Voice of America, 3 September 1995

From: yanni@ix.netcom.com (Ioannis Bousnakis)

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] BOSNIA / US (S) BY RON PEMSTEIN (STATE DEPARTMENT)

INTRO: U-S DIPLOMAT RICHARD HOLBROOKE HAS MET WITH SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC IN BELGRADE ON THE EVE OF POSSIBLE RENEWED AIR STRIKES AGAINST THE BOSNIAN SERBS. STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS MR. HOLBROOKE IS NOT DISCOURAGING THOSE AIR STRIKES.

TEXT: SPEAKING TO AMERICAN TELEVISION BEFORE HIS TALKS WITH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC, MR. HOLBROOKE SAYS HIS DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS SHOULD NOT BE USED AS AN EXCUSE FOR REFUSING TO RENEW AIR STRIKES ON THE BOSNIAN SERBS IF THEY DEFY THE UNITED NATIONS.

AS FOR THE EFFECT OF THE BOMBING ON THE NEW PEACE NEGOTIATIONS, MR. HOLBROOKE SAYS "SO BE IT." FOREIGN MINISTERS FROM BOSNIA, CROATIA AND YUGOSLAVIA ARE SUPPOSE TO MEET IN GENEVA ON FRIDAY TO AGREE ON PRINCIPLES FOR PEACE TALKS. MR. HOLBROOKE SAYS ISSUES OF TERRITORY WILL BE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO NEGOTIATE. WHILE ALL SIDES AGREE TO BASE TALKS ON A 51-49 SPLIT OF BOSNIA, THE DIPLOMAT SAYS THEIR COMPETING MAPS GIVE THEMSELVES A 60-40 ADVANTAGE. (SIGNED) NEB / RP / BD / SKH 03-Sep-95 6:30 PM EDT (2230 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] BOSNIA/DEADLINE SHORT BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL MAKE AN ASSESSMENT AT 11 PM LOCAL TIME ON MONDAY WHETHER THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE COMPLIED WITH U-N AND NATO DEMANDS TO PULL BACK THEIR HEAVY WEAPONS FROM AROUND SARAJEVO. THE OFFICIALS INSIST THIS IS NOT A "DEADLINE," BUT WARN THE BOSNAIN SERBS WILL FACE RESUMED NATO AIRSTRIKES IF THE DEMANDS ARE NOT MET. U-N OFFICIALS ALSO SAY THEY HAVE OPENED A SUPPLY ROAD INTO THE BESIEGED CITY WITHOUT SEEKING BOSNIAN SERB PERMISSION. THE ROAD CROSSES THE U-N CONTROLLED AIRPORT AND CONNECTS SARAJEVO WITH BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED TERRITORY. ELEVEN COMMERCIAL TRUCKS HAVE ALREADY MADE THE CROSSING. DAVID FOLEY REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO.

TEXT: THE U-N MILITARY SPOKESMAN IN SARAJEVO, LT COL CHRIS VERNON, DESCRIBED 11 PM MONDAY EVENING LOCAL TIME AS "THE MAIN ASSESSMENT POINT" FOR U-N AND NATO MILITARY COMMANDERS TO DECIDE IF THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE MOVED THEIR HEAVY WEAPONS OUTSIDE THE 20 KILOMETER EXCLUSION ZONE AROUND THE BOSNIAN CAPITAL. WHILE U-N OFFICIALS SAY THIS IS NOT A DEADLINE OR AN ULTIMATUM, THEY SAY IF THE SERBS DO NOT COMPLY WITH U-N AND NATO DEMANDS THEY FACE THE RESUMPTION OF NATO AIRSTRIKES.

U-N OFFICIALS ALSO SAY THEY HAVE BEGUN OPENING ACCESS ROUTES INTO SARAJEVO WITHOUT BOSNIAN SERB PERMISSION BY OPENING A ROAD ACROSS THE UN CONTROLLED AIRPORT. THE ROAD PASSES WITHIN METERS OF BOSNIAN SERB POSITIONS AND CONNECTS SARAJEVO WITH THE GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED SUBURB OF BUTMIR TO THE SOUTH. TO GET TO BUTMIR TRAFFIC MUST STILL TRAVEL THE DIFFICULT AND PREVIOUSLY DANGEROUS ROAD OVER MT. IGMAN, BUT THE OPENING WILL STILL MEAN A SUBSTANTIAL LIFTING OF THE SIEGE.

PREVIOUSLY ONLY U-N HUMANITARIAN AID COULD CROSS THE AIRPORT. OTHER SUPPLIES HAD TO BE CARRIED THROUGH THE NARROW TUNNEL UNDER THE AIRPORT'S RUNWAY. (SIGNED) NEB/DF/CB///SDSD 03-Sep-95 2:46 PM EDT (1846 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] NATO / U-S AMBASSADOR (S & L COMBINED) BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE U-S AMBASSADOR TO NATO SAYS THE WESTERN ALLIANCE IS GIVING THE BOSNIAN SERBS "HOURS" TO BEGIN REMOVING THEIR HEAVY GUNS FROM POSITIONS AROUND SARAJEVO BEFORE INTENSIVE BOMBING RESUMES. V-O-A'S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS AMBASSADOR ROBERT HUNTER SAYS THE BOSNIAN SERBS MUST ALSO ALLOW FULL FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT FOR U-N PEACEKEEPERS AND ALLOW SARAJEVO AIRPORT TO REOPEN.

