Voice of America, 97-03-29

Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>

CONTENTS

[01] SECURITY COUNCIL ALBANIA (S) BY ELAINE JOHANSON (UNITED NATIONS)

[02] ITALY / ALBANIA (S & L) BY PEGGY POLK (ROME)

[03] ALBANIA FORCE (S ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (PRAGUE)

[01] SECURITY COUNCIL ALBANIA (S) BY ELAINE JOHANSON (UNITED NATIONS)

INTRO: THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL FRIDAY VOTED 14 TO ONE TO AUTHORIZE AN ITALIAN LED FORCE TO ENSURE DELIVERY OF HUMANITARIAN AID TO ALBANIA. THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN IN DOMESTIC TURMOIL SINCE JANUARY WHEN BAD INVESTMENT SCHEMES ROBBED ORDINARY CITIZENS OF THEIR SAVINGS. V-O-A ELAINE JOHANSON REPORTS.

TEXT: SEVERAL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, AMONG THEM FRANCE, SPAIN, ITALY AND ROMANIA HAVE ALREADY AGREED TO SEND SOME 25 HUNDRED TROOPS. THE SECURITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE INTERVENTION FOR A PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS.

IT SAID IT WOULD CONSIDER THEN WHETHER THE FORCE SHOULD BE EXTENDED OR STRENGTHENED. THE TROOPS WILL NOT BE GOING INTO ALBANIA DEFENSELESS. THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE USE OF FORCE IF THE TROOPS ARE ATTACKED OR FIRED UPON.

THE SECURITY COUNCIL MET ON GOOD FRIDAY (RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY) -- A DAY THE UNITED NATIONS IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED -- AT THE INSISTENCE OF ITALY. ALBANIAN REFUGEES HAVE BEEN STREAMING INTO ITALY, MANY SIMPLY TRYING TO FLEE THE CHAOS AT HOME.

CHINA ABSTAINED IN THE VOTE. IT NORMALLY OPPOSES ANY U-N APPROVAL OF THE USE OF FORCE. CHINA ALSO CONSIDERS THE ALBANIAN CRISIS A STRICTLY DOMESTIC AFFAIR. BUT THE EUROPEANS INSISTED THEY WOULD NOT NOR COULD NOT INTERVENE WITHOUT THE BLESSING OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL.. CHINA AGREED NOT TO USE ITS VETO. (SIGNED)
NEB/EJ/CB-T/CF
28-Mar-97 11:06 PM EST (0406 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[02] ITALY / ALBANIA (S & L) BY PEGGY POLK (ROME)

INTRO: ITALIAN RESCUE CRAFT ARE SEARCHING THE ADRIATIC FOR VICTIMS OF A COLLISION LATE FRIDAY BETWEEN AN ALBANIAN VESSEL PACKED WITH REFUGEES AND AN ITALIAN NAVAL BOAT. AS PEGGY POLK REPORTS, RESCUERS RECOVERED FOUR BODIES AND PULLED 34 SURVIVORS FROM THE SEA DURING THE NIGHT.

TEXT: THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ITALIAN NAVY SAYS RESCUERS MAY WELL FIND MORE VICTIMS OF THE COLLISION. BUT HE SAID HE DOUBTS REPORTS FROM SURVIVORS THAT THE 20-METER HARBOR PATROL CRAFT WAS CARRYING FROM 70 TO 150 PEOPLE WHEN IT CAPSIZED.

ADMIRAL ANGELO MARIANI TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE IN ROME THAT THE AGING RUSSIAN-BUILT VESSEL WAS DESIGNED TO CARRY ONLY A CREW OF EIGHT. HE SAID THE ITALIAN CORVETTE SIBILLA -- WHICH WAS INVOLVED IN THE CRASH -- HAD SEEN NO SIGN OF PASSENGERS THROUGH THE PORTHOLES BEFORE THE ALBANIAN BOAT SANK.

