Voice of America Digest, 11 October 1995

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

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] !!! VOA DIGEST - 10/11/95 !!!

BOSNIA / FIGHTING -- ANOTHER SERB-HELD TOWN IN NORTHWESTERN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA HAS FALLEN TO GOVERNMENT OR CROAT FORCES. GOVERNMENT TROOPS ARE SAID TO BE CONTINUING THEIR ADVANCE IN THE AREA HOURS BEFORE A DELAYED CEASEFIRE IN BOSNIA MAY FINALLY GO INTO EFFECT. CORRESPONDENT WAYNE COREY REPORTS. (10/11)

BOSNIA / CEASEFIRE -- UN OFFICIALS SAY INCREASED ELECTRICITY SUPPLIES WILL REACH SARAJEVO WEDNESDAY, CLEARING THE WAY FOR A BOSNIA-WIDE TRUCE TO BEGIN. THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT HAS PROPOSED A THURSDAY START TO THE CEASEFIRE. BUT, AFTER TWO DAYS OF DELAY WHILE HEAVY FIGHTING CONTINUED IN NORTHERN BOSNIA, IT IS STILL NOT CERTAIN WHEN THE TRUCE WILL BEGIN. STRINGER DAVID FOLEY REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO. (10/11)

GERMANY / BOSNIA -- GERMAN CHANCELLOR HELMUT KOHL IS REPORTED TO HAVE DECIDED TO OFFER AS MANY AS FIVE THOUSAND TROOPS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING FORCE BEING SET UP FOR BOSNIA. CORREPONDENT KYLE KING REPORTSFROM BONN. (10/11)

US / BOSNIA -- US PEACE ENVOY RICHARD HOLBROOKE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT PEACE REMAINS A LONG WAY OFF IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA. STAFFER VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS MR. HOLBROOKE AND DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY SAY ONCE A NATO PEACEKEEPING FORCE IS IN PLACE IN BOSNIA IT WILL BE RESPECTED BY ALL WARRING PARTIES. (10/11)

NATO / BOSNIA FORCE -- SENIOR OFFICIALS OF NATO CONVENE WEDNESDAY IN BRUSSELS TO APPROVE AN OUTLINE OF PLANS TO SEND A NATO-LED FORCE OF AS MANY AS 60-THOUSAND TROOPS TO POLICE A FUTURE PEACE SETTLEMENT IN BOSNIA. QUESTIONS OF US CONGRESSIONAL FUNDING OF THE OPERATION, AND RUSSIAN PARTICIPATION REMAIN UNRESOLVED. CORRESPONDENT DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS. (10/10)

BOSNIA / FIGHTING -- A STRATEGIC SERB-HELD TOWN IN NORTHWESTERN BOSNIA HAS BEEN CAPTURED BY BOSNIAN CROAT OR CROATIAN ARMY TROOPS, AND ANOTHER SERB TOWN MAY BE IN DANGER OF FALLING TO BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT OR CROAT FORCES. CORRESPONDENT WAYNE COREY REPORTS. (10/10)

BOSNIA / CEASE-FIRE -- A CEASE-FIRE IN BOSNIA HAS BEEN DELAYED FOR A SECOND STRAIGHT DAY AFTER THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT SAID NOT ENOUGH ELECTRICITY WAS COMING INTO SARAJEVO. UN OFFICIALS SAY URGENT REPAIRS WILL BE MADE TO BRING MORE ELECTRICAL POWER INTO THE CITY, AND THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT HAS SAID THE CEASE-FIRE SHOULD NOW START ON THURSDAY MORNING. BOSNIAN SERB OFFICIALS HAVE SAID THEY MUST CONSULT WITH THEIR GOVERNMENT BEFORE THE OFFER CAN BE ACCEPTED. CORRESPONDENT DAVID FOLEY REPORTS. (10/10)

KABUL / FIGHTING -- AN ATTACK HAS TAKEN PLACE ON THE AFGHAN CAPITAL, KABUL. NEWS REPORTS SAY AN ARMED GROUP KNOWN AS THE TALEBAN HAS BEEN FIGHTING AT SEVERAL POINTS OUTSIDE THE CITY. CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN REPORTS DETAILS OF THE SITUATION ARE UNCLEAR. (10/11)

ISRAEL / PALESTINIANS / WEST BANK -- ISRAEL CLOSED THREE MORE OCCUPATION AUTHORITY OFFICES IN THE WEST BANK WEDNESDAY, CONTINUING THE FIRST STEPS OF ITS EXTENSIVE WITHDRAWAL FROM THE WEST BANK UNDER THE NEW PEACE AGREEMENT. BUT, CORRESPONDENT AL PESSIN REPORTED FROM JERUSALEM THAT DISPUTES CONTINUE OVER ISRAEL'S RELEASE OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS. (10/11)

SYRIA / LEBANON -- PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS SAID THE CIRCLE OF PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST WILL NOT BE COMPLETE UNTIL IT INCLUDES SYRIA AND LEBANON. BUT ISRAEL'S MILITARY PRESENCE IN SOUTHERN LEBANON, AND SYRIA'S ALL-PERVASIVE INFLUENCE IN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, CONTINUE TO COMPLICATE THE PEACE PROCESS. STRINGER PATRICIA GOLAN AND CURRENT AFFAIRS' DEBORAH COOPER REPORT. (10/11)

RUSSIA / CHECHNYA -- CHECHEN SEPARATISTS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE SUSPENDED PEACE TALKS WITH MOSCOW. CORRESPONDENT ELIZABETH ARROTT IN THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL REPORTS THE LEADER OF THE CHECHEN REBELS WANTS INTERNATIONAL FORCES DEPLOYED IN THE BREAKAWAY REPUBLIC. (10/11)

CENTRAL ASIA / GEOPOLITICS -- PARTNERS PLANNING TO TAP CASPIAN SEA OIL RESERVES HAVE AGREED TO EMPLOY TWO COMPETING EXPORT PIPELINES, ONE PASSING THROUGH RUSSIA AND THE OTHER THROUGH GEORGIA AND TURKEY. SIMILAR ARRANGEMENTS MAY UNLOCK CENTRAL ASIAN OIL FOR INTERNATIONAL MARKETS. REPORTER ALI JALALI IN WASHINGTON REVIEWS PROSPECTS FOR LONG-TERM RUSSIAN INFLUENCE IN CENTRAL ASIA AND ITS IMPLICATION FOR REGIONAL SECURITY. (10/11)

US / CASPIAN OIL -- THE UNITED STATES HAS PRAISED AZERBAIJAN AND ITS OIL PARTNERS FOR ADOPTING TWO ROUTES TO EXPORT OIL FROM THE CASPIAN SEA. CORRESPONDENT RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS. (10/10)

SENATE / IRAN SANCTIONS -- THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SAYS ITS TRADE EMBARGO ON IRAN IS HURTING THAT NATION'S ECONOMY, BUT UNLESS AMERICA'S ALLIES TAKE SIMILAR STEPS, THE SANCTIONS WILL HAVE LITTLE EFFECT IN THE LONG RUN. AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY PREDICTS THE GOVERNMENT IN TEHRAN IS LIKELY TO SURVIVE AT LEAST A FEW MORE YEARS. CORRESPONDENT DAVID SWAN HAS DETAILS. (10/11)

NOBEL / PHYSICS -- THIS YEAR'S NOBEL PRIZE FOR PHYSICS HAS GONE TO TWO AMERICANS FOR THEIR DISCOVERIES OF TWO SUB-ATOMIC PARTICLES. STRINGER FENELA CHILDS REPORTS FROM STOCKHOLM. (10/11)

NOBEL SCIENCE PRIZES / CALIFORNIA -- THREE CALIFORNIA RESEARCHERS ARE AMONG FIVE SCIENTISTS RECEIVING THIS YEAR'S NOBEL PRIZES IN CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS. CORRESPONDENT ALAN SILVERMAN REPORTS FROM LOS ANGELES. (10/11)

CLINTON / ZEDILLO -- PRESIDENT CLINTON AND MEXICO'S PRESIDENT ERNESTO ZEDILLO MET AT THE WHITE HOUSE, WHERE THEY DISCUSSED THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT'S PROGRESS TOWARD IMPROVING THE NATION'S ECONOMY FOLLOWING LAST YEAR'S FINANCIAL CRISIS. THE TWO PRESIDENTS ALSO EXPRESSED THEIR COMMITMENT TO REDOUBLING THEIR EFFORTS AT FIGHTING DRUG TRAFFICKING AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. CORRESPONDENT DEBORAH TATE REPORTS. (10/10)

EAST EUROPE / INVESTMENT -- A UN AGENCY SAYS 15 TRANSFORMING ECONOMIES OF EASTERN EUROPE AND THE FORMER SOVIET UNION ATTRACTED FOUR BILLION DOLLARS OF NEW FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT LAST YEAR. PRAGUE CORRESPONDENT BARRY WOOD REPORTS THAT NOT ONLY IS INVESTMENT GROWING, BUT MANY OF THE TRANSFORMING ECONOMIES THEMSELVES ARE REGISTERING IMPRESSIVE OUTPUT GAINS. (10/11)

RUSSIA / POLITICS -- RUSSIA IS FACING ELECTIONS FOR A NEW PARLIAMENT IN DECEMBER, AND CAMPAIGNING IS IN FULL SWING. AS CORRESPONDENT PETER COLLINS REPORTS FROM MOSCOW, A COLORFUL VARIETY OF CANDIDATES CONTEST SEATS IN THE NEW STATE DUMA. (10/11)

RUSSIA / ECONOMY -- FIGURES RELEASED BY THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT SHOW A SHARP DECLINE IN LIVING STANDARDS AS THE COUNTRY MOVES TOWARD A MARKET ECONOMY. STRINGER PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS OFFICIALS WORRY TOUGHER TIMES MAY LEAD TO SOCIAL INSTABILITY. (10/11)

SPRATLY / TALKS -- PARTICIPANTS FROM ASIAN COUNTRIES WITH INTERESTS AND CONFLICTING CLAIMS TO ISLANDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA ARE TAKING PART IN A WORKSHOP IN INDONESIA AIMED AT EASING TENSIONS IN THE DISPUTED REGION. CORRESPONDENT GIL BUTLER REPORTS FROM BEIJING, CAPITAL OF ONE OF THE MAJOR CLAIMANTS TO THE ISLANDS. (10/11)

HONG KONG / GOVERNOR -- HONG KONG GOVERNOR CHRIS PATTEN IS CALLING FOR BEIJING TO PUT ASIDE ITS OBJECTIONS TO THE TERRITORY'S LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM AND ALLOW THE CURRENT LEGISLATURE TO SERVE BEYOND JULY 1, 1997, WHEN SOVEREIGNTY PASSES FROM BRITAIN TO CHINA. FROM HONG KONG, CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON REPORTS MR. PATTEN MADE THE CALL(WEDNESDAY IN ONE OF HIS LAST MAJOR POLICY ADDRESSES BEFORE THE CHANGE IN SOVEREIGNTY. (10/11)

