Voice of America, 3 January 1996

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

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] WEDNESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: A WIDE RANGE OF DOMESTIC ISSUES CONTINUE TO DOMINATE THE EDITORIAL PAGES OF THE MAJOR AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS THIS FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE NEW YEAR. INCLUDED ARE: VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN; THE SO-CALLED "BABY BOOM" GENERATION REACHING THE AGE OF 50; THE FIRST U-S CASUALTY IN BOSNIA, AND THOUGHTS ON A COMMON EUROPEAN CURRENCY. NOW, HERE IS _________________ WITH A CLOSER LOOK IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: THE PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS NOW APPROACHING ITS THIRD WEEK, AND EDITORIAL WRITERS ARE DISCUSSING ITS CAUSE -- THE DISAGREEMENT OVER HOW TO TRIM THE FEDERAL BUDGET. MANY PAPERS ARE QUESTIONING WHY NUMEROUS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE SET ASIDE THEIR NORMAL DUTIES AT THIS CRITICAL TIME TO TAKE SO-CALLED FACT-FINDING TRIPS OVERSEAS AT THE TAXPAYERS EXPENSE.

VOICE: "NEVER MIND THAT THOUSANDS OF TOURISTS HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY FROM THE GREAT NATIONAL PARKS, WHOSE GATES HAVE BEEN CLOSED BY THE PARTISAN BUDGET SQUABBLE IN WASHINGTON. NEVER MIND THAT THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUMS HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN... FOR THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY COUNT, LIKE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, LIFE GOES ON. THE HIGH LIFE, IN FACT. WITNESS THE OVERSEAS TRAVEL PLANS MADE BY SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS -- 25 TRIPS FOR THE LAWMAKERS AND ANOTHER 18 BY THEIR STAFFS, WITH NEARLY ALL EXPENSES PAID BY THE PUBLIC."

TEXT: DISCUSSING THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, THE BUDGET IMPASSE BETWEEN THE WHITE HOUSE AND CONGRESS, TODAY'S "WASHINGTON POST" SEES IT AS A HOSTAGE DRAMA, WITH THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOLDING THE WHITE HOUSE HOSTAGE TO THE TALKS BY KEEPING THE GOVERNMENT CLOSED.

VOICE: "HOSTAGE-TAKING IS AN UGLY BUSINESS. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE CAUSE... SENATE MAJORITY LEADER BOB DOLE WAS TRYING AGAIN LAST NIGHT TO FIND THE FORMULA TO REOPEN [THE GOVERNMENT] TEMPORARILY. GOOD FOR HIM; IT'S THE RIGHT POSITION... SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH SAID IT WOULD BE 'VERY HARD' TO FIND THE NECESSARY VOTES IN THE HOUSE WITHOUT A BUDGET AGREEMENT. DOES HE REALLY LACK THE POWER TO PRODUCE SUCH A LIMITED RESULT?"

TEXT: HOWEVER, TODAY'S "WALL STREET JOURNAL" VOICES SUPPORT FOR THE REPUBLICAN'S TOUGH STAND THAT IS KEEPING MUCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN:

VOICE: "FRUSTRATED OBSERVERS OF THE BUDGET TALKS NEED TO BEAR A FEW THINGS IN MIND. FIRST, THE DEMOCRATS HAVEN'T A SINGLE NEW IDEA OF THEIR OWN; IF THEY DID, YOU'D HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT. SECOND, BILL CLINTON IS A DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT, AND HE CAN'T WIN RE-ELECTION BY STIFFING [FAILING] HIS BACKWARD-LOOKING DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUENCIES... THIS PRESIDENT HAS BECOME AN AGENT OF NON-CHANGE. WHEN IT COMES TO CRUNCH [DECISION-MAKING] TIME, BILL CLINTON DIGS IN TO DEFEND THE STATUS QUO."

