Sarajevo is not far from us On page 9 Photo report

Day's note Sarajevo has once again been drenched in blood. Yesterday, another monstrous crime was committed against the civilian population of the Bosnian capital—as a result of the Bosnian Serbs' bombardment of the city's market, 37 people were massacred and another 88 wounded. The world has by now grown accustomed to Sarajevo, to Bosnia, to crimes that recall fascist pogroms and Hitlerian crematoria. The world has by now also grown accustomed to resolutions, appeals, and judicial measures by the international community, which is proving incapable of bringing the aggressor to heel or staying the bloodied hand of the architects of genocide and ethnic cleansing, so widely practiced in the troubled Balkans. The messages coming from Sarajevo are relevant to us Albanians not simply because we are Balkan people, nor merely because the war is so many kilometers from Albania, but because of the great truth that, as long as every form of destroying the values created by humanity is being experimented with in Bosnia—from cultural monuments to camps for the mass extermination of people—we must always remain vigilant. Politicians bear great responsibility for developments in the former Yugoslavia and for bringing the absurd war in Bosnia to an end. Their misguided policies place a great responsibility on them and show peoples where adventurism leads when their fate is at stake. Sarajevo is both near and far from us. We have by now grown accustomed to Sarajevo and the privations of the Bosnian people. Particularly important is the message that, often in this troubled world, the price of peace is greater than that of war. In this sense, Sarajevo is a symbol of destabilization, tension, and the incitement of conflict and discord. When our politicians in power practice the fomenting of discord instead of tolerance, fan social and interparty tensions instead of holding talks, and treat their political opponent as an enemy instead of engaging in dialogue, these positions demonstrate not only a lack of political culture, but also half-hearted efforts to keep Sarajevo's tragic message from reaching Albania. Unfortunately for democracy and the establishment of the rule of law, although Sarajevo is geographically far from us, at times we have “war” among ourselves; at times there is a crime, when another crime is at issue, when a murder is committed, when someone is abducted and others are raped. This painful event, one of the most tragic in Sarajevo's painful history, is an appeal to peoples, but above all it is a call to politicians to stay the hand of evil in every form and wherever it may erupt. That is how other Sarajevos can be prevented.

The High Council of Justice will meet today under the chairmanship of Mr. Sali Berisha. Everything announced a few days ago concerning major changes in the Albanian Prosecutor's Offices and courts appears set to happen today. Well-informed sources told “Zëri” yesterday that today's meeting will first consider the submission of proposals for dismissals and new appointments at the Tirana Prosecutor's Office. The source places at the top of the list of candidates for dismissal the two heads of the Tirana Prosecutor's Office, Arben Qeleshi and Genc Gjokutaj. About a month ago, the inspection team of the Republic's General Prosecutor's Office found serious procedural violations in the work of this body—investigations that have been ongoing for two years and are still unfinished, and requests for penalties below the minimum stipulated by law. At the time, “Koha Jonë” mentioned Qeleshi and Gjokutaj as the leading names on a list of eight Tirana prosecutors proposed for dismissal, just days before the next meeting of the High Council of Justice. But before everything reached Berisha's desk—he is also chairman of the High Council of Justice—Qeleshi switched the positions of Gjokutaj and Kokoshi. The former remained deputy prosecutor of Tirana, but this time was assigned to investigations, while the latter was assigned to prosecuting cases in court. Qeleshi also decided to change the building for his people, moving them into the Tirana Investigation Directorate building. Meanwhile, it seems these changes do not [continue?] Albanian. The body, widely accused of accepting bribes and bargaining over the prison sentences of defendants, and described as the most regressive part of the state because it has been placed under political control to the detriment of human rights, is reportedly to undergo changes today. Meanwhile, no one can guarantee that all the unlawful practices in this body to date will change. D.D

Yesterday, Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Amr Moussa, received at the Egyptian Embassy in Tirana the deputy chairman of the SP, Luan Hajdaraga, and member of the SP leadership Bashkim Zeneli, members of the People's Assembly. Representatives of the Republican Party and the Social Democratic Party of Albania also took part in the meeting. The representatives of the Socialist Party of Albania exchanged views with Mr. Moussa on issues concerning the further development of relations between the two countries, the progress of democratic processes in Albania, and the situation in the region. The meeting took place in a spirit of friendship and understanding. The SP Press and Information Office

Yesterday afternoon at the Socialist Party headquarters in Tirana, its deputy chairman, Dr. Servet Pëllumbi, and parliamentary group chairman Namik Dokle held an official meeting with the deputy chairman of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Mr. Fehmi Agani, and the head of the Office of the Republic of Kosovo in Tirana, Mr. Iliaz Ramajli. “We are glad to meet, because it gives us the opportunity to get to know one another and to discuss those issues of our national question that need to be resolved,” said Dr. Servet Pëllumbi. “We have been,” he continued, “and remain open to the Albanians of Kosovo, since our national question remains open and unresolved.” “Thank you for receiving us, and we emphasize that we are open to cooperating here with all Albanian parties,” said LDK Deputy Chairman Fehmi Agami. Dr. Servet Pëllumbi went on to stress that the SP's position on the national question is not a matter of political expediency, but a programmatic issue. Resolving this question is a constant commitment of the SP, and in this way we respect the will of the people of Kosovo, regardless of particular political circumstances. “Therefore,” continued the SP deputy chairman, “the Socialist Party attaches particular importance to cooperation with all Albanian political forces. We are convinced,” Dr. Pëllumbi said, “that a common national platform needs to be established, regardless of programmatic differences on other issues. In this context, it is not appropriate to use programmatic differences to interfere in one another's affairs or to make statements that serve mainly to cause misunderstanding or certain prejudices,” said Dr. Servet Pëllumbi. “For all of us to work together to resolve the issues that concern us,” continued the SP deputy chairman, “we must not adopt one-sided positions about those in power or those in opposition.” Dr. Servet Pëllumbi then expressed the SP's established position that the situation in the Balkans is being exploited by the Milošević regime to realize the old dreams of Serbian chauvinists. “We condemn and denounce the conduct of the Serbian regime in Kosovo, because (continues on page 3)

In his meeting yesterday with American congressmen Doran and Lahl (Laughlin), members of the House of Representatives' Committee on National Security and Intelligence, President of the Republic Sali Berisha thanked them for the support the United States has given Albania and praised the cooperation between the two countries in the military field. He expressed the Albanian state's willingness to expand and deepen this cooperation and asked the American congressmen to help advance it. Regarding the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, President Berisha reaffirmed Albania's position against the forcible alteration of borders, as well as its position that Kosovo be included on the agenda of the international efforts being undertaken to resolve the conflict. He considered that restoring the military balance between the warring parties would help bring about peace in our region more quickly. The congressmen thanked President Berisha for the airport facilities Albania has provided to the United States and praised the modernization of Albania's Armed Forces, as well as its position on regional issues.

Special photo report from Sarajevo