TEXT: AMBASSADOR HUNTER EMERGED FROM AN EIGHT-AND ONE-HALF HOUR MEETING OF HIS NATO COLLEAGUES AT NATO'S BRUSSELS HEADQUARTERS WARNING THE BOSNIAN SERBS THAT THE TIME FOR SETTING CONDITIONS IS OVER. THE NATO OFFICIAL SAYS THE ALLIANCE REJECTS BOSNIAN SERB COMMANDER RATKO MLADIC'S DEMAND THAT NATO WARPLANES FIRST STOP FLYING OVER BOSNIA AND THAT THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT BEGIN REMOVING ITS HEAVY GUNS FROM AROUND SARAJEVO BEFORE HIS TROOPS WILL DO THE SAME.

IN A VOA INTERVIEW, AMBASSADOR HUNTER OUTLINED THE LATEST NATO ULTIMATUM:

THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE TO STOP ATTACKING SARAJEVO OR OTHER SAFE AREAS; THEY HAVE TO GET THEIR HEAVY WEAPONS OUT OF THE (U-N) EXCLUSION ZONE AROUND SARAJEVO AND THEY HAVE TO ALLOW FULL FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT FOR U-N (PEACEKEEPING) FORCES AND, YES, THEY'VE GOT TO GET THE AIRPORT AT SARAJEVO OPEN.

AMBASSADOR HUNTER DECLINED TO PUT AN EXACT TIME ON WHEN THE NATO BOMBING WOULD RESUME.

I'LL TELL YOU IF I WERE MR. MLADIC, I WOULD NOT GO OFF AND PLAY GOLF SUNDAY AFTERNOON. I WOULD START GETTING MY WEAPONS ON THE TANK TRANSPORTER AND GETTING THEM OUT OF THERE (THE U-N WEAPONS EXCLUSION ZONE).

THE AMBASSADOR SAYS FURTHER ATTACKS BY BOSNIAN SERBS ON ANY U-N SAFE AREA, SUCH AS THE MORTAR ATTACK SATURDAY ON SARAJEVO, WOULD BE MET BY AN IMMEDIATE NATO RESPONSE. (SIGNED)

NEB/VB/SKH
02-Sep-95 11:13 PM EDT (0313 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] NATO AMBASSADOR INTERIVIEW TRANSCRIPT BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON)

THIS IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW IN ENGLISH BETWEEN U-S AMBASSADOR TO NATO, ROBERT HUNTER, (IN BRUSSELS) AND VOA CORRESPONDENT VICTOR BEATTIE IN WASHINGTON. QUESTION (BEATTIE): WHAT HAPPENED AT THE NATO MEETING THIS EVENING? ANSWER (AMB. HUNTER): TONIGHT, THE NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL (OR NATO AMBASSADORS) MET TO CONSIDER THE OUTRAGEOUS BEHAVIOR YESTERDAY (SATURDAY) OF THE BOSNIAN SERB MILITARY LEADER RATKO MLADIC WHEN HE REJECTED DEMANDS BY NATO AND U-N TO STOP THREATENING THE SAFE AREAS. AS A RESULT, WE CAME OUT TONIGHT WITH A VERY STRONG UNITED POSITION IN WHICH WE SAID THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE TO STOP ATTACKING SARAJEVO AND OTHER SAFE AREAS, THEY HAVE TO GET THEIR HEAVY WEAPONS OUT OF THE EXCLUSION ZONE AROUND SARAJEVO, AND THEY HAVE TO ALLOW FULL FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT FOR U-N FORCES. AND YES, THEY'VE GOT TO GET THAT AIRPORT AT SARAJEVO OPEN.

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME TO DO IT. IF THEY DON'T, THE BOMBING STARTS AGAIN. QUESTION (BEATTIE): WHAT'S THE TIMETABLE BEFORE THE BOMBING BEGINS? ANSWER (AMB. HUNTER): WELL, I'LL TELL YOU IF I WERE MR. MLADIC I WOULDN'T GO OFF AND PLAY GOLF SUNDAY AFTERNOON. I'D START GETTING MY WEAPONS ON THE TANK TRANSPORTER .. AND GETTING THEM OUT OF THERE (OR OUT OF THE WEAPONS EXCLUSION ZONE). I SHOULD ALSO SAY THAT IN CASE THERE ARE ANY ATTACKS BY THE SERBS ON THE SAFE AREAS, THEN ALL BETS ARE OFF AND NATO WILL JUST RESUME THE BOMBING. QUESTION (BEATTIE): WAS THE BOSNIAN SERB ATTACK SATURDAY THE LAST STRAW? ANSWER (AMB. HUNTER): LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY, IF I WERE THE BOSNIAN SERBS I WOULDN'T TAKE ANY CHANCES THAT I COULD GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING.