TEXT: TURNING TO MORE GLOBAL CONCERNS AND THOUGHTS ABOUT THE YEAR AHEAD, SEVERAL PAPERS CONTINUE TO PEER INTO THEIR CRYSTAL BALLS, INCLUDING "THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR":

VOICE: "RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES, THE ONCE AND PRESENT SUPERPOWERS, WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT ELECTIONS AFFECTING THE PENDULUM SWINGS BETWEEN WELFARE-STATISM AND UNREGULATED FREE ENTERPRISE. CHINA, THE LIKELIEST FUTURE SUPERPOWER, WILL SHOW MORE CLEARLY WHETHER ITS CENTRAL GOVERNMENT HEWS TO THE DENG POLICY OF WELCOMING ECONOMIC GROWTH AT THE COST OF SOME CONTROL, OR STIFLES GROWTH IN ORDER TO INCREASE CONTROL. [OPT] ... THE EARLY '90S THESIS THAT THE WORLD ECONOMY WAS RAPIDLY HEADED TOWARD THREE MASSIVE FREE-TRADE ZONES WILL BE VIGOROUSLY TESTED THIS YEAR. PROBABILITY: NAFTA WILL NOT BE REVERSED. CHILE MAY HAVE TO WAIT TILL AFTER U-S ELECTIONS. CANADA WILL ... MUDDLE THROUGH."[END OPT]

TEXT: EDITORIAL WIRTERS FOR "THE BALTIMORE SUN," HAVE MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT PROSPECTS FOR THE NEW YEAR:

VOICE: "NO SOVIET MENACE THREATENS IN 1996. TRUE, CHINA IS ARMING AT A WORRISOME RATE ... BUT CHINA IS NOT YET THE MILITARY POWER THE SOVIET UNION ONCE WAS... CHEERING AS THAT SHOULD BE, THE END OF THE COLD WAR HAS BROUGHT NO RELIEF FROM ANXIETY. THE DANGERS ARE SMALLER, YET HARDER TO DEFINE AND CATEGORIZE. THE ELEGANT SIMPLICITY OF THE COLD WAR IS GONE. AS A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING, IT HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED."

TEXT: AMERICA'S SO-CALLED "BABY BOOM" GENERATION, BORN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO, IS BEGINNING TO REACH THE MID-LIFE MILESTONE OF 50 YEARS, AND AMONG THOSE TAKING NOTE ARE THE EDITORIALS WRITERS FOR "THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION", WHO STATE:

VOICE: "STARTING THIS WEEK, CAKE BAKERS AND BALLOON MAKERS CAN START SPECIALIZING IN 'NIFTY FIFTY' THEMES FOR BIRTHDAY PARTIES. OVER THE NEXT DECADE, ABOUT 10-THOUSAND AMERICANS A DAY WILL TURN 50... WITH THE ARRIVAL OF 1996, THE OLDEST BOOMERS HAVE MOVED INTO MIDDLE AGE AND, ONCE AGAIN, HAVE BEGUN ALTERING THE NATIONAL LANDSCAPE."

TEXT: MEANWHILE, "THE BOSTON GLOBE" TAKES EXCEPTION TO WHAT IT EXPECTS WILL BE A FLOOD OF NEWS COVERAGE OF THE BABY-BOOMERS-TURN-50 PHENOMENON.

VOICE: "A DEVELOPMENT TO AWAIT WITH DREAD THIS YEAR IS THE ONSLAUGHT OF NEWS ARTICLES AND TELEVISION REPORTS ABOUT THE AGING OF THE BABY BOOMERS... NOT ONLY WILL THESE REPORTS QUICKLY BECOME HACKNEYED, THEY WILL BE LARGELY INACCURATE. THE LIVES OF 76 MILLION PEOPLE ... CAN HARDLY BE GENERALIZED WITH A SINGLE TAG."

TEXT: TAKING AN EDITORIALS LOOK AT THE FIRST U-S CASUALTY IN THE BOSNIAN PEACEKEEPING MISSION, CAUSED BY AN ANTI-TANK MINE, "THE WASHINGTON POST" NOTES THE DANGER OF MINES WORLDWIDE AND THE NEED TO OUTLAW THEM.

VOICE: "IF AND AS A PEACE FIRMS UP AND THERE IS NO HOSTILE FIRING, 'ALL' [ITALICS FOR EMPHASIS] COMBAT CASUALTIES ARE BOUND TO BE FROM THESE SILENT, LURKING BONEBLASTERS... MINES, TO THE CIVILIAN MIND ANYWAY, ARE UNFAIR. USUALLY THERE IS NO HUMAN BEING DIRECTLY AT THE FIRING END, JUST A PIECE OF UNDETECTABLE PLASTIC PERFORMING MUTE AMBUSH DUTY... THESE WEAPONS ARE FINALLY AN INSTRUMENT OF WAR AGAINST CIVILIANS, A WAR THAT GOES ON UNRELIEVED AFTER THE SOLDIERS GO HOME."

TEXT: AND LASTLY, SOME THOUGHTS ON A THE WISDOM OF A HAVING COMMON MONETARY UNIT FOR EUROPEANS FROM TODAY'S "BOSTON GLOBE."

