Voice of America, 96-10-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] AUSTRIA ELECTIONS (S ONLY) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

[02] E-U EXPANSION (L-ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (PRAGUE)

[03] GERMANY / UNIFICATION BY KYLE KING (DRESDEN)

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

[01] AUSTRIA ELECTIONS (S ONLY) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

INTRO: ANALYSTS SAY BIG GAINS MADE BY AUSTRIA'S RIGHT WING PARTY IN SUNDAY'S EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTION COULD SPELL TROUBLE FOR THE AUSTRIAN GOVERNMENT AND SUPPORTERS OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION. AS V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS FROM BONN, THE VOTE IS BEING PARTLY VIEWED AS A BACKLASH AGAINST CUTS IN GOVERNMENT SPENDING.

TEXT: AUSTRIAN NEWSPAPERS CALL THE RESULTS OF SUNDAY'S EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION A SLAP IN THE FACE FOR CHANCELLOR FRANZ VRANITZKY'S SOCIAL DEMOCRATS.

ALTHOUGH NO DOMESTIC POLITICAL POSITIONS WERE AT STAKE, ANALYSTS SAY THE STRONG SHOWING BY JEORG HAIDER'S RIGHT WING FREEDOM PARTY SHOWS VOTERS ARE INCREASINGLY WILLING TO PUT HIM IN POWER.

MR. HAIDER'S PARTY, WHICH OPPOSES CURRENT PLANS FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION, TOOK 27-POINT-SIX PERCENT OF THE VOTE, A DRAMATIC INCREASE FROM THE FIVE PERCENT IT GOT TEN YEARS AGO.

CHANCELLOR VRANITZKY'S SOCIAL DEMOCRATS POLLED 29-POINT-ONE PERCENT, A HUMILIATING SECOND PLACE FINISH TO THEIR OWN JUNIOR COALITION PARTNERS, THE PEOPLE'S PARTY.

MR. HAIDER, WHO ONCE PRAISED ADOLF HITLER'S EMPLOYMENT POLICIES, SAYS HE EXPECTS TO BE CHANCELLOR BEFORE THE YEAR 2000.

WHILE DOMESTIC ISSUES NO DOUBT PLAYED A ROLE IN THE AUSTRIAN ELECTION, ANALYSTS SAY OTHER EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS ALSO FACE DIFFICULT TIMES AS THEY ADOPT TIGHT AUSTERITY BUDGETS TO MEET THE CRITERIA FOR JOINING THE SINGLE EUROPEAN CURRENCY. (SIGNED)
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14-Oct-96 11:40 AM EDT (1540 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] E-U EXPANSION (L-ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (PRAGUE)

INTRO: A CONFERENCE IN PRAGUE THIS WEEK IS EXAMINING THE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION'S PLANNED EASTWARD EXPANSION TO INCLUDE POST-COMMUNIST COUNTRIES OF CENTRAL EUROPE. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS PARTICIPANTS FOUND THE QUESTION OF E-U EXPANSION CLOSELY LINKED WITH THAT OF NATO EXPANSION.

TEXT: NEGOTIATIONS WITH PROSPECTIVE NEW E-U MEMBERS ARE TO BEGIN SIX MONTHS AFTER THE END OF THE CURRENT INTER-GOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE ON STREAMLINING E-U INSTITUTIONS.

WHILE TEN POST-COMMUNIST COUNTRIES -- ALONG WITH MALTA AND CYPRUS HAVE APPLIED FOR MEMBERSHIP, THE FRONT RUNNERS IN THE EAST ARE POLAND, THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND HUNGARY. (EDS: THE OTHER APPLICANTS ARE THE THREE BALTIC STATES, SLOVAKIA, ROMANIA, BULGARIA AND SLOVENIA) E-U OFFICIALS SAY THESE COUNTRIES HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF BEING THE FIRST TO JOIN BECAUSE THEY HAVE MADE THE MOST PROGRESS IN BUILDING DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND MARKET ECONOMIES.

AT THE CONFERENCE SPONSORED BY THE NON-PROFIT "BOHEMIA FOUNDATION," PARTICIPANTS DEBATED A LIKELY TIMETABLE FOR ADMITTING NEW MEMBERS. THE YEAR TWO-THOUSAND-TWO (2002) WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE EARLIEST REALISTIC DATE FOR ACCEPTING NEW MEMBERS. SPEAKERS MADE CLEAR THERE IS CONSENSUS WITHIN THE 15 MEMBER NATION E-U ON EXPANSION AND THAT IT IS CERTAIN TO OCCUR.

CENTRAL EUROPEAN OFFICIALS SPOKE PASSIONATELY IN FAVOR OF SPEED. CZECH DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER ALEXANDER VONDRA IDENTIFIED BOTH NATO AND THE E-U AS VITAL WESTERN INSTITUTIONS WHOSE EXPANSION WILL PREVENT ANY POSSIBILITY OF A SECURITY VACUUM IN A REGION UNTIL RECENTLY UNDER SOVIET CONTROL. BUT PIERRE LELLOUCHE, A FRENCH MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AND ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC, WARNED THAT RAPID EXPANSION OF NATO COULD PROVOKE RUSSIA AND DESTABILIZE THE REGION.

