PRESS CONFERENCE BY ALBANIA

24 March 1997

Press Briefing

19970324 FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY

The Permanent Representative of Albania to the United Nations, Pellumb Kulla, told correspondents at a Headquarters press conference this morning that the situation in Albania remained very critical. Men, women and children continued to be killed or wounded every day. Looting was commonplace and the Army was almost nonexistent. A considerable number of weapons were no longer in its possession. Armed gangs threatened to cause incalculable material damage.

There was an urgent need for medicine and food in Albania, Mr. Kulla continued. Humanitarian assistance received so far from Italy and Greece demonstrated that public order was needed to allow humanitarian aid to reach its destination. The Government -- created on the basis of an agreement reached on 9 March -- was slowly overcoming the barriers to the re- establishment of public order and the delivery of international assistance. The international community had been very supportive. The mission of the European Union had made an extensive study of the situation in Albania and it was expected that the political commission of the European Union would follow the study's recommendations.

The Parliament and the Government had declared that they did not recognize any of the local "committees of salvation created by the rebels, he said. Those committees were no longer using guns to enforce their requests. They insisted, however, on the resignation of the President and it was generally agreed both inside and outside Albania that such a request would diminish the prospect of establishing peace. The President himself had said he would resign if he did not win the upcoming elections. He added that "special circles" within and outside of Albania were very interested in destabilizing the country.

In response to a question from a correspondent about his position on foreign troops in Albania, Mr. Kulla said the President had called for international assistance to help organize the remaining forces in Albania and assist the delivery of international aid. The formal request had been sent to the European Union and they were now discussing how to help Albania.

What caused both the police and the army to disintegrate? a correspondent asked. Mr. Kulla said it was due to the divisiveness of political forces in Albania. The loss of political orientation, brought about by the failed pyramid schemes and forces of the revolt, put the army and police in a position where they could not decide who should be defended.

A correspondent asked if the rumour that Greece was responsible "for all or part of the mess" in his country was true. Mr. Kulla replied that the

Albania Press Conference - 2 - 24 March 1997

rumour was not true. Greece had been the first country to offer humanitarian assistance and was continuing to help Albania.

Could he comment on the situation in The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and whether or not there might be a new influx of Albanian refugees into the country? a correspondent asked. Mr. Kulla said the problem in Macedonia was somewhat similar to the problem in Albania, especially with regard to the pyramid schemes. He did not think there would be a major influx of Albanians into Macedonia, but the situation was dangerous.

In response to a request for an update on the refugee situation, Mr. Kulla said about 12,000 Albanian refugees were in Italy and several thousand were reported to be in Greece. Asked who the "outside forces" were, Mr. Kulla said that he could not say precisely who the specific circles were, but that he had arrived at them through logical deduction.

Did he think that the pyramid schemes were a front to create political unrest? a correspondent asked. Mr. Kulla said the original reason for the insurgency was the pyramid schemes. An attempt had been made to turn the despair at the failure of those schemes into a political movement. In response to a follow-up question about the businessmen who had headed those schemes, Mr. Kulla said that the businessmen were members of both the Government and the opposition and were now thought to be out of the country, due to the opening of the prisons.

What kind of help was the Government asking for from the United Nations or the European Union in regard to the refugees? a correspondent asked. Mr. Kulla said he did not know the precise programme or measures.

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