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USIA - Text: Burns Statement On Vranitsky Visit, Albanian Elections, 97-06-17
From: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Home Page at <http://www.usia.gov>
TEXT: BURNS STATEMENT ON VRANITSKY VISIT, ALBANIAN ELECTIONS
(OSCE's Vranitsky meeting with Secretary Albright June 16) (350)
Washington -- Former Austrian Chancellor Vranitzky, personal representative
to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) chairman
in office for Albania, met June 16 with Secretary of State Albright and
Under Secretary Pickering to discuss political developments in Albania and
preparations for parliamentary elections scheduled for June 29 and July 6,
according to a statement June 17 by Nicholas Burns, spokesman for the State
Department.
Following is the text of the statement:
(Begin text)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 17, 1997
STATEMENT BY NICHOLAS BURNS, SPOKESMAN
ALBANIA: VISIT OF OSCE REPRESENTATIVE VRANITZKY
Secretary Albright and Under Secretary Pickering met yesterday with former
Austrian Chancellor Vranitzky, Personal Representative to the OSCE Chairman
in Office for Albania, to discuss political developments in Albania and
preparations for parliamentary elections scheduled for June 29 and July 6.
The Secretary and Dr. Vranitzky discussed the difficult challenges
presented by continuing instability in Albania and agreed on the importance
of proceeding with elections as scheduled, provided suitable conditions
were in place by election day. Dr. Vranitzky described the state of
election preparations and current efforts by the OSCE and the Albanian
Government of National Reconciliation to establish adequate conditions for
sound polling.
The Secretary and Dr. Vranitzky agreed that credible elections were a
critical first step in moving Albanians along the road to recovery,
including the formation of a government that can tackle Albania's economic
problems. They agreed that the Albanian leadership, including political
party leaders, bore a responsibility to participate in good faith in the
election process and to cooperate fully with the international monitoring
effort organized by the OSCE. The Secretary and Dr. Vranitzky also
discussed the importance of international support for the democratic
development of Albanian society in the post-election period.
The Secretary expressed her gratitude to Dr. Vranitzky for his strong
leadership in helping Albania cope with its deep crisis and offered
Dr. Vranitzky the continued support of the United States in his efforts.
(End text)
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