US / CHINESE SCIENTIST -- A CHINESE SCIENTIST HAS CHARGED SHE WAS DELIBERATELY POISONED WITH A RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPE WHILE WORKING AT THE WASHINGTON-BASED NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH. STAFFER VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS FROM WASHINGTON, THE PREGNANT WOMAN IS DEMANDING AUTHORITIES REVOKE OR SUSPEND THE FEDERAL MEDICAL LABORATORY'S LICENSE TO HANDLE HAZARDOUS NUCLEAR MATERIALS. (10/11)

UN / CHERNOBYL -- THE UNITED NATIONS HAS ISSUED A NEW REPORT ON THE AFTERMATH OF THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT DISASTER. THE 1986 EXPLOSION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY AFFECTED ABOUT NINE MILLION PEOPLE IN UKRAINE, BELARUS, AND RUSSIA. CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS SAYS THE REPORT NOTES THAT THE FULL SCOPE OF THE TRAGEDY HAS YET TO BE FELT. (10/11)

FRANCE / JUPPE -- FRENCH PRIME MINISTER ALAIN JUPPE MAY AVOID CRIMINAL PROSECUTION IN A CASE THAT HAD THREATENED TO FORCE HIS RESIGNATION. STRINGER JULIAN NUNDY REPORTS FROM PARIS A PROSECUTOR IS RECOMMENDING HE FACE NO MORE THAN A REPRIMAND. (10/11)

BELGIUM / KLAUS -- NATO SECRETARY GENERAL WILLY CLAES IS TO APPEAR BEFORE A BELGIAN PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE FRIDAY TO DEFEND HIMSELF AGAINST ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION. THE COMMITTEE COULD FORCE MR CLAES' RESIGNATION AS NATO'S POLITICAL CHIEF. STRINGER JOHN FRASER REPORTS. (10/11)

CUBA / UN -- CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO HAS APPLIED TO THE UNITED STATES FOR A VISA TO COME TO THE UNITED NATIONS 50TH ANNIVERSARY SUMMIT MEETING IN NEW YORK. CORRESPONDENT RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS. (10/10)

US / CUBA -- SLOWLY BUT SURELY, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS FINDING ITSELF IN SHARP DISAGREEMENT WITH THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESS OVER ITS CUBA POLICY. THE ISSUE IS ALSO BECOMING CONTROVERSIAL IN THE CONTEXT OF 1996 PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT DAVID BORGIDA LOOKS AT THE ISSUE. (10/11)

CHILE / POLICE -- IN CHILE, PRESIDENT EDUARDO FREI HAS APPOINTED GENERAL FERNANDO CORDERO AS THE NEW HEAD OF THE NATIONAL POLICE, THE CARABINEROS. THE FORMER CHIEF, GENERAL RODOLFO STANGE, ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT LAST WEEKEND, 18 MONTHS AFTER THE PRESIDENT CALLED FOR HIS RESIGNATION OVER THE MURDER OF THREE POLITICAL ACTIVISTS. STRINGER REBECCA CARR HAS MORE. (10/10)

GUATEMALA / MASSACRE -- THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS MISSION IN GUATEMALA HAS ACCUSED THE ARMY OF USING EXCESSIVE FORCE IN LAST WEEK'S INCIDENT IN WHICH A PATROL KILLED 11 CIVILIANS, AND WOUNDED 30 OTHERS. CORRESPONDENT BILL RODGERS REPORTS THE UN MISSION DISCOUNTED SOME OF THE CLAIMS MADE BY THE MILITARY IN DEFENDING THE SOLDIERS' ACTIONS. (10/10)

COLUMBIA / LAUNCH SET -- OFFICIALS AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER ANNOUNCED LATE TUESDAY THEY WILL MAKE ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO LAUNCH THE SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA THIS COMING SATURDAY. CORRESPONDENT JIM TEEPLE REPORTS COLUMBIA'S LAUNCH HAS ALREADY BEEN POSTPONED FOUR TIMES BECAUSE OF TECHNICAL PROBLEMS AND BAD WEATHER. (10/10)

ARIZONA TRAIN PROBE -- THE FBI IS LEADING A MASSIVE SEARCH IN THE ARIZONA DESERT, HUNTING FOR WHOEVER CAUSED MONDAY'S FATAL TRAIN ACCIDENT. ONE CREW MEMBER DIED AND DOZENS OF PASSENGERS WERE INJURED WHEN THE CALIFORNIA-BOUND "SUNSET LIMITED" JUMPED THE RAILS. A LETTER FOUND AT THE SCENE CLAIMED THE TRACKS WERE SABOTAGED BY ANTI-GOVERNMENT ACTIVISTS. CORRESPONDENT ALAN SILVERMAN REPORTS. (10/10)

RUBIN / WORLD BANK -- US TREASURY SECRETARY ROBERT RUBIN HAS EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR A WORLD BANK LENDING PROGRAM THAT IS THREATENED BY CONGRESSIONAL FUNDING CUTS. BUT AS WE HEAR FROM CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES, MR. RUBIN SAID HE DOES NOT KNOW IF CONGRESS CAN BE PERSUADED TO CHANGE ITS MIND AND GIVE THE PROGRAM THE FULL AMOUNT PLEDGED BY THE UNITED STATES. (10/10)

NIGERIA / PLOTTERS -- THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT HAS REDUCED THE SENTENCES OF MORE THAN 40 PEOPLE CONVICTED OF PLOTTING TO OVERTHROW THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT. LAST WEEK, MILITARY RULER GENERAL SANI ABACHA SAID HE WOULD COMMUTE THE SENTENCES IN A NATIONWIDE ADDRESS MARKING THE ANNIVERSARY OF NIGERIA'S INDEPENDENCE FROM BRITAIN. STRINGER PURNELL MURDOCK REPORTS. (10/10)

LANKA / RIGHTS -- HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS HAVE APPEALED TO THE SRI LANKAN GOVERNMENT AND THE REBEL LIBERATION TAMIL TIGERS TO PROTECT CIVILIANS CAUGHT IN THE CROSS-FIRE OF SRI LANKA'S CIVIL WAR. STRINGER JENNIFER MORROW REPORTS FROM NEW DELHI. (10/11)

ZIMBABWE / MUGABE -- IN ZIMBABWE, DETAILS ARE EMERGING OF AN ALLEGED PLOT TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE. THE PLOTTERS ARE SAID TO HAVE PLANNED TO ASSASSINATE THE PRESIDENT. STRINGER LAWRENCE BARTLETT REPORTS FROM HARARE. (10/11)

BANGLA / IRAN -- IRANIAN PRESIDENT ALI AKBAR HASHEMI RAFSANJANI HAS SAID HE WOULD TRY TO MEDIATE THE LONG-RUNNING DISPUTE BETWEEN INDIA AND BANGLADESH OVER THEIR COMMON RIVER WATERS. STRINGER ATIQUL ALAM REPORTS FROM DHAKA. (10/11)

INDIA / POLITICS -- THE IMAGE OF INDIA'S MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY HAS TAKEN A BEATING AS POLITICAL TURMOIL ROCKS THE WESTERN GUJARAT STATE WHICH IT RULES. FROM NEW DELHI, ANJANA PASRICHA REPORTS. (10/11)

IVORY COAST / POLITICS -- OPPOSITION PARTIES IN IVORY COAST HAVE CALLED FOR RENEWED NATIONWIDE PROTESTS IN DEFIANCE OF A GOVERNMENT BAN ON PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS. CORRESPONDENT PURNELL MURDOCK REPORTS FROM ABIDJAN. (10/11)

EAST AFRICA / CONGRESSMAN -- THE FORMER CHAIRMAN OF A CONGRESSIONAL SUBCOMMITTEE FOR AFRICA HAS DEALT SOME HARSH CRITICISM AFTER HIS RETURN FROM THE EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES OF ETHIOPIA, KENYA AND SUDAN. THE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN FROM FLORIDA, HARRY JOHNSTON, DESCRIBED ETHIOPIA AS A ONE PARTY COUNTRY, CALLED THE KENYAN BUREAUCRACY CORRUPT, AND LABELED SUDAN A HAVEN FOR TERRORISTS. STAFFER WORK A. KEBEDE REPORTS. (10/11)

GERMANY / LAND MINES -- THE UNITED NATIONS ESTIMATES THERE ARE MORE THAN 100-MILLION LANDMINES BURIED IN DOZENS OF COUNTRIES. THE WEAPONS KILL OR MAIM TENS-OF-THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EVERY YEAR, MOST OF THEM CIVILIANS. A GERMAN BUSINESSMAN HAS NOW DEVELOPED WHAT HE SAYS IS THE FIRST DEVICE TO SAFELY DESTROY LANDMINES. IN BONN, STRINGER DAGMAR BREITENBACH SPOKE TO WALTER KROHN, THE INVENTOR OF THE DEVICE THAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY TESTED IN MOZAMBIQUE. (10/11)

HURRICANE ROXANNE -- HURRICANE ROXANNE, WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF 130-KILOMETERS AN HOUR IS PASSING OVER THE YUCATAN PENINSULA AND IS EXPECTED TO ENTER THE GULF OF MEXICO. MIAMI CORRESPONDENT JIM TEEPLE REPORTS ONCE ROXANNE MOVES OVER THE OPEN WATERS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO IT IS EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN. (10/11)

EARTHQUAKE / MEXICO -- RESCUE OPERATIONS CONTINUE IN THE STATES OF JALISCO AND COLIMA AFTER MONDAY'S EARTHQUAKE SEVERELY DAMAGED TOWNS ALONG MEXICO'S PACIFIC COAST. AT LEAST 35 PERSONS ARE OFFICIALLY REPORTED DEAD, DOZENS HAVE DISAPPEARED AND MORE THAN 150 WOUNDED IN THE QUAKE THAT MEASURED SEVEN-POINT-FIVE ON THE RICHTER SCALE. STRINGER CINDY LAVANDEROS REPORTS FROM MEXICO CITY. (10/10)

ABU-JAMAL / DEATH PENALTY -- AN ORGANIZATION CALLED THE DEATH PENALTY INFORMATION CENTER PREDICTS A LARGE RISE IN US EXECUTIONS OF INMATES IN COMING YEARS. THE DEATH PENALTY CASE THAT HAS DRAWN THE MOST INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION IS THAT OF MUMIA ABU JAMAL, A BLACK JOURNALIST CONVICTED OF THE 1981 MURDER OF A WHITE POLICE OFFICER. A PENNSYLVANIA JUDGE RECENTLY REJECTED HIS APPEALS FOR A NEW TRIAL. IN WASHINGTON, STAFFER KIM MCCALL REPORTS THE CASE HAS RENEWED INTEREST IN DEBATE ABOUT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. (10/11)

