Tagesnachrichten 19. August 1998
von ALBANEWS und anderen
weitere Presse-Meldungen
further press news
Tagesnachrichten 19. August 1998
_______________________________________________________________________NEWS: KOSOVA UPDATE, AUGUST 19, 1998
Taken without permission, for fair use only.
Serbs Fire Mortars on Albanians
AP, Aug 19,
Albania urges Kosovo politicians to unite
Reuters, Aug 19,
FOCUS-EU official sees Kosovo suffering first hand
Reuters, Aug 19,
EU visitor speaks out in Kosovo
BBc, Aug 19,
Swiss unfreeze account of Kosovo Albanian group
BBc, Aug 19,
Kosovo mortar bombs detonate in Albania, OSCE says
Reuters, Aug 18,
Kosovo refugees trapped by Serbs "live like beasts"
Reuters, Aug 19,
___________________________________Wednesday August 19 10:51 AM EDT
Serbs Fire Mortars on Albanians
ISMET HAJDARI Associated Press Writer
PRISTINA, Yugoslavia (AP) - Serb mortars exploded about a mile inside Albanian territory, prompting Albania to request an urgent meeting with Yugoslav authorities.
Albanians said 15 mortars exploded over two hours Tuesday, causing local officials on the Albanian side of the frontier to evacuate children and the elderly from border communities. No casualties were reported.
The Albanian government is asking for an urgent meeting of a joint Yugoslav-Albanian border commission to discuss security, but no reply has been received, a government official said today.
Shells have landed in Albanian territory before, fueling fears that the conflict in Kosovo, where ethnic Albanian rebels are fighting for independence, could spread throughout the southern Balkans.
About 1,700 troops from the United States and 13 other countries are conducting a military exercise in the Albanian capital, Tirana, to demonstrate NATO's commitment to helping contain the Kosovo crisis.
On the diplomatic front, U.S. envoys are pressing for direct talks between the Serb government and a Kosovo Albanian delegation formed last week. Kosovo is part of Serbia, the main republic of Yugoslavia.
On Tuesday, the Kosovo Albanians spurned an offer by the Serbs to begin talks immediately, saying Serb attacks must cease and tens of thousands of Albanian civilians must be allowed to return to their homes.
The European Union's human rights commissioner, Emma Bonino, was touring refugee areas of Kosovo today for a firsthand assessment of the crisis.
Outside the village of Malisevo, Bonino's convoy was stopped by rebels of the Kosovo Liberation Army, who told her she could proceed, but not with reporters.
Bonino refused, the convoy turned back, and instead visited the village of Cirez, where she expressed concern over food shortages this winter if the refugees could not return to their homes in time for the harvest.
Complicating the diplomacy is the fact that the leading ethnic Albanian politician, Ibrahim Rugova, faces opposition from the KLA because he opposes the use of violence in resolving the crisis.
___________________________________Albania urges Kosovo politicians to unite
12:10 p.m. Aug 19, 1998 Eastern
By Llazar SeminiTIRANA, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo on Wednesday urged ethnic Albanian political groups in the Serbian province of Kosovo to unite and said their divisions were undermining their international credibility.
"Divisions among Albanian political elements in Kosovo, which have deepened recently, have put it in a worse position than two or three months ago," Milo said in an interview with Reuters.
Milo said ethnic Albanian political groups were showing traditional weaknesses by failing to develop a proper coordinated strategy at critical moments.
He was referring to divisions between the Democratic League of Kosovo led by self-styled president Ibrahim Rugova and Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) guerrillas, who have refused to join a negotiating team.
"The international credibility of Albanian political forces has fallen," Milo said, urging individual factions to put aside their differences and work together in the interests of their people.
Ethnic Albanians agreed to resume peace talks with Belgrade after a series of stunning setbacks for rebels of the KLA, who took control of up to half of Kosovo earlier this year but have been pushed back by a massive Serb offensive.
But on Tuesday they spurned a Serb offer to immediately restart peace negotiations to end the violence and said all fighting must cease before talks could begin.
Milo said the KLA's influence had been significantly weakened following its military setbacks.
A five-member negotiating team created by Rugova last week should serve as a nucleus to unite all Albanian political forces to speak in unison on Kosovo's future, he added.
The minister said Kosovo's future should be decided by Kosovo Albanians, who make up 90 percent of the 1.8 million population.
