Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-07-20

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Calm situation in Tropoja, EU delegation visits north Albania

[02] Serbs pound Kosova-Albania border line

[03] Pangalos says he is satisfied with what have been achieved

[04] Currency rates: Dollar at 149.10 Leks

[05] Local televisions try "to overrun" metropolis

[06] Swiss Caritas finances hospital rehabilitation

[07] Pangalos says solution to Kosova through dialogue, stop violence

[08] Works in Peqin-Elbasan road segment ready to start

[09] Pangalos: stabilised Albania helps promote bilateral relations

[10] Serbian TV news, a slander to involve Albania in war -Milo-Bocka-

[11] Meidani evaluates Albanian-Greek relations

[12] Pangalos proposes construction of North-South Dalmatian road -Albanian government hails the beginning of its works, as another road linking Albania with Europe-

[13] Greek businessmen interested in taking part in Albanian enterprise privatisation

[01] Calm situation in Tropoja, EU delegation visits north Albania

"There is no flux of refugees or wounded people from Kosova," a spokesman of the local police station said to ATA late on Sunday.

A calmer situation prevails in the city civil hospital. The Director of the institution Shake Rexha said "the wounded people who arrived on Saturday are still under treatment but their life is out of danger thanks to an intensive treatment."

A spokesman of the police commissariat said that a local border commission headed by the commander of the border post Bajram Gosturani went to the Padeshi border crossing to talk with the Serb local border commission on Saturday's incident.

Isa Kuliqi secretary of the district council said to ATA that a delegation of the European Union was visiting Bajram Curri. The delegation held talks with the leaders of the local government who briefed it on the grave situation in the region particularly after the incident. The delegation was interested on the present situation in Padeshi area and the health situation of the injured people.

Sources from the second infantry division said that its units were controlling all the Albanian-Yugoslav border line and closely following the situation on the ground.

They said that the situation there was calm but Serb forces continued to shell with heavy artillery the Junik village and its suburbs and near the city of Gjakova.

From the Padeshi and Qafe Prushi border crossings, the same sources said that they could see houses engulfed in the flames following shelling from the Serb forces. ake/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Serbs pound Kosova-Albania border line

Heavy fighting has been going on in villages of Prejlep, Carrabreg i Poshtem and Strellc i Eperm, sources from Deçan said.

Military operations are accompanied by helicopters flights of the Yugoslav army over the Gjakova city and other regions.

Albanian sources said that heavy fighting are continuing in the regions of Anadrini, between Gjakova and Rahovec.

Reports from all fronts say that Kosova Liberation Army (KLA) and the Albanian population organised in defence of their settlements are determined to face barbarous attacks of the Serb forces.

An Albanian was found killed at a suburb of Gjakova city, near a check point of Serb forces, but police did not allow the family to take the body. A Serb policeman who was trying to desert was killed by his chiefs in Strellc village.

Two convoys of Serb military machines roared passed the roads of Ferizaj on Sunday while helicopters of the Yugoslav army flew over the city. cela/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Pangalos says he is satisfied with what have been achieved

"Your visit in Albania shows once again that the friendship and cooperation between our two countries have strong foundations," the Albanian Foreign Minister Milo said at the start of negotiations between two delegations.

"We have done so much until now, as we have not many things to discuss," he said.

Chief of the Greek diplomacy Pangalos said that "I am happy to be in Albania for the fourth time."

But, "besides being satisfied for many things we have achieved, I refused to accept that there are a few things to discuss," he added joking.

Both diplomats held closed door talks.

Pangalos and Milo were expected to inaugurate the inner information network of the Albanian Foreign Ministry, which was financed by the Greek government.

The value of the network and the computers is estimated at 70 million Drachmas. Other 17 million Drachmas are allocated by the Greek government for the cable infrastructure and connection of computers with telephone system. ake/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Currency rates: Dollar at 149.10 Leks

CURRENCY bought sold

US$1.00 149.10 leks 149.30 leks German marks 83.20 leks 83.40 leks Italian lire(1000) 84.10 leks 84.30 leks Greek Drachmas (100) 48.90 leks 49.10 leks

/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Local televisions try "to overrun" metropolis

The ambition of owners of electronic media to spread the waves and overrun the most populated centers has made possible that local TV channels of Durres, Kruja, Shijak have their centers in Tirana.

But this is not enough. The private TV channels such as "Shijak TV", "Teuta TV", "K TV" besides their daily program have started to set up a journalist-technical staff from the capital who will be joined to the local TV staff.