KASPAROV CHESS -- GARY KASPAROV REMAINS THE WORLD CHESS CHAMPION, DEFEATING INDIA'S VISWANATHAN ANAND THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK. SPONSORS OF THE MONTH-LONG MATCH SAID WEDNESDAY IT RE-KINDLED WORLD INTEREST IN THE GAME OF CHESS. CORRESPONDENT MARTIN BUSH REPORTS. (10/11)

WEAPONS CONFERENCE -- AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN VIENNA APPEARS TO BE MAKING LITTLE PROGRESS TOWARD APPROVING TOUGH NEW RESTRICTIONS ON DEADLY LAND MINES. ALTHOUGH WARRING FORCES USE THE LAND MINES FOR DEFENSIVE PURPOSES IN MANY COUNTRIES, THE MINES KILL OR MAIM MORE THAN 20-THOUSAND CIVILIANS A YEAR. CORRESPONDENT WAYNE COREY REPORTS. (10/10)

MILITARY / BALANCE -- A PRESTIGIOUS LONDON-BASED STRATEGIC STUDIES GROUP ASSESSES MILITARY BALANCE. MOST ARMED FORCES ACTIVITY IS ASSIGNED TO PEACEKEEPING. THIS ALSO HAS BEEN A YEAR TO EXTEND THE NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY, AND OTHER PROGRESS ON ARMS CONTROL MATTERS. CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA REPORTS. (10/10)

US MILITARY / JAPAN -- THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN ARE REVIEWING THE AGREEMENT THAT GOVERNS US SOLDIERS STATIONED IN JAPAN. THE TALKS FOLLOW THE RAPE LAST MONTH OF A JAPANESE GIRL AND THE ARREST OF THREE US SERVICEMEN IN CONNECTION WITH THE INCIDENT. CURRENT AFFAIRS' STEPHANIE MANN INTERVIEWS JAPAN SCHOLAR CHALMERS JOHNSON AND LARRY NIKSCH OF THE CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE ABOUT THE STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT AND WHETHER THE ACCORD NEEDS TO BE REVISED. (10/11)

WORLD BANK MEETINGS / GRASSROOTS CRITICISM -- THE BANK HAS IMPOSED STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT PROGRAMS ON INDEBTED DEVELOPING NATIONS WHICH TAKE A HEAVY TOLL ON THE POOR. HERE IN WASHINGTON TO LOBBY BANK OFFICIALS DURING THIS WEEK OF ANNUAL MEETING ARE REPRESENTATIVES FROM GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS. CURRENT AFFAIRS' JANE KUCZYNSKI TALKS WITH WOMEN FROM ZIMBABWE AND INDIA AND ALSO ASKS AN OXFAM REPRESENTATIVE WHAT THEY THINK THE BANK SHOULD BE DOING TO ALLEVIATE THE SOCIAL COSTS OF ECONOMIC READJUSTMENT. (10/11)

WORLD BANK / NGO -- MANY NON-GOVERNMENTAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS, OR NGO'S, HAVE BEEN HIGHLY CRITICAL OF THE WORLD BANK FOR FUNDING PROJECTS THEY CONSIDER WASTEFUL OR DAMAGING TO THE ENVIRONMENT. BUT WEDNESDAY, NGO REPRESENTATIVES SHARED A PLATFORM WITH THE HEAD OF THE WORLD BANK TO JOIN IN AN APPEAL TO CONGRESS TO FULLY FUND AN AMERICAN COMMITMENT TO THE BANK'S LOW-INTEREST LOAN FUND. CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES REPORTS. (10/11)

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE / CHALLENGE -- A HISTORY OF SPOUSAL ABUSE WAS PART OF THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED IN THE TRIAL OF CELEBRITY OJ SIMPSON FOR THE MURDER OF HIS EX-WIFE AND HER FRIEND. HE WAS ULTIMATELY ACQUITTED, BUT IN THE WAKE OF THE TRIAL, MANY AMERICANS ARE RAISING THE CALL ONCE AGAIN TO TAKE EFFECTIVE STEPS TO STOP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. ONE GROUP WHICH LAUNCHED A NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGN HOPES TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT THROUGH SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND PHYSICIANS' OFFICES. CORRESPONDENT PAUL FRANCUCH REPORTS FROM CHICAGO. (10/11)

GATES BUYS PHOTOS -- US COMPUTER SOFTWARE ENTREPRENEUR BILL GATES HAS BOUGHT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT COLLECTIONS OF NEWS PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE UNITED STATES. IN NEW YORK, CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS ON THE PURCHASE OF THE BETTMANN PHOTO ARCHIVE. (10/11)

NAZI HORRORS / MEMORIES -- BRITISH JOURNALIST GITTA SERENY TALKS WITH CORRESPONDENT PAUL FRANCUCH ABOUT HER NEW BOOK "ALBERT SPEER--HIS BATTLE WITH TRUTH," A PSYCHOLOGICAL TOUR DE FORCE WHICH REVEALS WHAT SPEER REALLY DID KNOW DURING THE THIRD REICH. (10/11)

COURTROOM / CAMERAS -- THE OJ SIMPSON TRIAL HAS RENEWED A DEBATE IN THE US OVER CAMERAS IN THE COURTROOM, WITH MANY JUDGES NOW REFUSING TO ALLOW THEM IN. STAFFER FAITH LAPIDUS REPORTS. (10/11)

SPOTLIGHT / ATLANTIC CITY RENAISSANCE -- CURRENT AFFAIRS' ANDREW BAROCH REPORTS THE NORTHEASTERN US RESORT CITY IS MAKING PROGRESS RIDDING ITSELF OF URBAN BLIGHT. BUT CAN IT CLEAN UP ITS TARNISHED IMAGE? INTERVIEWS WITH MAYOR, CITY PLANNERS, CASINO OFFICIALS AND RESIDENTS. (10/11)

HEARTLAND MEMORIES -- STAFFER MIKE JOYCE REPORTS ON THE BOOK "PRAIRIE REUNION," BASED ON HIS INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR BARBARA SCOT, WHO GREW UP IN SMALL-TOWN IOWA. (10/11)

ACROSS AMERICA / VALLEY FORGE -- CURRENT AFFAIRS' TED LANDPHAIR TAKES US TO VALLEY FORGE, WHERE THREADBARE, HALF-FROZEN AMERICAN COLONIAL FORCES SURVIVED ENCAMPMENT IN 1777 AND EMERGED TO VANQUISH THE BRITISH. TODAY THE MEMORIAL PARK IS A VERDANT MEADOW BETTER SUITED TO CONTEMPLATION THAN SIGHTSEEING. (10/10)

THE MISS AMERICA PAGEANT -- CURRENT AFFAIRS' ANDREW BAROCH SPENDS A WEEK IN ATLANTIC CITY FOR THIS INSIDE LOOK AT THE MISS AMERICA PAGEANT. HE TALKS TO THE CONTESTANTS AND PAGEANT OFFICIALS ABOUT THE MISS AMERICA EXPERIENCE AND THE GLITZ, GLAMOR AND EXCITEMENT THAT GO WITH IT. (10/10)

OLYMPICS PREVIEW / VOLUNTEERS -- MANY LARGE EVENTS HELD IN THE UNITED STATES RELY ON THE SERVICES OF VOLUNTEERS AS WELL AS PAID STAFF MEMBERS TO MAKE THINGS GO SMOOTHLY. CURRENT AFFAIRS' MARILYN SILVEY REPORTS THAT PLANNERS OF THE UPCOMING OLYMPIC GAMES IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ARE SEEKING WHAT MAY BE A RECORD NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS FOR ONE EVENT, FORTY THOUSAND PEOPLE. (10/10)

MET / ELECTRONIC SEATBACKS -- CORRESPONDENT MARTIN BUSH REPORTS ON THE METROPOLITAN OPERA'S NEW ELECTRONIC OPERA TRANSLATIONS, WHICH ARE ON SEATBACKS INSTEAD OF AN OVERHEAD SCREEN. (10/10)

BRITISH RECORD / BOSNIA -- PROCEEDS FROM AN ALBUM BY BRITISH ROCK GROUPS WILL GO TO A CHARITY HELPING CHILDREN IN WAR-TORN BOSNIA. THE ALBUM, RELEASED LAST MONTH, HAS GROSSED MORE THAN THREE AND ONE HALF MILLION DOLLARS. CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA REPORTS FROM LONDON THE ALBUM IS EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED IN THE UNITED STATES NEXT WEEK. (10/11)

INSIDE USA:

BOSNIA / CEASE-FIRE / TALK TO AMERICA -- AFTER A TWO DAY DELAY, BOSNIAN SERBS AND THE MUSLIM GOVERNMENT OF BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA MADE A NEW COMMITTMENT TO A CEASE-FIRE JUST AS 'TALK TO AMERICA' WENT ON THE AIR WEDNESDAY. SARAJEVO REPORTER DAVID FOLEY EXPLAINS LATE-BREAKING DEVELOPMENTS. ADMIRAL JACK SHANAHAN OF THE CENTER FOR DEFENSE INFORMATION, PHIL ARNOLD, THE SPOKESMAN FOR UNPROFOR IN ZAGREB, CROATIA, AND LT. GEN. MANFRED EISELE FROM UNPROFOR HEADQUARTERS IN NEW YORK DISCUSSED THE FUTURE OF PEACE IN THE REGION. (ENGLISH 10/11)

NOBEL / ECONOMICS -- CHICAGO UNIVERSITY'S ROBERT LUCAS IS THIS YEAR'S WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE IN ECONOMICS FOR HIS WORK ON THE THEORY OF RATIONAL EXPECTATIONS. STAFFER JEAN-CLAUDE ANDRE ASKED ROGER GUENERIE, RESEARCH DIRECTOR AT THE FRENCH NATIONAL CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO EXPLAIN THIS THEORY. (FRENCH 10/10)

OJ SIMPSON / JURY MEMBER -- THE ONLY HISPANIC MEMBER OF THE JURY THAT FOUND OJ SIMPSON NOT GUILTY OF KILLING HIS ESTRANGED WIFE AND HIS FRIEND MADE A STATEMENT DEFENDING THE DECISION. CORRESPONDENT HECTOR VELAZQUEZ REPORTS FROM LOS ANGELES. (SPANISH 10/10)

