Voice of America Digest, 27 November 1995

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

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] !!! VOA DIGEST - NOVEMBER 27, 1995

BOSNIA / SERBS -- A SENIOR BOSNIAN SERB OFFICIAL, WHO MAY REPLACE SERB LEADER RADOVAN KARADZIC, IS REPORTED TO HAVE PRAISED THE NEW PEACE AGREEMENT FOR BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. CORRESPONDENT WAYNE COREY REPORTS. (11/27)

US / BOSNIA -- THE UNITED STATES HAS RULED OUT THE IDEA OF REOPENING THE BOSNIAN PEACE TREATY, AS BOSNIAN SERBS DEMAND. THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS ALSO LAUNCHING A CAMPAIGN TO BUILD PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE USE OF THOUSANDS OF US TROOPS AS PEACEKEEPERS. CORRESPONDENT DAVID SWAN REPORTS FROM WASHINGTON. (11/26)

BOSNIA / SARAJEVO -- BOSNIAN SERB LEADER RADOVAN KARADZIC HAS CALLED FOR THE RENEGOTIATION OF THE DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT TO AVOID THE HANDOVER OF SERB-HELD PARTS OF SARAJEVO TO BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT CONTROL. STRINGER DAVID FOLEY REPORTS FROM THE BOSNIAN CAPITAL. (11/26)

CLINTON / BOSNIA -- PRESIDENT CLINTON IS DEFENDING PLANS TO SEND US TROOPS TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, SAYING THE UNITED STATES HAS A CRUCIAL ROLE TO PLAY IN ENSURING A PEACE AGREEMENT IS IMPLEMENTED THERE. MR CLINTON'S COMMENTS, IN HIS SATURDAY RADIO ADDRESS, ARE A PREVIEW OF A NATIONALLY TELEVISED ADDRESS HE IS TO DELIVER MONDAY. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT DEBORAH TATE REPORTS FROM WASHINGTON. (11/25)

BOSNIA / SARAJEVO -- RESIDENTS OF A SERB SUBURB OF SARAJEVO DEMONSTRATED AGAINST THE BOSNIAN PEACE AGREEMENT. STRINGER DAVID FOLEY REPORTS FROM THE BOSNIAN CAPITAL THAT UNDER THE AGREEMENT MOST SERB-CONTROLLED AREAS OF SARAJEVO WILL REVERT UNDER GOVERNMENT CONTROL. (11/25)

US / BOSNIA -- AS PRESIDENT CLINTON PREPARES FOR TWO BROADCAST APPEARANCES TO RALLY PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR US PARTICIPATION IN A BOSNIAN PEACEKEEPING FORCE, THE WHITE HOUSE HAS RELEASED LETTERS FROM THREE BALKANS PRESIDENTS ENSURING THE TROOPS' SAFETY. CORRESPONDENT VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS A SKEPTICAL CONGRESS IS PREPARING FOR HEARINGS ON THE DEPLOYMENT OF TWENTY THOUSAND TROOPS. (11/24)

US / ISRAEL -- ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER SHIMON PERES IS SCHEDULED TO MAKE HIS VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES, SINCE ASSUMING HIS POST WEDNESDAY. CORRESPONDENT VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS MR PERES HOPES THE VISIT WILL ADVANCE THE STALLED ISRAELI-SYRIAN PEACE TALKS. (11/24)

RUSSIA / POLITICS -- A MEMBER OF RUSSIA'S PARLIAMENT HAS BEEN KILLED WHILE CAMPAIGNING FOR NEXT MONTH'S GENERAL ELECTION. CORRESPONDENT PETER COLLINS REPORTS FROM MOSCOW. (11/26)

RUSSIA / CAMPAIGN -- WITH RUSSIA'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS THREE-WEEKS AWAY, A FURIOUS AND BITTER CAMPAIGN IS SHAPING UP, COMPLETE WITH WILD PROMISES, MUD-SLINGING AND ATTACK ADS IN THE MEDIA. FROM MOSCOW, STRINGER PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS THE TONE OF THE CAMPAIGN HAS PROMPTED A SHARP REBUKE FROM PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN. (11/26)

RUSSIA / RADIATION -- AUTHORITIES IN MOSCOW HAVE ACTIVATED A CITY-WIDE EMERGENCY RADIATION DETECTION SYSTEM AFTER A CONTAINER OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL WAS FOUND IN A PARK. STRINGER PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS THE PACKAGE APPARENTLY WAS PLACED BY CHECHEN REBELS. (11/24)

EUROPE / MIDEAST -- MINISTERS FROM THE 15-MEMBER EUROPEAN UNION AND TWELVE ARAB STATES RINGING THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN ARE MEETING MONDAY IN BARCELONA TO LOOK AT WAYS TO FORGE CLOSER COOPERATION AND DEAL WITH THEIR POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND CULTURAL GAPS. MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN PREVIEWS THE MEETING. (11/26)

EGYPT / BROTHERHOOD -- IN EGYPT, AUTHORITIES HAVE ROUNDED UP MORE MEMBERS OF THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD IN SOUTHERN EGYPT, AND HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS ARE CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT TO REVERSE THE MILITARY COURT VERDICT TO JAIL 54 BROTHERHOOD ACTIVISTS. CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS FROM CAIRO. (11/26)

EGYPT / MILITANTS -- EGYPT IS FACING MORE SECURITY THREATS OUTSIDE ITS OWN BORDERS, BUT THE GOVERNMENT INSISTS ITS CRACKDOWN AT HOME AGAINST MUSLIM EXTREMISTS IS CURBING VIOLENCE. CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN VISITED THE TOWNS OF MALAWI, MINYA AND ASSIUT. (11/26)

SRI LANKA / WAR -- THE COMMANDER OF TAMIL SEPARATIST GUERRILLAS IN SRI LANKA SAYS THERE CAN BE NO PEACE NEGOTIATIONS WHILE THE ARMY ATTACKS THE REBELS' NORTHERN STRONGHOLD. CORRESPONDENT MICHAEL DRUDGE HAS MORE FROM COLOMBO. (11/27)

LANKA / WAR -- SRI LANKAN PRESIDENT CHANDRIKA KUMARATUNGA HAS LAID OUT CONDITIONS FOR RENEWING PEACE TALKS WITH TAMIL SEPARATIST GUERRILLAS. SOUTH ASIA CORRESPONDENT MICHAEL DRUDGE REPORTS FROM COLOMBO. (11/26)

SRI LANKA / WAR -- THE SRI LANKAN MILITARY SAYS TROOPS HAVE REPULSED A GAS ATTACK BY TAMIL SEPARATIST GUERRILLAS NEAR THE BESIEGED NORTHERN CITY OF JAFFNA. A MILITARY STATEMENT SAYS AT LEAST EIGHTY REBELS WERE KILLED, WHILE FOUR SOLDIERS DIED AND TWENTY WERE WOUNDED. CORRESPONDENT MICHAEL DRUDGE REPORTS. (11/25)

PAKISTAN / BOMB -- US EXPLOSIVE EXPERTS ARE IN ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN HELPING WITH THE INVESTIGATION OF THE NOVEMBER 19TH BOMBING OF THE EGYPTIAN EMBASSY THAT CLAIMED SEVENTEEN LIVES. CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN REPORTS. (11/26)

KABUL / BOMBING -- AIR RAIDS ON AFGHANISTAN'S CAPITAL, KABUL HAVE KILLED 35 CIVILIANS AND WOUNDED 140. STRINGER TIM JOHNSTON REPORTS THAT THERE WERE THREE AIR STRIKES, TWO ON RESIDENTIAL AREAS, AND ONE ON A BUSY STREET. (11/26)

INDIA / HOSTAGES -- THE RELATIVES OF FOUR WESTERN TOURISTS BEING HELD HOSTAGE BY ISLAMIC MILITANTS IN INDIAN KASHMIR HAVE RENEWED AN APPEAL FOR THEIR LOVED ONES' RELEASE. STRINGER ANJANA PASRICHA REPORTS FROM NEW DELHI. (11/24)

BANGLADESH / PARLIAMENT -- TIGHT SECURITY HAS BEEN IMPOSED IN DHAKA AS CLASHES BETWEEN PRO-GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS ERUPTED ON SATURDAY IN THE WAKE OF PRIME MINISTER KHALEDA ZIA'S DECISION TO DISSOLVE THE BANGLADESH PARLIAMENT. MEANWHILE, OPPOSITION LEADERS SAY MRS ZIA MUST RESIGN. STRINGER REPORT FROM NEW DELHI. (11/25)

COMMUNISTS VISIT CHINA -- TWO OF THE WORLD'S FEW REMAINING COMMUNIST LEADERS WILL BE IN CHINA AT THE SAME TIME THIS WEEK. DO MUOI, GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE VIETNAMESE COMMUNIST PARTY BEGAN A SIX DAY VISIT SUNDAY, AND CUBAN LEADER FIDEL CASTRO IS SCHEDULED TO START A TEN DAY CHINA VISIT WEDNESDAY. CORRESPONDENT GIL BUTLER REPORTS FROM BEIJING. (11/27)

TAIWAN / ELECTION -- CAMPAIGNING IS UNDERWAY IN TAIWAN, WHICH HOLDS NATIONWIDE LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS AT THE END OF THE WEEK. STRINGER KENDALL BUHL REPORTS FROM TAIPEI THAT TAIWAN'S RULING NATIONALISTS ARE PUSHING HARD TO RETAIN POWER. (11/27)

CHINA / MANEUVERS -- CHINA HAS ANNOUNCED THAT AMPHIBIOUS MILITARY EXERCISES WERE CONDUCTED RECENTLY ON THE SOUTHEAST CHINA COAST. THE MANEUVERS ARE WIDELY VIEWED AS A WARNING TO PRO-INDEPENDENCE FACTIONS IN TAIWAN. CORRESPONDENT GIL BUTLER REPORTS FROM BEIJING. (11/26)

CHINA /ECONOMIC ROUND UP -- CHINA'S ECONOMIC GROWTH IS EXPECTED TO SLOW TO NINE PERCENT IN 1996 ACCORDING TO CHINESE PROJECTIONS. CHINESE OFFICIALS HOPE THAT WILL MEAN A SOFT-LANDING FROM THE YEARS OF DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH. CORRESPONDENT GIL BUTLER HAS AN ECONOMIC ROUNDUP. (11/27)

ECONOMIC / FREEDOM / ASIA -- A SURVEY OF WORLD ECONOMIC FREEDOM RANKS HONG KONG'S ECONOMY AT THE TOP. CORRESPONDENT FRED COOPER REPORTS FROM HONG KONG, SEVERAL ASIAN NATIONS SCORE WELL IN THE SURVEY, BUT CHINA RANKS NEAR THE BOTTOM. (11/27)

VIETNAM / CHINA -- VIETNAM'S COMMUNIST PARTY CHIEF DO MUOI ARRIVED IN BEIJING AT THE START OF A SIX DAY VISIT AIMED AT CONSOLIDATING RELATIONS BETWEEN VIETNAM AND CHINA. STRINGER DAVID BUTLER REPORTS. (11/26)

