On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of bilateral cooperation with the National Guard of New Jersey, USA, and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania, the Minister of Defense Niko Peleshi, accompanied by senior representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff, attended the ceremony held for this purpose, in Sea Girt, New Jersey. 

In his speech, Mr. Peleshi pointed out that the relations with the United States of America are as old as our own country. He mentioned the unpaid contribution of the American president, Woodrow Wilson, to the Peace Conference in Paris in 1919, regarding the right of peoples to national self-determination, thus marking the inviolability of Albania. 

"As an irreplaceable supporter of our nation, the United States stood by the people of Kosovo, ending brutality, ethnic cleansing and paving the way for an independent country," stated Peleshi.

Referring to the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York, the Minister of Defense reiterated that our country is always ready to contribute against any threat to the core values ​​of civilization. 

"We are proud to have sided with the United States in these efforts, cooperating in missions in Iraq and Afghanistan against threats that still endanger the lives of our citizens. Waiting for over 600 Afghan nationals, our country is showing a continuing commitment to in this direction," declared Peleshi.

Minister Peleshi especially thanked the Commander of the New Jersey National Guard, Brigadier General Lisa J. Hou and the US Department of Defense, for their extraordinary assistance in modernizing the Albanian Armed Forces. 

The Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defense are paying special attention to the education and improvement of our educational institutions. Therefore, the Minister of Defense took the opportunity and asked General Hou for his personal commitment, in order to explore the areas of possible support in this regard. 

Albania formally signed the Bilateral Cooperation Agreement with the US Department of Defense and the state of New Jersey in 2001, marking the beginning of the New Jersey-Albania State Partnership Program.