IRANIAN-AMERICAN SCHOLAR -- STAFFER, MOHAMMAD RAZAVI REPORTS ON A GATHERING ORGANIZED BY AN IRANIAN CULTURAL FOUNDATION IN LOS ANGELES TO HONOR SCHOLAR AND JOURNALIST, DR. B. BROUKHIM. DR BROUKHIM WAS PROFESSOR OF FRENCH AT TEHRAN UNIVERSITY AND WAS ALSO IN CHARGE OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER, JOURNAL DE TEHRAN. (FARSI 10/8, 10/9)

IRANIAN-AMERICAN SINGER / WORLD TOUR -- STAFFER HOSSEIN N KANGARLOO INTERVIEWS IRANIAN-AMERICAN SINGER EBBI, ON A STOP IN GERMANY,WHILE ON A WORLD TOUR. FROM EUROPE EBBI GOES ON TO THE UAE FOR A SERIES OF CONCERTS. (FARSI 10/11)

AFGHAN ARTIST -- A CALIFORNIA-BASED AFGHAN VOCALIST MOHAMMAD NAJIM SAYS THAT EXILED AFGHAN ARTISTS FACE A CHALLENGING SITUATION FOR THE ABSENCE OF A SIZABLE ETHNIC AUDIENCE. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH STAFFER JALIL GHANI, MR. NAJIM ALSO SAID THAT MOST OF THE PROFESSIONAL AFGHAN MUSICIANS IN AMERICA HAVE TO FIND SIDE JOBS TO EARN A LIVING. (DARI 10/11)

INDIAN ACTOR -- STAFFER KEDAR SHARMA INTERVIEWS RAMESH PANDEY, AN INDIAN TV ACTOR WHO IS BASED IN LOS ANGELES, AND IS STILL QUITE BUSY. (HINDI 10/10)

CALCUTTA SITARIST -- WEST BENGAL SITAR PLAYER JAYA BISWAS IS INTERVIEWED BY STAFFER ASIM CHAKRABARTI ON HER VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES. (BANGLA 10/10)

LITHUANIAN VETERINARY MEDICINE -- STAFFER ROMAS KASPARAS INTERVIEWS PROFESSOR HENRIKAS ZILINSKAS FROM LITHUANIA ABOUT HIS US VISIT. PROFESSOR ZILINSKAS ALONG WITH LATVIAN AND ESTONIAN VETERINARIANS, PARTICIPATED IN A WEEK-LONG CONFERENCE IN SAN ANTONIO,TEXAS. PROFESSOR ZILINSKAS PREDICTED THAT BECAUSE OF NEW CONTACTS IN THE US, MORE ACADEMIC EXCHANGES WILL BE CONDUCTED IN THE FUTURE. (LITHUANIAN 10/10)

INSIDE AFRICA:

NIGERIA / GOVERNMENT SENTENCES -- NIGERIA'S GOVERNMENT HAS COMMUTED THE SENTENCES OF SEVERAL OF THE ALLEGED COUP PLOTTERS, INCLUDING FORMER RULER OLUSEGUN OBASANJO. REPORTER CATHERINE MADDUX ASKED NIGERIA'S MILITARY SPOKESMAN, BRIGADIER-GENERAL FRED CHIJUKA, TO EXPLAIN THE GOVERNMENT'S CHANGE OF HEART. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/11)

OBASANJO / REACT -- THERE HAS BEEN OPPOSITION REACTION TO THE 15-YEAR JAIL TERM OF FORMER NIGERIAN PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO. REPORTER CHINEDU OFFOR HAS DETAILS. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/11)

NIGERIA / OBASANJO SENTENCES -- THE NIGERIA MILITARY GOVERNMENT OF SANI ABACHA, HAS SENTENCED GENERAL OLUSEGUN OBASANJO AND HIS FORMER DEPUTY GENERAL SHEHU 'YAR ADUA TO A REDUCED TERM OF 15 YEARS AND 25 YEARS RESPECTIVELY IN PRISON ON CHARGES OF PLOTTING TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT. THE FORMER NIGERIAN MILITARY LEADER HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT AND HIS DEPUTY 'YAR ADUA TO DEATH. CORRESPONDENT BABANGIDA JIBRIL REPORTS FROM ABUJA. (HAUSA 10/10)

NIGERIA / ASSASSINATION -- AHMED KWALAM REPORTS FROM LAGOS THE MURDER OF A PROMINENT SOCIAL CRITIC OF NIGERIA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT, ALFRED RHINEY. THE NIGERIA POLICE LAGOS COMMAND ANNOUNCED THAT THEY'RE HOT ON THE TRAIL OF THE KILLERS. (HAUSA 10/10)

NIGERIA / ASSASSINATION -- NIGERIAN POLICE SAY THEY MAY BE JUST DAYS AWAY FROM APPREHENDING THE KILLERS OF A PROMINENT SOCIAL CRITIC ASSASSINATED ON FRIDAY. REPORTER CHINEDU OFFOR HAS DETAILS FROM LAGOS. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/9)

ETHIOPIANS IN AMERICA -- AMHARIC STAFFER ADDISU ABEBE INTERVIEWS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS AT TEMPLE UNIVERSITY, DR. SHIFERAW BIRHANU. DR. BIRHANU WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE ETHIOPIAN COMMUNITY MUTUAL ASSISTANCE ASSOCIATION FOR HIS DEDICATION AND CONTRIBUTION IN HELPING THE NEEDY. (AMHARIC 1011)

ETHIOPIA / TRIAL -- THE TRIAL OF FORMER ETHIOPIAN OFFICIALS HAS CONTINUED IN ADDIS ABABA. FORMER DICTATOR MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM WHO LIVES IN EXILE IN ZIMBABWE IS BEING CHARGED IN ABSENTIA. DEFENSE LAWYERS HAVE DEMANDED THAT THE FORMER OFFICIALS BE TRIED BY AN INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL. THE HIGH COURT IN ADDIS ABABA REJECTED THIS DEMAND. STRINGER TAFESSE KIFLE REPORTS FROM ADDIS ABABA. (AMHARIC 10/12)

KENYA / PRISONERS -- KENYA'S PRESIDENT DANIEL ARAP MOI PARDONED ELEVEN THOUSAND PRISONERS CONVICTED OF MINOR OFFENSES AS PART OF THE MOI DAY CELEBRATIONS. THOSE PARDONED WERE SERVING LESS THAN SIX MONTHS OR HAD SIX MONTHS OR LESS LEFT OF THEIR SENTENCES. SWAHILI STRINGER M G JOEL REPORTS FROM NAIROBI. (SWAHILI 10/11)

KENYA / RWANDA -- IN A SPEECH MADE TUESDAY ON KENYA'S MOI DAY NATIONAL HOLIDAY, PRESIDENT DANIEL ARAP MOI SAID HIS STATEMENT ON THE INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL PROSECUTING THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR RWANDA'S GENOCIDE WAS MISUNDERSTOOD. WHILE HE HAD SAID EARLIER THAT INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL INVESTIGATORS WOULD BE ARRESTED IF THEY ENTERED KENYA, PRESIDENT MOI SAID YESTERDAY THAT ANYONE SUSPECTED OF RWANDAN WAR CRIMES WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE KENYA. STAFFER FERDINAND FERELLA INTERVIEWED REFUGEE LEADER FRANCOIS NZABAHIMANA WHO REACTED FROM BRUSSELS TO PRESIDENT MOI'S LATEST STATEMENT. (FRENCH 10/10)

TANZANIA / ELECTIONS -- LAWYERS FROM THE FACULTY OF LAW AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM HAVE ADVISED OPPOSITION PARTIES TO STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT FORMER PRESIDENT JULIUS NYERERE'S CAMPAIGNING ON BEHALF OF THE RULING PARTY CANDIDATE. THE LAWYERS SAY A SECTION OF TANZANIA 'S CONSTITUTION ALLOWS THEM TO TAKE MR. NYERERE TO COURT IF THEY CAN PROVE THAT HE HAS USED HIS PENSION FOR THE CAMPAIGN, WHICH IS TAX PAYERS' MONEY. STRINGER PASCAL SHIJA REPORTS FROM DAR ES SALAAM. (SWAHILI 10/11)

NAMIBIA / DEVELOPMENTS -- STAFFER TOM ATANDI SPOKE WITH STRINGER JOHN NYOKA ON DEVELOPMENTS IN DEMONSTRATIONS HELD BY EX-FREEDOM FIGHTERS IN NAMIBIA. MR. NYOKA SAID THE SITUATION WAS CALM AFTER A SECOND DEMONSTRATION ATTEMPT WAS STOPPED. A GOVERNMENT STATEMENT SAID ONE PERSON WAS KILLED WHEN POLICE DISPERSED DEMONSTRATORS TUESDAY. (SWAHILI 10/11)

RWANDA / PEACE -- FORMER RWANDAN DEFENSE MINISTER, JAMES GASANA, SAYS ETHNIC DIVISIONS MUST BE SET ASIDE IF HIS COUNTRY IS TO HAVE PEACE. MR. GASANA IS NOW A MEMBER OF THE GROUP, "RWANDA FOR EVERYONE." FROM LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND HE SPOKE TO REPORTER JOE DECAPUA. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/11)

RWANDA / REFUGEE STATUS -- ZAIRE WANTS ALL RWANDAN REFUGEES ON ITS SOIL REPATRIATED BY THE END OF THE YEAR. FOR A STATUS REPORT, REPORTER JOE DECAPUA SPOKE WITH AUGUSTINE MAHIGA, COORDINATOR OF THE RWANDA-BURUNDI SPECIAL UNIT OF THE UNHCR IN GENEVA. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/10)

RWANDA / MOI REACTION -- THE LONDON-BASED HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP, AFRICA RIGHTS, HAS RELEASED ITS REVISED REPORT ON GENOCIDE IN RWANDA. CO-DIRECTOR RAKIYA OMAAR SPOKE TO REPORTER JOE DECAPUA ABOUT THE 12-HUNDRED PAGE REPORT. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/10)

RWANDA / PRISONS -- THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS SAYS THREE NEW TENT PRISONS IN RWANDA REMAIN EMPTY, DESPITE BEING OPENED LAST THURSDAY. RWANDA'S GOVERNMENT SAYS IT'S BECAUSE UN GENERATORS AT THE DETENTION CENTERS ARE NOT WORKING. RWANDA'S PRISONS ARE EXTREMELY OVERCROWDED. REPORTER JOE DECAPUA SPOKE TO ICRC SPOKESWOMAN NINE WINQUIST IN KIGALI. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/9)

AFRICA / MEDIA CONFERENCE -- THE MEDIA INSTITUTE OF SOUTHERN AFRICA IS CALLING FOR A STUDY OF THE PROBLEMS AFFECTING THE MEDIA IN PORTUGUESE-SPEAKING COUNTRIES. REPORTER WILLIAM EAGLE SPOKE TO JOURNALIST FERNANDO LIMA OF THE SAVANNAH NEWSPAPER IN LUSAKA. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/9)

