Albania and weapons of mass destruction
Albania was among the initial countries who signed the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in 1993.[1] The treaty, which came into force in 1997, requires the declaration of chemical stockpiles, and the destruction of all chemical weapons, delivery systems and production facilities. One of only six nations to declare a stockpile, Albania made its declaration in March 2003,[2] after the discovery, in December 2002, of 600 bulk containers of chemicals in an abandoned bunker. The material was probably acquired by Communist leader Enver Hoxha in the mid-1970s from China although no documentation was found, therefore this is entirely speculative.[3]
On 11 July 2007, the
Biological and nuclear weapons
Acquisition of the atomic bomb from the Sigurimi
In the early 1960s, the
During these activities, 'Rampa' purportedly proposed a transaction, demanding a fee of $2000 for the acquisition of the anti-tank technology. Later, the head of Albanian intelligence, Dhimiter Gjoni based in Rome, reportedly shared information suggesting that 'Rampa' claimed to have the potential to obtain classified details regarding the atomic bomb. The price for this escalated to $6000, with 'Rampa' asserting a connection to an individual with access to such information at the Atomic Center of France."[7]
Albania acceded to the
See also
Notes and references
- ^ Membership of the OPCW, http://www.opcw.org/en/membership_menu.html Archived 2008-09-16 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Kerry Boyd, "Albania Has Chemical Arms; CWC Review Conference Meets" Archived 2007-09-26 at the Wayback Machine, Arms Control Association, June 2003, accessed July 27, 2007
- ^ "Albania's Chemical Cache Raises Fears About Others". www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
- ^ U.S. Department of State, Albania – First Country to Destroy All Of Its Chemical Weapons, July 13, 2007, accessed July 27, 2007
- ^ Nunn-Lugar Destroys Chemical Weapons Stockpile in Albania, http://lugar.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=279351& Archived 2007-07-25 at the Wayback Machine, Press Release of Senator Lugar, July 19, 2007, accessed July 27, 2007
- ^ Abc/Story: Aventura e Sigurimit per blerjen e sekretit te Bombes Atomike, retrieved 2024-01-26
- ^ Abc/Story: Aventura e Sigurimit per blerjen e sekretit te Bombes Atomike, retrieved 2024-01-26
- ^ a b Status of Multilateral Arms Regulation and Disarmament Agreements, http://disarmament.un.org/TreatyStatus.nsf/NPT%20(in%20alphabetical%20order)?OpenView, UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), accessed July 27, 2007