Voice of America, 98-06-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] ALBANIA / KOSOVO (L ONLY) BY ART CHIMES (TIRANA)

[02] ALBANIA REFUGEES BY ART CHIMES (BAJRAM CURRI, ALBANIA)

[03] KOSOVO'S BURNING VILLAGES BY PAMELA TAYLOR (POKLEK, KOSOVO)

[04] ALBANIA / NATO (L) BY ART CHIMES (TIRANA, ALBANIA)

[05] NATO EXERCISES BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

[06] MACEDONIA FLY-OVER (L-ONLY) BY ANTHEE CARASAVA (SKOPJE)

[07] COHEN / KOSOVO (L-UPDATE) BY JIM RANDLE (WARSAW)

[08] RUSSIA / KOSOVO (L) BY MICHELE KELEMEN (MOSCOW)

[09] BOSNIA / U-N PEACEKEEPING (L - ONLY) BY MAX RUSTON (UNITED NATIONS)

[10] EUROPEAN SUMMIT (L-ONLY) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

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

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

[13] MONDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[01] ALBANIA / KOSOVO (L ONLY) BY ART CHIMES (TIRANA)

INTRO: NATO AIR EXERCISES OVER MACEDONIA AND ALBANIA (MONDAY) UNDERSCORE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S SERIOUSNESS AS IT TRIES TO STOP SERB ATTACKS AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIAN VILLAGES IN YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES HAS BEEN TALKING WITH POLITICIANS IN THE ALBANIAN CAPITAL, TIRANA, AND HE REPORTS THEY ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE PROSPECTS FOR A RESOLUTION OF THE DISPUTE.

TEXT: THERE IS FEAR THAT IF THE KOSOVO CONFLICT CONTINUES, IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO CONFINE THE RESULTING WAR TO SERBIA'S BORDERS. THE FIGHTING COULD EASILY SPILL OVER INTO ALBANIA, AND PERHAPS TO MACEDONIA, WITH A SUBSTANTIAL ALBANIAN MINORITY CONCENTRATED ALONG ITS BORDER WITH KOSOVO.

THAT IS ONE REASON THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FEELS IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE CONFLICT BE STOPPED SOONER, RATHER THAN LATER.

MANY CRITICS CHARGE THE WEST WAITED TOO LONG BEFORE ACTING DECISIVELY IN BOSNIA, RELYING ON DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES THAT FAILED TO PRODUCE RESULTS. ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER FATOS NANO TOLD V-O-A THAT THE MISTAKES OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S RESPONSE TO THE BOSNIA SITUATION ARE WELL ESTABLISHED.

IT WAS DONE WHILE THE BOSNIAN EVENTS HAPPENED, ONLY AFTER TWO YEARS OF HOSTILITIES, AND AFTER HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES AND THOUSANDS OF VICTIMS. SO EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THIS FORMER MISTAKE SHALL NOT BE REITERATED (REPEATED), AND THAT THE KOSOVO ISSUE COULD HAVE A WIDER IMPACT THAN THE BOSNIAN PROBLEM HAD.

PRIME MINISTER NANO REITERATED HIS WILLINGNESS TO ALLOW ALBANIAN FACILITIES TO BE USED BY NATO FORCES IN THE EVENT THE WESTERN ALLIANCE DECIDES ON A MILITARY INTERVENTION.

ALBANIAN OPPOSITION LEADER SALI BERISHA HAS MANY DISAGREEMENTS WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, BUT ON THIS ISSUE BOTH MEN AGREE. MR. BERISHA SAYS HE BELIEVES WAR CAN BE AVOIDED IF THE RIGHT STEPS ARE TAKEN.

I THINK SO. I'M STILL CONVINCED THAT IF NATO WILL INTERVENE IN KOSOVO, IN ORDER TO BLOCK THE CONFLICT THERE, THE BALKAN WAR COULD BE AVOIDED, AND WILL BE AVOIDED. OTHERWISE, VERY SOON WE WILL HAVE A WIDESPREAD CATASTROPHIC WAR THAT NOBODY COULD FORESEE THE REAL CONSEQUENCES (OF).

ALBANIAN OPPOSITION LEADER SALI BERISHA.

WESTERN POLITICAL LEADERS WILL BE WATCHING TO SEE HOW YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC RESPONDS TO THE DEMONSTRATION OF NATO AIR POWER -- AND THEY ARE WATCHING FOR THE RESULTS OF HIS MEETING IN MOSCOW TUESDAY WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN. (SIGNED)
NEB/ART/JWH/WFR
15-Jun-98 12:06 PM EDT (1606 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] ALBANIA REFUGEES BY ART CHIMES (BAJRAM CURRI, ALBANIA)

INTRO: IN LITTLE MORE THAN TWO WEEKS, UPWARDS OF 12-THOUSAND ETHNIC ALBANIANS HAVE FLED SERBIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE INTO ALBANIA AS SERB ARTILLERY POUND VILLAGES ALONG THE BORDER. THE ATTACKS ARE THE LATEST VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO, WHERE THE 90 PERCENT ETHNIC ALBANIAN MAJORITY IS CALLING FOR INDEPENDENCE. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES TALKED WITH MEMBERS OF ONE REFUGEE FAMILY IN NORTHERN ALBANIA.