GAMBIA / DEMOCRACY -- THE EUROPEAN UNION EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE SLOW PACE OF DEMOCRATIC REFORMS IN GAMBIA. REPORTER RICHARD KOTEY SPOKE WITH THE SPANISH AMBASSADOR TO SENEGAL AND GAMBIA, JUAN SERRAT. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/10)

GAMBIA / EU -- THE EUROPEAN UNION CRITICIZES GAMBIA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT FOR DELAYING ITS TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN RULE. REPORTER CHICKELUBA KENECHUKU HAS THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE AND A LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE EU EMBARGO FROM BANJUL. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/10)

SIERRA LEONE / POLITICS -- RECENTLY, REBELS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY UNITED FRONT SAID THEY WANTED TO TALK TO NGO'S AS PART OF PEACE EFFORTS. THEY MADE THEIR WISHES KNOWN THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS. REPORTER KELVIN LEWIS TALKED WITH ICRC REPRESENTATIVE FOR WEST AFRICA, GEORGE PACLISANU, TO GET AN UPDATE. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/9)

UGANDA / EAST AFRICA COMMUNITY -- UGANDA'S PRESIDENT YOWERI MUSEVENI CALLS FOR THE REVIVAL OF THE DEFUNCT THREE-NATION EAST AFRICA ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, WITHOUT KENYA. REPORTER RICHARD KOTEY SPOKE WITH A UGANDAN POLITICAL ANALYST, WAFULA OGUTU FROM KAMPALA. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/11)

UGANDA / CONSTITUTION -- UGANDA HAS A NEW CONSTITUTION THAT EXTENDS THE BAN ON POLITICAL PARTY ACTIVITY FOR FIVE YEARS. REPORTER RICHARD KOTEY SPOKE WITH KARUHANGA CHAPAA, LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION NATIONAL DEMOCRATS FORUM. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/9)

LIBERIA / KRAMER -- THE EDITOR OF THE NORTH CAROLINA-BASED AFRICA NEWS SERVICE HAS WRITTEN A NEW REPORT ENTITLED, "LIBERIA: A CASUALTY OF THE COLD WAR'S END." STAFFER SCOTT STEARNS SPOKE WITH REED KRAMER ABOUT HIS REPORT. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/9)

LIBERIA / FINANCE MINISTER -- LIBERIA'S MINISTER OF FINANCE, LANSANA KROMAH, SAYS THE COUNTRY IS BADLY IN NEED OF MONEY. MR. KROMAH IS IN THE UNITED STATES TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND AND THE WORLD BANK. HE EXPLAINS TO REPORTER JAMES BUTTY JUST WHAT SORT OF DISCUSSIONS HE WILL BE HOLDING WITH OFFICIALS OF THE IMF AND THE WORLD BANK. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/8)

ZIMBABWE / CRICKET -- ZIMBABWE'S NATIONAL CRICKET TEAM PLAYS SOUTH AFRICA IN A ONE-OFF TEST MATCH STARTING OCTOBER 10TH IN HARARE. REPORTER BARRY MAUGHAN SPOKE TO FORMER ZIMBABWE TEST PLAYER JOHN TRAICOS ABOUT ZIMBABWE'S PROSPECTS AND OTHER ISSUES FACING ZIMBABWEAN CRICKET. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/9)

AFRICA / CONFLICT RESOLUTION -- CONFLICT RESOLUTION HAS BEEN HELPING COUNTRIES ALL OVER AFRICA. LARRY GARBER AND STEVE WEISMAN OF USAID AND EDWARD MCMAHAN OF THE DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DISCUSSED CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN A RECENT INTERVIEW ON WORLDNET. REPORTER RODRICK MURRAY HAS DETAILS. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/11)

NIGER / OPPOSITION -- THE OPPOSITION IN NIGER CALLED A PRESS CONFERENCE LATE TUESDAY TO VOICE THEIR CONCERN OVER WHAT THEY CALLED THE ARROGANCE OF THE MAJORITY IN THE PARLIAMENT. THEY DENOUNCED DECISIONS REACHED SINCE THEIR WALKOUT ON SUNDAY. THE PARLIAMENT WAS REPORTED TO HAVE CONTINUED ITS DAILY DELIBERATIONS WITHOUT THE OPPOSITION. LAWAN BOUCAR REPORTS FROM NIAMEY. (HAUSA 10/11)

WORLD BANK / IMF / RESOURCES -- AS THE IMF AND WORLD BANK HOLD THEIR ANNUAL MEETINGS, THE LACK OF RESOURCES FROM DONOR COUNTRIES SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR CONCERN. WHILE THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS WERE PRAISED FOR THEIR RESULTS, IT IS FEARED THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE CURTAILED IF RESOURCES ARE REDUCED. REPORT BY STAFFER JEAN-CLAUDE ANDRE WHO ATTENDED THE IMF/WORLD BANK PRESS CONFERENCE. (FRENCH 10/10)

UN / US ARREARS -- STAFFERS CAMILLE GROSDIDIER AND JESSICA HARTMAN REPORT ON THE ISSUE OF ARREARS OWED BY MEMBER COUNTRIES TO THE UNITED NATIONS. WHILE THE UNITED STATES IS SAID TO OWE OVER A BILLION DOLLARS IN UNPAID CONTRIBUTIONS, IT IS NOT ALONE AS RUSSIA, JAPAN, FRANCE AND GREAT BRITAIN AMONG OTHERS, HAVE NOT YET PAID THEIR SHARE. (FRENCH 10/10)

INSIDE MIDEAST:

KUWAIT / IRAQ / BORDERS -- KUWAITI PRESS REPORTS SAY KUWAITI AUTHORITIES ARRESTED SEVERAL IRAQI NATIONALS WHO ILLEGALLY ENTERED KUWAIT. STAFFER JUMANA TAMIMI REPORTS FROM AMMAN. (ARABIC 10/10)

IRAN / IRAQ / KURDS -- TALKS HELD IN TEHRAN BETWEEN TWO RIVAL IRAQI KURDISH GROUPS HAVE PROGRESSED TOWARDS SETTLING THEIR DIFFERENCES. STAFFER JUMANA TAMIMI REPORTS FROM AMMAN. (ARABIC 10/10)

SAUDI ARABIA / MINISTER -- PRESS REPORTS FROM THE GULF SAY IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE RESIGNATION OF SAUDI MINISTER OF FINANCE AND THE APPOINTMENT OF A SUCCESSOR WOULD CHANGE SAUDI ECONOMIC POLICIES. STAFFER JUMANA TAMIMI REPORTS FROM AMMAN. (ARABIC 10/10)

IRAN / OIL -- IRAN'S OIL MINISTER ANNOUNCED THAT SCORES OF EUROPEAN AND ASIAN COMPANIES ARE INTERESTED IN OIL AND GAS PROJECTS IN IRAN. STAFFER JUMANA TAMIMI REPORTS FROM AMMAN. (ARABIC 10/10)

EGYPT / SYRIA -- EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK MET IN DAMASCUS WITH HIS SYRIAN COUNTERPART TO DISCUSS THE PEACE PROCESS AND SYRIAN-ISRAELI RELATIONS. STRINGER THABET SALEM REPORTS FROM DAMASCUS. (ARABIC 10/10)

MUBARAK / SYRIA -- PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK RETURNED TO CAIRO AFTER HIS TALKS IN THE SYRIAN CAPITAL. CORRESPONDENT IBRAHIM ABDIN REPORTS FROM CAIRO. (ARABIC 10/10)

SYRIA / ISRAEL -- REPORTER TERRY WING TALKS WITH AMBASSADOR DENNIS ROSS. MR. ROSS TALKS ABOUT THE SYRIA / ISRAEL RELATIONS, THE PROBLEMS BLOCKING NEGOTIATIONS AND HIS PERSPECTIVE ON THE CHANCES FOR PEACE BETWEEN THE TWO LONG-TIME ENEMIES. (ENGLISH NEWS PROGRAMS 10/10)

ISRAEL / PRISONERS -- RELEASE OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS HAS BEEN SUSPENDED. ISRAEL CLOSED FOUR OF ITS OFFICES IN THE WEST BANK. STRINGER KHALIL ASSALI REPORTS FROM JERUSALEM. (ARABIC 10/10)

ISRAEL / PALESTINIAN PRISONERS -- NBEEL ABU RDAINEH, SPOKESMAN FOR PLO LEADER, YASSER ARAFAT WAS INTERVIEWED BY STAFFER THABET BARDICY ABOUT THE RELEASE OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN AUTONOMY AGREEMENT. (ARABIC 10/10)

LIBYA / PALESTINIANS -- PALESTINIANS WHO WERE DEPORTED FROM LIBYA AND ARE NOW ON THE LIBYAN-EGYPTIAN BORDER, THREATENED A HUNGER STRIKE IF THEY ARE BARRED FROM ENTERING GAZA AND THE WEST BANK. STAFFER ZEINAB ABDELRAHMAN REPORTS FROM CAIRO. (ARABIC 10/10)

PALESTINE / FINANCIAL AID -- PALESTINIAN MINISTER OF PLANNING AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, DR. NABIL SHAATH, REVEALED HOW LITTLE DONOR COUNTRIES HAD CONTRIBUTED TO DEVELOPMENT IN PALESTINIAN SELF RULE AREAS. STAFFER ZEINAB ABDELRAHMAN REPORTS FROM CAIRO. (ARABIC 10/10)

PALESTINIAN / BANK DEPOSITS -- DEPOSITS AT OPERATING BANKS IN PALESTINIAN SELF RULE AREAS AMOUNTED TO 975 MILLION DOLLARS, SHOWING AN INCREASE OF 65 PERCENT SINCE DECEMBER 1994. STAFFER ZEINAB ABDELRAHMAN REPORTS FROM CAIRO. (ARABIC 10/10)

ISRAEL HANDS OVER SALFIT TO PALESTINIAN RULE -- STRINGER KHALIL ASSALI REPORTS ON THE CEREMONY OF HANDING OVER AUTHORITY TO PALESTINIANS. (ARABIC 10/10)

EGYPT / BROTHERHOOD -- IN CAIRO, FOURTEEN MEMBERS OF THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD HAVE BEEN DETAINED FOR FIFTEEN DAYS PENDING INVESTIGATION. CORRESPONDENT IBRAHIM ABDIN REPORTS FROM CAIRO. (ARABIC 10/10)

EGYPT / BROTHERHOOD ARRESTS -- STAFFER THABET BARDICY INTERVIEWS MA'MOUN AL-HUDAIBY, SPOKESMAN FOR THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD ON WHY EGYPTIAN SECURITY FORCES ARRESTED SEVERAL MEMBERS ON CHARGES OF AIDING TERRORIST GROUPS. (ARABIC 10/10)

