Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) [1], 97-03-21

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From: The Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at <http://www.telpress.it/ata>

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] FIRST AID CONTINGENT FROM ITALIAN GOVERNMENT FOR ALBANIAN POLICE ARRIVE

[02] INSECURITY REIGNS IN GJIROKASTER

[03] INTERIOR MINISTER PRESENTS GOVERNMENT PLATFORM ON SECURING ORDER

[04] MILITARY UNITS IN ELBASAN REORGANISED

[05] TWO YOUTHS KILLED BY EXPLOSION IN LEZHE

[06] ANNOUNCEMENT OF PREMIER'S PRESS AND INFORMATION OFFICE

[07] ATHENS MUNICIPALITY PROVIDES AID FOR TIRANA MUNICIPALITY

[08] STATEMENT OF NATIONAL MAYORS ASSOCIATION

[09] PARLIAMENT DOES NOT AGREE TO CHANGE LAW ON STATE OF EMERGENCY

[10] REFUTATION OF MAKSIM CIKULI

[11] "TURKEY WILL NOT STAY SPECTATOR TOWARDS EFFORTS TO DIVIDE ALBANIA" - declares Tansu Ciller -

[12] ALBANIAN AMBASSADOR IN FRANCE MEETS DIPLOMATIC COUNSELOR OF PRESIDENT CHIRAC

[13] FRANCE RECOGNISES ONLY LEGAL INSTITUTIONS OF ALBANIA - declares French Foreign Minister de Charette -

[14] PEACEFUL MANIFESTATION IN SHKODER

[01] FIRST AID CONTINGENT FROM ITALIAN GOVERNMENT FOR ALBANIAN POLICE ARRIVE

Under the auspices of the Italian embassy in Tirana, this amount of aid, consisting of police uniforms for the special forces and bulletproof jackets, was delivered to the competent bodies of the Interior Ministry.

In the context of the European Aid for Albania, more emergency aid will as well be delivered soon to cope with the situation. a.ke/jz/lm /Z

[02] INSECURITY REIGNS IN GJIROKASTER

In a military unit, located in a site called Kordhoc, arms depots exploded for around one hour. Meanwhile, in the city, despite the presence of the police patrols, guns were fired by unidentified people, whose aim was to loot trade units and state owned institutions.

Last night, the district DP headquarters, was completely destroyed and the safe of the city's National Commercial Bank was seized. a.ke/j z/lm/Z/

[03] INTERIOR MINISTER PRESENTS GOVERNMENT PLATFORM ON SECURING ORDER

Celo informed the Albanian parliament of a series of meetings with EU representatives, who, he said, have guaranteed emergency aid for the Albanian police, both in means and technical assistance.

Later Celo presented the platform of the National Reconciliation Government for the normalisation of the public order in Albania.

Full operation of the police commissariat effective in all the districts of Albania was the first point of this platform.

Restructuring the autonomous units of the Interior Ministry, the creation of special police units against criminal groups, and the operation of the border police units were the further steps to be followed by this ministry.

Another point was the operation of the seaports in Albania.

He stressed that of priority is to continue the population's disarmament, that the military units take urgent actions to protect the military institutions and that the police commissariats and army forces cooperate to protect installations of vital importance. eva/jz/lm

[04] MILITARY UNITS IN ELBASAN REORGANISED

Leaders of most of the military units of this district met yesterday in the town's brigade and, together with local government representatives, defined tasks for the complete mobilisation of the effective.

The leading staff of the officers and noncommissioned officers are now working in the respective military units to normalise the situation there.

Meanwhile, the search for the looted weapons continues in the territories of the damaged arms depots.

Many officers have expressed themselves in favour of a well defined law for the protection of these military units in the future. s.sh/pas/lm/Z/

[05] TWO YOUTHS KILLED BY EXPLOSION IN LEZHE

The pupils Eduard Sufja and Ermir Osmani had entered the depot and lighted matches, which then caused the explosion, claiming the lives of the youths. s.sh/eva/lm/Z

[06] ANNOUNCEMENT OF PREMIER'S PRESS AND INFORMATION OFFICE

Fino familiarised them with the current situation at home and the measures the government is taking to restore stability and peace.

On behalf of the Albanian government he thanked them for their concern and readiness to help Albania overcome the situation created.

Lennartz stressed that aid for the health and social institutions and aid in food for the mostly affected families will immediately begin through the Red Cross.

Miku, on behalf of the Romanian government, wished that the Albanian government, through the measures taken, quickly overcome the situation created. He said that Romania is ready to offer aid, particularly in food and medicine.

The Russian Ambassador in Tirana, Saprikin, after handing over to Prime Minister Fino the statement of the spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry about the situation in Albania, stressed that it is important that co operation continue between all the political forces to cope with the situation and organise the elections.

