Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA), 98-08-07

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

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

CONTENTS

[01] Fassino and Meta visited Italian naval mini-base in Durres

[02] Italy to cooperate with Albania to enable its integration in EU - joint statement on economic cooperation between Albania and Italy -

[03] Council for Human Rights in Kosove confirms mass graves existing in Kosove

[04] KLA kills seventeen Serb soldiers - Albanian sources

[05] Albanian democrats to join Kosova fighters on front of war - Gazeta Shqiptare

[06] Serb forces bomb and set on fire villages Rrezalle and Likoc

[07] Over 10 thousand Albanians to face humanitarian catastrophe

[08] Albanian legislation aims at complying with European convention on human rights

[09] Godo says diplomacy be strongly active to halt catastrophe in Kosova

[10] DP leader says Albania's intervention in Kosova conflict would be "foolish"

[11] EU accords Ecu5 million for Kosova displaced people

[12] PKSH holds its first activity after legalizing

[13] Albanian government to lift capital punishment gradually

[14] US considers situation in Kosova totally unacceptable

[01] Fassino and Meta visited Italian naval mini-base in Durres

They were welcomed by leaders of the 28th naval group of the Italian nacy and the missions of Guardia di Finanza and CAMSEA (Customs Assistance Mission at Sea) deployed in Durres.

After passing in review, the military marine troops and Guardia di Finanza, senior representatives of the respective ministries talked for 30 minutes without the presence of reporters. /s.sh/das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[02] Italy to cooperate with Albania to enable its integration in EU - joint statement on economic cooperation between Albania and Italy -

The statement says that Italy will cooperate with Albania using every possible form to facilitate its rapprochement with the European Union - now through the agreement of cooperation, tomorrow with its associate agreement with EU, and transition into the market system for a stable economic growth.

Italy, the statement says, will continue to influence in international financial institutions.

Italy will help Albanian authorities in all the stages and procedures for the process of privatization and the application of modern productive structures to facilitate and accelerate the transition into a system based on the free market.

The priority objectives of the economic cooperation between the two countries will be those related with the infrastructure, energy problems, valuation of water sources and telecommunication.

The statement confirms that Italy will offer consultation to Albanian authorities for the creation of a judicial-institutional context, full support for the restructuring of the Albanian public administration for which the Italian Government has made an offer of 60 billion liras.

In this framework, the statement writes in conclusion, is also included the 30-year program of cooperation for which Italy will deliver 210 billion liras for 1998-2000 period for the reconstruction of the infrastructure, for basic services and the improvements in the social, economic and administration sector. /s.sh/das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[03] Council for Human Rights in Kosove confirms mass graves existing in Kosove

Unfortunately it is true that that mass graves exist in Kosove where Serb forces have put Albanian victims most of whom massacred children and women, sources of the Human Rights Council in Prishtine report.

Even before western press uncovered the fact that mass graves do exist in Rahovec, the Human Rights Council in Kosove has informed the opinion several times of such macabre acts by Serb forces.

In March this year, Serb forces placed in a common mass grave more than 50Albanians massacred and killed in Prekaz of Drenice. In July, at least 10 Albanians, massacred and killed, were put in mass graves in Prizren, but many eyewitnesses have declared that their number is much greater. Witnesses have also declared of mass graves in Rahovec, after the massacre in that town. Such mass graves also exist in the outskirts of Decan, while many unidentified killed Albanians in Gjakove, Peje, Prizren, Prishtine and some other cities in Kosove have been violently buried on order of Serb police.

According to the Human Rights Council in Prishtine, at least 430 Albanians are reportedly missing this year in Kosove. They are suspected to have been killed and secretly buried by Serb forces in an effort to cover the traces of crime. In Rahovec alone according to information of the Council, around 140 Albanians are missing while at least 60 others are supposed to have been massacred and killed. /la/das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[04] KLA kills seventeen Serb soldiers - Albanian sources

The source says that although fighting between KLA and Serb forces of security were "rather intensive" Albanian fighters "managed keep their positions in the Decan-Gjakove-Kline triangle."

Serbs killed four Albanian civilians, said ICK without giving further details. Reports by Albanian sources have not been confirmed by Serb party. /sh.dha/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[05] Albanian democrats to join Kosova fighters on front of war - Gazeta Shqiptare

Further on the paper stresses that reliable sources in the Democratic Party state clearly yesterday that the democrat leader is still in a dilemma to join or not the KLA ranks, at a time when almost half of the DP deputies have voiced their readiness to take this step.

