Voice of America, 23 December 1995

From: "Ioannis V. Bousnakis" <ivb19@nfi.com>

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] BOSNIA / NATO (S ONLY) BY KYLE KING (SARAJEVO )

INTRO: NATO MILITARY OFFICIALS BOSNIA SAY A U-S TRANSPORT PLANE CARRYING HUMANITARIAN AID TO SARAJEVO AND A BRITISH HELICOPTER CARRYING TWO SICK CHILDREN TO A HOSPITAL, HAVE COME UNDER ATTACK BY SMALL ARMS FIRE. THE INCIDENTS ARE THE FIRST SINCE NATO TOOK OVER PEACEKEEPING DUTIES IN BOSNIA THIS WEEK. VOA'S KYLE KING HAS THIS REPORT.

TEXT: NATO MILITARY OFFICERS SAY THEY ARE EXTREMELY ANGRY ABOUT THE INCIDENTS, BUT THEY SAY FUTURE HUMANITARIAN FLIGHTS INTO THE CITY WILL NOT BE AFFECTED.

COLONEL MARK RAYNER, A NATO SPOKESMAN IN SARAJEVO, SAYS THE NAVIGATOR OF THE AMERICAN C-130 NARROWLY MISSED INJURY FRIDAY. HIS PLANE CAME UNDER FIRE AS IT WAS APPROACHING THE AIRPORT.

A ROUND ENTERED THE AIRCRAFT, INTO THE NAVIGATOR'S KEVLAR ARMORED SEAT AND RICOCHETED INTO THE CARGO BAY.

NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THE INCIDENT, WHICH CAME AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME A BRITISH HELICOPTER WAS FIRED ON AS IT FLEW OVER THE STILL TENSE BATTLE LINES AROUND THE SARAJEVO AIRPORT.

THE HELICOPTER WAS EVACUATING TWO SICK CHILDREN FROM TUZLA TO A HOSPITAL IN SARAJEVO WHEN THE PILOT NOTICED TRACER ROUNDS COMING TOWARD HIS AIRCRAFT, WHICH WAS NOT HIT.

IT IS STILL NOT CLEAR WHAT NATO INTENDS TO DO ABOUT THE SHOOTING INCIDENTS. THE COMMANDER OF NATO FORCES HAS ALREADY SAID THEY WILL HAVE TO STOP. (SIGNED)

NEB/KK/DW/SD
23-Dec-95 8:14 AM EST (1314 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[02] RUSSIA /BOSNIA BY KYLE KING (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: NATO MILITARY OFFICIALS IN SARAJEVO HAVE BEEN CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY REPORTS THAT A RUSSIAN GENERAL MET THIS WEEK WITH INDICTED WAR CRIMINAL RATKO MLADIC -- THE LEADER OF THE BOSNIAN SERB ARMY. V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS FROM THE BOSNIAN CAPITAL THE MEETING HAS ONCE AGAIN RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT RUSSIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE MULTI NATIONAL PEACEKEEPING OPERATION.

TEXT: NATO OFFICIALS IN SARAJEVO COULD SAY LITTLE ABOUT THURSDAY'S MEETING BETWEEN GENERAL MLADIC AND RUSSIAN MAJOR GENERAL NIKOLAI STASKOV EXCEPT TO CONFIRM THAT IT TOOK PLACE IN THE BOSNIAN SERB STRONGHOLD OF PALE.

OFFICIALS WHO INITIALLY WERE UNAWARE OF THE MEETING SAY IT IS UNCLEAR HOW GENERAL STASKOV IS CONNECTED TO THE NATO PEACEKEEPIUNG FORCE, WHICH UNDER ALLIANCE RULES IS SUPPOSED TO DETAIN ANY INDICTED WAR CRIMINALS IT RUNS ACCROSS.

GENERAL STASKOV ARRIVED IN BOSNIA AS THE HEAD OF A SMALL ADVANCE PARTY OF ENGENEERS WHO ARE PREPARING FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE FOUR THOUSAND RUSSIAN TROOPS WHO WILL BE TAKING PART IN THE NATO OPPERATION.

RUSSIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE MISSION HAS BEEN A SOURCE OF CONCERN TO THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OF MOSCOW'S TRADITIONAL TIES TO THE SERBS. FOR MANY BOSNIANS THE MEETING RAISES FRESH CONCERNS ABOUT THE NEUTRALITY OF THE RUSSIANS WHO WILL BE ATTACHED TO THE AMERICAN CONTINGENT BASED TUSLA. (SIGNED) NEB/KK/CB-T/SD 23-Dec-95 3:06 PM EST (2006 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[03] TURKEY/ELECTION ONITER (S ONLY) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (ISTANBUL)

INTRO: TURKEY ELECTS A NEW PARLIAMENT SUNDAY BUT NOBODY EXPECTS A CLEAR WINNER TO EMERGE AS THE NEXT PRIME MINISTER. A COALITION BATTLE IS EXPECTED IN THE DAYS AHEAD. CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS FROM ISTANBUL THE CAMPAIGNS ENDED WITH A WHIMPER SATURDAY EVENING WITH MANY VOTERS STILL UNDECIDED .

TEXT: VOTERS ARE CASTING THEIR BALLOTS FOR A NEW 550-SEAT PARLIAMENT BUT NO ONE PARTY IS EXPECTED TO GET ENOUGH SEATS TO RULE ALONE. PRESIDENT SULEYMAN DEMIREL WILL HAVE TO CHOOSE THE CANDIDATE HE THINKS CAN PUT TOGETHER A COALITION TO WIN PARLIAMENT'S CONFIDENCE. HE HAS ALREADY HINTED HE WILL NOT TURN TO THE PRO-ISLAMIST WELFARE PARTY EVEN IF IT COMES IN FIRST. THE REAL BATTLE NOW APPEARS TO BE BETWEEN THE TWO LEADING CENTER RIGHT PARTIES -- PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER'S TRUE PATH PARTY AND ITS ARCH RIVAL THE MOTHERLAND PARTY. POLLS REMAIN OPEN UNTIL FIVE AND PRELIMINARY RETURNS ARE EXPECTED BY MIDNIGHT. FINAL RETURNS ARE NOT EXPECTED UNTIL MONDAY AT THE EARLIEST AND MAY BE DELAYED BY BAD WEATHER IN THE EASTERN REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY. MORE THAN 30 MILLION TURKS ARE ELIGIBLE TO CAST A BALLOT. MORE THAN FIVE THOUSAND CANDIDATES ARE RUNNING IN THE RACE, REPRESENTING 14 POLITICAL PARTIES. BUT ONLY FIVE OR SIX PARTIES ARE EXPECTED TO GET THE MINUMUM TEN PERCENT OF THE TOTAL VOTE REQUIRED TO QUALIFY FOR A SEAT. (SIGNED)

NEB/LK/DW/SD
23-Dec-95 11:52 AM EST (1652 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America