CHINA / TIBET -- A CHINESE RELIGIOUS EXPERT SAYS NO HARM WILL COME TO THE BOY WHO WAS NAMED BY TIBET'S TOP SPIRITUAL LEADER AS REINCARNATION OF THE SECOND HIGHEST TIBETAN LEADER, THE PANCHEN LAMA. CORRESPONDENT STEPHANIE HO REPORTS CHINESE OFFICIALS HAVE ALMOST DAILY CRITICIZED THE DALAI LAMA FOR CHOOSING THE BOY WITHOUT BEIJING'S APPROVAL. (11/24)

BURMA / CONVENTION -- IN BURMA, THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT IS SCHEDULED TO RE-CONVENE A NEARLY TWO YEAR OLD CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION IT SAYS IS AIMED AT BRINGING ABOUT DEMOCRACY. HOWEVER CORRESPONDENT DAN ROBINSON REPORTS, THE CONVENTION PROCESS HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS UNACCEPTABLE BY BURMESE DEMOCRACY LEADER AND 1991 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE, AUNG SAN SUU KYI. (11/27)

KOREA / POLITICS -- SOUTH KOREA'S RULING PARTY ANNOUNCED FRIDAY IT WILL ENACT A SPECIAL LAW TO PROSECUTE THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BRUTAL SUPPRESSION OF DEMONSTRATORS BY THE MILITARY IN THE SOUTHERN CITY OF KWANGJU IN 1980. STRINGER SHIN NA REPORTS FROM SEOUL ON THE DECISION THAT FOLLOWS MONTHS OF POLITICAL PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT TO BRING THOSE ALLEGEDLY RESPONSIBLE TO JUSTICE. (11/24)

SINGAPORE / LEESON -- A SINGAPORE COURT HAS FORMALLY CHARGED BRITISH STOCKS TRADER NICHOLAS LEESON WITH ELEVEN COUNTS OF FRAUD AND FORGERY. MR. LEESON'S MASSIVE LOSSES LED TO THE COLLAPSE OF BARINGS BANK, ONE OF BRITAIN'S OLDEST AND MOST RESPECTED. STRINGER ANITA JAIN REPORTS FROM SINGAPORE. (11/24)

MOBUTU / ANNIVERSARY -- ZAIREAN PRESIDENT MOBUTU SESE SEKO CELEBRATED THIRTY YEARS IN POWER IN THE SPRAWLING CENTRAL AFRICAN NATION, DESPITE DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL ATTEMPTS TO LOOSEN HIS CONTROL OVER THE COUNTRY. AIDES CLOSE TO PRESIDENT MOBUTU SAID THEY WERE USING THE ANNIVERSARY TO ASSESS WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED DURING THE 30 YEARS OF MR. MOBUTU'S RULE AND WHAT MUST NOW BE DONE TO REPAIR THE BROKEN ECONOMY. CORRESPONDENT PURNELL MURDOCK REPORTS. (11/24)

IVORY COAST / ELECTION -- UNOFFICIAL RESULTS FROM IVORY COAST'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION INDICATE THE RULING DEMOCRATIC PARTY WILL REGAIN A MAJORITY IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. HOWEVER, AS CORRESPONDENT PURNELL MURDOCK REPORTS FROM ABIDJAN, VOTER TURNOUT APPEARED LOW. (11/27)

IVORY COAST / ELECTIONS -- IVORY COAST HOLDS ITS SECOND MULTI-PARTY GENERAL ELECTION SUNDAY WITH THE OPPOSITION HOPING TO END THE RULING DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S HOLD ON POWER. BUT A COALITION OF OPPOSITION PARTIES IS FIGHTING AN UPHILL BATTLE FOLLOWING THE DISQUALIFICATION OF ONE OF ITS CANDIDATES AND THE POSTPONEMENT OF VOTING IN SEVERAL OPPOSITION-LED CONSTITUENCIES. CORRESPONDENT PURNELL MURDOCK REPORTS FROM ABIDJAN. (11/25)

BRAZIL / NEPOTISM -- BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT FERNANDO HENRIQUE CARDOSO HAS SUCCESSFULLY APPEALED A COURT ORDER BLOCKING HIS DAUGHTER, LUCIANA, FROM WORKING IN HIS OFFICE. CORRESPONDENT GEORGE MEEK REPORTS. (11/24)

CUBA / ECONOMY -- FOR TWO YEARS, CUBANS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO EARN AND KEEP US DOLLARS PRIMARILY THROUGH THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, A SMALL BUT GROWING NEW PRIVATE SECTOR, AND THE BLACK MARKET. STAFFER VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS CUBANS WILL SOON HAVE TO PAY UP TO 50 PERCENT INCOME TAXES ON THE FOREIGN CURRENCY THEY EARN BEGINNING IN THE NEW YEAR. (11/26)

IRELAND / REFERENDUM -- BY THE NARROWEST OF MARGINS, VOTERS IN IRELAND APPEAR TO HAVE SAID YES TO A PROPOSAL LEGALIZING DIVORCE. REPORTER DAVID WEBER FILED FROM LONDON ABOUT A REFERENDUM THAT HAS SHARPLY DIVIDED THE ISLAND NATION. (11/25)

US / AIDS CASES -- US PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THE NUMBER OF DIAGNOSED CASES OF THE FATAL AIDS DISEASE HAS NOW PASSED 500,000 IN THE UNITED STATES. AMERICANS NOW ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT ONE OF EVERY NINE CASES IN THE WORLD TODAY. STAFFER VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS THE FINDINGS WERE ANNOUNCED AS UN HEALTH OFFICIALS WARN THAT ASIA IS ON THE VERGE OF OVERTAKING AFRICA AS THE REGION WITH THE MOST HIV-INFECTIONS, THE VIRUS RESPONSIBLE FOR AIDS. (11/25)

CLINTON / CONGRESS / BUDGET -- THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION AND THE REPUBLICAN-LED CONGRESS ARE PREPARING TO BEGIN TOUGH NEGOTIATIONS NEXT WEEK AIMED AT BALANCING THE FEDERAL BUDGET. MR. CLINTON RENEWED HIS CALL SATURDAY FOR A BUDGET ENSURING ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR SOCIAL PROGRAMS. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT DEBORAH TATE REPORTS. (11/25)

LOUIS MALLE / DEATH -- FRENCH FILM DIRECTOR LOUIS MALLE HAS PASSED AWAY AT THE BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA HOME HE SHARED WITH HIS WIFE, ACTRESS CANDICE BERGEN. CORRESPONDENT GREG FLAKUS REPORTS MR. MALLE WAS A MAJOR CREATIVE FORCE BOTH IN EUROPE AND IN THE UNITED STATES. (11/24)

WALL STREET / PREVIEW -- AS THE LAST WEEK OF NOVEMBER BEGINS, MANY WALL STREET ANALYSTS ARE WONDERING IF THE STOCK MARKET IS ON THE THRESHOLD OF EVEN HIGHER LEVELS OR WHETHER IT IS READY TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DOWNWARD MOVE. CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS. (11/24)

US / YOUTH -- CURRENT AFFAIRS' STEPHANIE MANN REPORTS ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL DEBATE TEAMS WHOSE STUDENTS ARE DISCUSSING THE WISDOM OF THE US GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TOWARD CHINA. (11/27)

US / EDUCATION -- CURRENT AFFAIRS' ZLATICA HOKE REPORTS ON RECENT STUDIES THAT SHOW THAT YOUNG ADOLESCENTS ARE NEGLECTED AND MISUNDERSTOOD, AND IN NEED OF HELP FROM THEIR PARENTS, GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITIES TO AVOID BECOMING VICTIMS OF POOR EDUCATION, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND VIOLENCE. (11/27)

HIGH TECH FOREIGNERS -- EACH YEAR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMERS, ENGINEERS, SCIENTISTS, HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND FASHION MODELS FROM AROUND THE WORLD COME TO WORK IN THE UNITED STATES ON A TEMPORARY BASIS. CURRENT AFFAIRS' ERICA BENIS TALKED TO FOUR EXPERTS ABOUT THE LABOR PROBLEMS THIS PHENOMENON CREATES IN THE UNITED STATES. (11/27)

WISCONSIN / MAKING APPLE CIDER IN DOOR COUNTY -- ALTHOUGH MILK AND BEER ARE THE BEST KNOWN BEVERAGES PRODUCED IN WISCONSIN, FRUIT JUICES ARE ALSO AN IMPORTANT PRODUCT OF THE STATE. CURRENT AFFAIRS' KEMING KUO VISITED A LARGE ORCHARD IN FISH CREEK, WISCONSIN AND INTERVIEWED ITS OWNER ABOUT THE PROCESS OF MAKING APPLE CIDER AND OTHER FRUIT-BASED PRODUCTS. (11/27)

THE ART OF WALT DISNEY / REVISED -- IN 1973, CHRISTOPHER FINCH WROTE "THE ART OF WALT DISNEY," A HEAVILY-ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE LATE MR. DISNEY'S ENTERTAINMENT EMPIRE. THE COMPANY HAS GONE THROUGH MANY CHANGES AND A GREAT DEAL OF EXPANSION SINCE THEN. CURRENT AFFAIRS' CHUCK RICH REPORTS ON MR. FINCH'S REVISED VERSION OF HIS 22-YEAR-OLD BOOK, WHICH COVERS SUBJECTS SUCH AS THE COMPANY'S RESURGENCE IN BOTH ANIMATED AND LIVE-ACTION FILMS AND THE EXPANSION OF ITS THEME-PARK DIVISION. (11/27)

INSIDE USA:

ERITREAN-AMERICAN AUTHOR -- DR RUTH EYOB IS AN ERITREAN-AMERICAN WHO WROTE A BOOK CALLED 'THE ERITREAN STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE.' IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, SHE HAS LECTURED ON AFRICAN POLITICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ASMARA AS A FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR. SHE WAS ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE RECENT ASA CONFERENCE IN FLORIDA. STAFFER ADANECH FESSHAYE INTERVIEWS HER ABOUT HER BOOK. (AMHARIC 11/27)

ETHIOPIA / ARTIST -- STAFFERS MIMI SEBHATU AND ADDISU ABEBE INTERVIEWS PROMINENT ETHIOPIAN VOCALIST, DAWIT MELESSE NOW VISITING THE US. THE YOUNG ARTIST HAS SET A NEW TREND IN ETHIOPIAN MUSIC BY INTEGRATING IT WITH SALSA, REGGAE, CHAKA CHAKA AND HIGHLIFE. (AMHARIC 11/26)

MUSIC GIANT / MARK ISHAM -- VETERAN TRUMPETER/COMPOSER MARK ISHAM, RENOWNED FOR HIS MOTION PICTURE SCORES AND HIS WORK WITH SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN ROCK MUSIC, IS TOURING THE UNITED STATES. REPORTER RITA ROCHELLE INTERVIEWS HIM IN-STUDIO ABOUT HIS LATEST CD, "BLUE SUN." (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 11/27)

INDIA / US / TEXTILE DYES -- GREENWOOD PRODUCTS COMPANY OF RHODE ISLAND IMPORTS DYES IN BULK FROM INDIA FOR THE US TEXTILE INDUSTRY. STAFFER NIRMALA JOSHI INTERVIEWS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY, AJAY KUMAR. (HINDI 11/23)