TEXT: GANEMETE JASIQI TELLS HER STORY SITTING IN THE HOME OF THE STRANGERS WHO TOOK THE 10 MEMBERS OF HER FAMILY. SHE SPEAKS DIRECTLY AS SHE DESCRIBES HER ORDEAL, THE TRIP OVER THE MOUNTAINS FROM HOME TO THE UNKNOWN.

IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT, SHE SAYS, BECAUSE IT WAS A LONG, LONG ROAD. IT IS VERY HILLY, AND WE HAD SMALL CHILDREN TO CARRY, PLUS SOME CLOTHES FOR THEM.

THE TRIP TOOK THEM MORE THAN ONE DAY, AND SHE SAYS THEY WERE ESPECIALLY SCARED AS THEY APPROACHED THE BORDER. A HELICOPTER WAS FLYING OVERHEAD AND HER HUSBAND SAYS IT IS A MIRACLE THEY WERE NOT SPOTTED.

SHE SAYS THEY DID NOT HAVE TIME TO PLAN OR THINK ABOUT THEIR JOURNEY. THEY LEFT SUDDENLY WHEN SERB SHELLING NEAR THEIR HOME VILLAGE OF JUNIK MADE THEM FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES.

HER HUSBAND, MUJ JACIQI, IS A 38-YEAR OLD FURNITURE MAKER WHO SAYS HE TOOK HIS FAMILY OUT BECAUSE OF WHAT HE CALLS THE TORTURE AND MASSACRES BEING CARRIED OUT BY SERBS IN KOSOVO. HE SAID THE TRIP WAS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT ON HIS 76-YEAR-OLD MOTHER.

MR. JACIQI SAYS THE RED CROSS GAVE THEM FOOD AND CLOTHES, PLUS BEDS AND BLANKETS. AND HE SAYS HIS HOSTS HAVE BEEN GENEROUS TOO. REFUGEES HAVE MORE THAN DOUBLED THE SIZE OF MANY HOUSEHOLDS IN THIS, THE POOREST PART OF ALBANIA.

I'VE NEVER, EVER SEEN A REFUGEE CRISIS WHERE I'VE SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE SPONTANEOUSLY OPEN THEIR HOMES TO, IN SOME CASES, COMPLETE STRANGERS OR VERY VERY DISTANT RELATIVES. AND IT THINK IT SHOWS SOMETHING OF THE WARMTH AND GENEROSITY OF THE ALBANIAN PEOPLE.

BUT AS REFUGEES CONTINUE TO POUR OVER THE BORDER FROM KOSOVO, THE HOSPITALITY OF THE NORTHERN ALBANIANS MAY BE NEAR EXHAUSTION. OFFICIALS ARE STARTING TO ORGANIZE CAMPS FOR REFUGEES AS THE NUMBER FLOWING IN FROM KOSOVO OVERWHELMS THE RESOURCES OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS AREA.

ADULT REFUGEES MAY BE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SITUATION, BUT AT LEAST THEY KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED. FOR CHILDREN, ALL THEY UNDERSTAND IS THAT THEIR LIVES HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY. MRS. JACIQI SAYS HER CHILDREN ARE SCARED.

THEY SAY THEY HEAR SHOOTING AND SEE HOUSES BURNING, SHE SAYS. WE HAVE TO TRY TO FOOL THEM WITH TOYS, TRYING TO GET THEIR MINDS OFF WHAT HAS HAPPENED. BUT SHE SAYS EVERY DAY HER CHILDREN ASK TO GO BACK.

HER HUSBAND'S BROTHER ALSO CAME WITH THEM FROM KOSOVO, BUT THEN RETURNED -- TO FIGHT AGAINST THE SERBS, ACCORDING TO HIS WIFE, WHO HAS A DIFFICULT TIME TALKING ABOUT IT. SHE SAYS SHE IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HER HUSBAND, AND HAS HAD NO WORD FROM HIM IN MORE THAN A WEEK.

THE STORY IS A COMMON ONE HERE. MOST YOUNG MEN WHO TRAVEL OVER THE RUGGED BORDER MOUNTAINS WITH THEIR FAMILIES HAVE GONE RIGHT BACK. MANY SAY THEY PLAN TO TAKE UP ARMS FOR THE CAUSE OF AN INDEPENDENT KOSOVO, UNDER THE BANNER OF THE KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY, AS THEIR FAMILIES WAIT ON THE ALBANIAN SIDE OF THE BORDER, WONDERING ABOUT THEIR FUTURE. (SIGNED)
NEB/ART/JWH
NEB/ART
15-Jun-98 8:24 AM EDT (1224 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] KOSOVO'S BURNING VILLAGES BY PAMELA TAYLOR (POKLEK, KOSOVO)

INTRO: IN RECENT WEEKS A MASSIVE CRACKDOWN BY SERBIAN POLICE AND MILITARY IN WESTERN KOSOVO HAS SENT AN ESTIMATED 12 THOUSAND ETHNIC ALBANIAN REFUGEES FLEEING INTO ALBANIA. ANOTHER 100 THOUSAND ARE BELIEVED TO BE REFUGEES INSIDE KOSOVO. VOA'S PAMELA TAYLOR HAS VISITED SEVERAL OF THE VILLAGES TARGETED BY SERB FORCES IN THEIR EFFORT TO CRUSH THE ETHNIC ALBANIAN GUERRILLA MOVEMENT, KNOWN AS THE KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY, OR K-L-A:

TEXT: THE WORST DEVASTATION SEEN BY REPORTERS AND HUMANITARIAN WORKERS IN KOSOVO IS IN THE TOWN OF DECANI, ABOUT 50 KILOMETERS WEST OF PRISTINA. THE TOWN ONCE HAD A POPULATION OF ABOUT 20 THOUSAND. IT IS NOW VIRTUALLY EMPTY. WILD DOGS ROAM DESERTED STREETS THAT ARE LITTERED WITH THE REFUSE OF WAR: BROKEN GLASS, SHELL FRAGMENTS AND CHUNKS OF MASONRY. ALTHOUGH DECANI IS NOT COMPLETELY DESTROYED AS ETHNIC ALBANIAN OFFICIALS SAY, IT RESEMBLES THE MUSLIM VILLAGES THAT WERE BOMBED AND BURNED OUT IN THE FIGHTING IN CENTRAL BOSNIA.