The first private television in Albania the "Shijak TV" has installed its modest studio in the capital. Its daily news program is broadcasted from the Albanian metropolis. "Teuta TV", its neighbour, was expected to instal its studio in Tirana soon.

Other private TV owners have many plans and expectations. TV signals from the city of Vlora, Lezha and Shkodra are expected to reach Tirana soon.

So far, Tirana residents can watch eight Albanian TV stations in their houses. /ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Swiss Caritas finances hospital rehabilitation

Dr Arthur Keln, representative of the foundation, said that the first phase foresaw total reconstruction of the three-storey building with 22 specialised wards, the second phase instalment of new electric, hydraulic lines and repairing of heating system while the third phase supplying hospital with pieces of apparatus, materials and furniture.

This foundation has planned to reconstruct health centers in the Dajç and Kashnjet commune in 1998.

During 1994-96, the Swiss Caritas has invested in health centers in Lezha district, investments estimated at $300 thousand. This fund was used to rehabilitate and supply Lezha women hospital, health centers in Tale, Kallmet and Zejmen villages. /ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Pangalos says solution to Kosova through dialogue, stop violence

Both diplomats discussed ongoing bilateral relations and crisis in Kosova.

"We agreed in general that a solution through dialogue should be achieved and it is necessary to stop violence immediately," Pangalos said, adding that maybe today evening and Tuesday early in the morning he would meet some representatives of Kosova who are in Tirana.

The meetings with the Kosova leaders are not included in the agenda of Pangalos but there is a possibility that he can hold separate meetings with Iljaz Ramajli, the official representative of Kosova in Tirana, and others. However, Pangalos refused to elaborate.

Following the talks with his Albanian counterpart, Pangalos attended the inauguration of the new computer network in the Albanian Foreign Ministry financed by the Greek government and estimated at 70 million drachmas. ake/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Works in Peqin-Elbasan road segment ready to start

Chief of the property registration office Ilir Zyba said to ATA on Monday that some 998 thousand square meters of agricultural land, 85.300 sites and 560 square meters buildings have been expropriated in that segment starting from Karine village to Paulesh in Elbasan.

The number of expropriated families is 830 and a considerable amount of currency has been given to compensate them.

The segment of Rrogozhina-Elbasan superstrada, including even Peqin, will be some 38 km long and 11,5 km wide. The well-known company BE-Ha-SE has won the tender to start the works with a fund estimated at $20 million. The works foresee particularly the rehabilitation of the existing road and the construction of two bridges in the Peqin territory.

The works are scheduled to be carried out within 24 months. ake/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Pangalos: stabilised Albania helps promote bilateral relations

Nano said that relations are an important pillar for the future of the region, which should not experience a tragedy like that in Bosnia.

Albania praised the steps undertaken by the Greek government to legalize Albanian immigrants in Greece and, on its part, guaranteed all the rights for the Greek minority in Albania because the rapprochement between the two peoples was very important even in mutual relations between governments.

Talking about the Kosova crisis, the prime minister Nano said that Albania upheld the view that there is no progress and political negotiations without putting an end to military operations on the ground.

"We have intensified contacts with influential factors in Kosova offering them Albania's last year experience when armed people backed the election political process getting rid of extreme requests and radical solutions. We believe that the Kosova crisis cannot have a peaceful solution as long as there is no democratisation in Serbia," Nano said.

Both governments should consider priority the maintenance of stability by every means, Nano said.

"The coalition government is facing with calm and self-restraint the grave situation created by the crisis in the North, despite the primitive statements of the opposition, which incites the sons of Kosova to fight against the Tirana government," Nano said.

The Greek minister Pangalos said that "with stabilised Albania, even the relations between the two countries have recorded a markedly progress."

"The Greek government is very interested to prevent causes which can provoke an armed conflict in Kosova because this would have grave consequences for all neighbouring countries with Yugoslavia. We will exert all our influence upon Belgrade to prevent fighting on the ground and on the other side to help carry out military exercises and promote relations between Albania and NATO," Pangalos said.

He said that Greece upheld the view that a solution should be found as soon as possible otherwise it would be too difficult to pave way for normal negotiations. ake/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Serbian TV news, a slander to involve Albania in war -Milo-Bocka-

According to the State Television RTS 1, this information is based on several captured members of the Kosova Liberation Army (KLA).

Albania's Foreign Minister Paskal Milo told reporters prior to his meeting with his Greek counterpart Teodoros Pangalos that "this is nothing but a an ordinary slander which aims to cover up the grave crimes of the Serbs against the Albanian population in Kosova".

Milo added that "such slanders aim at blaming Albania for an eventual spread of conflict in the region".