ATLANTIS / MIR MISSION -- DR. JAMES OBERG, LEADING AMERICAN SPECIALIST ON RUSSIAN SPACE PROGRAMS AND AUTHOR OF NUMEROUS BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT TALKS TO STAFFER GEORGE ZORIN ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE SPACE PROGRAM AND FINANCIAL AND POLITICAL DIFFICULTIES WHICH COULD DELAY THE CREATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ALPHA, NOW SCHEDULED FOR TWO YEARS FROM NOW. (RUSSIAN 11/22)

FLORIDA / YOUTH CURFEW -- A GROUP THAT OPPOSES A CURFEW FOR TEENAGERS IN DOWNTOWN MIAMI ANNOUNCED THAT WILL REQUIRE ITS DEROGATION BY FLORIDA'S SUPREME COURT. CORRESPONDENT JORGE WEHBY REPORTS. (SPANISH 11/24)

FLORIDA / ILLEGAL ALIENS -- A FLORIDA GROUP OPPOSED TO GIVE SOCIAL SERVICES TO UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS SAYS IT WILL CONTINUE ITS CAMPAIGN DESPITE THE LEGAL UPSET OF PROPOSITION 187 IN CALIFORNIA. CORRESPONDENT JORGE WEHBY REPORTS. (SPANISH 11/22)

NEW YORK / ARMENIAN THEATRICAL GROUP -- STRINGER ANASTASIA BOUDAGIAN REPORTS ON A MUSICAL PERFORMANCE OF THE PLAY MIRRORS DIRECTED BY HRANT MARKARIAN IN NEW YORK. (ARMENIAN 11/22)

INSIDE AFRICA:

NIGERIA / MILITARY / TRIBUNAL -- DR AWWAL YADUDU, SPECIAL LEGAL ADVISER TO THE NIGERIAN HEAD OF STATE, DEFENDED THE USE OF A SPECIAL TRIBUNAL SETUP BY THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT TO TRY KEN SARO-WIWA AND HIS COLLEAGUES. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH STAFFER SHEHU YUSUFU KURA, HE SAID THAT THOSE CRITICIZING THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT FOR USING A SPECIAL COURT ARE QUITE AWARE THAT THIS KIND OF TRIAL SYSTEM IS NOTHING NEW AND IS EVEN USED BY THE UNITED NATIONS. (HAUSA 11/27)

NIGERIA / SANCTIONS -- THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT SAYS THE THREAT OF INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS COULD FORCE IT TO PULL BACK ITS MILITARY FROM VARIOUS PEACEKEEPING EFFORTS. REPORTER HINEDU OFFOR REPORTS FROM LAGOS. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 11/24)

NIGERIA / EXECUTIONS / REACT -- STAFFER MAIMOUNA MILLS REPORTS ON THE SITUATION IN NIGERIA FOLLOWING THE HANGINGS LAST WEEK OF KEN SARO-WIWA AND EIGHT OTHER OGONI ACTIVISTS BY THE NIGERIAN MILITARY REGIME. MS MILLS ANALYZED THE INTERNATIONAL OUTCRY AGAINST NIGERIA AND DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST SHELL OIL COMPANY AFTER THE EXECUTIONS THAT TOOK PLACE DESPITE NUMEROUS CALLS FOR CLEMENCY BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. SHE INTERVIEWED DUNCAN JAMES OF THE ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT, GREENPEACE SPOKESPERSON MALINI MORZARIA, KENYAN ENVIRONMENTALIST WANGARI MAATHAI AND AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SPOKESPERSON MARC SAGUIE. (FRENCH 11/24)

NIGER / OAU EXPULSION / REACT -- THE OAU HEADQUARTERS IN ADDIIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA SENT A MESSAGE ON FRIDAY TO THE NIGER GOVERNMENT INFORMING IT OF ITS DECISION TO EXPEL NIGER AND EIGHT OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES FOR NON-PAYMENT OF DUES. STRINGER LAWAL BOUCAR INTERVIEWS NIGER'S PRIME MINISTER HAMMA AHMADOU WHO SAID, NIGER'S PRIORITY IS PAYING ITS EMPLOYEES THEIR SALARY ARREARS, AND THAT IT WOULD BE UNWISE FOR A COUNTRY THAT CANNOT MEET ITS OWN OBLIGATIONS TO PAY OUT ANYTHING TO THE OAU. (HAUSA 11/27)

RWANDA / UN -- ANASTASE GASSANA, RWANDA'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND COOPERATION MINISTER TOLD STAFFER JESSICA HARTMAN THAT THE UN MISSION TO RWANDA IS NO LONGER NEEDED. HE SAID HIS GOVERNMENT IS NOW ABLE TO ENSURE ORDER AND SECURITY IN THE COUNTRY; HE ALSO ACCUSED UNAMIR OF FAILING TO PROTECT THE POPULATION DURING THE 1994 GENOCIDE. (FRENCH 11/26)

UNHCR / RWANDA -- THE UNHCR HAS DENIED PUBLISHED REPORTS IT HAS TAKEN OVER CARING FOR FOURTEEN THOUSAND FORMER RWANDAN GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN EASTERN ZAIRE. UNHCR'S AGUSTINE MAHIGA, FROM GENEVA, TOLD REPORTER JOE DECAPUA ABOUT THE POTENTIAL DANGERS OF THESE HUTU NOT BEING FED. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 11/24)

ZAIRE / REFUGEES -- IN AN INTERVIEW WITH STAFFER SAMUEL KIENDREBEOGO, AN OFFICIAL OF THE UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES, FRANCIS KPATINDE, HAS DENIED REPORTS HIS ORGANIZATION IS REGISTERING AND FEEDING 14,000 FORMER RWANDAN SOLDIERS IN PANZI,EASTERN ZAIRE. HE DID CONFIRM THAT TALKS ARE UNDER WAY TO HELP RESOLVE THE CASE OF THIS TYPE OF REFUGEES. (FRENCH 11/24)

IVORY COAST / ELECTIONS -- STRINGER MOHAMED ELBOU REPORTS FROM KORHOGO, IVORY COAST ON THE RECENT PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. FINAL RESULTS ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE BUT THE PDCI DELEGATES ARE SAID TO HAVE WON IN MOST REGIONS. (FRENCH 11/26)

SENEGAL / CASAMANCE -- STAFFER IDRISSA FALL ASKED SENEGALESE JOURNALIST ABDOURAHMANE CAMARA TO REPORT ON THE LATEST INCIDENT IN THE CASAMANCE SEPARATIST REGION. A RECENT ATTEMPT BY THE ARMY TO DESTROY A REBEL OUTPOST ON THE BORDER WITH GUINEA BISSAU HAS REPORTEDLY KILLED SOME FIFTY REBELS, WHILE SIX GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS WERE KILLED AND NINE OTHERS WERE WOUNDED. (FRENCH 11/24)

ANGOLA / ARMS CACHE -- ANGOLAN POLICE HAVE DISCOVERED A SUPPLY OF ARMS IN THE SOUTHERN PROVINCE OF NAMIBE. THE WEAPONS WERE FOUND WHEN POLICE WENT TO INVESTIGATE A HOUSE FIRE IN THE AREA. STRINGER JOSE GONZALVES REPORTS. (PORTUGUESE TO AFRICA 11/27)

ANGOLA / CRIME -- RISING CRIME AND LAWLESSNESS ARE A SERIOUS CONCERN IN ANGOLA, INCLUDING IN THE CAPITAL, LUANDA. STRINGER VICTOR SILVA LOOKS AT THE PROBLEM IN A REPORT FROM THE CAPITAL. (PORTUGUESE TO AFRICA 11/27)

MOZAMBIQUE / POLITICS -- MOZAMBIQUE'S MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY GETS A CHANCE TO QUESTION THE GOVERNMENT IN PARLIAMENT. THE ISSUES AT HAND RANGE FROM CORRUPTION TO MAPUTO'S JOINING THE GROUP OF COMMONWEALTH NATIONS. STRINGER TERESA LIMA REPORTS. (PORTUGUESE TO AFRICA 11/27)

CAPE VERDE / POLITICS -- POLITICAL CAMPAIGNING CONTINUES IN CAPE VERDE AHEAD OF DECEMBER 17TH LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS. STAFFER NELSON HERBERT INTERVIEWS CANDIDATE ARISTIDES LIMA OF THE MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY. AND HE ALSO REPORTS ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY CAPE VERDE'S INCUMBENT PRESIDENT THAT HE WILL STAND FOR RE-ELECTION IN NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL BALLOTING. (PORTUGUESE TO AFRICA 11/27)

GUINEA BISSAU / ECONOMICS -- THE PRIME MINISTER OF GUINEA BISSAU IS IN SENEGAL WHERE HE HAS CONFIRMED HIS COUNTRY'S WISH TO JOIN THE FRANC ZONE (CFA). STAFFER OVIDIO PEQUENO REPORTS. (PORTUGUESE TO AFRICA 11/27)

TANZANIA POLITICS / PRIME MINISTER -- STAFFER MWAMOYO HAMYA SPOKE WITH JOURNALIST SALVA RWEYEMAMU OF THE RAI GROUP OF NEWSPAPERS WHO REPORTED THAT FREDERICK SUMAYE, THE FORMER MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY PARLIAMENT AS THE NEW PRIME MINISTER. (SWAHILI 11/27)

ALGERIA / ZEROUAL WINS -- REPORTER KEMI SOUTHEY-COLE DISCUSSES MULTI-PARTY ELECTIONS IN ALGERIA, AND THE LANDSLIDE POLITICAL VICTORY OF PRESIDENT LIAMINE ZEROUAL, WITH DR. AZERDEEN LAYACHI, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 11/25 & 11/26)

LIBERIA / PEACE PROCESS -- IS THE LIBERIAN PEACE PROCESS STALLED OR ON COURSE? REPORTER JAMES BUTTY HAS A REVIEW OF THE FIRST NINETY DAYS IN OFFICE OF THE TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 11/26)

LIBERIA / PEACE PROCESS -- GHANA'S DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER, MOHAMED IBN CHAMBAS, SAYS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ABUJA PEACE ACCORD IS ON COURSE. MR CHAMBAS TOLD REPORTER JAMES BUTTY WHAT ECOWAS HAS DONE SINCE AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED LAST AUGUST. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 11/27)

MALAWI / BANDA TRIAL -- THE MURDER TRIAL OF FORMER MALAWIAN PRESIDENT HASTINGS KAMUZU BANDAO CONTINUES. REPORTER JULIUS KALIYA REPORTS ON DEVELOPMENTS FROM THE MALAWIAN CAPITAL, BLANTYRE. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 11/25)

GAMBIA / TAIWAN LOAN -- GAMBIA'S FORMER PRESIDENT DAWDA JAWARA SAYS MEMBERS OF THE COUNTRY'S RULING MILITARY COUNCIL HAVE DIVERTED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM A LOAN FROM TAIWAN INTO THEIR PERSONAL BANK ACCOUNTS IN SWITZERLAND. REPORTER RICHARD KOTEY SPOKE WITH DR JAWARA FROM LONDON. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 11/24)

