Voice of America, 23 & 24 March 1996

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

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] CHRISTOPHER/BOSNIA (S ONLY) BY RON PEMSTEIN (SHANNON, IRELAND )

INTRO: SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER IS FLYING HOME TO WASHINGTON FROM MOSCOW AFTER FINISHING A WEEK-LONG TRIP THROUGH EUROPE. RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM A REFUELING STOP IN IRELAND, THE UNITED STATES IS SUPPORTING A PROPOSAL TO TIE FUTURE AID TO BOSNIA TO THE RELEASE OF PRISONERS OF WAR.

TEXT: SECRETARY OF STATE CHRISTOPHER LEFT THE MOSCOW MINISTERIAL MEETING OF THE BOSNIA CONTACT GROUP BEFORE THE SESSION ENDED. HOWEVER, STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAY THE UNITED STATES SUPPORTED A PROPOSAL THERE TO DELAY HOLDING A DONOR'S CONFERENCE FOR FUTURE AID TO BOSNIA UNTIL THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE BOSNIAN SERBS EXCHANGE ALL 219 PRISONERS THEY HAVE BEEN HOLDING.

ACCORDING TO THE BOSNIA PEACE AGREEMENT, ALL PRISONERS OF WAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXCHANGED BY JANUARY 19TH. U-S OFFICIALS SAY ONLY A FEW PRISONERS HAVE BEEN EXCHANGED.

WHILE THE THREAT TO WITHHOLD RECONSTRUCTION AID APPLIES TO FUTURE YEARS, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS ON HIS AIRCRAFT, URGES THE U-S CONGRESS TO APPROVE A 200 MILLION DOLLAR FIRST PAYMENT NOW.

I URGE IN THE STRONGEST TERMS CONGRESS TO NOT DELAY ANY LONGER ON APPROPRIATING THE 200 MILLION DOLLARS. IT IS VITALLY NECESSARY IN ORDER TO SHOW THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO PROVIDE THE LEVERAGE THAT WE PROVIDE AND ALSO TO PROVIDE THE FUNDS FOR THE POLICE.

PROPOSALS IN CONGRESS WOULD DELAY THE MONEY AS LEVERAGE UNTIL THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT EXPELS ALL FOREIGN FORCES FROM THE COUNTRY. (SIGNED)

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23-Mar-96 11:53 AM EST (1653 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[02] GERMANY/HILLARY (S ONLY) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

INTRO: FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON HAS OPENED AN EIGHT-DAY GOODWILL TOUR OF EUROPE BY VISITING WITH U-S TROOPS AT AN ARMY BASE IN GERMANY. AS VOA'S KYLE KING REPORTS, PRESIDENT CLINTON'S WIFE AND DAUGHTER ARE SCHEDULED TO TRAVEL TO BOSNIA ON MONDAY.

TEXT: SEVERAL HUNDRED U-S SOLDIERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS GREETED THE U-S FIRST LADY AS SHE ARRIVED AT RAMSTEIN AIR BASE FOLLOWING THE SEVEN-HOUR FLIGHT FROM WASHINGTON. ACCOMPANIED BY HER DAUGHTER CHELSEA, MRS. CLINTON SHOOK HANDS AND SIGNED SEVERAL COPIES OF HER RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOK BEFORE TRAVELING ON TO A U-S MILITARY BASE AT BAUMHOLDER. THERE, THE FIRST LADY ATTENDED AN HOUR-LONG CHURCH SERVICE AND MET WITH THE FAMILIES OF SOLDIERS TAKING PART IN THE NATO LED PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN BOSNIA. MONDAY, MRS. CLINTON IS SCHEDULED TO FLY TO TUZLA, THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE AMERICAN CONTINGENT TO THE BOSNIA OPERATION. THE VISIT COMES AS U-S TROOPS ARE MOURNING THE DEATH OF AN ARMY PRIVATE WHO WAS KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT IN BOSNIA ON FRIDAY. HE IS THE SECOND AMERICAN TO DIE IN THE OPERATION SINCE IT BEGAN. FOLLOWING HER TRIP TO BOSNIA, MRS. CLINTON'S EIGHT-DAY TOUR IS EXPECTED TO TAKE HER TO ITALY, TURKEY AND GREECE. (SIGNED)

