VZCZCXRO8278
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHTI #0180/01 0831206
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 241206Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7981
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 3552
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2466
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0797
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TIRANA 000180 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PTER PHUM KAWK KISL KPAO AL
SUBJECT: GITMO DETAINEES IN ALBANIA POSE LIMITED THREAT 
 
TIRANA 00000180  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Stephen Cristina, for reasons 1. 
4 (B) & (D). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY:  The resettlement of Guantanamo detainees in 
Albania has proven to be a success, even though significant 
challenges remain.  Nearly three years after their arrival in 
Albania, seven former detainees remain in Albania, with one 
having received asylum in Sweden.  Of the seven, all have 
learned Albanian and most are currently working.  The group 
as a whole has faced no overt discrimination, despite the 
fact that Albania is an overwhelmingly homogenous society 
with no real immigrant or refugee communities. The manner in 
which the funds for detainee resettlement were transferred to 
the GOA and the GOA inability to program uses for these funds 
which meet USG accounting standards were challenges to 
effective resettlement.  The GOA generally considers the 
resettlement a success and does not judge the refugees to be 
a security threat.  Officials closely tied to the detainees 
describe them as healthy, psychologically normal and 
continuing to integrate into Albanian society.  However, 
without considerable USG monetary support and guidance, it is 
almost certain that the resettlement of the detainees would 
have been much more difficult for both the GOA and the 
detainees themselves.  The true test of GOA willingness and 
ability to continue supporting the detainees' transition will 
come in October of 2009, when USG funds provided for 
resettlement to the GOA will be exhausted. End summary. 
 
ALBANIA AS A RESETTLEMENT OPTION 
--------------------------------- 
¶2. (C) While Albania's weak infrastructure and limited 
resources made resettlement of detainees a challenge, the 
GOA's willingness to take a very hands-on approach toward 
resettlement and the very pro-American stance of the populace 
aided resettlement substantially. The inability of the GOA to 
provide residency permits to detainees, family members, the 
lack of cultural connections, the severe resource constraints 
impacting the ability of the Albanian security services to 
effectively monitor detainees, and the limited economic 
prospects in Albania should be considered as US officials 
weigh future resettlement options. 
 
GOA EXPERIENCE 
-------------- 
¶3.  (SBU) In March 5 and 6 meeting with poloffs, Albanian 
officials reported that it has not faced any problems from 
detainee resettlement.  The Ministry of Justice has not 
received any complaints about detainees breaking the law or 
engaging in illegal behavior, and detainees have not sought 
damages against the GOA.  While detainees have contacted 
officials for assistance, with the Minister of Justice even 
noting that he had received text messages from one of the 
detainees, there have been no formal complaints about the 
detainees' treatment in Albania.  After the GOA accepted the 
detainees the only negative reaction received was through 
diplomatic channels from the Ambassador to the Republic of 
China, who expressed his country,s disapproval of the GOA,s 
agreement to host the detainees. 
 
DETAINEES' LEGAL STATUS 
------------------------ 
¶4.  (SBU) Minister of Interior Nishani told poloffs on March 
5 that detainees were processed through normal asylum 
procedures when they arrived in Tirana.  On the day of their 
arrival, they filed asylum applications which went to a 
five-member committee that made a determination on their 
status.  Ministry of Justice Officials in a later meeting 
explained that the detainees were given the status as 
foreigners under Albanian law for legal proceedings.  For all 
other proceedings they were given refugee status.  They enjoy 
all rights of Albanian citizens except the right to vote. 
They cannot become naturalized citizens unless one of their 
parents is Albanian.  Furthermore, they were given refugee 
documentation and were sent to a refugee center, just outside 
the city borders of Tirana. 
 
LIFE AT THE REFUGEE CENTER 
------------------------------- 
¶5.  (SBU) Director of Citizenship and Refugees Drita Avdyli 
escorted poloffs on a March 6 tour of the refugee center 
where the detainees resided after they arrived.  At the 
refugee center, the detainees were given personal rooms, 
shared bathrooms, access to the Internet, books, pre-paid 
phone cards, and three meals a day at the communal kitchen. 
 
TIRANA 00000180  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
They received the free services of a psychiatrist, a doctor, 
a lawyer, and an Albanian language teacher.  The detainees 
were active in the community. All the detainees were given 
access to the center's psychiatrist, who described the 
detainees as normal and in very good mental health.  Avdyli, 
however, noted that the Uzbekistani detainee suffered from 
mental health problems.  She described these problems as 
minor, adding that he was more difficult and demanding then 
other detainees, but she did not have great problems in 
dealing with him.  At the end of their approximate six-month 
stay at the refugee center they were given financial 
assistance to pay for an apartment and received 300 USD a 
month, equal to a mid-level GOA official's salary.  Their 
sixmOjTh sti0e.d was extended under Albanian LeGislapion to 
twg years, which ends October 2009. 
 
LIFE IN TIRANA ) OUTSIDE THE REFUGEE CENTER 
------------------------------------------- 
¶6.  (SBU) The seven detainees have all had training classes 
and are moving on with their lives.  They speak Albanian, 
they are free to practice their choice of religion and live 
life among Albanian citizens without discrimination.  They 
are not heavily monitored by the GOA.  Three Chinese Uighur 
detainees are currently trying to get funding to open up a 
Hallal pizza restaurant.  All have had cooking classes and 
two are working at restaurants in Tirana.  The fourth Uighur 
is working on a project to increase the city's green spaces. 
The Egyptian has taken classes at a local Madrasa, the 
Algerian is working at a medical clinic, and the Uzbek is 
taking classes at a local university.  The biggest obstacle 
to resettlement is family resettlement.  The Egyptian,s 
girlfriend recently arrived on a tourist visa, and one of the 
Uighurs has an Albanian girlfriend, but otherwise the 
detainees have been unable to reunite with their families. 
 
¶7.  (C) Comment: Considering its limited resources (Albania 
remains the second-poorest country in Europe) and lack of 
government experience and capacity with refugee resettlement, 
the GOA has done a reasonably good job in managing the 
difficult resettlement of the former detainees.  However, 
without considerable USG monetary support and guidance, it is 
almost certain that the resettlement of the detainees would 
have been much more difficult for both the GOA and the 
detainees themselves.  The true test of GOA willingness and 
ability to continue supporting the detainees' transition will 
come in October of 2009, when USG funds provided to the GOA 
for resettlement will be exhausted. 
WITHERS