Meeting of the General Steering Committee of the PSSH: Political maturity, genuine commitment to supporting further steps to emerge from the crisis Support for the National Reconciliation Government’s program to hold free, fair and equal elections by June 1997 Of the 83 people present at the meeting, 66 voted in favor of taking part in Parliament, 9 against, and 8 abstained PSSh will take part in Parliament. “...we chose the alternative of participation, because at the foundation of our program and political philosophy lies inclusion, coexistence, dialogue and fair political competition, rather than apartheid, exclusion and hostility that lead to the elimination of opponents or to placing them outside the law...” At its meeting on 2 April 1997, the General Steering Committee, having analyzed the current political situation and the actions taken so far by the PSSH leadership, decided, among other things, that: - The political actions of the PSSH leadership in its political activity with the parties of the Forum for Democracy, at the Round Table of 10 parties, to approve the 9 March Agreement, are to be endorsed. - Unwavering support for the National Reconciliation Government, headed by Socialist Prime Minister Bashkim Fino, is to continue. - The PS’s participation in the National Reconciliation Government is to be accompanied by its participation in Parliament, solely to support this government’s program and to hold free, fair and equal elections by June 1997. Read on pages 2, 3

The Chairman of the Democratic Party, Mr. Tritan Shehu Dear Mr. Chairman, I received your letter. I fully agree with your view that you consider the 9 March 1997 Agreement “the best political solution in the country.” This has been and remains the consistent position of the PSSH, which, amid the political and economic crisis in the country, sees the National Reconciliation Government as the only possibility for achieving stability in the country and preparing for new elections in June 1997. Any act that would sabotage the National Reconciliation Government carries corresponding national and international responsibilities, which must take precedence over any “alarm” about the peaceful dialogue processes under way in Albania. I hope for your understanding, as on the day the 9 March Agreement was approved by Parliament. Respectfully, The Chairman Fatos Nano Tirana, 2.4.1997

The Chairman of the Socialist Party, Mr. Fatos Nano Dear Mr. Chairman! While reaffirming the DP’s full support for the 9 March 1997 Agreement as the best political solution in the country, we wish once again to make you aware of our serious concern about any statement deviating from this agreement. The DP views with great concern the declaration signed in Vlora by the PS and the armed committees engaged in unconstitutional activities. In the agreement signed in Vlora on 29 March 1997, the Democratic Party sees your party’s complete undermining of the 9 March 1997 Agreement, which will inevitably deepen the crisis in the country. On behalf of the Democratic Party, I ask you once again for the PS to publicly condemn and distance itself from the 29 March agreement in Vlora, as the only way to ensure continuity of the political platform of 9 March 1997. Otherwise, we believe that the PS will bear all the negative consequences arising from the violation of the 9 March 1997 Agreement. Respectfully, The Chairman Dr. Tritan Shehu Tirana, 1.4.1997

GJIROKASTËR Prime Minister Fino meets the Italian Prime Minister After talks with Prodi, the Albanian Prime Minister left for Greece at the invitation of Prime Minister Simitis In Athens he will also meet former Austrian Chancellor Franc Vranicki, the OSCE’s special envoy for Albania Yesterday morning, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi arrived in Gjirokastër to hold an urgent meeting with his Albanian counterpart, Mr. Bashkim Fino. The Italian Prime Minister arrived at Gjirokastër airport at 8:40, accompanied by a security escort. At the airport, Mr. Prodi was welcomed by the Chairman of the National Reconciliation Government, Bashkim Fino. The two prime ministers then held one-on-one talks for 25 minutes at the city hall. After the meeting, Mr. Prodi told the BBC: “We held this meeting to raise the level of our relations. After this, cooperation between our two countries will grow even further. Incidents like these (referring to the tragic Otranto incident) must not happen. ‘It was a tragedy.’” Albanian Prime Minister Bashkim Fino said that relations between Albania and Italy are open and friendly. The Albanian Prime Minister asked Prodi’s government to set up a joint investigative team to establish the truth about the tragic Otranto incident, a request that Prodi accepted. Likewise, (Continued on page 8)