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USIA: U.S. Statement on Albanian Local Elections, 96-10-31
From: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at <gopher://gopher.usia.gov>
TEXT: U.S. STATEMENT ON ALBANIAN LOCAL ELECTIONS
(U.S. sees elections as "sufficiently democratic") (230)
Washington -- Although observers expressed concern about voting irregularities,
the U.S. government said in a statement October 31 that it believes the
Albanian local elections were sufficiently democratic to be accepted as an
expression of the people's will.
Following is the text of the statement by Nicholas Burns, spokesman for the
State Department:
(Begin text)
ALBANIA: LOCAL ELECTIONS
The United States government believes the Albanian local elections were
sufficiently democratic to be accepted as an expression of the people's
will. The United States, like other nations and organizations monitoring
the elections, view this as a positive step forward for Albania. We are
pleased that the governing and opposition parties worked together through
an interparty dialogue to lay the groundwork for orderly elections.
American and international observers have expressed concerns about voting
irregularities with the Central Electoral Commission. We urge the
commission and the Albanian government to address fully these concerns.
We look to the Albanian government to build on these elections by
establishing an open and inclusive process for developing a constitution.
We urge the Albanian government to follow the adoption of a constitution by
popular referendum with parliamentary elections organized under that new
constitutional framework. Such elections would serve as a further important
step in Albania's democratic development.
(End text)
From the United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at gopher://gopher.usia.gov
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