This morning, the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, received the U.S. Undersecretary of State for Europe, Stefan Oksman. The President briefed him on the latest developments in Albania and on the achievements of institutional and economic reform. He noted that our country is expected to achieve growth of 8 percent in gross domestic product, which, according to the IMF, would be the highest growth rate among the countries of Eastern Europe. President Berisha thanked Mr. Oksman for the political and economic support provided by the United States, its institutions and the U.S. government, and for the efforts through which their representatives in Tirana stood by us from the very first moments of the democratic movement and have supported us unequivocally ever since. Undersecretary Oksman said that he brought greetings from President Clinton, Vice President Gore and Secretary of State Kristofer. He was well informed about the changes that had taken place in Albania and was impressed by the country's successful reform achievements. These successes will ensure that U.S. assistance to Albania is not reduced in 1994, despite constraints on the U.S. budget. The U.S. administration is also working intensively to establish the American-Albanian Enterprise Fund, with the aim of encouraging investment and economic cooperation between the two countries. President Berisha described the agreement signed by Minister Zhualali and U.S. Secretary of Defense Aspin as a very important and highly encouraging step for relations between the two countries. Regarding the situation in the region, President Berisha said that Albania opposed changing borders by force and supported a political settlement of the Kosovo issue. But the Milosheviç regime has no desire at all to reach a settlement and compromise that would expand in keeping with the new conditions created after the end of the Cold War. Albania is very interested in integrating into the Atlantic Alliance. Our country is also interested in cooperation with the Western European Union; we would greatly value the support of Great Britain on this point. Regarding the idea of a comprehensive solution to the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, President Berisha said that Albania would continue to play a constructive role in the region. But caution is needed, because if such efforts fail, the crisis will worsen further and unforeseen dangers will arise for the entire peninsula. He said that sanctions against Serbia should remain in place until these problems are resolved. Undersecretary Oksman said that the United States greatly valued Albania's stabilizing and constructive role in the Balkans. Warnings issued to Belgrade so far could be repeated in the future if the situation in Kosovo worsened. The United States and its other allies support granting autonomy to Kosovo. He said that, until the issues of Bosnia, Krajina and Kosovo are resolved, the UN embargo against Serbia is unlikely to be lifted. He also briefed the President on new proposals to bring the countries of Eastern Europe closer to NATO through a closer partnership between the Alliance and those countries. NATO accepts in principle the admission of new member countries. President Berisha requested U.S. support for faster integration into NATO. He sent his warm greetings to President Clinton, Vice President AlGore and Secretary of State Kristofer, and expressed the wish that they visit Albania. Press and Information Office at the Presidency Tirana, 22. 10. 1993

