“First of all, I would like to thank you for the great assistance and the ongoing care you have shown in establishing legislation in Albania that conforms to European standards,” President Berisha said at the beginning of his meeting with Mr. La Pergola. Your personal assistance and Albania’s cooperation with the European Commission for Democracy through Law have been of great importance to us. The fruit of this assistance and cooperation is the Charter of Human Rights in Albania, which is today one of the most advanced in Europe and, despite the fact that there were those who did not hesitate to raise objections against it, it will remain in the history of Albanian law a true monument to human freedoms and rights. I am pleased to confirm to you today that this Charter is being widely implemented in Albania. We intend, and are determined, to continue our cooperation with you now and in the future. It has also been very important for other constitutional laws that form the foundation of democratic institutions. We have worked and are working with your important Institute to draft the final version of the constitution, which we are fully determined will conform to the universal values and principles of a democratic society. “On the other hand, I want to reiterate,” the President continued, “that, despite the unjustified politicization by certain elements, the working group for drafting the Constitution and the Constitutional Commission have done serious work. It is envisaged that this draft will be approved by a Constituent Assembly, and this is not intended to narrow anyone else’s space or rights. (Continued on page 4)

FASCIST COUP BY HAZBULLATOV AND RUTSKOI IN RUSSIA - Conservative Communists show that they are not giving up their goals and efforts to regain power. - Communist fanaticism causes bloodshed once again. Alarmed by the prospect of final defeat and driven mad by the hysteria of returning to power at any cost and by any means, conservative Communists in Russia, under the command of Hazbullatov and Rutskoi, manipulated crowds of conservative Communists and nostalgics, drawing them into protests and unlawful, violent actions against President Jelcin and his legitimate government. Even though they knew clearly that Jelcin had massive support in the army and among the people, and even though they understood that right and law were on his side and that he was determined to defend them to the end, they did not abandon their goals and efforts. The present and history will hold the conservative Communists responsible for this grave drama-tragedy, which they staged without the slightest pang of conscience, at the cost of the lives of Russian citizens. The figures for the dead and wounded are still not accurate. Communism was born as a state practice in Russia and was imposed on the Russian people and the other peoples of the former Tsarist Empire through deception and violence. For nearly 70 years it ruled in tandem with crime and violence, with infamous concentration camps, mass deportations, persecution and surveillance spanning generations, turning the former Soviet Union into a prison of peoples. Killings, imprisonment, physical and spiritual violence, and national and social oppression were its only means of existence until its complete dissolution, when the Soviet Union became a state in ruins. Russian feudal communism preserved and perfected the country’s militaristic character, raised militarism to the level of state doctrine, and exercised military force in every form and sphere of life. It became fused with, and identified itself with, this image. Having come to power through a violent revolution, conservative Communists, whose only way of life is violence, could not accept democratic processes in Russia. They have demonstrated this on various occasions in recent times, bringing fanatical crowds and extremists onto the streets and inciting them to confrontation, putting the country at risk of a civil war. With their power rooted in the blood of peoples and innocent people, they once again sought in recent days to repeat the October Revolution in order to cause bloodshed again in the streets of Moscow. Their dictatorial drive to gain power at any cost has made them appear today to be outside their time, outside contemporary politics and its countless demands—as communist dinosaurs whose extinction history has definitively decreed. History can only repeat itself as farce. The attempt by Rutskoi, Hazbullatov and the conservative Communist deputies to repeat it can be nothing other than a tragic, desperate farce. Russia lost several decades of its history in the most painful way, sinking into the dark labyrinths of violence carried out through a class struggle devoid of human limits and imperial ambitions. Russia, its people and its land, became synonymous with misery and poverty... class struggle and imperial ambitions. Russia, with its people and rich land, became synonymous with misery and poverty, with the trampling of dignity and individuality, and with the total denial of the identity of nations and nationalities. Communism condemned it most cruelly to bankruptcy and self-blame. The Russian people experienced this truth in all its weight, as ordinary working people were terribly disappointed in their feelings, aspirations and sublime sacrifices. They are the ones who can no longer allow their country’s fate and their own lives to be toyed with, and who forced the ruling elite to embark on the path of reform. But conservative Communists saw these reforms only in terms of their own interest in surviving in power, as a way to give their rule a reformist veneer while keeping its essence unchanged. Unable to rise above the nature of the system they represented, or beyond their character, nature and narrow, selfish interests, they opposed the legitimate, nationwide desire and aspiration for overthrow and radical change, driven by their instinct for bloodshed and attempting to restore violence to power. The Russian people, and the nations and nationalities living in the Russian Federation, have nothing in common with Rutskoi and Hazbullatov, with the fanatical crowds they have incited, or with Russian conservative extremists. They can no longer allow their fate to be played with by a caste thirsting for blood and oppression, a clique that has summoned and continues to summon only calamity and doom, sowing and continuing to sow murder and isolation, fear and terror. The Russian people, a people with a broad democratic spirit, want to live—as they deserve—as part of the great democratic family of the peoples of the planet. They do not want a democratic farce, but a real democracy. They not only desire this life, but are conscious of this desire and will never again allow their bitter past to engulf them or Russia to be used once more as Europe’s bear. The support they give to democratic forces in Russia, and their determination to decide its present and future through their free vote, not through violence in the streets, clearly demonstrate their choice. Today the Russian bear is no longer the sleeping bear of the Russian forest. Anyone who thinks otherwise is mistaken and will soon find themselves in the throes of despair; they will answer before the justice of a people that is not alone, but supported by the entire international democratic and progressive community. BASHKIM TRENOVA …ious and violent against President Jelcin and his legitimate authority. Although they knew perfectly well that Jelcin enjoyed massive support and backing in the army and among the people, and using armed force if necessary, they nevertheless incited their followers to confront the forces of law and order, without worrying about the victims. Horrified by the end of his dream of becoming president, Aleksandër Rutskoi ordered an open coup, attacking the City Hall and Television. And the extremist crowds— the City Hall and Television. And the extremist crowd, turned back by gunfire and steadfastly loyal to Jelcin’s authority and cause. Today drama—this tragedy, left with not a shred of remorse over the lives of Russian citizens. The figures for those killed and wounded are still not accurate. More than 20 dead and around 150 wounded are being reported. These too must be included in the astronomical figures for the victims of communism. After the threshold of patience and tolerance had been crossed, President Jelcin responded to the challenge and adventure of the conservative and extremely hysterical communists with the force of law and arms. Together with Russian TV. - Armed attack by conservatives on the City Hall and Russian TV building. - troops. - After the first disturbances, Jelcin is in control of the situation. - “There will be no pardon for the criminal communists who started the shooting and incited the bloodshed,” Jelcin declares. - The West: Full support for Jelcin. - The know. They sought to defend their legitimacy through violence. TV, after they smashed the gate with a truck. TV stopped broadcasting for a while, the local Moscow rebel forces could not get farther than the building’s first floor. Then Jelcin’s special troops hundreds wounded, including TV journalists and reporters. Makashovi is also said to have been wounded. Meanwhile, Jelcin is heading to the Kremlin by helicopter. Around Moscow, 50,000 intervention troops await his orders, along with another 10,000 troops from the guard. (To be continued on page 4)

