Voice of America, 4 February 1996

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

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] BOSNIA/SARAJEVO (L) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: NATO COMMANDERS IN BOSNIA SAY ALL SIDES HAVE COMPLIED WITH A DEADLINE TO WITHDRAW MILITARY FORCES FROM TERRITORY TO BE EXCHANGED BETWEEN THE SIDES. CIVILIAN MEDIATORS HAVE ALSO ANNOUNCED A NEW PLAN FOR SERB-HELD SARAJEVO, AFTER THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT OBJECTED TO THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF SERB POLICE. DAVID FOLEY REPORTS FROM THE BOSNIAN CAPITAL.

TEXT: NATO COMMANDERS SAY VIRTUALLY ALL MILITARY FORCES WITHDREW FROM TERRITORY TO BE EXCHANGED BEFORE THE SATURDAY DEADLINE. BUT THE SUCCESS OF THIS LATEST STAGE IN THE DAYTON PROCESS WAS DISRUPTED WHEN THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT OBJECTED TO THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF ARMED SERB POLICEMEN IN SERB-HELD AREAS OF SARAJEVO.

CIVILIAN MEDIATORS SAID ALL SIDES HAD AGREED TO ALLOW THE SERB POLICE TO TEMPORARILY REMAIN IN CONTROL IN AN EFFORT TO REASSURE FRIGHTENED SERB CIVILIANS THEY WOULD BE SAFE IN GOVERNMENT HANDS. THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT ANGRILY DENIED THAT, AND SAID NATO TROOPS SHOULD FORCE THE SERB POLICE TO LEAVE.

AFTER LATE NIGHT TALKS WITH THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT, THE TWO MOST SENIOR NATO COMMANDERS AND CHIEF CIVILIAN MEDIATOR CARL BILDT ANNOUNCED THE SERB POLICE WOULD REMAIN IN PLACE DURING A CAREFULLY MONITORED 45-DAY TRANSITION PERIOD TO FULL BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT CONTROL.

BILDT'S SPOKESMAN, MICHAEL MACLAY, SAID THE INTERNATIONAL POLICE TASK FORCE, KNOWN AS THE I-P-T-F, WOULD BE CRUCIAL TO THE PROCESS.

BOSNIAN FEDERATION POLICEMEN WILL BECOME PART OF THIS POLICING PROCESS, UNDER THE AEGIS, TO A GREAT EXTENT, OF THE I-P-T-F WHO WILL BE MONITORING AND OBSERVING, AND WE BELIEVE THAT IS THE BEST WAY OF MAXIMIZING CONFIDENCE.

BUT ONE REASON FOR THIS LATEST CRISIS IS THE LACK OF INTERNATIONAL POLICE. INSTEAD OF THE EXPECTED 500 POLICEMEN IN SERB AREAS OF THE BOSNIAN CAPITAL, FEWER THAN 100 HAVE SO FAR ARRIVED, AND NATO IS NOW FORCED TO STEP INTO THE BREACH. NATO SAYS ITS TROOPS WILL MAINTAIN AN ENHANCED PRESENCE IN THE SERB AREAS, UNTIL MORE INTERNATIONAL POLICE ARRIVE. THIS IS A JOB CLOSER TO POLICING THAN SOLDIERING, AND IT IS A TASK NATO COMMANDERS HAVE TRIED TO AVOID.

OFFICIALS SAY MORE INTERNATIONAL POLICE ARE ARRIVING, BUT ONLY SLOWLY, AND MANY WHO HAVE ARRIVED HAVE FAILED THE MANDATORY ENGLISH OR DRIVING TESTS. THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE U-N CONTROLLED INTERNATIONAL POLICE, ALEX IVANKO, SAYS DESPITE THE PROBLEMS MANY SERBS MAY NO LONGER BE PLANNING TO FLEE THE CITY.

THERE ARE CONFLICTING REPORTS NOW COMING FROM THE SERBS IN SARAJEVO, AND IT SEEMS QUITE A FEW PEOPLE ARE CHANGING THEIR MIND AND ARE PLANNING TO STAY.

OFFICIALS DESPERATELY WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT TREND, BUT IT IS NOT AT ALL CLEAR WHAT SHAPE THE PROCESS OF TRANSITION TO BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT RULE WILL TAKE IN THE SERB AREAS, OR EVEN IF THE TWO SIDES CAN AGREE TO DISCUSS THE PROCESS. THE SPOKESMAN FOR THE CIVILIAN MEDIATOR SAYS IT WILL, IN THE END, BE UP TO THE TWO SIDES TO WORK OUT.

