Voice of America, 8 April 1996

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

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] MONDAY'S HEADLINES BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THERE ARE MANY SUBJECTS UNDER DISCUSSION IN MONDAY'S EDITORIALS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. SOME OF THE MORE COMMON TOPICS INCLUDE: IRAN'S SUPPLYING ARMS TO BOSNIA IN DEFIANCE OF THE U-N EMBARGO, WITH APPARENT U-S CONSENT; PROBLEMS CONFRONTING THE WORLD'S SO-CALLED MEGACITIES; THE ON-GOING WAR IN CHECHNYA; AN ASSAULT ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL TENENT OF HABEAS CORPUS; AND THE

TEXT: SEVERAL PAPERS ARE COMMENTING ON LAST WEEK'S "LOS ANGELES TIMES" STORY THAT DURING 1994, IRAN SHIPPED MILITARY ARMS TO THE BELEAGUERED GOVERNMENT OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA WITH THE TACIT APPROVAL OF THE UNITED STATES, ALTHOUGH THE SHIPMENTS VIOLATED A U-N EMARGO. "THE WASHINGTON TIMES" OFFERS THIS COMMENT:

VOICE: "AT THE VERY LEAST, THE CHARGE OF MASSIVE HYPOCRISY CAN BE LAID AT THE PRESIDENT'S DOOR. WHETHER ANY LAWS WERE BROKEN CLEARLY NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED, AND REPUBLICAN LEADERS PUT THE ADMINISTRATION ON NOTICE ... THAT IT WILL BE... HOWEVER, MOST SERIOUS OF ALL COULD BE THE FACT THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE PLENTY OF ALTERNATIVES AVAILABLE, THE WHITE HOUSE PRACTICALLY INVITED IRAN, SPONSOR OF VIOLENT FUNDAMENTALIST REVOLUTIONS, RIGHT INTO THE HEART OF EUROPE."

TEXT: ADDS TODAY'S "BALTIMORE SUN:"

VOICE: "EVEN IF THE PRESIDENT GETS LITTLE FLAK [CRITICISM] FOR THIS EXERCISE IN DUPLICITOUS STATECRAFT, THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION CAN HARDLY ESCAPE THE CONSEQUENCES OF ITS ACTIONS. CLOSE TIES BETWEEN IRAN AND BOSNIA'S MUSLIMS CAN BE SEEN IN THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF IRANIAN TROOPS IN BOSNIA IN DEFIANCE OF THE DAYTON PEACE ACCORDS... AMERICA'S INTERVENTION IN BOSNIA COULD YET TURN SOUR."

TEXT: "THE NEW YORK TIMES" CONCERNS ITSELF WITH A UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON SO-CALLED MEGACITIES, THE GROWING METRO AREAS OF THE WORLD THAT ARE INCREASINGLY UNABLE TO COPE WITH SO MANY PEOPLE.

VOICE: "IT IS DIFFICULT TO THINK OF A MORE URGENT OR UNATTENDED MATTER ON THE GLOBAL AGENDA. AT ITS MOST RUDIMENTARY, THE JUNE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE IN ISTANBUL FORMALLY CALLED HABITAT TWO, THE 'CITY SUMMIT,' CAN JUSTIFY ITSELF BY CONCENTRATING MINDS ON THE FACT THAT MORE THAN THREE BILLION PEOPLE WILL SOON BE URBAN DWELLERS. BY HISTORICAL STANDARDS, THIS IS A NOVEL PROBLEM. IT TOOK 130 YEARS FOR LONDON TO SWELL FROM ONE TO EIGHT MILLION INHABITANTS, BUT LAGOS, NIGERIA, WHICH HAD ONLY 290-THOUSAND PEOPLE IN 1950, IS EXPECTED TO SOAR TO 24-POINT-FOUR MILLION PEOPLE BY 2015... AVERTING DISASTER WILL REQUIRE NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND INFORMATION SHARING ABOUT WORKABLE STRATEGIES -- ALL POTENTIAL DIVIDENDS OF THE ISTANBUL CONFERENCE."

TEXT: TURNING TO ONE OF THE MANY OPEN CONFLICTS AROUND THE WORLD, "THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR" AGAIN FOCUSES ON WHAT IT FEELS IS THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT'S FLAWED POLICY IN CHECHNYA.