ETHIOPIA / PRESS FREEDOM -- THE ETHIOPIAN FREE PRESS ASSOCIATION SAYS THE GOVERNMENT IS HOLDING TWENTY FOUR JOURNALISTS IN DETENTION. THE ORGANIZATION SAYS THAT'S THE HIGHEST RATE IN THE WORLD. STRINGER LAIKE MARIAM DEMESSIE REPORTS FROM ADDIS ABABA. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 11/24)

ETHIOPIA / SPORTS -- ETHIOPIAN ATHLETE HAILEL GEBRE SELASSIE HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR WORLD TRACK MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD. THE OTHER THREE WORLD RECORD HOLDERS NOMINATED FOR THE AWARD ARE NOUREDDINE MORCELI OF ALGERIA, MOSES KIPTANUI OF KENYA AND JONATHAN EDWARDS OF ENGLAND. STAFFER SOLOMON KIFLE SPOKE WITH HAILE GEBRE SELASSIE. (AMHARIC 11/24)

INSIDE MIDEAST:

PALESTINIAN RECONSTRUCTION -- JORDAN THIS WEEK IS HOSTING A THREE-DAY CONFERENCE FOR URBAN AND RURAL RECONSTRUCTION IN PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES. STRINGERJUMANA TAMIM INTERVIEWED THE HEAD OF THE AMERICAN DELEGATION TO THE CONFERENCE, AHMED JADALLAH OF FLORIDA UNIVERSITY, AND GHAZZAN FARAMAND OF BEIR ZEIT UNIVERSITY. (ARABIC 11/27)

IRAQ / IRAN / BOMB -- A CAR BOMB EXPLODED LATE SUNDAY NEAR THE BAGHDAD OFFICES OF THE IRANIAN OPPOSITION ORGANIZATION OF MUJAHIDEEN E KHALQ. NO ONE CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY. MAHMOUD ZAWAWI REPORTS FROM AMMAN. (ARABIC 11/27)

EGYPT / ELECTIONS -- STRINGER IBRAHIM ABDIN REPORTS THAT OPPOSITION PARTIES HAVE ACCUSED THE GOVERNMENT I OF CHEATING AND PLANNING TO RIG ELECTIONS. STRINGER IMAN RAFI INTERVIEWS A NUMBER OF CANDIDATES ABOUT THE ELECTIONS AND THEIR EXPECTATIONS. (ARABIC 11/27)

ISRAELI REDEPLOYMENT / PALESTINIAN OFFICES -- PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS DISAGREE ON THE LOCATION OF THE PALESTINIAN LIAISON OFFICE WHICH WILL TAKE OVER CIVIL ADMINISTRATION OF NABLUS, IN THE WEST BANK WHEN ISRAELI FORCES WITHDRAW FROM THE CITY. STRINGER KHALIL ASSALI REPORTS FROM JERUSALEM. (ARABIC 11/27)

EGYPT / TERRORISM -- EGYPTIAN SECURITY FORCES MANAGED TO BREAK THE SECRET CODE THE TERRORIST GROUPS USED IN THEIR COMMUNICATIONS. STRINGER MUSTAFA LABIB REPORTS FROM CAIRO. (ARABIC 11/25)

EUROPEAN / MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE -- MOROCCAN PRIME MINISTER, ABDEL-LATEEF ALFILALY LEFT FOR BARCELONA TO ATTEND THE EUROPEAN-MEDITERRANEAN CONFERENCE. STRINGER MOHAMED BENDEDDOUCHE REPORTS FROM RABAT. (ARABIC 11/26)

BARCELONA SUMMIT -- MOHAMED AMAMOU, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ARAB MAGHREB UNION IS INTERVIEWED BY MOHAMED CHERKAOUI ON THE BARCELONA SUMMIT. (ARABIC 11/25)

ALGERIAN / POST ELECTION SITUATION -- RABEH KABIR, SPOKESMAN FOR THE ALGERIAN SALVATION FRONT IN EUROPE IS INTERVIEWED BY STAFFER MOHAMED CHERKAOUI ON THE SITUATION IN ALGERIA AFTER THE ELECTIONS. (ARABIC 11/25)

HRAWI / ELECTIONS -- LEBANESE PRESIDENT ILIAS HRAWI VOWED TO RID HIS COUNTRY OF THE EFFECTS OF THE CIVIL WAR AND TO LIBERATE THE SOUTH. STRINGER SULEIMAN KAIRALLAH REPORTS FROM AMMAN. (ARABIC 11/25)

LEBANON / ISRAEL -- TWO ISRAELI WARPLANES RAIDED LEBANESE RESISTANCE POSITIONS IN SOUTHERN LEBANON, FOLLOWING FIERCE CLASHES WHICH LEFT ONE LEBANESE FIGHTER KILLED AND FOUR OTHERS WOUNDED. CORRESPONDENT MAHMOUD ZAWAWI REPORTS. (ARABIC 11/26)

SAUDI EXPLOSION / SUSPECT -- SAUDI AUTHORITIES HAVE RELEASED A SKETCH OF A SUSPECT IN THE RIYADH BOMBING INCIDENT. CORRESPONDENT MAHMOUD ZAWAWI REPORTS FROM AMMAN. (ARABIC 11/26)

IRAQ / HUMAN RIGHTS -- BAGHDAD CRITICIZED THE NEW UN REPORT ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAQ. STAFFER JUMANA TAMIMI REPORTS FROM AMMAN. (ARABIC 11/26)

TUNIS / MAGHREB FORUMS -- TUNIS HOSTED THREE FORUMS ON DEVELOPMENT, TRADE AND MARINE WEALTH. STRINGER RACHID MABROUK REPORTS FROM TUNIS. (ARABIC 11/26)

NUCLEAR PLANT / IRAN -- STAFFER BEN ABBASI INTERVIEWS STRATEGY EXPERT, DR SHAHRAM CHUBIN ABOUT IRAN'S PLANS TO PURCHASE FROM RUSSIA A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT FOR THE SOUTHERN IRANIAN CITY OF BUSHEHR. DR CHUBIN SAYS THAT BECAUSE OF IRAN'S INTERNATIONAL ISOLATION, IT HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PURCHASE A RUSSIAN PLANT, WHICH IS NOT THE BEST ON POINTS OF EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY. (FARSI 11/27)

US / AFGHANISTAN -- US ASSISTANCE SECRETARY OF STATE ROBIN RAPHEL SAYS THE US SUPPORTS THE UN PEACE MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN WHICH TRIES TO GET THE AFGHAN FACTIONS TO AGREE. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH STAFFER SPOZHMAI MAIWANDI, COMMENTING ON FOREIGN INTERFERENCE IN AFGHAN AFFAIRS, RAPHEL SAID THERE ARE COUNTRIES THAT BELIEVE THEY HAVE A STAKE IN WHAT HAPPENS IN KABUL AND THEREFORE TRY TO INFLUENCE THE POLITICAL PROCESS. (PASHTO, DARI 11/24)

AFGHAN / OIC -- THE ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC CONFERENCE (OIC) HAS OFFERED A NEW PEACE PLAN TO END THE FACTIONAL FIGHTING IN AFGHANISTAN. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH STAFFER ZAMEN MOHMAND, OIC ENVOY IBRAHIM AL-BAKR SAYS IT IS OBVIOUS THAT AFGHAN LEADERS HAVE REJECTED THE UN PEACE PLAN, THEREFORE, HIS GROUP WILL SPONSOR A MEETING OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE WARRING FACTIONS AND NEUTRAL AFGHAN POLITICAL FIGURES IN SAUDI ARABIA TO DEVISE A NEW SOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR. (PASHTO, DARI 11/27)

PAKISTAN / AFGHAN / ARABS -- PAKISTANI SECURITY FORCES IN THE NORTH WEST FRONTIER PROVINCE HAVE REPORTEDLY SEARCHED AN AFGHAN REFUGEE CAMP IN THE JALOZI AREA IN PESHAWAR IN SEARCH FOR ARABS WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE RECENT BOMBING OF THE EGYPTIAN EMBASSY IN ISLAMABAD. STRINGER EKRAM SHINWARAI REPORTS THAT A REPRESENTATIVE OF SAYAF'S ISLAMIC UNITY PARTY WHICH ADMINISTERS THE CAMP HAS CONFIRMED THE REPORT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT AN AFGHAN REFUGEE CAMP IS BEING SEARCHED. (PASHTO, DARI 11/27)

AFGHAN / FIGHTING -- STRINGER TIM JOHNSTON REPORTS HEAVY FIGHTING EAST OF KABUL BETWEEN GOVERNMENT FORCES AND THE TALEBAN. HE SAYS BOTH SIDES ARE USING AIR POWER AND THE KABUL JALALABAD ROAD IS CONTROLLED BY THE GOVERNMENT. (PASHTO, DARI 11/23)

TALEBAN / RELEASE PRISONERS -- A SPOKESMAN FOR TALEBAN SAYS 79 PRISONERS HAVE BEEN RELEASED DURING A NEWS CONFERENCE ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF TURKMENISTAN, IRAN, AND PAKISTAN IN THE WESTERN AFGHAN CITY OF HERAT. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH STRINGER ZEBA ZAHER, ABDUL MANAN NIAZI SAID THE TALEBAN HAVE ANNOUNCED A GENERAL AMNESTY AND THOSE WHO HAVE FLED THE CITY CAN RETURN. (PASHTO 11/27)

INSIDE SOUTH ASIA:

KASHMIRI PUNDITS -- INDIA'S MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY, BJP'S SENIOR LEADER KEDAR NATH SAHNI, AND EDUCATION MINISTER OF MAHARASHTRA, DUTTA RANE ARE INTERVIEWED BY STAFFER BHAGWAN PRAKASH ON EDUCATION FACILITIES AND ASSISTANCE GIVEN TO THE CHILDREN OF KASHMIRI PUNDITS WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED BECAUSE OF MILITANCY IN KASHMIR. (HINDI 11/22)

SHOOTING CHAMPIONSHIP -- INDIA'S JASPAL RANA WON FIVE GOLD MEDALS AT THE FIRST COMMONWEALTH SHOOTING CHAMPIONSHIP BEING HELD IN NEW DELHI. INDIA TOPS THE LIST AMONG THE COMPETING COUNTRIES BY WINNING A TOTAL OF NINE GOLD, EIGHT SILVER AND TWO BRONZE MEDALS. STRINGER JASDEV SINGH REPORTS FROM NEW DELHI. (HINDI 11/24)

INSIDE EAST ASIA:

TAIWAN / PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN -- ON THE CHINA FORUM CALL-IN SHOW, CORRESPONDENT ALEX TIEN REPORTED ON THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN TAIWAN'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. THE PANEL INCLUDED DR. HO-I WU, MEMBER OF KMT CENTRAL COMMITTEE AND MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE YUAN, AND MR. CHANGSHENG LIN, RESEARCHER, CLAREMONT INSTITUTE. SIX CALLS WERE ANSWERED, INCLUDING ONE FROM KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN, AND ONE FROM XINJIANG, CHINA. (MANDARIN 11/27)

TAIWAN ELECTION / CORRUPTION -- THERE IS OUTRIGHT VOTE-BUYING IN TAIWAN'S LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS. THE AUTHORITIES HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO CRACK DOWN ON ELECTION CORRUPTION. ZHAO SHAOKANG, SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE NEW PARTY, TOLD CORRESPONDENT TIEN KANGLIN THAT HE BELIEVES THAT THE CRACK DOWN IS HELPFUL BUT IT CAN ONLY SOLVE PART OF THE PROBLEM. HE SAYS THE CANDIDATES OF THE RULING KMT DO MORE VOTE-BUYING THAN OTHERS. (MANDARIN 11/27)