NEB/KBK/DW/SD
24-Mar-96 11:45 AM EST (1645 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[03] GERMANY / ELECTIONS (S UPDATE) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

INTRO: INITIAL PROJECTIONS FROM THREE KEY REGIONAL ELECTIONS IN GERMANY SHOW CHANCELLOR HELMUT KOHL'S CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS AND HIS COALTION PARTNERS PICKING UP SUPPORT IN ALL THREE STATE PARLIAMENTS.

AS VOA'S KYLE KING REPORTS, THE ELECTIONS ARE BEING SEEN AS AN IMPORTANT MID-TERM JUDGEMENT ON CHANCELLOR HELMUT KOHL'S CONSERVATIVE COALITION GOVERNMENT.

TEXT: ANALYSTS SAY THE STRONG SHOWING BY CHANCELLOR KOHL'S CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS AND HIS COALITION PARTNERS, THE FREE DEMOCRATS, PROVIDES HIM WITH AN IMPORTANT BOOST IN CONFIDENCE.

MR. KOHL'S JUNIOR COALITION PARTNERS, THE FREE DEMOCRATS HAD GONE INTO THE ELECTIONS HAVING LOST 12 OF THE PAST 13 CONTESTS, AND SOME EXPERTS SAID A POOR SHOWING WOULD HAVE SERIOUSLY ERODED THEIR INFLUENCE.

FOREIGN MINISTER KLAUS KINKEL, A FORMER FREE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIRMAN, SAID THE PARTY HAD RECOVERED FROM ITS SLUMP, AND ITS STRONG SHOWING WOULD STRENGTHEN THE NATIONAL COALITION GOVERNMENT IN BONN.

THE BOOST IN SUPPORT FOR THE FREE DEMOCRATS AND MR. KOHL'S OWN CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS COMES AT A TIME WHEN HIS GOVERNMENT IS FACED WITH RECORD HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT AND STAGNANT ECONOMIC GROWTH.

POLITICAL OBSERVERS SAY THE WEEKEND ELECTIONS WILL LIKELY HELP THE CHANCELLOR DEAL MORE ENERGETICALLY WITH THE TOUGH MEASURES NEEDED TO DEAL WITH GERMANY'S ECONOMIC PROBLEMS. (SIGNED)

NEB/KBK/CB/SD
24-Mar-96 2:24 PM EST (1924 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[04] HILLARY / EUROPE SCENESETTER (S ONLY) BY DEBORAH TATE (WHITE HOUSE)

INTRO: FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON LEAVES FOR EUROPE LATER TODAY (SATURDAY) TO MEET WITH U-S TROOPS TAKING PART IN THE NATO LED PEACE IMPLEMENTATION FORCE IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. MRS. CLINTON, WHO WILL BE TRAVELING WITH HER TEENAGE DAUGHTER, CHELSEA, WILL ALSO MAKE STOPS IN TURKEY AND GREECE. V-O-A'S WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT DEBORAH TATE HAS A PREVIEW.

TEXT: HILLARY CLINTON'S TRIP IS SEEN BY OBSERVERS AS AN ATTEMPT TO BOOST HER IMAGE IN A YEAR IN WHICH HER HUSBAND IS RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION.

IT COMES TWO MONTHS AFTER SHE TESTIFIED BEFORE A FEDERAL GRAND JURY ABOUT LEGAL WORK SHE DID FOR A FAILED SAVINGS AND LOAN INSTITUTION WHEN HER HUSBAND WAS GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS. HER CONTROVERSIAL ROLE IS DETAILED IN A NEW BOOK, 'BLOOD SPORT', RELEASED THIS MONTH.

OBSERVERS SAY MRS. CLINTON'S TRIP -- HER FOURTH MAJOR OVERSEAS JOURNEY WITHOUT THE PRESIDENT -- WILL HELP CAST HER IN A MORE POSITIVE LIGHT.

