Tria shmerina deltia, apo thn Fwnh ths Amerikhs VOA [**] Tria shmerina deltia, apo thn Fwnh ths Amerikhs: [01] ** ALBANIA GREECE (L-ONLY) [02] * ALBANIA ECONOMY [03] * TURKEY / ALAWITES (L-ONLY) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [01] ALBANIA GREECE (L-ONLY) DATE=3/15/95 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-175553 TITLE=ALBANIA GREECE (L-ONLY) BYLINE=WAYNE COREY DATELINE=TIRANA CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: ALBANIA IS HOPING FOR BETTER RELATIONS WITH GREECE FOLLOWING WHAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER'S VERY POSITIVE VISIT TO TIRANA. AS V-O-A'S WAYNE COREY REPORTS FROM THE ALBANIAN CAPITAL, BETTER RELATIONS ARE CRUCIAL TO ALBANIA'S ECONOMY. TEXT: GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER KAROLOS PAPOULIAS LEFT TIRANA WITH AN AGREEMENT TO ESTABLISH A JOINT COMMITTEE TO WORK ON THE PROBLEMS FACING GREEK-ALBANIAN RELATIONS. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE IS TO CONCLUDE A BILATERAL FRIENDSHIP AGREEMENT, POSSIBLY IN ATHENS LATER THIS YEAR. THAT APPEARS FEASIBLE IN VIEW OF THE EXTREMELY FRIENDLY AND POSITIVE COMMENTS BY THE GREEK AND ALBANIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS. THE ALBANIAN AND GREEK GOVERNMENTS PLEDGED TO RESOLVE THEIR DISPUTE OVER THE LARGE NUMBER OF ALBANIANS WHO WORK IN GREECE. ALBANIA RELIES ON THE WORKERS' REMITTANCES TO HELP SUSTAIN ITS ECONOMY. GREECE HAS EXPELLED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ALBANIANS IN RETALIATION FOR THE ALLEGED MISTREATMENT OF ALBANIA'S LARGE ETHNIC GREEK MINORITY. ALBANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALFRED SERREQI ASSURED HIS GREEK COUNTERPART THAT THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF ETHNIC GREEKS WILL BE RESPECTED. ALBANIA CANNOT AFFORD TO ANTAGONIZE GREECE. ALBANIA NEEDS ALL THE FOREIGN INVESTMENT IT CAN GET AND GREECE IS THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT INVESTOR IN THIS COUNTRY AFTER ITALY. GREECE IS WILLING TO INCREASE ITS INVESTMENTS IF ITS BUSINESSMEN CAN MORE EASILY GET ALBANIAN VISAS AND IF THE NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE IS ALLOWED TO OPEN A BRANCH HERE IN TIRANA. THE ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT IS THOUGHT TO BE SYMPATHETIC TO THE GREEK INTERESTS. BUT WESTERN DIPLOMATS SAY ALBANIA'S INEFFICIENT AND CORRUPT OFFICIAL BUREAUCRACY COULD DELAY THE PROCESS OF BILATERAL RAPPROCHEMENT DESPITE THE GOVERNMENT'S BEST INTENTIONS. (SIGNED) NEB/WC/SKH /MMK 15-Mar-95 11:22 AM EST (1622 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [02] ALBANIA ECONOMY DATE=3/15/95 TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-19911 TITLE=ALBANIA ECONOMY BYLINE=WAYNE COREY DATELINE=TIRANA CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THERE ARE SIGNS OF NEW ECONOMIC LIFE IN ALBANIA, EUROPE'S