VOICE: "IF THIS IS A CEASE-FIRE, IT'S A MIGHTY STRANGE ONE. [PRESIDENT] YELTSIN ANNOUNCED THAT RUSSIAN TROOPS WOULD STOP COMBAT OPERATIONS AND WITHDRAW, AND THAT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHECHENS WOULD BEGIN WITH A VIEW TO GIVING THEM A VERY HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY. THE CHECHENS, NO DUMMIES THEY, WERE SKEPTICAL. AND THEY WERE RIGHT: [MR.] YELTSIN CAUTIONED THAT OPERATIONS AGAINST 'TERRORISM' IN CHECHNYA WOULD CONTINUE. BASED ON LAST WEEK'S CONTINUED HEAVY FIGHTING, WHICH INCLUDED RUSSIAN PLANES AGAIN BOMBING CIVILIANS, IT APPEARS THAT [THE TERMS] 'TERRORISTS' AND 'REBELS' ARE SYNONYMOUS."

TEXT: RETURNING TO DOMESTIC CONCERNS, ANOTHER "NEW YORK TIMES" EDITORIAL EXPRESSES FEAR THAT ONE OF THE MOST HALLOWED PRINCIPALS OF U-S CONSTITUTIONAL LAW IS UNDER THREAT. THE PAPER IS WORRIED THAT CONGRESS WILL WEAKEN THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS -- THE CONCEPT THAT DEMANDS THE GOVERNMENT JUSTIFY IN COURT THE JAILING OF A DEFENDANT. IT COMES FROM ENGLISH COMMON LAW AND IS A VENERATED RIGHT OF DEFENDANTS IN THE UNITED STATES. SAYS "THE TIMES."

VOICE: "MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE EXPLOITING PUBLIC CONCERNS ABOUT TERRORISM TO THREATEN BASIC CIVIL LIBERTIES. OF THESE, NOT ONE IS MORE PRECIOUS THAN THE WRIT OF HABEAS CORPUS -- THE VENERABLE GREAT WRIT DEVISED BY ENGLISH JUDGES TO GUARD AGAINST ARBITRARY IMPRISONMENT AND, IN MODERN TERMS, A VITAL SHIELD AGAINST UNFAIR TRAILS. BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE HAVE VOTED TO WEAKEN THE MODERN VERSION OF HABEAS CORPUS BEYOND RECOGNITION... PRESIDENT CLINTON, WHO HAS WAFFLED ON THE ISSUE, NEEDS TO WARN CONGRESS THAT HE WILL NOT SIGN THIS UNCONSTITUTIONAL MEASURE JUST TO GET A TERRORISM LAW."

TEXT: THE REVOLUTIONARY U-S FARM BILL RECENTLY SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT CLINTON IS OF GENUINE CONCERN TO THE "BOSTON GLOBE", WHICH SAYS IN PART:

VOICE: "AS CONGRESS AND THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION MOVE GRADUALLY TOWARD CLOSING OUT HALF A CENTURY OF SUBSIDIZING AGRICULTURE, THIS VITAL SECTOR FACES A HOST OF PROBLEMS AND UNCERTAINTIES. WILD SWINGS IN PRICE, COMPARATIVELY RARE IN THE PAST, MAY BECOME MORE COMMONPLACE, CARRYING WITH THEM THE POSSIBILITIES OF GREAT PROFIT -- AND SHATTERING LOSSES... BUT FARM SUBSIDIES, COUPLED WITH ATTEMPTS TO AVOID UNSALABLE SURPLUSES THROUGH LIMITS ON ACREAGE PUT UNDER THE PLOW, HAVE LED TO HUGE INCREASES IN PRODUCTION PER ACRE AS FARMERS SOUGHT TO MAXIMIZE OUTPUT ON SMALLER AREAS. THE FUTURE SHAPE OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURE WILL BE DETERMINED TO AN EVEN LARGER EXTENT BY WORLD PRODUCTION AND WORLD MARKETS -- A FACT THAT PLACES EVEN HEAVIER BURDENS ON TRADE NEGOTIATORS TO MAKE SURE THOSE MARKETS ARE FREELY ACCESSIBLE TO AMERICAN PRODUCTS."