Rutskoi and Hasbullatov are arrested and taken to a prison on the outskirts of Moscow.

According to news agencies, at 11:50 Moscow time, Russia’s Minister of Defense, Grashov, went to the Russian Parliament and held a meeting outside with the deputies, who came out carrying a white flag. At the end of the meeting, Grashov left, while the deputies went back into the parliamentary chamber. At around 14:00 President Jelcin declared a state of siege. At 16:30, several buses approached the steps of Parliament—

Moscow in flames Armed attack by conservatives on the City Hall building and Russian TV. More than 20 killed in clashes between rebels and defending troops. - Armed attack by conservatives on the City Hall building and Russian TV. - More than 20 killed in clashes between rebels and defending troops. - After the first unrest, Jelcin has the situation under control. Special forces are taking the White House, the Russian Parliament. - “There will be no forgiveness for the criminal Communists who opened fire and incited the bloodshed,” Jelcin declares. - The West: Full support for Jelcin. - Conservative Communists showed that violence is the only means they know. Two weeks later, Jelcin dissolved Parliament by decree, and the political crisis in Russia reached its peak. At a rally held in front of the “White House,” the Russian Parliament, Rutskoi, the president proclaimed by the parliament’s conservative forces, called on his followers to attack City Hall and the national TV building. At the call of this general, returned from the war in Afghanistan, hysterical crowds demonstrating with communist flags in their hands set off toward the indicated sites. This took place in the afternoon of October 3. Led by General Makashov, responsible for the parliament’s security forces, the conservatives attacked TV. After clashes that lasted quite some time, Makashov’s forces managed to enter City Hall and Russian TV. They broke down the gate with a truck. TV broadcasting stopped for some time, and Russia learned what was happening in Moscow only through Moscow’s local station. However, this did not last long, because the conservative rebel forces could not get beyond the building’s first floor. Jelcin’s special forces later retook the building. The toll: more than 20 dead and hundreds wounded, including TV journalists and reporters. It is said that Makashov was also wounded. Meanwhile, Jelcin headed by helicopter to the Kremlin. Around Moscow, 50,000 military intervention troops await his orders, along with another 10,000 guard troops. (Continued on page 4)

RUCKOI CALLS FOR TANKS AGAINST THE KREMLIN Russia’s Vice President Aleksandër Ruckoi called on Sunday for tanks to be used against the Kremlin, a witness said. JELCIN DECLARES A STATE OF EMERGENCY President Boris Jelcin declared a state of emergency. The decision came as hard-line Communists launched an armed uprising to overthrow him, following 12 days of political paralysis over Russia’s future. Meanwhile, a presidential spokesman says that President Boris Jelcin has the Russian forces fully under control, despite a statement by a senior Russian parliament official that around 100 Interior Ministry troops had defected and joined the rebel parliament. He said that hard-line Communists had joined the legislators who support President Boris Jelcin. Asked whether Jelcin is in control of the situation, the spokesman said: “He has the troops under control.” THE INTERIOR MINISTRY AND THE SECURITY MINISTRY SUPPORT JELCIN Spokesmen for the Interior Ministry and the Security Ministry, the former KGB, said today that they remain loyal to President Boris Jelcin in the face of the rebellion by hard-line supporters. “We remain loyal to President Jelcin,” an Interior Ministry spokesman said. Asked whether Minister Viktor Jerin had his troops under control after around 200 men defected to the rebel parliamentarians on Sunday, he replied: “We are in control of the troops.” RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT SAYS IT IS FORCED TO USE FORCE The Russian government is forced to use force to suppress the rebellion in Moscow and will do everything it can to end the crisis, a government statement broadcast on Commonwealth television said. “The government is forced to use force to put an end to the actions of political adventurers,” the statement said. US EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR JELCIN WASHINGTON.—US President Bill Clinton expressed his support for Russian President Boris Jelcin on Sunday, blaming Jelcin’s opponents for the violence in Moscow. “I remain convinced that the United States must support President Jelcin and the process of holding free and fair elections,” he said in a brief statement outside the “White House.” “We cannot be indecisive on this point,” Clinton told reporters. Clinton, who was briefly briefed on the situation (Continued on page 4)