VOICE: "A COMMON CURRENCY FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION MAKES GREAT SENSE. THE LEADERS OF THE UNION DESERVE CREDIT FOR MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION AT THE RECENT MADRID SUMMIT."

TEXT: ON THAT ECONOMIC AND HISTORICAL NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF EDITORIALS FROM AROUND THE NATION ON THIS FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE NEW YEAR.

NEB/ANG/PCH
03-Jan-96 11:50 AM EST (1650 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] BOSNIA/HOSTAGES (L ONLY) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE RELEASED THREE PEOPLE AND HAVE CONFIRMED THEY ARE HOLDING 16 OTHERS CAPTURED AROUND SARAJEVO, IN WHAT COULD BECOME A MAJOR TEST OF NATO BY THE BOSNIAN SERBS. THE CONFIRMATION CAME AFTER A SENIOR NATO OFFICIAL MET WITH THE MAYOR OF A SERB-HELD DISTRICT OF THE BOSNIAN CAPITAL. DAVID FOLEY REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO.

TEXT: TWO MEN AND ONE WOMAN WERE RELEASED WEDNESDAY AFTER BEING HELD OVERNIGHT BY THE BOSNIAN SERBS. U-N OFFICIALS SAY THE GROUP APPARENTLY LOST THEIR WAY WHILE CROSSING SERB TERRITORY AROUND SARAJEVO. THIS GROUP OF THREE IS SEPARATE FROM 16 OTHERS HELD BY THE BOSNIAN SERBS FOR MOST OF THE PAST WEEK.

THE MAYOR OF THE SERB-HELD DISTRICT OF ILIDZA, NEAR SARAJEVO, CONFIRMED THE OTHERS ARE BEING HELD, DURING A MEETING WEDNESDAY WITH THE COMMANDER OF NATO GROUND FORCES IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, BRITISH GENERAL MICHAEL WALKER. AT THE MEETING, THE NATO GENERAL INSISTED FULL FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT FOR CIVILIANS IN BOSNIA IS A CENTRAL PART OF THE PEACE AGREEMENT.

BUT ACCORDING TO NATO OFFICIALS, THE MAYOR SAID MOST OF THOSE BEING HELD WERE WEARING UNIFORMS WHEN THEY WERE CAPTURED. AFTER THE MEETING, THE MAYOR SAID SOME OF THE DETAINEES HAD STRAYED FROM THE USUAL ROUTES ACROSS SERB TERRITORY AND SOME WERE ENGAGED IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.

THE DISPUTE HAS SPARKED THE FIRST CRITICISM OF THE NATO EFFORT BY BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, WHO CONDEMNED THE FAILURE OF NATO TO ENFORCE THE AGREEMENT AND ENSURE THE SECURITY OF PEOPLE GOING TO AND FROM SARAJEVO ACROSS SERB-HELD AREAS. NATO OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE TAKING THE INCIDENT SERIOUSLY, AND WHILE THEY ADMIT THE BOSNIAN SERBS COULD BE USING THE INCIDENT TO TEST NATO, THEY ARE HOPING THE PROBLEM WILL BE RESOLVED QUICKLY.

THE OFFICIALS SAY IF THE DETAINEES ARE NOT RELEASED BY EARLY THURSDAY THE MATTER WILL BE DISCUSSED AGAIN AT A MEETING OF THE JOINT MILITARY COMMISSION LATER IN THE DAY. THEY SAY THE MAYOR OF ILIDZA HAS PROMISED TO INVESTIGATE WHY THE 16 ARE BEING HELD AND NATO OFFICIALS SAY -- IN THEIR WORDS -- THEY WANT TO GIVE HIM SOME TIME TO SORT IT OUT. (SIGNED)

NEB/DF/LTJ/RAE
03-Jan-96 3:02 PM EST (2002 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] E-U/CHILDREN (L ONLY) BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: THE EUROPEAN UNION IS BEING URGED TO FOLLOW THE UNITED STATES BY ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL BUREAU TO SEARCH FOR MISSING CHILDREN. THE NEW BODY WOULD IMPROVE THE CHANCES OF FINDING THE CHILDREN BY COORDINATING INTERNATIONAL POLICE EFFORTS. JOHN FRASER REPORTS FOR V-O-A FROM BRUSSELS.

