After a year apart, the two opposition leaders meet face to face PD and PR may call for new elections after the Constitution The leader of the PR entered the Democrats’ headquarters at midday. Mystery surrounds the unexpected conversation TIRANA - Secret meeting between Godo and Berisha. The leader of the Democrats and the most important figure among the Republicans spent an afternoon in a face-to-face meeting in Berisha’s office on the second floor of the PD headquarters. Godo and Berisha discussed the new conditions on which new elections depend, and a possible rapprochement between the Republicans and the Democrats. Yesterday, people who frequent the headquarters of the opposition’s largest party saw a very rare visitor climb the stairs; he kept his face turned toward Berisha’s office. Confidential sources close to the PD said yesterday that Berisha had requested the meeting, but Godo had also initially responded positively, agreeing to go to the PD.

Hill meets the Serbs PRISHTINA - While NATO forces have begun exercises in Albania, intended to send a clear message to Yugoslav President Slobodan Millosheviç, the United States of America has revived its initiative for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Kosovo. On page 8

BASHKIM GJERGJI One of the main KLA strongholds, in Junik, has fallen into Serbian hands. This battlefield event was preceded by, and continues to be accompanied by, signals that Prishtina–Belgrade talks may be possible, although the Albanian side has made the cessation of the Serbian offensive, the withdrawal of police forces, and the presence of the international community at future talks conditions. In fact, Rugova, under pressure from the Western powers and developments on the ground, hurried to take the long-awaited step by forming a negotiating team for talks with Millosheviç. But this does not seem to satisfy Albanian politicians, or Kosovo’s public figures, and especially not the KLA, which, through Demaci, made known its disagreement with the Kosovo president’s choice. The reactions so far point more to a further escalation of the debate and opposing positions in Prishtina. This situation cannot but cause surprise in certain political circles in Western Europe and the United States, and also among public opinion in this part of the world, which, particularly since 1981, has been used to seeing the Kosovo political class take a united position on Belgrade’s aggressive course. However, this seems to be only one side of the issue; as for their strategic objective and the tactics people in Kosovo should pursue, they have not yet found common ground. It is no coincidence that Holbrook and other Western diplomats have repeatedly stressed the need to unify positions and present the Albanian factor at the negotiating table at the level of a genuine dialogue. But Kosovo’s currently divided politicians have still been unable to overcome this state of confusion and contradictions. And precisely while statements and counterstatements continue in Prishtina, Serbian forces have launched a large-scale offensive, the harshest since the January massacre in the village of Prekaz. After it, there were wounded and dead, while the aftermath once again left its mark on the surrounding area. In this already tense situation, the KLA has lost control of several of its most important areas. All of this is further complicated, as if by clouds that had gathered over the region some time ago, by the West’s silence or lukewarm stance. A quick review of all the events in Kosovo makes it easy to see that pressure from the international community, and especially from the United States, has been applied consistently, but has changed direction depending on circumstances, at times toward one side or the other. It has been an instrument of the great powers’ policy, used at times by the Serbian side and at times by the Kosovo side, in pursuit of one goal: bringing the sides to talks and finding a solution between the divided parties. The statements by Albanian leaders are well known, as are the many discussions about preventing a second Bosnia and NATO’s various interventions in Kosovo’s conflict zone. But when the threat to the Kosovo people and political forces on the international stage seemed to have reached a peak, events took a completely different turn: the Serbian side went on the offensive and set out on a course of action, and the first “Bosnia-style” efforts once again made the headlines, but this time seemed not to provoke the reaction expected from the West. There are two possible reasons—

1,700 TROOPS LANDED IN BIZË YESTERDAY On page 2 From yesterday’s maneuvers in Bizë (Photo: ANSA)

TIRANA - “A message for those who massacre and those who are massacred.” Fatos Nano interprets the NATO exercise in Albania as a warning to Belgrade and Millosheviç, but also as a sign of support and solidarity for the Albanians of Kosovo. The Prime Minister of Albania, commenting yesterday to foreign journalists on the start of the joint exercise by NATO countries and the Partnership for Peace, spoke of a very dramatic situation beyond Albania’s national borders, in Kosovo, and expressed optimism about the joint responses of the West and the countries of the Northern Alliance in resolving the conflict. On page 3

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Pyramid-scheme interest: those who benefited will be punished The Ministry of Finance sends the Oversight Group the list of names TIRANA - Customs and tax employees who benefited from the pyramid schemes will be punished by the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry has sent the Oversight Board for Pyramid Schemes lists of all its employees. The Board will verify which names also appear on the creditors’ lists. The amounts involved and the income of the finance employees will be examined. If the amounts are large, this will be evidence that they benefited through their jobs. On page 9 Director of Customs

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Ministry: the CIA knew everything TIRANA - The American embassy closed after receiving warnings about the possibility of an organized attack against it. Official sources at the Albanian Ministry of Public Order revealed yesterday that the reason for the temporary suspension of the American embassy’s activities in Tirana was precisely the suspicion that the country’s most powerful diplomatic mission would soon be targeted in an attack. On page 4

ATHENS - A super-escape from a prison in the Greek capital. A group of 41 Albanians managed to break through the prison perimeter on the outskirts of the city with ease, although none of the guards made any effort to stop them. Most of them were teenagers. After leaving the prison, they stole all the cars they could find outside its perimeter and set off in different directions. The incident, which has caused a powerful stir, has shaken the Greek justice system, which blames the guards for colluding with the prisoners. Meanwhile, following the manhunt that began on Saturday evening immediately after their escape, Greek police forces have managed to put 9 of the prisoners back behind bars. On page 4

TIRANA - The Greek embassy suspended its consular activities. As of yesterday, the embassy of Albania’s southern neighbours will no longer issue visas to Albanian citizens. A number of tired and disappointed people were seen leaving the Greek embassy’s offices; one notice stated that the issuance of visas had been suspended until further notice. Official Greek sources did not clarify the reason for the embassy’s closure, but said the measure would be temporary. Reliable sources close to the Albanian police said yesterday that such a move may have been taken for the same reason that compelled American diplomats to suspend their diplomatic activities at their residence in Tirana, located across the road from the Greek embassy on Rruga e Elbasanit. According to the police, visa services may have been suspended because of a possible terrorist attack on this embassy as well.