Washington warning: There is danger from maneuvers at Rinas, a plane “disappears” Draft law to make defense spending conditional on human rights Kosovo / Godo: This alarm shows that war is at the doorstep State Department: After the plane from Kosovo landed, the clash at the airport was extremely alarming. Albania: We are ready to protect them ROSHI reports The U.S. government issued a public warning yesterday, advising its citizens not to travel to Albania. “All non-essential travel to Albania and those who are there at this time should leave,” said a statement made public by the State Department. The warning was justified by “political demonstrations and the unsafe situation.” This U.S. warning follows the heavy gunfire and exchange of fire on Thursday near Rinas International Airport. According to Albanian officials, the gunfire was aimed at a police car escorting former President Sali Berisha. He was returning from a political meeting with supporters of the Democratic Party, 15 km north of Tirana. But American officials say the fire may also have been directed at a foreign aircraft. “We do not know whether it was aimed at Berisha’s escort or at the plane,” said an American official. “But the fact is that shots were fired on the airport runway.” This warning has been issued at a time when internal political tension in Albania has risen again. At the same time, the situation in Kosovo and its proximity to the Albanian border make the security issue more sensitive. Sources from Washington also announced that a bill is circulating in the U.S. Congress that would make defense spending conditional on improvements in law and institutions. The Albanian government responded by stressing that the country remains open and that the authorities are able to guarantee public order. “We are ready to protect them,” is the Albanian side’s position regarding foreigners and diplomatic missions. The article continues on page 5 with details. Nano yesterday in the basement of MC [H. Pustina] [?]

Kosovo & Milosevic DIALOGUE IN ILLUSION NAPOLON ROSHI The Albanian side sees the international pressure to sit down at the negotiating table as insignificant. This is understandable. Western capitals are asking it to avoid the continuation of an armed conflict, but it has gained ground and is controlling large areas. Deputy chairman Adem Demaçi has declared that there can be no serious dialogue without the presence of international mediators and without stopping Serbian military operations. On the other side, Belgrade uses the invitation to dialogue as a tactic to buy time and legitimize its own control. European envoys have emphasized the need to reduce tensions and resume political contacts, but the reality on the ground says otherwise. In villages and towns across Kosovo, new clashes and population movements have been recorded in recent days. Many families have left their homes because of shelling and artillery fire. In this climate, the idea of immediate dialogue seems more like an illusion than a real possibility. Albanian political representatives fear that any talks unsupported by international guarantees will be used against them. Meanwhile, Milosevic continues to present the crisis as an internal matter of Yugoslavia. If the international community does not increase real pressure on Belgrade and does not create verification and protection mechanisms for civilians, calls for dialogue will remain only declarations. Kosovo is entering a phase in which diplomacy must go hand in hand with security measures; otherwise, the illusion of dialogue will serve only to conceal the escalation of the conflict. Continues on page 8

The election campaign ends Politics & elections ENEMIES OR LOVERS? QANI BUKU[ELI?] At the end of the campaign, foreign observers and political representatives comment on the role of public television and its relationship with the opposition. The strongest criticism concerns the long amount of time devoted to Sali Berisha’s activities, which, according to the observers, has distorted public information. OSBE has called for clearer standards and a more equal distribution of television time during the campaign. On the other hand, opposition supporters have presented this as a reflection of public interest. Commentators have also spoken about the tense political climate and the lack of dialogue between the parties. On the eve of the elections, state television has turned into an arena of symbolic clashes, where every minute of broadcasting is interpreted as political support. This has prompted the ironic question: “enemies or lovers?”, highlighting the complicated relationship between politics and the media. Continues on page 2

France ’98 special (Photo: ANSA) A sports feature set against the backdrop of the World Cup also offers a look at Nigeria, the great African country, its potential, its team, and its chances in the competition. The Nigerian squad is presented as a physical and technical force, with standout players and clear ambitions in the tournament. On pages 10-11

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Tirana - Careless bullets caused an operation to detain several wanted persons to end with a police officer being wounded. According to police sources, the incident occurred during an intervention in the outskirts of the capital. The wounded officer received first aid and is out of danger.

WORLD CUP ENCYCLOPEDIA After four boys you will have in your hands the daily World Cup Encyclopedia France ’98 World Cup, booklet 23 and 24 Tomorrow The teams of Yugoslavia, Iran, Colombia and Romania

Send the coupon (to 2), buy 370 Tirana Italian consular equipment On the pages of “Gazeta Shqiptare”

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