Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 97-11-15

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] TELEPHONES TO BE INSTALLED IN ALBANIAN PRISONS SOON

[02] PRESS REVIEW

[03] POLICE DETAINS PERSONS ACCUSED OF KILLING EX SDP HEAD OF SKRAPAR

[04] HEAD OF FOREIGN COMMISSION DISCUSS CONSTITUTION WITH FRENCH SENATORS

[05] FRANCE SUPPORTS ALBANIA'S INTEGRATION INTO EURO-ATLANTIC STRUCTURES

[06] BANK OF "PAN-AMERICAN" FIRM ROBBED

[07] DP AND DAP ARGUE OVER EUCD

[08] DP'S PARTICIPATION IN PARLIAMENT TO BE DECIDED NEXT WEEK - Pollo

[09] WE SHALL ENCOURAGE A NEW BEGINNING IN ALBANIA - Kinkel

[10] GERMAN PARLIAMENTARIANS APPRECIATE ALBANIAN FOREIGN POLICY

[01] TELEPHONES TO BE INSTALLED IN ALBANIAN PRISONS SOON

Zhabolli said that the prisoners will use telephone cards to avoid any abuse. He added that not all the prisoners will have the right to communicate with the families by phone. Those who violate the prison's rules are deprived of the right to use phones.

The first phone will be installed in the Tirana prison next week and the Lushnja prison will be equipped with them until December 15. ake/kled/ak/k

[02] PRESS REVIEW

Rilindja Demokratike reports "The state prevents DP to honor victims," regarding the fact that DP representatives were stopped to go to Vlore to participate in the funeral ceremony of the Otranto victims. Covering the mourning ceremony, the writes "The victims were laid to rest," "Flowers in the Adriatic for the victims." In the heading "Event of the day," the paper writes "Smuggling and inflation caused collapse for the merchants." In another article, the paper cites Vefa President Vehbi Alimucaj "Justice won above the government," regarding the decision of the Constitutional Court in favor of Vefa. Among the social topics we mention "Drugs, passion, power and death."

"Mourning and 'national reconciliation'" is the editorial of Republika. The slogan of national reconciliation was nothing else, except demagogy," says the editorial. "The press goes to strike today," writes the paper on the first page and reports that no papers and magazines will be sold tomorrow in the market. Only the paper of the party in power, Zeri i Popullit, is an exception.

The paper highlights the funeral ceremony under the title "The grief tears Albania."

"Obstacles against us, invention of Nano government," reports the paper on the fifth page under the title "DP speaks after the barricade in the Bridge of Mifoli." "Vefa: 177 million debts, the goods of the company blocked," is another article of the paper. In the economic page, the paper carries an interview with the member of the National Assembly of the Republican Party, Robert Ceku, entitled "Albanian parties before the exam in Economy."

"Vlora steeps in tears," the newspaper Koha Jone says in the first page. In the fourth and fifth page, the paper covers the funeral service under the title "Vlore - century's ceremony buries Otranto tragedy."

"Ruling party newspaper politically attacked president Meidani in the most sensitive day in Albania's history, when 52 Otranto victims were laid to rest in the Albanian soil," the editorial says under the title "National mourning gains a political character."

"Socialists attack Meidani," the paper reports in the third page. "Tirana-Prishtina split deepens," the paper says in the same page referring to the news conference of the president of Kosova Ibrahim Rugova. "Decision of the Constitutional court favours mostly the Albanian money lenders," it reports on the economic column under the title "VEFA 'shirks' the court's decision."

The newspaper Albanian reports "Ceka orders tanks against DP". "Deputy Speaker, Topalli, Arbnori, Bode and Vejsiu stopped at Mifol bridge," the paper says. "Since a week ago the state television and the government newspapers and others close to them have launched a strong propaganda campaign against the participation of the Democratic party in the funeral services in Vlora," the editorial says under the title "Killers in Vlora - gangs on the streets."

"Vlora pays last tributes to the Otranto victims," the paper reports in the third page. "Malo to return the '46 constitution only for VEFA company." "Government lawyer exerts last pressures on Supreme court." the paper says under the title "Kondi, VEFA is pyramid scheme!" "An expert group to investigate on the SHIK activity during unrest," it reports in the second page.