From Mr. Dosti’s meeting in «Bajram Curri» This weekend in the town of «Bajram Curri», the Secretary General of the PDSH, Mr. Tomor Dosti, held working meetings with PD leaders and the town’s intellectuals. He was accompanied by Afrim Krasniqi, a member of the FRPD presidency. The first meeting was with leaders of the PD branch, where the basic political and practical principles were laid down for the new election campaign within the PD. The most important meeting was with the intellectuals of the town of «Bajram Curri» and took place on Friday at midday in the meeting hall of the District Council. For about two hours, a productive debate was held, addressing numerous district issues. In his welcoming remarks, Mr. Dosti emphasized the great importance of the election campaign in the PD and the intellectual spirit of the campaign. Mr. Dosti stressed that the PD is an open party, a party of debate and alternatives that give rise to democracy. The PD shouldered the heavy burden of overthrowing communism and institutionalizing democracy, missions that, fortunately, have now been accomplished. As an open party, the PD is also a popular party: it is the party of the intelligentsia and the youth, and of every individual who aspires to a market economy and the rule of law. Dosti once again stressed that the Albanian opposition is, unfortunately, in the hands of a dangerous clique, and that the misfortune of the PS lies in the fact that it has identified itself with F. Nano, whose arrest has nothing political about it. Ordinary crime is punishable in every democratic society and, as such, is punishable in Albania too. The PS and F. Nano’s clique have nothing in common with democratic socialism or with respected bourgeois statesmen such as Andreoti, who had the courage to uphold the law and justice. Nano and his friends, afraid of justice, choose the failed path of Enverist rallies, protests and petitions. Emphasizing the importance of a favorable national policy by our government, Dosti strongly condemned the Democratic Alliance leaders’ trip to Belgrade, describing it as a national crime. Dialogue is of no use with criminals such as Milosheviçi, Karaxhiçi, etc., since the whole world has determined their proper place: the defendants’ bench at the War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. Mr. Dosti then spoke highly of the importance of the election campaign in the PD and invited unaffiliated intellectuals to enter the political climate of the times, assuring them that the PD would never disappoint them and would always remain open to them. During the subsequent discussion, Mr. Dosti responded to numerous economic concerns and to concerns raised by ordinary citizens, as well as by individuals, about well as by individuals, about the intellectual spirit of the campaign. There is a category of citizens called minorities that is inclined only toward anarchy. It presents this anarchy as a principle of an open and boundless democracy. According to the analysis of this category, it includes oppositionists, slanderers, the corrupt, forgers, ordinary criminals and political anarchists. If we consider who stripped the state bare and turned it into a silver phantom, branding the “Press Law” a dictatorship against the free press, we find “KJ”, “Shqip”, “24 orë”, “ZP”, “Koha e Tiranës”, “Alternativa SD”, “Kombi”, “Demokratik”, and, most recently, Demokrati, in its own press, “Alternativa SD”. Thus, all those who use newspapers for speculation are branded with moralizing labels and threats, as though that justified anything. Besides being immoral in their reporting and commentary, their articles are also biased, defamatory and accusatory, in shameless ways that go as far as blatantly sowing confusion and obstructing democratic legislation. These are newspapers hostile to relations between countries and to the nation’s margins, using political manipulation to target even ordinary citizens with slander unsupported by any argument or real evidence. It is entirely logical that this “anarchist minority” should be declared not only an enemy of the “Press Law”, but also an enemy of any other law that restrains them and holds them criminally responsible for their ambitious acts. If we accept that the press is a weapon (and it is) in the hands of publishers and journalists, shouldn’t this weapon have a “safety catch” to prevent it from killing unlawfully? Certainly. And the safety catch for the press is the “Press Law”. The Press Law, examined in its final version, is entirely clear, precise and comprehensive enough to perform its function in the present circumstances of our press. The necessity of this law is also demonstrated by the “Gallup” finding that Albania ranks first, with 80 percent of readers saying they do not trust the press. The reasons have been withdrawn; they are what they are, but “Alternativa SD”, by opposing the “Press Law”, is opposing the German SD, since it is known that the law was drafted on the basis of the press law of Westphalia, prepared by the German social democrats (the social-democratic foundation Eridrih Erbert). The law came together with the CIVIL CODE, and SD knows this, while “Alternativa SD” prefers speculation. It is understandable that the far left should oppose it, but it is incomprehensible that the PSD should be against it! According to “Alternativa SD”, the law conflicts with the Constitution and the Constitutional Provisions! The Press Law does not conflict with these provisions at all, and this is categorically true. To make such a fuss when, in some respects, this law is even a milder version of the one proposed by the German social-democratic foundation “Erdrich Erbert” ultimately means indirectly opposing the social-democratic institutions that helped draft the Albanian Press Law. During the parliamentary debate on the adoption of the Press Law, several points were cited from the press laws of countries (Continued on page 4) Editor, «RD»

At the Ministry of Defense, a cooperation memorandum between the Ministry of Defense of Albania and that of the United Kingdom was signed on 22 October. At the signing of this cooperation memorandum, our Minister of Defense, Safet Zhualali, said that signing this memorandum of understanding was important for developments in the region and beyond, and for ensuring cooperation between European countries. He emphasized, “I am pleased that the signing of the agreement is an expression of your country’s regard for the implementation of reform and for the peace policy pursued by Albania.” Minister Zhualali noted that Albania would overcome the backwardness currently evident and that today’s agreement would create the conditions for signing other, more important agreements. Mr. Zhualali stressed that we value Great Britain as one of the most powerful states, with a very strong army that plays a very important role in NATO and the WEU. Lord Karnborne, meanwhile, during the signing of the memorandum, spoke highly of Albania’s goodwill and strong desire for relations with Great Britain. “Of course,” he said, “these relations have grown out of a natural sympathy”

