Prime Minister Meksi’s speech at the Energy Seminar held yesterday in Tirana The integration of Albania into the European electricity system UCPTE, the European natural gas system, and the European oil transport system will be three important and highly significant components of Albania’s policy of joining European energy systems.

President of the Republic Sali Berisha received the EU Commissioner for Energy, Tourism and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Mr. Kristos Paputsis Commissioner Paputsis congratulated President Berisha on the Democratic Party’s victory in the local elections and informed him that on Monday the EU Council of Ministers had decided that Albania should open negotiations on an Association Agreement with the EU, outside the framework of the rational position. At this meeting, President Berisha thanked Mr. Paputsis for the EU’s comprehensive support and assistance to Albania in all fields. This great and generous assistance, President Berisha said, has been central to all our efforts to build the rule of law and a market economy, as well as to integrate the country into Europe. Twice within five months, with their free vote, Albanians unanimously affirmed before the international community their ancient Western identity and their determination to integrate into Europe. And you are coming to Albania after Albanians reaffirmed plebiscitarily on October 20 what they had freely voted for on May 26. Commissioner Paputsis congratulated the Democratic Party on framework of the rational position. President Berisha and Commissioner Paputsis, after expressing the determination and willingness of both sides to intensify bilateral cooperation, discussed Albania’s relations with the EU. Regarding cooperation in the energy sector, both interlocutors expressed optimism about the many existing opportunities. President Berisha asked Commissioner Paputsis to convey his greetings to President Jacques Santer and his invitation to visit Albania, a visit that has already been planned. Regarding the general elections, we decided on their consolidation. As for the general elections, the Government is currently committed to deepening the reform for mass privatization of the economy, and serious work is under way on the new law on justice, private media, and other important laws for consolidating the rule of law and the market economy. We have different assessments regarding May 26, President Berisha said. I think the seat of democracy is in the human heart and nowhere else, and that for Albanians democracy has not been [unclear] elections. At the meeting, Mr. Tereska also spoke to Mr. Coffey about the results of the first round and preparations for the runoff and its results. But, President Berisha emphasized, although we fully understand the special and legitimate interest the United States shows in consolidating democracy in Albania, we observe that, contrary to our friendly ties and common interests, in some cases groups with specific aims and, unfortunately, officials interested in [unclear] have misinformed about the reality in Albania and allowed themselves acts and actions unacceptable in bilateral friendly relations and international practice. [The following passage is garbled in the source: “Të rëndësishme në Shqipëri. Ato admirojnë dhe vlerësojnë arritjet e Presidentit Berisha u shpreh se ato do të zhvillohen pa afatin e tyre ligjor, në përputhje me ligjin për vullnetin e vitit 2000.”] përputhje me ligjin për vullnetin e vitit 2000.”] For us, President Berisha emphasized, [the source repeats a garbled passage about the United States’ special interest in consolidating democracy in Albania, groups with specific aims, officials, and the country’s achievements].

President Berisha received the First Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of the USA, Mr. Steven Coffey I think, President Berisha said during the meeting, that the [source says “series”] of democracy lies in the human heart and nowhere else, and that for Albanians democracy was not a gift but something they won after great efforts. The USA has been among our main supporters in these efforts. On October 20, Albanians demonstrated the honesty of their May 26 vote. October 20 was the true plebiscite on May 26. President Berisha expressed deep gratitude for the highly important assistance and support that the USA has given and continues to give Albania in all fields, and stressed that this has been and remains a very important factor in the successful consolidation in Albania of the rule of law and the market economy, as well as the country’s integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions. For us, friendship and cooperation with the USA are a constant priority, President Berisha stressed, just as the consolidation of democracy and market values is our major objective. We have welcomed and continue to welcome with pleasure the assistance and interest of the USA and international institutions in achieving these objectives. We are determined to make the country one with a Western constitution. democracy. I think, President Berisha said during the meeting, that the [source says “series”] of democracy lies Albanians democracy was not a gift but something they won after great efforts. The USA has been among our main supporters in these efforts. On October 20, Albanians demonstrated the honesty of their May 26 vote. October 20 was the true plebiscite on May 26, respect for institutions and determination to consolidate them. Regarding the general elections, President Berisha said they would be held within the legal time limit, in the spring of 2000. But, President Berisha emphasized, [the source text here is garbled: “na rsen se kemi mirëkuptim të plotë për interesimin e veçantë dhe të ligjshëm që SHBA tregojnë për të caktuar të administratës kanë dezinformuar për realitetin shqiptar dhe i kanë lejuar vetes akte dhe veprime të papranueshme në marrëdhëniet miqësore bilaterale dhe në praktikën ndërkombëtare.”] Mr. Coffey said that the USA is guided in its position entirely by the interest of consolidating democracy in Albania. It admires and values Albania’s significant achievements in all fields and expresses its determination to strengthen its friendship and intensify cooperation with Albania. It is a friendly country and very interested in [the source text ends here].

