USIA - Text: Albright Meets with Albanian Prime Minister Nano, 97-09-29
From: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Home Page at <http://www.usia.gov>
TEXT: ALBRIGHT MEETS WITH ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER NANO
(Commends effort to end crises and pledges support) (390)
Washington -- State Department spokesman James P. Rubin said in a statement
September 26 that during their meeting on the margins of the U.N. General
Assembly in New York, Secretary Albright had commended the efforts of the
government of Albanian Prime Minister Nano to restore order to the troubled
country.
The secretary also praised the efforts the government to restore economic
order in cooperation with the World Bank and the IMF.
Following is the text of the statement issued by the Office of the
Spokesman:
(Begin text)
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT'S MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER NANO
Statement by James P. Rubin, Spokesman
Office of the Spokesman
Department of State
September 26, 1997
Secretary Albright met today with Albanian Prime Minister Nano on the
margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In this first
bilateral meeting with the new Prime Minister, the Secretary commended his
Government's efforts to normalize the situation after the crippling crisis
that had nearly paralyzed the country earlier this year.
The Secretary assured the Prime Minister that the United States will
strongly support efforts by Albanians to take advantage of this opportunity
to move the country back on the road of full integration into Europe. She
urged Prime Minister Nano to do his utmost to overcome the bitter political
divisions of the past, and encouraged an open and inclusive approach in
governance, including on constitutional reform, as the best means to
promote reconciliation.
The Secretary and the Prime Minister discussed the important role played by
the international community in helping Albania overcome its crisis and
carry out the June elections, and agreed that the international community
must remain engaged in Albania, bilaterally and through multilateral
efforts via NATO and the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe). The Secretary praised the recent steps taken by the new Government
to put in place a solid framework for economic recovery in close cooperation
with the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and World Bank.
On regional issues, the Secretary and the Prime Minister shared their
concern over the tense situation in Kosovo. The Prime Minister endorsed the
call made earlier in the week by Contact Group Ministers for restraint
concerning student demonstrations and establishment of dialogue between
authorities in Belgrade and Kosovar Albanian leaders.
(End text)
From the United States Information Agency (USIA) Home Page at http://www.usia.gov
|