I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND (GENERAL) MLADIC AND THE BOSNIAN SERBS TRIED TO PICK APART THE NATO ALLIANCE AND THEY TRIED TO DRIVE A WEDGE BETWEEN US AND THE UNITED NATIONS. IT DIDN'T WORK. WE'RE UNITED, WE'RE DETERMINED AND WE'RE GOING TO PREVAIL TO STOP THE ATROCITIES, TO STOP THE KILLINGS THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE BEEN ENGAGING IN.

[05] NATO/BOSNIA (S-UPDATE) BY WAYNE COREY (VIENNA)

INTRO: NATO HAS WARNED THE BOSNIAN SERBS THEY FACE MORE AIR ATTACKS IF THEY DO NOT MEET UNITED NATIONS AND NATO DEMANDS IN A VERY SHORT TIME. NATO OFFICIALS SAY THE AIRSTRIKES COULD RESUME WITHIN HOURS. V-O-A'S CENTRAL EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT, WAYNE COREY, REPORTS.

TEXT: NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL WILLY CLAES SAYS THE BOSNIAN SERBS MUST STOP ATTACKING SARAJEVO AND OTHER UNITED NATIONS/DECLARED SAFE AREAS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. HE SAYS THE SERBS MUST ALSO REMOVE THEIR HEAVY WEAPONS FROM THE HEAVY WEAPONS EXCLUSION ZONE AROUND SARAJEVO, ALLOW U-N PERSONNEL TO MOVE FREELY IN THE CITY AND PERMIT U-N USE OF THE AIRPORT THERE. THE ULTIMATUM WAS ISSUED AFTER A NATO MEETING IN BRUSSELS. THE BOSNIAN SERB ARMY COMMANDER, GENERAL RATKO MLADIC, EARLIER ATTACHED CONDITIONS TO A SERB HEAVY WEAPONS PULLBACK FROM SARAJEVO. NO CLEAR TIME FRAME WAS SET FOR THE SERBS TO COMPLY WITH THE U-N AND NATO DEMANDS. U-N AND NATO COMMANDERS WILL DECIDE WHEN MORE AIRSTRIKES SHOULD BE LAUNCHED, IF NECESSARY, AGAINST THE SERBS. BUT, THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR TO NATO, ROBERT HUNTER, SAYS THE SERBS BETTER NOT WASTE ANY TIME ON SUNDAY IN MOVING THEIR HEAVY WEAPONS AWAY FROM SARAJEVO. (SIGNED)

NEB/WC/SKH
02-Sep-95 9:03 PM EDT (0103 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] YUGO/DIPLOMACY (S ONLY) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (GENEVA)

INTRO: U-S ENVOY RICHARD HOLBROOKE IS RETURNING (RETURNED) TO BELGRADE SUNDAY TO PURSUE THE AMERICAN PEACE INITIATIVE IN THE BALKANS, EVEN AS NATO AND THE UNITED NATIONS WARN THERE COULD SOON BE MORE AIRSTRIKES ON SERB FORCES IN BOSNIA. MR. HOLBROOKE SPENT PART OF SUNDAY IN GENEVA, BRIEFING OFFICIALS OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE ORGANIZATION ON THE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS. DETAILS FROM VOA'S DOUGLAS ROBERTS IN GENEVA.

TEXT: NATO AND THE UNITED NATIONS HAVE WARNED BOSNIAN SERB COMMANDERS THEY HAVE ONLY HOURS TO WITHDRAW THEIR HEAVY WEAPONS FROM THE SARAJEVO REGION.

THE SERB COMMANDER, GENERAL RATKO MLADIC, WAS ALSO TOLD THERE MUST BE NO FURTHER ATTACKS ON THE BOSNIAN CAPITAL AND OTHER U-N DESIGNATED SAFE AREAS, AND THAT INTERNATIONAL AID AGENCIES MUST HAVE FREEDOM OF ACCESS TO ALL PARTS OF BOSNIA.

U-N AND NATO OFFICIALS HAVE WARNED THAT IF THOSE DEMANDS HAVE NOT BEEN MET BY MONDAY EVENING, THE AIRSTRIKES WILL RESUME.

GENERAL MLADIC HAS SAID THE DEMANDS MIGHT BE ACCEPTABLE UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. BUT SPEAKING TO REPORTERS HERE SUNDAY, U-S ENVOY HOLBROOKE SAID THE SERB POSITION IS UNACCEPTABLE. AND HE WARNED THAT NATO'S RESOLVE ON THE ISSUE IS UNSWERVING.

MR. HOLBROOKE HOLDS MORE TALKS WITH SERBIA'S PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC LATE SUNDAY, CONTINUING PREPARATIONS FOR A POTENTIALLY CRUCIAL ROUND OF TALKS AMONG THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF CROATIA, BOSNIA AND YUGOSLAVIA, DUE TO TAKE PLACE HERE ON FRIDAY. (SIGNED)

NEB/DBR/DW/SD
03-Sep-95 11:50 AM EDT (1550 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America