On 22 August, the chairman of the Republican Party, Mr. Sabri Godo, was received at the State Department in Washington by the Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Canada, Mr. Rudolf Perina, and by the director for relations with the countries of Southeastern Europe, Mr. Xhim Snajger, among others. Mr. Godo presented his views on political developments in Albania. Mr. Perina positively assessed the solutions put forward by the Republican Party in its 28 May declaration. During the frank and cordial conversation, common views were found on all issues. Mr. Godo stressed that the Albanian people are steadfast in their desire to develop closer relations with the USA, the great homeland of democracy. Both sides considered further contacts necessary.

The resolution of the secretary’s riddle, a barometer of which clan will win The 2nd Congress As expected, the second Congress of the PS immediately entered a series of heated controversies. It was the chairman, Nano, who started this, directing a very harsh, gloves-off attack at the party leadership, not only holding it responsible for the entire course followed so far, but also not hesitating to demand their immediate removal from the party leadership. With this, the first deputy chairman of the PS indirectly rejects the chairman’s accusations against the rest of the party leadership. Thus, after Nano’s message was read, it became the target of successive attacks by opponents of his motion, [text unclear] with politicians as corrupt as was the case in Italy. As if to illustrate these assessments by the socialist deputy chairman and FRESSH chairman, the only important personality from the West was Louis Ajala, invited by Meta. Thus, amid discussions and debates that at times went beyond even the most elementary bounds of courtesy, the Second Congress of the PS is continuing. But its most important part is tomorrow, when, after the discussions end, the most important decisions will be made. First, a decision will be made on how the secretary-general is to be elected. Nano and his supporters back the position that the secretary-general should be appointed by the leadership or by the chairman himself, a position opposed by the anti-motionists, who propose that the secretary-general too be elected by the congress. Discussion of this and which position... [The opening fragment is unclear] the chairman Nano himself, who directed from the party leadership. According to Nano, they should be stripped of all their functions or, to use an expression he particularly likes, “take off their epaulettes.” This naturally raised tensions considerably, and even before Nano had finished reading his message, which could be called his indictment of the socialist leadership, heated debates began, with accusations and counteraccusations. Mr. Pellumbi himself, in his report on behalf of the leadership, devoted considerable attention to the way the party leadership made decisions. According to Pellumbi, the leadership made decisions in complete concordance with the chairman.

The United States Government calls for an expansion of political dialogue between the governing party and the opposition in Albania as the first step toward holding free and fair local elections, adopting a new constitution and holding new parliamentary elections at the earliest opportunity. The United States believes that the governing Democratic Party [text appears incomplete]. We recommend an inclusive formula for participation in future round-table discussions. We call on the opposition parties to participate fully in this electoral process and in efforts to strengthen Albania’s democratic institutions. USIS

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