TEXT: THE INITIATIVE COMES FROM BELGIAN SENATOR ANNE-FLARIE LIZIN, AND FOLLOWS THE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCES OF SEVERAL CHILDREN IN HER COUNTRY.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT TENS-OF-THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN DISAPPEAR EACH YEAR IN THE EUROPEAN UNION. SOME RUN AWAY FROM HOME, BUT OTHERS ARE ABDUCTED, AND IT IS THESE CHILDREN WHO ARE THE FOCUS OF THE NEW EUROPEAN INITIATIVE.

THE NEW BODY WOULD BE CALLED CHILD INTERPOL, AND WOULD BE BASED NEAR E-U HEADQUARTERS IN BRUSSELS.

IT WOULD BE MODELED ON AN AMERICAN AGENCY -- THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN, WHICH IS BASED IN WASHINGTON AND PARTLY FUNDED BY THE U-S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.

THE AIM OF THE NEW EUROPEAN BODY WOULD BE TO BETTER COORDINATE EUROPE-WIDE SEARCHES FOR MISSING CHILDREN.

ANNE FLARIE LIZIN SAYS EXISTING POLICE RESOURCES AND METHODS HAVE BEEN INSUFFICIENT TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. SHE SAYS A SPECIAL UNIT IS NEEDED TO DEVELOP EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE IN HUNTING FOR MISSING CHILDREN, AND IN TALKING WITH VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

IT WOULD NOT ONLY INCLUDE POLICEMEN, BUT ALSO CRIMINOLOGISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND OTHER EXPERTS.

SHE SAYS MANY CASES OF MISSING CHILDREN INVOLVE MORE THAN ONE COUNTRY. FOR EXAMPLE, A CHILD WHO IS ABDUCTED IN BELGIUM CAN BE TAKEN OUT OF THE COUNTRY WITHIN AN HOUR WITHOUT GOING THROUGH BORDER CHECKS. THAT IS WHY THE BELGIAN SENATOR SAYS THERE NEEDS TO BE ACTION ON AN INTERNATIONAL SCALE.

SHE ADDS THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE AN EFFORT TO DEAL WITH SO-CALLED TUG-OF-LOVE CHILDREN WHO ARE SNATCHED BY ONE PARENT FROM AN ESTRANGED FORMER PARTNER, AND ARE THEN TAKEN TO ANOTHER COUNTRY.

THERE ARE MANY INSTANCES IN WHICH FRENCH AND BELGIAN CHILDREN ARE TAKEN TO MOROCCO OR ALGERIA. THE CHILD INTERPOL UNIT WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO HELP IN SUCH CASES.

ANNE-FLARIE LIZIN PROPOSED BELGIAN LEGISLATION TO CREATE THE NEW POLICE BODY. SHE EXPLAINS IT WOULD BE BASED IN BELGIUM, BUT IT WOULD COVER THE WHOLE OF EUROPE. (SIGNED)

NEB/JF/MH/RAE
03-Jan-96 8:32 AM EST (1332 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] PERRY / BOSNIA 2ND UPDATE (L) BY DAVID GOLLUST (TUZLA)

INTRO: U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY WEDNESDAY BECAME THE FIRST TOP LEVEL CLINTON ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL TO VISIT U-S TROOPS IN BOSNIA. MR. PERRY MET BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN SARAJEVO AND TOURED THE U-S PEACEKEEPING CONTINGENT HEADQUARTERS IN TUZLA. VOA'S DAVID GOLLUST HAS DETAILS IN THIS REPORT FROM TUZLA.

TEXT: MR. PERRY HAD A HOPEFUL ASSESSMENT AFTER MEETING IN SARAJEVO WITH PRESIDENT ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC AND OTHER SENIOR BOSNIAN OFFICIALS. HE SAID HE RECOGNIZES THAT THE ABSENCE OF WAR THAT PREVAILS IN BOSNIA NOW IS NOT THE SAME AS PEACE. BUT HE SAID THE BOSNIAN PARTIES ARE FULLY COMPLYING WITH THE TERMS OF THE DAYTON ACCORDS THUS FAR AND ARE COOPERATING WITH NATO'S PEACE IMPLEMENTATION FORCE. HE SAID HE HAS EVERY REASON TO HOPE AND BELIEVE THAT THE PARTIES ARE NOW WILLING TO PUT THE KILLING AND HATRED BEHIND AND BUILD A NEW COUNTRY.