REPORTERS AND DIPLOMATS WERE GIVEN PERMISSION BY SERB OFFICIALS TO VISIT DECANI LAST WEEK TO SEE THE DESTRUCTION, WHICH SERB OFFICIALS SAID WAS A RESPONSE TO ATTACKS BY TERRORISTS. RICHARD MILES THE U-S ENVOY IN BELGRADE ACCOMPANIED REPORTERS ON ONE OF THE TOURS. HE SAID THE DEVASTATION OF DECANI APPEARS NEARLY TOTAL:

HOMES BURNED OUT, BUSINESSES TOTALLY BURNED OUT, ALL WINDOWS BROKEN, PEOPLE GONE. IT WAS A DEPRESSING SIGHT.

WHAT REPORTERS SAW IN DECANI BECAME A FAMILIAR SIGHT AS THEY MANAGED TO GET PAST VARIOUS CHECKPOINTS TO SEE OTHER VILLAGES IN THE WESTERN KOSOVO WAR ZONE. IN THE TOWN OF IRZNIC, TWO KILOMETERS OUTSIDE DECANI, THE FEW VILLAGERS WHO HAD NOT FLED SHOWED REPORTERS EVIDENCE OF SHELLING, INCLUDING EMPTY SHELL CASINGS. THERE WAS A LARGE CRATER IN FRONT OF THE LOCAL MOSQUE AND A HOLE THROUGH ITS MINARET.

LOCAL HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL, MUSA BERISHA SAID 200 PEOPLE WERE MISSING FROM DECANI. WESTERN DIPLOMATS AND HUMANITARIAN OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS REPORTS OF A MASS GRAVE IN THE AREA BUT HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET ACCESS TO CONFIRM THIS.

ON SUNDAY (JUNE14) SERB FORCES LAUNCHED A MASSIVE ATTACK ON DJAKOVICA, A TOWN OF 40-THOUSAND INHABITANTS SOUTH OF DECANI. A SERBIAN POLICE SPOKESMAN, COLONEL NOVICA ZDRAVKOVIC, SAID THE OFFENSIVE WAS NECESSARY TO REPEL AN ATTACK BY WHAT HE CALLED K-L-A TERRORISTS ON A POLICE STATION IN THE TOWN. COLONEL ZDRAVKOVIC SAID THE (SERBIAN) OFFENSIVE IS NOT OVER.

THERE IS STILL TRAINING AND ARMING OF TERRORISTS GOING ON IN ALBANIA. (THEREFORE) THE AUTHORITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STATE BORDER CONTINUE TO SUCCESSFULLY CUT WAYS BY WHICH THE ARMED TERRORISTS GROUPS MOVE AND THEY CONTINUE TO PREVENT THEIR ILLEGAL ENTRY INTO THE COUNTRY.

IN THE VILLAGES UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE K-L-A, MEN WERE SEEN WEARING THE BLACK AND RED INSIGNIA OF THE GUERRILLA GROUP. A FEW WORE CAMOUFLAGE UNIFORMS BUT MOST WERE IN T-SHIRTS OR THEIR USUAL PEASANT CLOTHES. ONLY A FEW PROFESSIONAL-LOOKING SOLDIERS WERE SEEN IN THE TOWN OF MALISEVO, CONSIDERED THE HEART OF K-L-A CONTROLLED TERRITORY. MOST ETHNIC ALBANIAN MEN SAY THEY ARE PART OF THE K-L-A BUT FEW APPEAR TO HAVE ANY MILITARY TRAINING. MOST KOSOVAR ALBANIANS EVADE CONSCRIPTION INTO THE YUGOSLAV ARMY. ENVER, AN ELDERLY VILLAGER IN THE TINY HAMLET OF ALAT OUTSIDE MALISEVO, SAID EVERY TIME THE SERBS ATTACK, THE K-L-A GETS MORE VOLUNTEERS. HIS 16 YEAR OLD GRANDSON AZIR SAID HE WOULD FIGHT IF HE COULD BUT DIDN'T FEAR ATTACK BECAUSE HIS VILLAGE IS WELL INSIDE TERRITORY CONTROLLED BY THE K-L-A OR 'UCHEKA' AS IT'S KNOWN IN ALBANIAN:

WE'RE NOT LEAVING. BECAUSE WE'RE SAFE HERE. WE'RE NOT AFRAID. (REPORTER: DO YOU HAVE BROTHERS OR FRIENDS WHO ARE IN THE K-L-A?) I HAVE TWO BROTHERS IN GERMANY AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. MAYBE THEY WILL COME HERE BUT WE DON'T KNOW. (REPORTER: DO YOU THINK THEY ARE TRYING TO COME BACK?) MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW. (WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ONE OF YOUR BROTHERS WEARING THE K-L-A UNIFORM?) YES, I WOULD LIKE TO (SEE THAT).

