President of the Republic Sali Berisha received Italy’s Minister of Defense, Beniamin Andreata President Berisha thanked Minister Andreata for the interest, assistance, and solidarity that the friendly Italian Government and people are showing toward Albanians and Albania as they overcome their difficulties. Once again expressing his determination to pursue a political solution, President Berisha stressed that free and fair elections are the only path for Albania to continue toward democracy and integration into Europe. In this context, the rebel committees, made up of left-wing extremists, mafiosi, and traffickers, and the agreement concluded with them constitute the only obstacles to the serious efforts the Government of National Reconciliation is making to lead the country toward elections. He expressed confidence in the success of the multinational forces’ operation and in the effectiveness of the cooperation that Italy and Europe are providing to implement the political solution, for which Albania and the Albanians will always be grateful. President Berisha also expressed his gratitude for the assistance the Italian Government will grant to Italian investors to begin operating in Albania, as a very important contribution to the recovery and future of the Albanian economy. Minister Andreata assured President Berisha of Italy’s full and direct commitment to Albania through economic and financial assistance, covering every field. Italy is determined, he stressed, to increase [its efforts] through the international financial institutions, the World Bank and the IMF, to help Albania emerge from the situation that has arisen. Minister Andreata described free and fair elections as very important for establishing stability and securing Albania’s future, and assured President Berisha that the success of the multinational forces’ operation would help create favorable conditions for these elections. Prodi wins confidence vote Italian Minister of Defense, support and in the effectiveness of Italy’s and Europe’s support for the implementation of always be grateful.

Statement by the Albanian Democratic Party Pandeli Majko, Secretary for Public Relations of the Socialist Party, in his statement to the Italian press, expressed his party’s position. The senior Socialist official accused Mr. Kazini and other leaders of the Italian right of being neocolonialists and portrayed the multinational force in the same way. The Democratic Party considers the statement made in the Italian newspaper “Corriera della Sera” by to be irresponsible and tendentious. In his statement to the Italian press, the senior Socialist official expressed his party’s position, accusing being neocolonialists and portraying the multinational force in the same way. During the days when the EU, OSCE, UN, and the Italian parliament were discussing the dispatch of a multinational force to Albania, the Socialist Party expressed its opposition; in statements by the party’s leaders, such as Mr. Majko’s statement, the arrival of these troops was described as a ... For personal economic interests in Albania, in the most shameful and deliberate manner. Kazini and the other Italian politicians are very welcome friends in Albania. Unfortunately, the views of this senior Socialist Party leader are in unison with the position of the Italian Communist Refoundation. Some time ago, the Socialist Party and two other parties, PAD and PSD, had made such false and shameful accusations against the Council of Europe and its president, Ms. Leni Fisher, as well as against reporter Finsberg and Kolumberg and other European personalities, accusing them of seeking economic concessions in Albania. The Democratic Party further invites [truncated in source] as neocolonialists, Mr. Kazini and other leaders of the Italian right, and the multinational force, which they oppose; and the statements by leaders of this party, such as Mr. Majko’s statement, have described the arrival of these troops as a colonialist military march toward Albania. This speaks to their xenophobic and isolationist outlook. The multinational forces are coming to Albania as assistance granted to Albania by friendly EU countries. Likewise, irresponsibly, this communist accuses Mr. Kasino

ROME, 12 April / ATSH-Reuter /— Italy’s Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, managed to secure a majority in the confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies (the Lower House), after his far-left allies split and did not support the government concerning the forces to be sent to Albania. The center-left government won the confidence vote with 321 votes in favor and 166 against. Prodi was forced to call a confidence vote because he needed the opposition’s support to approve the Albania Mission, and he passed a similar vote on Thursday in the Senate (the Upper House). The far-left party “Rifondazione Comunista,” which provides the governing coalition with its majority in the Lower House, returned to the government ranks after disagreements and its refusal to support the Albania Mission, which is due to begin next week. Prodi said the coalition government could not continue amid such disagreements if it wanted to fulfill its promises to reform the welfare state. “For this reason, we cannot have disagreements like this. They will not be allowed again,” Prodi said.

Yesterday, Italy’s Minister of Defense, Benjamin Andreata, arrived in our country on a working visit. He held meetings with the President of the Republic, Sali Berisha, Prime Minister Bashkim Fino, Defense Minister Vukaj, and others. In the afternoon, Andreata held a press conference at which he announced the deployment of the multinational troops in Albania and expressed his views on their situation. Andreata stressed that the multinational forces would initially be deployed where local government is functioning and government authority exists. Regarding the purpose of these forces, Andreata stressed that they are solely concerned with humanitarian aid. Andreata said the multinational forces would begin arriving at the beginning of the week. For the record: Yesterday, Vukaj once again reaffirmed at a press conference his and the SP’s consistency in adhering to the SP’s agreement with the armed committee of the south.

Interview given by President Berisha to Gerhard Bitzan, an analyst for Austria’s leading newspaper “Die Presse” Page 4

Senior officials of the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs handed Albania’s Ambassador to Austria, Mr. Albert Alikaj, an invitation on 11.04.1997 during a meeting at Austria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for an official visit to Austria from 20–22 April 1997. The invitation was issued by Austria’s Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. ërolfgang Shyssel, and addressed to Albania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Arjan Starova. During his official visit to Austria, Albania’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Arjan Starova, will meet his Austrian counterpart, Shyssel, and will also be received in separate meetings by the country’s highest-ranking political figures. During the meeting, senior Austrian officials once again assured the Albanian Ambassador, Mr. Albert Alikaj, of the readiness of all Austrian state institutions to continue supporting Albania in every way.

Open provocations against Operation “Alba” Page 3

Hysterical insistence on civil war Page 3

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Today, 13.04.1997, at 11:00, a meeting of the National Council of PDSH will be held in the meeting hall of the Palace of Congresses to analyze the situation in the country and the measures that need to be taken. Members of the National Council and MPs are invited.

The Ministry of the Interior notes that citizens, owners of public establishments and vehicle owners are not obeying the minister’s order on the free movement of citizens during the state of emergency, creating the conditions for undesirable incidents that the police are obliged to enforce the order against. For this reason, the Ministry of the Interior, with the aim of preventing such incidents, is publishing this order once again; compliance is mandatory for all citizens of the Republic. ORDER Of the Minister of the Interior, Belul Çelo, No. 486, dated 12.04.1997 Pursuant to Law No. 8194, dated 02.03.1997, “On the state of emergency in the event of a violation of the constitutional order,” and with the aim of creating the conditions for the development of economic, social and cultural life, I order: 1. The free movement of citizens is prohibited from 20:00 until 06:00. 2. This order enters into force immediately. Operation Commander BELUL ÇELO