Albania's view remained that the region should be given the status of an autonomous republic within Yugoslavia rather than the independence the KLA is seeking.
"For the moment a republic within Yugoslavia, with the open prospect of self-determination, would be an acceptable solution," he said. "The solution will be a long-term one, not a simple process."Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
___________________________________FOCUS-EU official sees Kosovo suffering first hand
11:48 a.m. Aug 19, 1998 Eastern
By Mark HeinrichCIREZ, Serbia, Aug 19 (Reuters) - EU Humanitarian Affairs Commissioner Emma Bonino was visibly moved on Wednesday as she walked among 366 ethnic Albanian refugees crammed into a crumbling Kosovo schoolhouse.
She had to kneel down to hear two small boys and their sister tell how their mother, forced out of their home by six months of fighting in the province, had died giving birth three days earlier.
"Our 14-year-old sister is taking care of us now. Dad went back to his house in our ruined village to do the harvesting," said one of the boys, eyes bloodshot with tears and exhaustion.
Walking over rotting wooden floors to the next room with her entourage and journalists in tow, Bonino asked a grandmother and her daughter with five small children what their greatest problems were.
"We don't have enough to eat, we give whatever we can to our children. We cannot wash our laundry and we haven't been able to wash ourselves for weeks," said the mother.
"We get bread, tomatoes and peppers from villagers here but we lack bread and salt and milk and there is the risk of epidemic," she said, expressing a fear shared by every refugee.
The refugees Bonino saw were overwhelmingly women with small children, the main victims of the Kosovo conflict. They stared at the fashionably coiffed and attired visitor with the designer sunglasses.
Bonino said it was clear that what she had heard and seen in Cirez, central Kosovo, and other wrecked towns and villages, added up to a recipe for disaster this winter unless the refugees could return home soon.
"I'm just warning the international community that there is no possibility on pure humanitarian grounds to overcome winter for all this population if there is no political solution," she told reporters in a part of Kosovo still held by separatist rebels of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).
The KLA has been ousted from most of its strongholds by a Serb offensive but sporadic fighting is still reported.
"If we still have the illusion that a lot of humanitarian aid will help people survive the winter adequately, my message is this is impossible without a political settlement," Bonino said.
Bonino said refugees driven from their homes by the Serb military offensive would not return home without human rights guarantees linked to a peace accord.
She said not enough international pressure had been exerted on Belgrade to halt its destructive onslaught against rebels in Kosovo, an ethnic Albanian majority province of Serbia.
"If we care about people, there is really a very short time ahead of us if we want to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe," Bonino said.
Bonino returned to the Kosovo provincial capital Pristina later for talks with deputy U.N. refugee commissioner Soren Jessen-Petersen and ethnic Albanian political leader Ibrahim Rugova.
Earlier in the day, she tried to visit a grim refugee clinic in a wooded hideaway near Pagarosa, an hour south of Cirez, but turned her convoy back after a local KLA commander refused to let her bring in journalists.
Richard Floyer-Acland, a U.N. refugee official who visited the clinic the day before, said his team found children dying there from acute dehydration and dysentery.
"These children had skeletal limbs and the sort of pot-bellied midriff you're used to seeing in Africa," he told Reuters. "Several malnourished children had lice and scabies.
"The situation for all refugees is deteriorating rapidly."Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
___________________________________Wednesday, August 19, 1998 Published at 12:10 GMT 13:10 UK
EU visitor speaks out in Kosovo
The EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Emma Bonino, has warned that the Serb province of Kosovo faces a humanitarian crisis. Karen Coleman reports
Pale and unhealthy children, crying sick babies and worn out women were the images Emma Bonino was confronted with during her trip around some of Kosovo's war-torn regions.
The Commissioner was taken to the village of Cirez in central Kosovo. In the school there, over 300 ethnic Albanians are seeking shelter after abandoning their own homes when they came under fire from the Serbian forces.
In a dark dreary room, four young children were sitting on a mattress. They told Emma Bonino that their mother had died giving birth three days previously. There were no medical facilities in the school to save her.
The Commissioner was clearly moved and asked the children who was taking care of them. The eldest, a 14-year-old girl, said she was.
After hearing more harrowing tales, Emma Bonino conceded that Kosovo was facing a humanitarian crisis.
