A contribution of his that I learned about only recently, very recently. Ilia contributed to the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Albania and the USA.
I met Ilia Zhulati at the “Skënderbej” military high school in the years 1961-1965. He came from Përmet. He was in
the 9th platoon, while I was in the 8th platoon of the company commanded by Captain Mark Kovaçi. Ilia was one of the distinguished students of this school.
At the “Enver Hoxha” united officers’ school from 1965-1967, we also happened to be together in the infantry course.
Both Ilia and I were deputy platoon commanders, each in our respective platoons.
Ilia was one of the cadets who finished the school with high results.
Again by chance, in August 1967, Hysen Ymeri, Ilia Zhulati (infantrymen), Guximtar Godo (artilleryman) and I were appointed to the Reconnaissance Directorate of the General Staff of our army in Zall Herr.
We began our careers in the role of reconnaissance platoon commander.
The Reconnaissance Directorate was an elite unit of our army. In particular, it was a unit with a heavy physical and psychological workload. Like all the cadres of this unit, Ilia Zhulati adapted to and successfully handled this workload.
Despite this fact, all of us, his friends, did not see Ilia as a professional inclined towards the difficult training and demonstrations that the reconnaissance personnel faced. We saw him more in other fields, in fields where, more than physical strength and heavy workloads, aspects of intellectual work stood out. This conviction was reinforced by the fact that Ilia was passionate about books. We all read, but two of us, Azem Hyka and Ilia, read the most. Ilia read mostly historical and political literature. For this reason, his friends, especially Nesti Qirici, used to joke around. They often addressed him as Professor Ilia. Besides reading, Ilia was very committed to mastering the English language. As soon as he found a little free time, he could be heard reading or speaking English, often out loud.
And… as bad luck would have it, due to an eye injury during a training exercise, Ilia left the Reconnaissance Directorate of the army’s General Staff.
At first, he was appointed to the “Enver Hoxha” united officers’ school to direct the reconnaissance course.
For a few years he worked in the structures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in its Second Directorate.
He spent more time working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Albania, in the diplomatic service, at the Albanian representation to the UN.
In this short note about Ilia, I will focus on two points.
First, on his professional qualifications.
-In 1973, he graduated in English from the University of Tirana.
-In 1978, he earned a Master’s degree in English from the University of Tirana.
-In 1980, he earned a Doctorate of Sciences in English from the University of Tirana
-In 1999, he earned a doctorate of sciences in Philosophy and Philology from the University of Tirana
-In 1991, he completed postgraduate studies at the Sorbonne, Paris.
-In 1995, at Madison University, Wisconsin, USA, he earned a master’s degree in English.
With these professional qualifications, Ilia has worked and lectured at several well-known universities in the USA and Europe. Among them I will mention: the University of North Texas in Denton; Texas, Arlington, North Lake; at the Sorbonne, Paris, etc.
Besides this teaching activity, Ilia worked for several years, from 1982 to 1987, at the Albanian Representation to the UN, as first secretary. From 1987 to 1992, he worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania in Tirana.
I am not surprised by Ilia’s level of qualification and his profile as an MFA official. I have long known these intellectual capacities of his, especially in mastering the English language. I also connect this ability of Ilia’s to a personal matter of mine.
In 1973, Ilia, with his connections in the English language department, made it possible for me to take the English language exam at the Faculty of Foreign Languages at the University of Tirana.
Secondly, I will write about a fact unknown until now even to us, his friends. About Ilia’s contribution to the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Albania and the USA.
In some of his notes, Ilia recalls that in April 1990, on the orders of Ramiz Alia, he handed over to the representative of the US State Department, Charles Moskos, at our embassy in Vienna, the response/agreement of the Albanian state/Ramiz Alia to begin talks on re-establishing diplomatic relations between the USA and Albania.
This fact is also recalled by Charles Moskos himself, who was tasked by the US State Department with exploring the possibilities of re-establishing diplomatic relations between the USA and Albania. In a document signed by him, he says, “From 1984 to 1989 I acted as an intermediary between the US State Department and the Albanian MFA. My contact was Mr. Ilia Zhulati, who headed the office that was equivalent to the ‘Albanian Affairs’ desk at the US State Department.
At the request of the State Department, I had meetings with Mr. Zhulati in New York, Paris, Vienna, and Tirana. This eventually led to the establishment of official diplomatic relations between the USA and Albania….
I can state affirmatively that without Mr. Zhulati’s efforts, the process of establishing relations between the two countries would have been significantly slowed down.”
I had no information regarding this fact. Reading the statement of a senior official of the US State Department, I am glad that my comrade, my friend from my youth, from the military schools and the Reconnaissance Directorate of our army’s General Staff, Ilia Zhulati, worked and contributed to the re-establishment of Albania’s diplomatic relations with the USA.
I hope that Ilia will write about his life and activity in the Albanian diplomatic service, and especially about the topic that Charles Moskos also writes about. This, perhaps, would shed light on much of what went on behind the “curtains” of the diplomatic service, which the Albanian public is very curious to know.
I have heard from a friend of mine, Leonidha Lindo, that Ilia is working on such a thing. I hope he finishes it as soon as possible.
For many years, Ilia, together with Vera and their children, have been living in America.
I greet you, my comrade, my dear friend.
Best wishes to you and your family.
Gani Elezi.
Note.
1. In the first photo, Ilia Zhulati
2. In the second photo, Gani Elezi (left) and Ilia Zhulati (right)
3. Thinking that I might not have been able to accurately convey the details of his qualifications, career, and work in Albanian, I have posted some facsimiles that clarify this matter.