TAIWAN / ELECTIONS -- CORRESPONDENT TIEN KANGLIN CONTINUES COVERAGE OF THE ELECTION CAMPAIGNS IN TAIWAN. REPORT INCLUDES REMARKS BY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES CHEN LU'AN AND MS. SHI JIQING. (MANDARIN 11/26)

TAIWAN / ELECTIONS -- CANDIDATES ARE CAMPAIGNING HARD AS TAIWAN'S LEGISLATIVE ELECTION APPROACHES. THE NEW PARTY IS DISPLAYING ITS DEDICATION TO IMPROVING CONDITIONS FOR HANDICAPPED PEOPLE BY ITS SUPPORT OF A BLIND CANDIDATE AND ACCUSING OTHER PARTIES OF GIVING LIP SERVICE ONLY IN PROMOTING HANDICAPPED PEOPLE'S POLITICAL STATUS. CORRESPONDENT TIEN KANGLIN IN TAIPEI REPORTS WITH COMMENTS FROM NEW PARTY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WANG JIANXUAN AND ZHENG LONGSHUI, A BLIND LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATE. (MANDARIN 11/26)

CHINA / MILITARY EXERCISE -- CHINESE ARMY, NAVY AND AIR FORCE UNITS CONDUCTED A JOINT EXERCISE IN COASTAL FUJIAN PROVINCE ONE WEEK BEFORE TAIWAN'S LEGISLATIVE ELECTION. STAFFERS YANG FAN AND SUN CHENG INTERVIEW MILITARY ANALYST HE PIN, CHINA TIMES MAGAZINE. (MANDARIN 11/25)

TAIWAN / ELECTION / CONFLICT AFTERMATH -- CORRESPONDENT TIEN KANGLIN REPORTS ON ELECTION CAMPAIGNS IN TAIWAN. DPP AND NEW PARTY SUPPORTERS CLASHED IN KAOHSIUNG. OFFICIALS FROM EACH PARTY ACCUSED THE OTHER OF STARTING THE FIGHT. INTERVIEWS WITH DPP CHAIRMAN SHIH MING-DE, AND NEW PARTY COORDINATOR CHEN KUI-MIAO. (MANDARIN 11/24)

CHINA / NANSHA DEVELOPMENT ZONE -- AN AMERICAN COMPANY, GENERAL CORPORATIONS, IS INVESTING $146 MILLION IN NANSHA DEVELOPMENT ZONE IN SOUTHERN CHINA. LIANG BOLIANG, VICE MAYOR OF FANYU CITY AND DIRECTOR OF NANSHA DEVELOPMENT ZONE SAYS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS FOR THE AMERICAN COMPANY'S INVESTMENT IN THE ZONE IS ITS PROXIMITY TO HONG KONG. STAFFER CHOU YOUKANG IN HONG KONG INTERVIEWS LIANG BOLIANG AND WANG LI YIPING, HONG KONG TRADE COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT. (MANDARIN 11/27)

INFILTRATION OF HONG KONG MEDIA -- HAVE MAINLAND AGENTS BEEN INFILTRATING MANY AREAS OF THE HONG KONG MEDIA IN RECENT YEARS? ALLEGATIONS FIRST REPORTED BY THE HONG KONG JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION EARLIER IN THE YEAR HAVE RESURFACED. SOME HONG KONG OBSERVERS DISMISS THE ALLEGATIONS AS LACKING PROOF; OTHERS POINT OUT A GREATER THREAT TO PRESS FREEDOM LIES IN SELF-CENSORSHIP BY MEMBERS OF THE JOURNALIST PROFESSION-A PRACTICE MORE PREVALENT AMONG MEDIA OWNERS AND EDITORS THAN AMONG REPORTERS. STRINGER LAWRENCE NG INTERVIEWED IVAN TONG, CHAIRMAN, HONG KONG JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION; RAYMOND WU, MEMBER OF PREPARATORY WORKING COMMITTEE; LAU YUI SIU, COMMENTATOR. (CANTONESE 11/27)

HONG KONG / FREEDOM OF PRESS -- STAFFER CHOU YOUKANG IN HONG KONG REPORTS ON FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IN HONG KONG. BEIJING'S INFLUENCE IS GROWING AND IT IS BELIEVED THAT AFTER 1997, HK PRESS WILL FEEL INCREASING PRESSURE FROM THE MAINLAND. INTERVIEWS WITH JIN YAO-RU, FORMER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF WENWEI PAO, TAN JINBIAO, HK JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION, AND SIM WEN-WU, PUBLISHER OF NEW NEWS MAGAZINE, TAIWAN. (MANDARIN 11/24)

TAX PREFERENCES / HONG KONG INVESTORS -- WHILE LOWERING TARIFFS, CHINA PLANS TO ELIMINATE TAX DEDUCTIONS ON IMPORTED PLANTS AND EQUIPMENT. HONG KONG INVESTORS REMAIN BULLISH ABOUT THE MAINLAND MARKET BECAUSE, WHILE PRODUCTION COSTS HAVE RISEN, LABOR AND LAND IN THE MAINLAND ARE STILL VERY CHEAP. MOST HONG KONG BUSINESSES WOULD STILL WANT TO SET UP PRODUCTION IN THE MAINLAND THAN IN ANY OTHER PLACE, SUCH AS VIETNAM.QIDE HE AND LEE WAI YI REPORT. (CANTONESE 11/27)

CHINA / STATE ENTERPRISES SELL-OUT -- STAFFER SHI LEI IN HONG KONG REPORTS THAT DUE TO AN INCORRECT APPRAISAL, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT COULD LOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ITS STATE ENTERPRISE SELL-OUT PROGRAM. SOME SCHOLARS BELIEVE THAT THE ABSENCE OF A SOUND APPRAISAL SYSTEM MIGHT OPEN CHANNELS FOR CORRUPT OFFICIALS TO SELL OUT THE STATE PROPERTIES. INTERVIEWS WITH PROF. LU TAIHONG, ZHONGSHAN UNIV., PROF. ZHENG GUOHAN, HK TECH UNIV., AND PROF. WANG DINGDING, HK UNIV. (MANDARIN 11/25)

SINGAPORE / LEESON CASE -- STRINGER LIN GUANGHUI REPORTS ON THE HIGHLY-PUBLICIZED LEESON CASE. NICHOLAS LEESON, WHO INITIALLY FOUGHT EXTRADITION TO SINGAPORE, ARRIVED IN SINGAPORE THURSDAY AND WAS IMMEDIATELY ARRESTED. ANALYSTS SAY THAT THE FACT THAT THE CASE WILL BE TRIED IN SINGAPORE SHOWS THAT PEOPLE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE COUNTRY'S JUDICIAL SYSTEM. (MANDARIN 11/25)

MALAYSIA / MAHATHIR -- THIS REPORT FOCUSES ON THE REASONS FOR THE POSSIBLE RESIGNATION OF MAHATHIR AND THE POLICY TENDENCIES OF HIS LIKELY SUCCESSORS. MAHATHIR SAID HE WAS TOO OLD AND THE PARTY NEEDED A YOUNGER LEADER, BUT A MAJORITY OF PARTY MEMBERS BELIEVE MAHATHIR IS STILL THE BEST CHOICE FOR THE JOB. THE MAN MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED HIM IS THE PRESENT FINANCE MINISTER ANN TUE. MALAYSIA STRINGER CHEN RONG REPORTS ON MAHATHIR 'S POSSIBLE RESIGNATION AND THE MALAYSIAN CHINESE COMMUNITY'S REACTION. (MANDARIN 11/25)

CHINA / APEC -- CHINA ANNOUNCED AT THE APEC MEETING THAT IT WILL TAKE 5 MEASURES TO LIBERALIZE ITS TRADE PRACTICES. ECONOMISTS COMMENT ON CHINA'S TRADE REFORMS. STRINGER FANG BING IN NEW YORK INTERVIEWS PROF. NIANZU WANG, DIR OF CHINA INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PROJECT AT COLUMBIA UNIV., AND DANIEL XU, PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS, UNIV. OF WESTERN ONTARIO. (MANDARIN 11/24)

HONG KONG / US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE POLL -- THE 1995 ANNUAL SURVEY BY THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HONG KONG SHOWS THAT OVER 90% OF THE AMERICAN BUSINESSES SURVEYED EXPRESSED FAVORABLE OR VERY FAVORABLE VIEWS OF HONG KONG'S BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, A TEN PERCENT INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR'S FIGURE. THE SAME PROPORTION OF RESPONDENTS SAY THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE OR EXPAND THEIR BUSINESSES IN HONG KONG. EXPERTS ATTRIBUTE THE FINDINGS TO THE BETTER BUSINESS AND LEGAL ENVIRONMENT AND QUALITY INFRASTRUCTURE IN HONG KONG. AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF AMERICAN BUSINESSES ALSO HAVE A FAVORABLE OUTLOOK ON CHINA'S BUSINESS CLIMATE, ALTHOUGH CORRUPTION AND A WEAK LEGAL SYSTEM REMAIN THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS IN DOING BUSINESS THERE. STAFFER CHOU YOUKANG IN HONG KONG INTERVIEWS THOMAS GORMAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HONG KONG, AND SHAN WEI-JIAN, HEAD OF CHINA OPERATIONS OFFICE, MORGAN BANK. (MANDARIN 11/24)

CASTRO / BEIJING -- CHINA ANNOUNCED THAT CUBAN PRESIDENT CASTRO WILL VISIT CHINA NEXT WEEK. THIS WILL BE CASTRO'S FIRST VISIT TO BEIJING. NEWSREPORTS SAY CASTRO IS VERY INTERESTED IN THE CHINESE MODEL OF ECONOMIC REFORM. STAFFER CHIEN WEI INTERVIEWS SU SHAOZI, FORMER HEAD OF CHINA'S INSTITUTE OF MARXISM AND LENINISM. (MANDARIN 11/24)

PATRIOTISM / US / CHINA -- PROFESSOR WANG SHANGGUANG, YALE UNIVERSITY, COMMENTS ON HIS OBSERVATIONS OF EXPRESSIONS OF PATRIOTISM IN THE US AND CHINA. (MANDARIN 11/24)

CHINA / DISSIDENT -- MARIA CHANG, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA IN RENO, DISCUSSES THE DETENTION OF NOTED CHINESE DISSIDENT WEI JINGSHENG WITH REPORTER FRANK WHITEIS. (ENGLISH NEWS PROGRAMS 11/24)