"We are ready to send emergency aid," he said. a.ke/eva/lm/Z/

[07] ATHENS MUNICIPALITY PROVIDES AID FOR TIRANA MUNICIPALITY

Tirana municipality officials say that the Tirana city-hall continues to receive messages of friendship as well as confirmations for aid and support from municipalities, authorities, local and regional organizations from many countries of the world. a.ke/jz/lm/Z

[08] STATEMENT OF NATIONAL MAYORS ASSOCIATION

"But we notice that in several cities, those local bodies which initially helped the local administration to overcome the difficulties, are being turned into military organisations seeking to impose themselves to the authority of local governing," the mayors association says through a statement.

The association calls on all the country's state and political structures, all the international organisations, members of the Local and Regional Authorities Congress of the Council of Europe, not to allow the local administration be put under illegal control of military organisations or political groups for certain purposes. a.ke/jz/lm/Z

[09] PARLIAMENT DOES NOT AGREE TO CHANGE LAW ON STATE OF EMERGENCY

Deputy Bashkim Kopliku, on behalf of 22 deputies proposed an amendment in the article 1, which had to do with the avoidance of the sentence "to shoot without warning," as well as the article 4 to change the law on press.

This article authorizes police and order bodies to shoot without warning anyone who carries weapons after a 7:00 pm curfew goes into force.

The parliament rejected the proposal of 22 deputies to lift the law on press during the state of emergency, while for the first article it asked the approval after the opinion of specialists was taken.

The parliament approved the proposal of the Government of National Reconciliation to lift the word which limited "completely" some human rights defined in the Law of state of emergency.

The deputies also discussed the problem of not knowing any kind of commission or committee parallel with the legal bodies elected by the free vote of people, greeting the statement of the National Reconciliation Government not to recognize both committees, that of South and North.

The Parliament also discussed the proposal of the Government of National Reconciliation to exclude from VAT (Value Added Tax) the imported wheat. /kled/mt/k

[10] REFUTATION OF MAKSIM CIKULI

"I reject this report. I have never had any contacts with the diplomatic representatives of the Israelite government in Rome, and have never asked them asylum in Israel," Maskim Cikuli told ATA on Thursday, who participated yesterday in the proceedings of the Albanian Parliament. /mt/k

[11] "TURKEY WILL NOT STAY SPECTATOR TOWARDS EFFORTS TO DIVIDE ALBANIA" - declares Tansu Ciller -

In this issue, stressed Chiller, Turkey is ready to give any kind of help. It has already started its efforts in the context of NATO and OSCE. Turkey is ready to take its own place in any international force, or in any project to be drafted on this purpose.

The mistake done with Bosnia should be not repeated with Albania, said Chiller and added that it has to do with the fundamental human rights. Here, in the heart of Europe, before our eyes, people are dying. We should be not late now as we were delayed with Bosnia.

Turkey, in the international plan, as well as in the national one, will offer Albania all the necessary political, economic and military help, stressed Chiller at the end of her statement./lgj/kled/mt/sh/

[12] ALBANIAN AMBASSADOR IN FRANCE MEETS DIPLOMATIC COUNSELOR OF PRESIDENT CHIRAC

Jean David Levit told the Albanian Ambassador that France will continue to stay close to Albania in this difficult period. It is ready to offer in the context of an EU operation a considerable humanitarian, financial and military help, aiming to overcome the crisis and reconstruct the institutions of the Albanian state, in accordance with the principles of democracy.

Greeting once again the Platform of National Reconciliation, the Diplomatic Counselor of President Chirac stressed that France will cooperate now and in the future only with legal institutions of the Albanian state. /l.gj/kled/mt/sh/

[13] FRANCE RECOGNISES ONLY LEGAL INSTITUTIONS OF ALBANIA - declares French Foreign Minister de Charette -

The Albanian Ambassador familiarized Minister Charette with the Platform of National Reconciliation, presented by President Berisha which was made concrete in the agreement of March 9, 1997.

He thanked the French Minister for the support that France has given and gives to Albania, as well as for the political solution defined by the political forces and for its engagement to help near the Western European Union and European Union to apply this solution.

Minister Charette reconfirmed the stand of France that it recognises only the legal institutions of Albania and will engage to help Albania will humanitarian, financial and military aid to overcome the crisis./l.gj/mt/sh/

[14] PEACEFUL MANIFESTATION IN SHKODER

The protesters, who gathered later in the main square of the town, were greeted by the mayor Bahri Borici.

After stressing once again the necessity for a normal life, Borici called on them to surrender the weapons.

"No bullets, but peace," was the message conveyed to the protesters by representatives of the three religious communities in this town.

Four people were killed and 40 others were injured recently in the town of Shkoder.

The situation in this town has become calmer during the last two days and the life is becoming normal./s.sh/pas/mt/sh/

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