Meeting of President Berisha with Mr. Cian Ci Cen, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of China In the new relations between Albania and China, your visit, Mr. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, is an important event and a powerful impetus for their development. Enver Hoxha broke off relations with China precisely when Lin Biao and Cian Cin were struck down in China, on whom he had placed great hopes. He was terrified by Ten Hsiao Pini’s new course of opening up. But undoubtedly, nothing has shaken the deep respect that Albanians have felt and continue to feel for the Chinese people, Chinese culture, and the creative genius of the Chinese. It is also an undeniable fact that Ten Hsiao Pini, through his course of major reforms, not only inspired other Eastern countries behind the scenes, but transformed China, this great country, into a powerful political and economic force in the world, whose role, weight and contribution are continually growing. Undoubtedly, relations with China are and will remain very important for us, and in this regard we greatly value both your contribution to resolving the Balkan crisis, as a member of the Security Council, and economic and all-round cooperation with you. We believe that the war in Bosnia, despite the inter-confessional and inter-ethnic colors it has today, began as a disguised and overt aggression by Belgrade’s chauvinist circles to create Greater Serbia. I assure you that, had Bosnia’s political leadership, a year and a half ago, accepted the Republic of Greater Serbia. This support has been of two kinds: open and covert. Open support was given to it by conservative Russian circles and Greek ultra-nationalists, while covert support came from those circles that see their own interests—interests which, in my view, are outdated—in the creation of Greater Serbia. Therefore, today it is of great importance that China and the international community not accept the aggressors’ fait accompli policy and not accept ethnic cleansing, which is identical to Hitler’s racist patriotism. This dangerous precedent would lead to new wars, and in this context Kosovo is the most threatened region. A war in Kosovo would mean a Balkan war; therefore, preventive measures are essential, such as imposing an embargo on Serbia in light of the situation in Kosovo and placing it under international control. Mr. Cian Ci Cen said that he fully agreed. And preventive measures were called for to avert the conflict which, if it broke out, would have tragic consequences. Regarding bilateral relations between China and Albania, President Berisha and the Chinese Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that they should enter a new phase of development and cooperation on new foundations. Our cooperation, they stressed, should be stable and long-term. Albania’s geographical position and its resources make it a suitable country for Chinese investors to come to. Stability in the country also has considerable influence in this regard: [To the] Security Council, which [has] acknowledged this, as well as economic and comprehensive regardless of the interfaith and interethnic dimensions it has today, began as a disguised and open aggression by the chauvinist circles of Belgrade to create Greater Serbia. It is certain ago agreed to the Republic of Bosnia joining Serbia, the Serbian leadership was prepared to offer them high-ranking positions in the Yugoslav federation. Thus, the real cause of the war is Milošević’s decision to create Greater Serbia and Bosnia’s refusal, despite pressure from him and the UN, to give up its sovereignty. Naturally, Milošević has had and continues to have reliable support in his criminal undertaking of stressed that they should embark on a new course emphasized, come to. Stability in the country also has a considerable impact in this regard. At the end of the meeting, Mr. Cian Ci Cen conveyed his warmest wishes and, on behalf of the Chinese President, invited President Berisha to visit China. President Berisha also invited the Chinese President to visit Albania. Press and Information Office attached to the President Tirana, 11. 09. 1993