THE KWANGJU MASSACRE / INDICTMENT / PROTEST -- SOUTH KOREA'S CONSTITUTIONAL COURT IS SAID TO DECIDE THAT IT IS CONSTITUTIONAL TO INDICT THE TWO FORMER GENERALS-TURNED-PRESIDENTS, CHUNG DOO HWAN AND ROH TAE WOO, FOR THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN CRUSHING A PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT IN KWANGJU 15 YEARS AGO. HUNDREDS OF MILITANT STUDENTS CLASHED WITH POLICE MONDAY AS THEY MARCHED TO FORMER PRESIDENT CHUNG DOO HWAN'S RESIDENCE, DEMANDING HIS ARREST FOR MASTERMINDING BRUTAL SUPPRESSION OF THE KWANGJU INCIDENT. THEY ALSO CALLED FOR SETTING UP A SPECIAL PROSECUTION TEAM TO BRING CHARGES AGAINST THE TWO FORMER PRESIDENTS. ONE OF THEM, MR. ROH, IS CURRENTLY IN JAIL AWAITING TRIAL ON CHARGES OF ACCEPTING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN BRIBES DURING HIS PRESIDENCY FROM 1988 TO 1993. CORRESPONDENT YONG KYUN LIM REPORTS FROM SEOUL. (KOREAN 11/27)

SOUTH KOREA / SCANDAL -- PROSECUTORS IN SOUTH KOREA INDICTED THE CHAIRMAN OF HANBO GROUP CHUNG TAE SOO IN CONNECTION WITH FORMER PRESIDENT ROH TAE WOO'S SLUSH FUND. THEY SAID MR. CHUNG GAVE THEN-PRESIDENT ROH AT LEAST 11 MILLION DOLLARS IN 1990 IN RETURN FOR GOVERNMENT FAVORS CONCERNING REAL ESTATE DEALS. HE IS THE FIRST BUSINESSMAN TO BE PROSECUTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S FINANCIAL SCANDAL. YONG KYUN LIM REPORTS FROM SEOUL. (KOREAN 11/27)

KOREAN SCANDAL / WALL STREET JOURNAL -- THE SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT CANCELLED A PLAN TO BRING A CRIMINAL CHARGE AGAINST THE WALL STREET JOURNAL THAT REPORTED LAST WEEK THAT, IN LIGHT OF TRADITIONAL PAYMENTS OF TTUK KAB, OR "RICE CAKE EXPENSES", THE KOREAN BUSINESS COMMUNITY EXPECTS TO OFFER HOLIDAY PAYMENTS TO CABINET MINISTERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THIS YEAR. A SPOKESMAN IN SEOUL SAYS HIS GOVERNMENT HAS ACCEPTED AS AN APOLOGY THE PAPER'S "CORRECTIONS & AMPLIFICATIONS" APPEARED IN ITS MONDAY ISSUE. CORRESPONDENT YONG KYUN KIM REPORTS FROM SEOUL. (KOREAN 11/27)

SOUTH KOREA / POL -- SOUTH KOREA'S RULING PARTY ANNOUNCED FRIDAY THAT IT WILL ENACT A SPECIAL LAW TO PROSECUTE THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE KWANGJU MASSACRE IN 1980. MR. KANG SAM-JAE, THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF DLP ANNOUNCED THE DECISION AND SAID PRESIDENT KIM YOUNGSAM ASKED THE PARTY LEADERS TO DRAFT THE LAW TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NEXT MONTH. SOME ANALYSTS BELIEVE THE ACTION IS AIMED FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION IN APRIL NEXT YEAR. STAFFER YONG KYUN LIM REPORTS. (KOREAN 11/24)

APEC / ASSESSMENT -- JAPANESE ANALYSTS BELIEVE THE MOST BENEFITED COUNTRY FROM THE APEC SUMMIT MEETINGS IN OSAKA, JAPAN WAS CHINA. THEY SAY THE CHINA WON THE MOST OF ITS OBJECTIVES INCLUDING THE SPEED OF MARKET LIBERALIZATIONS PROCESS. THE ANALYSTS ALSO SAID THE ABSENCE OF THE US PRESIDENT DID NOT WEAKEN THE MEETING IN A SIGNIFICANT MANNER. STRINGER, KWANGHO CHOO REPORTS. (KOREAN 11/24)

INSIDE EUROPE:

BOSNIA / FEDERATION -- THE PRESIDENT OF THE MOSLEM-CROAT FEDERATION IN BOSNIA, KRESIMIR ZUBAK, DOES NOT AGREE WITH THE PEACE AGREEMENT REACHED IN DAYTON. HE SAID UNLESS THE PARLIAMENT OF THE FEDERATION ACCEPTS HIS POSITION, HE WILL RESIGN. STRINGER STEVICA SUSA REPORTS FROM ZAGREB. (SERBIAN 11/26)

SARAJEVO / BOSNIAN SERBS -- BOSNIAN SERBS WHO LIVE IN PARTS OF SARAJEVO UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE PALE GOVERNMENT DO NOT ACCEPT THE PEACE PLAN REACHED IN DAYTON. THE ACCORD CALLS FOR A UNIFIED CAPITAL UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT. STRIGNER DUSKO MASIC REPORTS FROM BELGRADE. (SERBIAN 11/26)

BOSNIAN PRESIDENT / ADDRESS -- BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC ADDRESSED THE NATION UPON HIS RETURN FROM THE PEACE TALKS IN DAYTON, OHIO. STRINGER VLADIMIR BILIC QUOTES MR IZETBEGOVIC AS SAYING THAT SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC HAS TO CONVINCE THE BOSNIAN SERBS TO ACCEPT THE PEACE AGREEMENT. (CROATIAN 11/23)

BOSNIA / REACTIONS -- BOSNIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MUHAMED SACIRBEGOVIC AND CROATIA'S UN AMBASSADOR MARIO NOBILO COMMENT ON THE LATEST SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS ON FORMER YUGOSLAVIA. STRINGER IVICA PULJIC REPORTS MR NOBILO SAYING THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT RESOLUTION FOR CROATIA IS THE ONE REGARDING EASTERN SLAVONIA, THE REGION OF CROATIA STILL HELD BY REBEL SERBS. (CROATIAN 11/23)

CROATIAN OPPOSITION / DAYTON AGREEMENT -- THE CROATIAN OPPOSITION DENOUNCED THE DAYTON AGREEMENT. STRINGER SLAVICA LUKIC REPORTS THAT THE SECRETARY OF THE SOCIAL-LIBERAL PARTY, BOZO KOVACEVIC SAID THE AGREEMENT AMOUNTS TO THE FINAL DIVISION OF BOSNIA. (CROATIAN 11/23)

SERBS / SARAJEVO -- BOSNIAN SERBS IN SARAJEVO CONTINUE TO HOLD PROTEST MEETINGS AGAINST THE DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT UNDER WHICH THE WHOLE CITY IS TO BE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED. MEANWHILE, THE UNPROFOR IN SARAJEVO REPORTS THAT BOSNIAN CROATS ARE BURNING AND LOOTING HOUSES IN AREAS WHICH WILL COME UNDER SERB CONTROL. STRINGER BORO KONTIC REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO. (SERBIAN 11/24)

BOSNIAN CROATS / LOOTING AND BURNING -- STRINGER VLADIMIR BILIC QUOTES A UN SPOKESMAN IN SARAJEVO AS SAYING THAT BOSNIAN CROATS IN TWO WESTERN TOWNS ARE LOOTING AND SETTING HOUSES ON FIRE IN PROTEST AGAINST THE PROVISIONS OF THE DAYTON PEACE PLAN TO TO TURN THE AREA OVER TO THE SERBS. (CROATIAN 11/24)

DAYTON AGREEMENT / BOSNIAN CROATS REACTIONS -- CROATS LIVING IN THE AREA OF BOSNIA WHICH IS TO BE TURNED OVER TO THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE CONDEMNED THE DAYTON AGREEMENT. STRINGER LINDA MILISA REPORTS THAT ONE OF THEIR LEADERS, VITOMOIR COSKOVIC, SAID HE WILL NEVER ACCEPT THE AGREEMENT. (CROATIAN 11/23)

CROATIA / PREVLAKA PENINSULA -- CROATIAN MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS MATE GRANIC DID NOT REJECT THE IDEA THAT CROATIA WILL SWAP PREVLAKA PENINSULA FOR HINTERLAND OF DUBROVNIK. HOWEVER HE STRESSED THAT SUCH A DECISION SHOULD BE MADE BY THE CROATIAN PARLIAMENT AND BY THE CITIZENS OF CROATIA. STRINGER STEVICA SUSA REPORTS FROM ZAGREB. (SERBIAN 11/25)

MACEDONIA / LIFTING OF THE SANCTIONS -- SKOPJE HAS REACTED WITH GREAT RELIEF THE LIFTING OF THE SANCTIONS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA. THE DELEGATION OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF SERBIA ARRIVED TO SKOPJE FOR AN OFFICIAL VISIT. STRINGER ZELJKO BAJIC REPORTS FROM SKOPJE. (SERBIAN 11/25)

MONTENEGRO / SANCTIONS -- PUBLIC REACTIONS IN MONTENEGRO ON LIFTING OF UN SANCTIONS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA RANGE FROM INDIFFERENCE TO CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM. ANALYSTS PREDICT HARD TIMES, SPECIALLY FOR THE MONTENEGRIN ECONOMY. STRINGER BOSKO DJUKIC REPORTS FROM PODGORICA. (SERBIAN 11/24)

BOSNIAN SERB MEDIA / PEACE TALKS IN DAYTON -- BOSNIAN SERBS SAY THEY WILL GIVE OFFICIAL RESPONSE AFTER THEIR NEGOTIATING TEAM RETURNS, WHILE MAIN BOSNIAN PARTY OF DEMOCRATIC ACTION HAILS THE DAYTON AGREEMENT AS HISTORIC. STRINGER BORO KONTIC REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO. (SERBIAN 11/23)

TUDJMAN / UNCRO -- AT TALKS WITH UN SPECIAL ENVOY KOFI ANNAN CROATIAN PRESIDENT FRANJO TUDJMAN REJECTED PROPOSED EXTENSION OF MANDATE FOR UN FORCES IN WESTERN CROATIA, BUT SAID THEY COULD BE INCLUDED IN NEW UN FORCES FOR EASTERN CROATIA. STRINGER STEVICA SUSA REPORTS FROM ZAGREB. (SERBIAN 11/24)

CROATIA / UN -- SPECIAL UN ENVOY FOR THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA, KOFI ANNAN MET WITH CROATIAN PRESIDENT TUDJMAN IN ZAGREB. STRINGER LINDA MILISA REPORTS THAT THE TWO MAIN ISSUES WERE THE DAYTON AGREEMENT AND EASTERN SLAVONIA. AT THE SAME TIME THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE CROATIAN PRESIDENT MET WITH UNHCR OFFICIAL DENIS MCKENZIE. (CROATIAN 11/24)

DAYTON AGREEMENT / BOSNIAN POLL -- STRINGER VLADIMIR BILIC REPORTS THAT ACCORDING TO A POLL CONDUCTED BY TELEPHONE AROUND BOSNIA, MORE THEN 65 PERCENT OF BOSNIANS ARE SATISFIED WITH THE PEACE AGREEMENT, AND BELIEVE THAT THE REAL PEACE IS COMING. (CROATIAN 11/24)

MIROLJUB LABUS / ACCORD -- CHAIRMAN OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN SERBIA, MIROLJUB LABUS AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS ILIJA DJUKIC, RECENTLY VISITED BRITAIN. STRINGER RIJALDA SEBEK REPORTS ON THEIR TALKS WITH BRITISH OFFICIALS AND THE FUTURE OF YUGOSLAVIA AFTER BOSNIAN PEACE AGREEMENT. (SERBIAN 11/23)