ITALIAN PORT AUTHORITIES AND POLICE ESTIMATED THAT 45 TO 70 PEOPLE WERE ON BOARD, AT LEAST 30 OF THEM CRAMMED ONTO THE DECK AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION. /// OPT ///

THE ITALIAN ADMIRAL BLAMED THE COLLISION ENTIRELY ON WHAT HE CALLED AN "IMPRUDENT MANEUVER" BY THE ALBANIAN CAPTAIN. /// END OPT ///

THE DEFENSE MINISTRY SAID THE ALBANIAN VESSEL HAD IGNORED ORDERS TO TURN BACK AND CARRIED OUT EVASIVE MANEUVERS. AS THE CORVETTE SIBILLA SLOWLY APPROACHED TO TRY TO STOP THE VESSEL, THE ALBANIAN BOAT TURNED TO THE RIGHT, INTERSECTING THE PATH OF THE SIBILLA, WHICH THREW ITS MOTORS INTO REVERSE BUT COULD NOT AVOID THE COLLISION. /// REST OPT ///

ITALY -- WHICH HAS TAKEN IN MORE THAN 13,000 ALBANIAN REFUGEES SINCE MARCH 13TH -- IS ATTEMPTING WITH ONLY PARTIAL SUCCESS TO STOP THE STREAM OF ALBANIAN BOATS ACROSS THE ADRIATIC.

ITALIAN LEADERS HAVE ALSO BEEN PUSHING FOR HUMANITARIAN AID TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN ALBANIA WHERE AN ARMED INSURRECTION BROKE OUT EARLIER THIS MONTH.

WITH APPROVAL FROM THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL, AN ITALIAN-LED MULTINATIONAL SECURITY FORCE WILL BE DEPLOYED AT ALBANIAN PORTS AND THE TIRANA AIRPORT TO PROTECT SHIPMENTS OF FOOD AND MEDICINES. REPORTS FROM TIRANA SAID ADVANCE CONTINGENTS COULD ARRIVE WITHIN DAYS. (SIGNED)
NEB/PP/JWH/KL
29-Mar-97 10:06 AM EST (1506 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[03] ALBANIA FORCE (S ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (PRAGUE)

INTRO: THE ALBANIA ENVOY OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE HAS WELCOMED THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL'S APPROVAL (LATE FRIDAY) OF PLANS TO SEND EUROPEAN TROOPS AND POLICE TO HELP RESTORE ORDER TO STRIFE-TORN ALBANIA. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS.

TEXT: FORMER AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR FRANZ VRANITZKY SAYS THE SECURITY COUNCIL ACTION IS VERY POSITIVE AND THAT A PROTECTION FORCE COULD BE DISPATCHED WITHIN TWO WEEKS.

MR. VRANITZKY, WHO HAS MADE TWO RECENT TRIPS TO ALBANIA, SAYS THERE IS NO TIME TO LOSE. THE ITALIAN LED MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE WOULD PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR AID CONVOYS AND TRAINING FOR ALBANIA'S DISORGANIZED AND DEMORALIZED POLICE AND ARMY.

MR. VRANITZKY SAYS UNITED NATIONS APPROVAL FOR THE PROTECTION FORCE PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR ACTIVE EUROPEAN INVOLVEMENT TO HELP RESOLVE THE ALBANIAN CRISIS.

SEVERAL COUNTRIES HAVE OFFERED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE. THEY INCLUDE ITALY, FRANCE, SPAIN, PORTUGAL, AND GREECE. ROMANIA AND TURKEY ALSO HAVE INDICATED THEIR READINESS TO PARTICIPATE.

ITALIAN MILITARY OFFICIALS SUGGEST THAT THE FORCE SHOULD HAVE FIVE-THOUSAND PERSONNEL, WITH HALF BEING HELD IN RESERVE. THE O-S-C-E EARLIER THIS WEEK GAVE ITS SUPPORT TO MILITARY INTERVENTION, SOMETHING THAT REPEATEDLY HAS BEEN CALLED FOR BY THE ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER AND PRESIDENT. (SIGNED)
NEB/BDW/JWH
29-Mar-97 11:01 AM EST (1601 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article