— Interview given by Mr. Xhefri Pati to the BBC. We have great admiration for the Albanian Democratic Party, for the way it has dealt with its problems in Albania, declared the deputy leader of the British Conservative Party, Sir Xhefri Pati, in an exclusive interview with the BBC’s Albanian section. , for the way it has dealt with its problems in Albania, declared the deputy leader of the British Conservative Party, Sir Xhefri Pati, in an exclusive interview with the BBC’s Albanian section. — Sir Xhefri, what is your opinion of these conditions imposed by the Greeks? — As I explained to the Greek parliamentarians with whom I spoke at the Budapest meeting, I think that whatever the agreements between sister parties in the European Democratic Union may be, they should not be a reason to block progress within our organization. In Budapest we sought the full membership of the Albanian Democratic Party in this union. It was precisely this goal that the «New Democracy» party sought to block. But the argument put forward by the Greeks was no reason to refuse this party admission, because in May both our committee and the Greek members were satisfied that the Albanian Democratic Party met the criteria for full membership, and since then they have done nothing. So they did not suddenly become unacceptable in the eyes of the world. Unfortunately, there has been an incident, on which I, as an outsider, am not in a position to comment. But it happened, the Greeks reacted, and some say they overreacted. As for the issue of the opposition leader, this concerns the former communist leader, who is accused of corruption, and I think that when such evidence comes to light, any government finds it difficult not to take measures against him if it does not want to be accused itself of failing to uphold the rule of law. — Sir Xhefri, why do you think the Greeks are so opposed to Europe, and in this case, to the admission of the Albanian Democratic Party to the European Democratic Union? — I want to emphasize that the Greeks were completely isolated on this issue. the way it has resolved serious problems in Albania. I’m afraid a pattern is emerging in Greek foreign policy: when they have disagreements with their neighbors, they bring those disagreements to forums such as the Council of Europe, and it is always the Greeks who end up with difficult problems. This is not a good thing, since the Greeks have a major role in the region. They have missed a great opportunity to take the lead in the region and, above all, to be constructive. In connection with this issue, the BBC correspondent in Greece held a brief telephone conversation with Xh. Kostas, secretary of the Greek «New Democracy» party. He asked him about the party’s position in Budapest. According to Mr. Kostas, the admission of the Albanian Democratic Party was not discussed at any of the conference sessions. Consequently, «New Democracy» had no reason to veto it. The Greek MP said that it had previously been decided to establish a committee headed by Austrian Foreign Minister Alois Mok, which would go to Albania to assess the situation. However, this committee did not go to Albania, and so Democratic Union was postponed, not canceled. Wretched deceivers! The social-labor alliance spent the whole week writing that the DP was not admitted to the European Democratic Union because it had not accepted the conditions for this alliance. But, as even the ally of this alliance, Xh. Kosta, says, it was not mentioned at all in Budapest. The social-chauvinist mouthpiece «ZP» has been so stung by Xhefri Pati’s interview that it does not mention it at all. We are publishing this interview, as well as Xh. Kosias’s views.

MEETING OF MR. ARBNORI WITH MR. CIAN ÇI ÇEN, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER OF CHINA Today at 11:30, the Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly, Mr. Pjetër Arbnori, received the Vice Chairman of the State Council and Foreign Minister of China, Çian Çi Çen, and the delegation accompanying him. After giving an overview of democratic developments in Albania and the country’s achievements in the political, economic and social fields, Mr. Arbnori spoke about the effective work being done by the People’s Assembly, which also stands in contrast to the formalism of the one-party Assembly, which was nothing more than a compliant rubber stamp for the dictator’s orders. There are now heated debates and disputes in the Assembly, but also consensus on the adoption of many laws. In this way, we are building a genuine democracy, but no one can boast of having a perfect democracy. Anyone who claims to have achieved such a democracy means that it is a dead democracy, because democracy’s finest quality is its continual improvement. Speaking about our foreign policy, Mr. Arbnori said that we support peace, understanding and friendship with the states and peoples of the world, regardless of their systems or distance from us. In this context, we are interested in improving and strengthening relations with the People’s Republic of China as well. We have had relations with China, but also dark moments. These were the consequences of the old policy, now overcome. It must be said that neither the Albanian people nor the Chinese people have had any ill will toward one another. China’s assistance to Albania has been (continued on page 4)

— The causes of the deterioration in relations between the two countries and the two parties do not lie on our side — Regarding the statements by the representative of the «New Democracy» party, Xhirxhi Kostas, that the issue of the DP’s membership in the EDU was not raised at all, as well as the resignation of Mico Tagi, the chairman of the Democratic Party, Mr. Eduart Selami told our journalist Edi Paloka: The statement by the representative of New Democracy was not raised at all at the 16th EDU Conference is, I think, a false statement that needs no comment. This is also clear from the simple fact that he himself said that we, together with the EDU chairman, the Secretary-General and other representatives, spent hours trying to persuade the Greek representative to withdraw the veto. As for the resignation of Mico Tagi, leader of New Democracy, and the announcement of early elections in Greece, I would say that this is an expression of Greece’s internal political crisis, which since the Cold War has been gripped by nationalist fever. The tense relations between our two countries and our two parties have also been evidence of this, but this resignation once again shows that those responsible for the deterioration of relations between the two parties are not on our side, but rather lie in Mico Tagi and his party’s lack of a clear policy. Nevertheless, we wish and hope that the new elections will bring positive changes to Greece’s political life, and victory for the forces of the future rather than for extremist nationalists. We hope that after this, our relations with Greece and New Democracy will also be normalized.

