Press conference of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tritan Shehu Relations with the EU and its member states have been steadily growing, becoming an irreplaceable instrument for security and for economic, institutional, legislative development, etc., which are being successfully implemented by the democratic government in Albania. It is worth noting that today Albania carries out 75 percent of the volume of its foreign trade with the countries of the European Union The democratization of society is also an important factor in resolving the Kosovo issue, but for reasons that are now clear we must not forget that the solution to this major issue for Albanians must first of all be achieved through an active approach by the Kosovars themselves, avoiding violent confrontations. If the other peoples of Yugoslavia had been able to determine their own fate, regardless of Belgrade's will, the independence of Kosovo, which the Albanian government supports, must now be achieved while respecting many democratic and peaceful principles Agreements signed between the Republic of Albania and other countries during 1996 1. Press agreement between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Greece on the organization of international road transport of passengers and goods, Tirana, 24.1.1996. 2. Cultural cooperation program for 1996-98, Tirana, 8.2.1996. 3. Agreement between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of Ukraine on the establishment of the joint Albanian-Ukrainian Commission for economic, trade and scientific-technical cooperation, Tirana, 1 March 1996. 4. Memorandum of cooperation between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the field of postal communications, Tirana, 6 March 1996. 5. Agreement between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Slovenia for the promotion and reciprocal protection of investments, Ljubljana, 12 March 1996. 6. Agreement between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Austria on the reciprocal readmission of persons, Vienna, 4.4.1996. 7. Additional protocol extending the validity of the agreement between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Turkey for the promotion and reciprocal protection of investments, Tirana, 17.4.1996. 8. Additional protocol for the implementation of the agreement between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Turkey in the field of financial military cooperation, Tirana, 17.4.1996. 9. Agreement in the field of education, science and culture for 1996-99, Tirana, 14.5.1996. 10. Credit agreement between the government of the Republic of Albania and the State of Kuwait, Tirana, 22.5.1996. 11. Treaty of friendship and cooperation between the Republic of Albania and the Republic of Estonia, Tirana, 7.6.1996. 12. Agreement for the promotion and mutual guarantee of investments between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Tirana, 7.6.1996. 13. Consular convention between the Republic of Albania and the Republic of Greece, Athens, 18.6.1996. 14. Scientific and technological cooperation agreement between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of Romania, Bucharest, 12.7.1996. 15. Economic, industrial and technical cooperation agreement between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tirana, 15.7.1996. 16. Cooperation agreement in the field of forests and pastures between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Turkey, Tirana, 29.7.1996. 17. Bilateral agreement in the field of air transport between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Turkey, Istanbul, 1.8.1996. 18. Protocol on cooperation between the Ministry of Education and Sport of the Republic of Albania and the Ministry of Education of Macedonia, Ohrid, 13.8.1996. 19. Agreement in the field of the exploitation of forests and timber forest products between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Turkey, Tirana, 19.8.1996. 20. Agreement in the field of education, science, culture and sport between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Macedonia, Skopje, 26.8.1996. 21. Agreement on the reciprocal protection of classified military information between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Turkey, Tirana, 17.9.1996. 22. Cooperation agreement in the field of sports between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Turkey, Ankara, 11.10.1996. 23. Bilateral agreement for cooperation in the field of customs between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Turkey, Ankara, 11.10.1996. 24. Implementation program of the agreement for cultural cooperation between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Turkey, Ankara, 11.10.1996. 25. Memorandum of cooperation in the field of customs between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Turkey, Ankara, 11.10.1996. 26. Agreement for military cooperation between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Turkey, Ankara, 11.10.1996. 27. Agreement on economic and trade cooperation between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Turkey, Ankara, 11.10.1996. 28. Bilateral agreement for cooperation in the field of health and veterinary medicine between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of the Republic of Turkey, Tirana, 14.11.1996. 29. Bilateral agreement for cooperation in the field of education between the government of the Republic of Albania and the government of Romania, Tirana, 6.12.1996.

What happened in Belgrade could shake the Balkans - ROTTER (Rokaj) - TIRANA - The Albanian President, Sali Berisha, stressed on Saturday evening during a year-end celebration with compatriots from Kosovo that at this moment a nationwide reaction is more necessary than ever before. At the end of a speech delivered on the occasion of the inauguration of the bust of Kosovo's national hero, Shote Galica, Sali Berisha said that if the rights of Albanians are violated, there will be a reaction from the entire Albanian nation. If Belgrade tramples on the freedom and rights of Albanians in Kosovo, we cannot stand by as spectators; if our national freedom is affected, together with our friends we will do everything possible to defend it, said the president during the ceremony honoring the unveiling of the statue of Kosovo's national hero. In his speech, Berisha reiterated that “the Albanian nation has its roots in its own land.” “The movements stirred up in Belgrade these days, and first of all by various anti-national circles in Serbia, have thrown mud at Albanians in order to make them responsible for whatever may happen,” said the President. He blamed Belgrade for this situation, stressing that “today there are dangerous anti-Albanian chauvinist feverish attitudes in Belgrade.” “I am glad that we also heard Mr. Milosevic today declare that Albanian lands have never been and will never be Serbian land. Albania has no claims either to Kosovo or to other territories, but no one should dare trample on Kosovo,” he said. At the same time, he called on U.S. President Bill Clinton not to allow the return of the Serbian Golgotha against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. “Forty years of terror, if it were to return upon ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, the Albanian nation will not stand by and remain silent,” he said. At the same time, speaking about the decisive role of the Kosovars themselves in realizing their right to self-determination, he said that Albanians and the Albanian people value and respect the freedom fighters in Kosovo. At the close of the ceremony, Berisha denounced the “double game” of Serbian President Milosevic, under whom he said he “has decided not to move ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.” He said that “two million Albanians on the move would create an extremely dangerous situation in the Balkans.” He also stated that U.S. President Bill Clinton had a decisive role in solving the problems in the Balkans. “Albanians must decide their own fate” Further on, Albanian President Sali Berisha declared that any solution in Kosovo must be final and lead to independence. “We must find a final solution for Kosovo that will not take away their freedom, but will give them independence,” he said. He added that “any right that Albanians win for themselves at the table, they win even more because they have made countless sacrifices.” Commenting on U.S. President Bill Clinton's pledge that the U.S. would also punish Albania if it incited unrest in Kosovo, Berisha said that “there will be no punishments; Albania is committed to peace.” Members of Albanian communities around the world said that “any unrest in Kosovo would have very serious consequences for the Balkan region.” Representatives of the Albanian diaspora and of cultural and political institutions also attended the ceremony.

Peace in the Southern Balkans is at risk TIRANA - The Albanian President, Sali Berisha, accused Milosevic on Saturday of having stirred up civil unrest in Serbia by escalating anti-Albanian chauvinism and warned Kosovo that it could become the second point of conflict in Yugoslavia. President Berisha stressed that the civil unrest in Serbia speeds up the risk of a new conflict in Yugoslavia, creating a serious challenge to peace and stability in the Southern Balkans. The President also emphasized that the so-called “external enemy” with which Serbian public opinion is being manipulated is a fabrication designed to conceal the regime's internal political, economic and social crisis. He underlined that the solution to the Kosovo issue must come through peaceful means and with the involvement of the Kosovars themselves. DPA - President Berisha also made it clear that the movement of the Albanian population and the violation of its rights would have consequences for the entire region.

PAGE 2 Success in studies President Berisha and his wife wish the children a Happy New Year.

The Minister of the Interior Halil Shamata will hold today, on 29 December 1996 at 12:00 in the Hall of the relevant Ministry a press conference.