THIS IS A FRAGILE AND TENTATIVE NEGOTIATING PROCESS THAT TAKES TWO STEPS FORWARD AND ONE STEP BACK, SOMETIMES THE OPPOSITE.

FOR NOW IT IS DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE SERB AND MUSLIM POLICE PATROLLING THE STREETS OF SERB AREAS TOGETHER, BUT WITH ONLY 45-DAYS UNTIL THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT TAKES OVER COMPLETELY, THE TRANSITION PROCESS MUST QUICKLY BEGIN. (SIGNED)

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04-Feb-96 12:04 PM EST (1704 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[02] CHRISTOPHER-BALKANS BY RON PEMSTEIN (BELGRADE)

INTRO: SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER HAS MET WITH SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC IN BELGRADE AT THE END OF A WEEKEND TRIP TO THE THREE COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN THE DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT FOR BOSNIA. RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM THE SERBIAN CAPITAL, THERE WAS A CONSISTENT MESSAGE TO ALL THREE LEADERS.

TEXT: THE LAST TIME AN AMERICAN SECRETARY OF STATE VISITED BELGRADE, ALMOST FIVE YEARS AGO, IT WAS ON THE EVE OF THE WAR THAT BROKE UP THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA. THIS TIME, BY VISITS TO ZAGREB, SARAJEVO AND BELGRADE, SECRETARY OF STATE CHRISTOPHER HAS SIGNALED THAT LAST NOVEMBER'S DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT IS NOT THE END OF THE AMERICAN INTEREST IN THE BALKANS.

IN EACH OF THE THREE CAPITALS, MR. CHRISTOPHER FOUND FLAWS WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S PERFORMANCE IN CARRYING OUT THE AGREEMENT. CROATIA AND SERBIA HAVE NOT TURNED OVER INDICTED WAR CRIMES SUSPECTS TO THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL. BOSNIA HAS MISSED DEADLINES ON RELEASING PRISONERS OF WAR AND IN EXPELLING ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS. PRESIDENT IZETBEGOVIC PROMISED TO DO BETTER WHEN HE MET MR. CHRISTOPHER IN SARAJEVO ON SATURDAY. ALL SIDES IN THE BOSNIA WAR HAVE SUCCEEDED IN TRANSFERRING TERRITORY ON TIME AS REQUIRED BY THE AGREEMENT BUT THEY HAVE LOOTED AND BURNED ANY STRUCTURES LEFT BEHIND TO THE OTHER SIDE.

THAT MEANS THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PRESSURE THESE COUNTRIES TO LIVE UP TO THE AGREEMENTS THEIR LEADERS SIGNED. THAT'S THE MESSAGE THE SECRETARY OF STATE DELIVERED AT EACH STOP.

IN THE LAST TWO DAYS, I HAVE DELIVERED ESSENTIALLY THE SAME MESSAGE TO PRESIDENTS TUDJMAN, IZETBEGOVIC AND MILOSEVIC. I TOLD THEM THAT EACH AND EVERY PROVISION OF THE DAYTON AGREEMENT MUST BE FULLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY IMPLEMENTED. IF ANY PARTY DOES NOT MEET ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE DAYTON AGREEMENT, IT WILL NOT ENJOY THE FULL BENEFITS THAT THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES.

SERBIA IS STILL LOOKING FOR INTERNATIONAL RESPECTABILITY AFTER THE WAR, TRYING TO RESTORE YUGOSLAVIA'S FULL MEMBERSHIP IN THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND ELIGIBILITY FOR LOANS FROM THE WORLD BANK. U-S OFFICIALS SAY IF SERBIA REFUSES TO HAND OVER INDICTED WAR CRIMINALS TO THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL, THOSE HOPES WILL BE STILTED.

PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC INTERPRETED THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT AS A SYMBOLIC SIGN OF CHANGING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND SERBIA AFTER FIVE YEARS. MR. CHRISTOPHER WAS MORE CAUTIOUS.

I URGED THAT HE TAKE FURTHER STEPS TO COOPERATE WITH THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN ALL RESPECTS, TO MAKE AVAILABLE THOSE INDICTED BY THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL. THIS IS AN ON-GOING PROCESS. CLEARLY IT'S SOMETHING, WE'LL HAVE TO WORK ON STEP BY STEP.

MR. CHRISTOPHER MADE THE ARGUMENT THAT BOSNIAN SERB LEADERS RADOVAN KARADZIC AND GENERAL RATKO MLADIC SHOULD BE PROSECUTED BY THE TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE. PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RESPONDED THAT SERBIA WILL PROSECUTE ANY ACCUSED WAR CRIMINALS IN ITS POSSESSION BUT IT HAS NO LAW THAT PROVIDES FOR EXTRADITION.