GERMAN PRESS / PEACE FOR BOSNIA -- GERMAN CHANCELLOR HELMUT KOHL IS WELCOMED THE PEACE AGREEMENT REACHED IN DAYTON AS A GREAT SUCCESS. GERMANY HAS PROPOSALS TO ESTABLISH PEACE IN THE BALKANS. THESE PROPOSALS ARE PRIMARILY DEALING WITH DISARMAMENT OF THE WARRING SIDES. STRINGER DRAGAN BISENIC REPORTS FROM BONN. (SERBIAN 11/25)

GERMANY / BOSNIA -- THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT IS PREPARING THE DEPLOYMENT OF A 4000 STRONG PEACEKEEPING FORCE FOR DUTY IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. STRINGER IVICA LOVRIC REPORTS THAT ALL IS NEEDED NOW IS THE APPROVAL OF THE PARLIAMENT. (CROATIAN 11/25)

BRITISH PRESS / DAYTON AGREEMENT -- THE LONDON TIMES NOTES THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON ON THE LAST DAY OF NEGOTIATIONS IN DAYTON MANAGED TO GET WRITTEN GUARANTIES FROM THE BOSNIAN SERBS THAT THEY WILL NOT ENDANGER SECURITY OF THE NATO PEACE FORCES. LONDON PAPERS BELIEVE THAT ASSURANCE WILL HELP THE PRESIDENT CONVINCE CONGRESS TO APPROVE THE SENDING OF AMERICAN TROOPS TO BOSNIA. STRINGER RIJALDA SEBEK REPORTS FROM LONDON. (SERBIAN 11/25)

BRITAIN / BOSNIA -- BRITISH COMMENTATORS SAY THAT BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC IS THE BIGGEST LOSER AT THE DAYTON PEACE TALKS, WHILE CROATIAN PRESIDENT TUDJMAN IS THE ABSOLUTE WINNER. STRINGER RIALDA SEBEK REPORTS. (SERBIAN 11/24)

SERBIA / RECOVERY -- A PANEL OF LEADING YUGOSLAV EXPERTS AT THE DEMOCRACY CENTER IN BELGRADE ASSESSED PROSPECTS OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY FOR YUGOSLAVIA AFTER THE LIFTING OF UN SANCTIONS. THE EXPERTS AGREED THAT THE ROAD WILL BE BUMPY, AND SAID THAT YUGOSLAVIA WILL NEED TEN YEARS TO REACH THE ECONOMIC LEVEL IT HAD IN 1989. STRINGER DUSAN MASIC REPORTS. (SERBIAN 11/24)

FORMER YUGOSLAVIA / RECONSTRUCTION -- THE EU MEDIATOR FOR THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA, CARL BILT ANNOUNCED THAT A CONFERENCE ON THE RECONSTRUCTION OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA WILL TAKE PLACE ON DECEMBER 18THE AND 19TH IN BRUSSELS. HE SAID THAT A SIMILAR CONFERENCE ON CROATIA WILL BE HELD SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY. (CROATIAN 11/24)

BOSNIA / INDEPENDENCE DAY -- BOSNIANS CELEBRATED INDEPENDENCE DAY. STRINGER VLADIMIR BILIC REPORTS THAT THE NEW NATIONAL ANTHEM WAS PLAYED ON THIS OCCASION FOR THE FIRST TIME PUBLICLY, HAVING BEEN APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENCY OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ON FRIDAY. (CROATIAN 11/25)

MOSCOW / PEACE AGREEMENT FOR BOSNIA -- MOSCOW OFFICIALS WELCOME THE DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT. BUT THEY STRESS RUSSIA'S OWN ROLE IN NORMALIZING THE SITUATION IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA. STRINGER RISTO BAJALSKI REPORTS FROM MOSCOW. (SERBIAN 11/25)

EUROPEAN UNION / MACEDONIA -- MINISTERS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION GAVE GREEN LIGHT FOR THE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE UNION AND MACEDONIA. A PROPOSED BLUEPRINT CALLS FOR THE FINANCIAL HELP IN THE AMOUNT OF 150 MILLION ECUS. STRINGER ZELJKO BAJIC REPORTS FROM SKOPJE. (SERBIAN 11/26)

MACEDONIA / PERRY VISIT -- VISITING US DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY MET WITH MACEDONIAN PRESIDENT KIRO GLIGOROV IN SKOPJE. THE US OFFICIAL ALSO VISITED US TROOPS IN MACEDONIA. STRINGER ZELJKO BAJIC REPORTS FROM SKOPJE. (SERBIAN 11/23)

MONTENEGRO / ABDUCTED MOSLEMS -- THREE YEARS AGO NINETEEN MUSLIMS WERE ABDUCTED FROM THE TRAIN RUNNING BETWEEN BELGRADE AND BAR. THEIR DESTINY IS STILL UNKNOWN. THE MONTENEGRIN OPPOSITION HAS ASKED THE PARLIAMENT IN PODOGORICA TO GIVE WIDER POWER TO THE COMMISSION WHICH IS INVESTIGATING THAT CASE. STRINGER BOSKO DJUKIC REPORTS FROM PODGORICA. (SERBIAN 11/26)

CROATIA / ELECTION IRREGULARITIES -- THE CROATIAN OPPOSITION IS DEMANDING THE RESIGNATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT, JADRANKO CRNIC. STRINGER SLAVICA LUKIC REPORTS THAT THE REQUEST CAME AFTER THE TWO RULINGS OF THE COURT REGARDING THE LATEST ELECTIONS IN CROATIA. (CROATIAN 11/24)

CROATIA / SYMPOSIUM -- A TWO DAY SYMPOSIUM AGAINST FASCISM, INTOLERANCE, XENOPHOBIA, AND RACISM HAS ENDED IN ZAGREB. STRINGER ZELJKO MATIC REPORTS THAT ONE OF THE PANELISTS SAID THE DEGREE OF TOLERANCE IS NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE IN A SOCIETY. (CROATIAN 11/23)

BOSNIA AGREEMENT / WINNERS AND LOSERS -- JOSHUA MURAVCHIK, RESEARCHER AT THE AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE CRITICIZED THE PEACE PLAN FOR BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, SAYING THAT IT REWARDS PERPETRATORS OF ETHNIC CLEANSING. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH STAFFER BOJAN KLIMA, MR MURAVCHIK ARGUED THAT NATO PEACE ENFORCEMENT IS GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT. (CROATIAN 11/26)

US / BOSNIA FORCE -- JOSHUA MURAVCHIK, RESEARCHER AT THE AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE, JOSHUA GOLDSTEIN, PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, JOSEPH MONTVILLE, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY AT THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES, AND WILLIAM ODOM, FORMER DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY DISCUSS THE PEACE PLAN FOR BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA AND PRESIDENT CLINTON EFFORTS TO SEND US TROOPS TO BOSNIA. STAFFER BOJAN KLIMA REPORTS. (CROATIAN 11/26)

DAYTON AGREEMENT / AMERICAN REACTIONS -- JANOS BUGAJSKI, DIRECTOR OF THE EAST-EUROPEAN STUDIES AT CSIS SAID THAT THE SERBS BENEFITED THE MOST FROM THE DAYTON AGREEMENT. HE ALSO ADDED THAT THE POLITICAL IMPLEMENTATION IS THE CRITICAL MOMENT. INTERVIEW BY STAFFER DZEILANA PECANIN. (CROATIAN 11/23)

BOSNIA / EUROPE -- FOR AN ANALYSIS OF THE BALKAN PEACE AGREEMENT SIGNED IN DAYTON, OHIO AND WHAT THE FUTURE MAY HOLD FOR THE REGION, STAFFER IDRISSA FALL INTERVIEWED XAVIER BOUGAREL, AT THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN PARIS. ACCORDING TO MR BOUGAREL, THE DAYTON ACCORD WILL NOT BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED BUT THE WAR WILL END; AND HE SAID THE WINNERS ARE THE NATIONALISTS AND THE LOSERS ARE THE FORMER NATION OF YUGOSLAVIA AND THE POPULATION. (FRENCH 11/23)

BOSNIA / NATO / EUROPE -- STAFFER JEAN-CLAUDE ANDRE INTERVIEWS BERTRAND BADIE, PROFESSOR OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AT THE PARIS INSTITUTE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE. MR BADIE REVIEWS HOW THE NATO PEACEKEEPING FORCE WITH US AND EUROPEAN ELEMENTS WOULD IMPLEMENT THE BALKAN PEACE AGREEMENT, BUT HE ALSO EXPRESSED SKEPTICISM AS TO THE SUCCESS OF THE OPERATION. (FRENCH 11/23)

BOSNIA REFUGEES -- REPORTER TOM CROSBY TALKS WITH BILL FRELICH, SENIOR POLICY ANALYST AT THE US COMMITTEE FOR REFUGEES. HE EXPECTS THE BOSNIAN PEACE ACCORD WILL RESULT IN ANOTHER MASS MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE DISPLACED BY THE FIGHTING AND THE ETHNIC CLEANSING. HE ANTICIPATES NUMEROUS PROBLEMS AS THESE PEOPLE TRY TO RETURN HOME AND TRY TO RECLAIM THEIR HOMES. (ENGLISH NEWS PROGRAMS 11/24)

NAAA / BOSNIA -- AS PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON PREPARED FOR HIS RADIO ADDRESS MONDAY EVENING TO EXPLAIN WHY AMERICAN TROOPS SHOULD BE DEPLOYED IN BOSNIA, KHALIL JAHSHAN OF THE NATIONAL ARAB AMERICAN ASSOSSIATION, NAAA, EXPLAINS HOW ARAB AMERICANS FEEL ABOUT THE MOVE. AN INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY STAFFER USAMA FARAG. (ARABIC 11/27)

BOSNIA / PEACE ACCORD -- WHAT ARE THE REAL PERSPECTIVES FOR PEACE IN BOSNIA AFTER THE SIGNING OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PEACE AGREEMENT TO END THE WAR IN BOSNIA? DIMITRY SIMES, PRESIDENT OF THE NIXON CENTER FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM, LEON ARON OF THE AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE AND STAFFER VLADIMIR MATLIN DISCUSS THIS QUESTION IN THE WEEKLY DIALOGUE SHOW. (RUSSIAN 11/23)

TURKEY / EUROPE / CUSTOMS UNION -- THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT WILL VOTE ON THE AGREEMENT OF CUSTOMS UNION WITH TURKEY, IN DECEMBER. STRINGER NUSRET OZGUL INTERVIEWED ALI YURTTAGUL, A POLITICAL AIDE TO THE GREENS GROUP IN THE PARLIAMENT. A TURKISH-BORN GERMAN, YURTTAGUL REVIEWED THE POSITIONS OF MAJOR POLITICAL BLOCS IN PARLIAMENT AND SAYS IT IS DIFFICULT TO SPECULATE ON THE RESULT, DESPITE THE RECENT DECLARATION OF SUPPORT BY THE FIVE LEADING MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION. (TURKISH 11/24)

