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Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 99-05-02Albanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at <http://www.telpress.it/ata>Albanian Telegraphic AgencyCONTENTS
[01] Mass evacuation of Kosova refugees in Kukes startsKUKES, May 2 (ata) - By H Cani: A mass evacuation of the Kosovars in the main square of Kukes started on Sunday at 7.30 by trucks of the NATO, the Albanian army and by buses.According to officials of the prefecture, the deportees from Kosove will be taken to the railway station of Mjede in Shkoder and from there their will be sent to southern districts of Albania. Also private cars from other districts or those in Kukes are being used for the transportation of the Kosovars to the required destinations. This evacuation operation, organized by UNHCR, will continue for some days in succession. Over the last week, more than 30 thousand other Kosovars, mainly from the southeastern city of Kosove, Prizren, have entered Kukes through the Morine border crossing. /s.sh/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[02] 11 Serb shells hit ZogajBAJRAM CURRI, may 2 (ata) - By Riza Hoxha: Serb provocations against the Albanian territory continue in district of Tropoje.Major Selim Selimi, chief of order and army in the district council of Tropoje, said to ATA that at about 7.30 p.m. on Saturday, 11 shells of the Serb artillery hit the quarters Xhuxhaj and Muhametaj, of the villages Zogaj, Tropoje district. The same source said that there are no casualties or material damage, but still the situation remains tense, because the Serb artillery keeps aiming at this zone. So far, stressed Mr Selimi, Serb provocations in that zone have been from artillery pieces installed deep in the Serb border. /pas/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[03] Skirmish in Qafe PrushHAS, May 2 (ata) - By Riza Hoxha: Provocations of the Serb army and paramilitaries have been continuous on the border area of Has district.The spokesman of the district police commissariat told ATA on Sunday that at about 8.30 a.m. on Sunday, Serb paramilitaries had a fire exchange with border police forces of Has district in village Vlahen and in Letaj in the zone of Qafe Prush. The bullets shot by Serb snipers have fallen near the 8th form school in Letaj. This act has made the situation tenser and the Albanian border forces and locals in the village who continue to say there, have been forced to open fire in the direction of Serb forces. The same sources stresses that there were no casualties from the skirmish which continued for several minutes. However, the situation remains very tense because numerous Serb military and paramilitary forces have been massing recently on the frontier, bringing there a great arsenal of heavy weaponry. /pas/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[04] Memorandum of understanding on facilities of international road transport in SECI region signedTIRANE, May 2 (ata) - The memorandum of understanding on facilities of the international road transport for the region of SECI (Southeast Europe Cooperation Initiative) was signed on April 28 in Athens.In the name of the Albanian Government, the memorandum was signed by Ingrid Shuli, Minister of Public Works and Transportation, reports the spokesman of the ministry. The memorandum, whose signing ceremony was attended by ministers of 10 SECI member countries, simplifies and harmonizes the procedures for the international transportation of the commodities and opens the way to policies of cooperation for the SECI member countries. U.N. representatives present in the meeting attached special attention to the Albanian delegation. Mr Bertholt, executive secretary for Europe, showed special interest for the development of transport in Albania and the fields for cooperation in the context of this Initiative and broader. /pas/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[05] A two-hectare field mined in Has from Serb shellsHAS, May 2 (ata) - By Riza Hoxha: The spokesman of the Has district police commissariat told ATA that during Saturday, about two hectares of land had been mined by small Serb explosive bearing shells falling in villages Golaj and Zarisht of Has district. This has caused panic among locals in those villages because these explosives are very dangerous for civilians.The same source stressed that at about 9 p.m. on Saturday, Serb mortars have also hit villages Mariq and Poghaj of Has district. There are no reports of casualties. /pas/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[06] French soldiers repair 900 metres road segment in Durres in a dayDURRES, May 2 (ata) - By S Gjordeni: Soldiers of the French NATO contingent repaired within a day about 900 meter road between the square of ferryboats and Ura Dajlanit in Durres.This part of road, which has for many years been in a rather bad condition, has hindered the movement of vehicles. The French soldiers repaired with their own means this road segment, which is being used not only for humanitarian