She said it was clear there was no way the displaced could cope adequately in wintertime unless a political solution could be found soon to resolve the conflict.
International aid workers say that in other parts of Kosovo, children are dying due to lack of food and clean water.
They believe the conditions will get worse and unless the displaced can be re-housed soon, many more may die during the cold winter months.
___________________________________Wednesday, August 19, 1998 Published at 16:43 GMT 17:43 UK
Swiss unfreeze account of Kosovo Albanian group
The Swiss authorities have unblocked a bank account belonging to an ethnic Albanian Kosovar group that was frozen last month on suspicion that it was being used to buy arms for rebels in the Serb province.
The five-million-dollar account belongs to the Kosovo Foundation, which maintains that the money is intended for humanitarian causes only.
Another account belonging to the People's Movement for the Liberation of Kosovo -- which says it is one of the political wings of the Kosovo Liberation Army -- was also frozen at the same time and has not yet been unblocked.
It too denies the money has been used to buy arms.From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
___________________________________Kosovo mortar bombs detonate in Albania, OSCE says
01:44 p.m Aug 18, 1998 Eastern
TIRANA, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Mortar bombs fired during fighting in the Serbian province of Kosovo landed in north-eastern Albania on Tuesday, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said.
Tim Isles, deputy head of the OSCE Tirana mission, said the organisation's monitoring teams had reported that one round impacted near the village of Padesh in the Tropoje region, some 250 km (155 miles) from Tirana, while others fell nearby.
The incidents occurred at about 8 a.m. (0600 GMT).
"We have confirmation that a shell, probably a mortar bomb, landed close to the village of Padesh," Isles told Reuters. "We also had confirmation that a number of others landed further way from the village, close to the border"
"We have no report initially on casualties," Isles added.
No government confirmation was available but the Albanian news agency ATA quoted the police chief in Tropoje as saying three mortar bombs had landed up to 1,000 metres (yards) inside Albanian territory.
Albania has protested several times in recent weeks over incidents in which it alleges that ammunition fired by Yugoslav government forces, fighting ethnic Albanian rebels in Kosovo, landed on its territory.
Albania has been pressing for international forces to be stationed along the border to prevent any spillover of the conflict.
About 1,700 troops from 14 NATO and Partnership for Peace countries on Monday began six days of military exercises in Albania which western officials privately acknowledge were intended as a warning to Yugoslavia to soften its crackdown on ethnic Albanians.Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
___________________________________Kosovo refugees trapped by Serbs "live like beasts"
By Mark Heinrich
BROLIC, Serbia, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Around 10,000 refugees are trapped along a riverbank in western Kosovo by Serbian forces intent on choking off a guerrilla enclave.
Menaced by random shelling, suffering increasingly from malnutrition and vulnerable to disease for lack of medicine, the ethnic Albanian refugees, mostly women and children, are desperate for an escape route to nearby Albania or Montenegro.
"We're living like beasts here. We need a humanitarian corridor out of here because all routes now are blocked by police who would kill us," Brain Sokolaj, a builder and father of two, told Reuters on Tuesday.
Roughly 20,000 people have fled dozens of villages bombarded and possibly overrun by Serbian troops in their thrust eastwards from the main road between Pec and Decani, which runs parallel to Serbia's mountain border with Albania.
Relief officials estimate that some 10,000 have collected since Friday along the Bistrica River in a triangle of Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) territory centred on the village of Brolic, so far untouched by long-range Serbian guns.
Houses close to the riverbank are crammed with up to 120 refugees, sharing a few rooms or spilling out into yards. Later arrivals, finding no indoor space, are sprawled along the narrow Bistrica, which is flanked by thick woods.
The refugees tell the same dismal story -- Serbian forces shelled their communities until they fled, then moved in for an orgy of burning and pillaging. Routes into the KLA enclave are scarred by wrecked, empty villages.
The region was eerily calm on Tuesday, a day after diplomatic sources said a temporary unofficial ceasefire had been arranged to permit access for emergency relief convoys.
The deputy U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees planned a fact-finding visit to the Bistrica valley on Thursday together with a delivery of emergency aid, according to Fernando del Mundo, UNHCR spokesman in Kosovo.
We found hundreds of doleful, dazed and dishevelled refugees scattered along the river outside Brolic on Tuesday. Some children splashed happily in the current, their only respite from days of torment.