It seems normal for any initiative by the Albanian political opposition to compete in the country’s political developments with concrete ideas and projects. The mission of the opposition is criticism and the presentation of concrete objectives. Such a constructive opposition would win the appreciation of democracy, progress, the nation, and history. But, unfortunately, Albania, the last communist country in Europe, was deprived of such a historic satisfaction. After the victory of democracy, the power of the democratic coalition began economic reform, the only way to ensure national survival. But, precisely in the face of this historic activity, the ex-communist opposition, frightened by its discrediting, by the crimes and corruption that have gripped its past and present, unable to achieve its main aim—the premature overthrow of the democratic institutions of law and justice—rushed in the other direction, toward the national question. It did everything possible for a group of political opportunists, driven by sympathy for Enver Hoxha’s former cronies, to achieve what they had regarded as their ideal for 45 years: Albania’s isolation. Today’s member states of the Council of Europe were declared “enemies of the proletariat” and for 45 years were subjected to low propaganda full of slander, insults, blackmail, and threats. The principal mechanisms of the dictatorship, which also included the future “socialists” Nano, Agolli, Dokle, and Pëllumbi, left no democratic person or politician in the democratic world untainted by communist and Bolshevik labels. But the position of the PPSH meant that their voices could not reach beyond the Adriatic. And when political pluralism came about through the historic demonstrations of the students and the people, those who had suddenly been “enemies of imperialism,” grouped in the PPSH, emerged in the PSSh and began a new campaign around the world. This time not against the “West,” but against the USA, Gensher, Carter, Delor, Martinetz, Lalymer, etc. And above all, they began a campaign against… Albania. Albania sought to join NATO, and the press and propaganda of the PSSH filled its pages with dark columns lined up against every Albanian dictatorship, about NATO’s “devotion” to Albania, etc. Albania sought to enter the Islamic Conference, and the ex-communists “left behind vulgar, slanderous words from the Albanian vocabulary,” labeling this accession and these countries—which make up a third of UN member states—as something to oppose. Albania sought the deployment of UN troops within NATO, and the PSSH declared on the front page of its own press that Albania was to blame, not Greece! Albania sought a constitution and integration into European structures, and the parliamentary parties and the PSSH openly threatened “skull-cracking” and “dragging [people] away.” Albania sought respect (continued on page 4)

Every passing day is a further exposure of Neritan Alia, and worst of all, he exposes himself as a devoted defender of the communist dictatorship regime, shedding tears, poor man, for the happy years of socialism. That this gentleman was Ramiz Alia’s puppet and used the same means to defend him and his policy at the expense of the December ’90 movement is now clear, and it is worth recalling often so that he may know himself well. But what is worth emphasizing is that this “President” of the PAD has taken it upon himself to educate a generation of “idealist” intellectuals who would better serve his aims. This is all because Neritan Alia is guided by instincts of obedience and not by consciousness. He is like a chick that follows any creature or object it sees as soon as it hatches. So this chick recognizes only Ramiz Alia as its mother hen, because that is what it first saw when it came out of the egg. This explains Mr. Neritan’s loyalty to social principles and ideas, a loyalty he declares whenever he remembers the opportunity. In the newspaper (Alternativa) of September 11, he says that “now we can say that intellectual value has fallen another degree under socialism.” There are many reasons for Neritan Alia’s expression of regret for the socialism he experienced. One reason he was better off under socialism is that when he denounced his colleagues, he became a director. And those colleagues, managers and specialists, were “idealist intellectuals” whom Mr. Ceka wants to recreate anew. In this same article, this “President” of the AD is unhappy that the establishment of a democratic system in the Eastern countries is called the overthrow of the communist dictatorship, rather than a political catastrophe. Neritan Alia could not have been part of this overthrow; it really was a catastrophe, that is, for “intellectuals” of this kind, Ceka EDITOR SURI

The leaders of the PS and Dokle — GUILTY BEFORE HISTORY

Neritan Alia nostalgic

Members of the National Council of the PDSH are hereby informed that on Friday, 17.09.1993, at 11:00, the Expanded National Council of the PDSH will hold its proceedings in the hall of the National Historical Museum, with the following agenda: Further consolidation of the democratic structure and development of the reform—a new phase for the promotion of democracy in Albania. The PDSH parliamentary group, government officials, and the mayors of the Democratic Party are invited to take part in the proceedings of this council. Press and Information Office of the Democratic Party