Rome conference outlines major international assistance for Albania

ROME, 17 October 1997 - At an international conference in Rome on Albania, Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini opened the meeting saying: "The emergency phase in Albania comes to an end". The conference, which was organized by the Italian Government, was intended to outline concrete projects for the restructuring of the country and to identify responsibility for carrying them out.

Around the table were Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano, members of his Government and representatives of the Albanian opposition. Also present were the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen, his Personal Representative for Albania, Dr. Franz Vranitzky and OSCE Secretary General, Giancarlo Aragona, Foreign Ministers of Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg as well as representatives from several other European countries, the United States, international organizations and financial institutions also took part in the meeting.

In his address to the conference, Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano spoke of the pressing needs of his country: He emphasized that while addressing these needs was a task "first and foremost of the Albanian people and Government...w cannot do it alone". He said the assistance of the international community was "absolutely indispensable".

Dr. Vranitzky submitted to the conference a substantial consolidated paper outlining wide ranging assistance programs of individual countries and international organizations as part of the OSCE's effort to identify assistance needs and coordinate programs. The paper emphasized, however, that international assistance is linked to Albania's own efforts to achieve reconciliation, democratic normalization, internal security, social rehabilitation and economic reform.

Dr. Vranitzky, who will end his association with the Albanian effort on 31 October, stressed that the international community "cannot simply dump assistance on a population which in some cases has neither the experience nor the preconditions to make good use of it". He said the assistance "must be dedicated to actual improvements which will benefit the entire Albanian population". While encouraged by the remarkable progress Albania has made over the lasts several months, Dr. Vranitzky said "all political parties must accept that a healthy democracy requires vigorous debate and a constructive opposition".

The OSCE will continue its active work in Albania, particularly in the fields of human rights and rule of law, democratization and civil rights, electoral assistance, media monitoring and institution building. The Organization will also continue to coordinate efforts of the international community.

The final document of the conference will be available by request as of 17:00.

Please call the Press Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rome, tel. 0039 6 36 91 2078 or 2070.

A copy of the 26-page consolidated paper on the international effort to support Albania is available at the OSCE Secretariat by request.