SUDAN / OIL & NEWSPAPERS PRICES -- THE NEW PRICE INCREASE IN OIL PRODUCTS IS BEING IMPLEMENTED IN SUDAN WHERE THE PRICES OF NEWSPAPERS HAVE INCREASE AS WELL. STAFFER ZEINAB ABDELRAHMAN REPORTS FROM CAIRO. (ARABIC 10/10)

TUNISIA / SILAJZDIC -- THE PRIME MINISTER OF BOSNIA VISITED TUNISIA WHERE HE ONCE AGAIN CALLED FOR LIFTING THE ARMS EMBARGO. STRINGER RACID MABROUK REPORTS FROM TUNIS. (ARABIC 10/10)

JORDAN / PEACE PROCESS -- AT THE UN, JORDAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER, ABDEL-KARIM AL-KABARITI, STRESSED HIS COUNTRY'S SUPPORT FOR EFFORTS BY THE PALESTINIAN NATIONAL AUTHORITY TO ACHIEVE A JUST PEACE THAT WOULD LEAD ACCORDING TO THE JORDANIAN MINISTER, TO A PALESTINIAN STATE WHOSE CAPITAL IS JERUSALEM. STAFFER MOHAMED ATTIA REPORTS FROM NEW YORK. (ARABIC 10/10)

MOROCCO / WESTERN SAHARA -- MOROCCO'S MINISTER OF INTERIOR, IDRIS AL-BASRY SAID HIS COUNTRY IS COOPERATING WITH THE UN MISSION TO THE WESTERN SAHARA AND THE PLANNED VISIT TO THE REGION BY KING HASSAN WILL BE WITHIN WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS THE KING'S MOVEMENTS INSIDE HIS HOME. STAFFER MOHAMED ATTIA REPORTS FROM NEW YORK. (ARABIC 10/10)

AFGHAN FIGHTING -- THE TALEBAN MOVEMENT HAS LAUNCHED A COORDINATED ATTACK ON KABUL TO FORCE AFGHAN PRESIDENT BURHANUDDIN RABANI FROM POWER. DARI STRINGER ABDUL HAI WARSHAN REPORTS THAT FOLLOWING THE FALL OF THE SMALL TOWN OF CHAHARASYAB SOUTH OF KABUL, FIGHTING CONTINUES IN THE SOUTHERN, SOUTHWESTERN AND EASTERN SUBURBS OF THE AFGHAN CAPITAL. (DARI 10/11)

SENATE HEARING / IRAN SANCTIONS -- STAFFER HESHMAT MOBASHER REPORTS ON SENATE BANKING COMMITTEE HEARINGS DISCUSSING NEW LEGISLATION PROPOSED BY SENATOR G. D'AMATO OF NEW YORK. THE PROPOSED MEASURE WOULD IMPOSE A BOYCOTT ON FOREIGN COMPANIES WHO SELL OIL EXTRACTION AND REFINING EQUIPMENT TO THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN. (FARSI 10/11)

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST -- STAFFER MOHAMED ABDEL-KARIM REPORTS ON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. (ARABIC 10/10)

OFFICER / EDUCATOR REMEMBERED -- STAFFER AKBAR NAZEMI REPORTS ON GENERAL ISMAIL HAMIDI, AN ACTIVE MEMBER IN THE WASHINGTON AREA IRANIAN COMMUNITY AND FORMER DIRECTOR OF IRAN'S POLICE ACADEMY, WHO DIED IN SUBURBAN VIRGINIA LAST WEEK. (FARSI 10/7)

INSIDE CENTRAL ASIA:

AZERBAIJAN / UKRAINE -- AZERI STRINGER RAFAEL HUSAINOV INTERVIEWS HAYDER HAYDEROV, HEAD OF THE AZERI-UKRAINIAN SOCIETY IN KIEV, ABOUT THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES, AND THE STATUS OF 50,000 AZERIS WHO LIVE IN UKRAINE. (AZERI 10/11)

GEORGIA / ELECTIONS -- GEORGIA IMPOSED A GAG RULE ON THE MEDIA DESPITE APPROACHING ELECTIONS IN THE REPUBLIC. DAVID USUPASHVILI, YOUNG LAWYERS ASSOCIATION., DODO SHONAVA, GEORGIAN STATE RADIO & TV, PAATA NATSVLISHVILI, EDITOR OF THE NEWSPAPER "SAMSHOBOLO," PROFESSOR STEPHEN JONES, MT. HOLYOKE AND STAFFER ETERY PICHKHADZE DISCUSS UPCOMING ELECTIONS TO BE HELD NOVEMBER 5. (GEORGIAN 10/10 & 10/11)

INSIDE SOUTH ASIA:

BANGLADESH / IRAN -- IRAN'S PRESIDENT ALI AKBAR HASHEMI RAFSANJANI HAS ARRIVED IN BANGLADESH, THE LAST LEG OF HIS ASIA TOUR WHICH ALSO TOOK HIM TO VIETNAM AND THE PHILIPPINES. THE IRANIAN LEADER WAS GREETED AT THE AIRPORT BY PRIME MINISTER KHALIDA ZIA, AND WAS FORMALLY RECEIVED BY PRESIDENT ABDUR RAHMAN BISWAS AT THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE. STRINGER MATIUR RAHMAN CHOWDHURY REPORTS FROM DHAKA. (BANGLA 10/10)

INDIA / US / IMF -- INDIA'S FINANCE MINISTER, MAN MOHAN SINGH CALLED FOR IMF AND WORLD BANK PROGRAMS TO ERADICATE POVERTY AND PROMOTE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. STAFFER BHAGWAN PRAKASH REPORTS ON THE IMF DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING, AND ON MR SINGH'S MEETINGS WITH US TREASURY SECRETARY ROBERT RUBIN AND WORLD BANK PRESIDENT CAMDESSUS. (HINDI 10/9)

INDIA / RUSSIA -- RUSSIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER YURI YAROV IS LEADING A LARGE DELEGATION TO THE SECOND INDO-RUSSIAN JOINT COMMISSION MEETING IN NEW DELHI. MR.YAROV WILL ALSO HOLD TALKS WITH INDIAN LEADERS INCLUDING PRIME MINISTER RAO ON BILATERAL RELATIONS. STRINGER NANDAN REPORTS. (HINDI 10/9)

SRI LANKA / ETHNIC CONFLICT -- SRI LANKA'S MINISTER OF JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, GL PEIRIS, SAYS THAT HIS GOVERNMENT IS READY TO RESOLVE ITS CONFLICT WITH THE TAMIL REBELS THROUGH DIALOGUE, AND COUNTS ON INDIA'S COOPERATION IN THIS EFFORT. MR. PEIRIS IS VISITING WASHINGTON FOR TALKS WITH THE WORLD BANK AND US OFFICIALS. STAFFER PRAKASH INTERVIEWS MR PEIRIS. (HINDI 10/10)

INDIA / VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN -- TWO ORGANIZATIONS IN THE BIHAR STATE OF INDIA ARE WORKING TO HELP THE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. STAFFER SUMAN GUPTA INTERVIEWS LEADERS OF 'MANAVI' AND 'SEVA MITHILA' ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS SOME OF THE VICTIMS BEING HELPED. (HINDI 10/10)

GUJRAT / CHIEF MINISTER -- THE CRISIS IN BJP GOVERNMENT OF GUJRAT HAS BEEN RESOLVED BY THE CENTRAL PARTY LEADERSHIP. CHIEF MINISTER KESHUBHAI PATEL, WHO WAS ON A US VISIT AND HAD TO RUSH BACK HOME, WILL BE REPLACED BY KASHIRAM RANA, LEADER OF THE PARTY IN GUJRAT AND A MEMBER OF THE FEDERAL PARLIAMENT. STRINGEN KL NANDAN REPORTS. (HINDI 10/7)

US SENATE / PAKISTAN -- STAFFER SUBHASH VOHRA INTERVIEWS DIRECTOR OF NEW DELHI'S DEFENSE STUDIES INSTITUTE K.SUBRAMANYAM, PAKISTANI EMBASSY COUNSELOR IN WASHINGTON ZAMIR AKRAM, AND PAULA NEWBERG, A SOUTH ASIAN EXPERT AT THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTE ON THE ONE TIME SALE OF ARMS TO PAKISTAN, APPROVED BY THE US SENATE. INCLUDES COMMENTS BY INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, PRANAB MUKHERJEE AND INDIA'S AMBASSADOR IN THE US, SS RAY. (HINDI 10/6)

INDIA / SUPER STAR -- AMITABH BACHCHAN, THE HIGHEST PAID INDIAN FILM STAR SENT SHOCK WAVES WHEN HE DECLARED AT A PRESS CONFERENCE IN INDIA THAT HE WILL BE A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF NEW YORK AND WORK AS A PROMOTER OF PRODUCTS FOR HE BPL COMPANY OF NEW YORK. STRINGER REPORT. (HINDI 10/6)

CRICKET STAR / INDIA -- INDIAN CRICKET PLAYER KAPIL DEV, THE HEART-THROB OF INDIA'S CRICKET FANS, DISCUSSES HIS PLAYING STYLE AND THE FUTURE OF CRICKET AS A MAJOR SPORT. INTERVIEW BY STRINGER AMBALIKA MISRA. (HINDI 10/7)

INSIDE EAST ASIA:

HONG KONG / GOVERNOR PATTEN / STATEMENT -- HONG KONG GOVERNOR PATTEN ISSUED WEDNESDAY WHAT MAY BE HIS LAST ADMINISTRATIVE STATEMENT. IT COVERED A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES, SUCH AS WELFARE, UNEMPLOYMENT, ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORTATION AND MANY OTHERS. IT RECEIVED POSITIVE REACTION FROM HONG KONG CITIZENS AND THE PRESS. STAFFER HE PING IN HK INTERVIEWS PROF. KANGXIAN HUANG, HK UNIVERSITY. (MANDARIN 10/11)

CHINA / CAPITAL FLOW -- IT IS REPORTED THAT A FLOWING CAPITAL OF UP TO 200 BILLION YUAN HAS BEEN CIRCULATING OUTSIDE CHINA'S REGULAR BANKING SYSTEM, SEEKING SHORT TERM INTEREST AND HIGH RETURN RATE. ANALYSTS BELIEVE FUNDS OF THIS KIND HAVE JEOPARDIZED THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO CONTROL CAPITAL MARKETS AND HAVE INDIRECTLY CAUSED INFLATION. STAFFER HE PING IN HK INTERVIEWS ZHANG DAOGEN, SHANGHAI SOCIAL SCIENCE ACADEMY, SHAN WEIJIAN, VICE PRES. JP MORGAN, AND XIANG BING, HK SCIENCE & TECH UNIV. (MANDARIN 10/11)

