Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-07-12

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] U.S. and British diplomats in Prishtine

[02] Some 12 000 Kosova refugees in Northern Albania

[03] Summer flights increase in number

[04] Greece ban Greek minority cars from entering Albania

[05] Fighting on Kosova-Albanian border belt

[06] KLA hands over to humanitarian organisations three deserters of the Yugoslav army

[01] U.S. and British diplomats in Prishtine

The President of the Republic of Kosova, Ibrahim Rugova, on Friday met in separate meetings with U.S. ambassador on Skopje Christopher Hill, who is meditating between Prishtine and Belgrade to resolve the Kosova issue, and the British ambassador in Belgrade, Bryan Donnell.

They discussed the latest developments and the necessary steps to create the preliminary conditions to resolve the Kosova issue through negotiations.

Donnell also met with academician Rexhep Qosja, head of the Albanian Democratic Movement and with representatives from the Kosova Parliamentary party. /la/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Some 12 000 Kosova refugees in Northern Albania

"We had to carry out the registration of the refugees three times because of their somewhat caotic movement to communes of this district as well as because of the departure of many of them in the direction of other cities of Albania. There are 17 000 refugees from Kosova in Albania at present," the chairman of the Tropoje district Council, Xhevdet hoxha, told ATA.

The secretary of this district's council, Islam Koliqi, also told ATA that recently there have been few refugees, while there are still problems with the housing and supply of 12 000 refugees. /s.sh/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Summer flights increase in number

While in the first three months of this year the number of flights reached 832, with over 29 000 passengers arriving in Albania and over 32 000 departing for other countries, in the second three month period the number of the passengers has increased over 50%. This number is larger than in the same period in the past year.

According to the air companies, the number of summer flights has increased.

The air companies operating in Albania, including the Albanian Airlines, Swissair, Alitalia, Ada Air and other companies receive numerous travel orders for the whole July, although the price of the ticket for this season has slightly increased.

Besides foreign nationals working in Albania, who during summer leave on vacations, this year there has also been an increase in the number of the Albanians going abroad. Bookings by individual or tourist groups often have as their destination the well-known coasts of Turkey, Macedonia, Italy, Spain and other countries.

Responding to orders for spending holidays in these countries are also several air companies by organising charter flights./lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Greece ban Greek minority cars from entering Albania

According to the Greek police of this customs these citizens, equipped with Greek passports with 4-5 year residence permits, travel to Greece from Albania more than permitted by law, a thing which not only makes traffic heavier but also pollutes the environment, as the cars coming from Albania are too much used.

Meanwhile, the commander of the Albanian police post of Kakavije, captain Abedin Hitaj, told ATA that some 50 cars, owned by Albanian citizens of Greek nationality and who have been equipped with five-year visas, have been prevented from entering Greece recently. /s.sh/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Fighting on Kosova-Albanian border belt

Fierce fighting continued in Kosova also over the last 24 hours, on the Kosova-Albania border belt, in Rrafshi i Dukagjinit, Kline, Drenice, near the coal mine in Mardh i Madh in Rafshi i Kosoves and around the "Trepca" mine of lead, zinc, gold and silver in Stanterg, in Shale e Bajgores.

The Serbian forces on Saturday night bombarded for nearly three hours the village of Strelle i Eperm, near Decan, in an attack against the defensive positions of the inhabitants and of the Kosova Liberation Army (KLA).

Sources available from the spot say that seven were wounded on the Albanian side and at least five policemen were killed and several others injured on the Serbian side.

Serbian sources reported today that two Serbian policemen were killed in the suburbs of Decan, while Albanian sources report on fire exchanges along to main road of Gjakova-Peja.

Albanian sources also report that two Albanians were killed and three others wounded in yesterday's fighting in Loxhe e Raushiq, near Peja.

Yugoslav army and Serbian police forces on Saturday grenaded the villages of Mazhiq, Bare, Vidishiq and Bajgore e Shales.

According to reports from the spot, three KLA members were injured and three Yugoslav soldiers were killed and several others wounded in the fierce fighting.

The Albanian population, children, women and old people have been displaced from the Mazhiq village and partly from the miners' quarter in Stanterg.

On Saturday evening Serbian armed paramilitary and civilian gangs torched all the houses of Albanians in Frasher and opened fire in the direction of the villages of Pantine and Okrashtice of the commune of Vushtrise. /fh/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] KLA hands over to humanitarian organisations three deserters of the Yugoslav army

The Kosova Liberation Army (KLA) on Saturday handed over to foreign humanitarian organisations three soldiers of the Yugoslav army who had deserted long ago, according to the Kosova Information Centre (KIC).

The soldiers are of Montenegrin nationality and of Moslem belief.

Several other members of the Yugoslav army are reported to be in the hands of the KLA.

According to KIC, the number of the deserters among the Serbian forces is large and is increasing with each passing day. /fh/mima/lm/

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

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