Voice of America, 97-03-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] ALBANIA/PROTEST (S) BY KYLE KING (TIRANA)

[02] ALBANIA PROTEST (L) BY KYLE KING (TIRANA)

[03] SUMMIT OVERNITER (S) BY PETER HEINLEIN (HELSINKI)

[01] ALBANIA/PROTEST (S) BY KYLE KING (TIRANA)

INTRO: HUNDREDS OF ALBANIAN'S GATHERED IN THE MAIN SQUARE OF THE CAPITAL (SUNDAY) TO CALL FOR AN END TO THE VIOLENCE AND CHAOS THAT HAS GRIPPED THE NATION. FROM TIRANA, KYLE KING REPORTS.

TEXT: // ACT OF DEMONSTRATION //

MOST OF THE PROTESTERS WERE WOMEN AND CHILDREN, SOME OF THEM CARRYING SIGNS SAYING BOOKS AND NOT GUNS.

OTHERS WAVED FLOWERS AND CHANTED FOR PEACE.

THE DEMONSTRATION CAME AS OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO TRY TO RESTORE ORDER TO THE COUNTRY, WHICH EXPLODED IN VIOLENCE FOLLOWING THE COLLAPSE OF PYRAMID INVESTMENT SCHEMES.

PRIME MINISTER BASHKIM FINO, WHO HEADS THE ALL PARTY GOVERNMENT APPOINTED TO DEAL WITH THE CRISIS, IS EXPECTED TO MEET EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN MINISTERS IN ROME THIS WEEK. MEANWHILE, PRESIDENT SALI BERISHA, WHO MANY PEOPLE BLAME FOR THE CRISIS, HAS AGAIN SAID HE WILL NOT STEP DOWN UNLESS HIS PARTY LOSES UPCOMING ELECTIONS.

ARMED REBELS WHO CONTROL A STRING OF TOWNS IN SOUTHERN ALBANIA, SAY THEY WILL NOT TURN IN THEIR WEAPONS UNTIL PRESIDENT BERISHA RESIGNS. (SIGNED)
NEB/KBK/DW/RAE
23-Mar-97 9:24 AM EST (1424 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] ALBANIA PROTEST (L) BY KYLE KING (TIRANA)

INTRO: HUNDREDS OF ALBANIAN'S GATHERED IN THE MAIN SQUARE OF THE CAPITAL (SUNDAY) TO CALL FOR AN END TO THE VIOLENCE AND ANARCHY THAT HAS GRIPPED THE NATION. KYLE KING REPORTS FROM TIRANA THE PROTEST CAME AS ALBANIA'S ALL-PARTY GOVERNMENT SLOWLY MOVED TO TRY TO RESTORE ORDER TO THE COUNTRY. .

TEXT: // ACT OF DEMONSTRATION //

THE CROWD OF MOSTLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN THAT GATHERED SUNDAY IN TIRANA PASSED OUT FLOWERS, CARRIED SIGNS, AND SHOUTED FOR PEACE. ONE WOMAN STANDING WITH HER CHILDREN SAYS SHE IS TIRED OF THE SHOOTING AND VIOLENCE.

THE MOTHER OF TWO SAYS THE CHILDREN ARE AFRAID OF THE BULLETS. SHE SAYS AT NIGHT SHE HOLDS THEM IN HER ARMS BECAUSE OF THE FEAR AND SHOOTING.

ALTHOUGH A SENSE OF NORMALCY HAS RETURNED TO THE CAPITAL DURING THE PAST FEW DAYS, ARMED REBELS IN THE SOUTH CONTINUE TO DEMAND THE RESIGNATION OF PRESIDENT SALI BERISHA, WHO THEY BLAME FOR TRIGGERING THE CRISIS.

WESTERN DIPLOMATS IN THE ALBANIAN CAPITAL SAY IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR THE COUNTRY IF MR. BERISHA WOULD STEP ASIDE, BUT HE SHOWS NO SIGNS OF WILLINGNESS TO DO SO. DURING RECENT INTERVIEWS, THE PRESIDENT SAID HE WOULD NOT SUBMIT TO BLACKMAIL OR LET HIMSELF BE THREATENED.

