Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-09-20

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] International community to continue to support Albania - Papandreou

[02] Five youths die in white sand tunnel trap in Bicaj

[03] Red Cross distributes aid for Kosova refugees

[04] LDK backs only temporary solution leading to Kosova independence

[05] Houses burnt in Dobrat of Podujeve

[06] Grave situation of refugees in Malisheve

[07] Some 23 people killed, 20 injured and 11 villages burnt in Shtime

[08] Drug-trafficker and his two collaborators arrested in Rinas

[09] Peoples decide on their fates themselves - Gjinushi

[10] 56th anniversary of Peza Conference commemorated

[11] Work for rehabilitation of the "Transbalkan" road segment inaugurated

[12] Dramatic situation in border region of Has

[01] International community to continue to support Albania - Papandreou

The International Community will continue to support and concretely help the Albanian Government on points in which there are problems and shortcomings, such as the draft of a Constitution and fight against contraband and corruption, which Polish Foreign Minister and chairman of the OSCE, Geremek, called "slow steps on the part of the government in implementing its programme of fighting crime and contraband. Radical changes should be carried out..."

"The Albanian Democratic institutions should make joint efforts with all political forces and undertake careful steps not to allow polarisation of the situation," said George Papandreou, Greek Alternate Minister for Foreign Affairs, and chairman of the CE Council of Ministers.

"We are not here to impose sanctions or political stands," he said.

Referring to the changes that the delegation considered indispensable for stability in Albania and the consolidation of the democratic state, Papandreou said that "they are up to the government and the Albanian parliament, which are elected in a democratic manner and which have so far respected the democratic norms."

Papandreou mentioned the Donors' Conference, due in Tirana after several weeks, as a chance the international community is giving Albania to rebuild the democratic institutions and recover the Albanian government. /y.pa/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Five youths die in white sand tunnel trap in Bicaj

The Public Order spokesman told ATA that the event took place at around 11:30 on Saturday, at the site called Kodra e Varrezave, where the youths Sokol Avdi Tafai, 20, Gjelberim Avdi Tafai, 17, Ylli Avdi Tafai, 14, Saimir Izet Tafai, 16, and Eduard Fatmir Gjana, 18, were digging to unearth white sand.

They had opened a tunnel, 200 m deep, for this purpose, but the tunnel caught them underneath, the spokesman explains, adding that the great amount of sand made impossible the immediate uncovering of the bodies of the five youths. /s.sh/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Red Cross distributes aid for Kosova refugees

Levin Bordi, head of the Red Cross Association for the district, told ATA, that this is the third aid dispatched to the 130 Kosova refugees in our city.

Each of the Kosovars on Friday also received money, gathered from members of the "Cameria" Association for Cerrik. /mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] LDK backs only temporary solution leading to Kosova independence

The Democratic League of Kosova (LDK) declared today that only a temporary solution, which, through international guarantees, would lead to independence.

Otherwise, the "temporary solution" might become "permanent occupation of Kosova by rump Yugoslavia," said academician Rexhep Qosja, LDK chairman, and Hydajet Hyseni, deputy chairman, at a meeting with the ambassador of Great Britain in Belgrade, Brian Donelly.

They said that the current humanitarian catastrophe can be halted only by a correct political solution to the Kosova issue. /pas/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Houses burnt in Dobrat of Podujeve

It also reports that nine houses have also been burnt in Reke of Mitrovice, and in the mountains of Selac there are some 500 Albanian civilians from the villages of Shale e Bajgores, where there are 19 000 Albanians, most of them homeless. /mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Grave situation of refugees in Malisheve

According to the above source, a very grave situation prevails in this commune for the displaced Albanian civilians and other Albanian inhabitants of this commune, a part of whom need urgent medical aid. /mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Some 23 people killed, 20 injured and 11 villages burnt in Shtime

During this period 11 villages of this commune have been burnt and six others bombarded, razing 799 houses and heavily damaging 379 others, while 14.200 inhabitants of this commune have left the attacked villages. /mima/lm/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Drug-trafficker and his two collaborators arrested in Rinas

TIRANE, Sept.20 (ata) - By Th Thanasi: A drug-trafficker and his two collaborators were caught by police commissariat of Rinas airport (near Tirane) on Saturday evening, while returning from the U.S.