aid coming for the Kosovars but also by the NATO military convoys, sources of the port of Durres told ATA. The segment was envisaged to be reconstructed by an Italian-Greek firm which won the tender since March 1998. /pas/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[07] 22 buses from Tirane for evacuation of Kosovars in KukesTIRANE, May 2 (ata) - By Th Thanasi: The Prefecture of Tirane sent 7 buses on Sunday to evacuate to other districts the Kosovars in Kukes, in addition to 15 other buses that left on Saturday, said to ATA Dashamir Pellumbi working in the information office in the prefecture of Tirane.Along with this plan, the prefecture is working to find sanctuary for the Kosovars in the districts of Tirane and Kavaje. Over the past night, about 400 Kosovars arrived in Tirane, of whom 204 were housed in Tirana families, and the rest in the temporary reception center in Asllan Rusi palace of sports. The last contingent of Kosovars brings the total number of the displaced Kosova people settled in Tirane prefecture to 82 331. Some 63 904 of them are staying with families in Tirane and the rest in refugee camps. /pas/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[08] Kosova teachers to teach in summer schools in Albania along with local teachersTIRANE, May 2 (ata) - By P Shuteriqi: In the summer schools which will open soon for Albanian Kosovars in Albania, along with local teachers will also be teachers from Kosova, sources in the Albanian Ministry of Education and Science told ATA.Deputy minister Andrea Marto told ATA that it is important to make evident the accurate number of the children from Kosove, which keeps increasing. According to operational data in the Ministry, their total number may be as high as 15 000 in the pre-university education system. More than 3 000 teachers, educators and psychologists are planned to have classes with these category of children, along with 20 specialists of the Institute of Pedagogical Studies in Tirane, who will train Albanian teachers and those coming from Kosove, said Marto. The chief of the cabinet of the ministry of education, Vaso Qano, said that at the beginning the Kosova children will have activities which will relieve them from their stresses and traumas caused by the atrocities they have seen. Teaching in the summer schools which will continue from June 7 to August 14, will be retired teachers and those at the disposal of the ministry of education as well as teachers from Kosove, said Qano. If Kosova children in Albania will stay here for a longer period of time, then according to the second stage of the project, they will be integrated completely in the Albanian education system for 1999-2000 academic year, said Qano. /pas/xh/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[09] Albania President visits Tirana families who have sheltered KosovarsTIRANA, May 2 (ATA) - Albania President Rexhep Meidani held Sunday visits in the families of Tirana who have sheltered exiled Kosovars.The aim of these visits was to express the gratitude of the Albanian state to these families, as well as to further encourage this solidarity, President press office reported. Attending these visits was also representatives of foreign media. According to Meidani, the generosity of the Albanian people for their Kosova brothers "is a traditional solidarity, which was also manifested to the Italian and Greek soldiers during the World War II, but also to the Jewish people, who were sheltered in the Albanian families and escaped the Nazi terror. One of the persons accommodated in the host families is a teacher from Kosova, who has taken lessons from President Meidani at the time he was teaching physics in the University of Prishtina during 1974-1981. The President of the Republic appreciated the generosity of the families, the work of local authorities, the town-hall of Tirana, the prefecture and non government associations, among them the Albanian Red Cross. During these visits, President Meidani was accompanied by the chairman of the Albanian Red Cross, Shyqyri Subashi, the governor of Tirana, Makbule Ceco and the mayor Albert Brojka. /pas/mt/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[10] Kosova is not made up of a part of political class, but of the whole, PMTIRANA, May 2 (ATA) - Albania Prime Minister Pandeli Majko met Sunday with a delegation of the Kosova Democratic League (KDL), headed by its deputy chairman, Naim Jerliu.The discussion was focused on the creation of the climate of unification of the political and military factor in Kosova against the divisions that are noticed and which are not in any case for major problems of principles for the future of Kosova, says the report of PM spokesman. "What is happening in Kosova is reevaluating many things. Even the politics of Kosova. The entire political class of Kosova feels the extraordinary and historic responsibility for any decision and step made. Kosova is not made up of a part of the political class, but of the whole. The KDL is not only part of the political past; its role is welcomed also in