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Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-04-01Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at <http://www.telpress.it/ata>Albanian Telegraphic AgencyCONTENTS
[01] Albanian government favours wide autonomy for KosovaTIRANA, March 31 (ATA)-By K. Kostreci, Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano in parliament today made known the option of the Albanian government for a wide autonomy of Kosova and said that Serbia turned out a loser from the results of the Contact Group at the recent meeting in Bonn.Nano was called by the Parliamentary Foreign Police Commission to report on the meetings in Bonn and present the governments' views on the situation in Kosova and its perspective. He said that the Bonn statement is advanced in comparison with that of the Contact Group in London, as it expresses support for the policy pursued by the Albanian leaders in Kosova, asks implementation of the Education Accord, defines the imposition of arms sanctions and calls for changing the Kosova status. Referring to Albanian government's acts in regard to the situation in Kosova, Nano pointed to the systematic contacts with the international diplomacy and in this context the cooperation between Albania and the Contact Group. Nano made known in parliament the appreciation by the European and U.S. diplomacies of Albania's politics in connection with the Kosova issue as well as the Balkan countries' support in this direction. He said that all the political forces in Albania should make the maximum efforts to avoid conflict. Turning back to the Crete meeting with Milosevic, the first at this level between Albania and Yugoslavia after more than 50 years, Nano said that through this act Albania tried to break the ices of history. /das/lm/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[02] Institute for Albanian Studies in Prishtine handed over to AlbaniansPRISHTINE, March 31 (ATA)-ATA correspondent Behlul Jashari reports:Prishtine Albanian Studies Institute was handed over to the Albanians today at around 18.00, after a four-year occupation by t he 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. The institute was vacated in implementation of a protocol signed eight days ago by the Albanian-Serbian 3+3 group, in the presence of the international mediator, Monsegneur Vincenzo Paglia. This is the first concrete step towards the realisation of the Albanian Education Accord, signed between Prishtine and Belgrade in September 1996. In the first morning hours, a tense situation prevailed in front of this institute. Serbian students and teachers, rallied not to allow its handover, had closed the doors and hanged banners reading "treason". On March 30, talks were conducted at the Italian embassy between the 3+3 group and representatives of St. Egidio. The Albanian press of Prishtine, newspaper "Bujku" and "Koha Ditore" on March 31 expressed disbelief about the institute's handover. The Serbian books and other materials deposited there after the forceful expulsion of the Albanians four years ago, began being transported in the afternoon of March 31. Abdyl Rama, member of the Albanian side in the 3+3 group for the implementation of the Accord to vacate the school and university premises of the Albanians in Kosova, said that he hoped the Serbian side realised the mistakes and became reasonable. He also expressed hope that three other faculties were vacated in April and another three in May, to lead to the handover of all the Prishtine University premises and grounds. "The number of the eight-year and secondary schools to be vacated is thought to be defined in two or three days," Rama said. /p.ta/pas/lm/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[03] Another member of "Kateshi" gang arrestedTIRANE, April 1 (ATA)- Another member of the gang dubbed "Tan Kateshi" of Elbasan was arrested on Tuesday at around 17.00, bringing the number of the arrested gang members to five, Interior Ministry spokesman told ATA.E.K., aged 27, inhabitant of Elbasan, is accused of murder, kidnapping, theft, robbing, and other crimes, the spokesman added. He is added to four other members of the Kateshi gang, charged with a series of crimes during last year's unrest. Two of them (one the "right hand of the gang's chief") were arrested two weeks ago in an operation of the Elbasan Criminal police. The chief, who had been together with the arrested, could escape the police. The other two were arrested three days ago. /s.s/pas/lm/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[04] Albanian nationals attempting to illegally cross into Italy returnedDURRES, April 1 (ATA)-By S. Gjordeni, Fifty Albanian nationals, who, two or three days ago, had set sail towards Italy in a dinghy, were returned on Tuesday at around 21.00 by the "La Vikinga" ferry of the Bari- Durres line.The Albanian illegal