Albania will become a member of the Central European Initiative The foreign ministers and heads of state of the member countries of the Central European Initiative, after two days of talks, decided to instruct the foreign ministers of the member countries to accept, at their next meeting at the beginning of 1996, the membership applications of the 5 associate countries, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Belarus and Ukraine. At the meeting, the Albanian delegation was headed by Deputy Minister Dashamir Shehi, accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Arjan Starova. Mr Dashamir Shehi expressed appreciation for the decision taken by the Summit for the future expansion of the Initiative and highlighted the great interest Albania has in being more broadly included in its other projects and activities. Speaking about the importance of the Initiative and its working groups, he particularly emphasized the Working Group on Transport, which includes in its projects the realization of the East-West corridor. Mr Shehi also spoke about the importance, within the framework of the Initiative, of creating the Center for the exchange of information and documentation in Trieste and valued the international efforts aimed at achieving peace and solving the Yugoslav crisis, an important part of which, he stressed, is the fair and complete resolution of the Kosovo issue. At the end of the meeting, the prime ministers of the participating countries approved the Final Communiqué and a Political Declaration on the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. ATSH Yesterday, Albania marked another step in its process of integration into Europe. After joining the Council of Europe, Albanian diplomacy yesterday recorded another achievement. It is successfully realizing the spirit of the European aspiration of Albanians and the desire to place Albania, with dignity, in the place it belongs. The process of Albania's integration into Europe, and every small change along the way, is the merit of the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha, of the Albanian democratic state, of the PDSH, and of all Albanians, who, through their efforts, sacrifices and work, completely transformed Albania in a three-year period. It is this path of courageous reforms, the factors that brought Albania closer to Europe. Albania has managed in 3 years to transform itself, toward freedoms and human rights, the market economy, the rule of law. These are achievements, these are urgent and important aspirations for Albania, and the reasons why Albania is gaining more friends and support every day among the leading countries of post-communist Eastern Europe. The new step in Albania's integration into Europe also takes on special importance for another reason. From the Albanian opposition, from the extremists of the right? PS, anti-Western positions are being outlined every day. Europe, valuing Albanian democracy, values its achievements, values the course of deep reforms, values the democratic forces that govern Albania. Nihilistic, anti-Western voices are voices that seek to drive the West away from Albania, or to make it “accept things as they are.” The Albanian has suffered enough from the closure to the old iron curtain. Therefore, such voices are condemned to always remain in the minority; they are destined to fail. Europe sent another signal yesterday. It is a signal of the continuity of the good path begun, a signal of the consolidation of democracy, and a signal of failure for all forces and individuals who have been interested in turning back.

On 12 October, the Albanian President, Sali Berisha, will pay an official visit to the headquarters of the European Union in Brussels, Dje Vle Neve, its commission in one Albanian, announced. [?] A strong boost in Albania's relations of rapprochement with the most powerful pan-European organizations, comments Deutsche Welle. President Berisha will make an official visit to the headquarters of the European Union in Brussels next Thursday, 12 October, comments German radio, confirming that, through a special communiqué, official sources of the European Commission announced that on the same day the Albanian President will also meet and hold talks with the President of the European Commission, Mr Jacques Santer. He will also have working meetings with the commissioner in charge of external relations, Mr Hans van der Broek. The visit of the Albanian President to the headquarters of the European Union follows Mr Berisha's visit last March to the headquarters of the European Union and the first visit to Albania by the Union's Foreign Minister, Mr Van Den Bruk. For many analysts and specialists on Albania, it is now almost certain that the visit that the President of Albania will make next week to Brussels will give a strong impetus to Albania's relations and rapprochement with the most powerful pan-European organizations. ATSH

Legend TEME SEJKO Very secret Minutes of the Meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the PPSH on 8 October 1982 From the legacy of the Socialist Party The “Hazbiu” file Legend TEME SEJKO Very secret Minutes of the Meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the PPSH on 8 October 1982 PAGE 3

The President of Albania, Sali Berisha, welcomed the decision of the Organization of the Central European Initiative for Albania's membership in this organization at the beginning of 1996. This decision, President Berisha emphasized, is an important achievement for Albania and the Albanian nation in their efforts to integrate the country into Europe. “Albania has made a traditional path with the countries of Central Europe, but above all the values it shares with the countries are important,” Mr Berisha stressed. The President of Albania said that the decision for Albania's membership in this initiative is a great recognition this organization gives to the development of democracy, the market economy, political and economic stability, and the contribution that Albania makes to peace in the Balkan region. “This decision also represents a real help for Albania's integration into the European Community,” emphasized the President of Albania.