I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO STABILIZE THE CENTER OF EUROPE. BUT DOING IT THROUGH RAPID (NATO) EXPANSION, TO THE BORDERS OF RUSSIA, WITHOUT CLEARING THE SITUATION OF MOST OF CENTRAL EUROPE AND THEREFORE CREATING FOR OURSELVES A GREY AREA TO THE EAST OF POLAND, I DON'T LIKE IT ONE BIT. I THINK THIS THING SHOULD BE RE-THOUGHT. AND EVEN THOUGH I'M IN FAVOR OF IT IN PRINCIPLE, IF IT IS DONE IN OPPOSITION TO RUSSIA, IT IS A BAD IDEA.

MR. VONDRA, THE CZECH OFFICIAL, RESPONDED BY SAYING THE FRENCH PARLIAMENTARIAN SOUGHT TO APPEASE RUSSIA AND HOLD BOTH NATO AND E-U ENLARGEMENT HOSTAGE TO RUSSIA'S WISHES. THIS VIEW WAS ENDORSED BY UFFE ELEMANN-JENSEN, THE CHAIRMAN OF DENMARK'S LIBERAL PARTY.

WE SHOULD NEVER CREATE THAT KIND OF IMPRESSION THAT WE WILL ALLOW THINGS TO BE REGARDED AS ZONES OF SPECIAL INTEREST. ESPECIALLY SINCE WE (IN THE E-U) HAVE COMMITTED OURSELVES TO TREAT THESE 12 COUNTRIES (THOSE APPLYING FOR E-U MEMBERSHIP) EQUALLY, INCLUDING THE THREE BALTIC COUNTRIES. I WORRY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THESE KINDS OF SIGNALS ARE SENT.

WHILE NATO AND E-U EXPANSION ARE NOT INSTITUTIONALLY LINKED, THERE ARE COMMON ELEMENTS TO THEIR EXPANSION STRATEGIES. NATO WILL HOLD A SPECIAL CONFERENCE NEXT YEAR, AFTER WHICH THE FIRST EASTERN CANDIDATES ARE EXPECTED TO BE INVITED TO BEGIN MEMBERSHIP NEGOTIATIONS. THE LEADING CANDIDATES TO BE THE FIRST TO JOIN NATO -- HUNGARY, THE CZECH REPUBLIC, AND POLAND -- ARE THE SAME COUNTRIES WHO ARE FIRST IN LINE TO JOIN THE EUROPEAN UNION. (SIGNED)
NEB/BDW/PCF/MMK
14-Oct-96 1:17 PM EDT (1717 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] GERMANY / UNIFICATION BY KYLE KING (DRESDEN)

INTRO: DESPITE THE ENORMOUS PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE IN THE SIX YEARS SINCE THE UNIFICATION OF EAST AND WEST GERMANY, MANY PEOPLE IN THE EAST SAY THEY ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE MERGER. AS V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS FROM THE EASTERN GERMAN CITY OF DRESDEN, MANY PEOPLE SAY THEY RESENT THE ATTITUDE OF WEST GERMANS AND WHAT THEY CONSIDER A TAKEOVER OF THEIR COUNTRY.

TEXT: FOR MOST PEOPLE LIVING IN EASTERN GERMANY, UNIFICATION WITH THE WEST SEEMED INEVITABLE. BY 1989, FEW EAST GERMAN FACTORIES WERE PRODUCING PRODUCTS THAT COULD BE SOLD FOR HARD CURRENCY AND THE COUNTRY'S INFRASTRUCTURE WAS SLOWLY CRUMBLING.

DRAWN TO THE WEST BY THE PROMISE OF STORES FILLED WITH PRODUCTS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF THE GOOD LIFE, MANY PEOPLE WERE UNPREPARED FOR THE REALITY THAT UNIFICATION HAS PRODUCED.

HOLGER FINKEN, THE DIRECTOR OF THE FOREIGN STUDENTS DEPARTMENT AT A UNIVERSITY JUST OUTSIDE OF DRESDEN, SAYS MANY OF HIS FRIENDS HAVE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME ADAPTING TO THE LOSS OF THEIR JOBS.

QUIET A FEW HAVEN'T (ADJUSTED) ACTUALLY. UNEMPLOYMENT IS STILL HIGH IN THIS AREA, AND THE ONE BAD THING ABOUT THE NEW INVESTMENTS IS THAT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY CREATE TOO MANY JOBS. SO THE THING IS NOT REALLY SOLVED. SO PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW QUITE HOW TO HANDLE THAT.

WITH UNEMPLOYMENT IN SOME PARTS OF THE SIX NEW EASTERN GERMAN STATES NOW HOVERING AT 40 PERCENT, AND HUNDREDS OF FIRMS SURVIVING ON SUBSIDIES FROM THE WEST, THE PICTURE FOR MANY IN THE EAST IS BLEAK.

