IV
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 104
Concerning the crisis in Albania.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 20, 1997
Mr. ENGEL (for himself and Ms. MOLINARI) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations
RESOLUTION
Concerning the crisis in Albania.
Whereas during March 1997 United States Armed Forces
personnel evacuated approximately 500 Americans from
Albania;
Whereas no Americans were injured in the evacuation;
Whereas the military operation was at times risky and dan-
gerous, with helicopters of the United States Armed
Forces occasionally receiving fire;
Whereas several United States diplomats, including Ambas-
sador Marisa Lino, have remained in Tirana during these
unsettled and perilous times;
Whereas the evacuation is the result of a rebellion in Albania
which followed the collapse of several pyramid investment
schemes;
•HRES 104 IH
Whereas hundreds of thousands of Albanian citizens lost
large portions of their life savings in the pyramid invest-
ment schemes;
Whereas more than 100 people in Albania have died in the
rebellion;
Whereas with the almost complete collapse of central govern-
mental authority, Albania remains in a state of near-an-
archy;
Whereas many weapons depots were raided by the general
population of Albania and many small arms were taken
by the citizenry;
Whereas the proliferation of weapons in Albania has made
the situation very dangerous;
Whereas on March 9, 1997, Albania’s political parties agreed
to a nine-point agreement on political reconciliation;
Whereas under the nine-point agreement, President Sali
Berisha, a member of the ruling Democratic Party, has
appointed a broadly based unity government, led by an
opposition 
socialist, 
former 
mayor 
of 
Gjirokaster
Bashkim Fino;
Whereas under the nine-point agreement, President Berisha
and opposition parties have agreed to hold general elec-
tions by June 1997; and
Whereas the solution to the crisis in Albania cannot be found
through further recourse to violence or any challenge to
Albania’s international borders or territorial integrity:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That—
•HRES 104 IH
(1) United States Armed Forces personnel are
to be commended for the evacuation operations in
Albania;
(2) the United States diplomatic corps are to be
commended for their service in Albania during these
dangerous times;
(3) the nine-point agreement of March 9, 1997,
among all Albanian political parties represents a key
step toward lifting Albania out of the current crisis;
(4) Albania’s new multiparty leadership is
strongly urged to implement in good faith the terms
of the nine-point agreement of March 9, 1997, and
to do all possible to reinspire the trust of the Alba-
nian people;
(5) the Albanian people are strongly urged to
afford their new government an opportunity to gov-
ern by laying down weapons and making any
changes to the government through peaceful means,
particularly the upcoming elections;
(6) the United States should support the new
Albanian Government as it attempts to reestablish
calm and achieve political reconciliation and should
urge the new government to guarantee human
rights, free and fair elections, and freedom of ex-
pression;
•HRES 104 IH
(7) the United States must remain closely en-
gaged in the diplomatic efforts to ease Albania’s cri-
sis and should strongly support similar efforts by
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe and the European Union;
(8) the United States and the international
community should work with the new Albanian Gov-
ernment to ensure that upcoming elections will be
free and fair by supplying political inducement, tech-
nical advice, and large numbers of observers; and
(9) the international community should consider
ways to assist Albania with the financial crisis
brought about by the collapse of the pyramid invest-
ment schemes, including the convening of a financial
donors’ conference if there is full cooperation in in-
vestigating the schemes and their role in the crisis.
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