POOREST COUNTRY, FOLLOWING DECADES OF STAGNATION AND ISOLATION UNDER XENOPHOBIC, COMMUNIST RULE. CREATION OF A MARKET ECONOMY IS A HIGH PRIORITY OF THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT, BUT THE PROBLEMS INVOLVED ARE ENORMOUS. V-O-A'S WAYNE COREY REPORTS FROM TIRANA. TEXT: OFFICIAL STATISTICS HERE SHOW THAT ALBANIA'S GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT INCREASED LAST YEAR BY EIGHT PERCENT. INFLATION WAS UNDER CONTROL, AND UNEMPLOYMENT IS SAID TO HAVE DECREASED SLIGHTLY. OF COURSE, THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR THE NEARLY THREE-AND-ONE-HALF MILLION PEOPLE IN ALBANIA; BUT, IN A SENSE, THE ALBANIAN ECONOMY HAS NOWHERE TO GO EXCEPT UP. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THE UPWARD TREND CAN BE SUSTAINED. THERE IS NO LACK OF IMPORTED CONSUMER GOODS NOW, AT LEAST HERE IN THE CAPITAL. THE TRANSITION TOWARD A MARKET ECONOMY IS AT THE STAGE OF WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED KIOSK CAPITALISM. OPERATORS OF SMALL KIOSKS OR INDIVIDUAL VENDORS OFFER FOREIGN CIGARETTES, COCA-COLA, CIGARETTE LIGHTERS AND OTHER IMPORTED GOODS. IN ONE SECTION OF TIRANA THERE IS A LARGE OPEN MARKET WHERE HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE. FOR THE FEW ALBANIANS WITH ENOUGH MONEY, IT IS POSSIBLE TO BUY MODERN TOILETS, KITCHEN SINKS, ELECTRICAL FANS AND HEATERS, CASSETTE RECORDERS, TOOLS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT FIXTURES. ELECTRIC HEATERS ARE POPULAR BECAUSE MOST APARTMENT BUILDINGS DO NOT HAVE CENTRAL HEATING. THE PROBLEM IS THAT TIRANA'S INADEQUATE POWER SUPPLY CANNOT COPE WITH THE DEMAND WHEN SPACE HEATERS ARE USED DURING THE WINTER. THE RESULT IS OFTEN POWER OUTAGES. THE POWER SHORTAGES REFLECT ALBANIA'S DESPERATE NEED TO IMPROVE ITS ANTIQUATED INFRA-STRUCTURE. ROADS ARE IN APPALLING CONDITION; THE TELEPHONE SYSTEM IS HOPELESSLY INADEQUATE. BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE NEEDED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT. SOME INTERNATIONAL AID IS BEING PROVIDED, BUT FOREIGN INVESTMENT IS STILL MINIMAL, PARTLY BECAUSE OF ALBANIA'S INEFFICIENT AND CORRUPT BUREAUCRACY. THE ONLY FAIRLY LARGE FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN ALBANIA SINCE THE FALL OF COMMUNISM HERE IS A COCA-COLA BOTTLING PLANT ON THE ROAD TO TIRANA'S AIRPORT. THE PLANT IS OWNED BY AN ITALIAN SUBSIDIARY OF THE HUGE AMERICAN SOFT DRINK COMPANY. GIVEN THE WIDESPREAD POVERTY AND UNDER-DEVELOPMENT IN ALBANIA, IT IS SURPRISING TO SEE MANY FAIRLY NEW GERMAN AND ITALIAN CARS IN TIRANA. WESTERN DIPLOMATS BELIEVE ALBANIAN CRIMINAL GANGS HAVE BROUGHT MANY OF THESE CARS HERE. THE CARS ARE THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN PURCHASED WITH MONEY OBTAINED FROM SMUGGLING OR DRUG TRAFFICKING. ALBANIA'S RECENT ECONOMIC GROWTH IS DUE PARTLY TO REMITTANCES FROM ALBANIAN WORKERS IN GREECE AND ITALY. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ALBANIANS HAVE BEEN DEPORTED FROM GREECE, BUT MANY ARE THOUGHT TO HAVE EASILY RE-ENTERED THE COUNTRY ALONG THE POOREST GREEK-ALBANIAN BORDER. ANOTHER BOOST TO THE ALBANIAN ECONOMY HAS BEEN AT LEAST SOME OF THE PROFITS FROM SMUGGLING. DIPLOMATS SAY SOME OF THAT SMUGGLING HAS INVOLVED THE ILLEGAL FLOW OF ALBANIAN OIL TO THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA. ALBANIA MAY HAVE ENOUGH OIL RESERVES BOTH ON SHORE AND OFF SHORE TO MEET ITS DOMESTIC NEEDS, BUT THESE RESERVES AS WELL AS THIS COUNTRY'S HYDROPOWER POTENTIAL NEED SUBSTANTIAL FOREIGN INVESTMENT TO FULLY DEVELOP. TO ENCOURAGE FOREIGN INVESTMENT, ALBANIA NEEDS TO IMPROVE ITS BANKING AND JUDICIAL SYSTEMS, AND MORE RAPID RESOLUTION OF PROPERTY DISPUTES AND PRIVATIZATION OF LARGE STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES ARE IMPORTANT, TOO. ONE ALMOST COMPLETELY UNEXPLORED AREA OF POSSIBLE INTEREST TO FOREIGN INVESTORS COULD BE TOURISM. FOR POTENTIAL TOURISTS, ALBANIA MAY BE THE LAST FRONTIER IN EUROPE. THERE ARE SOME BEAUTIFUL STRETCHES OF PRISTINE COASTLINE ALONG THE ADRIATIC SEA IN THE SOUTH. A HOLIDAY IN EXOTIC ALBANIA COULD SOMEDAY BE SEEN AS AN INTERESTING ALTERNATIVE TO A VACATION IN THE OVERCROWDED TOURIST DESTINATIONS IN NEIGHBORING GREECE. ALBANIAN PRESIDENT SALI BERISHA IS AWARE OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND WHAT IS POSSIBLE. HE HAS SAID THE ECONOMIC MESS HE INHERITED FROM THE COMMUNISTS WILL TAKE DECADES TO CLEAN UP. WESTERN DIPLOMATS ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT WHETHER THE ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT IS REALLY CAPABLE AND DETERMINED ENOUGH TO PURSUE VITAL ECONOMIC REFORMS. A FOREIGNER WHO OPERATES WHAT IS SAID TO BE TIRANA'S BEST RESTAURANT IS MORE OPTIMISTIC. SHE SENSES A GROWING ECONOMIC DYNAMISM HERE AND SHE BELIEVES THIS POOR COUNTRY HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE. (SIGNED) NEB/WC/SKH/MMK 15-Mar-95 12:18 PM EST (1718 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [03] TURKEY / ALAWITES (L-ONLY) DATE=3/15/95 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-175554* TITLE=TURKEY / ALAWITES (L-ONLY) BYLINE=AMBERIN ZAMAN DATELINE=ANKARA CONTENT= VOICED AT: // RERUNNING WITH NEW FIGURES IN INTRO AND GRAF 3 OF TEXT. // INTRO: THOUSANDS OF DEMONSTRATORS FROM THE MODERATE ISLAMIC ALAWITE SECT GATHERED IN AN ISTANBUL SUBURB WEDNESDAY TO BURY THEIR DEAD AFTER FOUR DAYS OF RIOTS IN WHICH AT LEAST 19 PEOPLE WERE KILLED. FROM ANKARA, AMBERIN ZAMAN HAS THIS REPORT. TEXT: THE CROWDS, WHO HAVE REMAINED BARRICADED IN ISTANBUL'S GAZI DISTRICT SINCE IMPOSITION OF A CURFEW ON MONDAY, ARE REPORTED TO HAVE STRUCK A DEAL WITH AUTHORITIES FOR THE RETURN OF THE REMAINING BODIES OF THE ALAWITE VICTIMS. UNDER THE DEAL, ALAWITE DEMONSTRATORS PLEDGED TO TAKE DOWN THE BARRICADES ONCE ALL THE VICTIMS' FUNERALS WERE HELD. LEADERS OF THE ALAWITE COMMUNITY, A PROGRESSIVE SHI'ITE MUSLIM GROUP, WHICH IS THE FOREMOST PROPONENT OF TURKEY'S SECULAR SYSTEM, SAY AT LEAST 25 PEOPLE WERE KILLED. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THE DEATH TOLL WAS LOWER. THE VIOLENT PROTESTS WERE TRIGGERED BY A DRIVE-BY SHOOTING LATE SUNDAY ON FOUR COFFEEHOUSES AND A PASTRY SHOP IN THE MAINLY ALAWITE AREA OF GAZI, RESULTING IN THE DEATHS OF THREE ALAWITES. RESIDENTS TOOK TO THE STREETS AFTER POLICE ALLEGEDLY FAILED TO RESPOND PROMPTLY TO THEIR APPEALS FOR HELP. ALAWITE LEADERS SAY MANY OF THE VICTIMS DIED WHEN POLICE OPENED FIRE ON THE CROWDS OF DEMONSTRATORS. MEMBERS OF PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER'S RULING CONSERVATIVE TRUE PATH PARTY HAVE JOINED OPPOSITION PARTIES IN CALLING FOR THE RESIGNATION OF INTERIOR MINISTER NAHIT MENTESE OVER THE WAY IN WHICH HE HAS HANDLED THE AFFAIR. MR. MENTESE HAS SOUGHT TO PLAY DOWN THE SECTARIAN ASPECT OF THE DISTURBANCES AND HAS BLAMED WHAT HE CALLS DARK FORCES FROM ABROAD FOR THE INCIDENTS. THE ALAWITES, WHO MAKE UP ONE-THIRD OF TURKEY'S TOTAL POPULATION OF 60 MILLION, HAVE LIVED PEACEFULLY WITH THE MAJORITY SUNNIS FOR CENTURIES. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS HAVE FOCUSED MAINLY ON IDEOLOGY, WITH THE ALAWITES TRADITIONALLY VOTING FOR LEFTWING PARTIES. BUT ANALYSTS SAY THE RECENT RISE OF MILITANT ISLAM IN TURKEY HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY A SPATE OF ATTACKS AGAINST THE ALAWITES. A MORE WORRYING DEVELOPMENT, ALAWITE COMMUNITY LEADERS SAY, IS THE STEADY PENETRATION OF GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS BY MUSLIM FUNDAMENTALISTS. THEY CITE AS AN EXAMPLE, THE TURKISH POLICE FORCE WHICH HAS BEGUN TO RECRUIT GRADUATES FROM ISLAMIC CLERICAL TRAINING SCHOOLS. SUNNI MUSLIM EXTREMISTS VIEW THE COMMUNITY AND ITS LIBERAL FORM OF ISLAM, WHICH INCLUDES MORE RELAXED RULES ON PRAYING AND FASTING DURING THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN, AS HERETICAL. IN THE MOST SERIOUS INCIDENT OF ANTI-ALAWITE VIOLENCE RECENTLY, ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS SET FIRE TO A HOTEL IN THE EASTERN TOWN OF SIVAS TWO YEARS AGO, KILLING 37 ALAWITE POETS, WRITERS AND INTELLECTUALS. ALAWITE LEADERS HAVE ACCUSED THE GOVERNMENT OF BEING TOO LENIENT AFTER A SPECIAL SECURITY COURT SENTENCED THE ARSONISTS TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON LAST DECEMBER. SCORES OF TURKISH POLITICIANS, INCLUDING FIVE KURDISH MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO EQUIVALENT PRISON TERMS OR EVEN LONGER FOR EXPRESSING VIEWS DEEMED TO BE HARMFUL TO THE UNITY OF THE TURKISH STATE. (SIGNED) NEB/AZ/SKH/MMK 15-Mar-95 11:45 AM EST (1645 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America