AZIR AND HIS GRANDFATHER MAY BE SAFE IN THE MALISEVO REGION, BUT SEVERAL VILLAGES CLOSER TO THE CAPITAL PRISTINA HAVE BEEN SHELLED IN RECENT SERB POLICE ACTIONS. THE TOWNS OF GLOGOVAC AND POKLEK ARE NOW DESERTED EXCEPT FOR A FEW STUBBORN FARMERS RETURNING TO FEED THEIR STARVING LIVESTOCK. THE ROAD FROM PRISTINA TO THESE VILLAGES RUNS THROUGH THE FAMOUS MEDIEVAL SERB BATTLEFIELD OF KOSOVO POLJE. IT IS EMPTY OF CARS -- THE COUNTRYSIDE IS OMINOUSLY STILL. ONLY THE METAL FACTORY AT FERONIKL APPEARS INHABITED. IT HAS BEEN TAKEN OVER BY YUGOSLAV ARMY FORCES.

A HANDFUL OF ETHNIC ALBANIAN MEN FROM GLOGOVAC AND POKLEK AGREED TO TALK TO REPORTERS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THEIR VILLAGES ON MAY 31ST. A MAN CALLING HIMSELF IBRAHIM SAID THE SERBS FIRST SHELLED THE VILLAGES UNTIL EVERYONE FLED AND THEN CAME IN AND SET FIRES TO MANY OF THE HOMES:

THEY BURNED (THE HOMES) WITH GASOLINE. (REPORTER: HOW MANY HOUSES?) IN POKLEK, THEY BURNED 15 HOUSES AND TEN PEOPLE WERE KILLED.

IBRAHIM SAID ONLY ONE DEAD BODY WAS RECOVERED; HE SAID THE OTHERS WERE CARRIED AWAY BY THE SERBS. IBRAHIM SAID HE AND HIS COMPANIONS CAME BACK TO CHECK THEIR HOMES AND TO FEED THE LIVESTOCK BUT WERE AFRAID TO STAY AND WOULD BE LEAVING BEFORE NIGHTFALL.

ON THE ROAD BACK TO PRISTINA, A REPORTER GOT OUT TO FREE A STARVING HORSE WHICH HAD BEEN TETHERED AND ABANDONED BESIDE THE ROAD. IT JUST STOOD THERE BEWILDERED -- LIKE THE ALBANIANS OF KOSOVO -- NOT KNOWING WHETHER IT WAS BETTER TO RUN OR TO STAY. (SIGNED)
NEB/PAM/KL/WFR
15-Jun-98 4:19 PM EDT (2019 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] ALBANIA / NATO (L) BY ART CHIMES (TIRANA, ALBANIA)

INTRO: MORE THAN 80 WARPLANES FROM 13 NATO COUNTRIES HAVE STAGED MOCK AIR BATTLES OVER ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA (MONDAY) TO WARN SERBIA TO END AGGRESSION AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO PROVINCE. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES REPORTS FROM THE ALBANIAN CAPITAL, TIRANA.

TEXT: MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY THE EXERCISE WAS DESIGNED TO SHOW BELGRADE THAT NATO IS READY TO MOUNT QUICK ACTION TO STOP SERB ATTACKS AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO.

NATO DIPLOMATS AGREED ON THE MILITARY SHOW OF FORCE AFTER ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AND DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS FAILED TO PERSUADE SERBIA TO STOP ATTACKS ON VILLAGES OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO.

THE PLANES STAYED AWAY FROM THE BORDER REGION, WHERE YUGOSLAV AIR DEFENSES WERE PRESUMABLY ON HIGH ALERT, BUT FLEW IN PAIRS OVER THE CAPITAL, TIRANA, MONDAY MORNING.

THE OPERATION NATO CALLS "DETERMINED FALCON," IS AIMED AT PERSUADING YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC THAT THE WEST WILL NOT TOLERATE CONTINUED ATTACKS ON KOSOVO'S 90 PERCENT ETHNIC ALBANIAN MAJORITY.

IF AIR STRIKES AGAINST SERB TARGETS ARE ORDERED, ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER FATOS NANO TOLD V-O-A THAT NATO COULD USE ALBANIAN AIRFIELDS AND OTHER FACILITIES.

DEFINITELY YES. WE DECIDED, [AND] MADE PUBLIC THE AVAILABILITY OF OUR PORTS AND AIRPORTS AND OTHER SORTS OF LOGISTIC CAPABILITIES FOR OUR PARTNERS, OUR ALLIES, NATO MEMBERS FOR ANY KIND OF DETERRENT OPERATIONS THAT WOULD HELP THE CLIMATE CALM DOWN.

SERB ATTACKS AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIAN VILLAGES IN KOSOVO HAVE DRIVEN THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS ACROSS THE BORDER IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. AT LEAST 12-THOUSAND ARE NOW LIVING AS REFUGEES, STAYING WITH FAMILIES IN NORTHERN ALBANIA. (SIGNED)
NEB/ART/JWH
15-Jun-98 8:59 AM EDT (1259 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] NATO EXERCISES BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

INTRO: NATO WARPLANES HAVE TAKEN PART IN EXERCISES OVER THE SOUTHERN BALKANS IN A SHOW OF FORCE TO COMPEL YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO. V-O-A'S ANDRE DE NESNERA IN LONDON SPOKE WITH SENIOR NATO SPOKESMAN JAMIE SHEA ABOUT THE MANEUVERS.