This morning, the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, received Lord Karnborn, Minister of State for Defense of Great Britain. Lord Karnborn, Minister of State for Defense of Great Britain. President Berisha expressed his satisfaction with the agreement between the two Ministries of Defense, as well as with the increase in exchanges and relations between our two countries. Speaking about NATO policy in the East, President Berisha said that it was essential for the Alliance to expand in accordance of Great Britain on this point. After expressing his particular satisfaction at visiting Albania and at the signed agreement, Lord Karnborn discussed the practical cooperation in the field of defense offered by the British side. Discussing the situation in the region, Lord Karnborn noted Albania’s very positive role as a factor for peace and stability in the region. 1993 22.10.1993 to encourage those who had remained uncommitted to enter the political climate of the time, Mr. Dosti responded to the area’s many economic concerns. He announced the news that the Tirana bus line’s stop would be changed, a long-standing request; the new contingent of tractors on credit that would be provided to the northern and northeastern areas; powerful electrical transformers for the town; loans for completing houses left unfinished; and so on. It is worth noting that, despite the many concerns about Tropojë’s economic isolation, all those who took part in the discussion expressed their unreserved support for the President, the government and the PD, stressing that communism entered Tropojë as an occupier, whereas democracy is more than freedom. Meanwhile, Lord Karnborne, during the signing of the memorandum, highly praised Albania’s goodwill and strong desire to foster relations with Great Britain. Certainly, these relations, he said, had been linked to a natural sympathy; but given your country’s geostrategic position and its clear policy in the Balkans, I believe all of this takes on particular importance. Later in his speech, Lord Karnborne pointed out that relations between the two countries would be very warm. “I am convinced and believe in advance,” he said, “that we will have close economic cooperation. Today, it may seem that we are promising little, but be assured that we will keep these promises. Indeed, we believe,” Lord Karnborne said, “that it is better to promise little and give more than we have promised.” (ATSH)

“REPLY TO «ALTERNATIVA SD» REGARDING THE ARTICLE «THE PRESS LAW MUST BE SENT BACK» PUBLISHED IN SATURDAY’S ISSUE, 23 OCTOBER 93.” stripped the state bare and turned the “Press Law” into a silver phantom, branding it (Continued on page 4)

On October 22, 1993, the secretary of the Greek Embassy in Tirana, Mr. Tulupas, was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania and handed a note stating: “On the night of October 19, 1993, Greek border forces fired at close range on a group of unarmed Albanian citizens who were approximately 200 meters inside Greek territory, near the village of Kriorvisi, Konicë, close to the border with Albania. Terrified and panicked by the pursuit and volleys of gunfire, the group of Albanian citizens scattered in the darkness, and five of them fell into a ravine in unclear circumstances. Three people died, and two others were seriously injured; they are receiving medical treatment at the hospital in the city of Korçë. Among the victims was a newly engaged couple who were on their way to visit their families in Greece. Later, Greek forces detained four other Albanian citizens. The distorted and cynical interpretation of the facts by the Greek authorities, according to which the deaths of the Albanians were the result of an attempt to absolve the Greek side of all responsibility for this tragic and criminal incident, is unacceptable. We note with regret that such criminal and irresponsible acts are in open contradiction with international norms and constitute flagrant violations of human rights. They also do not help create the climate and atmosphere that would serve to improve and develop good-neighborly relations and the mutual cooperation that the governments of our two countries seek to establish. We call on the Greek government to put an immediate end to such incidents, ... serious ones. (ATSH)

Prime Minister Aleksandër Meksi received the head of the European Commission delegation in Albania, Mr. Elio Xhermano, at a special meeting. On behalf of the Democratic Government, Mr. Meksi thanked the European Commission’s senior representative in our country for the assistance provided to Albania and for its future assessment, particularly in the field of investment. “It is important,” Mr. Meksi stressed, “that the European Community make a further commitment to support economic reform in Albania and help improve the well-being of our people.” Mr. Xhermano, emphasizing the need to develop relations between Albania and the European Community in the future, said that all the conditions existed for a new, higher-quality level of cooperation between Albania and the European Community. Tirana, October 22, 1993 Notice from the Press and Information Office attached to the Prime Minister

Various newspapers and news agencies have reported in recent days on the memorandum signed between the Pentagon and the Ministry of Defense of Albania. This military agreement, writes the largest newspaper in the United States, “The New York Times,” is the first of its kind between the Pentagon and an Eastern European country. The AFP agency highlights in its report the readiness of both countries to expand and develop military and defense relations. Meanwhile, “Rojter” reports that the United States will train Albanian troops. Noting that the Albanian government’s foreign policy has focused on emphasizing self-determination for ethnic Albania in Kosovo, the newspaper “International Herald Tribune” writes that the establishment of a military relationship between Tirana and Washington expands the American commitment in the Balkans. The foreign press also focuses on specific aspects of this agreement, noting it as an important step in military cooperation between the two countries.