ALBANIA DOESN'T INTEND TO JOIN ANY BALKAN INTEGRATION PROCESSES

( Editorial: --> 8521 ) ZAGREB, Dec 15 (Hina) - The new Albanian government plans to achieve its strategic goals -- sovereignty, democracy and integration into Europe -- through good relations with European Union members, particularly with Italy and Greece, Albanian Foreign Minister Paskal Milo said in Zagreb on Monday during talks with Croatian Parliament Speaker Vlatko Pavletic. Describing Albanian as a factor of peace in the Balkans and the wider region, Pavletic expressed hope that the new government in Tirana would "accept all agreements and memorandums signed with Croatia and keep good relations with it". Pavletic said he would soon invite a high Albanian Parliament delegation to visit Croatia. He said Croatia insisted on the just resolution of the problem of Kosovo, the southern province in Serbia with a majority Albanian population, adding that about 10,000 Albanians lived in Croatia and enjoyed a reputation as hard-working and enterprising citizens. Milo stressed that "except for our aspiration for European integration, we do not intend to enter any Balkan integration process nor do we support creation of any vertical or horizontal axes in the region". Speaking of the situation in Albania, Milo said that his government was trying to restore public order, the work of state institutions and market economy mechanisms and achieve political and social balance. However, the Albanian government faced a lot of problems in those efforts, particularly "a very difficult economic situation," Milo said. As regards the Kosovo problem, the new Albanian government had taken a much more flexible approach, advocating dialogue, he said. (hina) vm mm 151732 MET dec 97