the future," said PM Majko, adding that Tirana would welcome the organization of a political table regarding this issue. "Any division between the political and military factor in Kosova has a high cost, it has the price of blood, it has an historic influence, and no one would be allowed to misuse it," said Majko. The Prime Minister stressed that Tirana would not intervene in the choices and solutions made by the politics of Kosova, but would welcome staying in the region of its political actors and would encourage the climate of dialogue, which has been underlined as a prior condition by the western chancelleries, interested in the solution of the conflict in the Balkans. "I stress my conviction that the division of the Kosova politicians is not made for issues of principles. It is the time to quickly move with determination for the establishment of democratic institutions and I would consider this the most difficult task after the end of this conflict, in which the name of the loser is known by everyone," said the Albanian PM. The KDL deputy chairman, Jerliu, expressed the profound gratitude to Premier Majko for what the Albanian government and people are doing for the Kosova war refugees. "What Albania is doing shows that we share the same fate," said Jerliu. The deputy chairman considered vital the coordination of the political action and the cooperation of the entire political and military factor of Kosova. "We favour the agreement for giving the mandate to the KLA representative as prime minister of Kosova and we agree to sit in the table of talks, ready to overcome the problems encountered until now. The establishment of the Kosova government is our will signed after the Rambouillet talks, and its is an irrevocable will," said Jerliu. The arrest and taken hostage of Rugova by the Serbs have created problems. We are resolute not to recognise his signature in any document signed with the Serbs, as long as he is in such circumstances, where he cannot express his own will," said the deputy chairman of the Kosova Democratic League. /pas/mt/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[11] Unexploded shells risk life of inhabitantsKUKES, May 2 (ATA) - By Riza Hoxha: The existence of unexploded shells has increased the concern of the inhabitants of Bele village in the district of Kukes. "There are six unexploded shells which are always a risk for the life of our children," said Iljaz Sinani, inhabitant of this village.The house of Ilijaz has been damaged, but his great concern is actually the existence of the unexploded shells. Sinani said that "a German soldier, accompanied by two other soldiers, have inspected the mined zone, but until now the unexploded mines have not been deactivated yet." More than 20 shells of the Serb artillery fell in the villages of Bele, Zapot and Borje on Friday at 11:30, and some of them did not explode. Along with the two villages which were destroyed in Bele village by the Serb artillery, an electric booth has been destroyed in Borje village. Also, in Bele village five houses were partially damaged. /dast/mt/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[12] Euro Atlantic integration secretary attends BSEC meetingTIRANA, May (ATA) - Secretary of State for Euro Atlantic Integration Maqo Lakrori attended the meeting of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation member states held on April 30 in Tbilis, Georgia.On the margin of the BSEC meeting Lakrori met and exchanged views with the Greek Foreign Minister, Rumanian foreign minister and representatives of Turkey, Ukraina and Georgia delegations, press office at the Albanian Foreign Ministry said. Among major issues discussed were the Kosova crisis and the problems facing the Balkan region. Secretary of State for Euro Atlantic Integration exchanged views on boosting cooperation in the framework of this organisation as well as bilateral relations. /lh/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[13] U.S. navy ship brings equipment for Rinas airportDURRES, May 2 (ATA) - By S. Gjordeni: The U.S. navy ship "Osprey", which arrived on Sunday in the port of Durres, has brought machinery and equipment for the Rinas Airport.The ship has brought 53 truck trailers, bulldozers and logistic means to be used for further improvement of airport infrastructure. Osprey is a navy ship of 26 thousand tons, 241 meters long and 32 meters wide and it is the first of this kind to enter the Durres port. /lh/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[14] Refugee camps insufficient to cope with influx of KosovarsKUKES, May 2 (ATA) - By R. Hoxha: Refugee camps constructed by non government organisations and some governments in neighbouring countries are not enough to cope with the huge influx of the Kosova people, who enter Albania via Morina border crossing. Such a thing has forced some thousands of them to stay in the open overnight."So far there are 6 refugee camps in the Kukes city and in the surrounding areas, two of which Italian camps housing 6500 people, a Greek camp with 1500 persons, a camp of the