | See Albania–Kosovo relations
|
Latvia |
| |
Montenegro | 1 August 2006 | See Albania–Montenegro relations
|
Netherlands | 1970 [262] | See Albania–Netherlands relations
|
North Macedonia | 1991 | See Albania–North Macedonia relations
|
Poland | See Albania–Poland relations | |
Portugal | See Albania–Portugal relations
| |
Romania | 28 December 1913 | See Albania–Romania relations
|
Russia | 7 April 1924 | See Albania–Russia relations
|
Serbia | See Albania-Serbia relations
| |
Sovereign Military Order of Malta | 1994 [250] |
|
Slovakia | The multi-national Communist armed forces' sole joint action was the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968. All member countries, with the exception of the People's Republic of Albania and the Socialist Republic of Romania participated in the invasion. Albania formally withdrew form the Warsaw Pact in 1968 over the matter. [235]
| |
Slovenia | See Albania–Slovenia relations
| |
Spain | See Albania–Spain relations
| |
Sweden | ||
Switzerland | 1 March 1922 [265] |
|
Turkey | 1981 | See Albania-Turkey relations |
Ukraine | 1992 | See Albania-Ukraine relations The diplomatic relations between Albania and Ukraine were established in 1922.
|
United Kingdom | 9 November 1921 | See Albania–United Kingdom relations Albania established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 9 November 1921. [47]
Both countries share common membership of the Council of Europe, NATO, OSCE, and the World Trade Organization. Bilaterally the two countries have an Investment Agreement, [268] and a Partnership, Trade and Cooperation Agreement. [269] |
Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
---|---|---|
Australia | 1984 |
|
Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
---|---|---|
Papal States | Albania (League of Lezhë) during the reign of Skanderbeg had good relations with the Papacy. | |
Kingdom of Naples | Albania (League of Lezhë) during the reign of Skanderbeg had good relations with Naples. See | |
Soviet Union | 7 April 1924 | See Albania–Soviet Union relations |
Republic of Venice | ||
Yugoslavia | 1946 | See Albania–Yugoslavia relations |
Austria-Hungary | See Albania–Austria relations and Albania–Hungary relations | |
Czechoslovakia | See Albania–Czech Republic relations
| |
East Germany | 1952 | See Albania–Germany relations
|
Organisation | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
---|---|---|
European Union | 1992 | See Accession of Albania to the European Union Albania applied in 2009 to join and became an official candidate in June 2014. The Commission recommended the launch of negotiations on 9 November 2016. [270] In 2020 EU ministers agree to start accession talks, [1] on 19 July 2022 Albania starts accession talks and holds the first Intergovernmental Conference on accession negotiations. [29]
|
NATO | 1992 | See Albania–NATO relations At the 2008 Bucharest summit, NATO invited Albania to join the alliance. In April 2009 Albania became a full member of the NATO, which remains popular in the country especially due to its intervention in the Kosovo war on behalf of ethnic Albanians. [271] Within the Balkans, Albania is considered to be the most pro-European and pro-Western country in the region and unlike its neighbours, except Kosovo, it has to negligible support for Russia. [272] [24]
|
United Nations | 14 December 1955 | See Albania at the United Nations
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Cyprus is a member of the United Nations along with most of its agencies as well as the Commonwealth of Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Council of Europe. In addition, the country has signed the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency Agreement (MIGA). Cyprus has been a member of the European Union since 2004 and in the second half of 2012 it held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The Czech Republic is a Central European country, a member of the European Union, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the United Nations. It entertains diplomatic relations with 191 countries of the world, around half of which maintain a resident embassy in the Czech capital city, Prague.
Fiji has experienced many coups recently, in 1987, 2000, and 2006. Fiji has been suspended various times from the Commonwealth of Nations, a grouping of mostly former British colonies. It was readmitted to the Commonwealth in December 2001, following the parliamentary election held to restore democracy in September that year, and has been suspended again because of the 2006 coup, but has been readmitted a second time after the 2014 election. Other Pacific Island governments have generally been sympathetic to Fiji's internal political problems and have declined to take public positions.
