ALBANIA: TIRANA: ARRIVAL OF 3000 US NATO TROOPS скачать в хорошем качестве

ALBANIA: TIRANA: ARRIVAL OF 3000 US NATO TROOPS

(19 Apr 1999) Natural Sound The first of 3-thousand U-S troops arrived in the Albanian capital Tirana on Monday, and were immediately transferred elsewhere for training. They are the first NATO fighting unit to be sent to the area. All previous troops had been part of logistical support teams. NATO claims that the reinforcements will only carry out humanitarian duties, but their arrival has fueled speculation that NATO is planning a ground war. The paratroopers have arrived at what is a tense moment for Albania, one day after Belgrade broke off all diplomatic relations with Tirana and sealed its border with Albania. A transport plane arrived at Tirana airport, which has been dedicated entirely to NATO operations, loaded with U-S soldiers and ammunition. The soldiers, the first of 3-thousand U-S troops which NATO plans to station in Albania, were immediately transferred to bases elsewhere in the country for training. They represent the first NATO deployment of a fighting unit in the Balkans. NATO insists that the troops will only carry out humanitarian duties, helping to look after the hundreds of thousands of Kosovar refugees in Albania. But their deployment has led to speculation that the alliance is planning a ground war. Fearful of a possible Yugoslav attack, Albania has agreed to allow NATO to station its troops and attack helicopters on its soil. Anti-aircraft defence systems have also been installed there in preparation for possible Yugoslav air-raids. Tirana has also authorised the ethnic Albanian rebels of the Kosovo Liberation Army (K-L-A) to use Albanian territory as a base for its operations against Serb forces. The NATO troop deployment to Albania follows intense diplomatic negotiations between Albania and NATO officials. The majority of refugees from Kosovo have headed for Albania, which is playing host to 350-thousand Kosovo Albanians who have been driven from their homeland. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...