[ALBSA-Info] NLA Supports the Peace Agreement

[National Albanian American Council - NAAC]

National Albanian American Council
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Email: naac at naac.org
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For Your Information

Ali Ahmeti: "NLA Supports the Peace Agreement"

Dear Friends:

We wanted to share with you the full text of an interview that Ali Ahmeti, political representative of the NLA, gave to the Voice of America Albanian Language Service earlier today.  In his interview, Mr. Ahmeti declared that the NLA is ready to accept the peace proposal that has already been initialed by the representatives of Macedonian and Albanian political parties at the peace talks.  Upon signature of the agreement, the NLA is ready to comply with its regulations and help with its implementation.  Furthermore, Mr. Ahmeti declared that the NLA is already considering disarmament plans that have been proposed to it by NATO representatives in Macedonia.  

For the original Albanian version of this interview, please visit the following link to the Voice of America Albanian Language Service website: http://www.voanews.com/albanian/

Following is an English translation of the interview.

Voice of America Interview with Ali Ahmeti, National Liberation Army
Friday, August 10, 2001

VOA: Mr. Ahmeti, is NLA the author of the attacks that have taken place these last few days against Macedonian troops, for example of today's incident?

Ahmeti: The NLA has signed an agreement with NATO, where both parties have no right of movement, that is why today I am expressing my regret that the Government troops have entered the mountain road and have stepped on mines which we have not confirmed whether they have been planted by our soldiers or by government forces themselves, so that they could prevent the movement of the NLA in those areas. So again, I express regret for this accident. 

VOA: Mr. Ahmeti, a group named Albanian National Army took responsibility together with the NLA, as they say, for the second incident two days ago, when ten Macedonian soldiers were killed. Do you know this group? 

Ahmeti: No, we do not have any knowledge.  Here in Macedonia, there is only one active emblem, which is that of the NLA, whereas the act was committed on the road Shkup-Tetove, in that region our forces are not deployed, therefore we do not take any responsibility. 

VOA: Mr. Ahmeti, what is your opinion on the agreement among the political parties, are you in agreement with all the issues discussed, with all the points on which agreement has been reached? 

Ahmeti: Yes of course that in this kind of negotiations, we, the NLA, have presented our platform from the beginning.  Naturally our platform did not find adequate support in this conference, but in principle we agree with the platform which has been prepared by EU and USA, and Albanian political parties which participated in this conference.  Therefore, we see it reasonable that the platform approved at this conference, the peace platform, receive support from NLA, as well. 

VOA: So you accept the agreement that has been reached, could we say that?

Ahmeti: Yes, the NLA is in concurrence with this agreement; here we see that on the basis of this agreement, European standards will be implemented in Macedonia, Macedonia will have an opportunity to become integrated in the Euro-Atlantic structures; based on this agreement, the Albanians will generally accomplish a goal of their own, they will find themselves as equals in their own state.

VOA: Therefore, Mr. Ahmeti, if the Agreement is signed officially, the NLA will try to implement it, including your disarmament? 

Ahmeti: Of course.  We already have projects for the disarmament of the NLA. These projects have been offered to us from NATO officials, from the representative of Mr. Robertson, and we are now in the process of evaluating and working on these documents.

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