Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-07-31

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Seminar "Kosova yesterday and tomorrow" held in London

[02] Albania's Prime Minister urges intensification of national security

[03] Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu arrives in Tirana

[04] Some 1000 roots of narcotic plants eliminated in Fier

[05] Fourteen "Mitsubishi" - Italian aid for Public Order Ministry

[06] Additional police contingents in Mitrovice

[07] Albania and Romania favour expanding cooperation

[08] Italian police return 50 Kosova refugees to Durres

[09] Rugova: It is high time Kosova independence is recognised and defended

[10] Dozens of villages, hundreds of hectares of land engulfed by flames

[11] SP participation in political round table is its last chance

[12] Romania backs a self-ruling autonomy for Kosova

[13] Romania ready to offer ongoing assistance to Albania

[14] Plesu says Romania is on Albania's side concerning Kosova crisis

[15] Nano urges speeding up programs in fight against corruption

[16] US Democratic Institution offers ongoing assistance to parliament

[01] Seminar "Kosova yesterday and tomorrow" held in London

Attending the seminar were important figures as academician Noel Malcom, editor of the book "Kosova a brief historical survey", Bianca Jager from "Amnesty International USA", Carlz Grant, director of the European Reform Centre, Dr. Bujar Bukoshi, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosova as well as many British parliamentarians and academicians.

"It is inconceivable that in face of a juridically justified historical background Kosova does not enjoy the right of emerging from the FRY disintegration process with the status of the Republic," said Bukoshi, referring to the status Kosova enjoyed in Federal Yugoslavia of Josip Broz Tito.

Bianca Jager dwelt on the fact that although the situation in Kosova resembles that of Bosnia, several years ago, Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic is still treated by U.S. Balkan troubleshooter Richard Holbrooke as part of peace and not as responsible for the crimes in Bosnia and Kosova.

"He (Milosevic) should be brought to the War Crimes Tribunal in the Hague," said Jager. /y.pa/mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Albania's Prime Minister urges intensification of national security

Nano asked that a special plan be drafted to fight illegal and criminal activity carried out in the country's northeastern zone.

"The Ministry of Public Order, in cooperation with the Ministries of Defence, Local Government and National Information Service (SHIK), should, within August 10,1998, draft and submit this action plan for approval to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers," the order says.

The Public Order Ministry will prepare the "Strategy of War Against Drugs", "Illegal emigrants trafficking", "Stolen cars trafficking" and "Prostitution trafficking". /a.ke/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Romanian Foreign Minister Andrei Plesu arrives in Tirana

During his stay in Tirana Plesu is expected to meet Albanian senior officials, President Meidani, Prime Minister Nano and his counterpart Milo.

According to Albania's Foreign Ministry press office, the meetings are expected to discuss bilateral relations, regional problems especially the crisis in Kosova.

Both ministers will hold a news conference at the Palace of Congresses. /s.s/pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Some 1000 roots of narcotic plants eliminated in Fier

The Public Order Ministry spokesman told ATA that the Fier criminal police on Thursday, after an earlier information, eliminated some 1000 narcotic plant roots (cannabis sativa), sown in the orchards of four citizens in the Martin village, of Levan commune.

The spokesman said that these citizens are being penally prosecuted. /s.s/pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Fourteen "Mitsubishi" - Italian aid for Public Order Ministry

This is an aid by the Italian government for the Albanian Public Order Ministry. The vehicles were received by representatives of the Public Order Ministry. /s.s/pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Additional police contingents in Mitrovice

On the other hand, a military plane flied low over the city several times while two armoured cars as well as 14 other vehicles left in the direction of Skenderaj, south of Mitrovice.

Fourteen Krajleve (Serbia) number plated busloads of armed policemen arrived in Mitrovice in the afternoon and were accommodated in the army barracks of this city.

Last night the Serb military and police forces shelled the villages of Shale e Bajgores, Rahoven, Stantergun, Mazhiqin, Kutllofcin, Rashani, Tuneli i Pare and other villages.

LDK sources in Mitrovice say that the Serb attacks came from the positions erected by them (Serbs) in Kutllofc, from Shkembi i Sokolit and Zherovine village. /p.ta/pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Albania and Romania favour expanding cooperation

Albania devotes special importance to relations with the democratic governments of the Balkans, among which the Romanian government, said Nano.

