Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-08-06

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] DP given chance to present its options on constitution

[02] Seven Albanians killed in commune of Gjakova

[03] Italian deputy foreign secretary arrives in Albania

[04] Foreign ministry calls on big powers not to tolerate Milosevic

[05] Italy accords 210 billion lire in aid to Albania

[06] Greece offers 16 billion leks pharmaceutical aid to Albanian army

[07]

[08] Fighting goes on in Gjakova

[09] Relatively calm situation in Has

[10] Greek Development Aid for Albania for 1998 is much greater than that of 1997

[11] Attacks of Serb forces in Drenice and Rrafsh of Dukagjin.

[12] Italy assists Albania unconditionally - Fassino

[13] Fields of cooperation with Italy are numerous - Meidani

[14] Albanian national swimming team in Balkan Games

[15] Investigation for theft in Tropoje bank ends

[16] Albanian Foreign Minister meets Piero Fassino

[17] Albania must declare war on Serbia - BKP deputy chairman

[18] Italy - one of Albania's main partners

[19] Parliament highlights especially relations and cooperation with neighbour Italy - Gjinushi

[20] Albanian Parliament adopts new law "On SHIK" with which it also closes its first session of legislature

[21] President Rugova declares August 7 a day of mourning in Kosove

[01] DP given chance to present its options on constitution

The invitation called on the largest opposition party the DP to participate in the open process of constitution and present its options and those of the grouping it represents.

"The commission on constitution praised the contribution of the DP in the constitutional process and it is ready to organise a special hearing of all options of the "Unity for Democracy" parties," the invitation signed by Godo and Imami said.

After boycotting the long process on constitution, the DP said that it would take part in this process only after it had studied in details all the draft constitution.

Before the draft is submitted to parliament in the first week of September, the co-chairmen of the commission on constitution, will hold an open hearing with the participation of representatives of political parties and some non-government organisations. ypa/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Seven Albanians killed in commune of Gjakova

Five persons were also killed on Tuesday in Jabllanice village and one in Krelan. While another was found dead somewhere in the villages of Meje and Madanaj, sources of the Democratic League of Kosova (LDK) said.

Meanwhile the Serb forces continue to terrorize the civilian population and raid and torch houses of Albanians in the border line between Kosova and Albania. Fighting has continued on Wednesday in other areas of Gjakova. The Kosova Liberation Army (KLA) is doing the utmost to defend and help the civil population displaced from shelled and torched villages. la/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Italian deputy foreign secretary arrives in Albania

The Italian delegation has a busy agenda within the joint commission for Economic Cooperation and separate talks with Albanian senior government officials.

The visit of the delegation follows the approval of a project aid for Albania by the Italian parliament estimated at 60 billion lire.

It is expected that the Italian senior official for foreign policy to discuss the Kosova issue with the Albanian senior officials, a problem which thanks to the "dry" season of the international diplomacy seems to have been set aside. ypa/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] Foreign ministry calls on big powers not to tolerate Milosevic

Policy of Serb violence and repression in Kosova was not knowing any limit, the press release said adding that it continued to cause many victims among innocent and defenceless people mostly women, elderly people and children. Massive waves are being dugged up every daily.

Milosevic was promising senior international representatives to halt military operations in Kosova when he was moving in Kosova sophisticated means of the Serb army such as tanks, rockets propelled launchers and others to carry out its genocidal strategy of ethnic cleansing.

Forced displacement of Albanians from their houses and leaving them at the merci of war was considered another "catastrophic humanitarian situation", the press release said.

"Over 200 thousand displaced Albanians do not know where to go while fleeing the flames of war. They have days without food and medicaments and epidemic diseases are threatening. Forced and uncontrolled movements of Albanians of Kosova, mostly women, children and elderly people, continue to be a target of Serb police, military and paramilitary forces, who pursue them to massacre often creating premises for internationalizing the conflict," the press release said.