TEXT: MORE THAN 80 AIRCRAFT FROM 13 NATO COUNTRIES FLEW OVER ALBANIA AND THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA.

SENIOR NATO SPOKESMAN JAMIE SHEA DESCRIBES THE MANEUVERS AS A MAJOR MILITARY EXERCISE DESIGNED TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC.

IT IS BASICALLY DESIGNED TO SHOW THAT NATO HAS THE CAPABILITY TO PROJECT VERY MAJOR ASSETS -- MILITARY ASSETS -- INTO THE THEATER AT SHORT NOTICE. IT IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW OUR PILOTS TO TEST THEIR PROCEDURES, TO TEST THEIR QUICK REACTION CAPABILITIES. BUT WE HOPE THAT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC WILL SEE THIS AS YET ANOTHER SIGNAL OF THE DETERMINATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO REALLY PUT HIM NOW UNDER SERIOUS PRESSURE TO BACKTRACK FROM VIOLENCE AND TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE KOSOVO ALBANIANS.

MR. SHEA SAYS NATO -- ALONG WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY -- WOULD LIKE TO SEE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS ACHIEVE RESULTS BEFORE USING MILITARY OPTIONS IN KOSOVO. BUT HE SAYS THE TIME TO ACT IS OBVIOUSLY COMING MUCH CLOSER.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT NATO COMMANDERS ARE NOW DOING, IS DRAWING UP CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR THE USE OF NATO AIRPOWER IN KOSOVO ITSELF AND THOSE PLANS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO NATO COUNTRIES WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. SO NATO IS WORKING SERIOUSLY ON OPTIONS FOR ACTUAL MILITARY ACTIONS IN KOSOVO, ALTHOUGH I REITERATE WHAT I SAID -- WE HOPE IT WILL NOT COME TO THIS. WE HOPE THAT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC WILL SEE THE WISDOM, FACED WITH NOW THE VERY UNITED FRONT AGAINST HIM OF CHANGING ANOTHER COURSE. HE MUST REALIZE THAT IT IS NOT IN HIS INTEREST TO ENTER INTO ANY KIND OF MILITARY CONFRONTATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.

THE SENIOR NATO SPOKESMAN SAYS IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO GET A UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION APPROVING ANY MILITARY ACTION IN KOSOVO.

NATO ALLIES ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL ARE WORKING HARD IN NEW YORK TO DRAW UP AN APPROPRIATE RESOLUTION WHICH WOULD AUTHORIZE NATO TO USE ALL NECESSARY MEANS AND TO HAVE THAT ACCEPTED BY THE OTHER MEMBERS. CERTAINLY, AT THE MOMENT, WE HAVE NOT GIVEN UP ON THAT EFFORT -- FAR FROM IT. IN FACT WE BELIEVE THAT IF PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC CONTINUES TO DEFY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, THE WILLINGNESS OF THE (U-N) SECURITY COUNCIL TO PASS SUCH A RESOLUTION WILL GO UP. BUT WE WILL WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS FIRST IN NEW YORK. BUT WHATEVER NATO DOES, IT WILL BE BASED ON A RELEVANT LEGAL MANDATE. WE WILL ACT ACCORDING TO THE U-N CHARTER AND INTERNATIONAL LAW.

YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC MEETS RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN IN MOSCOW TUESDAY IN AN EFFORT TO DEFUSE THE TENSION. THE RUSSIANS HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR RELUCTANCE TO USE FORCE AGAINST MR. MILOSEVIC. BUT SENIOR NATO SPOKESMAN JAMIE SHEA BELIEVES RUSSIAN OFFICIALS WILL RALLY WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IF MR. MILOSEVIC REFUSES TO LISTEN TO REASON. (SIGNED)
NEB/ADEN/JWH
15-Jun-98 8:22 AM EDT (1222 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] MACEDONIA FLY-OVER (L-ONLY) BY ANTHEE CARASAVA (SKOPJE)

INTRO: IN A SHOW OF NATO MILITARY STRENGTH, ALLIANCE JET FIGHTERS HAVE STREAMED ACROSS MACEDONIA'S SKIES AFTER CONDUCTING SIMILAR DRILLS OVER ALBANIA. BUT ANTHEE CARASAVA IN SKOPJE REPORTS THE SIMULATED AIR STRIKES WERE VIRTUALLY INVISIBLE -- UNLIKE THE VISIBLE SIGNS OF ETHNIC TENSION IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC.

TEXT: MACEDONIANS CALLED IT "MISSION INVISIBLE." FOR 55 MINUTES, 40 NATO WARPLANES FLEW THROUGH MACEDONIAN AIRSPACE, WITH HARDLY A TRACE OF THEIR PATH IN THE CLEAR BLUE SKIES.

WESTERN DIPLOMATS SAY THE FLIGHTS WERE INITIALLY EXPECTED TO TAKE PLACE AT AN ALTITUDE OF JUST 12-HUNDRED METERS. BUT THAT PLAN WAS SCRAPPED. INSTEAD, THE PLANES FLEW AT MUCH GREATER HEIGHTS TO AVOID INTIMIDATING LOCAL RESIDENTS.

THE COALITION GOVERNMENT IN MACEDONIA REQUESTED THE SIMULATED AIR RAIDS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THOSE OVER ALBANIA IN A BID TO PRESSURE YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO END A MILITANT CRACKDOWN IN SERBIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE.