TEXT: AND LASTLY, TODAY'S "MIAMI HERALD" REPEATES ITS OBJECTIONS TO THE CAMPAIGN BY SOME IN MIAMI'S EXILE CUBAN COMMUNITY TO HAVE THE V-O-A'S CUBAN BROADCASTING OPERATION, RADIO MARTI, MOVED TO TO MIAMI:

VOICE: "THE HERALD HAS ARGUED FOR YEARS THAT MOVING IT [RADIO MARTI] TO MIAMI WOULD DIMINISH RADIO MARTI'S EFFECTIVENESS AND AUTHORITY IN THE EYES OF ITS CUBAN AUDIENCE BY CONFUSING IT WITH OTHER MIAMI SPANISH-LANGUAGE STATIONS. IT COULD ALSO EXPOSE THE STATION TO GREATER POLITICAL PRESSURE FROM HEAVYWEIGHTS [CUBAN-AMERICANS WITH POLITICAL POWER] HERE... THE WHITE HOUSE AND CONGRESS [SHOULD] SUBJECT THIS MOVE TO PUBLIC DEBATE. "

TEXT: AND ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE EDITORIALS TO BE FOUND IN MONDAY'S U-S PRESS. NEB/ANG/PCH

08-Apr-96 10:59 AM EDT (1459 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[02] BOSNIA RECONSTRUCTION (L ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD ( PRAGUE )

INTRO: THE WORLD BANK AND THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL CHAIR A MEETING LATER THIS WEEK IN BRUSSELS (EDITORS: FRIDAY AND SATURDAY) OF COUNTRIES AND ORGANIZATIONS WHICH HAVE GIVEN PROMISES OF MONEY TO HELP REBUILD BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD HAS THIS PREVIEW OF THE MEETING.

TEXT: THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S TOP OFFICIAL IN BOSNIA, CARL BILDT, SAID MONDAY THE AID PLEDGING CONFERENCE WILL GO FORWARD ON SCHEDULE. SPEAKING IN TOKYO (MONDAY), WHERE HE IS SEEKING JAPANESE MONEY FOR BOSNIAN RECONSTRUCTION, MR. BILDT SAID THE VARIOUS FACTIONS HAD MADE ENOUGH PROGRESS ON RELEASING PRISONERS SO THAT THE MEETING COULD BE HELD. THE FORMER SWEDISH PRIME MINISTER SAID ONLY HIS THREAT TO POSTPONE THE DONORS CONFERENCE HAD FORCED THE PARTIES INTO COMPLYING WITH THE PRISONER RELEASE PROVISIONS OF THE DAYTON PEACE ACCORD.

THE CONFERENCE WILL BRING TOGETHER DOZENS OF DONORS WHO ARE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE ONE POINT EIGHT BILLION DOLLARS TO BOSNIA THIS YEAR. THAT AMOUNT IS THE FIRST PHASE OF A LARGER FIVE BILLION DOLLAR, FOUR YEAR AID PROGRAM.

THERE IS CONSIDERABLE FRUSTRATION AT THE SLOW PACE OF GETTING RECONSTRUCTION MONEY INTO THE WAR-DEVASTATED FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC. SO FAR, LESS THAN 400 MILLION DOLLARS IN PROMISED AID HAS BEEN RELEASED BY DONOR GOVERNMENTS. THE WORLD BANK, WHICH IS COORDINATING THE AID EFFORT, SAYS IT HAS ALREADY PROVIDED 150 MILLION DOLLARS TO BOSNIA, MOST OF THAT BEING USED TO PAY FOR ESSENTIAL IMPORTS.

LAST WEEK THE WORLD BANK PRESIDENT WAS IN BOSNIA, WHERE HE WELCOMED THE COUNTRY AS ITS NEWEST MEMBER AND SIGNED LOAN AGREEMENTS FOR ANOTHER 270 MILLION DOLLARS. THE NEW MONEY WILL BE USED TO REBUILD ROADS, BRIDGES AND AIRPORTS, REPAIR SANITATION SYSTEMS AND PROVIDE SEED FOR THE SPRING PLANTING. THE 15 COUNTRIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION ARE PROVIDING THE BIGGEST PERCENTAGE OF THE BOSNIAN AID. E-U FOREIGN MINISTERS ARE MEETING THIS WEEK TO DISCUSS ELEMENTS OF THE AID PROGRAM.