MANY PROTESTERS DURING SUNDAY'S DEMONSTRATION SAID WHAT THEY WANT IS DIALOGUE AMONG THE COUNTRY'S POLITICAL LEADERS.

ONE AFTER ANOTHER, PEOPLE AT THE RALLY SAID GOVERNMENT LEADERS NEEDED TO TALK TO EACH OTHER TO RESOLVE THE COUNTRY'S PROBLEMS. SOME PEOPLE ALSO CHANTED THE NAME OF PRIME MINISTER BASHKIM FINO, THE HEAD OF ALBANIA'S ALL-PARTY GOVERNMENT AND THE MAN CHARGED WITH BRINGING THE COUNTRY OUT OF ITS CRISIS.

BUT WESTERN DIPLOMATS SAY PRIME MINISTER FINO, A MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITION SOCIALIST PARTY, IS FACED WITH AN INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT POLITICAL SITUATION. CAUGHT BETWEEN THE DEMANDS OF REBELS IN THE SOUTH AND THE DELAYING TACTICS OF PRESIDENT BERISHA, THEY SAY THE PRIME MINISTER WILL HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING LEGISLATION THROUGH PARLIAMENT, WHICH IS CONTROLLED BY PRESIDENT BERISHA'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY. LAST WEEK, PARLIAMENT REJECTED PROPOSALS FOR LIFTING RESTRICTIONS ON THE MEDIA AND TRANSFERRING CONTROL OF RADIO AND TELEVISION TO MR. FINO'S ALL-PARTY GOVERNMENT, STEPS ANALYSTS SAY WILL BE NECESSARY FOR ORGANIZING ELECTIONS NOW SCHEDULED FOR JUNE.

ALTHOUGH MR. FINO HAS HAD SOME EARLY SUCCESS RE-ESTABLISHING ORDER IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY, THE SITUATION IS DIFFERENT IN THE SOUTH.

EUROPEAN UNION OFFICIALS SAY SECURITY MUST BE IMPROVED BEFORE THEY WILL BEGIN SUPPLYING BADLY NEEDED HUMANITARIAN AID AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP ALBANIA WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF TALKS THIS WEEK AMONG EUROPEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS. (SIGNED)
NEB/KBK/DW/RAE
23-Mar-97 12:16 PM EST (1716 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] SUMMIT OVERNITER (S) BY PETER HEINLEIN (HELSINKI)

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON IS ON HIS WAY HOME FROM HELSINKI AFTER A LONG DAY OF MEETINGS WITH RUSSIAN LEADER BORIS YELTSIN. FROM THE FINNISH CAPITAL, V-O-A'S PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS THE TWO MEN ACHIEVED BREAKTHROUGHS ON ARMS CONTROL, BUT REMAINED FAR APART ON THE QUESTION OF NATO EXPANSION.

TEXT: AT A NEWS CONFERENCE AFTER THE SUMMIT, BOTH PRESIDENTS CLAIMED VICTORY.

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN CALLED IT A NEW STAGE IN U-S/RUSSIA RELATIONS. BUT THE STRENGTH OF MR. YELTSIN'S PERSONALTIES WITH THE MAN HE CALLS "MY FRIEND BILL" COULD NOT PAPER OVER THEIR SERIOUS DIFFERENCES. ON THE KEY ISSUE OF NATO'S PLANS TO INVITE FORMER SOVIET ALLIES TO JOIN, PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID THERE HAD BEEN NO CHANGE.

I REAFFIRMED THAT NATO ENLARGEMENT AT THE MADRID SUMMIT WILL PROCEED, AND PRESIDENT YELTSIN MADE IT CLEAR HE THINKS IT'S A MISTAKE.

THE SUMMIT DID YIELD WHAT AMERICAN OFFICIALS CALLED BREAKTHROUGHS ON ARMS CONTROL. PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID THE RESULT COULD BE AN 80-PERCENT REDUCTION IN NUCLEAR ARSENALS AS COMPARED TO LEVELS FIVE YEARS AGO. BUT WHEN THE TWO LEADERS GET HOME,THEY STILL FACE THE TOUGH TASK OF WINNING OVER LAWMAKERS WHO MUST GO ALONG WITH THEIR PROPOSALS. (SIGNED)
NEB /PT
21-Mar-97 8:02 PM EST (0102 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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