President Berisha received representatives of Kosovo’s education sector [The text at the top is cut off] President Berisha said it to integrate the country into Europe. I am very pleased, President Berisha stressed, to meet in Western Europe. President Berisha congratulated the delegation on the great work they and all the colleagues and employees of the Textbook Publishing Institute in Prishtina have done to publish school textbooks for the schools of Kosovo. He stressed that he had supported the education agreement between President Rugova and President Milosheviç as an important step in improving teaching conditions for Albanian pupils in Kosovo. I hope, President Berisha said, that President Milosheviç will implement the education agreement and will first establish an institution that must be respected. President Berisha asked Mr. Ramajli for the [unclear] of the entire Kosovo parliament and stressed that emphasizing the role of the parliament elected by the free vote of the electorate does not obstruct, but will be a powerful factor of stability that will contribute further to the peaceful resolution of the Kosovo issue. Yesterday the President of the Republic, Mr. Sali Berisha, met with a Kosovo education delegation comprising Mr. Muharrem Bicaj, Minister of Education in the Government of Kosovo; Mr. Iljaz Ramajli, Speaker of the Kosovo Parliament; Mr. Avdulla Korenica, Director of the Textbook Publishing Institute, Prishtina; and Mr. Xhevat Shyla, Editor-in-Chief at the Textbook Publishing Institute, Prishtina. They conveyed to the President of the Republic the greetings of the Kosovo Parliamentary Assembly on the Democratic Party’s victory in the recent elections. The delegation presented President Berisha with the work done on the [unclear] of Albanian-language school textbooks for Kosovo and informed him about the progress of the work.

“KJ” reveals the mechanism behind the drafting of the motions by the chairman of the PS The leadership of a political party according to the instructions of the author of the Peshkëpi massacre and of the man behind negative staging about the level of democracy in Albania now places Nano not merely in the face of accusations of ordinary crimes, but in the face of the fact that the party is being used because of him by anti-Albanian groups abroad. The case is a major find in Albanian politics, and its outcome is unpredictable, if only because of the divided composition of today’s Socialist leadership. PAGE 3

Kastriot Muço like Kastriot Islami The chairman of the Professional Associations gives political guidance PAGE 3

Coffey praises the CEC’s work on the local elections The State Department’s envoy for human rights, Stephen Coffey, praised the work of the Central Election Commission (CEC) on the local elections at a meeting held at the U.S. Embassy in Tirana with CEC chairman Nestor Tereska and Marenglen Gjoni, chairman of the subcommission for observers. The meeting concerned the work of the Permanent Central Election Commission during the electoral campaign and the process of electing local government bodies, which took place on October 20. Mr. Coffey was very pleased with the work of the CEC and expressed his personal and official appreciation for all the procedures followed by the CEC for the October 20 elections and for the work of the local government secretariat, CEC Chairman Nestor Tereska said after the meeting. At the meeting, Tereska spoke about the pre-election period, how the electoral campaign of the political entities participating in the elections was covered on TV, the election procedures, the procedure for announcing the results, and the overall implementation of the election law. Mr. Tereska also told the preparations for the runoff and its results. According to Tereska, Coffey described the elections as free and fair, in which Albanians freely expressed their will. This is the view of all the delegations that observed the October 20 elections, as well as the assessment published yesterday by the U.S. State Department. For his part, Mr. Coffey praised the very good cooperation between the members of the governing majority and those of the opposition on the CEC. The work of American experts assigned to the local government secretariat and the CEC was also discussed. Coffey expressed his willingness to pursue further cooperation, provide training for commission members, and consolidate many of the processes related to the work of this commission. Also present at the meeting were the U.S. Ambassador in Tirana, Mariza Lino, and other embassy officials.

Yesterday, the Permanent Central Election Commission announced the winners of the second round of local elections for municipalities and city municipalities. These elections were held on Sunday, October 27, in 118 areas: 22 city municipalities and 96 municipalities. In this round, the Democratic Party also won 21 city municipalities, while the city municipality of the northern city of Shkodra was won by a coalition of right-wing parties (the United Shkodran Right, comprising PBK and PLL). Of the 96 municipalities in the runoff, the DP won 75, while the remaining municipalities were won as follows: 3 by the SP, 2 by PBK, 4 by PR, 3 by PBDNJ, 1 by PDK, 2 by PBSD, APL, and 5 by independent candidates.

Who will ring the bell?