Refugees also use the river to wash and boil river water over fires to drink.
There is a grave shortage of nourishing food and drinking water. The Kosovo Albanians' Mother Teresa aid group has distributed sacks of flour and a few other items of basic sustenance, but they fall drastically short of daily needs.
Another rural KLA enclave clogged with refugees outside Malisevo some 40 km (25 miles) southeast of Pec received a UNHCR-coordinated aid convoy on Tuesday intended to sustain 2,000 families -- 20,000 people -- for one month.
As the convoy was unloading food parcels, mattresses, soap and other items, a rocket-propelled grenade exploded on a hill in the vicinity followed by bursts of automatic weapons fire, del Mundo told Reuters.
It was a reminder of the ever-present threat from crossfire or indiscriminate shooting. Pagarosa, the remote hill hamlet reached by the convoy, skirts a front line between rebels and Serbian security forces.
But del Mundo said disease was the gravest problem.
"The situation there is deteriorating badly. The doctor at the local clinic said he was treating an average of 90 people a day of whom 90 percent are children suffering from malnutrition and acute diarrhea," he said.
"But they have no proper medicines. There is one child at the clinic who needs immediate evacuation but the mother refuses because she fears harassment at Serb checkpoints. The boy may die as a result."
Almost 15 percent of Kosovo's 1.6 million Albanian majority population is believed to have been uprooted by six months of fighting in the southern province of Serbia.
An unknown number have been killed and wounded and international aid agencies have been unable to keep up with a huge upsurge in refugees from a Serbian offensive that has recaptured most rebel zones since July 20.
"There is going to be a humanitarian disaster obviously unless something is done immediately to get the displaced out of the woods and open fields," said del Mundo.Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
TEXT: U.S. RESPONSE TO HUMANITARIAN NEEDS IN KOSOVO OUTLINED
(State Dept. official Julia Taft at forum with NGOs) (1600)
Washington -- Assistant Secretary of State for
Population, Refugees and Migration Julia V. Taft outlined the U.S. government's
response to the humanitarian situation related to the conflict in Kosovo
at a public forum with representatives of non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) August 18.
She said, "The USG has
responded to the crisis with over $10 million in aid," most of which is
channeled through NGOs.
The United States, Taft
said, was "active in ensuring the return of humanitarian commodities confiscated
from non-governmental organizations" and continues "to maintain pressure
on Serb officials to allow unfettered access for humanitarian organizations
in Kosovo."
Reports of an artificial
food shortage continue to trouble the United States, Taft said. "We have
publicly condemned any artificial food shortage and have asked Ambassador
Hill to address this issue with [President] Milosevic [of the 'Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia'] personally. We will continue to investigate this
and other allegations until we have resolved them."
Another cause of concern
to the United States is the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs)
to their homes. Taft said that the United States is "encouraging a bolstered
international presence" and that it will "intensify pressure on Milosevic
to fulfill his promise of return."
Following Taft's remarks,
Eileen Malloy, deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Canadian
affairs, took part in the exchange with NGO representatives and stressed
that the United States is following a multi-track approach to the situation
in Kosovo.
The humanitarian aspect
of the crisis, while it has the most immediacy in terms of relieving people's
suffering, is "just one of three tracks we're working very hard on," Malloy
said.
Equally important in
the long run is the track of negotiations for a peaceful settlement of
the Kosovo conflict, according to Malloy. And a third track that is "extremely
important" involves assuring that "all of the allies at NATO finalize their
planning" for potential action, she said.
Following is the text
of Taft's prepared remarks:
(Begin text)
Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees
and Migration
Julia V. Taft
August 18, 1998
USG Response to the Humanitarian Situation related to the Kosovo Conflict
The humanitarian situation in Kosovo has deteriorated
so rapidly in the last several weeks that we find ourselves on the brink
of what may soon be a "humanitarian crisis." Many of you work there or
have been there recently so I don't have to tell you how dire the situation
has become, especially for those tens of thousands who remain in the hills
around Malisevo. We are deeply concerned about these individuals and the
new IDPs [Internally Displaced Persons] and refugees that continue to be
produced. It is appalling that we are facing another refugee and IDP problem
of this magnitude in this region, just a few years after the signing of
the Dayton Accords.
