General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

28 May 1996

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

                                                         A/51/153
                                                              

General Assembly
Fifty-first session
Item 113 (b) of the preliminary list*

     *   A/51/50.


          HUMAN RIGHTS QUESTIONS:  HUMAN RIGHTS QUESTIONS, INCLUDING
          ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES FOR IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVE        
              ENJOYMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS

        Letter dated 22 May 1996 from the Permanent Representative of 
        Italy to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General


     On behalf of the European Union and of the United States of
America, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith a joint
declaration of the Presidency of the European Union and of the United
States on the elections in Albania, issued on Friday, 17 May 1996.

     I would be grateful if you could have the text of the present
letter and its annex circulated as a document of the fifty-first
session of the General Assembly, under item 113 (b) of the preliminary
list.


                                                      (Signed)  F. Paolo FULCI
                                                                  Ambassador  


                                     ANNEX

                                               [Original:  English and French]

         Joint declaration by the European Union and the United States
         of America on the elections in Albania, issued on 17 May 1996


     The European Union and the United States take note of the upcoming
parliamentary elections in Albania as a further step in the democratic
progress of the country, which is a matter of substantial importance
to the parties in the transatlantic dialogue.  They appreciate the
role that Albanian institutions and Albanian political parties are
playing in this context.  The European Union and the United States
call upon all parties concerned to approach the elections mindful of
their common interest in consolidating democracy in a pluralistic
society and a free market economy.  The European Union and the United
States specifically call upon all parties concerned to create general
conditions that allow for a free and fair election process.  The
European Union and the United States stand ready to assist in this
effort and to observe the campaign and election process in order that
the will of the people may be effectively expressed by the vote.


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