MR. BILDT'S DEPUTY FOR RECONSTRUCTION COMPLAINS THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS LAGGING BEHIND ON THE AID COMMITMENTS MADE AT A PRELIMINARY PLEDGING CONFERENCE LAST DECEMBER. PAULINE NEVILLE-JONES SAYS THERE IS A FUNDING GAP OF ABOUT 500 MILLION DOLLARS. SHE URGED ISLAMIC COUNTRIES TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE AID PROGRAM AND FOR THE UNITED STATES TO DO MORE. MS. NEVILLE-JONES SAYS THE BRUSSELS CONFERENCE WILL REPRIMAND AID LAGGARDS AND TRY TO PERSUADE OTHERS TO PLEDGE MORE.

THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT SAYS IT HAS IDENTIFIED AID PROJECTS WORTH OVER FIVE BILLION DOLLARS. THE WORLD BANK SAYS BOSNIA'S NEEDS ARE ENORMOUS. IT SAYS A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE DIED IN THE WAR, THAT 200 THOUSAND ARE WOUNDED, A THIRD OF ALL HEALTH FACILITIES ARE DAMAGED, HALF OF ALL EDUCATION FACILITIES AND TWO THIRDS OF ALL HOUSING ARE DAMAGED. AND IT SAYS NINE OUT OF TEN PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY DEPENDENT ON HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE. (SIGNED)

NEB/BDW/MH/MMK
08-Apr-96 8:28 AM EDT (1228 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[03] BOSNIA SITREP (L UPDATE) BY WAYNE COREY ( VIENNA )

INTRO: YUGOSLAVIA AND THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA HAVE SIGNED AN AGREEMENT TO NORMALIZE THEIR RELATIONS. THEY ARE ESTABLISHING FULL DIPLOMATIC TIES, AND THEY HAVE PLEDGED NOT TO INTERFERE IN EACH OTHER'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS. V-O-A'S CENTRAL EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT, WAYNE COREY REPORTS.

TEXT: THE AGREEMENT ON FULL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN YUGOSLAVIA AND MACEDONIA WAS SIGNED IN BELGRADE BY YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER MILAN MILUTINOVIC AND HIS MACEDONIAN COUNTERPART, LJUBOMIR FRCKOVSKI. THE YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER WELCOMED THE AGREEMENT. HE SAYS RELATIONS BETWEEN HIS COUNTRY AND MACEDONIA WERE GOOD EVEN BEFORE THE ACCORD WAS SIGNED. MACEDONIA PEACEFULLY BROKE FROM YUGOSLAVIA IN NOVEMBER, 1991. WITH THE INDEPENDENCE OF SLOVENIA, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, AND CROATIA, YUGOSLAVIA NOW CONSISTS ONLY OF THE REPUBLICS OF SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO. ALTHOUGH THE YUGOSLAV ARMY NEVER SERIOUSLY THREATENED TO ATTACK MACEDONIA, A SMALL INTERNATIONAL PEACE-KEEPING FORCE WAS SENT THERE AS A DETERRENT. YUGOSLAVIA AND MACEDONIA NEED EACH OTHER FOR ECONOMIC REASONS. THEY ALSO HAVE A COMMON PROBLEM -- LARGE AND VOLATILE ETHNIC-ALBANIAN MINORITIES. MEANWHILE, BOSNIAN SERBS SAY THEY ARE COMPLYING WITH INTERNATIONAL DEMANDS TO FREE THEIR REMAINING WAR PRISONERS OR CHARGE THEM WITH WAR CRIMES. THE SERBS SAY THEY HAVE SENT EVIDENCE OF WAR CRIMES, ALLEGEDLY COMMITTED BY 16 PRISONERS, TO THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE. THESE PRISONERS ARE SAID TO HAVE BEEN GROUPED TOGETHER IN THE SERB STRONGHOLD AT PALE. THE SERBS ALSO SAY THEY WILL FREE A FEW OTHER PRISONERS, NOT SUSPECTED OF WAR CRIMES. BUT THE OFFICE OF CARL BILDT, THE INTERNATIONAL OFFICIAL RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING CIVIL ASPECTS OF THE BOSNIAN PEACE AGREEMENT, SAYS THE SERBS HAVE NOT SENT INFORMATION TO THE HAGUE ABOUT ALL 16 PRISONERS IN QUESTION. MR. BILDT HAS SAID HE WILL DECIDE BY WEDNESDAY IF THE SERBS HAVE MET HIS DEMANDS OR IF THEY SHOULD BE BANNED FROM AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE ON POST-WAR RECONSTRUCTION AID FOR BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. THE SERBS COULD LOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN AID IF THEY DO NOT ATTEND THE CONFERENCE. (SIGNED)