We have organized this
briefing today to highlight our shared concern for the humanitarian situation
in Kosovo and review what steps the USG is taking to address them. Unfortunately,
I can't say we are close to getting the humanitarian needs under control,
but I can say we are working both politically and through our partners
on the ground to best address the situation as it stands today. We are
there; we are concerned; we are engaged.
The USG has responded
to the crisis with over $10 million in aid. Most of that is channeled through
our NGO [non-governmental organizations] partners -- many of whom are here
today -- while the remainder supports international organizations, such
as UNHCR [U.N. High Commissioner of Refugees] and ICRC [International Committee
of the Red Cross]. In addition to direct financial support, we are providing
direct food assistance to the World Food Program and several NGOs. The
Department of Defense is currently shipping almost a half million Humanitarian
Daily Rations to aid agencies, and has also provided vehicles to international
aid agencies in the region. AID [U.S. Agency for International Development]
has provided significant staffing to the region over the past several months
and will send an OFDA [Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance in the
Bureau for Humanitarian Response at USAID] team this Saturday. While this
support is important, it alone will not solve the problem. That is why
we have been actively engaged in Kosovo on a political level. Humanitarian
concern has always been and will continue to be an important component
of our political strategy in Kosovo.
As many of you know,
we were active in ensuring the return of humanitarian commodities confiscated
from non-governmental organizations and continue to maintain pressure on
Serb officials to allow unfettered access for humanitarian organizations
in Kosovo. We recognize that access has not been universal, but we see
that there has been some improvement.
We are concerned about
the continued reports of an artificial food shortage. We have publicly
condemned any artificial food shortage and have asked Ambassador Hill to
address this issue with Milosevic personally. We will continue to investigate
this and other allegations until we have resolved them.
We recognize the need
for the immediate return of the IDPs to their homes in Kosovo. Return is
an unquestionable right of all displaced persons. More immediately, return
will facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and will ensure that more
people have shelter now and through the winter. Milosevic has promised
to allow the return of IDPs and refugees to their homes, and we intend
to hold him to this promise. We have developed an initiative that we hope
will help get some IDPs home immediately, so they don't face a cold winter
without shelter and food. We are working closely with international organizations,
including UNHCR, ICRC, and the KDOM [Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission],
to increase their presence in those towns to which IDPs can and will return.
We believe Malisevo and Mitrovica are promising areas of return. We encourage
those NGOs who are here today to consider how they too can support an increased
presence in these towns to promote return.
At the same time that
we are encouraging a bolstered international presence, we will intensify
our pressure on Milosevic to fulfill his promise of return. We will outline
our expectation that he provide a secure environment, decreased police
presence, unfettered access, and assistance for shelter repair in five
key areas. We expect that these five areas will be only the initial round
of returns.
Having said that, we
recognize that only through a cessation in hostilities can we expect a
completely safe environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance,
the return of all people to their homes, and an end to the production of
refugees and IDPs. As you all know, we are working on a negotiated settlement
through Ambassador Chris Hill's efforts. We applaud the creation of a Rugova-led
negotiating team and will continue to work closely with both sides until
a settlement is reached. The USG is fully committed to finding a peaceful
solution to this conflict.
I want to reiterate
that we are engaged on the humanitarian front. We share your concern and
will continue to do what we can politically and in support of our partners
on the ground, in order to address the needs of those displaced by this
conflict. I welcome your comments, questions and suggestions as to how
we can continue to work together to address the rising needs. Thank you
for attending today.
United States Government
Response to Humanitarian Needs Related to the Kosovo Crisis
The United States has
been actively engaged in negotiating a settlement in Kosovo, creating conditions
for the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and promoting the safe return
of IDPs and refugees. The USG has called for a cessation of hostilities
and all actions that negatively impact the well-being of civilians. The
USG maintains constant pressure on Serb officials to allow unfettered access
for humanitarian organizations in Kosovo, and has been active in ensuring
the return of humanitarian commodities confiscated from non-governmental
organizations. High government officials, including Belgrade Charge Miles
and Ambassador Hill, as well as the Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission,
have traveled with aid agencies and raised the issue of access. USG officials
have called on Milosevic to fulfill his promise for the immediate return
of IDPs. The USG is presently pursuing a return initiative to rally international
support and increase pressure on Milosevic in order to provide conditions
for the safe return of IDPs.