In this conditions, the press release said, the international community, Contact Group member states, specialized organisations such as NATO, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), European Union (EU) do not have anything else but abandon ultimatum statements against Belgrade.

"Now it is time to act energetically using all means to stop the wave of repression and ethnic cleansing in defence of hundreds and thousands of people who are treading mountains without food and at the mercy of fate," it said.

"Their catastrophic humanitarian situation is now a reality," the press release said adding "different international humanitarian organisations should play their role now more than ever in Kosova."

Milosevic has proved that he is now "the sick person of the Balkans," whose symptoms should be stopped before it is too late, the press release ended. s.sh/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Italy accords 210 billion lire in aid to Albania

The aid 180 billion lire of which are in form of a soft credit and the rest or 30 billion lire are in grant was accorded by the Italian government following an approval of a project aid for Albania worth 60 billion lire by the Italian parliament, which will be used particularly to recover Albanian democratic institutions.

This credit is a follow-up of other aid and credit accorded by the Italian state to Albania.

A commodity aid worth 22 billion lire, 14 billion lire of which will be used for Power generation and distribution firm (KESH) and Albpetrol, 6 billion lire for the agricultural sector, 2 billion lire for transport sector was signed at the end of last year.

Italy is playing a key role through the aid it has accorded to Albania in different fields such as the energy, telecommunication, Bovilla water pipeline and others.

Italy is the main trade partner of Albania. Goods worth 26.8 billion leks were imported from Italy in the first six-month period of 1998 and the exports are recorded at 9.2 billion leks or 60 percent of the total of trade exchanges. /ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Greece offers 16 billion leks pharmaceutical aid to Albanian army

Press and information office at the Tirana-based Greek Embassy said to ATA that this aid, handed over by representatives of the Greek military unit in Tirana, was given in the framework of the cooperation between Greece and Albania as well as the assistance of the Greek side in restructuring and strengthening the Albanian army, which include a wide range of equipment.

Present at the ceremony were chief of the Greek military mission colonel Ksekalakis, Secretary of the Greek Embassy in Tirana Ioannis Pedhiotis Director of the Albanian Logistics Brigadier Commander Kostaq Karoli and director of military hospital Engjell Nestori. ake/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07]

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Fighting goes on in Gjakova

QIK also said that villages of Nec, Ramoc, Smolice, Stubell, Berjah. Nivokaz, Dobrosh and others are turned into burnt lands while villages of Sheremet, Rracaj and other Albanian settlements were pounded.

After bombarding the villages of Dushkaje, Serb infantry units raided and torched on Tuesday the houses and properties of Albanians in Cermjan, Gergoc, Zhabel, Bardhaq, Jabllanice and Krelan. So far, around 10 thousand people have fled these villages and settled in mountains. pta/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Relatively calm situation in Has

During the past night and in the first hours of Thursday, there have been no people coming from Kosove, chairman of the district council, Hysni Alia said. He added that yesterday's refugees, mainly from the village Deve of the commune of Gjakove (near the border with Albania) have been accommodated in the border villages of the commune of Golaj, in Letaj and Peraj.

Alia said that they are being supplied with food and clothes by the Albanian Red Cross. Food articles for the refugees from Kosova in that district suffice only for 10 days.

A medical team from the hospital of the town of Krume went to see the newcomers and confirmed that they had no big medical problems. On Thursday local government structures started registering the refugees from Kosova in Tropoje. /a.ke/pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] Greek Development Aid for Albania for 1998 is much greater than that of 1997

The press office of the Greek Embassy in Tirane told ATA on Thursday that the aid will be much greater as compared with that of the past year, amounting to 90 000 000 dollars.

The Aid is separate from that envisaged in bilateral state agreements signed between various ministries of the two countries. This aid is earmarked mainly for the sectors of humanitarian character and is being realised through non-government organizations.