As one of the oldest Euro-Atlantic member states in the region of Southeast Europe, Greece enjoys a prominent geopolitical role as a middle power, due to its political and geographical proximity to Europe, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Cyprus and the rest of the European Union and NATO, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, North Macedonia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Switzerland while at the same time focuses at improving further the good relations with the Arab World, Caucasus, China, India, South Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Vietnam, The Philippines, South Africa, and the rest of the African Union, Arab League, BRICS, CELAC and Nordic Council. As member of the European Union, the Union for the Mediterranean, and the Council of Europe, Greece is a key player in the eastern Mediterranean region and has encouraged the collaboration between neighbors, as well as promoting the Energy Triangle, for gas exports to Europe. Greece also has the second largest economy in the Balkans, where it is an important regional investor.
Kyrgyzstan has close relations with other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States, particularly Kazakhstan and Russia, given the historical legacy of the Soviet Union. It also has close relations with Turkey as well, given their shared heritage as Turkic languages.
The foreign relations of North Macedonia since its independence in 1991 have been characterized by the country's efforts to gain membership in international organizations such as NATO and the European Union and to gain international recognition under its previous constitutional name, overshadowed by a long-standing, dead-locked dispute with neighboring Greece. Greek objections to the country's name had led to it being admitted to the United Nations and several other international fora only under the provisional designation Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia until its official and erga omnes renaming to North Macedonia, a name under which it is now universally recognised.
Physically bridging Europe and Asia and being above Africa, Turkey is a secular country that has historically pursued a Western-oriented foreign policy. To this end, Turkey uses its global diplomatic network—the third most extensive—of 252 diplomatic and consular missions.
Foreign relations of Portugal are linked with its historical role as a major player in the Age of Discovery and the holder of the now defunct Portuguese Empire. Portugal is a European Union member country and a founding member of NATO. It is a committed proponent of European integration and transatlantic relations. João Gomes Cravinho is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal.
Foreign relations of Serbia are formulated and executed by the Government of Serbia through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Serbia established diplomatic relations with most world nations – 188 states in total – starting with the United Kingdom (1837) and ending most recently with Guyana (2024). Serbia has friendly relations with following neighboring countries: Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, and Hungary. It maintains colder, more tense relations with Albania and Croatia and to a lesser degree with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bulgaria due to historic nation-building conflict and differing political ideologies.
International governments are divided on the issue of recognition of the independence of Kosovo from Serbia, which was declared in 2008. The Government of Serbia does not diplomatically recognise Kosovo as a sovereign state, although the two countries have enjoyed normalised economic relations since 2020 and have agreed not to try to interfere with the other's accession to the European Union.
Albania–Greece relations are diplomatic relations between Albania and Greece. They are influenced by factors such as the presence of Albanian immigrants in Greece, the Greek minority in Albania, historical and cultural ties, and interactions between the governments of both countries.
The foreign relations of Bulgaria are overseen by the Ministry of Foreign Relations headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Situated in Southeast Europe, Bulgaria is a member of both NATO and the European Union. It maintains diplomatic relations with 183 countries.
Albania and Turkey have close foreign relations. Albania has an embassy in Ankara and a general consulate in Istanbul. Turkey has an embassy in Tirana. The most widespread religion in Albania is Islam (~59%), also in Turkey (~90%). Both are part of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). Turkey and Albania are candidates for accession in the European Union (EU).
Kosovo–Turkey relations are the historic and current bilateral relations between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Turkey. Kosovo has an embassy in Ankara, whereas Turkey has an embassy in Pristina. Both nations are predominantly Muslim, have close cultural and military ties, and both have sought to join the European Union.
Japan–Kosovo relations are foreign relations between Japan and Kosovo. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008, and Japan recognized it on March 18, 2008. According to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan and Kosovo established diplomatic relations on February 25, 2009.
Kosovo–North Macedonia relations are diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of North Macedonia.
Albania–Germany relations are the bilateral relations between Albania and Germany.
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( SG 1 Mali - Albania . M. Gaqo P : Albania's Ambassador to Mali , preser his credentials on February 9th ...
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link)TOGO ... 25 - Etablissement de relations diplomatiques avec l'Albanie
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Denmark has agreed to establish diplomatic relations on ambassadorial level with Albania[ permanent dead link ]
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: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State. This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.