Interview with former political prisoner Dode Gega from the village of Manati, Lezhe, given to journalist Ndreke Gjini At the time I am arrested, they present these pages of my notebook to me, with the investigation file and not in the court records [?], pages of my book by hand [?], which Preçi had “lost.” In fact, the investigator put these in front of me exactly in the original. PAGE 3

Austrian News Agency APA: Albania is emerging step by step from its last place in Europe For the first time, Albania is leaving behind several Eastern European countries, including Romania and Bulgaria, in terms of wage levels. Albania is emerging step by step from its last place in Europe. In recent years the country has experienced the fastest economic growth on the entire continent, starting from the lowest level. Thus the country's gross product (BIP) rose by 11% in 1993 and by 8% in 1994. This year Albania built its BIP (gross domestic product) at 7%, stated representatives of the Albanian government at the two-day conference on investments in Albania organized in Vienna. A complete transition of the phase of transition in Albania to a market economy is now conditioned by the successful completion of privatization and by the transfer of Western experience (know-how). Albania urgently needs foreign investment. As in other countries emerging from communist dictatorship, there is a need to invest in infrastructure and above all in telecommunications. The privatization of small enterprises and agriculture has been carried out almost completely. Meanwhile, the privatization of large and medium-sized enterprises is being carried out with the help and cooperation of the World Bank. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the UN industrial development bodies are also active in Albania. Since 1993, a stabilization program supported by the International Monetary Fund has been under way. Only recently did Albania agree with the Paris Club on the restructuring of the external debt of 500 million dollars owed to creditors. The first steps out of complete isolation Albania has already taken long ago. Immediately after the fall of Communism, Albania sought to connect with the West. At that time Albania became a member of the World Bank and the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). In 1994 Albania signed the Partnership for Peace with NATO and in July 1995 was admitted to the Council of Europe. Talks on Albania's accession to the World Trade Organization, WTO, are under way. At the same time, the country hopes to sign the Association Agreement with the European Union. With the increase in wages and pensions for the second time within a year, Albania raised the living standards of a considerable part of the population by 25%. The average wage in Albania today is higher than the level in some of the eastern countries, including Romania and Bulgaria, even though they began reforms much earlier.

“ZP” does not “reply” to the Austrian Federal Minister Greher The PSE declaration does not mention PSSH Why was PS not invited to the congress of the British Labour Party?

Rome Suzanne Agnelli: “I do not think the region will achieve peace if reconstruction does not touch every country, including Albania” Paul Holms writes: The key players in the efforts to end the conflict in the former Yugoslavia, joined by Japan as well, appear to agree that economic reconstruction will play an important role in achieving a possible peaceful settlement. A very important part of peace will be reconstruction. Reconstruction is the right path to reconciliation, stressed Karl Bild, the EU envoy to the former Yugoslavia. The American mediator Richard Holbrooke praised Japan's presence at the meeting. I do not think the region will achieve peace if reconstruction does not touch every country that is interested in the conflict, stressed Italian Foreign Minister Suzanne Agnelli, who is chairing the talks. She mentioned all the republics of former Yugoslavia and neighboring Albania. Holbrooke suggested that the list could be extended to some countries that have been economically damaged as a result of the United Nations sanctions imposed on the remaining Yugoslavia.

Meeting of the National Council of the Democratic Party of Albania On Monday, 9.10.1995 at 11:00 in the Palace of Congresses, Tirana, the regular meeting of the National Council will take place, with the topic: “Aspects of the organizational and structural work of the PD at the current stage of the development of the reform.” Invited are PD deputies, members of the Government, secretaries of the PD branches, chairpersons of the FRPD and LDG branches, mayors and chairpersons of the district councils, of the PD, etc. The Presidency of the PDSH

“FINANCIAL TIMES” ON ALBANIA - 12 articles, 5 full pages, authors Doun & Martinson, date 2 October 1995 Albania in the currents of pluralist democracy and the open market economy Making up for lost time -Stability emerges after years of chaos -One of the great success stories -Foreign oil companies are entering Albania -Maturity remains predominant -Trade is moving westward -Investing in the future -Financial reform initiatives under way -The ruling party far from self-satisfied -A ray of hope for industrial development -Enough for economic education -Without humanitarian aid the worn-out health system would not have survived READ ON PAGE 2 FINANCIAL TIMES MONDAY OCTOBER 2 1995 FINANCIAL TIMES SURVEY ALBANIA Making up for lost time