The USG works closely
with international organizations and non-governmental organizations to
ensure that their operations are supported and fully addressing existing
needs. The USG has urged other governments to provide assistance through
NGOs and international organizations. The United States Government has
provided direct financial contributions, commodities and equipment to international
and non-governmental organizations responding to the humanitarian needs
related to the Kosovo conflict. Below is a list of USG response to the
conflict, as of August 13, 1998:
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
-- $2.6 million to support emergency appeal
-- 185,000 Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs)
International Committee of the Red Cross
-- $700,000 to support emergency appeal
United Nations Children's Emergency Fund
-- $250,000 to support emergency appeal
World Food Program
-- $830,000 in commodities
-- 8 surplus vehicles for use in Albania
Non-Governmental Organizations
-- close to $5.3 million for humanitarian
aid delivery and shelter projects
-- 265,000 Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs)
Other contributions are forthcoming. USG will respond to the future UN appeal, expected in late August 1998.
(End text)
Albania to tighten entry after Islamist arrests
08:15 a.m. Aug 18, 1998 Eastern
By Benet Koleka
TIRANA, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Albania will tighten
immigration controls following its extradition to Egypt last month of four
Islamists suspected of terrorism, Foreign Minister Paskal Milo said in
remarks published on Tuesday.
In an interview with
the Koha Jone newspaper, he said lax controls by the government of former
president Sali Berisha, who was ousted last year, had enabled "a wave of
terrorists" to enter Albania in recent years.
Milo's comments came
several days after the United States withdrew family members and non-essential
staff from its embassy in Tirana, citing fears of possible attacks similiar
to those against its embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
"Besides working to
create better security for diplomats, we are acting to have a more efficient
checking system for the entry of foreigners in Albania," Milo said.
"People who have entered
Albania have now been identified as responsible for terrorist acts in other
countries."
Four Islamists were
arrested in Albania and extradited to Egypt last month in operations widely
reported by the Tirana press to have been conducted with the assistance
of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Twin bomb attacks on
August 7 targeted the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, where at least 247 people
-- most in a nearby building -- were killed in the blast, and in Dar es
Salaam, where 10 people died.
Speculation that these
bombings may have been staged to avenge the extraditions was prompted by
a warning against the United States from Egypt's banned militant group
Jihad.
Albania newspapers reported
on Tuesday that 10 foreigners from unspecified Islamic countries had left
the country over the past five days, eluding police raids on their homes.
This could not be officially confirmed.
Albania emerged from
isolationist communist dictatorship in 1990 and is one of Europe's poorest
countries. Parts of the country are lawless, police are underpaid and poorly
trained and the cash-strapped public administration often functions poorly.
More than 60 percent
of Albania's population is Moslem.
Milo said Albania had
not taken part in any meetings of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference
(OIC) since the government of Socialist Prime Minister Fatos Nano took
office last year, but said it was keen to develop relations with Arab and
Islamic countries.
"It is a year now since
we came to power and declared clearly we would not take part in institutions
and organisations of a religious character," Milo said.
"As a consequence, we
have not taken part in the activities held by the Organisation of the Islamic
Conference during this year.
But he stopped short
of saying Albania would leave the OIC, which it joined in December 1992
under the Berisha government.
Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
------------
Kosovo mortar bombs detonate in Albania, OSCE says
01:44 p.m Aug 18, 1998 Eastern
TIRANA, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Mortar bombs fired
during fighting in the Serbian province of Kosovo landed in north-eastern
Albania on Tuesday, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) said.
Tim Isles, deputy head
of the OSCE Tirana mission, said the organisation's monitoring teams had
reported that one round impacted near the village of Padesh in the Tropoje
region, some 250 km (155 miles) from Tirana, while others fell nearby.
The incidents occurred
at about 8 a.m. (0600 GMT).
"We have confirmation
that a shell, probably a mortar bomb, landed close to the village of Padesh,"
Isles told Reuters. "We also had confirmation that a number of others landed
further way from the village, close to the border."
"We have no report initially
on casualties," Isles added.
No government confirmation
was available but the Albanian news agency ATA quoted the police chief
in Tropoje as saying three mortar bombs had landed up to 1,000 metres (yards)
inside Albanian territory.
