US: Meta’s ambitions for Prime Minister

The direction of the Foreign Ministry by Ilir Meta was liked by the US Embassy, as showed in a cable sent on 24 September 2009.

According to the US point of view, Meta has a sharp contrast in style and substance, compared to Lulzim Basha who is described as a soft young boy with a sophisticated charm, which came to surface when Basha directed the Albanian diplomacy.

While Meta is described in this cable as a warrior, as shown in the Parliament, where he was involved even in physical confrontations.

By analyzing the actions that he undertook in the Albanian diplomacy, the US Embassy sees them as an opportunity of Meta for rebuilding the personal favors that come from politics, including the interest of his party, with the hope that one day he would become Prime Minister.

Part of the cable is dedicated to the political career of Ilir Meta. The author of the cable underlines that Meta has constant interests in business, he is very reach and spectacularly corrupted.

Part of this cable was the answer that the US embassy gave to the question of what they expected by Ilir Meta as a Foreign Minister. After reassessing the way Meta had led the Foreign Ministry during 2002-2003, the cable says that Meta was a pragmatist regarding the policies of his department and a good manager.

“Some of the embassy’s contacts felt better that this Ministry is being led by Meta, who has above average chances for having a good performance, since Basha was considered as a weak manager”, the cable emphasizes.

The cable also mentions the cooperation between Berisha and Meta, saying that despite the guarantees given by Meta and Berisha for team work, the tensions and conflicts are inevitable. While Lulzim Basha was a Democratic Party loyal, servant of the Prime Minister, Meta took the Foreign Ministry with his own agenda, much more independent, compared to Basha.

Meta maybe will not hesitate to tell the international partners when and how he will not agree with the Prime Minister. While Basha might be considered as Berisha’s charming face for the Foreign Policy, Meta knows how to lead a completely different role.

The US Embassy predicts that the bilateral relations between Washington and Tirana have been exclusive only to the Foreign Minister and the Prime Minister. Now they wander who will take the information from Washington first, when Meta will lead the Foreign Ministry.

However, the cable dedicated to Meta gives an answer to this question with a declaration that Pandeli Majko gave to a US Embassy political officer, confirming that Berisha would find ways for bypassing Meta for his contacts in the US Embassy through delegates sent by the Prime Minister, including the installation of people loyal to Berisha in the US Embassy in Washington, who would send the messages directly to him.

The conclusion of Ambassador Withers by the end of this cable states that Meta will use his post as Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister for improving his political ranking and for building the image of a man of state, part of his final goal for returning on the Prime Minister’s seat.

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