Albania applies for membership in COST (link)

Brussels, 19 October 2006

Full text of Document 292/06
Suite of documents 292/06

Brussels, 18 October

COPY OF LETTER from Mr Genc POLLO, Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Albania, dated 29 May 2006, to Professor Francesco FEDI, President of the COST Committee of Senior Officials (CSO)

Subject: Application for membership in COST

I am pleased to write to inform you of the intention of the Republic of Albania to apply for membership status in COST. This will give a strong impetus to the activity of our scientific community.

Being a European and fully-fledged democratic country, Albania is committed, within the framework of the Stabilization and Association Process for the Western Balkan countries, to getting closer to the European Union. In this context, we have been fully engaged in a broad range of reforms which have enabled the establishment of a functional market economy, the rule of law, and the respect of human rights and in this context the rights of the minorities.

Actually, we have concluded the talks with the European Union for the Stabilization and Association Agreement that is to be signed in June.

Obviously, our community of researchers is very interested in cooperating within the COST Actions which provide an excellent platform for fruitful cooperation. The Albanian Institute of Seismology has participated in Action no 625. Therefore, we are looking to intensify our participation in other COST actions, especially those actions in which the countries from the region of the Western Balkans are participating.

Also, in the domain of the scientific and research activity, Albania, in order to be more engaged with the activities undertaken in the European Research Area, has decided to apply to become an associated country to the European Research Framework Programme.

If more information is needed at this stage of the application procedure, would you kindly contact Mr Gjergji Gjinko, my Director of Cabinet, on tel no: ++355 4 22 61 39, and at the following email address: gjergjigjinko@mash.gov.al. He will be responsible for coordinating the activities dealing with the COST Programme in Albania.

Thank you very much in advance for considering this request and I am looking forward to fruitful cooperation with COST.

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