Washignton considerd polls generally peaceful and democratic

TIRANA, Feb. 21 – The United States’ stand on the holding of Feb. 18 local polls in Albania was somewhat different from that of the international observers headed by the OSCE/ODIHR. Answering a question from the Voice of America Wednesday the State Department said that “Although final results are still not in, we are pleased that the vote held in Albania on February 18 was generally peaceful and democratic. It is important that all relevant parties contribute to an orderly and expeditious conclusion of the election process. We note that the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) mission issued a preliminary report that identified some technical, procedural and political problems in the preparation and conduct of the elections. We agree with ODIHR’s encouragement to Albanian political forces to work together now to accomplish much-needed permanent electoral reforms so that future elections meet the highest standards.”