US To Help Albania Set up its Own FBI

Interior Minister Tahiri said in a statement on Wednesday that "joint concrete work has started between the Ministry of Interior, the police and the FBI on the creation of... a National Bureau of Investigations".

He spoke after Wednesday's meetings with Brian McCauley, Deputy Assistant Director of International Operations at the FBI as well a Deputy Assistant Director, J Chris Warrener.

"The Bureau will set a new standard in the fight against organized crime and corruption of high level officials," Tahiri added.

A more effective fight against organized crime and corruption is one of the top priorities set by the European Commission for Albania in order speed up its EU accession process.

Albania is already an EU candidate country and hopes to open accession negotiations with Brussels later this year.

The US officials' visit to Tirana follows Tahiri's own visit to Washington in February when he met FBI Deputy Director Mark Guliano.