Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 99-09-22

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Training course on information in Egypt

[02] KLA transformation, a great achievement towards independence of Kosova

[03] Albanian government declaration on the demilitarization agreement between KFOR and KLA

[04] CRS projects on economic and social development

[05] Dollar at 136 leks

[06] Germany is Albania's powerful trade partner

[07] NATO will operate in concrete fields in Albania

[08] Schreder visit is a guarantee to support Albania

[09] Local government risks to lose investments funds

[10] Albanian peacekeeping company to leave for Bosnia-Herzegovina

[11] Officers of Kastoria division visit Korce

[12] U.S. ambassador meets with chief Prosecutor Rakipi

[13] Minister Poci thanks police for restoring order

[14] Kosova Transitional Council hails creation of KPC, Serbs reject it

[15] Socialists of Mirdite praise government performance

[16] ENEL interested in investments in electrical-energy

[17] Germany will help Albania with association agreement with EU - Schroeder

[18] Schoreder praises Albanian government fight against crime and corruption

[19] Majko cabinet totally engaged in governing the country - ministry - Clarification of Ministry of Information-

[20] Germany pledges support for Albania

[01] Training course on information in Egypt

This course aims at the relations between the press and government and the efforts that spokesmen and journalists should do to establish good and institutional relations with each other. In this group will take part journalists from the Albanian Television, Albanian Telegraphic Agency and other mass media organs. /led/so/

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[02] KLA transformation, a great achievement towards independence of Kosova

The military structures will, from now on, be called "Kosova Protection Corps" and will consist of 5 000 soldiers with the Guard of Kosova included. These troops will have at their disposal 2 000 weapons in six organized zones. The commanding structures of the Kosova Defence Troops will be the KLA structures. The Chief of Staff is appointed General Agim Çeku, while commander of the Kosova Guard is named Sylejman Selimi.

The Kosova Protection Corps will guarantee the territorial integrity of Kosova and will respond to its institutions. /led/xh/

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[03] Albanian government declaration on the demilitarization agreement between KFOR and KLA

This declaration is issued at a time when the Albanian government is aware of the EU international community extraordinary contribution in general and the contribution of USA in particular for putting an end to the Serbian violence in Kosovo. It highly appreciated the NATO role in preventing the further ethnic cleansing and avoiding the crisis escalation in other countries and regarding KLA as the protector of aspirations and the essential human values of the Kosovo people.

The signing of this agreement is an act testifying the good will of the Albanian people and contributing in the definite establishment of peace in the region.

This act confutes the Serb chauvinists claims for the Albanian"revenge", enlighting on the true reasons of Serb population abandoning Kosovo, after the multinational troops entered there.

The agreement proves that the KLA was founded to protect the universal human rights and it remained a protective force of the unprotected. This is the reason of her alignment by the side of the democratic forces, USA, Great Britain, Germany, France, NATO and EU. /led/gs/

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[04] CRS projects on economic and social development

The most important projects are those on schools reconstruction, aqueducts construction and food provisions. UNHCR, to this end has sponsored $80 000 for Durres and $500 000 for the whole country. Projects worth $2 million have been drafted to construct aqueducts in the cities of Elbasan, Fier, Tirane and Durres.

In the meantime, food provisions were distributed to the handicaps association, orphans, blood donors etc. CRS will also give loans for several small businesses which can't have loans by the banks. /led/gs/

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[05] Dollar at 136 leks

Currency exhange rate

Currency buing selling USD 135,8 136 DM 72,2 72,6 LIT(1000) 73 73,2

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[06] Germany is Albania's powerful trade partner

The total volume of the foreign commerce between the two countries is estimated at 58,1 million DM for January-May period. German export in Albania, during the first five months of '99 has been 41,4 million DM, while German import from Albania 16,7 million DM.

The total volume of the foreing trade between Albania and Germany has reached the climax in 1998 estimated at 149,6 million DM. This year German import from Albania was 40,8 million DM, while German export in Albania was 108,8 million DM.

Until 1992, Albanian-German cooperation in the development field had as a priority financial cooperation plans of primary aid and immediate effect. Projects needing longer preparatory phase reached the implementation level after 1992.

Currently, the financial cooperation between Albania and Germany is focused on the social and material support for the Albanian infrastructure, the support of the small and medium enterprises, credit economy, environment protection as well as Tirana's airport rehabilitation.

The most important issues of the bilateral relations in the technical cooperation are the professional training, privatization and economic legislation. The German aid for Albania amounts to 1 billiard DM. /led/so/

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[07] NATO will operate in concrete fields in Albania

According to him this aid will help strengthen the cooperation between Albanian and the Alliance.

