Assassination attempt at midnight at his home’s entrance Attempt on Majko’s bodyguard. Two armed men laid an ambush near the home of the deputy head of the Prime Minister’s security detail. The officer’s immediate response foiled the shooters’ plan, and they fled quickly. The reasons for Monday’s attack on the escort of the head of Government remain a mystery. The important case has engaged the best anti-crime experts. According to the police directorate spokesperson, the incident took place at around 9:15 p.m. on January 4, as Vasillaq Sato was travelling in a four-wheel-drive jeep with foreign license plates. The US Congress “forgets” to invite Mejduni The US invites the Prime Minister On page 5 The US Congress “forgets” to invite Mejduni. The US invites the Prime Minister. On page 5

Mirosh Sako It is now well known that, throughout the history of the development of the Albanian state during this century, foreign policy has pursued different orientations, which have generally been the result of unsuccessful domestic developments. Thus, during the monarchy, it veered at times toward the East and at times toward the West, between London and Rome, Vienna and Paris, Belgrade and Budapest, etc. During Noli’s brief period of democratic rule, faced with encirclement by royalist countries, he chose the League of Nations and Moscow as points of reference. Hoxha’s government, while orienting its foreign policy toward the East, briefly attempted a Western orientation, using Paris, Rome, Athens and Ankara, but it failed to bring the country closer to the West, where it had originated. In general, we can say that no policy, whether toward the East or the West, was achieved that could have helped resolve the national question. Foreign-policy developments were, of course, also affected by the interests of the countries with which a partnership was formed or sought, as well as by the influence of these interests from outside in. Continued on page 5

RETURN The head of diplomacy, Paskal Milo, and the political leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army, Adem Demaçi, appeared together before the press after a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which Milo described as historic. Demaçi also called on Tirana to change its positions. On page 4

DOSSIER On pages 12–13

SURPRISE On page 2