In this context, following a recent decision of the Foreign Ministry of Greece a concrete program will be financed for the restructuring of and equipment for medical institutions of Southeastern Albania to the tune of 120 000 dollars, which will be realised through the International Social Affairs Institution, a Greek non-government organization.

The realisation of the program, the report of the Greek embassy press office said, will lead to a higher living standard and medical care for people in southeastern zone of Albania. /a.ke/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Attacks of Serb forces in Drenice and Rrafsh of Dukagjin.

Forces of the Yugoslav Army were seen today morning also on the Rrafsh of Kosove, near village Pantine, between the cities Vushtri and Mitrovice, where bombing has started. Near Pantine is one of the ways used by war refugees from Drenice to pass through Qyqaveca towards Vushtri. In the commune of Vushtri over 25 000 Albanian refugees have arrived from the regions of Skenderaj, Malisheve and Kline, covered by the flames of war. /p.ta/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Italy assists Albania unconditionally - Fassino

The continuous commitment Italy is manifesting towards Albania was the essence of the statement that the Italian deputy secretary for Foreign Policy, Piero Fassino and the Albanian State Secretary for European Integration, Ilir Meta made Thursday before reporters in a news conference held in the Albanian Foreign Ministry.

The signing of the agreement to assist Albania made today in the AFM by the Joint Italian-Albanian Commission for Economic Cooperation envisages a three-year assistance program to be furnished with 210 billion liras, and which, according to Mr Fassino, will be used to rehabilitate the public administration, the development of the infrastructure, and to support the industrial development of small and medium enterprises.

To this aid is also added the package "Angoni" of 60 billion liras, envisaged in the emergency program, Fassino told reporters.

With regard to the question of Kosove, Fassino said that Italy's efforts for the solution of the crisis in Kosove will continue within the Contact Group to force Belgrade authorities to halt violence and resume negotiations.

Referring to the coming projects for Albania, Fassino mentioned the package "Treu" for the employment of Albanians in Italy and the beginning of the process for the establishment of an Italian consulate in Vlore (southern Albania.) Both these projects and others will be finalized during the visit that Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano is expected to pay to Italy by mid September. /y.pa/das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Fields of cooperation with Italy are numerous - Meidani

The President's press and information office reports that Mr Fassino briefed Mr Meidani of the results of the meetings he had in Albania and of the 210 billion lira assistance of the Italian Government in the economy and culture for Albania for this year and on. Our aid, he continued, also covers the political field: we shall assist Albania on its road to integrate itself in the European Union, a road which depends a lot on the stability of your country.

After expressing his thanks to the Italian Government and people for the unsparing aid for Albania in these difficult moments, President Meidani briefed Mr Fassino of his opinions on the political situation in Albania, its main moments and the efforts to lower the tension still existing in the context of the tense regional climate. Meidani asked from the Italian Government to continue its efforts for the quickest possible solution to the question of Kosove.

Referring to the situation in Kosove Fassino said that Italy will make efforts in all forums to ensure a solution "which offers equal dignity for the Albanians in the context of the Yugoslav Republic, different from the present situation of repression or violence towards them."

Fassino voiced the hope of his government for a possible visit of President Meidani to Italy. /s.sh/das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] Albanian national swimming team in Balkan Games

The Albanian delegation consists of five sportsmen and will be led by Kudrete Kozmai, member of the president of the Albanian Federation of Swimming. /a.ke/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[15] Investigation for theft in Tropoje bank ends

The common charge for the six people involved in the theft of the Tropoje bank is that of "cooperation in stealing," the military Chief Prosecutor, Aleksander Goga told ATA.

According to him, the amount of the stolen money in Tropoje bank was 60 000 000 lek and collaborators in this theft are the former director of the branch of Bajram Curri bank, two chiefs of the branch, two accountants and the policeman who was in service when the theft took place, on February 14, 1998. /a.ke/pas/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[16] Albanian Foreign Minister meets Piero Fassino

"Italy will separately and in the context of the Contact Group, make its maximum for the quickest possible solution to the crisis in Kosove with as few pain and victims as possible," said Fassino in the meeting he had Thursday with the Albanian Foreign Minister, Paskal Milo.