The paper writes that such an act has been proposed by Azem Hajdari, presently holding the post of the chairman of the Parliamentary Commission of Defence and that the Hajdari-led DP Security Department has longsince started registering the volunteers who want to fight in Kosove.

In its today's issue, Gazeta Shqiptare also publishes an article entitled "After a few hours Azem Hajdari will be in the judiciary pincers," in which Sokol Kociu, chief of police commissariat in Kucove and charged with the investigation into the tragedy of Ura Vajgurore last year, in an interview with this paper tells some of the dark points of Ura Vajgurore event.

He declared in his interview that in a few days he will interrogate Azem Hajdari, as one of the politicians thought to have had a finger in the pie. Kociu said that the motives of the tragedy have its basis on the strife among gangs, but everything has been instigated by political forces.

About one year ago an armed battle, which turned into a tragedy, took place in the centre of Ura Vajgurore. Involved in the event have been chiefs from two political forces. Confrontation between democrats and socialists during the fierce electoral campaign of June 1997, caused nine people killed, and the number could have been greater if residents in nearby buildings did not hide to escape the rain of bullets. /das/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[06] Serb forces bomb and set on fire villages Rrezalle and Likoc

Target of Serb artillery pieces yesterday has also been village Pantine. A LDK source in Vushtrri told ICK that a day before, observers of the Serb army have been seen near the village and the inhabitants fled during the past night relating the Serbs' presence with possible attacks from them.

Pantina is one of the most attacked villages by Serb forces in the commune of Vushtrri. During the past three days, 25 000 Albanian refugees from Kile, Malisheve and Skenderaj have arrived in that commune. ICK reports that there is no report of the fate of scores of Albanian citizens caught by Serb police in Gorozhec of Peje. It is 30 days yesterday since Serb police and paramilitaries caught in villages Gorozhec of Peje 10 Albanians from Rudica of Kline, a LDK source in Kline reports. Seven of the Albanians were sent to the police station in Peje, while no report is available for the fate of the three others. /p.ta/xh/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[07] Over 10 thousand Albanians to face humanitarian catastrophe

The number of Albanians who have fled the war zones in Drenica and settled in Vushtri is estimated at 25.000 persons. Their health situation is deteriorating and they are running short of foods, clothes, medicaments and others. Around five thousand displaced people are settled in the building of an elementary school and the mosque of Qirez.

Some 10 thousands Albanians have been settled at a place called Fusha e Molles in the village of Verbofc.

It is said that the communal emergency council of Vushtri has offered 15tons of wheat to refugees for no aid has arrived until Wednesday from the humanitarian organisations in Vushtri. pta/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[08] Albanian legislation aims at complying with European convention on human rights

This is one of the most important moments of the legal reform after the approval of a series of procedural laws in the judiciary. The Juridical Directorate of Human Rights close to the European Union will offer ongoing assistance to help the Albanian legislation comply with the European conventions.

"Constitutional changes to be included in the new constitution will be taken into consideration in drawing up the legislation. The work for this legislation can last about a year," the spokesman said. ypa/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[09] Godo says diplomacy be strongly active to halt catastrophe in Kosova

"The government should put into its head that now there is no time for holidays but it should be strongly active through the international community to halt the human catastrophe which is under way in Kosova," Godo said to ATA on Friday.

Meanwhile, officials of Foreign Ministry have said that the diplomacy will not stop in any moment but will always be in contact with the Euro Atlantic chancelleries to find ways of preventing human tragedy in Kosova and finally resolve the issue which is threatening peace in the region.

The Albanian parliament passed on Thursday a resolution urging the international community to urgently intervene in Kosova using the NATO military force. ypa/pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[10] DP leader says Albania's intervention in Kosova conflict would be "foolish"

Berisha called on the United States and NATO "to avoid the catastrophe of two million Albanians in Kosova", considering "foolishness" an eventual intervention of Albania in the armed conflict.

The idea of a direct intervention by Albania in the armed conflict which is continuing in Kosova for some months was launched by the deputy chairman of the National Front party Shpetim Roqi, who declared that "Albania should declare war to Serbia."

