Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-03-31

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Unity for Democracy to join constitutional commission

[02] Albanian officials meet with Greek parliamentary delegation

[03] Defence leaders discuss Albanian army's legal framework

[04] Police arrest an Italian attempted to kill an Albanian

[05] Police arrest members of Kateshi gang

[06] Access to Albanologic institution caused tension, insecurity

[07] Drenica still under Serb police curfew

[08] Greece urges Europe to greatly contribute to resolve Kosova issue

[09] Albanians to take over Albanological Institute late in the day

[10] Meidani praises draft-platform to resolve national issue

[11] Albanian Premier meets outstanding intellectual from Kosova

[12] Serbian snipers kill Albanian in border

[13] Institute for Albanian Studies in Prishtine handed over to Albanians

[01] Unity for Democracy to join constitutional commission

Both parties are members of the political grouping Unity for Democracy, parties which have presented some requests a week ago conditioning their participation.

The PLL representative Spartak Ngjela attended the constitutional commission's meeting late on Monday but refused to comment why his party decided to participate in the constitutional process.

The Unity for Democracy includes the Democratic party, Legality Movement party, Christian Democratic party, Social Democrat Union party, and the Democratic Union party. s.s/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Albanian officials meet with Greek parliamentary delegation

In a meeting with the Interior Minister Neritan Ceka, both sides praised the good relations between the two countries even in the public order. The talks were focused on the Albanian refugees in Greece and illegal border crossings.

The Greek parliamentarians reiterated their readiness to promote cooperation in order to make the border crossings legal.

Present level of bilateral cooperation in the military field was confirmed in a meeting of the Greek delegation with Sabit Brokaj, the Albanian Defence Minister.

"This cooperation is increasingly strengthened and it is part of the good relations, which already exist in all fields," Brokaj said.

The situation in Kosova and stability in the region were considered as problems closely linked with one another. They spoke of establishing joint multilateral structures between the regional countries, projects that are under consideration. s.sh/das/ak/

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[03] Defence leaders discuss Albanian army's legal framework

The NATO partnership is present in Albania through its 12 units, Andoni, Brigadier General, said.

Referring to the last year events, he said that "they were due to the lack of a legal framework even in the army."

Both sides discussed possibilities of cooperation even in the infrastructure, communication and information in the army and the promotion of mutual links between Albania and NATO and its member states. s.sh/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Police arrest an Italian attempted to kill an Albanian

A spokesman said that police found weapons and a false passport in the apartment of Kravuoto, who was suspected of planting the explosive device on Monday at 02.00. a.m.

Kravuoto has been sentenced twice in Italy for fraud and has come to Albania on February 1995. s.s/mima/ak/

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[05] Police arrest members of Kateshi gang

They are charged of committing penal offences such as killings, kidnapping, stealing at gunpoint during the unrest last spring.

Two weeks ago the police forces of Elbasan arrested two other members of the Kateshi gang, while the leader was not yet detained. s.s/mima/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Access to Albanologic institution caused tension, insecurity

The access to this institution will mark the first concrete step towards the fulfilment of an education accord in Albanian language, signed between Prishtina and Belgrade in September 1996.

A tense situation prevailed early this morning in front of this institution. Serbian students and pedagogues gathered there not to allow a takeover and had blocked the entrance putting slogans saying "Betrayal".

So far, neither Albanian nor Serbian or Saint Egidio representatives were seen there as it was informed.

There is no official report on the negotiations held in the Italian Embassy in Belgrade on Monday between the 3+3 group and the Saint Egidio representatives.

The Albanian press of Prishtina, the newspaper Bujku and Koha ditore, reported on Tuesday that access to this institution was unlikely.

Dr Sadri Fetiu, director of the institution, said that "so far there is no official report."

Nevertheless, the institution has created a commission to take over the building. pta/pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Drenica still under Serb police curfew

The forces are deployed in seven fortified check points in many strategic points keeping Llausha, Marina, Acereva, Turiceva, Buraja, Vojnik and other villages under target.

Albanian sources said that Serbian forces were seen moving and deploying in Drenica and the surroundings on Monday. A column including 12 military trucks roared past some areas of Drenica early on Monday and reached Skenderaj at 16.00. p.m.

A column of three trucks transporting masked forces and two armoured carriers left Mitrovica for Drenica. Seven police Jeep cars coming from Skenderaj reached Mitrovica late on Monday.

Police blocked eight Albanian families in Tavnik quarter, Mitrovice, late on Monday and placed an armoured carrier, three vans and two cars in another house.

There are reports on raids and maltreatment and some three Albanian youth have been arrested. Movements of Serbian forces were noticed in the Vushtri-Prishtine road.

Volleys of gunfire were heard during the evenings in the Decan region, where the Serbian forces killed at least three Albanians and destroyed Glogjan and some other villages a week ago.

Serbian helicopters flew over these regions, Dushkaje and Gjakova villages and areas bordering Albania early on Monday. pta/pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Greece urges Europe to greatly contribute to resolve Kosova issue

Karolos Papoulias, head of the Greek parliamentary foreign and defence delegation, who arrived in Albania on Monday, told a news conference that "we are facing a new tragedy, which can be deeper than that of Bosnia-Herzegovina."