Milo informed the Italian senior official of the tense situation in Kosove. The Yugoslav military operations, the mass killings and the creation of a considerable number of refugees were condemned forcefully by Fassino and Milo.

Albanian FM stressed that "in these conditions the Albanians of Kosove are cooperating with the international community, while Milosevic is opposing it and the latest very aggressive offensive for ethnic cleansing is a dangerous precedent to keep the conflict open."

Milo and Fassino also talked of the relations between Albania and Italy describing them as "very good" for both sides. /y.pa/das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[17] Albania must declare war on Serbia - BKP deputy chairman

In a news conference today, the deputy chairman of the BKP, Shpetim Roqi, said that "Albania must declare armed war on Serbia taking as example, according to him, the World War 2, when only an armed Balli Kombetar formation fought in Kosove in defence of ethnic Albania."

Balli Kombetar is the only local political party voicing this extreme alternative for the solution to the question of Kosove. All other Albanian political forces are for a peaceful solution or to impose this peaceful solution through a NATO military intervention.

Today, Albanian Parliament adopted unanimously (including the only deputy of BKP which in June 29, 1997 elections won 2.35 per cent of the votes) a resolution calling on the International Community to urgently intervene to halt the human tragedy taking place in Kosove. /y/pa/das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[18] Italy - one of Albania's main partners

As the press department of the Council of Ministers of Albania reports, Islami highlighted in the meeting the signing Thursday of the program of cooperation between Albania and Italy in the framework of which Italy has accorded 210 billion lira to Albania.

Focusing on the priorities of the Albanian Government, Islami briefed Deputy Secretary Fassino of the work underway to complete the drafting of the constitution and the adoption of a plan by the Council of Ministers to fight corruption, for which this Council will ask Italy's assistance, both in the bilateral aspect and in the context of international organizations.

Fassino voiced the pleasure of the Italian Government for the good work of the Albanian Government regarding the process of the drafting of the constitution and hailed it for the fight against corruption, saying that this is very positive because it gives the public opinion of the donor countries guarantees of how and where is the assistance for Albania used. /s.sh.das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[19] Parliament highlights especially relations and cooperation with neighbour Italy - Gjinushi

"Actually," Gjinushi continued, "our Parliamentary Commission for the Drafting of the Constitution, in cooperation with experts and European specialized institutions, completed the drafting of the constitution which the Parliament will examine at the beginning of the new parliamentary session."

Concentrating on the latest developments in Kosove, Gjinushi stressed that the People's Assembly of Albania is following with concern the tragic events there. "Today," he said, "our Parliament adopted a Resolution urging the international community and its lawmaking institutions to urgently intervene in Kosove."

Fassino stressed after appreciating the draft of the constitution that further extension of the parliamentary relations, especially of its permanent commissions is useful. In this process, he informed Mr Gjinushi of the visit of the President of the House of Deputies, Mr Luciano Violante to Albania soon.

Present in today's meeting also was the chairman of the permanent Parliamentary Commission for Foreign Affairs, Sabri Godo. /s.sh/das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[20] Albanian Parliament adopts new law "On SHIK" with which it also closes its first session of legislature

The law was adopted in general as it was presented, with the exception of some special points of the draft which had to do with the activity of the secret service and the way this institution would be directed.

After the approval of the law, the Parliament closed the the session to resume in September.

In his address, Parliament Speaker Skender Gjinushi said that although the session came to a close it did not mean that the parliament has stopped working, and in case any urgent situation appears, especially with the developments in Kosove, the deputies will be called in an extraordinary session. Gjinushi thanked the deputies for the work made during the parliamentary legislature. /das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[21] President Rugova declares August 7 a day of mourning in Kosove

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