COMBAT READINESS OF ALBANIAN ARMY & POLICE ON LEVEL ONE

( Editorial: --> 9465 ) TIRANA, April 25 (Hina) - The complexity of the situation on the Yugoslav-Albanian border has created conditions for the combat readiness of the Albanian police forces and army to be raised to level one, a high official with the Albanian Interior Ministry, Ilir Cano, said Saturday. Cano said on Albanian state radio that "due to the increasing danger in Kosovo, a large number of local residents fled to Albania in the past several days". The media in Tirana report more than 1,000 Kosovo refugees, mostly women and children. An operational headquarters was set up in Tirana yesterday, following an order by the Albanian Premier Fatos Nano. The headquarters has the task to secure accommodation for possible new refugees. The Montenegrin agency Montena-fax reports that the Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo has called on the international community to take "immediate action in order to stop the violence in Kosovo so that local Albanians are not forced to leave their homes". (hina) rm 251401 MET apr 98