U-S OFFICIALS SAY THAT POSITION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. IN ZAGREB, PRESIDENT TUDJMAN PROMISED TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS TO MAKE EXTRADITION OF WAR CRIMES SUSPECTS LEGALLY POSSIBLE. BY CONTRAST, SERBIA HAS ONLY OFFERED TO LET THE TRIBUNAL OPEN AN OFFICE IN BELGRADE AND TO ASSIST STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL JOHN SHATTUCK IN REACHING THE SITES OF SUSPECTED WAR CRIMES IN BOSNIA.

MR. SHATTUCK PLANS THIS WEEK TO VISIT OMARSKA, THE SITE OF A FORMER BOSNIAN SERB CONCENTRATION CAMP AND LJUBIJA, A MINE SHAFT WHERE THOUSANDS OF CORPSES OF MUSLIM AND CROAT VICTIMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED DUMPED.

THE BOSNIA PEACE AGREEMENT CONTAINS FUTURE DEADLINES ON ARMS CONTROL AND ON HOLDING ELECTIONS. RICHARD HOLBROOKE, THE AMERICAN DIPLOMAT WHO NEGOTIATED THE AGREEMENT, LEAVES GOVERNMENT SERVICE IN A LITTLE MORE THAN TWO WEEKS. THIS MEANS THAT MR. CHRISTOPHER WILL BE NEEDED TO SMOOTH OUT FUTURE ROUGH SPOTS. HE LEFT THE BALKANS OPTIMISTIC.

DAYTON WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS, NOT AN END. THE GOAL THAT WE SEEK IS TO BUILD THE FOUNDATIONS OF A PEACE THAT WILL SUSTAIN ITSELF FAR INTO FUTURE. I'M GLAD TO SAY THIS TRIP HAS LEFT ME FEELING WE ARE WELL DOWN THE ROAD TO ACHIEVING THAT END.

U-S OFFICIALS SAY SECRETARY OF STATE CHRISTOPHER MAY COME BACK IN THIS REGION IN A FEW MONTHS TO PUSH THESE THREE LEADERS FURTHER DOWN THAT ROAD. (SIGNED)

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04-Feb-96 5:09 PM EST (2209 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[03] CHRISTOPHER / SERBIA (LONG) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BELGRADE)

INTRO: SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER HAS MET WITH SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC IN BELGRADE. RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM THE SERBIAN CAPITAL, THEY DISCUSSED THE WAR-CRIME TRIBUNAL FOR BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA.

TEXT: DURING THE LAST STOP OF HIS WEEKEND BALKAN TOUR, SECRETARY OF STATE CHRISTOPHER URGED PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TO USE HIS INFLUENCE TO ENSURE INDICTED BOSNIAN-SERB LEADERS RADOVAN KARADZIC AND GENERAL RATKO MLADIC ARE TURNED OVER TO THE INTERNATIONAL WAR-CRIME TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE.

U-S OFFICIALS SAY SERBIA'S DRIVE FOR INTERNATIONAL LOANS AND MEMBERSHIP IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IS DEPENDENT ON ITS COOPERATION WITH THE WAR-CRIMES TRIBUNAL.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAYS PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC GAVE NO COMMITMENTS.

HE FEELS THAT THEY HAVE A SOUND PROCEDURE HERE WITHIN THIS COUNTRY FOR DOING SO. HE INDICATED A COMMITMENT TO COOPERATE IN PROSECUTION OF WAR CRIMES, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE URGING ALL THE COUNTRIES TO, NOT JUST SERBIA, BUT ALL THE COUNTRIES TO TURN OVER TO THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL ANY OF THOSE WHO ARE INDICTED AND WHO ARE RESIDING WITHIN THEIR COUNTRIES.

SERBIA WILL ALLOW THE TRIBUNAL TO OPEN AN OFFICE IN BELGRADE TO INVESTIGATE CRIMES AGAINST SERBS. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAYS THE UNITED STATES WILL CONTRIBUTE AN ADDITIONAL ONE-MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP THE TRIBUNALS EFFORT TO EXCAVATE MASS GRAVES IN BOSNIA.

PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TOLD REPORTERS THE TALKS WITH MR. CHRISTOPHER WERE FRANK AND OPEN. THE TALKS ARE A SIGN OF IMPROVING RELATIONS AFTER NEAR FIVE YEARS SINCE THE LAST VISIT BY A U-S SECRETARY OF STATE. (SIGNED) NEB/RAE 04-Feb-96 12:50 PM EST (1750 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[04] DAVOS: BOSNIA AID (L) BY BARRY WOOD (DAVOS)

INTRO: AT THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM IN SWITZERLAND A BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL ABOUT TO ENGAGE IN NEGOTIATIONS ON RECONSTRUCTION AID FROM WESTERN DONORS SAYS HIS WAR SHATTERED ECONOMY REQUIRES A HUGE INJECTION OF FOREIGN CAPITAL. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS FROM DAVOS, SWITZERLAND.

TEXT: THE NEW BOSNIAN PRIME MINISTER, HASAN MURATOVIC, SAYS WITHOUT RECONSTRUCTION THERE CAN BE NO ENDURING PEACE IN BOSNIA. THE NEWLY INSTALLED PRIME MINISTER OF THE MUSLIM LED GOVERNMENT SAYS THE WORLD BANK ESTIMATE OF THE COUNTRY'S FINANCIAL NEEDS IS TOO LOW.

THE WORLD BANK ASSESSED FIVE POINT ONE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE ALONE. BUT WE THINK THAT WITHOUT ABOUT THREE BILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD WE CAN NOT RECOVER OUR ECONOMY AND WE CANNOT PEOPLE TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES.

MR. MURATOVIC SAYS ONLY ABOUT ONE PERCENT OF THE BOSNIAN WORK FORCE IS CURRENTLY EMPLOYED IN PRODUCTIVE JOBS. HE SAID JOB CREATION IS THE FIRST PRIORITY OF HIS GOVERNMENT. HE SAID PRACTICALLY NO VILLAGES EXIST ANY LONGER IN BOSNIA. HE CALLED ON THE IFOR PEACEKEEPING TROOPS TO PAY FOR THE ACCOMODATION THAT THEY HAVE IN SOME CASES SEQUESTERED FROM LOCAL RESIDENTS.

THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, A GROUPING OF GLOBAL BUSINESS LEADERS, IS LAUNCHING AN INITIATIVE TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE RECONSTRUCTION NEEDS IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA. (SIGNED)

NEB/BDW/CB/LWM
04-Feb-96 2:55 PM EST (1955 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[05] E-U EXPANSION (L ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (DAVOS, SWITZERLAND )

INTRO: AT THE WEEK LONG MEETING IN SWITZERLAND OF BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT LEADERS COMPRISING THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM THERE HAS BEEN SHARP DISAGREEMENT ABOUT THE PACE OF PLANNED EUROPEAN-UNION EXPANSION. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS FROM DAVOS, SWITZERLAND THE EXPANSION IS TO INCLUDE THE NEW DEMOCRACIES OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE.

TEXT: FOR E-U COMMISSIONER, LEON BRITTAIN, EXPANSION TO EASTERN EUROPE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE EVER TO CONFRONT THE EUROPEAN UNION.

MR. BRITTAIN SAYS WESTERN EUROPE HAS A HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY AND DUTY TO ADMIT THE FAST REFORMING, FORMER COMMUNIST COUNTRIES OF EASTERN EUROPE. BUT MR. BRITTAIN IS NOT THE E-U OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF EXPANSION. THAT JOB IS HELD BY THE NETHERLANDS' HANS VAN DEN BROEK, WHO FAVORS A SLOWER AND MORE CAUTIOUS APPROACH. THE ACTUAL DECISION ABOUT NEW MEMBERS WILL BE MADE BY THE 15 HEADS OF GOVERNMENT WHO ARE AS YET FAR FROM REACHING CONSENSUS.

IN A PANEL DISCUSSION (SATURDAY) THE EXPANSION ISSUE EXPOSED SHARP DIVISIONS. VACLAV KLAUS, THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC -- A TOP CANDIDATE FOR EARLY ADMISSION -- UNDIPLOMATICALLY COMPLAINED ABOUT MR. VAN DEN BROEK'S GO SLOW APPROACH.

WHEN I LISTEN TO MR. VAN DEN BROEK HIS MAIN MESSAGE IS THAT THE ENLARGEMENT AND OUR ENTRY WILL BE DIFFICULT. THAT IS THE MESSAGE HE IS SELLING HERE. AND I MUST SAY, IT WILL BE EASY. IT WILL BE EASY COMPARED TO THE RADICAL TRANSFORMATION WHICH WE DID ACHIEVE IN THE PAST FIVE-YEARS FROM COMMUNISM TO A FREE SOCIETY. IT WILL BE MUCH EASIER FOR US. MAYBE IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR YOU. (APPLAUSE)

AN ANGRY MR. VAN DEN BROEK HAD A POINTED RESPONSE TO THE CZECH PRIME MINISTER.