THE DEFENSE SECRETARY ALSO TOLD REPORTERS HE WAS AWARE OF THE DEVASTATION CAUSED BY THE WAR IN SARAJEVO, BUT HE CALLED IT "UNTHINKABLY SADDENING" TO ACTUALLY SEE IT FIRST HAND. MR. PERRY'S MOTORCADE THREADED ITS WAY FROM THE AIRPORT -- A FOCUS OF HOSTILITIES IN SARAJEVO FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS -- INTO THE CENTRAL CITY, WHERE NO BUILDINGS SEEM TO HAVE ESCAPED THE WAR WITHOUT MAJOR DAMAGE.

BEFORE CONFIRMING WITH SENIOR U-S COMMANDERS IN TUZLA, MR. PERRY FLEW BY HELICOPTER TO THE SAVA RIVER ALONG THE BOSNIA- CROATIA BORDER, WHERE U-S MILITARY ENGINEERS BATTLED FLOOD WATERS LAST WEEKEND TO BUILD A 500 METER-LONG FLOATING BRIDGE. MR. PERRY AND HIS ENTOURAGE WALKED THE ENTIRE SPAN FROM THE CROATIAN SHORE INTO BOSNIA, TEMPORARILY HALTING A STEADY FLOW OF U-S ARMORED VEHICLES MOVING IN TO JOIN THE PEACE IMPLEMENTATION FORCE.

A SENIOR U-S MILITARY OFFICIAL TOLD REPORTERS THERE ARE NOW MORE THAN FOUR-THOUSAND AMERICAN TROOPS IN BOSNIA, WITH MORE COMING IN EACH DAY. OFFICIALS ARE CONFIDENT THAT MORE THAN HALF OF THE PLANNED 20-THOUSAND MEMBER U-SCONTINGENT WILL BE IN THE COUNTRY BY JANUARY 19TH, WHEN NATO TROOPS ARE TO BEGIN FULL-SCALE PATROLLING IN THE FOUR KILOMETER-WIDE ZONE OF SEPARATION BETWEEN THE RIVAL BOSNIAN FORCES. (SIGNED)

NEB/DG/T-BP/GPT
03-Jan-96 11:06 AM EST (1606 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] U-S / BOSNIA CAPTIVES (S-ONLY) BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE UNITED STATES HAS EXPRESSED DISMAY OVER REPORTS THE BOSNIAN SERBS DETAINED 16 MUSLIM CIVILIANS WHO WERE TRAVELLING THROUGH A SERB-CONTROLLED DISTRICT OF SARAJEVO. V-O-A'S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS FROM WASHINGTON.

TEXT: STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN GLYN DAVIES SAYS THE ALLEGED DETENTION OF THE 16 MUSLIMS IS TROUBLING AND IF TRUE, IT VIOLATES THE DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT ALLOWING FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT FOR CIVILIANS. HOWEVER, HE SAYS THE PEACE ACCORD IS LARGELY BEING RESPECTED BY ALL SIDES.

AT THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT, AIR FORCE LIEUTENANT-GENERAL HOWELL ESTES ACKNOWLEDGES HE IS TROUBLED AS WELL BY THE DEVELOPMENT, BUT SAYS NATO FORCES IN BOSNIA CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH:

IT JUST MAKES SENSE THAT IF SOMETHING IS HAPPENING IN PLAIN VIEW AND IT APPEARS TO BE SOMETHING ILLEGAL THAT YOU WOULD TAKE THE STEPS IF YOU HAVE THE WHEREWITHALL (OR ABILITY) TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING.

BOSNIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER MUHAMAD SACIRBEY SAYS THE NATO FORCE IS BEING TESTED BY THE BOSNIAN SERBS. HE SAYS THE CIVILIANS WERE SEIZED IN DEFIANCE OF THE PEACE AGREEMENT.

THE BOSNIAN SERBS CONFIRM THEY ARE HOLDING THE MUSLIMS, BUT SAY SOME OF THEM ARE SOLDIERS IN UNIFORM. THE SERBS DENY KIDNAPPING THEM AND SAY THEY ARE BEING HELD FOR QUESTIONING.

BACK IN WASHINGTON, MR. DAVIES ACKNOWLEDGES FORMATION OF A NEW BOSNIA POLICE FORCE, AS PROVIDED FOR IN THE PEACE AGREEMENT, HAS NOT GOTTEN VERY FAR. HE SAID MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO COMPLETE THAT TASK. THE EUROPEAN UNION OFFICIAL CHARGED WITH OVERSEEING BOSNIA'S RECONSTRUCTION, CARL BILDT, ARRIVES LATER TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN SARAJEVO. (SIGNED)

NEB/VB/SKH
02-Jan-96 9:47 PM EST (0247 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America