"We, the democratic governments, make up the majority in the region and as such we must exploit all possibilities to halt violence and killing of ethnic groups by other ethnic groups as it is the case with the Albanian people in Kosova," he said.

The creation of European and democratic realities in the Balkans would be the long-term solution to the conflict, Nano added.

He said that a democratic Kosova cannot be reconciled with an authoritarian Serbia, adding that Albania is making all efforts to prevent a conflict's spillover to other parts of the region, and contribute to the unification of all ideas and political activities of the Kosova Albanians.

Referring to the increase of bilateral relations, Nano said that both countries can raise the level of institutional assistance, professional training as well as create conditions to facilitate respective business.

The Romanian Foreign Minister said that his government expresses admiration for the very rational politics the Albanian government is following.

"You have succeeded in being reasonable in an unreasonable situation as that of Kosova," said Plesu, adding :"We understand your difficulties especially when they are added efforts of certain Albanian circles which seek to gain political ground for electoral interests."

It is high time, Plesu said, that all Balkan countries try to change the historically bad image of a region, which generates crises. The strengthening of economic links, stabilisation of regional economies would create conditions for foreign investments, which would create long-term peace premise.

Referring to bilateral relations he said that a number of agreements on agriculture, fight against organised crime as well as cultural exchanges, will be signed soon. /s.s/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Italian police return 50 Kosova refugees to Durres

The commander of the port's border crossing point, captain Klement Pikuli, told ATA that they are mostly women and small children aged 3- 4.

He adds that measures are taken to accommodate the returned. s.s/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Rugova: It is high time Kosova independence is recognised and defended

International recognition and defence of Kosova's independence, as well as an end to the Serbian army and police attacks and ethnic cleansing were the major demands of President Rugova at today's news conference.

Rugova called on the international community, first the United States, European Union, NATO and United Nations to undertake preventive steps in Kosova so as to call a halt to mass ethnic cleansing in Kosova.

"We ask international protection for Kosova and its people and stress that the best solution is independent Kosova, with all guarantees for the Kosova Serbs and an international protectorate as a transitional stage," said Rugova.

Referring to the situation in Kosova, Rugova said that the latest attacks by the Serbian army and police have caused fresh tragedies for the Kosova citizens.

"Besides thousands Kosova Albanians, who are refugees in Albania and Montenegro, we have hundreds upon thousands of people displaced inside Kosova waiting for humanitarian assistance," said Rugova stressing that these attacks have also killed and wounded many people.

As regards the report on a coalition government which is going to be created soon, Rugova said that in a meeting with all the political parties he had asked for a wide base coalition government with the participation of parties which participated in the elections but also other groups which had not participated in the elections.

Asked whether the Kosova Liberation Army (KLA) would be present in the government, Rugova said that this was a government where all would have their representatives.

Asked to comment on a draft resolution in the U.S. Senate, Malaysia's government attitude, experts of international law and other engagements on the recognition of Kosova independence, president Rugova replied:

"It is time that the independence of Kosova should be recognised and this should be defended with the help of the international community. This would have been good also for Serbs, for all the citizens of Kosova, even for Serbia, and the entire region, which would calm even Albania and Macedonia and the Southeastern European region."

Responding to a Serb journalist whether negotiations with Belgrade were expected to resume soon, Rugova said that it was difficult to discuss under such conditions.

"Naturally, we should always talk, but we should hold negotiations and create conditions to have concrete and successful results and not just see each other," Rugova said.

Concerning the risk of a flare-up of the conflict from Kosova to the whole region, Rugova said that the risk exists always.

"You see the problems in the border with Albania which is under the Serb control; Macedonia and other countries in the region are threatened. Therefore, we should ask for an international preventive measure and what is most important: to prevent massive ethnic cleansing of Kosova people," president Rugova said. pta/pas/lm/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Dozens of villages, hundreds of hectares of land engulfed by flames

An official of the emergency communal council said that over 30.000 people have been uprooted from 30 villages of Klina.

Wheat reserves are finished and the situation is difficult due to the lack of medicaments and treatment particularly for the sick and wounded.

The daily Bujku of Prishtina considered the settlements of uprooted Albanian population in Klina commune "Nazi camps and reservations." pta/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] SP participation in political round table is its last chance

"The SP participation in the round table, proposed by us, is the last chance offered to this party, for Albania have a constitution," Genc Pollo, deputy DP leader, told a news conference on Friday.

