U.N. Security Council OKs Albania Force

The Security Council late Friday authorized an Italian-led force to guard deliveries of food and other necessities in Albania for three months and to help the country recover from violence and near-anarchy.

The vote was 14-0 with China abstaining on a resolution that invoked Chapter 7 of the U.N. charter, which permits the use of force to protect freedom of movement for the troops in what the council called a “multinational protection force.”

China said it could not support the operation because the chaos in Albania was an internal affair and because it did not approve of the use of force.

The mandate for the operation runs for three months, and the council can decide whether it should be extended. It will be financed by those nations taking part, the resolution said.

U.S. troops are not expected to join the force. U.S. Deputy Ambassador Edward W. Gnehm said the United States envisioned the mission as “a European force” with Washington providing mostly political support of the goals.

Italy offered to take the lead in organizing and commanding the mission. Most of the troops are expected to come from Italy. Other countries that have expressed willingness to join include France, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria and Romania.

The resolution did not specify the number of troops that would take part. But Italian diplomats said they expected about 2,500 troops in the initial phase, with double that number once the security situation stabilized.

Albania was swept by violence in January when a string of popular savings schemes collapsed, erasing millions of dollars invested by the public.

Rebels seized the southern portion of the country in March in an armed insurrection, blaming President Sali Berisha for the financial fiasco and demanding that he quit.

Italy has been swamped by more than 13,000 Albanian refugees fleeing across the Adriatic Sea.

On Friday, an Italy-bound boat carrying dozens of Albanians struck an Italian navy ship and sank in rough Adriatic waters, the Italian Defense Ministry said. Authorities recovered at least four bodies.

Search crews rescued 34 people from the capsized boat, but the total number of passengers was unclear. Port authorities estimated between 45 and 70 people on board.