Albanians and Serbs reject one another Belgrade: Autonomy is acceptable, but only cultural PRISHTINA - No positive sign of dialogue between Albanians and Serbs. The parties to the conflict accuse each other of having chosen the path of confrontation. The Albanian leadership is seeking independence, announcing elections for March 22, while the Serbs insist on a solution within Yugoslavia, conceding at most cultural autonomy. NATO, meanwhile, is signaling that it will send its troops to the region to prevent conflict. Efforts for Albanian-Serb dialogue failed yesterday in Prishtina, the capital of Kosovo. Kosovo Albanian leaders did not accept an offer for dialogue from Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Ratko Markoviç yesterday in Prishtina. According to the LDK spokesperson, the largest Albanian parties have no official position on dialogue, and there is no established agenda for discussions. Meanwhile, the Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister stated that the elections are scheduled for March 22. The election date was confirmed yesterday in Prishtina by official LDK sources, despite the diplomatic tour of Millosheviç’s man, Markoviç, in the city of Kosovo. The Kosovo Albanian leadership has clearly stated its position: it will not participate in any negotiating table as long as there is no third-party mediator and no set agenda. “Markoviç’s visit to Prishtina once again showed Belgrade’s position that the Kosovo issue is an internal matter of Serbia, which can be resolved at most within the framework of cultural autonomy,” Albanian sources from Kosovo said yesterday. Meanwhile, the leader of Kosovo’s hard-line faction, Adem Demaçi, was categorically opposed to a possible Markoviç-Rugova meeting, describing it as a trap having accepted Markoviç yesterday in Prishtina. According to the spokesperson for the LDK, the largest Albanian party has no official invitation to dialogue and, moreover, no agenda has been set for what would be discussed. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Markoviç has not left for Belgrade, assuming the role of host. According to him, the invitation remains open for today as well. Markoviç has definitively dashed the hopes of Kosovo Albanians for independence, or even for the expanded autonomy requested by the international community. Milošević’s man was also categorical about having a foreign mediator during talks with the leaders of the “Albanian minority,” as he called the legitimate representatives of the Albanians. Meanwhile, the Albanian side’s reaction has been harsh. The spokesperson for the LDK and for Ibrahim Rugova, the moderate president of Kosovo Albanians, has stressed that there is no official invitation to dialogue. According to him, the invitation was made via television, and there had been no advance negotiations to set the agenda for the talks. Indeed, the “rebel” within the leadership of Kosovo Albanians went so far as to say saying that he is ready to discuss, planned Meanwhile, NATO is preparing to deploy its troops in the Balkan region. According to the Italian agency ANSA, citing a U.S. NATO official, the deployment of military troops to Albania and Macedonia is being discussed in order to prevent the conflict in the Balkans from escalating. The U.S. official stressed that NATO Secretary General Javier Solana’s visit to Tirana also served this purpose. p.r.e.

The unseen side of the two-day trip: He meets Jews and Arabs Nano in Israel for Gazidede What were the former head of SHIK’s links with the Islamists? The Prime Minister and his entourage on a surprise visit to the land of Mossad TIRANA—Mossad, a name now familiar throughout the history of major clashes in the Middle East, will also help the Albanian government. In addition to agreements and talks of little consequence, Nano’s delegation to Tel Aviv had another purpose, one more closely connected with Albania’s domestic history than with the history of the ancient friendship between Albanians and Jews, or between Albanians and Palestinians. The two official sources expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the meetings between Nano and Israel’s leader, Beniamin Netaniahu. The best proof of this was the courteous smile exchanged by Nano and the Israelis, or the warm embrace between him and the legendary Arafat, still a fierce rival of the Israeli prime minister. On page 9 Nano and Arafat yesterday in Jerusalem (Photo: REUTERS)

Meidani’s visit and the controversies that followed TIRANA - Shock in Greece-Albania relations. Meidani has returned from Athens but left behind an unsigned agreement. The Greeks demanded a great deal in the meetings, while the Albanian delegation took a firm stance. No Greek school in Himarë, no Greek as a second language, and once again, no to His Beatitude Janullatos’s citizenship. These were some of Tirana’s objections, which left the education agreement unfinished. On page 6 Meidani in Greece

TIRANA - The health of Perlat Musta is improving. In the early hours of the morning he regained consciousness and even began to speak. His remarkable physical condition seems to have triumphed over the ordeal and the very serious injury. Nevertheless, danger still hangs over the head of our national team goalkeeper. “We must wait another five days; throughout this time the prognosis will remain guarded.” Surrounded by more than 50 people waiting outside, it was impossible for us to enter the room where the Partizani coach has been admitted. His friends and well-wishers were present at the hospital throughout the day. His family, who have not left his side for a moment, his teammates, the boys he coaches every day, and those who trained with him in the past were all there yesterday. However, more than talking with him, we were interested in what the doctors had to say. “Compared with the previous day, his condition is much better. Perlat has begun to speak. The lung has begun to function, and these are signs that the operation was successful. But we are still at the stage of a guarded prognosis. There is always the possibility of an infection, which could also cause other complications. Four ribs are fractured, very close to the lung, and they are the most likely source of an infection,” they said. Nevertheless, it was not difficult to see the hope on their faces that the worst was over. After an entire sleepless night, their relief at some good news and hope for Musta’s quick recovery were clearly visible. “Will Musta be ready to continue coaching Partizani?” It was a naive question, which, besides bringing smiles from them, also received the answer we had hoped for. “No, there is no problem. He will be in full physical condition and will live like everyone else, ... but please wait. At least another five days, because these are also the most decisive ones for his life. After that we will give the exact final prognosis.” They then left calmly to return to their daily work.

TIRANA - Detention in prison for the person who shot at Perlat Musta. Before the court, the detainee explained what had happened the previous night, admitting the charge brought against him. “It was night and I couldn’t see anything.” This is what Guri Llazi said in the courtroom. Accused of attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm, the 40-year-old sat in the dock yesterday. The well-known goalkeeper’s neighbor admitted the prosecution’s charge and requested an expedited trial in the case. According to the prosecutor, at midnight on Tuesday Musta knocked on the outer gate of the defendant’s house. At that moment, without asking any questions or giving any warning, Llazi fired a pistol at him. One bullet seriously wounded the Partizani coach. After the incident, the 40-year-old went to the police station on his own. Meanwhile, it is clarified that the defendant supported the prosecution’s account. “I heard someone knocking loudly on the courtyard gate and fired in self-defense. I didn’t know who it was,” the detainee told the court. After retiring to reach a decision, Judge Konstantinov signed the order for the defendant’s detention in prison. Having admitted the charge, the judicial review of the case is expected to begin soon. er.la

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KUKËS - The remote northeastern city lives every day with news coming from the nearby border and from the distant offices of European diplomacy. The only ones able to enter and leave freely, the Gorani traders, bring goods and the latest news from Kosovo. Local residents are convinced there will be no influx of refugees, since Kosovars are unlikely to abandon their homes. Meanwhile, the general of the border division says there have been no reinforcements from Tirana, only increased vigilance. On page 7 A tower on the Albanian-Yugoslav border

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The editorial staff of “Gazeta Shqiptare” extends its condolences to our colleague Miriam Koligi on the loss of her loved one. At this time of grief, all the colleagues in our editorial office stand by our colleague.