The spokesman of the Albanian Public Order told ATA that at last Saturday at about 10.00 p.m. Albanian citizen Arben Rustem Xhabrahimi, 33, born in Tirane and resident in New York, was arrested for the possession of 1.5 kg of cocaine on his way back from the U.S., said the spokesman.

Along with him, also Luan Haxhi Bulku, 39 and Hysen Osman Fjolla, 32, working in the police commissariat of Rinas, were also arrested for receiving and assisting the trafficker to carry the amount of drug through the border point of Rinas.

Investigation police are working to uncover the possible organization of the drug-distribution network in the capital of Albania and in other districts through Rinas airport.

It is the third time this year that drug-traffickers coming from the U.S. have been caught by police in the Rinas airport. /s.sh/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Peoples decide on their fates themselves - Gjinushi

On this occasion, near the monument erected to mark this event in village Drashovice, the chairman of the district council, Medin Xhelili and the representative of the National Committee of the Veterans, Arif Hasko spoke. They highlighted the values of the war of Drashovice, as the first frontal battle with Nazi occupiers who had just come to Albania.

In his address, the Parliament Speaker, Skender Gjinushi brought to the fore the historic values of the Antifascist National Liberation War and in this context, of the War of Drashovice too. He said that "the participation of the Albanian people and the victory in the Antifascist National Liberation War ranked us in the coalition of the victorious antifascist forces of the Second World Two."

After speaking of the contribution of the Albanian people to the creation of other states, Mr Gjinushi opposed the opinion that, allegedly "we don't know to govern." In this context he stressed that "the people should decide on their fates themselves and that the political parties are only a partial expression of their will."

Attending the commemorative activity also were the Minister of Public Works and Transport, Gaqo Apostoli, deputies and local authorities of the district, veterans. etc. /mima/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] 56th anniversary of Peza Conference commemorated

This activity marked the 56th anniversary of the Peza Conference, the great event of the Antifascist National Liberation War (LANC) held by the National Committee of LANC in cooperation with the Myslym Peza Patriotic Cultural Association and the Defence Ministry, reports the department of public relations of the Ministry of Defence.

During the ceremony homage were paid and bouquets of flowers were placed in the memorial of the Peza Conference and in the monument of the People's Hero, Myslym Peza. /xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] Work for rehabilitation of the "Transbalkan" road segment inaugurated

Present in the ceremony were also the Parliament Speaker, Skender Gjinushi, Minister of Transports Gaqo Apostoli and local government authorities of Vlore.

The Transbalkan road segment, 2.6 km long, links the port of Vlore with the entrance of the city. For lack of investments during the past eight years, this segment was made completely unusable. A total of 50 million lek is earmarked for its rehabilitation. /xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] Dramatic situation in border region of Has

Sources of the Council for Defence of Human Rights in Gjakove and in Prizren report that the situation in the region is very dangerous and dramatic.

Sources from Gjakova report that in two school buildings there are more than 60 young boys and men from three villages, Damjan, Gerqine and Lipovec. While sources from Prizren report of the kindnapped people and those gathered from other villages of Has, such as Kushnin, Lubizhde, Kabash, Dedaj and Romaje. Eye witnesses tell that houses of Albanians in the regions under siege are being set on fire. Smoke and flames are seen on villages Lipovec, Kushnin and other villages.

Reports from Gjakove say that Serb forces have brought two Albanians killed on the border line in the morgue of the hospital of Gjakove, along with two other wounded Albanians. Nobody knows of the fate of thousands of Albanian people kidnaped and sealed off in the border region of Has by Yugoslav military forces. An appeal has arrived from the region addressed to the Red Cross and other international organizations to go urgently to Has and make everything possible to help unprotected Albanian civil population escape Serb terror. /xh/

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

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