BUT AS BRITISH AND GERMAN JETS FLEW OVERHEAD, ALMOST INVISIBLE, MACEDONIANS SEEMED CONCERNED THAT THEIR COUNTRY -- AFTER KOSOVO MAY BE NEXT TO EXPERIENCE ETHNIC VIOLENCE.

MACEDONIA IS A MOSAIC OF ETHNIC MINORITIES -- ETHNIC TURKS, GYPSIES, SLAVS, AND ETHNIC ALBANIANS WHO ARE DEMANDING GREATER RIGHTS AND GREATER REPRESENTATION IN PARLIAMENT.

SINCE MACEDONIA'S SEPARATION FROM THE YUGOSLAV FEDERATION IN 1991, THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT OF KIRO GLIGOROV HAS STRUGGLED WITH THE DIFFICULT TASK OF TRYING TO AVOID AGITATING ANY OF THE MINORITIES -- ESPECIALLY THE ALBANIANS.

BUT WITH ETHNIC ALBANIANS DEMANDING INDEPENDENCE IN KOSOVO, OFFICIALS HERE IN SKOPJE FEAR MACEDONIA'S ONE-HALF-MILLION ALBANIANS MAY ASPIRE TO SIMILAR GOALS OF INDEPENDENCE. INDEED, OFFICIALS INDICATE THAT SMALL BUT INCREASING NUMBERS OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS ARE LEAVING THE COUNTRY TO JOIN THE ARMED STRUGGLE OF SEPARATIST REBELS IN KOSOVO. AT THE SAME TIME, INCREASING NUMBERS OF ALBANIAN KOSOVARS ARE ENTERING MACEDONIA. AND THAT, OFFICIALS SAY, IS A MAJOR FACTOR OF CONCERN.

ALTHOUGH MACEDONIA HAS SO FAR BEEN SPARED A REFUGEE CRISIS, OFFICIALS WARN THAT THE PROSPECT OF SUCH A CRISIS INCREASES DAILY AS ETHNIC STRIFE CONTINUES IN KOSOVO. (SIGNED)
NEB/AC/JWH
15-Jun-98 8:49 AM EDT (1249 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[07] COHEN / KOSOVO (L-UPDATE) BY JIM RANDLE (WARSAW)

INTRO: NATO AIRCRAFT HAVE CARRIED OUT AIR EXERCISES NEAR THE KOSOVO BORDER AMID COMPLAINTS FROM RUSSIA THAT THE OPERATION WAS A SURPRISE TO MOSCOW. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS, DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS RUSSIAN OFFICIALS WERE THOROUGHLY INFORMED OF NATO'S PLANS.

TEXT: NATO OFFICIALS SAY 84 WARPLANES FROM 13 OF NATO'S 16 NATIONS FLEW IN A HASTILY ASSEMBLED PARADE ACROSS THE SKIES NEAR (THE YUGOSLAV PROVINCE OF) KOSOVO. DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS THE AIR ARMADA WAS SENT TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC THAT NATO CAN ASSEMBLE MASSIVE 'LETHAL FORCE' IN A SHORT TIME AND SEND IT TO YUGOSLAVIA.

MR. COHEN SAYS NATO MILITARY PLANNERS ARE WORKING ON VARIOUS DIRECT MILITARY ACTIONS THAT COULD BE TAKEN IF MR. MILOSEVIC CONTINUES HIS ATTACKS (AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO). BUT MR. COHEN SAYS NATO PREFERS A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION AND THAT NO (NATO) ATTACKS WILL BE LAUNCHED WITHOUT CONSULTATIONS AMONG THE ALLIED GOVERNMENTS.

PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC IS SET TO MEET WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN TO DISCUSS THE KOSOVO CRISIS. MR. COHEN SAYS HE HOPES MR. YELTSIN REINFORCES THE MESSAGE FROM NATO AND OTHER NATIONS THAT MR. MILOSEVIC'S FORCES SHOULD STOP SHELLING AND BURNING VILLAGES IN THE SERBIAN PROVINCE OF KOSOVO.

MR. COHEN ALSO SAYS RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER IGOR SERGEYEV WAS BRIEFED IN SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH HIS PEERS LAST WEEK AT NATO HEADQUARTERS IN BRUSSELS.

I THINK IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT NATO EXPECTED THE AIR EXERCISE TO TAKE PLACE IN A VERY IMMEDIATE FUTURE. THERE WAS A GREAT SENSE OF URGENCY ON THE PART OF ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF NATO THAT IT SHOULD TAKE PLACE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AND SO IT SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE TO ANYONE THAT THEY OCCURRED TODAY.

THE ALLIANCE WANTS MR. MILOSEVIC TO STOP ARMY OPERATIONS AGAINST ALBANIAN SEPARATIST GUERILLAS IN KOSOVO, A PROVINCE OF SERBIA. SERBIA IS ONE OF YUGOSLAVIA'S TWO REMAINING REPUBLICS. NINETY PERCENT OF THE RESIDENTS (OF KOSOVO) ARE ETHNIC ALBANIANS, BUT IT (THE PROVINCE) IS RULED BY THE SERBS.

FIGHTING BROKE OUT THIS WINTER WHEN MR. MILOSEVIC'S SERB-DOMINATED ARMY ATTACKED THE GUERRILLAS OF THE KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY. THE GUERRILLAS, KNOWN BY THEIR ALBANIAN INITIALS AS "U-C-K", HAD EARLIER AMBUSHED AND KILLED SERB POLICE.