All other Albanian political forces have asked for Albania should not be directly involved in the conflict, but the government should back the military operations undertaken by NATO after the U.N. Security Council adopts decisions.

In today's news conference, Berisha called on the international community to urgently intervene in Kosova. A day before the Albanian parliament formally issued a resolution passed unanimously by deputies present except the DP's deputies, calling on international community to urgently intervene in Kosova. ypa/pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[11] EU accords Ecu5 million for Kosova displaced people

The aid which was approved by the E.U. executive body, the European commission, will be administered by the E.U. Humanitarian office (ECHO) and will help United Nations bodies as well as NGOs to carry out emergency programmes for the displaced people in Kosova.

The same source said that the number of the people who have been displaced is estimated over 142 thousand, 13 thousand of them are settled in Albania, 27 thousand in Montenegro and some two thousand in Former

Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) while one hundred thousand are recorded as uprooted within the territory of Kosova.

This is not the first aid the ECHO has accorded to refugees of Kosova. The previous aid worth Ecu1.5 million was used to help Kosova people who settled in Albania.

Official sources of the Albanian Foreign Ministry said that food, medicaments, sanitary equipment and other things to help the displaced people cope with the forthcoming winter are priorities of the second ECHO aid. ypa/das/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[12] PKSH holds its first activity after legalizing

The PKSH conference for the Korça division has been the reason of this gathering of local communists with the participation of the party leader Hysni Milloshi.

"Our aim, also expressed in the political program, is to establish a popular democracy in Albania," Milloshi told the conference.

He said that the old militants are the golden part of the party and a point of reference for it.

"Even the youth will be accepted in the party but based on a selection," he added.

The Albanian Communist party was legalized a month ago when it was registered in the Justice Ministry as a new political party.

In 1992, this party was declared outlaw by a decision of the then parliament dominated by the Democratic party (DP) deputies. ypa/pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[13] Albanian government to lift capital punishment gradually

"We are engaged in lifting death penalty but now that the people in Albania are armed and the phenomenon of bloodfeud exists, it is very difficult to eliminate immediately the law on death penalty," Agim Neza, the spokesman said to ATA on Friday.

"The fact that since 1995 when Albania has been accepted in the Council of Europe no death penalty has been executed shows the predisposition of the Albanian government to meet the engagements towards Europe," Neza said adding that this did not represent any danger for Albania to leave the Council of Europe for no such decision had been executed since then."

The general view is that the death penalty can be lifted gradually with the establishment of public tranquillity and elimination of bloodfeud custom.

Asked about the organisation of a referendum on that, Neza said that this would be positive and showed the Albanian general opinion on the law on death penalty.

In 1990, five death penalties have been ruled in Albania, in 1991 - 6 penalties, 1992 - 14, 1993 - one death penalty, 1994 - 6, 1995 - one, in 1996 - 5 and in 1997 no death penalty has been ruled due to unrest. One death penalty is ruled in 1998 which have passed all divisions as well as other four but not considered by the Supreme Court.

The idea for a nation wide referendum on the existence of the death penalty was first launched by the Republican party, which is collecting firms for the referendum. ypa/pas/ak/

Albanian Telegraphic Agency

[14] US considers situation in Kosova totally unacceptable

Press and information office at the Albanian foreign Ministry quoted him as saying that "the United States is angry with the fact that the Serbs continue to use violence systematically against the civil population."

"We are holding ongoing consultations with our allies as regards future steps," Crowley said.

After reiterating that "we have intensified military planning in NATO framework and within one of two days we would reach a decision," Crowley said that the U.S. ambassador Chris Hill had met with Slobodan Milosevic, Yugoslav president, on August 6. He conveyed him a "strong message" which, as the U.S. expects, would oblige Milosevic to create a climate to enable a resumption of negotiations.

White House deputy press secretary said that "it is clear that the Serb offensive is firstly responsible for the climate created there and the failure of negotiations." This should be changed, he said.

Crowley said that "the U.S. continues to belief that the diplomatic solution is the best solution."

Particularly in this direction had the Ambassador Hill been engaged intensively in the last weeks, he said. Therefore, a political solution, which assures Albanians of Kosova the autonomy they have enjoyed before, should be achieved, said the U.S. senior official. s.sh/pas/ak/

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

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