Pollo said that if the SP refused to be present it would throw doubt upon Albania's having constitution. This will have negative processes in the political and democratic life of Albania.

The DP expressed on Monday its engagement to participate in the constitutional process without forgetting to impose conditions on its presence.

"We will be engaged in a study of the draft constitution in 21-to-25 day period and later will ask for a round table of political parties to express all our options as regards the constitution," Sali Berisha, the DP leader, told a news conference.

The DP had refused to participate in the work of constitutional commission, saying that it did not recognise the work of the commission on the drawing up of the draft constitution, which has been approved by the Venice commission. ypa/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Romania backs a self-ruling autonomy for Kosova

"We are against a full independence of Kosova, that is Kosova be out of the Yugoslav Federation Republic," Plesu said.

Plesu, who arrived in Tirana on Friday for an official one-day visit, held talks with the Foreign Minister Paskal Milo, President of Albania Rexhep Meidani and prime minister Fatos Nano.

Chief of the Albanian diplomacy Milo refused to elaborate on the political status of Kosova saying that this can be decided by the legitimate representatives of Albanians in Kosova.

Plesu said "Romania will uphold its attitude in future meetings with Yugoslav factors."

He praised the policy of the Albanian government and said that "the fact that it knew how to maintain the balance in such a difficult situation as the crisis in Kosova it is praiseworthy." ypa/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Romania ready to offer ongoing assistance to Albania

The Romanian Foreign Minister Plesu, who is in Tirana on a one-day visit, expressed his satisfaction for the ongoing bilateral relations and wish to promote them in other fields besides the culture and education, with Romania's intensive contribution in scholarships and academic assistance, press and information office at the Foreign Ministry said in press release obtained by ATA.

Milo said that they are interested in economic cooperation between Albania and Romania and stressed that Romanian investments should be defended and stimulated now as well as applied in different fields thanks to prepared programs by the Albanian institutions.

They also discussed the Kosova issue treating it like an issue which needs a special attention to maintain stability in the region. Both sides favour negotiations as the "most appropriate" way to resolve the crisis in the region. ypa/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] Plesu says Romania is on Albania's side concerning Kosova crisis

President Rexhep Meidani briefed him on views and stands of the Albanian state as regards the development in Kosova and said that Romania's support to halt bloodshed, genocide and ethnic cleansing of Albanians in Kosova by the Serb military machine was a precious contribution in finding a right solution to that and establishing peace, press and information office at the presidency said in a press communique obtained by ATA.

As regards the promotion of bilateral relations, president Meidani said that "your visit and other scheduled talks between senior government and state officials of both states during this year would enable finding ways to boost cooperation in all fields."

Plesu shared the same view with Meidani as regards the positive effects of bilateral political talks, considering the most important the forthcoming visit of President Meidani in Bucharest on the invitation of President of Romania Emil Costandinescu.

President Meidani thanked Romania for its help to Albania in special moments in transition period, including the participation of Romanian troops in "Alba" operation during the crisis last year. ypa/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] Nano urges speeding up programs in fight against corruption

Nano sent a letter on Thursday to the European Foreign Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek asking him to exert his influence in European institutions in order that the latter speed up their programs of assistance both in civil and fiscal administration to help the Albanian government fight corruption, contraband and economic crime.

The press communique said that Nano voiced the engagement of his government in fighting contraband, corruption and organised crime within the general framework of civil administration development to make it an efficacious instrument free of political influences.

Focusing on steps undertaken in reform in the public and fiscal administration, prime minister Nano said to Van den Broek that "parliament has already passed the law on civil service which guarantees improvement of administration efficacy and raise the level of work in ministry, court, prosecutor's office as state institutions involved in the front line against corruption and contraband, the

press communique said. y.pa/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] US Democratic Institution offers ongoing assistance to parliament

Dokle said that the Albanian parliament has very good relations with the U.S. Democratic Institution and the Republican one, press and information office at the parliament said in a press release obtained by ATA.

Gloyer assured Dokle that such programs will continue in the future and promised to help finalise the process of drawing up constitution.

Focusing on the development in Kosova and reiterating the stands of the Albanian parliament towards the situation there, Dokle said that a second Dayton which would prevent a second Bosnia was urgent. ypa/das/ak/

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

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