Lakrori told NATO General that "Albania has regarded and continues to regard with priority the relations with the Alliance". The two interlocutors shared the opinion that the relations between the two countries are actually in splendid levels".

Lakrori and Frizone discussed even for the ratification of SOFA agreement in a near future by the Albanian part. This agreement deals with the status of foreign military troops in the hosting countries and with the procedures which facilitate NATO troops activity in Albania. /led/A.A/

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[08] Schreder visit is a guarantee to support Albania

The German chancellor will arrive in Tirane on Wednesday accompanied by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ludger Volmer, State Secretary, Uwe-Karsten Heye, other top officials of German government and by several powerful businessmen.

This visit is expected to be a guarantee for a multi-dimensional support that the Federal Republic of Germany and Chancellor Screder will offer for reforms in Albania as well as for the treating with priority of our country in the framework of Stability Pact.

During the two days of his visit in Albania, Schreder is expected to hold talks with Albanian Premier, Pandeli Majko, and with other members of governmental cabinet. This is the first time in the history of relations between the two countries that a German chancellor visits Albania. /led/A.A/

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[09] Local government risks to lose investments funds

If these procuring units will not be able to realize the given funds till the end of September 1999, the Minister of Public Works, Ingrid Shuli has ordered the compensation of funds to those procuration units which are able to realize the investments delivered by the state budget.

In continuation of the work for realization of public investments, the cabinet of Minister Shuli has drafted a table according to which all the directors of directories under the auspicious of Deputy Ministers, will attend in all the Albania's prefectures the realization of funds allocated by the state budget. The aim of dispersion of state administration close to the bodies of local government is the cooperation with the local government and the aid delivered to them on procuration of public investment funds in given time limits, on improvement of potable water supply system, roads and drainage system. /led/A.A/

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[10] Albanian peacekeeping company to leave for Bosnia-Herzegovina

Attending the ceremony on the occasion held at the "Skenderbej" High Military Academy on Wednesday were the deputy chief of the Army General Staff, Colonel Mehmet Musai, leading officials of the Ministry of Defence, militaries, the German military attache in Tirane, Hatmut Dugutsch and others.

Musai said that the Albanian army takes part for the sixth time in this mission and considered this an achievement in Albania's contribution to stability and peace in the region. He also dwelt on the close cooperation with the German Bundeswehr. /lh/lm/

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[11] Officers of Kastoria division visit Korce

The meetings between the two divisions will help realise joint activities in culture, sport and training, the spokesman of the Korce Military Division cited Shkurta as saying.

The Commander of the military division of Kastoria, Brigade General Vellaoras Constandinas, said that the relations between the two sides will develop in the context of cross-border cooperation.

The militaries of the two regions will coordinate actions in case of any natural disaster, he said, stressing that they will help the Albanians also with logistic means.

Also present at the meeting was the Greek General Consul for Korce, Nikos Garilidhis.

The group of the Greek militaries visited several subunits of the Division as well as museum centres. /lh/lm/

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[12] U.S. ambassador meets with chief Prosecutor Rakipi

The U.S. ambassador promised his support for the daily practical performance of the prosecutor's office and the need of changes to the legislation, especially that of penal lawsuit.

Limprecht said he would intervene in the Albanian government for the realisation of these legislative changes and promised he would contribute to a fruitful cooperation and realisation of consultations with U.S. specialists in penal law. /a.ke/lm/

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[13] Minister Poci thanks police for restoring order

The Ministry's press office on Wednesday reported that Poci, on behalf of the government, thanks all police structures for the good performance in maintaining law and order. /lh/lm/

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[14] Kosova Transitional Council hails creation of KPC, Serbs reject it

"The issues discussed at the meeting included security, Mitrovica, Rahovec and the Serb paramilitaries who have infiltrated into Kosova," said Hashim Thaci, Prime Minister of Kosova Interim Government, after the closed door session.

He said that other issued discussed were Kosova' reconstruction and development and the creation of KPC and security committees in Kosova.

Referring to the Russian negative reaction to the creation of KPC, Thaci said: "We respect our stand and that of the international community", while "the Russians have the right to think it over".

The LDK chairman, Ibrahim Rugova, said that its was a working meeting of the Transitional Council which discussed the issue of security, which is stable and good.

While Momcilo Trajkovic, representative of the Serb minority, negatively assessed the formation of KPC.