HONG KONG / DOMESTIC VIOLENCE -- ACCORDING TO DU JIELI, DIRECTOR OF A SHELTER FOR BATTERED WIVES IN HONG KONG, INCIDENTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAVE INCREASED 26% OVER LAST YEAR. STAFFER CHOU YUNTING TALKS TO EXPERTS WHO DISCUSS REASONS FOR THE INCREASE, ZHOU YONGXIN, HK UNIV. SOCIOLOGY DEPT CHAIR, LIANG JIEFEN, LECTURER, HK LINGNAN COLLEGE, AND DU JIELI, HARMONY HOUSE SHELTER DIRECTOR. (MANDARIN 10/11)

CHINA / DALAI LAMA / JAPANESE SECT -- CHINA'S OFFICIAL NEWS MEDIA CLAIMS THAT THE DALAI LAMA HAS BEEN A SPONSOR OF SHOKO ASAHARA, THE JAPANESE CULT LEADER WHO ALLEGEDLY MASTERMINDED THIS YEAR'S TOKYO SUBWAY LETHAL GAS ATTACK. THE DALAI LAMA'S REPRESENTATIVE IN THE US DENIED THAT THERE HAS BEEN ANY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO, AND SAID THIS IS AN ATTEMPT BY CHINESE LEADERSHIP TO DISCREDIT THE DALAI LAMA. STAFFER WANG NAN INTERVIEWS DALAI LAMA REPRESENTATIVE RINCHEN DHARLO, OFFICE OF TIBET, NY. (MANDARIN 10/11)

CHINA / TAIWAN / WORLD MILITARY EXPENDITURE -- THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE LONDON INSTITUTE OF STRATEGIC STUDIES STATES THAT LEADING ASIAN COUNTRIES ARE INCREASING DEFENSE EXPENDITURES WHILE OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD ARE CUTTING THEIRS. IT NOTES THAT THE INCREASE IS A RESULT OF ECONOMIC GROWTH RATHER THAN AN ARMS RACE. THE REPORT SUGGESTS THAT CHINA'S MILITARY SPENDING IS 4 TIMES WHAT IT PUBLICLY ADMITS. STAFFER CHIEN WEI INTERVIEWS PROFESSOR JUNE DREYER, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, WHO COMMENTS ON CHINA-TAIWAN MILITARY AFFAIRS. (MANDARIN 10/11)

COMMERCE SECRETARY BROWN / CHINA -- COMMERCE SECRETARY RONALD BROWN IS TO ARRIVE IN BEIJING NEXT SUNDAY TO ATTEND THE US-SINO JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE MEETING. HE WILL ALSO MEET WITH CHINESE FOREIGN TRADE MINISTER WU YI. BROWN'S DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY MARIA CARDONA TOLD STAFFER JIANG TIAN THAT TALKS WILL FOCUS ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND MARKET ACCESS. SHE SAID BROWN THINKS IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE US-CHINA ECONOMIC COOPERATION. (MANDARIN 10/11)

TAIWAN / TIBETAN, MONGOLIAN, HONG KONG VISITORS -- THE TAIWAN TIBETAN-MONGOLIAN COUNCIL INVITED TIBETANS AND MONGOLIANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO THE DOUBLE TEN, OCTOBER 10, CELEBRATION. LI HOUGAO, DIRECTOR OF TIBETAN-MONGOLIAN COUNCIL, TOLD CORRESPONDENT TIEN KANGLIN THAT TAIWAN HAS GOOD RELATIONS WITH OVERSEAS TIBETANS AND MONGOLIANS. THIS YEAR MORE VISITORS FROM HONG KONG AND MACAO ATTENDED FESTIVITIES THAN BEFORE. TIEN KANGLIN ALSO INTERVIEWED LI YOUJI, TAIWAN LEGISLATOR. (MANDARIN 10/11)

NORTH KOREA / KIM JONG IL / POWER -- NORTH KOREAN DE FACTO LEADER KIM JONG IL DID NOT FORMALLY TAKE THE TITLES OF HIS DECEASED FATHER KIM IL SUNG ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LABOR (COMMUNIST) PARTY. CORRESPONDENT YONG KYUN LIM REPORTS EXPERTS IN SEOUL CITE SEVERE ECONOMIC DIFFICULTIES NORTH KOREA NOW FACES, LACK OF CHARISMA HIS FATHER KIM IL SUNG HAD AND STALLED PROGRESS IN TALKS WITH THE US AND JAPAN ON THE NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS. PROFESSOR YOO SUNG RYUL OF THE INSTITUTE OF DIPLOMACY AND SECURITY SAID THAT KIM JONG IL MAY WANT TO RULE THE COUNTRY UNDER HIS FATHER'S DYING INJECTION UNTIL THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION IMPROVES. HE SAID THAT THE KIM, JUNIOR MAY ALSO WANT TO KEEP HIMSELF FROM BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL THE PROBLEMS AT THIS TIME AS HEAD OF THE STATE AND PARTY. (KOREAN 10/11)

KIM DAE JUNG / PRESS CONFERENCE -- SOUTH KOREAN MAJOR OPPOSITION LEADER KIM DAE JUNG SAID HE HAS NOT DECIDED WHETHER HE WOULD RUN IN THE 1997 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. KIM TOLD A FOREIGN PRESS CONFERENCE IN SEOUL THAT HE WOULD RUN IF HE RECEIVES STRONG PUBLIC SUPPORT AND GOVERNMENT ASSURANCES THAT ELECTIONS WOULD BE FAIR. MR. KIM CRITICIZED THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT'S UNPRINCIPLED POLICY TOWARD NORTH KOREA. HE SAID IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE SEOUL GOVERNMENT TO MAKE IT CLEARLY KNOWN TO NORTH KOREA THAT SEOUL HAS NO INTENTION TO REUNIFY THE COUNTRY BY ABSORPTION OF THE NORTH AND THAT PYONGYANG CANNOT EXPECT FOREIGN INVESTMENT WITHOUT CHANGES AND REFORMS OF NORTH KOREAN SYSTEM. CORRESPONDENT YONG KYUN LIM REPORTS FROM SEOUL. (KOREAN 10/11)

HONG KONG / DEBATE ON IMPORTING LABOR -- DEMOCRATIC AND LABOR LEGISLATORS PLAN TO PROPOSE BILLS IN LEGCO TO END IMPORTATION OF ALL LABOR EXCEPT DOMESTIC HELP AND SKILLED PROFESSIONALS. SOME ECONOMISTS SAY THIS WILL HURT THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECT WHILE NOT HELPING TO REDUCE UNEMPLOYMENT. REPORTER LAWRENCE NG INTERVIEWS, LEE CHEK YAN, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE HONG KONG CONFEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS; LEE KAI MING, LABOR LEGISLATOR; MICHAEL HO, DEMOCRATIC PARTY SPOKESMAN. (CANTONESE 10/10)

INSIDE EUROPE:

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH / UNPROFOR CRITICISM -- REPORTER JOHN PITMAN SPEAKS TO HOLLY CARTNER, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH-HELSINKI, ABOUT A NEW HRW REPORT WHICH CRITICIZES THE UN PEACEKEEPING MISSION'S ACTIONS DURING THE SERB OFFENSIVE AGAINST SREBRENICA LAST JULY. THE REPORT SAYS THE UN KNEW ABOUT THE OFFENSIVE BEFORE IT HAPPENED, FAILED TO REINFORCE ITS TROOPS ONCE IT BEGAN, AND DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE ABOUT ATROCITIES ITS TROOPS WITNESSED AFTER THE CITY FELL. (ENGLISH NEWS PROGRAMS 10/10)

YUGOSLAVIA / KRAJINA REFUGEES -- STRINGER JADRANKA KRONJA REPORTS FROM BELGRADE ON THE LATEST MILITARY MOBILIZATION OF REFUGEES WHO FLED FROM KRAJINA TO SERBIA TWO MONTHS AGO. THE BELGRADE HELSINKI COMMITTEE PROTESTED AGAINST THE MOBILIZATION. (CROATIAN 10/10)

CROATIAN OPPOSITION / TV BAN -- CROATIAN TELEVISION BANNED THE BROADCAST OF THE MAIN OPPOSITION ELECTION CAMPAIGN ADD, SAYING THAT FACTS PRESENTED ARE FALSE. STRINGER SLAVICA LUKIC REPORTS FROM ZAGREB ON THE REASONS FOR BAN AND THE CROATIAN SOCIAL-LIBERAL PARTY REACTION TO GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP. (CROATIAN 10/10)

BOSNIAN SERBS / THREAT -- BELGRADE STRINGER JADRANKA KRONJA REPORTS THAT BOSNIAN SERB GENERALS THREATENED TO SHELL CROATIA IF CROAT FORCES CONTINUE THEIR OFFENSIVE IN NORTHERN BOSNIA. (CROATIAN 10/10)

WORLD BANK / FORMER YUGO -- STAFFER DZENITA MEHIC INTERVIEWS KEMAL DERVISH, DIRECTOR OF THE WORLD BANK EASTERN EUROPE DEPARTMENT. MR DERVISH DISCUSSED THE ECONOMIC FUTURE OF BALKAN STATES AND STRESSED THAT ECONOMIC AID DEPENDS ON THE SUCCESS OF THE PEACE PROCESS. (CROATIAN 10/10)

UNPROFOR / CEASE-FIRE -- UN REPRESENTATIVES IN SARAJEVO ESTIMATE THAT THE CEASE-FIRE IN BOSNIA WILL SOON TAKE EFFECT BECAUSE ALL CONDITIONS ARE MET. HOWEVER, BOSNIAN PRESIDENT A. IZETBEGOVIC MADE ANOTHER DEMAND, THE REMOVAL OF A SERBIAN CHECKPOINT ON THE ROAD LEADING TO KISELJAK. STRINGER BORO KONTIC REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO. (SERBIAN 10/10)

TUDJMAN / CAMPAIGN -- IN THE FIRST CAMPAIGN APPEARANCE FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, CROATIAN PRESIDENT F TUDJMAN DESCRIBED CROATIA AS ONE OF THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE WITH THE GREATEST PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE. BUT, IN A LETTER TO THE CROATIAN PRESIDENT, THE LEADER OF ISTRIAN DEMOCRATIC UNION, IVAN JAKOVCIC CLAIMED THAT CROATIA IS BECOMING A TOTALITARIAN STATE. STRINGER STEVICA SUSA REPORTS FROM ZAGREB. (SERBIAN 10/10)

CROATIA / EASTERN SLAVONIA -- ACCORDING TO ONE SERBIAN PARTICIPANT, THE ZAGREB TALKS BETWEEN CROATIAN GOVERNMENT AND SERBS FROM EASTERN SLAVONIA HAVE FAILED. STRINGER DUSAN MASIC REPORTS FROM BELGRADE. (SERBIAN 10/10)