THE FIRST LADY WILL BE MAKING STOPS IN BAUMHOLDER, GERMANY AND AVIANO, ITALY TO MEET WITH FAMILIES OF U-S TROOPS SERVING IN BOSNIA.

SHE WILL ALSO VISIT THE NORTHEASTERN BOSNIAN TOWN OF TUZLA TO GREET AMERICAN SOLDIERS, AND TO MEET WITH BOSNIAN OFFICIALS.

MRS. CLINTON CONCLUDES HER TRIP WITH VISITS TO TURKEY AND GREECE FOR PRIVATE MEETINGS WITH OFFICIALS AND SOME CULTURAL EVENTS.

WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN MIKE MCCURRY SAYS THE PRESIDENT IS DELIGHTED THAT HIS WIFE IS MAKING THE TRIP, SAYING HE ENCOURAGED HER TO GO.

MRS. CLINTON RETURNS TO WASHINGTON APRIL FIRST. (SIGNED)

NEB/DAT/PT
???????? 23-Mar-96 3:23 AM EST (0823 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[05] TURKEY / GREECE (L ONLY) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN (ANKARA)

INTRO: TURKEY'S NEW PRIME MINISTER, MESUT YILMAZ, HAS OFFERED TO HOLD TALKS WITH GREECE WITHOUT ANY PRECONDITIONS. AS AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM ANKARA, GREEK DIPLOMATS HAILED THE MOVE AS A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN RELATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN STRAINED BY DIFFERENCES OVER TERRITORIAL RIGHTS IN THE AEGEAN SEA.

TEXT: IN HIS FIRST NEWS CONFERENCE SINCE TAKING OFFICE LESS THAN A MONTH AGO THE PRIME MINISTER TOLD REPORTERS SUNDAY THAT THE LEADERS OF BOTH TURKEY AND GREECE HAD A HISTORIC RESPONSIBLITY TO ESTABLISH WHAT HE TERMED A CLIMATE OF MUTUAL CONFIDENCE.

MR YILMAZ SAID TURKEY WAS WILLING TO REACH A SETTLEMENT OF THE AEGEAN DISPUTE IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW AND -- IF NEEDED -- WITH THE ARBITRATION OF THIRD PARTIES.

UNTIL NOW TURKEY HAS REJECTED THE INTERVENTION OF THIRD PARTIES IN ITS LONG-RUNNING DISPUTE WITH GREECE OVER THE TERRITORIAL WATERS OF THE AGEAN SEA. THE DISPUTE AFFECTS THE STATUS OF THOUSANDS OF SMALL ISLANDS SCATTERED ACROSS THE AGEAN.

GREECE AND TURKEY, BOTH MEMBERS OF NATO, NEARLY WENT TO WAR IN JANUARY OVER A SMALL ISLAND CALLED IMIA BY THE GREEKS AND KARDAK BY THE TURKS. THE CRISIS WAS DEFUSED AFTER THE UNITED STATES INTERVENED.

GREEK DIPLOMATS IN ANKARA DESCRIBE MR. YILMAZ'S OFFER AS A SIGNIFICANT MOVE TOWARD PEACE. GREECE HAS BEEN CALLING FOR THE AGEAN DISPUTE TO BE SETTLED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE IN THE HAGUE.

SOME ANALYSTS, HOWEVER, SAY MR. YILMAZ'S OFFER IS AIMED AT PERSUADING GREECE TO TO LIFT ITS BLOCKADE OF EUROPEAN UNION FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO TURKEY. THE FUNDS ARE TO OFFSET THE LOSSES INCURRED BY TURKISH INDUSTRY AS THE RESULT OF A FREE TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN TURKEY AND THE EUROPEAN UNION WHICH WENT INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY FIRST.

BUT MR. YILMAZ SAID THE TWO ISSUES WERE NOT LINKED. (SIGNED)

NEB/AZ/DW/SD
24-Mar-96 7:53 AM EST (1253 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America