"We do not agree with such a settlement. All this was done behind our back. For this reason we the representatives of the Serbs have quit the Transitional Council."

U.N. administrator in Kosova Bernard Kouchner reacting to the withdrawal of the Serb minority representatives from the Kosova Transitional Council said :"We have told Mr. Trajkovic that he is here to defend the interests of the local Serbs of Kosova and not of those of Belgrade". /lm/

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[15] Socialists of Mirdite praise government performance

Majko was accompanied by the SP Organisational Secretary and deputy for this zone, Ndre Legisi, and by Bashkim Fino, member of the SP leadership and former Prime Minister in the National Reconciliation Government (1997).

Projects on the development of infrastructure, such as construction of roads, aqueducts, telecommunication as well as health and education were the main issues discussed by the participants in the conference.

Special attention was attached to the improvement of technical conditions of the mine of Rubik as, according to Majko, the future of this zone is closely linked with the copper industry.

The socialists at the conference said they understood the problems and difficulties facing the Albanian government and at the same time praised its ongoing performance.

Majko also dwelt on the construction of Milot-Rreshen-Morine road, whose construction is seen as one of the Albanian government's priority.

After discussions, the conference chose nine delegates to represent Mirdite district to the Third Congress of the SP, due on October 10 this year. /lh/lm/

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[16] ENEL interested in investments in electrical-energy

At this meeting, which was also attended by Italian ambassador in Tirane Spatafora, the delegation of ENEL was headed by President Testa.

Testa told Bufi that ENEL, as a company which operates also in telephony, water and other sectors, is interested in intervening with investments also in these fields.

At the same time ENEL expressed interest in carrying out a study for the construction of H/C of Skavica, as a project of regional importance.

Bufi endorsed the idea of setting up a joint group between ENEL and the Power Generation and Distribution Firm (KESH) to study the construction of Skavica, on which a protocol-agreement was also signed. /lm/

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[17] Germany will help Albania with association agreement with EU - Schroeder

Schroeder made this statement shortly after his meeting with his Albanian counterpart Pandeli Majko.

The German Chancellor, who is on a formal two-day visit to Tirane, said that Albania is right to ask assistance from the International Community because it was the first country to show solidarity with this community during the crisis in Kosova and the country which bore the greater weight.

On behalf of the German people and the entire European community Schoreder said he hailed the stabilising role of Albania during the crisis in Kosova.

A meeting with representatives of Albanian political parties of the opposition is underway at Hotel Rogner. /y.pa/lm/

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[18] Schoreder praises Albanian government fight against crime and corruption

During a joint news conference with Albanian Prime Minister Pandeli Majko, following a formal meeting at the Prime Minister's office, Schoreder highlighted the efforts of the Albanian government to establish security at home, as a necessary condition for attracting foreign investments, especially German, in Albania.

Schoreder declared himself in favour of the participation of German companies in the process of privatisation of the Albanian mobile telecommunication network.

Majko, evaluating the visit of German Chancellor to Tirane as very significant and thanking Germany for the support it provided to Albania to overcome the humanitarian crisis, asked that the special place Germany has in Albania's relations with the international community be more prominent. /lh/lm/

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[19] Majko cabinet totally engaged in governing the country - ministry - Clarification of Ministry of Information-

This is is clarified in a press release of the Ministry of Information regarding an article published by newspaper Koha Jone on Wednesday under the headline "Majko prepares the government of promises".

"All what is said in this article is totally groundless and untrue," the release says. /a.ke/lm/

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[20] Germany pledges support for Albania

At the meeting held at the Prime Minister's Office between the German delegation, which arrived in Tirane on Wednesday afternoon, and the Albanian delegation, Majko asked that cooperation between the two countries be further promoted.

Majko asked from Chancellor Schroeder aid from the German troops included in KFOR to clear the Albanian border areas of mines, a process to which the Albanian army will also contribute, the spokesman of the Prime Minister said on Wednesday.

Schroeder guaranteed Germany's aid in signing the association agreement of Albania with the EU, as well as pledged German support in the mine clearance process in the border areas of Northern Albania.

Schoreder is on a two-day visit to Tirane. After his meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Majko and a joint news conference at the Prime Minister's office, Schoreder met with representatives of Albanian opposition parties at Hotel Rogner, a meeting which closes the formal agenda of the first-day visit of German chancellor to Tirane.

German chancellor will end his visit to Tirane on Thursday morning, after a visit to the pediatrics hospital in the capital.

Albania is the first leg of his Balkan tour that will also take him to Bulgaria and Romania. /lh/lm/

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