Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 97-03-10

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER MEETS ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

[02] FIVE PEOPLE WOUNDED BY GUNFIRE IN BERAT

[03] FOUR PEOPLE WOUNDED BY UNCONTROLLED GUNSHOTS IN GJIROKASTER

[04] STATEMENT OF CIVIL DEFENCE COUNCIL WITH POLITICAL PARTIES

[05] EIGHT PEOPLE WOUNDED BY GUNFIRE IN KUCOVE

[06] ALBANIAN PARTIES DISCUSS THE STRUCTURE AND MODALITIES OF NEW GOVERNMENT

[07] SITUATION IN FIER PREFECTURE IS CALM

[08] EXPLOSION IN AN ARMS DEPOT IN GJIROKASTER - NO VICTIMS

[09] THREE INJURED IN VLORA ON MONDAY

[10] EFFORTS TO NORMALIZE LIFE IN BERAT

[11] COMMITTEE FOR VLORA SALVATION APPROVES ALBANIAN PARTIES' AGREEMENT

[12] STATEMENT OF SPOKESMAN OF U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

[01] ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER MEETS ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

They discussed the current situation in Albania, the European Union Aid and especially Italian assistance to overcome the situation created.

Also, after last night's meeting with President Berisha, Dini met at the residence of the Italian Ambassador to Albania, Paolo Foresti, with representatives of various political forces.

In his meeting with political forces, Dini expressed his satisfaction over the agreement reached yesterday at the meeting between President Berisha and the political parties.

Italian Foreign Minister left Albania on the same evening. kled/lm/e

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] FIVE PEOPLE WOUNDED BY GUNFIRE IN BERAT

One of the wounded is a ten-year-old boy, who after a surgery intervention is out of danger. lm

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] FOUR PEOPLE WOUNDED BY UNCONTROLLED GUNSHOTS IN GJIROKASTER

Sources from the town's hospital report that Kahreman Duro, 70, is injured in the head, Klodian Myrtezai, 11, and Kriston Cavo, 12, are injured in their arms and Siri Llocko, 40, in the right shoulder.

After surgical intervention they are out of danger.

The situation in this town has cooled down after an agreement was reached between the political parties. State institutions are functioning normally.

Meanwhile the meeting of the civil defence council with political party leaders is continuing.

Yesterday, according to sources from the town one citizen was accidentally killed when the youngest brother shot at his elder brother in the family.

Other sources report that in the Lazarat village three people: two girls, one fifteen and the other seventeen, and a forty one -year-old woman have been wounded by gunfire and have been sent to hospital. They are out of danger after surgical intervention.

In Gjirokaster, the social insurances offices and the customs' office as well as a part of the agricultural bank affiliate have been set on fire by armed people. kled/lm/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] STATEMENT OF CIVIL DEFENCE COUNCIL WITH POLITICAL PARTIES

2.The political parties commit themselves to put at the disposal of the civil council their members and sympathizers to set up the district defence and administrative structures.

3. The council and the political parties call on the people of Gjirokaster to show restraint, powerfully support the council to establish order and peace and restore normal life. They also call on them to show unity, spirit of cooperation, and traditional understanding without ethnic, religious and political distinctions.

4. The political parties and the civil council hail the statement of the country's political parties for national reconciliation, stating that they consider it a beginning of the solution to the general crisis in the country; In this spirit they demand the lifting of the state of emergency in the country and a complete guarantee for the implementation of general amnesty.

5. The joint meeting decided to set up civil councils in every commune, inhabited centers and villages, with coordinated acts with the civil council; the state institutions of all levels to organise self-defence in coordination with the district civil council; not to allow possession of weapons by people under 18, to ban shootings without permission and without order by the council's structures; hand in all the weapons and munitions and the other military technique; and put at the councils' disposal technical means of the town-hall and district council.

6. The civil council and the political parties call on the workers of all the administrative structures to return to work for the normalization of life and public service. They also call on all the private service and trade subjects to continue their activity normally. lm/sh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] EIGHT PEOPLE WOUNDED BY GUNFIRE IN KUCOVE

One person is hospitalised in Kucove, another has been sent to the Berat hospital and six people have been treated in outpatient clinics, the announcement of the Health Ministry says. kled/lm/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] ALBANIAN PARTIES DISCUSS THE STRUCTURE AND MODALITIES OF NEW GOVERNMENT

It also decided that the Government be 50 per cent with members from the opposition parties and 50 per cent with mebers of the parties in position.

The new government will have 15 ministries, with the prime minister proposed by the President of the Republic, whereas the deputy premier from the opposition parties, the meeting suggested.

But one of the leaders of the Democratic Alliance Party, Perikli Teta, said that they had not yet agreed upon this matter because the Republican Party and the Balli Kombetar Party have said that they are opposition parties.

Aleko Gjergo of the BKP said that they "discussed a balance in the government, that is in the distribution of the ministries."

The parties in the round table called on the political forces to be committed to the realisation of the agreement reached on Sunday, and to once more call on citizens to surrender their arms.

According to Gjergo, the parties in the dialogue said that the consensus they had reached be also spread to their party branches in the districts so that to calm the situation and to mediate in the armed people in Southern Albania to hand in their arms.