The news conference of the President of Kosova Ibrahim Rugova is covered by the newspaper Rilindja under the title "Election will decide on who will lead Kosova."

"Funeral services organised for Otranto victims," the paper reports in the first page. "Repression condemned and a greater international presence asked for Kosova," is another article carried by the paper. "Neither peace nor war prevails in Kosova now, a situation which possibly causes flare-up," the paper says in the fourth page under the title "Kosova - issue of decolonisation and independence."

"Funeral services held under projector lights. City accuses Berisha," the paper Drita says under the title "Vlora, whine and tears." "The Adriatic a sea of life rather than a sea of death," the paper quotes the Italian prime minister Romano Prodi saying in Vlora. "Democrat delegation stopped at the Mifol bridge," the paper reports in the third page under the title "DP: State officials organised it." "Supreme court finds difficult to decide on VEFA," is another article carried by the paper. "Alimuca's company, full of obligations," the paper reports in the economic column, referring to the audit commission.

"Vlora in chorus: Berisha is a killer," the newspaper Shekulli reports referring to the funeral services in Vlora on Friday. "Nano and Italian prime minister attended the funeral services of a sea of tears in Vlora," the paper says under the title "Prodi promises in front of victims' coffins. The Adriatic should not be a sea of death."

As regards yesterday's news conference of the DP officials, the paper says "Minister Ceka prevented us to enter Vlore." "Rugova refuses to join Nano in a round table," it says in the third page.

"Otranto people laid to rest," the newspaper Gazeta Shqiptare reported in relation to yesterday's funeral services. "Funeral services, Vlora shocked by pain," the paper says in a special page devoted to the funeral service of the Otranto victims.

"The DP delegation faced armoured carriers and forced to return," the paper says covering yesterday's news conference of the DP officials.

"VEFA - Government, battle starts in Supreme Court," the paper says in the second page. "Government to defend its honour lost in the Supreme Court," the paper says. kei/kled/mt/ak/

[03] POLICE DETAINS PERSONS ACCUSED OF KILLING EX SDP HEAD OF SKRAPAR

The persons detained are Ardian Goxhaj, 18, and Durim Beqiri, 24, who killed Arben Lajthia, 42, in collision with others.

Two machine guns, a pistol and a rifle were found during a police check in their houses. The spokesman reports that police have identified the other persons involved in this crime and are hunting them down.

Lajthia was killed several days ago, when a group of armed persons opened fire on a bus travelling from Corovode to Gjerbes, Skrapar. /kei/mt/k

[04] HEAD OF FOREIGN COMMISSION DISCUSS CONSTITUTION WITH FRENCH SENATORS

They exchanged views on forms of commission's organisation, their role and increasing possibilities of cooperation between commissions.

The French senators expressed readiness to assist the commission.

Godo focused on the cooperation between commissions and especially expressed the wish to promote cooperation aiming at working out a draft constitution. He added that the French experience could be one of the most qualified experiences.

They also dealt with civil control in the army, attributing a role of decision-making to the commission and working out of a draft budget for the army.

Attending the talks was the Ambassador of the French Republic to Albania Patrick Christmant. kei/ak/k

[05] FRANCE SUPPORTS ALBANIA'S INTEGRATION INTO EURO-ATLANTIC STRUCTURES

"The country's integration into these structures depends on internal factors, such as consolidation of democracy and institutions, economic development, as well as on external factors in the region and broader," Lakrori told the meeting at the Albanian Foreign Ministry.

The French senators evaluated the performance of the Albanian authorities to normalise the situation at home and introduce Albania into the road of all-round development, confirming that in this process "Albania will enjoy France's constant support of France".

The political developments in the region and bilateral and multilateral cooperation in economy, culture and science were the main topic of discussion.

The encouragement of French investors to take part in the ambitious programme of the government to recover Albania was considered an indispensable step for the development processes in Albania.

Also attending the meeting was the Ambassador of the French Republic in Tirane, Patrick Chrismant./kei/lm

[06] BANK OF "PAN-AMERICAN" FIRM ROBBED

Police sources report that today, at around 15.00, four masked and armed men broke into the firm, near the customs, terrorising its workers.

This is the fourth robbing in various banks of the capital this week. s.sh/pas/lm

[07] DP AND DAP ARGUE OVER EUCD

"EUCD has excluded the Alliance because of cooperation with ex-communists", the DP deputy chairman, Genc Pollo, said today, after his return with Sali Berisha (leader of the democrats) from the People's Parties' Congress of the European Union, in which the DP also takes part.

