(8 Mar 1997) English/Nat
President Sali Berisha has told international mediators, Saturday, that he is willing to call early elections if the rebels in the south lay down their weapons.
But former Austrian chancellor Franz Vranitzky, who is heading an O-S-C-E delegation to Albania, did not indicate that a formal offer had yet been made to rebel leaders.
The mediators have so far failed to persuade Berisha to extend the ceasefire in Albania for another 48-hours.
When the O-S-C-E arrived in the Albanian capital, Tirana, Saturday morning, few held out any hope that a breakthrough was imminent in the bid to settle the country's escalating crisis.
Delegations from the Council of Europe and the European Union had tried and failed to persuade Albania's President, Sali Berisha, to grant fresh elections.
He flatly refused their overtures.
But Berisha has now indicated to one of the mediators that he is willing to hold early elections, although this hasn't been officially announced.
The O-S-C-E is also trying to persuade the Albanian President to extend the ceasefire he granted as an amnesty period for surrender of rebel weapons.
Vranitzky indicated that, so far, Berisha had not agreed to the request.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
" We think and believe that it is inevitable and necessary that the various political groups in Albania continue and even intensify the talks with each other in order to overcome the complicated situation. And secondly, we want of course that it is the decision of the Albanian authorities, but we would be very glad, and we would consider it very constructive if the ceasefire which has been set out for 48 hours could be prolonged for another 48 hours with the clear objective to gain time to give more opportunity to surrender weapons. And within the period of time, that can be gained to intensify negotiations and talks between the various political forces of the country. To conclude ladies and gentlemen we are aiming at restoring peace and eliminating violence as a short term objective... We are also aiming at contributing to the fundamentals of further and future co-operation between Albania and the European Union and the member countries of the OSCE"
SUPERCAPTION: Franz Vranitzky, Head of The OSCE Delegation
Berisha has been under intense political pressure from abroad to resolve the dispute amid fears of a new flood of refugees.
The international community is desperate to prevent the uprising from spilling over into another Balkan civil war, little more than a year after the end of the Bosnian conflict.
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