The meeting will continue with discussions for the new the prime minister and for a final distribution of the ministries.

Last Sunday President Berisha and representatives of 10 parties agreed among others on the creation of a Government of National Reconciliation with the representation of these parties, on new elections within June, an amnesty offered by the Albanian Parliament to all those civilians and military who are involved in the revolt caused by the collapse of pyramid schemes, and on the surrendering in a week's time of the arms and ammunition looted by people.

The ten parties that signed the agreement are: the Democratic Party, the Socialist Party, the Republican Party, the Human Rights Union Party, the Balli Kombetar Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Democratic Alliance Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Legality Movement Party and the Christian Democratic Party. ssh/kei/xh/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] SITUATION IN FIER PREFECTURE IS CALM

"There was a situation of anguish and fear among locals in these towns after rumors spread by anonymous people that groups of armed people from other cities were going towards those towns," said a source contacted by telephone, who added that "that situation passed."

The source from Fier said that "the population of these towns is now calm after the accord reached yesterday among the political parties and the President of Albania Sali Berisha, and the situation today is calmer than yesterday."

According to a local contacted by telephone, "a military unit in Ardenice of Lushnja district was stormed today, but police forces of this district, in cooperation with those of Fier, chased the people who started the riot against the military unit and now all the looted armament has been taken back."

But the same person said that "roadblocks posted by police in this zone are carrying out their tasks and consequently today alone, considerable amounts of arms and ammunition were caught."

The same source did not specify the amount of armament caught by police or identify the people who possessed the arms. xh/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] EXPLOSION IN AN ARMS DEPOT IN GJIROKASTER - NO VICTIMS

The depot was near the military unit of Kordhoce, part of the Fifth Brigade of the Division of Gjirokaster, southern Albania.

The locals in the small village of Leknja had left their homes since the moment they saw the fire broke into the depot.

Sources from the local hospital say that no one was seriously injured from the blast. A woman who fainted as a result of the blast in the depot was taken to hospital and she left soon after she was given first medical aid, whereas a peasant was injured by a stone which fell from the explosion, sources from the hospital say.

There are no reports of injuries and material damage, besides some glasses broken.

On Monday too, the civil staff for defence and public order in Gjirokaster had a meeting with the prefect Thanas Merkuri, in which they agreed to coordinate actions to restore order and tranquillity in the city.

The commander of the staff, Agim Gozhita asked the prefect to help so that the state administration resume its work. All these services are now carried out under the direction of the civil staff. kei/xh/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] THREE INJURED IN VLORA ON MONDAY

Sources from Vlora report that there were disorders today in the city water and electric energy supply systems. kei/xh/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] EFFORTS TO NORMALIZE LIFE IN BERAT

The Public Salvation Committee addressed a request to President Berisha and the Parliament for the election of the new government as soon as possible, which, according to them, would create premises for the situation to get calmer.

Through a declaration distributed on Monday, the committee appealed to the people of Berat to hand in arms.

During Monday the situation in Berat was chaotic. Many people, who stormed army garrisons in suburbs of the city on Sunday, and looted considerable amounts of arms, are opening uncontrolled fire.

As a result, one person, Sokol Veizllari, 24, was killed and over 20 people were wounded, one of whom in a serious state. kei/xh/k

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] COMMITTEE FOR VLORA SALVATION APPROVES ALBANIAN PARTIES' AGREEMENT

A statement from this meeting said that the committee undertook to favour the immediate handing back of weapons in the hands of the citizens of Vlore and to ensure public order and progressively restore normal administration to the town.

Committee representatives asked Italy and the International community for emergency aid and guarantees that the nine-point accord reached in Tirana on Sunday, would be applied correctly, rapidly and peacefully.

The statement was signed by Luiza Hoxha, Gjergji Muco, Neshat Merkaj, Luftar Petroshati, Edmond Tahiraj, Thoma Vasili, Dashamir Bejo, Albert Bukli, by ambassador Foresti and by the interpreter on the board of San Giorgio ship.

Last Sunday President Berisha and representatives of 10 parties agreed among others on the creation of a Government of National Reconciliation with the representation of these parties, on new elections within June, an amnesty offered by the Albanian Parliament to all those civilians and military who are involved in the revolt caused by the collapse of pyramid schemes, and on the surrendering in a week's time of the arms and ammunition looted by people.

The ten parties that signed the agreement are: the Democratic Party, the Socialist Party, the Republican Party, the Human Rights Union Party, the Balli Kombetar Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Democratic Alliance Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Legality Movement Party and the Christian Democratic Party.

The meeting of the parties Monday decided that the new Government would consist 50 per cent of the ruling parties and 50 per cent of the opposition parties.kei/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] STATEMENT OF SPOKESMAN OF U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT

The spokesman Nicholas Berns today called on all parties in Albania to translate into life the accord reached yesterday considering it a positive development. He asked them to observe the amnesty and the armistice.

Armed groups in Albania are controlling whole towns in Southern Albania despite promise by President Sali Berisha for a government of national reconciliation and fresh elections. In a planned news conference, Mr Berns hailed Sunday's accord reached between President Berisha and 10 political parties in Albania. xh/k

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