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Voice of America, 97-07-19Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>CONTENTS
[01] ALBANIA REACT (S-O) CQ BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON)DATE=7/18/97TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-217381 CONTENT= VOICED AT: ///// ADDS PARLIAMENT TO INTRO OF CR2-217377. /////INTRO: ALBANIA'S ELECTORAL COMMISSION SAYS FINAL RESULTS OF THE BALKAN COUNTRY'S JUNE 29TH PARLIAMENT ELECTION GAVE THE OPPOSITION SOCIALISTS AND THEIR ALLIES 117 OF 155 SEATS, A MAJORITY OF MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS. V-O-A'S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS AN ANALYST ON ALBANIAN POLITICS SAYS IT ENABLES THE SOCIALISTS TO CARRY OUT PROMISED CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS. TEXT: THE SOCIALISTS TOOK 78 SEATS DIRECTLY PLUS ANOTHER 22 THROUGH THE PROPORTIONAL SYSTEM, GIVING THEM 100. IN ADDITION, THEIR COALITION ALLIES PICKED UP ANOTHER 17. THE SOCIALISTS' CHIEF RIVAL, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, GARNERED 27 SEATS INCLUDING ONE FOR INCUMBENT PRESIDENT SALI BERISHA. ANALYST NICHOLAS PANO OF WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY SAYS THIS OPENS THE WAY FOR RADICAL CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE IN ALBANIA: /// PANO ACTUALITY ///THE SOCIALISTS HAVE ADVOCATED WEAKENING THE POWERS OF THE PRESIDENCY AND ENHANCING THOSE OF THE PRIME MINISTER. THIS IS A MOVE THAT HAS MET WITH A GREAT DEAL OF RESISTANCE AND NEGATIVE REACTION ON THE PART OF THE DEMOCRATS. /// END ACTUALITY ///MR. BERISHA HAS INDICATED HE WILL RESIGN RATHER THAN COHABIT WITH
THE SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT.
MEANWHILE, AN ITALIAN-LED PEACEKEEPING FORCE DEPLOYED IN APRIL TO
PROVIDE SECURITY FOR AID DELIVERIES BEGAN WITHDRAWING. FRANZ
VRANITSKY OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN
EUROPE WARNS THEIR DEPARTURE RISKS LEAVING A SECURITY VACUUM IN
THE COUNTRY. (SIGNED).
[02] BOSNIA REACT (S ONLY) BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON)DATE=7/19/97TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-217401 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: A U-S SOLDIER WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED SATURDAY IN AN APPARENT DRIVE-BY ATTACK NEAR A BUILDING USED BY NATO TROOPS IN THE NORTHWEST TOWN OF DOBOJ IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. V-O-A'S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS THE LATEST ATTACK COMES AS BOSNIAN SERB PRESIDENT BILJANA PLAVSIC HAS THREATENED TO ARREST HER HARDLINE RIVAL RADOVAN KARADZIC ALREADY WANTED FOR WAR CRIMES: TEXT: THE SOLDIER WAS THE SECOND U-S SERVICEMAN INJURED FOLLOWING THE JULY 10TH ARREST OF A BOSNIAN SERB WAR CRIMES SUSPECT AND THE KILLING OF A SECOND. SINCE THEN, A SERIES OF EXPLOSIONS HAVE OCCURRED IN NORTHWEST BOSNIA AIMED AT NATO AND INTERNATIONAL POLICE TARGETS. A DOZEN NATO ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS BACKED BY HELICOPTERS STAGED A SHOW OF FORCE (SATURDAY) NEAR THE PALE HOME OF FORMER BOSNIAN SERB LEADER RADOVAN KARADZIC. IT IS NOT KNOWN IF MR. KARADZIC, WANTED ON CHARGES OF GENOCIDE AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, WAS HOME AT THE TIME. MS. PLAVSIC, IN AN INTERVIEW WITH "DER SPIEGEL," SAID SHE PLANS TO ARREST MR. KARADZIC ON CORRUPTION CHARGES, BUT NOT TURN HIM OVER TO THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL. ANALYST DAN NELSON (OF OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY IN VIRGINIA) IS SKEPTICAL OF HER MOTIVES, CALLING HER A RABID NATIONALIST: ///NELSON ACTUALITY///I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD APPLAUD HER FOR THIS. AFTER ALL, SHE IS NOT A PERSON WHO HAS ESTABLISHED ANY KIND OF CREDIBILITY IN THE PAST. ///END ACTUALITY///MR. NELSON SAYS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST RELY ON NATO TO
MORE VIGOROUSLY SEEK THE APPREHENSION OF SUSPECTED WAR CRIMINALS.
(SIGNED)
[03] EURO FLOODS (S ONLY) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)DATE=7/19/97TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-217397 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: RESIDENTS OF CENTRAL EUROPE ARE NERVOUSLY WATCHING WATER LEVELS, AS HEAVY RAINS AGAIN BRING THE THREAT OF FLOODING. MEANWHILE, THE CLEANUP CONTINUES AFTER THE WORST FLOODING IN THE REGION THIS CENTURY. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES IS MONITORING DEVELOPMENTS FROM OUR CENTRAL EUROPE BUREAU IN PRAGUE. TEXT: IT'S RAINING AGAIN IN SOUTHERN POLAND AND THE EASTERN CZECH REPUBLIC, TWO WEEKS AFTER TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS TRIGGERED FLOODS THERE THAT CLAIMED ALMOST 100 LIVES. THOUSANDS MORE ARE HOMELESS, MANY FACTORIES ARE AT A STANDSTILL, AND WATER AND ELECTRIC POWER SERVICES HAVE BEEN DISRPUTED. PROPERTY DAMAGE IS ESTIMATED IN THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. A MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT TOLD THE CZECH NEWS AGENCY (CTK) THAT AFTER TWO WEEKS OF BATTLING THE WATER, MANY RESIDENTS PROBABLY NEED THE HELP OF A PSYCHOLOGIST. THE UNITED STATES HAS SENT OUT A DISASTER RELIEF TEAM TO SEE WHAT
KIND OF AID CAN BE OFFERED. AND RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT CENTRAL
EUROPE ARE SENDING CLOTHING, FOOD AND OTHER SUPPLIES TO THE
STRICKEN AREA. (SIGNED)
[04] SPAIN / ETA REACT (L ONLY) BY GIL CARBAJAL (MADRID)DATE=7/19/97TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-217399 CONTENT= VOICED AT: // RE-ISSUING TO CORRECT TYPOS //INTRO: IN SPAIN, LEADERS OF THE BASQUE GOVERNMENT HAVE CALLED ON THE TERRORIST GROUP ETA TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY AND DECLARE A TRUCE. GIL CARBAJAL REPORTS FROM MADRID THAT THE CALL COMES AFTER A WEEK OF DEMONSTRATIONS AND PROTESTS THROUGHOUT SPAIN AGAINST THE MURDER BY THE ETA OF A YOUNG BASQUE COUNCILMAN. TEXT: ONE WEEK AFTER THE BASQUE TERRORIST ORGANIZATION ETA KILLED MIGUEL ANGEL BLANCO, A MEMBER OF THE RULING POPULAR PARTY FROM THE BASQUE TOWN OF ERMUA, THERE CONTINUES TO BE A STRONG REACTION AGAINST THE MURDER. ON SATURDAY, THE BASQUE REGION'S INTERIOR MINISTER, JUAN ATUTXA, CALLED ON ETA TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY, WHICH HAS ANNOUNCED A NEW CEASEFIRE. SPEAKING IN THE SOUTHERN REGION OF MURCIA, PRIME MINISTER JOSE MARIA AZNAR DREW A PARALLEL BETWEEN THE THE MURDER OF MIGUEL ANGEL BLANCO AND THE ATTEMPTED MILITARY COUP OF 1981, WHEN A SMALL MINORITY TRIED TO END SPAIN'S TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY. MR. AZNAR SAID THE CONTINUING DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST THE MURDER BY MILLIONS OF SPANIARDS MEANT THAT NOTHING WOULD BE THE SAME AFTER MR. BLANCO'S DEATH. THE PRIME MINISTER'S REMARKS CAME SHORTLY BEFORE MEMBERS OF THE VICTIMS OF TERRORISM ASSOCIATION ENDED A 48-HOUR SIT-IN IN A MADRID CHURCH. OUTSIDE THE CHURCH THEY HUNG THE NAMES OF THE MORE THAN 800 PEOPLE KILLED BY ETA. AT 4 PM ON SATURDAY, CHURCHES AND TOWN HALLS THROUGHOUT SPAIN RANG THEIR BELLS TO PROTEST THE MURDER OF MIGUEL ANGEL BLANCO AND TO SUPPORT HIS MOTHER'S WISH THAT HER SON'S DEATH WOULD LEAD TO THE END OF TERRORISM IN SPAIN. FORMER MEMBERS OF ETA HAVE ALSO REACTED AGAINST THE MURDER. ON SATURDAY, TWO MORE ETA PRISONERS JOINED SOME TWENTY OF THEIR COLLEAGUES IN CONDEMNING THE MURDER OF THE POLITICIAN AND CALLING ON ETA TO END ITS VIOLENCE. ON FRIDAY, A REPENTANT ETA PRISONER SERVING A SENTENCE FOR KILLING MORE THAN THIRTY PEOPLE SAID THAT EVERY VOTE FOR THE POLITICAL WING OF ETA, HERRI BATASUNA, WAS A BULLET FOR THE TERRORISTS.. AN OPINION POLL TAKEN AFTER THE MURDER SHOWS THAT, IF ELECTIONS WERE HELD NOW, HERRI BATASUNA WOULD LOSE TWENTY PERCENT OF THE 166,000 VOTES IT WON IN THE 1994 ELECTIONS. IN MONDRAGON, THE LARGEST OF THE MORE THAN 25 BASQUE TOWNS RULED BY A MAYOR OF THAT PARTY, THE PREVIOUSLY DIVIDED OPPOSITION PARTIES HAVE UNITED IN PRESENTING A MOTION OF CENSURE THAT WILL REMOVE HIM FROM OFFICE. IN RECENT DAYS, BASQUE POLICE HAVE HAD TO INTERVENE A NUMBER OF
TIMES TO PROTECT HERRI BATASUNA HEADQUARTERS AND OTHER PLACES
FREQUENTED BY ITS MEMBERS FROM ANGRY CROWDS. (SIGNED)
[05] U-S/N IRELAND (S ONLY) BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON)DATE=7/19/97TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-217402 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS WELCOMED THE OUTLAWED IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY'S DECISION TO LAUNCH A NEW CEASE-FIRE CLEARING THE WAY FOR PARTICIPATION IN NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE TALKS. V-O-A'S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS MR. CLINTON HAS COMMITTED THE UNITED STATES TO WORK TO NUTURE WHAT HE CALLS A MOMENT OF GREAT POSSIBILITY: TEXT: WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN JOE LOCKHART SAYS THE UNITED STATES HOPES THE CEASE-FIRE DECLARATION WILL BE IMPLEMENTED UNEQUIVOCALLY AND PERMANENTLY. MR. LOCKHART -- READING MR. CLINTON'S STATEMENT -- SAID THE CEASE-FIRE CAN OPEN THE DOOR TO INCLUSIVE NEGOTIATIONS LEADING TO A JUST AND LASTING SETTLEMENT OF THE NORTHERN IRELAND CONFLICT: ///LOCKHART ACTUALITY///THIS IS A MOMENT OF GREAT POSSIBILITY AS NORTHERN IRELAND'S POLITICAL LEADERS BEGIN TO SHAPE THEIR FUTURE. I URGE THEM TO DO SO ON THE BASIS OF THE PRINCIPLES OF FAIRNESS AND COMPROMISE THAT UNDERPIN ALL DEMOCRATIC SYSTEMS. ///END ACTUALITY///MR. CLINTON HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN EFFORTS TO END THE VIOLENCE AND HAS PRESSED THE I-R-A TO REINSTATE A CEASE-FIRE ENDED IN FEBRUARY OF 1996. THE TRUCE PAVES THE WAY FOR THE I-R-A'S POLITICAL WING, SINN FEIN, TO ENTER NEGOTIATIONS THAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND HAVE URGED BEGIN BY SEPTEMBER. MR. CLINTON'S STATEMENT PROMISED WASHINGTON'S CLOSE COOPERATION. ///LOCKHART ACTUALITY///THE UNITED STATES WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE TWO GOVERNMENTS AND THE POLITICAL PARTIES TO BUILD ON THIS HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY. ///END ACTUALITY///FORMER U-S SENATE LEADER GEORGE MITCHELL CHAIRS THE TALKS WHICH
HAVE BEEN HAMPERED BY SINN FEIN'S ABSENCE AND PROTESTANT AND
CATHOLIC DISAGREEMENTS. (SIGNED)
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