Now even on Saturday, President Berisha, who is following a passive position on the negotiating front with Belgrade and Tirana, has turned to Ibrahim Rugova's thinking. This is learned to be true. On Sunday, the deputy speaker of parliament, Muharrem Shabani, was in Tirana. The way he approached Berisha has shed new light on the exchange of views between Tirana and Pristina. Albanians are now convinced that the rapprochement with Vienna and with the American government makes change inevitable. At the end of September, Berisha and Rugova themselves clarified their roles for the future. The mutual misunderstanding over Berisha's resignation from the politics of non-recognition of Rugova in Albania and of Moscow has set several factors in motion. For the first time, the diplomacy of Washington and London is trying to bring a solution to the table. This became clear also at the latest meeting among Albanians in Macedonia. Two weeks after the start of the Serbian opposition protests in Belgrade against the manipulation of local elections, tension has risen sharply in the words and formulations coming from official Tirana. At the top of domestic politics there seems to be an effort to create a new agreement. Viewed closely, this is thought to be an attempt to preserve stability and avoid escalation of the crisis. SIPA, the state that officially controls Kosovo but has silently given in because of its inability to manage the situation, is seeking new paths. While Tirana sees an exit from the crisis as tied to developments in Belgrade, Pristina is keeping the fragile debate within its own political elite. The Turks wrote about this issue in 1981, and Kosovo needed 15 years to create new ground. What is happening now is only a return to the old logic of silence. If the Serbian opposition manages to impose higher standards in Belgrade, Kosovo may gain more attention at the international tables. For now, Tirana has chosen not to take on the role of instigator. This is also the reason why in recent days there has been talk of new coordination between Rugova and Berisha. Could this be called a new strategy? That remains to be seen. Ilir Ikonomi, from London, especially for “Koha Jonë” page 9

Photo G. SHKULLAKU Elsa Lila, winner of Fest '96

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Samer -Golden Ball for the year '96 page 23