AKASHI / REPLACEMENT -- UN SECRETARY GENERAL BOUTROS GHALI INFORMED THE SECURITY COUNCIL OF HIS DECISION TO REPLACE YASUSHI AKASHI AS A SPECIAL CIVILIAN REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA. HIS DUTIES WILL BE TAKEN OVER BY UN UNDERSECRETARY FOR PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, KOFI ANAN. STRINGER DRAGISA BOSKOVIC REPORTS FROM NEW YORK. (SERBIAN 10/10)

BRITAIN / BOSNIA -- BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY MALCOLM RIFKIND ANNOUNCED THAT BRITAIN PLANS TO ORGANIZE AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BOSNIA. HE SAID THAT SUCH A GATHERING ON BOSNIA SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE PEACE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS AND THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE COUNTRY START BEFORE, AS HE PUT IT, THE INK ON THE DOCUMENT DRIES. STRINGER RIALDA SEBEK REPORTS. (SERBIAN 10/10)

BOSNIA / CEASE-FIRE -- STRINGER SAMIR HASSAN REPORTS ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS REGARDING THE CEASE-FIRE IN BOSNIA. (ARABIC 10/10)

US / TURKEY / GOVERNMENT -- THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS WELCOMED THE NEW GOVERNMENT IN TURKEY. THE MINORITY GOVERNMENT OF THE CONSERVATIVE TRUE PATH PARTY, HEADED BY PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER, WILL BE SUPPORTED BY TWO SMALL PARTIES, ONE RIGHTIST AND ONE LEFTIST. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN NICHOLAS BURNS SAYS TURKEY IS AN IMPORTANT ALLY, AND THE ADMINISTRATION CONGRATULATES ALL POLITICAL LEADERS IN TURKISH PARLIAMENT. TURKISH STAFFER HULYA POLAT REPORTS. (TURKISH 10/7)

CASPIAN OIL / PIPELINES -- THE INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUM OF OIL COMPANIES DECIDE TO RELY ON TWO PIPELINES, SIMULTANEOUSLY, TO DELIVER OIL FROM THE CASPIAN SEA FIELDS TO THE MARKET. THESE ARE THE EXISTING RUSSIAN PIPELINE TO THE BLACK SEA PORT OF NOVOROSSISK, AND A FUTURE PIPELINE THROUGH GEORGIA TO THE TURKISH PORT OF CEYHAN ON THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST. TURKISH STAFFER TANJU AKERSON REPORTS, BASED ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT MADE IN BAKU AND HAS AN INTERVIEW WITH JOURNALIST RUTH DANILOFF. (TURKISH 10/8)

U.S. EXPERT / TURKEY / PIPELINES -- DR. BULENT ALIRIZA, SENIOR FELLOW AT THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES SAYS THE DECISION BY AIOC (AZERBAIJAN INTERNATIONAL OIL CONSORTIUM) TO USE TWO PIPELINES, THROUGH RUSSIA AND TURKEY, FOR DELIVERING THE EARLY PRODUCTION AZERI OIL TO THE MARKETS IS A WELCOME DEVELOPMENT FOR TURKEY. INTERVIEWED BY STAFFER TACLAN SUERDEM, ALIRIZA SAYS TURKEY HAS TO DEVELOP ITS PLANS FOR BUILDING THE FUTURE PIPELINE AND PRESENT IT TO THE OIL COMPANIES WITHIN A YEAR. (TURKISH 10/10)

IMF / WORLD BANK / TURKEY -- AYFER YILMAZ, THE HEAD OF THE TURKISH DELEGATION TO THE IMF AND WORLD BANK MEETING IN WASHINGTON IS INTERVIEWED BY STAFFER HALE EBIRI. MS. YILMAZ SAYS HER TALKS WITH OFFICIALS OF THESE INSTITUTIONS CONFIRMED THAT HER COUNTRY'S CREDIT WORTHINESS IMPROVED LAST YEAR DUE TO THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TURKISH ECONOMY. (TURKISH 10/11)

AUSTRIAN BANK / SLOVAK PRESIDENT -- "SLOVENSKA REPUBLIKA", A DAILY OWNED BY PRIME MINISTER VLADIMIR MECIAR'S MOVEMENT FOR A DEMOCRATIC SLOVAKIA (HZDS), PUBLISHED A COPY OF A BANK STATEMENT ALLEGING THAT SLOVAK PRESIDENT MICHAL KOVAC HAS AN AUSTRIAN BANK ACCOUNT WITH ASSETS OF OVER 23 MILLION SCHILLINGS ($2.3 MILLION). THE AUSTRIAN BANK RELEASED A STATEMENT REFUTING THE REPORT STATING THAT THE STATEMENT WAS COUNTERFEIT. PRESIDENT KOVAC SAID HE WILL FILE SUIT AGAINST THE PAPER. STRINGER IVAN RAJECKY AND STAFFER MIRO DOBROVODSKY REPORT. (SLOVAK 10/9)

INSIDE EURASIA:

RUSSIA / CRIME -- RUSSIAN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER AND UN EXPERT ON ORGANIZED CRIME YURI SHCHIKHOCHIKHIN AND STRINGER KONSTANTIN SIMIS DISCUSS A DISTURBING TREND AMONG SOME RUSSIANS WHO VIEW THE MAFIA AS AN IRON FIST THAT WILL HELP CONTROL CRIME. (RUSSIAN 10/10)

CLINTON AT FREEDOM HOUSE -- STAFFER ADRIAN KARMAZYN COVERED PRESIDENT CLINTON'S FOREIGN POLICY ADDRESS AT A FREEDOM HOUSE GATHERING. THE REPORT ALSO INCLUDED COMMENTS BY CONGRESSMAN BOB LIVINGSTON, CHAIRMAN, HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, AND JOSHUA MURAVCHIK OF THE AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE, WHO WERE AMONG THE MANY PANELISTS PARTICIPATING IN THE CONFERENCE DEVOTED TO REBUILDING A BIPARTISAN FOREIGN POLICY. (UKRAINIAN 10/7)

UKRAINIAN-AMERICANS / NSC -- COIT BLACKER, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR RUSSIA, UKRAINE, AND EURASIA AT THE NSC, ADDRESSED THE ANNUAL GATHERING OF THE WASHINGTON GROUP, AN ASSOCIATION OF UKRAINIAN-AMERICAN PROFESSIONALS. HE SUGGESTED THAT THE ORGANIZATION COULD PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ENCOURAGING UKRAINE TO STAY ON THE DIFFICULT PATH OF ECONOMIC REFORM. ADRIAN KARATNYCKY, PRESIDENT OF FREEDOM HOUSE, ALSO ADDRESSED THE GROUP. VOA UKRAINIAN AND RL UKRAINIAN WERE RECIPIENTS OF THIS YEAR'S TWG JOURNALISM AWARD. DIRECTOR GEOFFREY COWAN ACCEPTED THE AWARD ON BEHALF OF VOA. (UKRAINIAN 10/8)

US COMMERCIAL ATTACHE / UKRAINE -- STAFFER ADRIAN KARMAZYN INTERVIEWS ANDREW BIHUN, US COMMERCIAL ATTACHE IN UKRAINE. THEY TALKED ABOUT DIFFICULTIES THAT US COMPANIES FACE IN TRYING TO DO BUSINESS IN UKRAINE, AS WELL AS THE IMPORTANCE OF US-UKRAINIAN TRADE FOR BOTH COUNTRIES. (UKRAINIAN 10/10)

INSIDE LATIN AMERICA:

ZEDILLO / WHITE HOUSE -- PRESIDENTS CLINTON AND ZEDILLO DISCUSSED A VARIETY OF BILATERAL ISSUES AT A MEETING IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE TO BRIEF REPORTERS ON THE TALKS. EDITOR CESAR CARDOZA REPORTS. (SPANISH 10/10)

CLINTON / MEXICO -- PRESIDENT CLINTON PRAISED MEXICO'S EFFORTS TO SOLVE ITS ECONOMIC CRISIS AND SAID BOTH PRESIDENTS TALKED ABOUT IMMIGRATION, FIGHT AGAINST DRUG TRAFFIC AND OTHER ISSUES. STAFFER LUIS FELIPE ARCE REPORTS. (SPANISH 10/10)

ZEDILLO / OAS -- PRESIDENT ZEDILLO DELIVERED A SPEECH ABOUT MEXICO'S FOREIGN POLICY AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES. EDITOR DARIO ELIAS REPORTS. (SPANISH 10/10)

US / MEXICO / NAFTA -- REPORTER ANDREW BAIRD SPEAKS WITH GINA ELLRICH, SPOKESWOMAN FOR UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF ATLANTA ABOUT ONE OF MANY TRADE DISPUTES ARISING FROM THE SIGNING OF THE THREE-COUNTRY NAFTA TRADE AGREEMENT. HE ALSO TALKS WITH MARK ANDERSON, AN ANALYST WITH THE AFL-CIO IN WASHINGTON ON THE EFFECTS OF THE US-CANADA-MEXICO NAFTA ACCORD. (ENGLISH NEWS PROGRAMS 10/10)

GUATEMALA / MILITARY TRIAL -- GUATEMALAN ARMY OFFICERS CHARGED WITH THE KILLING OF PEASANT REFUGEES IN THE NORTH OF THE COUNTRY, ARE BEING TRIED BY A MILITARY TRIBUNAL WHILE COMMUNITY LEADERS DEMAND THE DEATH PENALTY FOR THOSE FOUND GUILTY. STRINGER DIETER ERLANGER REPORTS FROM GUATEMALA CITY. (SPANISH 10/10)

CHILE / MILITARY -- CHILE'S SUPREME COURT ORDERED THAT FORMER CHIEF OF THE SECRET POLICE GENERAL MANUEL CONTRERAS BE IMPRISONED TO SERVE A 7-YEAR SENTENCE FOR HIS PART IN THE ASSASSINATION OF THE FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER ORLANDO LETTELIER. STRINGER PATRICIO VARGAS REPORTS FROM CHILE. (SPANISH 10/10)

COLOMBIA / NON-ALIGNED LEADERS -- LEADERS OF ABOUT 112 COUNTRIES MEMBERS OF THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT WILL MEET IN CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA, NEXT WEEK. STRINGER JUAN ALVARO CASTELLANOS REPORTS FROM BOGOTA. (SPANISH 10/10)

HURRICANE ROXANNE -- HURRICANE ROXANNE, A LATECOMER TO THE SEASON, HIT MEXICO'S TOURIST ISLAND OF COZUMEL BUT SPARED CANCUN. CORRESPONDENT JORGE WEHBY REPORTS. (SPANISH 10/11) 11-Oct-95 5:29 PM EDT (2129 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America