emigrants were intercepted by the Italian police, right after they landed in the Puglia coast. The Albanian police verified the identities of the repatriated and took measures to sent them home, to the districts of Lushnje, Berat and Kavaje. /s.s/pas/lm/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[05] Rightist Union of Albania asks full rights membership of constitution commissionTIRANE, April 1 (ATA)-By K. Shehu, The Political grouping of the Rightist Union of Albania (DBSH) supports the presence of the NATO forces in the region and the use of force against the criminal communist clique of Milosevic, with the aim to prevent an extension of armed conflict.Dashamir Shehi, leader of Movement for Democracy party, at a news conference on Wednesday, endorsed the the U.S. stand on the solution to the Kosova issue. Referring to the constitution issue, DBSH declared it is against the so-called blocking minority and DP tactics for parallel talks. Its representatives asked immediate correction of the status of the DBSH representatives to the Constitution Commission, full rights participation in drafting the constitution and said they would make no allowances for two major issues of this fundamental law: the Albanian national cause and the solution to the property issue in favour of the legitimate owners. /s.s/pas/lm/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[06] Drenice: 19 Albanians missing, 23 000 under siegePRISHTINE, April 1/ATA correspondent Behlul Jashari reports:The sub-council for Human Rights in Skenderaj issued today the list of 19 Albanians missing in Serbian forces operations in Drenice last month. Among them are the names of eight members of one family who are thought to have died in the ruins of their house, razed to the ground by the bombardments in Prekaz, where the Serb police forces continue not to allow searches. Others are thought to have been executed after arrest. The number of the persons killed by the Serbian forces in Kosova over the last month, along with the names of this list, exceeds 100, many of them children and women. Meanwhile, the police siege of Drenice, which holds under the threat of arms 23 000 Albanians in nearly 20 villages, today entered the 28th day. Volleys of shots have been fired in these regions during the night and this morning. /p/ta/pas/lm/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[07] Albanian Prime Minister to visit FranceTIRANA, April 1 (ATA)-Albania's Prime Minister Fatos Nano, at the head of a government delegation, leaves for Paris on Wednesday for a three-day working visit.The Council of Minister's Information and Media department told ATA that the programme of the visit includes important meetings with French senior politicians, representatives of industry and business as well as intensive contacts with political, academic, press and media representatives. The programme confirms talks with French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, to be followed by mutual statements for the press, meetings with French Defence Minister Alain Richer, the first Secretary of the French Socialist Party, Francois Holland and others. Nano will have the occasion to meet with representatives of big French companies which have shown interest in cooperation and investments in Albania, as the director of the "Bouygues" company, director of "Holderbank", EDP director general, leaders of the "Ciments Francais", "Evertrade" companies and others. The programme also includes a debate at the French Foreign Trade Centre. /s.s/lm/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[08] Parliament approves mandate's extension for Greek companyTIRANA, April 1 (ATA) - By Keida Kostreci: Albania's parliament approved on Wednesday the extension of the mandate for up to six months more for the Greek logistic company, which is operating in Albania on the basis of the NATO "Clearing House" body.Deputies of the Democratic party voted against it. The Democrat deputy Azem Hajdari, explaining his opposition, said "the approval of the draft law on the extension is a high act of betrayal and reveals an anti NATO, anti American and anti Albanian policy." Secretary of State for Defence Perikli Teta replied to deputies arguing the necessity of extending the mandate because these forces have not finished the work they have undertaken. "If we had not extended the mandate we would have done a hostile action towards a neighbour country and NATO member state," Sabri Godo head of the parliamentary Foreign Commission, said. The 505-member Greek company is in Albania in the framework of the NATO "Clearing House" body and is working for the ports of Durres and Saranda, infrastructure of two military units and the military hospital in Tirana. s.sh/mima/ak/ From the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at http://www.telpress.it/ataAlbanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |