Voice of America, 98-01-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] CLINTON / EUROPE (L-ONLY) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

[02] E-U / RUSSIA / IRAQ (L ONLY) BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)

[03] EURO STOCKS (S ONLY) BY JACK HUIZENGA (LONDON)

[04] N-Y ECON WRAP (S & L) BY BRECK ARDERY (NEW YORK)

[01] CLINTON / EUROPE (L-ONLY) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

INTRO: EUROPEANS ARE FOLLOWING VERY CLOSELY THE CRISIS AT THE WHITE HOUSE INVOLVING ALLEGED SEXUAL IMPROPRIETY BY PRESIDENT CLINTON. IN THIS REPORT FROM LONDON, V-O-A'S ANDRE DE NESNERA GAUGES THE EUROPEANS REACTION TO THE PROBLEMS BESETTING THE U-S PRESIDENT.

TEXT: THE MEDIA HERE HAS BEEN PROVIDING THE BRITISH PUBLIC WITH A BLOW-BY-BLOW ACCOUNT OF THE ALLEGATIONS SURROUNDING PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON AND FORMER WHITE HOUSE INTERN MONICA LEWINSKY.

THE TABLOIDS HAVE BEEN RUNNING AMUCK AND THE LATEST ACCUSATIONS AGAINST MR. CLINTON HAVE BEEN A GOD-SEND FOR THE POLITICAL CARTOONISTS HERE, WORKING IN A COUNTRY WHERE POLITICAL SEX SCANDALS ARE NOT A NOVELTY.

EVEN THE REPUTABLE NEWSPAPERS AND THE VARIOUS TELEVISION CHANNELS HAVE BEEN WORKING IN OVERDRIVE -- VERY REMINISCENT OF THEIR COVERAGE OF THE O-J SIMPSON TRIAL OR, MORE RECENTLY, OF THE CASE OF THE BRITISH NANNY LOUISE WOODWARD.

BRITISH POLITICIANS HAVE BEEN ESSENTIALLY SILENT ON THE CLINTON AFFAIR. BUT DURING A BRUSSELS NEWSCONFERENCE, FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK -- WHO SEVERAL MONTHS AGO LEFT HIS WIFE FOR HIS MISTRESS -- WAS ASKED WHAT ADVICE HE WOULD GIVE THE BELEAGURED U-S PRESIDENT.

YES -- WELL I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT THAT HE DOES CARRY ON WITH HIS DUTIES AND HIS PUBLIC FUNCTIONS WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT I DO MYSELF.

BUT MANY COMMENTATORS HERE ARE STARTING TO QUESTION IF THE ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL IMPROPRIETY AGAINST MR. CLINTON ARE BEGINNING TO HINDER HIS WORK AS U-S PRESIDENT -- ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

AS V-O-A CORRESPONDENT KYLE KING IN BONN TELLS US, THOSE CONCERNS HAVE ALSO BEEN VOICED IN GERMANY.

GERMAN POLITICAL LEADERS HAVE AVOIDED PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ALLEGATIONS SURROUNDING PRESIDENT CLINTON. BUT FOREIGN POLICY EXPERTS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT U-S LEADERSHIP IS GOING TO BE COMPROMISED BY A PREOCCUPATION WITH THE SCANDAL. FOR THE MOMENT, THE ONGOING TUG-OF-WAR WITH IRAQ OVER ARMS INSPECTIONS IS GETTING THE MOST ATTENTION IN GERMANY. AND POLICY ANALYSTS ARE WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE PRESIDENT WILL DO NEXT. BUT THERE ARE ALSO QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT EFFECT A WEAKENED OR PREOCCUPIED U-S PRESIDENT WILL HAVE ON OTHER KEY FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES WHERE U-S LEADERSHIP IS CRUCIAL.

KYLE KING REPORTING FROM BONN. IN FRANCE, MANY ARE BEMUSED BY THE SEXUAL ALLEGATIONS SURROUNDING MR. CLINTON. THE FRENCH HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN FOR GRANTED THAT POWERFUL MEN HAVE POWERFUL SEX DRIVES -- AND AS JULIAN NUNDY EXPLAINS FROM PARIS, THE CURRENT COMMENTARIES UNDERLINE THE CONTRAST BETWEEN AMERICAN AND FRENCH SOCIETY.

FRANCOIS MITTERRAND -- FRANCE'S LAST PRESIDENT WHO DIED JUST OVER TWO YEARS AGO -- HAD TWO PARALLEL FAMILIES. HIS LAWFUL WIFE -- DANIELLE -- LIVED WITH HIM, WHILE HIS MISTRESS -- ANNE PINGEOT -- AND HIS ILLEGITIMATE DAUGHTER LIVED IN ANOTHER PARIS APARTMENT PAID FOR BY THE STATE. WHEN MR. MITTERRAND DIED OF CANCER, IT WAS IN THE APARTMENT OF HIS MISTRESS. BOTH HIS FAMILIES WERE AT HIS FUNERAL. IN THE CLINTON AFFAIR, THE MAIN WORRY IN FRANCE IS THAT A QUESTION OF MORALS CAN HAVE SUCH AN INFLUENCE ON THE WHOLE WAY THE WORLD IS RUN, CAUSING THE DOLLAR TO FALL AND PUTTING MANY URGENT MATTERS ON HOLD. THE DAILY "LE MONDE" PUTS IT THIS WAY -- "THE DALLYINGS OF THE 'CAESAR OF ARKANSAS' ARE OF ONLY MEDIOCRE INTEREST AND THE 'SEX AND LIES' SOAP OPERA OF THE WHITE HOUSE IS OF A PITIFUL LEVEL." IT ADDS, "THE REAL INDECENCY IS ELSEWHERE -- IN CUBA, IN THE ASIAN CRISIS, AND IN THE MIDDLE EAST."

JULIAN NUNDY FROM PARIS.

WHILE EUROPEANS ARE CLOSELY FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENTS IN WASHINGTON, MANY COMMENTATORS HERE EXPRESS THE HOPE THE CRISIS WILL BE QUICKLY RESOLVED AND THUS ALLOW THE U-S PRESIDENT TO REGAIN CONTROL OF EVENTS AND TAKE CARE OF FAR MORE PRESSING MATTERS. (SIGNED)
NEB/ADEN/JWH
27-Jan-98 11:05 AM EST (1605 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] E-U / RUSSIA / IRAQ (L ONLY) BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: THE EUROPEAN UNION AND RUSSIA HAVE APPEALED TO IRAQI LEADER SADDAM HUSSEIN TO HONOR U-N RESOLUTIONS AND GIVE U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS FULL ACCESS TO ALL SUSPECTED WEAPONS FACILITIES. JOHN FRASER IN BRUSSELS REPORTS THE CALL WAS MADE AFTER TALKS BETWEEN RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER YEVGENI PRIMAKOV AND FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE 15 E-U NATIONS.

TEXT: THIS WAS THE FIRST FORMAL MEETING BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS UNDER TERMS OF A NEW COOPERATION AND PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT. THE OFFICIALS DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF TRADE AND FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES, BUT THE FOCUS WAS ON THE CRISIS INVOLVING IRAQ.

BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK, WHO CHAIRED THE TALKS, SAID IT IS VITAL FOR THE IRAQI LEADER TO STICK TO THE TERMS OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEAL WHICH WAS REACHED IN NOVEMBER, AND TO ALLOW UNHINDERED ACCESS FOR UNITED NATIONS INSPECTORS.

WE BOTH STRESSED OUR RESOLVE THAT THE GENEVA AGREEMENT LAST NOVEMBER AND THE SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS MUST BE ADHERED TO, AND THAT SADDAM HUSSEIN MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO DEVELOP CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS.

FOREIGN MINISTER PRIMAKOV AGREED, AND NOTED THAT A HIGH LEVEL RUSSIAN DELEGATION WAS TRAVELLING (TUESDAY) TO BAGHDAD TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE IRAQI LEADERSHIP. MR. PRIMAKOV ALSO SAID HE WANTS TO SEE A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS, AND HE PREDICTED THAT THIS CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY ACHIEVED.

MR. COOK WARNED OF THE DANGER TO WORLD PEACE IF IRAQ IS ALLOWED TO DEVELOP NEW WEAPONS.

EVERY WEEK THAT PASSES, SADDAM HUSSEIN ADDS ENOUGH ANTHRAX TO HIS STOCKS IN ORDER TO FILL TWO WARHEADS ON MISSILES. HE CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO ACQUIRE SUCH WEAPONS, GIVEN HIS OWN HISTORICAL RECORD WHICH SHOWS HE IS WILLING TO USE THEM AGAINST HIS OWN PEOPLE. THEREFORE WE MUST ACHIEVE AN OUTCOME IN WHICH UNSCOM CAN CARRY OUT ITS WORK WITHOUT CONDITIONS, AND EVERY EFFORT MUST BE MADE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT OBJECTIVE IS ACHIEVED.

THE RUSSIAN AND E-U FOREIGN MINISTERS ALSO DISCUSSED THE SITUATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFGHANISTAN, A NUMBER OF TRADE AND ECONOMIC ISSUES, AND E-U FEARS THAT RUSSIAN MISSILE TECHNOLOGY MAY BE FINDING ITS WAY TO IRAN.

MR COOK SAID THAT TEN YEARS AGO NO ONE WOULD HAVE PREDICTED THAT SUCH A WARM AND EFFECTIVE EXCHANGE COULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE BETWEEN THE FORMER COLD WAR ENEMIES. (SIGNED)
NEB/JF/JWH
27-Jan-98 8:22 AM EST (1322 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] EURO STOCKS (S ONLY) BY JACK HUIZENGA (LONDON)

INTRO: STOCK PRICES WERE UP IN TRADING TUESDAY ON EUROPEAN MARKETS. JACK HUIZENGA HAS THE CLOSING MARKET REPORT FROM LONDON.

TEXT: PRICES ROSE SHARPLY IN ALL THREE MAJOR EUROPEAN EXCHANGES WITH TRADERS APPARENTLY FORGETTING THEIR WORRIES ABOUT ASIA'S ECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND THE CHARGES AGAINST PRESIDENT CLINTON. IN LONDON, THE FOOTSIE-100 INDEX CLOSED UP 89-POINTS, ONE-AND-SEVEN-TENTHS PERCENT.

THE PARIS MARKET ALSO ROSE ONE-AND-SEVEN-TENTHS PERCENT. THE CAC-40 INDEX WAS UP MORE THAN 51-POINTS.

IN FRANKFURT, THE DAX-30 INDEX ENDED THE FLOOR-TRADING DAY UP 54-POINTS, ONE-AND-THREE-TENTHS PERCENT, AND THEN ROSE AGAIN, MORE THAN ONE-PERCENT, IN LATER COMPUTERIZED TRADING.

ON THE LONDON CURRENCY EXCHANGE, THE VALUE OF THE U-S DOLLAR ROSE AGAINST THE GERMAN MARK, THE JAPANESE YEN, AND THE BRITISH POUND.
NEB/JWH/RAE
27-Jan-98 1:28 PM EST (1828 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] N-Y ECON WRAP (S & L) BY BRECK ARDERY (NEW YORK)

INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE UP STRONGLY TODAY (TUESDAY) AS WALL STREET CELEBRATES STRONG CORPORATE EARNINGS. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT 78-HUNDRED-15, UP 102 POINTS. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500 INDEX CLOSED AT 969, UP 12 POINTS.

ANALYSTS SAY TRADERS BRUSHED ASIDE WORRIES ABOUT THE ASIAN FINANCIAL CRISIS AND THE ALLEGED SCANDAL IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND FOCUSED ON NEW CORPORATE EARNINGS REPORTS.

FOR THE MOST PART, THE EARNINGS WERE EXCELLENT, MANY EXCEEDING WALL STREET EXPECTATIONS.

THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY SAID HIGHER ATTENDANCE AT ITS THEME PARKS AND STRONG ADVERTISING ON ITS CABLE TELEVISION CHANNELS ADDED UP TO RECORD QUARTERLY PROFITS OF 755-MILLION DOLLARS.

THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY REPORTED RECORD QUARTERLY AND YEARLY EARNINGS. THAT WAS GOOD NEWS FOR FORD WORKERS. EACH OF THEM WILL RECEIVE PROFIT-SHARING BONUSES AVERAGING FOUR-THOUSAND-400 DOLLARS.

SEVERAL AMERICAN DRUG COMPANIES, INCLUDING MERCK, SCHERING-PLOUGH AND WARNER-LAMBERT, REPORTED HIGHER EARNINGS. HOWEVER, SOME OF THE COMPANIES SAID THE STRONG U-S DOLLAR IS STARTING TO HURT SALES IN SOME INTERNATIONAL MARKETS.

TWO COMPANIES ANNOUNCED RESTRUCTURING PROGRAMS THAT WILL RESULT IN THE LOSS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS. THE J-C PENNEY DEPARTMENT STORE CHAIN WILL CLOSE 75 STORES AND CUT ALMOST FIVE-THOUSAND JOBS. AND THE BLACK AND DECKER TOOL COMPANY WILL ELIMINATE ABOUT THREE-THOUSAND JOBS, 10 PERCENT OF ITS WORK FORCE.

A MONTHLY INDEX OF CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IN THE UNITED STATES DROPPED BY ALMOST NINE POINTS THIS MONTH. ANALYSTS SAY THE DOWNTURN WAS LARGELY THE RESULT OF UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE EFFECT OF FINANCIAL PROBLEMS IN ASIA ON THE U-S ECONOMY. HOWEVER, THE ANALYSTS SAY THE U-S ECONOMY IS STILL FUNDAMENTALLY STRONG AND THE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE LEVEL, ALTHOUGH DOWN FROM DECEMBER, IS STILL HISTORICALLY HIGH. (SIGNED) NEB/NY/BA/LSF/RRM
27-Jan-98 4:40 PM EST (2140 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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