Voice of America, 96-06-22

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From: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>

CONTENTS

[01] E-U SUMMIT (L&S) BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)

[02] ALBANIA/BERISHA (L ONLY) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (GENEVA)

[01] E-U SUMMIT (L&S) BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: EUROPEAN UNION LEADERS HAVE REACHED AGREEMENT ON A SERIES OF FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES AT THE END OF THEIR TWO-DAY SUMMIT IN FLORENCE, ITALY. THE MEETING HAD BEEN THREATENED BY A DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND BRITAIN OVER AN OUTBREAK OF MAD COW DISEASE, BUT THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED FRIDAY. JOHN FRASER REPORTS.

TEXT: THE 15 EUROPEAN UNION LEADERS HAVE BEEN ASSESSING RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA AND AMERICA, BOSNIA AND ISRAEL

WHILE THEY STOPPED SHORT OF PUBLICLY ENDORSING PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN, THE E-U HEADS OF GOVERNMENT SAID THE SUCCESS OF THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS WILL STRENGTHEN STABILITY IN EUROPE.

THE E-U LEADERS WERE MORE CRITICAL OF AMERICA, AND IN PARTICULAR OF LEGISLATION WHICH WILL PUNISH FOREIGN FIRMS WHICH DO BUSINESS IN CUBA, LIBYA AND IRAN. THE LEGISLATION WOULD ALLOW EUROPEAN FIRMS TO BE TAKEN TO COURT IN THE U-S BECAUSE OF BUSINESS THEY DO IN CUBA. SIMILAR LEGISLATION IS BEING PREPARED WHICH WILL AFFECT EUROPEAN FIRMS IN LIBYA AND IRAN.

THE EUROPEAN UNION LEADERS EXPRESSED DEEP CONCERN AT THE UNITED STATES LAWS, WHICH ARE TO BE CHALLENGED IN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION. ON BOSNIA, THE 15 EUROPEAN HEADS OF GOVERNMENT SAID BOSNIAN SERB LEADER RADOVAN KARADZIC, INDICTED FOR WAR CRIMES, SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE POLITICAL SCENE. THEY GAVE THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE HOLDING OF ELECTION IN BOSNIA ON SEPTEMBER 14TH.

THE SUMMIT CALLED ON THE NEW ISRAELI LEADER, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, TO PURSUE PEACE BY HANDING BACK TERRITORY CAPTURED BY HIS COUNTRY IN THE 1967 MIDDLE EAST WAR.

CLOSER TO HOME, THE EUROPEAN UNION AGREED TO CREATE MORE JOBS, AND TO PREPARE A DRAFT NEW TREATY TO REFORM DECISION MAKING PROCESSES -- BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO AGREE ON EXTRA SPENDING OF ONE AND A HALF BILLION DOLLARS ON INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN EUROPE.

THE SUMMIT ALSO REACHED A LONG-DELAYED AGREEMENT ON THE RULES FOR A NEW EUROPEAN POLICE INTELLIGENCE UNIT CALLED EUROPOL, WHICH WILL BE BASED IN THE NETHERLANDS. (SIGNED)
NEB/JF/DW/PT
22-Jun-96 1:44 PM EDT (1744 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] ALBANIA/BERISHA (L ONLY) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (GENEVA)

INTRO: ALBANIA'S PRESIDENT SALI BERISHA HAS AGAIN REJECTED CALLS FOR FRESH PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, DESPITE WIDESPREAD CHARGES OF FRAUD IN THE BALLOTING THAT ENDED EARLIER THIS MONTH. THE ALBANIAN LEADER WAS SPEAKING IN SWITZERLAND SATURDAY, AND WE HAVE DETAILS FROM V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS IN GENEVA.

TEXT: MR. BERISHA'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY WON AN ABSOLUTE MAJORITY OF THE ONE HUNDRED FORTY SEATS IN THE ALBANIAN PARLIAMENT. AND HE HAS SAID HIS GOVERNMENT WILL USE THAT MANDATE FROM THE VOTERS TO CONSOLIDATE DEMOCRACY AND REINFORCE ALBANIA'S TIES WITH THE WEST.

BUT SOME MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ARE ALREADY SUGGESTING THAT E-U RELATIONS WITH TIRANA WILL BE DOWNGRADED UNLESS PRESIDENT BERISHA AGREES TO A NEW ROUND OF BALLOTING.

THE ALBANIAN LEADER CONTINUES TO DISMISS THE ALLEGATIONS OF MAJOR ELECTORAL FRAUD, AND TO REJECT CALLS FOR NEW ELECTIONS.

SPEAKING TO AN ANNUAL GATHERING OF POLITICAL AND BUSINESS LEADERS IN CENTRAL SWITZERLAND SATURDAY, HE SAID THERE WILL BE NO REPETITION OF THE ELECTIONS THAT WERE BOYCOTTED BY LEADING OPPOSITION PARTIES.

THOSE WHO OBSERVED THE VOTING, SAID MR. BERISHA, DECLARED THE ELECTIONS FREE AND FAIR.

BUT A TEAM FROM THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE REPORTED NUMEROUS IRREGULARITIES, BOTH DURING THE CAMPAIGN AND AT THE BALLOT BOX. THE O-S-C-E MISSION SAID THERE WERE WIDESPREAD VIOLATIONS OF ALBANIA'S ELECTORAL LAW.

THE UNITED STATES HAS ALSO BEEN CRITICAL, URGING TIRANA TO WORK WITH THE O-S-C-E TO RESOLVE THE DISCREPANCIES.

BUT THE STRONGEST CRITICISM HAS COME FROM WITHIN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT IN STRASBORG.

THE DEPUTIES ARE SCHEDULED TO HOLD ANOTHER DEBATE ON THE ISSUE NEXT WEEK AMID DEMANDS FOR A SUSPENSION OF E-U COOPERATION WITH THE TIRANA GOVERNMENT. (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/DW/PT
22-Jun-96 1:38 PM EDT (1738 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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