Albania would be well served by learning from the Israeli experience in a variety of fields, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said Monday in a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rama arrived in Jerusalem on Monday for talks with Israeli officials. During his meeting with Netanyahu, the two signed bilateral agreements on medical cooperation and other matters. The two men also signed a declaration of friendship to mark 25 years of diplomatic relations. According to the statement, Rama "noted that Albania would be pleased to learn from Israel's successes in innovation and added that he would like to encourage Israeli businesspeople to invest in Albania." Netanyahu praised Albania for its warm embrace of its Jewish residents through the years. "We know that he people of Albania are not merely good friends today, but they were also friends during the crucial period of the Holocaust [when] they stood shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish people persecuted in Europe," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Rama. "I think Albania is the only country whose Jewish population actually grew during the Holocaust because of the refuge and the sanctuary and the friendship and courage displayed by the people of Albania. We never forget our friends, and we appreciate that display of humanity, civility and courage in our darkest hours," Netanyahu said. Rama also met with Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz. Among the issues discussed was the export of Israeli natural gas to Albania and from there -- using a planned pipeline -- to Italy. During his visit Monday, Rama met with Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, who said he hoped the respective parliaments of both countries strengthen ties. Rama also visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum. During the tour, representatives of both countries signed a memorandum of understanding to increase cooperation on Holocaust education in both countries.
Credit: GPO
According to a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office, "Albanian Prime Minister Rama said that his country was interested in strengthening relations with Israel and in bilateral cooperation on security, cyber, water, energy and innovation."
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In visit, Albanian PM praises Israel as innovation powerhouse
Countries sign declaration of friendship to mark quarter century of ties, plan to increase cooperation • Prime Minister Netanyahu: The people of Albania are not just good friends today, they were also friends during the crucial period of the Holocaust.