NEB/WC/MH/RAE
08-Apr-96 1:26 PM EDT (1726 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[04] OLYMPIC FLAME PLANE BY CATHERINE MOSER (LONG BEACH)

INTRO: THE U-S DELTA AIRLINES HAS PRESENTED TODAY (MONDAY) THE JETLINER THAT WILL TRANSPORT THE OLYMPIC FLAME FROM GREECE TO THE UNITED STATES LATER THIS MONTH FOR A CROSS-COUNTRY RELAY RUN TO THE CENTENNIAL SUMMER GAMES IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA. V-O-A'S CATHY MOSER WAS ON HAND AT DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT IN LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA FOR THE ROLL-OUT OF THE SPECIALLY-DECORATED AIRPLANE:

TEXT: /// MUSIC: "THEME FOR THE COMMON MAN" ///

AARON COPLAND'S "THEME FOR THE COMMON MAN" HERALDED THE UNVEILING OF A MOST UN-COMMON LOOKING AIRPLANE. THE DARK BLUE-AND-WHITE M-D-11 JUMBO JET CALLED "THE CENTENNIAL SPIRIT" SPORTS A DISTINCTIVE PAINT JOB; RED, BLUE, MAGENTA AND ORANGE STARS SPARKING FROM A BRIGHT FLAME AND THE OFFICIAL OLYMPIC EMBLEM ARE PAINTED ON THE 17-METER HIGH TAIL FIN AND ENGINE. DELTA AIRLINES SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT MARTIN BRAHAM EXPLAINS HOW THE "CENTENNIAL SPIRIT" WILL FLY THE OLYMPIC FLAME AROUND THE WORLD:

IN ATHENS, THE OLYMPIC FLAME WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO A SPECIALLY PREPARED SAFETY LANTERN, SIMILAR TO THOSE COMMONLY USED IN MINING, FOR THIS FLIGHT. THE FLAME BURNS CLEANLY IN AN ENCLOSED ENVIRONMENT AND IT HAS BEEN PREPARED WITH ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE 14-HOUR TRIP TO LOS ANGELES. THE 15-INCH [38-CENTIMETER] TALL BRASS CYLINDER WILL HANG ON A BRACKET BUILT INTO THE MAIN CABIN OF "THE CENTENNIAL SPIRIT" WHERE IT WILL BE MONITORED FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP, TO MAKE SURE IT BURNS BRIGHTLY ALL THE WAY TO CALIFORNIA.

AND MR. BRAHAM SAYS NOBODY SHOULD WORRY ABOUT A MISHAP SNUFFING OUT THE OLYMPIC FLAME:

A BACK-UP LANTERN WILL BE ABOARD AS AN ADDITIONAL PRECAUTION.

IT WAS COMPLICATED, NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE DESIGN, BUT BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF COLORS WE USED. MOST MD-11S ARE PAINTED WITH THREE COLORS, BUT THE CENTENNIAL SPIRIT WAS TREATED WITH 14 COLORS. THE METICULOUS JOB TOOK ONE HUNDRED NINETY FOUR GALLONS [735 LITERS] OF PAINT AND TWO WEEKS OF WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO COMPLETE.

[05] TURKEY/ISRAEL (L ONLY) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN ( ANKARA)

INTRO: SYRIA HAS EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER A MILITARY COOPERATON AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN TURKEY AND ISRAEL. AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM ANKARA ON A CONFIDENTIAL ACCORD THAT HAS BEEN LEAKED TO THE PRESS.

TEXT: THE SYRIAN EMBASSY HERE EXPRESSED ITS CONCERN OVER AN ARRANGEMENT ALLOWING THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE TO TRAIN IN TURKEY.