"Our militaries are not prepared for diversion, but to defend our national integrity," said Milo.

"We are not at all implicated in the conflict and such statements are slanders by the Serbian side which aim at involving Albania in the conflict, " deputy Defence Minister of Albania Ilir Bocka stated on Monday morning.

He said that the Albanian soldiers are in defence of their own country and are not at all implicated in such diversionist acts."

After Saturday's events, when near the Albanian border, and even inside it, Serbian security forces carried out attacks which killed and injured dozens of Kosovars, Albanian Foreign Minister said that this tension is likely to lead to the conflict's escalation.

Milo expressed the belief that the international community will be able to halt the conflict.

"The community is undertaking measures which we will see in the coming days," said Milo not telling what they will be concretely.

Milo also said that "if the conflict escalates, the Albanian government has an infrastructure which it is increasingly mobilising to safeguard to country's sovereignty."

One day ago, the chief of the Albanian diplomacy, declared for the press after the latest wave of violence near the border between Albania and Kosova that "diplomatic means have already been excluded".

However, on Monday he asked his Greek counterpart Pangalos, who is on a formal visit to Albania, that Greece exercise it own influence on Belgrade to find a peaceful solution to Kosova. /a.ke/pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Meidani evaluates Albanian-Greek relations

"Our relations are very good and there is a joint will to keep improving them," said Meidani, adding that cooperation in economy and investments should reach higher levels.

He laid the stress on the encouragement of cooperation and identification of the priority fields of this cooperation such as infrastructure, tourism, small and medium investments and other fields.

Greek Foreign Minister Pangalos pointed to the importance of the free movement of the citizens of the two countries' border areas as an European experience to increase economic cooperation and investments on the border areas.

Referring to the latest developments in Northern Albania and the Kosova issue, Meidani stressed the need of a substantial international presence, at first political and diplomatic, throughout the territory of Kosova to create or restore trust on the ground and call a halt to the Serbian military machine.

They said that as long as crimes and ethnic cleansing continue in Kosova, the unification of the Albanian political factor there, indispensable for a democratic space in resolving this issue, remains very difficult.

Views were exchanged in this meeting on various aspects of the political and economic life at home. /s.s/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Pangalos proposes construction of North-South Dalmatian road -Albanian government hails the beginning of its works, as another road linking Albania with Europe-

"I have made a new proposal, which I have also made to other counterparts, for the creation of a great Dalmatian road, which will connect Igoumenitsa with Trieste," Greek Foreign Minister, Theodoros Pangalos, told reporters in Tirana on Monday, briefing them on on his talk with his Albanian counterpart Milo.

"We have materialised a good part of bilateral commitments, while others are underway," said Pangalos.

"We made an account of our relations," he said, adding that "besides the realised commitments, those for legalising the Albanian emigrants, their schooling as well as that of opening Greek language schools in Albania are underway."

"We raised the issue of the Orthodox Church to create the Sacred Synod. We have also discussed with the European Union the possibility of free movement at a distance of 25km inside the two countries."

"We have also discussed and were pleased that the issue of the Greek loan to Albania is advancing at satisfactory rates, also releasing the remaining part of the 20 million drachma credit to Albania."

The spokesman of the Foreign Minister, Sokol Gjoka, said that the Albanian government hails the idea of the construction of a Dalmatian road, considering it another road linking Albania with Europe. /s.s/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Greek businessmen interested in taking part in Albanian enterprise privatisation

Minister of Public Economy and Privatisation Ylli Bufi met today with a group of businessmen, accompanying Greek foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos in his visit to Tirana.

The Greek businessmen delegation was headed by the president of the Greek investors' union to Albania, Mr. Khabolis, and the economic and trade attache of the Greek embassy in Tirana, Mr. Vretakis.

Minister Bufi made a presentation of the Albanian government's economic programme, especially that of privatisation.

The Albanians said that the privatisation of the Power Generation and Distribution firm (KESH) will begin soon and the privatisaiton for the local hydro-power stations and the bid on the KESH managing contract have been defined as the first stage.

Most of the Greek investors working in Albania were interested in privatising some 100 joint ventures.

Representatives of the Greek company PROMITHEAS GAZ, who have earlier discussed the possibility of bringing gas from Greece to Albania, expressed readiness to take part in the privatisation process in the electric-power sector.

Also, the representatives of the Greek company MITILINEOS, operating in the field of metals, said that they plan cooperation and privatisation of the Metallurgical Complex workshops in Elbasan for the production of steel so necessary for the Albanian market. /pas/lm/

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

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