Albania has protested
several times in recent weeks over incidents in which it alleges that ammunition
fired by Yugoslav government forces, fighting ethnic Albanian rebels in
Kosovo, landed on its territory.
Albania has been pressing
for international forces to be stationed along the border to prevent any
spillover of the conflict.
About 1,700 troops from
14 NATO and Partnership for Peace countries on Monday began six days of
military exercises in Albania which western officials privately acknowledge
were intended as a warning to Yugoslavia to soften its crackdown on ethnic
Albanians.
Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
--------------
Most troops who guarded U.S. Embassy leave Albania
03:18 p.m Aug 18, 1998 Eastern
WASHINGTON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - The United States
has cut the security force at its embassy in Albania by more than three-quarters
after the evacuation of nonessential embassy staff, President Bill Clinton
said on Tuesday.
In a letter to congressional
leaders released by the White House, Clinton said some U.S. military personnel
would stay on to protect the embassy compound in Tirana until Washington
decided they were no longer necessary.
The United States pulled
out nonessential embassy staff on Sunday. It decided on the move last week
after receiving information that the building might come under an attack
like the bombings of U.S. embassies in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi, Clinton
said.
Washington simultaneously
deployed to Albania a combat-equipped unit of about 200 Marines from the
22nd Expeditionary Unit and 10 Navy Seals to protect the embassy, he added.
All but 50 Marines had
returned to their ships by Monday to take part in a NATO exercise.
The State Department
said last Friday the embassy might become the target of an attack by Islamic
extremists.
Four Islamists were
arrested in Albania and extradited to Egypt last month in operations widely
reported by the Tirana press to have been conducted with the assistance
of the CIA.
An Albanian official
denied a report by the London-based Islamic Observation Centre that another
Egyptian Moslem militant had been arrested in Tirana on Thursday.
Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
--------------
18 August 1998
TEXT: STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR ALBANIA
(State Dept. suspends normal operations at U.S. Embassy) (1450)
Washington -- The U.S. Department of State has
temporarily suspended normal operations at the U.S. Embassy in Tirana because
of "recent declarations by Islamic extremists against the United States
and it citizens."
In its travel advisory
August 13, the State Department said that "it is possible that the U.S.
Embassy's facilities in Tirana, Albania, could be among the targets of
a terrorist attack."
Following is the text of the travel advisory:
(Begin text)
STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - ALBANIA
Albania - Public Announcement
August 13, 1998
Given the recent declarations by Islamic extremists
against the United States and its citizens and press reports alleging the
U.S. Government's participation in the recent apprehension of several Islamic
extremists, it is possible that the U.S. Embassy's facilities in Tirana,
Albania, could be among the targets of a terrorist attack. In light of
this information, the U.S. Embassy in Tirana is temporarily suspending
normal operations.
All Americans in Albania
should review their security practices and exercise caution.
For additional information
on travel to Albania, consult the Travel Warning and the latest Consular
information Sheet for Albania.
This Public Announcement expires November 13, 1998.
Albania - Travel Warning
June 18, 1998
The Department of State recommends that American
citizens continue to avoid unnecessary travel to Albania. Because of the
influx of refugees from Kosovo into the northeastern part of the country
and the resulting potential for increased security problems, Americans
are particularly cautioned against travel to that area.
The security situation
in Albania generally remains a cause for concern, due to the continuation
of bombings and sporadic gunfire, mainly during the evening hours, as well
as an increase in criminal activity. There has been an increase in the
theft of vehicles at gunpoint, particularly four-wheel drive vehicles.
The security situation outside Tirana remains even less stable than in
the capital, and American citizens should avoid travel outside the capital
unless absolutely necessary. The U.S. Embassy strongly recommends that
American citizens avoid crowds and exercise caution at all times.
All American citizens
in Albania are strongly urged to register at the U.S. Embassy located at
Rruga e Elbasanit 103, Tirana. For updated security information, Americans
should contact the U.S. Embassy's Consular Section at tel: (355) (42) 32875,
fax: (355) (42) 32222.
No. 98-023
This supersedes the Travel Warning issued August 14, 1997.
Albania - Consular Information Sheet
July 24, 1998
Warning: The Department of State recommends
that American citizens continue to avoid unnecessary travel to Albania.