But for the DAP president it was the contrary:"We have frozen relations with the EUCD after May 26, as it supported Berisha," Neritan Ceka said in the evening.

"We have made this known to EUCD in all our meetings with it", he said.

"However EUCD has always invited DAP at every conference or other activity, even at the congress of the European People's Parties, in which Berisha also took part."

"But, DAP has already frozen ties with EUCD, in which it has been an observer and not a member with full rights," Ceka said. pas/lm

[08] DP'S PARTICIPATION IN PARLIAMENT TO BE DECIDED NEXT WEEK - Pollo

Pollo, who returned home from Toulouse together with DP leader Sali Berisha where they attended the Congress of People's Parties of the European Union, said that some of the European personalities in in the Congress had told them to take part in the Parliament.

"I said to them that it would be good for DP to take part in the Parliament," said Pollo quite suddenly, "anyhow, this question will be discussed with the delegation of the Council of Europe which will come in Tirane at the beginning of the coming week."

During the news conference, Pollo said that at the end of their congress the People's Parties of the European Union had declared that "the international community must encourage the Government of Yugoslavia to start dialogue, under its observation, with the representatives of the Albanians in Kosove."

"The Congress Resolution was added with two amendments for Albanians, one for Kosova and the other for Albania. The latter stressed that the observation of the law, the independence of judiciary and the press freedom are guarantees for a continuous assistance for Albania by the international community," Pollo said in the conference. pas/xh/

[09] WE SHALL ENCOURAGE A NEW BEGINNING IN ALBANIA - Kinkel

Mr Kinkel stressed that Germany takes the second place in the list of donors for Albania with a contribution of 1 billion DM, describing it as one "of the centers of gravitation of the German cooperation for development."

"We would like to help Albania on the difficult road towards democracy and in the 'new beginning' of a democratic cohabitation," said Mr Kinkel, reminding that for this point, the responsibility belongs to the Albanians, especially for the national reconciliation whose road is long."

Mr Kinkel highlighted the progress reached in Albanai following the polls especially in the view of the security and stressed that the overcome of the grave political and economic crisis is not only in the favour of the neighbouring countries of Albania. According to Mr Kinkel, the latest conferences for Albania in Rome and Brussels showed clearly that the development of the democratic and economic structures in this country shook by the crisis, are questions that belong to all Europeans.

The participants in the talk were of the opinion that the cooperation and regional coordination among the Southeast European states should be further intensified and that Albania has made a good contribution to this direction.

"Only he who takes into consideration and observes the interests of the neighbours, only he who is ready to cooperate with others, he only has the road to Europe open," said Mr Kinkel. pas/xh/

[10] GERMAN PARLIAMENTARIANS APPRECIATE ALBANIAN FOREIGN POLICY

During his official visit to Germany, invited by the German Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkel, Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo met with Mr Hans Ulrich Klose, Deputy Speaker of the German Parliament and by Prof. Karl Heinz Hornhues, chairman of the Foreign Policy Commission of this parliament.

The two German senior parliamentarians took special interest in the Albanian question in the region and especially in that of Kosova. After explanation by Minister Milo of the new movements in the foreign policy regarding the neighbouring countries, in which the Albanian question has a special place, the German parliamentarian expressed their understanding in this policy. Mr Klose said that "the Albanian foreign policy is playing and must play also in the future an important role in this regard."

"The German Parliament too," continued Mr Klose, "has undertaken initiatives to solve the Albanian question, especially in Kosove. We are for a defence of the fundamental rights of the Albanians wherever they are."

The chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on the Foreign Policy, Hornhoues, said that Albania does not make anymore the headlines of the German and European papers, a thing which proves of the commitment of the Albanian Government to the solution of the country's problems. "I want to stress that our analysis of the situation in Albania coincides with your explanations," he said.

Albanian Foreign Minister asked the German senior parliamentarians to organize, in an appropriate time, the "Day of Albania" in the German Bundestag. He extended an invitation to the chairman of the Foreign Policy Commission of the German Parliament to visit Albania. Mr Hornhues promised he would visit Albania at the beginning of the coming year. pas/xh/

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