Arab United Emirates with 2500 people, a UNHCR camp housing 2000 people as well as a camp erected by the Kukes town hall with one thousand people," Emri Peca, a spokesman of the prefecture said to ATA. He added that the Arab United Emirates thought to extend their camps to house other one thousand people. At present about 13 500 people from Kosova are living in refugee camps but in the Kukes district there are other 115 thousand, 60 thousands of whom have been settled in with the Kukes family and the rest in camps or in the open. Such a situation has raised concern among the local government structures even for the fact that in the run up to a summer season and high temperature the risk of epidemic would be high. /lh/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[15] Over 5 thousand Kosovars evacuated from KukesKUKES, May 2 (ATA) - By H. Çani: Trucks of NATO and Albanian army, buses and private vehicles have managed to evacuate over five thousand Kosovars, driven from their lands, from Kukes to other areas in Albania.The precise figure was not made public yet because the registration was not over, an official of the Kukes prefecture said. NATO troops engaged in the evacuation included Italian, Spanish and Hungarian military contingents. 50 trucks were escorted by some logistic vehicles and a military ambulance. This is the second time that NATO organizes such an evacuation operation in Kukes. /lh/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[16] Second floor of Qafe Prush border post destroyedHAS, May 2 (ATA) - By R. Hoxha: Second floor of the border post of Qafe Prush in Has district was destroyed on Sunday.A spokesman of the local police commissariat said to ATA that a powerful blast heard at 13.30 on Sunday destroyed the second floor of the border post. Experts of the border police rushed to the site to define the direction and kind of shell, which hit the building. On Friday Serb military forces launched flame-thrower burning down the Qafe Prush customs house building. The area has been under frequent Serb artillery attacks. /lh/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[17] Minister says Albanian political factor should be unitedTIRANA, May 2 (ATA) - Albanian foreign minister Paskal Milo insisted in a meeting on Sunday with a delegation of the Democratic League of Kosova (LDK) on unifying the political and military factor in Kosova and unity of all political forces around the government cabinet headed by Hashim Thaçi."It is necessary, today more than ever, the Albanian political factor be united respecting the accord reached in Rambouillet, Paris," Milo said. Naim Jerliu, number two of the party headed by Ibrahim Rugova, said that the present leader is a hostage to the Serbian regime and automatically he did not enjoy any leading powers in the party. He said that the LDK would continue political dialogue to complete the political configuration of an interim government of Kosova, headed by the political leader of the Kosova Liberation Army (KLA) Hashim Thaçi. In his cabinet Thaçi has left a vacancy for a deputy prime minister from the LDK runs by Rugova. /lh/ak/ Albanian Telegraphic Agency[18] Speaker says regional stability dependant on development ratesTIRANA, May 2 (ATA) - Albanian parliamentary Skender Gjinushi, addressing a meeting of the parliamentary speakers of Macedonia, Italy, Albania and Bulgaria in Skopje, said on Sunday noon that "our countries are the most affected, conditioned and therefore most concerned over a solution to the crisis and establishment of peace in the region."Gjinushi said that the stability in the region would not be dependant on only military and political guarantees for peace, improvement and positive changes in inter state and inter ethnic relations but also on rates of economic development in the region. The implementation of major programs such as that for the construction of the eight corridor, a bridge linking our countries, served to this end, he said. As regards the developments in Kosova, Gjinushi said that the major cause of war was the Serbian nationalist policy directed by Milosevic and based on ethnic cleansing and genocide aiming at changing the inter ethnic relations by force. The Albanian policy said that the political solution should be backed by a NATO-led military presence in Kosova and the Balkan region to guarantee peace and stability and implementation of a Marshall plan in Southeastern Europe and especially in Kosova, which should be under an interim patronage of the European Union as the only means for long-term economic political stability. The Albanian parliamentary delegation met with the Kosova people accommodated in the Stankovec refugee camp and held talks with the leader of the Albanian Democratic party Arber Xhaferri and leader of the Democratic Prosperity party Abdurrahman Haliti. /lh/ak/ From the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) Home Page at http://www.telpress.it/ataAlbanian Telegraphic Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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