Because of the influx of refugees from Kosovo into the northeastern part
of the country and the resulting potential for increased security problems,
Americans are particularly cautioned against travel to that area.
The security situation
in Albania generally remains a cause for concern, due to the continuation
of bombings and sporadic gunfire, mainly during the evening hours, as well
as an increase in criminal activity. There has been an increase in the
theft of vehicles at gunpoint, particularly four-wheel drive vehicles.
The security situation
outside Tirana remains even less stable than in the capital, and American
citizens should avoid travel outside the capital unless absolutely necessary.
The U.S. Embassy strongly recommends that American citizens avoid crowds
and exercise caution at all times.
Country Description: Albania continues to undergo profound social, political, and economic change. Facilities for tourism are not well developed and many of the goods and services taken for granted in other European countries are not yet available. Hotel accommodations are limited outside of Tirana.
Entry Requirements: A passport is required, but a visa is not necessary for a tourist stay of up to 30 days. For stays exceeding 30 days, a free extension obtainable from the local Police Commissariat is required. This extension is subject to renewal after 30 days. To extend a stay beyond three months, a permit is required from the Ministry of Interior. The second extension and three-month permit are both subject to minimal fees. For additional information, please contact the Embassy of the Republic of Albania at 2100 S Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, tel.: (202) 223-4942.
Medical Facilities: Medical facilities
are limited, and medicine is in short supply. There are periodic outbreaks
of polio, cholera, and dysentery. Doctors and hospitals generally expect
immediate cash payment for health services. U.S. medical insurance is not
always valid outside the United States. The Medicare/Medicaid program does
not provide payment for medical services outside the United States.
Check with your own
insurance company to confirm whether your policy applies overseas, including
provision for medical evacuation. Ascertain whether payment will be made
to the overseas hospital or doctor or whether you will be reimbursed later
for expenses you incur. Some insurance policies also include coverage for
psychiatric treatment and for disposition of remains in the event of death.
Useful information on medical emergencies abroad, including overseas insurance
programs, is provided in the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs
brochure "Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad," available
via its home page and autofax service.
The international travelers
hotline of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may be reached
from the United States at 1-888-232-3228, via their autofax service at
1-888-232-3229, or their Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov.
Crime Information: Albania has a high rate of violent crime. The influx of refugees from Kosovo has increased the potential for criminal activity, especially in the northeastern part of the country. Criminal activity outside Tirana is especially prevalent. Crime is generally directed at targets of opportunity, not at Americans in particular. The theft of vehicles, especially four-wheel drive vehicles, from foreigners at gunpoint has become increasingly common. The loss or theft of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Useful information on safeguarding valuables and protecting personal safety while traveling abroad is provided in the Department of State's pamphlet "A Safe Trip Abroad." It is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, via the Internet at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su.docs, or http://travel.state.gov.
Road Safety/Travel Conditions: Major roads are passable, but often in poor repair. Buses travel regularly between most major destinations, but may be unreliable and uncomfortable. Travelers have reported attacks by bands of thieves in all parts of the country. There are no commercial domestic flights and few rail connections.
Aviation Safety Oversight: As there is no direct commercial air service at present, or economic authority to operate such service between the United States and Albania, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Albania's Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with international aviation safety standards for oversight of Albania's air carrier operations. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation within the U.S. at 1-800-322-7873, or visit the FAA Internet Home Page at http://www.faa.gov/avr/iasa.htm. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) separately assesses some foreign air carriers for suitability as official providers of air services. For information regarding the DOD policy on specific carriers, travelers may contact the Pentagon at (703) 697-7288.
Criminal Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. Penalties for possession, use and dealing of illegal drugs in Albania are severe, and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and fines.
Currency Regulations: Credit cards and travelers checks are not accepted in Albania except at the major new hotels in Tirana. Personal checks are not accepted anywhere.
Registration and Embassy Location: U.S. citizens visiting or remaining in Albania are strongly recommended to register at the U.S. Embassy and obtain updated information on travel and security within Albania. The U.S. Embassy in Tirana is located at Rruga E Elbasanit 103, tel.: (355)(42) 32875, fax: (355)(42) 32222.
No. 98-109
This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated
August 15, 1997, to update the Warning, Entry Requirements, Medical Facilities,
Crime Information, Road Safety, and Aviation Safety Oversight, and Internet
addresses.
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