THE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT SAID IT HOPED THAT ANKARA WOULD REVIEW THE AGREEMENT AND SAFEGUARD WHAT IT TERMED THE HISTORIC RELATIONS BETWEEN THE ISLAMIC PEOPLE AND THE ARAB STATES.

TURKEY BECAME THE FIRST MUSLIM COUNTRY TO OPEN ITS AIR SPACE AND MILITARY BASES TO THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE FOR TRAINING PURPOSES WHEN TURKISH OFFICIALS SIGNED A MILITARY COOPERATION ACCORD IN TEL AVIV IN FEBRUARY.

TURKISH DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY THE USE OF TURKISH AIRSPACE WAS GRANTED TO THE ISRAELIS IN VIEW OF WHAT THEY DESCRIBED AS ISRAEL'S LIMITED AIRSPACE.

FOREIGN OBSERVERS SAY THE LEAKING OF THE ACCORD IS CLEARLY INTENDED AS A WARNING TO SYRIA, WHICH THEY SAY HAS BEEN STEADILY STRENGTHENING MILITARY TIES WITH GREECE -- A CLAIM SYRIA DENIES.

ANKARA ALSO ACCUSES SYRIA OF ARMING THE OUTLAWED KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, OR P-K-K. THE P-K-K LEADER ABUDLLAH OCALAN IS WIDELY BELIEVED TO LIVE IN DAMASCUS.

RELATIONS BETWEEN ANKARA AND DAMASCUS HAVE TAKEN A FURTHER PLUNGE FOLLOWING SYRIA'S RECENT CAMPAIGN TO RALLY ARAB SUPPORT AGAINST TURKEY OVER THE SHARING OF THE WATERS OF THE EUPHRATES RIVER.

DAMASCUS HAS LONG CLAIMED THAT TURKEY'S MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR IRRIGATION PROJECT IN SOUTHEAST ANATOLIA HAS JEOPARDIZED ITS SUPPLY OF THE RIVER'S WATERS ON WHICH IT HEAVILY DEPENDS. THE PROJECT, KNOWN AS THE GAP, INCLUDES CONSTRUCTION OF 22 DAMS ON THE EUPHRATES.

ANKARA SAYS THAT BECAUSE THE RIVER ORIGINATES IN TURKEY, DAMASCUS HAS NO RIGHT TO DICTATE HOW MUCH WATER IT SHOULD GET. (SIGNED)

NEB/AZ/MH/MMK
08-Apr-96 12:08 PM EDT (1608 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[06] YUGO/MACEDONIA (S ONLY) BY WAYNE COREY ( VIENNA )

INTRO: YUGOSLAVIA AND THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA ARE ESTABLISHING FULL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. ALTHOUGH THE AGREEMENT STOPS SHORT OF FULL RECOGNITION, THEY HAVE PROMISED NOT TO INTERFERE IN EACH OTHER'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS. V-O-A'S CENTRAL EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT, WAYNE COREY REPORTS.

TEXT: AN AGREEMENT TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS BETWEEN YUGOSLAVIA AND MACEDONIA HAS BEEN SIGNED IN BELGRADE BY THE TWO COUNTRIES' FOREIGN MINISTERS. THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FOR FULL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS TO BE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN BELGRADE AND SKOPJE. YUGOSLAVIA AND MACEDONIA STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING ECONOMIC TIES, AND THEY PLEDGED NOT TO INTERFERE IN EACH OTHER'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS. UNLIKE BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND CROATIA, MACEDONIA PEACEFULLY OBTAINED ITS INDEPENDENCE FROM YUGOSLAVIA IN 1991. BUT, A SMALL INTERNATIONAL PEACE-KEEPING FORCE HAS BEEN BASED IN MACEDONIA SINCE 1993 TO DISCOURAGE ANY POSSIBLE, HOSTILE MOVES BY BELGRADE. THE NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN YUGOSLAVIA AND MACEDONIA IS IMPORTANT FOR SYMBOLIC AS WELL AS PRACTICAL REASONS. IT IS AN ESSENTIAL, IF NOT DECISIVE, STEP TOWARD POST-WAR RECONCILIATION IN THE BALKANS. (SIGNED)

NEB/WC/MH /MMK
08-Apr-96 11:08 AM EDT (1508 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America