Papoulias categorically rejected the idea of resolving the conflict through use of arms and criticized the U.S. stand on the situation.

"I cannot deny the U.S. role in finding out a solution to the crisis, but Europe is more concerned on a peaceful solution than the United States, which uses the language of force," Papoulias said.

Referring to talks with senior Albanian authorities in Tirana, Papoulias said that they shared the view that the crisis should be resolved through dialogue and political means and not through weapons.

"Sides concerned for an end to the conflict should join a negotiation table, now that the role of the European Union should be more resultant than in the Bosnia-Herzegovina crisis," Papoulias, former Foreign minister, added.

Stressing that Greece besides being an E.U. member state was also a Balkan country like Albania, he said that "avoidance of conflict is in the interest of all the Balkan countries."

He recalled the fact that the Balkan countries suffered unconsidered financial losses due to the crisis in the Bosnia-Herzegovina.

"But this time, an outbreak in Kosova will not bring about only financial losses, but also a real catastrophe," the Greek politician said. s.s/mima/ak/

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[09] Albanians to take over Albanological Institute late in the day

The transport of Serbian books and other materials placed there, after the Albanians were forcibly expelled, has begun.

"We are waiting and hoping that the institution will be freed today at 16.00 p.m.," said Abdyl Rama, member of the Albanian side in the 3+3 group on implementation of the education agreement, which aimed at freeing the school and university buildings in Kosova.

"We hope that the Serbian side has realized the mistakes it has committed and will be aware of them," Rama said.

He believed that other three faculties will be freed in April and the other three in May until the Albanians have access to all university buildings in Prishtina.

"We hope to define within two or three days the number of eighth year and secondary schools to be freed," Rama said. pta/mima/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Meidani praises draft-platform to resolve national issue

Drafting this platform has been a commitment of the highest scientific institution in the country, after a request of the President last fall. The draft-platform intends to bring closer, on studied bases, all-Albanian approaches on the national issue, according to the press and information office.

The president and the participants evaluated the draft-platform to resolve the National issue as a serious scientific document, which synthesizes the historical developments, actuality and perspective of the Albanian national issue in the background of internal and international developments.

Then they exchanged views on further steps to turn the draft-platform into a platform.

Contacting the Academy of Sciences in Kosova as soon as possible with the aim to unify the text of this Platform was considered the first step indispensable to publish and circulate it to lead to a broad intellectual- political meeting and then towards a National Convention.

Also attending the meeting, besides the presidency of the Academy, were parliamentary speaker Skender Gjinushi, chairman of the parliament's Foreign Commission, Sabri Godo, and others. /s.sh/das/lm/

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[11] Albanian Premier meets outstanding intellectual from Kosova

Nano briefed the guest from Kosova on the political and diplomatic activity of the Albanian government in defence of the National Cause, especially at the meeting with the representatives of the Contact Group nations in Bonn.

Nano also showed interest in the current situation in Kosova, according to the Council of Ministers' information and media department.

Cana, who comes to Tirana after a several-day stay in the Drenice zone of Kosova, briefed the prime minister on the situation in this part of Kosova, which continues to be under the siege of numerous Serbian police forces.

Cana thanked President Meidani and Prime Minister Nano for their support manifested on the occasion of the parliamentary and presidential elections in Kosova. /s.sh/das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Serbian snipers kill Albanian in border

The paper quotes inhabitants of the village as saying that "the teacher was killed in confrontation with the Yugoslav militia, five kms inside the Yugoslav border line on the Pashtrik mountain".

"Isa Thaci, accompanied by a group of friends from Gishaj village, had illegally crossed the border," local police sources confirm.

Further on the article says that the victim's companions, who managed to escape, tell they had illegally brought the victim to the village being pursued by the Yugoslav border guards up to the Albanian border.

Specialists of the Has police station think that "Thaci was killed by a sniper, as was is shot in the forehead".

Nothing has officially been confirmed by either sides, the article says, as the routine meeting of the border specialists to define the causes of the incident has not yet been held.

The paper also says that military measures were taken right after the incident to reinforce the Albanian border guard.

The Albanian army checks the border in all directions. The Albanian Defence plan is ready against an eventual attack by the Serbian army," the State Secretary for Defence Policy, Perikli Teta, stated upon learning about the incident.

The paper also says that also three years ago, two teachers from Pogaj village were killed and massacred by the Serbs at no more that two kms from the Albanian border line. /s.sh/das/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Institute for Albanian Studies in Prishtine handed over to Albanians

Prishtine Albanological Institute was handed over to Albanians today at around 18.00, after a four-year occupation by the Serbs.

Monseigneur Vincenzo Paglia, mediator of the Education Agreement, handed over the keys to director Dr. Sadri Fetiu.

At 18.20 Fetiu broke the news to more than 100 reporters and thousands of Prishtine citizens, gathered in front of the Institute. /sara/das/lm/

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

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