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               ABOUT 10:00 LOCAL TIME, FRIDAY, 19 MARCH 1993


SECRETARY GENERAL WORNER:  "The Alliance is one of the foundation
stones of the democratic community of free nations".


          TIRANA:  The Secretary General of NATO, Mr Manfred
Worner, said on Friday that "Albania may well be a small country
but it has an important role to play".  Addressing the Albanian
Parliament during his official visit to Tirana, the first ever
by a NATO Secretary General, Mr Worner said that the purpose of
his visit was "to extend the hand of cooperation to Albania...
and to discuss what we can do together to deepen our cooperation
and make it as relevant as possible to your concerns."  In
particular, the Alliance was ready to help Albania "to build
modern armed forces that can not only preserve your independence
but also be our partners in upholding cooperative security in
Europe."

          Mr Worner told his audience that "the success of
Albania's internal reform programme and the policy it pursues
vis--vis its neighbours have a significance extending far beyond
your borders."  In particular, "the active participation of
Albania in the search for security and stability in the Balkans
and in South Eastern Europe is essential, and something which our
Alliance very much wishes to encourage."   The Secretary General
commended Albania for exercising restraint, notwithstanding the
"very difficult and delicate situation" in which it found itself,
and "your understandable concern at the fate of ethnic Albanians
outside your country."  This policy of restraint "has been a
vital factor in preventing the Yugoslav conflict becoming even
more dangerous".  Mr Worner expressed the hope that it would be
continued "despite the considerable pressures on Albania."

          Mr Worner expressed his deep concern about the possible
spillover of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia and about the
situation in Kosovo.  He stressed that "an explosion of violence
in Kosovo could, by spreading the conflict, constitute a serious
threat to international peace and security and would require an
appropriate response by the international community".  He added
that the "Alliance will support the international efforts" to
prevent such a spillover from happening and that "all of us in
the Alliance are very much relying on Albania to continue its
constructive and reassuring diplomacy".

          The Secretary General pointed out to his audience that
the Alliance "is already helping to implement the decisions of
the UN in the former Yugoslavia".  He said that "if and when a
peace plan is agreed, the UN may look to NATO to play a major
role in implementing that plan" and added:  "I believe the
Alliance will respond positively".  Mr Wrner also said that the
Alliance is "especially pleased that Albania has agreed to
cooperate fully with NATO" in enforcing the UN sanctions.  He
described Albania's help in this respect as "invaluable in making
this enforcement programme effective" and "a notable example of
how the Alliance can work with a cooperation partner, such as
Albania, in carrying out its new mission of supporting UN
peacekeeping".

          Finally the Secretary General gave his audience a
detailed account of the Alliance's recent transformation,
emphasizing that "the radically changed circumstances in Europe
now allow the Alliance to play a more important and outward-
looking political role".  The task of the Alliance today "is not
only to preserve the security of our members, but to help others
to be more secure".  In this respect "it is not necessary to be
a member of the Alliance to benefit from the security and
stability that it provides".  Mr Worner encouraged Albania to
participate fully in the activities of the North Atlantic
Cooperation Council where "our frank and open exchanges of views
on security issues will become increasingly beneficial to both
sides".  The Alliance member nations "recognize our
responsibility to help you to consolidate your newly-won freedoms
and to complete your transition smoothly.  Only in an environment
of cooperation and peace can your determination to become a
modern, democratic society be truly successful."