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Thursday, 21 November 2024
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USIA - Text: Wirth, Albanian Foreign Minister Shehu Meet (96-10-02)United States Information Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at <gopher://gopher.usia.gov>TEXT: WIRTH, ALBANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SHEHU MEET(Wirth concerned about Albanian political situation) (450)Washington -- Under Secretary of State Timothy Wirth met with Albanian Foreign Minister Tritan Shehu October 1 and urged Albanian authorities "to take all measures necessary to assure secrecy and honesty in the election process, the absence of intimidation, and an accurate count of the vote" in the upcoming local elections.Wirth "emphasized the importance of the United States' relationship with Albania and, in that light, expressed continued American concerns about the Albanian political situation in the aftermath of the flawed May 26 parliamentary elections." Following is the text of the State Department's October 2 statement concerning the meeting: (Begin text)MEETING BETWEEN ALBANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SHEHU AND UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE WIRTHUnder Secretary Wirth and Foreign Minister Shehu met yesterday in Washington. Mr. Wirth emphasized the importance of the United States' relationship with Albania and, in that light, expressed continued American concerns about the Albanian political situation in the aftermath of the flawed May 26 parliamentary elections. He underscored the strong belief of the United States that stability in the Balkans can only be attained if the governments of the region adhere to democratic procedures, respect human rights, and establish an independent judiciary.Mr. Wirth noted the positive interparty dialogue which resulted in the package of amendments to the local elections law. He urged Albanian authorities to implement the law faithfully and to take all measures necessary to assure secrecy and honesty in the election process, the absence of intimidation, and an accurate count of the vote. He asked that the Albanian government extend every courtesy to the international observers planning to attend the elections. He also called for the broadest possible participation in the local elections. Mr. Wirth said that for Albania to continue on the road to democracy, free and fair local elections should be considered an initial step to be followed by a new constitution drafted in a politically inclusive process and submitted to a referendum -- with parliamentary elections organized under this new constitutional framework being a logical outcome. Mr. Wirth stressed the importance of dialogue between our two countries on human rights, rule of law, and democracy issues. In this connection, the two sides agreed that a U.S. delegation led by Steven Coffey, the deputy assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor, would visit Tirana in the near future. Finally, Mr. Wirth encouraged the government of Albania to maintain its commitment to free market reforms and to building a sound economy. Under Secretary Tarnoff will discuss these points further with Foreign Minister Shehu when they meet. (End text)From the United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at gopher://gopher.usia.govUnited States Information Agency Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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