ANDRE HAHN, A LEADING MEMBER OF THE PARTY OF DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS, THE SUCCESSOR PARTY TO THE COMMUNISTS, SAYS MANY PEOPLE IN THE EAST THINK UNIFICATION WAS MORE LIKE A TAKEOVER BY THE WEST.

IT WAS NOT A FAIR UNIFICATION BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES. IT WAS AN OCCUPATION FROM WEST GERMANY OF THE EASTERN PART. AND THAT IS THE BIG PROBLEM WITH THE PROCESS.

FOR MANY OLDER PEOPLE, THE DRAMATIC CHANGES BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE COLLAPSE OF THE COMMUNIST EAST GERMAN SYSTEM AND THE UNIFICATION WITH THE WEST, HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH.

MAGGIE SIMMER, A 25 YEAR OLD LAW STUDENT IN DRESDEN, SAYS YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO HANDLE THE CHANGES, BUT SHE SAYS SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN DEMORALIZED BY THE PROCESS AS WELL.

YOU MEET YOUNGER PEOPLE, THEY WILL SAY, WHY SHOULD I LEARN THIS IN SCHOOL IF I WON'T GET A JOB WHEN I GET OLDER. WHY SHOULD I DO ANYTHING? WHY SHOULD I LEARN ENGLISH FOR EXAMPLE, OR WHY SHOULD I LEARN FRENCH IF I WON'T GET A JOB?

WHILE FEW EAST GERMANS WOULD WANT TO GO BACK TO THE SYSTEM THEY HAD BEFORE UNIFICATION, MANY ARE WONDERING WHY THE PROCESS HAS BEEN SO PAINFUL.

ANALYSTS SAY CHANCELLOR HELMUT KOHL, WHOSE GOVERNMENT HAS PUMPED MORE THAN 600-BILLION DOLLARS INTO SIX NEW EASTERN STATES, IS PROBABLY WONDERING THE SAME THING. (SIGNED)
NEB/KBK/JWH/MMK
14-Oct-96 1:42 PM EDT (1742 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: AN ADVANCE PARTY OF SOME FIVE-THOUSAND U-S TROOPS BEING SENT TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA TO COVER THE WITHDRAWAL OF NATO PEACEKEEPERS IS IN CROATIA, PREPARING TO CROSS THIS WEEK INTO BOSNIA. V-O-A'S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS THE RATE OF WITHDRAWAL OF THE IMPLEMENTATION FORCE, OR I-FOR, SHOULD PICK UP ONCE BOSNIA'S SCHEDULED NOVEMBER 22ND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS TAKE PLACE:

TEXT: U-S ARMY COLONEL LARRY ICENOGLE SAYS ADVANCE ELEMENTS OF THE FIRST INFANTRY DIVISION'S SECOND BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS, ABOUT 500 PERSONNEL, ARRIVED SUNDAY IN CROATIA. HE SAYS THEY WILL DEPLOY IN BOSNIA THIS WEEK:

THEY WILL BE DEPARTING AFTER A FULL DAY (MONDAY) OF MAINTENANCE AND SOME LEADER'S RECONNAISSANCE ON MONDAY. THEY WILL DEPART EARLY TUESDAY MORNING, THE 15TH, AND HEAD FOR THE FLOAT BRIDGE, PONTOON BRIDGE AT ZUPANJA AND CROSS INTO BOSNIA FROM THERE.

COLONEL ICENOGEL SAYS THE FORCES, ONCE IN BOSNIA, WILL SPLIT AND MOVE TO THEIR RESPECTIVE BASE CAMPS. THERE ARE 15 U-S BASE CAMPS IN NORTHERN BOSNIA.

THE BULK OF THE FORCES ARE COMING BY RAIL FROM GERMANY THROUGH HUNGARY AND COLONEL ICONOGLE SAYS IT WILL BE SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE THEY ARE FULLY DEPLOYED:

IT WILL TAKE BETWEEN FOUR AND FIVE WEEKS DEPENDING ON THE RAIL SCHEDULES TO GET ALL THE COVERING FORCE'S ASSETS HERE INTO THE REGION.

THE U-S ARMY SPOKESMAN SAYS, IN THE MEANTIME, 16-HUNDRED OF THE 15-THOUSAND U-S PEACEKEEPERS WITH I-FOR BEGAN PULLING OUT OF BOSNIA LAST WEEK.

THE INTERNATIONAL MANDATE FOR I-FOR EXPIRES DECEMBER 20TH ALTHOUGH DISCUSSIONS ARE UNDERWAY FOR SOME FORM OF INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE AFTER THAT DATE. THE U-S COVERING FORCE IS EXPECTED TO BE PHASED OUT BY LATE MARCH. (SIGNED)
NEB/VB/LWM
13-Oct-96 7:46 PM EDT (2346 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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