US / TURKEY / KURDS -- THE STATE DEPARTMENT TURNED DOWN A CALL FOR MEDIATION BETWEEN THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT AND THE OUTLAWED PKK. SPOKESMAN NICHOLAS BURNS NOTED THAT THE PKK IS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, AND WHILE THE US GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS TURKEY'S EFFORT TO COMBAT TERRORISM, IT IS URGING THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT TO RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS. STAFFER HAKKI OCAL REPORTS. (TURKISH 11/24)

POLAND / ELECTION PROTEST -- POLAND'S SOLIDARITY HAS SUBMITTED TO THE POLISH SUPREME COURT SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND LETTERS PROTESTING ALLEGED ELECTION FRAUD. CORRESPONDENT WOJTEK MINICZ REPORTS FROM WARSAW. (POLISH 11/24)

WALESA'S FUTURE -- ALEKSANDER HALL, THE LEADER OF THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY, AND A FORMER MINISTER IN MAZOWIECKI'S GOVERNMENT, TALKS ABOUT WALESA' S POLITICAL FUTURE. INTERVIEW BY REPORTER WOJTEK MINICZ. (POLISH 11/24)

POLAND / CHURCH / WALESA -- THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE POLISH EPISCOPATE ADMITTED THAT THE CHURCH HAS SUGGESTED THAT WALESA NOT TO RUN FOR A SECOND TERM AND HAS CRITICIZED HIS DISRUPTIVE POLITICAL STYLE. INTERVIEW BY STRINGER MARIA BNINSKA. (POLISH 11/24)

ELECTION / POLISH ECONOMY -- STANISLAW WELISZ, A PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS FROM COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, COMMENTS ON THE POSSIBLE IMPACT OF KWASNIEWSKI'S ELECTION ON THE ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION OF POLAND. KWASNIEWSKI WOULD CONTINUE THE ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION, SAYS PROFESSOR WELISZ, BUT HE SEES CORRUPTION AS A MAJOR PROBLEM. INTERVIEW BY STAFFER MIREK KONDRACKI. (POLISH 11/22)

SLOVAK GOVERNMENT / LANGUAGE LAW -- RECENTLY THE SLOVAK PARLIAMENT PASSED A LAW GOVERNING THE USE OF HUNGARIAN AND OTHER MINORITY LANGUAGES IN SLOVAKIA. THE SLOVAK GOVERNMENT INSISTS THAT IT IS HAS A LEGITIMATE DUTY TO ASSURE THE USE OF SLOVAK AS THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ON ITS TERRITORY. THE SLOVAK GOVERNMENT ALSO CALLED ON THE HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT TO STOP THE ASSIMILATION OF THE SLOVAK MINORITY IN HUNGARY. STAFFER MIRO DOBROVODSKY REPORTS. (SLOVAK 11/23)

LATVIA / NEW GOVERNMENT -- LATVIAN PRIME MINISTER-DESIGNATE MARIS GRINBLATS' NEW GOVERNMENT FAILED TO WIN THE APPROVAL OF THE LATVIAN PARLIAMENT. STRINGER AIDIS TOMSONS REPORTS THE REACTION FROM RIGA. (LATVIAN 11/24)

LATVIA / LANGUAGE BILL -- LATVIA'S OLD LANGUAGE LAW HAS OUTLIVED ITS USEFULNESS AND A NEW LANGUAGE BILL HAS BEEN DRAFTED. IN HIS REPORT FROM RIGA, STRINGER AIDIS TOMSONS TALKS TO THE BILL'S DRAFTERS. (LATVIAN 11/25)

ARMENIAN VIOLIN PLAYER -- ARMENIAN SERVICE PARIS STRINGER HAGOP ARTINIAN REPORTS ON A YOUNG ARMENIAN VIOLIN PLAYER FROM LEBANON, ARA MALEKIAN WHO WON THE FIRST PRIZE AT THE PABLO SARAZAD VIOLIN COMPETITION IN PABLONA, SPAIN. (ARMENIAN 11/24)

FRANCE / ARMENIAN THEATER -- STRINGER HAGOB ARTINIAN REPORTS ON ARMENIAN VANADZOR THEATER PERFORMANCES IN VARIOUS ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES OF FRANCE. (ARMENIAN 11/24)

INSIDE EURASIA:

HUMAN RIGHTS -- STRINGER LYUDMILA ALEXEYEVA REPORTS FROM MOSCOW ON A NEW BOOK IN DEFENSE OF SOLDIERS' RIGHTS PUBLISHED IN RUSSIA. (RUSSIAN 11/26)

ECONOMIC TALK -- DUKE UNIVERSITY ECONOMICS PROFESSOR VLADIMIR TREML TALKS ABOUT UNFOUNDED WORRIES CONCERNING ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR BILLS IN RUSSIA. (RUSSIAN 11/26)

US / UKRAINIAN ACADEMIC EXCHANGES -- STAFFER WOLODYMYR BILAJIW INTERVIEWED UKRAINIAN PHILOSOPHER AND POLITICAL SCIENTIST DR. YEVHEN BYSTRYCKY, WHO RECENTLY PARTICIPATED IN A CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA ON "NATIONALISM, ITS NATURE AND IMAGES IN RUSSIA, POST-SOVIET REPUBLICS AND CENTRAL EUROPE." DR. BYSTRYCKY IS THE DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF "POLITICAL THOUGHT", A QUARTERLY PUBLICATION, DEALING WITH ISSUES OF POST-COMMUNIST ERA. HE OBSERVED THAT THE FACT THAT THIS PUBLICATION APPEARS ALSO IN ENGLISH AND THAT SUBJECTS ARE TAUGHT IN UNIVERSITY OF KIEVAN MOHYLA ACADEMY NOT ONLY IN UKRAINIAN BUT ALSO IN ENGLISH EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF ANGLOPHONIC COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD INTELLECTUAL DISCOURSE FOR BUILDING MODERN UKRAINIAN STATE. (UKRAINIAN 11/27)

US MODEL FOR UKRAINIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT -- STAFFERS WOLODYMYR BILAJIW AND LUBA ZORIANA CVIKULA INTERVIEWED VADYM PROSHKO AND VOLODYMYR PARKHOMENKO. BOTH ARE PROGRAM DIRECTORS OF US - UKRAINE FOUNDATION. FORMER CHAIRMEN OF CITY OF KIEV DISTRICT COUNCILS OF PEOPLES DEPUTIES ARE PARTICIPATING IN A TWO YEAR PROJECT TO PROVIDE PRACTITIONER LEVEL TRAINING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN UKRAINE. PEW CHARITABLE TRUST IS PROVIDING THE CORE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT. BOTH INTERVIEWEES UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NEW JERSEY. (UKRAINIAN 11/25, 11/27)

UKRAINIAN / US PROGRAMS -- STAFFER PHIL STARUCH CONDUCTED AN INTERVIEW WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE UKRAINIAN WRITERS OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE, LESIA KHRAPLYVA-SCHUR, ON PUBLISHING AND DISTRIBUTION OF UKRAINIAN CHILDREN'S BOOKS IN UKRAINE. (UKRAINIAN 11/24)

UKRAINIAN TV PRODUCER VISITS US -- STAFFER PHIL STARUCH INTERVIEWED KHRYSTYNA STEBELSKA, UKRAINIAN FOLKLORE SPECIALIST AND ETHNOGRAPHER, WHO HAS COME TO THE UNITED STATES TO STUDY HOW UKRAINIANS HAVE PRESERVED THEIR CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS. SHE IS HERE UNDER THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE OLDEST US BASED UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE PRIVATE TV PROGRAM, UKRAINIAN MELODY. MS. STEBELSKA IS THE NEXT MANAGER OF FOLKLORE AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS ON UKRAINIAN NATIONAL TV. (UKRAINIAN 11/22)

UKRAINIAN / US PROGRAMS -- STAFFER PHIL STARUCH CONDUCTED AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. ALEXANDER BILYK, PRESIDENT OF THE UKRAINIAN AMERICAN RELIEF COMMITTEE, ON THE HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION AND PRESENT RELIEF ACTIVITIES IN THE US AND UKRAINE AND BOSNIA. (UKRAINIAN 11/22)

INSIDE LATIN AMERICA:

URUGUAY / SMALL BUSINESS FORUM -- A FORUM ON SMALL BUSINESS PROMOTION IN THE HEMISPHERE SPONSORED BY THE INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK AND ATTENDED BY PRESIDENTS OF SEVERAL SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES WAS HELD IN PUNTA DEL ESTE, URUGUAY. STRINGER JORGE MONSALVE REPORTS. (SPANISH 11/27)

URUGUAY / SMALL BUSINESS FORUM -- SEVERAL LATIN AMERICAN PRESIDENTS ATTEND A FORUM ON SMALL BUSINESS SPONSORED BY THE INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK. STRINGER JORGE MONSALVE REPORTS FROM MONTEVIDEO. (SPANISH 11/24)

LONDON / LADY DI RETURNS -- AFTER A SHORT TRIP TO ARGENTINA INTENDED TO IMPROVE BILATERAL RELATIONS, PRINCESS DIANA RETURNED TO LONDON AND THE ROYAL CONTROVERSY CAUSED BY HER RECENT TV INTERVIEW. STRINGER HUMBERTO CASTELLANOS REPORTS FROM LONDON. (SPANISH 11/27)

HAITI / EXODUS INCREASES AGAIN -- RECENT BOAT INTERCEPTIONS BY THE US COAST GUARD IN THE CARIBBEAN INDICATE THAT THE EXODUS OH HAITIAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SEEMS TO BE INCREASING AGAIN, THIS TIME FOR ECONOMIC GAINS. CORRESPONDENT JORGE WEHBY REPORTS. (SPANISH 11/27)

HAITIANS / REPATRIATED -- THE US COAST GUARD SERVICE REPATRIATED 516 HAITIANS DETAINED ABOARD AN INTERCEPTED FREIGHT SHIP IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS IN THE CARIBBEAN. CORRESPONDENT JORGE WEHBY REPORTED. (SPANISH 11/23)

CHE GUEVARA REMAINS -- AFTER 28 YEARS, BOLIVIAN MILITARY OFFICERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE CAPTURE AND EXECUTION OF ARGENTINE-CUBAN GUERRILLA LEADER ERNESTO "CHE" GUEVARA IN 1967, REVEALED THAT HIS REMAINS ARE BURIED UNDER AN AIRSTRIP AT VALLE GRANDE'S AIRPORT. STRINGER JORGE GUZMAN REPORTS FROM LA PAZ. (SPANISH 11/22)

VENEZUELA / OIL WORKERS STRIKE -- WORKERS OF THE OIL COMPANIES IN VENEZUELA WENT INTO A 12-HOUR STRIKE TO DEMAND HIGHER SALARIES AND BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS. STRINGER URANIA MENDEZ REPORTS FROM CARACAS. (SPANISH 11/23)

NICARAGUA / BUSINESS IN MIAMI UP -- MIAMI CITY OFFICIALS SAY THAT NICARAGUAN COMPANIES WORKING IN MIAMI GENERATE ABOUT 40 MILLION DOLLARS IN BUSINESS. CORRESPONDENT JORGE WEHBY REPORTS. (SPANISH 11/23) 27-Nov-95 6:36 PM EST (2336 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America