I HAVE NOT HAD THE INTENTION TO ONLY POINT TO THE PROBLEMS AS SUCH. BUT IT IS NOT THE EUROPEAN UNION THAT IS JOINING THE CZECH REPUBLIC. IN OTHER WORDS WE SEE IT AS A TWO WAY STREET. WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT ENLARGEMENT I HAVE TO DO IT IN GENERALIZED TERMS. WHEN MR. KLAUS SPEAKS ABOUT ENLARGEMENT HE SPEAKS ABOUT THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM TEN CANDIDATE MEMBERS OR 15 MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION.

THE DUTCH COMMISSIONER SAID EXPANSION HAD TO BE SLOW BECAUSE OF TECHNICAL FACTORS, PARTICULARLY THE HUGE E-U AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDIES TO WHICH THE EASTERN APPLICANTS WOULD BE ENTITLED. THE E-U HAS REJECTED THE ABOLITION OF SUCH SUBSIDIES.

E-U MEMBERS WILL DEBATE A TIMETABLE FOR EASTERN EXPANSION AT A SPECIAL CONFERENCE THAT BEGINS IN ITALY NEXT MONTH. SOME EASTERN COUNTRIES -- POLAND, THE CZECH REPUBLIC, AND HUNGARY -- HAD PLANNED ON JOINING THE E-U BY THE YEAR 2000, A TARGET NOW SEEN AS INCREASINGLY UNLIKELY TO BE MET. (SIGNED)

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04-Feb-96 10:03 AM EST (1503 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[06] PERRY/NATO (L) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

INTRO: U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY SAYS NATO WILL PRESS AHEAD WITH PLANS TO ADMIT NEW MEMBER STATES DESPITE RUSSIAN OPPOSITION. V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS MR. PERRY MADE THE COMMENTS AT AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON EUROPEAN SECURITY ISSUES IN MUNICH, GERMANY.

TEXT: MR. PERRY'S COMMENTS ABOUT NATO EXPANSION COME ONE DAY AFTER A TOP RUSSIAN DEFENSE OFFICIAL WARNED OF A POSSIBLE BACKLASH IN HIS COUNTRY IF THE PLANS GO AHEAD. MR. PERRY SAID ENLARGEMENT OF THE 16-MEMBER ALLIANCE IS INEVITABLE, BUT NATO SHOULD NOT BE LOOKED UPON AS A THREAT TO RUSSIA. ALTHOUGH HE ACKNOWLEDGED RUSSIA VIEWS NATO EXPANSION WITH SUSPICION, MR. PERRY SAYS HE TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO RUSSIAN OFFICIALS NATO ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTES TO RUSSIAN SECURITY. HE SAID A STRONG WESTERN ALLIANCE PROVIDES STABILITY, KEEPS THE UNITED STATES INVOLVED IN EUROPEAN SECURITY AND KEEPS GERMANY BOUND INTO THE SECURITY ARCHITECTURE. MR. PERRY SAID HE WAS ENCOURAGED BY RUSSIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE NATO-LED PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN BOSNIA, AND DESCRIBED THE JOINT EFFORT AS A MODEL FOR OTHER VENTURES OF COOPERATION. DURING SATURDAY'S SESSION, GERMAN CHANCELLOR HELMUT KOHL TOLD REPRESENTATIVES NATO EXPANSION MUST KEEP RUSSIAN SECURITY INTERESTS IN MIND. HE SAID NATO TAKES RUSSIAN SECURITY CONCERNS SERIOUSLY AND THE ALLIANCE WANTS COOPERATION BETWEEN NATO AND RUSSIA TO BECOME THE CORE OF FUTURE SECURITY POLICY IN EUROPE. MR. PERRY AND CHANCELLOR KOHL ALSO WELCOMED THE RECENT FRENCH DECISION TO WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH THE ALLIANCE. MR. PERRY SAID THE WILLINGNESS OF FRANCE TO PARTICIPATE MORE FULLY IN NATO GIVES THE ALLIANCE A CHANCE TO ADAPT ITS STRUCTURES TO NEW MISSIONS AND CHALLENGES. CHANCELLOR KOHL, A CHAMPION OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION, CALLED FOR EUROPEAN NATIONS TO TAKE MORE RESPONSIBILITY WITHIN THE ALLIANCE AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ON MILITARY ASSIGNMENTS. BUT HE SAID SUCH EFFORTS SHOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO UNDERMINE THE EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES, WHICH REMAINS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO THE CONTINENT'S STABILITY. (SIGNED)

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04-Feb-96 9:08 AM EST (1408 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America