THREE HUNDRED PEOPLE ARE DEAD IN THE FIGHTING; MORE THAN 65-THOUSAND HAVE BEEN DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES. THOUSANDS HAVE FLED TO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.

WASHINGTON AND NATO SAY THEY DO NOT SUPPORT THE U-C-K DRIVE FOR INDEPENDENCE. WESTERN NATIONS SAY THEY WANT KOSOVO TO REMAIN PART OF YUGOSLAVIA'S SERBIAN REPUBLIC, BUT REGAIN THE AUTONOMY THAT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TOOK AWAY IN 1989.

SECRETARY COHEN IS IN WARSAW FOR TALKS ABOUT POLAND'S PROGRESS IN JOINING THE NATO ALLIANCE. AFTER TALKS WITH THE DEFENSE AND PRIME MINISTERS, MR. COHEN PRAISED POLAND FOR ITS SKILLFUL AND FREQUENT CONTRIBUTIONS TO PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS AROUND THE WORLD. (SIGNED)
NEB/JR/RRM
15-Jun-98 9:55 AM EDT (1355 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[08] RUSSIA / KOSOVO (L) BY MICHELE KELEMEN (MOSCOW)

INTRO: RUSSIA'S DEFENSE MINISTER HAS CRITICIZED NATO FOR ITS AIR EXERCISES IN THE BALKANS. V-O-A'S MICHELE KELEMEN REPORTS RUSSIA IS TRYING TO MEDIATE AN END TO VIOLENCE IN YUGOSLAVIA'S TROUBLE KOSOVO PROVINCE AND PREVENT NATO ACTION THERE.

TEXT: DEFENSE MINISTER IGOR SERGEYEV COMPLAINED TO THE VISITING CHAIRMAN OF THE U-S MILITARY JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF THAT RUSSIA WAS NOT CONSULTED ABOUT NATO'S PLANS. HE SAYS NATO DECIDED TO CARRY OUT THE EXERCISES AFTER HE HAD LEFT CONSULTATIONS IN BRUSSELS LAST WEEK AND AFTER HE MADE CLEAR RUSSIA SUPPORTS A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION TO THE KOSOVO CONFLICT.

THE DEFENSE MINISTER SAYS HE CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY NATO TREATED HIM THIS WAY, ADDING THE AIR EXERCISES WERE UNEXPECTED. THEY COME AS PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN PREPARES FOR TALKS TUESDAY WITH YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODON MILOSEVIC.

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF HENRY SHELTON RESPONDED TO THE CRITICISM, SAYING THE NATO EXERCISES ARE MEANT TO UNDERSCORE RUSSIA'S DIPLOMATIC WORK. THE U-S GENERAL BROUGHT THAT SAME MESSAGE TO HIS RUSSIAN COUNTERPART ANATOLY KVASHNIN.

NATO'S DESIRE IS THAT THIS BE DECIDED DIPLOMATICALLY, PEACEFULLY. THEREFORE WE ARE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FACT THAT PRESIDENT YELTSIN WILL MEET WITH MR. MILOSEVIC HERE AND PRESS FOR A DIPLOMATIC PEACEFUL SOLUTION.

BUT RUSSIA, CLEARLY IRRITATED BY NATO, IS RECALLING ITS ENVOY TO THE ALLIANCE. LIETENANT-GENERAL VIKTOR ZAVARZIN IS EXPECTED BACK IN MOSCOW TUESDAY, WHEN THE YUGOSLAV-RUSSIAN TALKS BEGIN.

THE CHIEF OF THE GENERAL STAFF OF THE RUSSIAN ARMED FORCES DECLINED TO SAY IF THE ENVOY IS BEING BROUGHT BACK AS A PROTEST AGAINST NATO. GENERAL KVASHNIN WOULD SAY ONLY THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT. (SIGNED)
NEB/MLK/JWH
15-Jun-98 8:04 AM EDT (1204 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[09] BOSNIA / U-N PEACEKEEPING (L - ONLY) BY MAX RUSTON (UNITED NATIONS)

INTRO: THE UNITED NATIONS TODAY (MONDAY) EXTENDED THE MANDATE FOR ITS PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA FOR AN ADDITIONAL 12 MONTHS. U-N SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY THE FORCE REMAINS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN SECURITY IN THE REGION. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON REPORTS.

TEXT: THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE MANDATE OF ITS PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. THE MOVE ALLOWS THE CONTINUATION OF A TWO-THOUSAND-MEMBER POLICE TASK FORCE AND ENDORSES, IN COOPERATION WITH NATO, A ONE-YEAR EXTENSION OF THE MULTINATIONAL STABILIZATION FORCE "S-FOR" (PRON: ESS-FOR).

S-FOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE MILITARY PROVISIONS OF THE 1995 DAYTON PEACE ACCORDS, WHICH ENDED FOUR YEARS OF FIGHTING IN BOSNIA. SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY S-FOR'S 33-THOUSAND PERSON FORCE REMAINS NECESSARY BECAUSE OF CONTINUING DIVISIONS AMONG MOSLEMS, CROATS AND SERBS.

U-S DEPUTY REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS PETER BURLEIGH:

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS FUTURE AND PREPARE TO STAND ON ITS OWN. WE CALL ON ALL PARTIES TO THE PEACE AGREEMENT TO REDOUBLE THEIR EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENT AND ABANDON PATTERNS OF PROCRASTINATION, OBSTRUCTIONISM, AND MINIMAL COMPLIANCE WITH DAYTON.

SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST CONCERNS IN BOSNIA NOW IS THAT REFUGEES WHO FLED DURING THE WAR RETURN TO THEIR HOMES. U-S OFFICIALS SAY THERE HAVE BEEN HOPEFUL SIGNS IN THAT AREA WITH THE RETURN OF ABOUT 400-THOUSAND REFUGEES SO FAR.

APPROVAL OF THE PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS COMES AMID RISING TENSION IN THE YUGOSLAV PROVINCE OF KOSOVO, WHERE THE YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN CRACKING DOWN ON ETHNIC ALBANIANS. HUNDREDS OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS AND MORE THAN 60-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE FLED TO NEIGHBORING ALBANIA. (SIGNED) NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/RRM
15-Jun-98 5:41 PM EDT (2141 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[10] EUROPEAN SUMMIT (L-ONLY) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

INTRO: THE 15 LEADERS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION ARE IN THE WELSH CAPITAL CARDIFF FOR A SUMMIT MEETING TO DISCUSS POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC REFORMS. V-O-A'S ANDRE DE NESNERA REPORTS FROM LONDON.

TEXT: THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION -- JACQUES SANTER SET THE TONE FOR THE CARDIFF SUMMIT WHEN HE SAID THERE ARE NO URGENT DECISIONS TO BE TAKEN BY THE 15 EUROPEAN LEADERS.

THE SUMMIT IN WALES IS THE LAST HIGH-LEVEL EUROPEAN MEETING TO BE CHAIRED BY BRITAIN SINCE IT RELINQUISHES THE SIX-MONTH EUROPEAN PRESIDENCY AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. AUSTRIA WILL TAKE OVER THE EUROPEAN LEADERSHIP FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS BEGINNING JULY FIRST.

EUROPEAN LEADERS WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE STOCK OF WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AS EUROPE MOVES TOWARD CLOSER ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AND PREPARES TO ACCEPT NEW MEMBERS.

BEFORE THE SUMMIT BEGAN, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR TOLD REPORTERS EUROPEAN LEADERS WILL FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION ON TWO KEY QUESTIONS.

THE FIRST IS TO GET AN AGENDA FOR ECONOMIC REFORM IN EUROPE WHICH MOVES US AWAY FROM HEAVY REGULATIONS TOWARD HELP ON JOBS, SMALL BUSINESS, COMPLETING THE SINGLE EUROPEAN MARKET IN EUROPE TO HELP TRADE AND INVESTMENT -- AND SECONDLY, TO SET OUT A POLITICAL VISION FOR EUROPE THAT IS ABOUT A DECENTRALIZED EUROPE, WHERE WE WILL BE MOVING EUROPE CLOSER TO PEOPLE RATHER THAN SOME EUROPEAN FEDERAL SUPERSTATE.

THE SUMMIT LEADERS WILL ALSO REVIEW THE JOB-CREATION PLANS THEY ALL AGREED TO DRAFT AT LAST YEAR'S LUXEMBURG SUMMIT AND THEY WILL CONTINUE THEIR DISCUSSIONS ON REFORMING THE EUROPEAN UNION'S COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY.

SUMMIT PARTICIPANTS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO DISCUSS THE EUROPEAN UNION'S STRAINED RELATIONS WITH TURKEY -- AND THE VIOLENCE IN THE SERBIAN PROVINCE OF KOSOVO. (SIGNED)
NEB/ADEN/GE
15-Jun-98 11:16 AM EDT (1516 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: STOCK PRICES FELL SHARPLY IN TRADING MONDAY IN EUROPE. V-O-A'S JACK HUIZENGA HAS THE CLOSING MARKET REPORT FROM LONDON.

TEXT: THE EUROPEAN MARKETS PLUNGED IN TRADING MONDAY, FOLLOWING SHARP LOSSES EARLIER IN THE DAY IN ASIA. BUT ALL PICKED UP A BIT IN LATER TRADING, AND ALL FINISHED WELL ABOVE THEIR LOWS FOR THE DAY.

THE BIGGEST DROP WAS IN PARIS. THE CAC-40 INDEX ENDED DOWN MORE THAN 45 POINTS, ABOUT ONE-AND-ONE-TENTH PERCENT. IN LONDON, THE FOOTSIE-100 INDEX WAS OFF 54 POINTS, NINE-TENTHS PERCENT.

AND IN FRANKFURT, THE DAX INDEX CLOSED DOWN 50 POINTS, ALSO NINE-TENTHS PERCENT.

ON THE LONDON CURRENCY EXCHANGE, THE VALUE OF THE U-S DOLLAR ROSE AGAINST THE GERMAN MARK AND THE JAPANESE YEN. BUT IT WAS DOWN AGAINST THE BRITISH POUND. (SIGNED)
NEB/JWH/WFR
15-Jun-98 2:12 PM EDT (1812 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE DOWN SHARPLY TODAY (MONDAY) IN REACTION TO THE ONGOING FINANCIAL CRISIS IN ASIA. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT 86 HUNDRED 27, DOWN 207 POINTS OR MORE THAN TWO PERCENT. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500 INDEX CLOSED AT ONE THOUSAND 77, DOWN 21 POINTS.

STOCKS WERE DOWN ALL DAY AS THE U-S MARKET JOINED STOCK MARKETS AROUND THE WORLD IN MAJOR SELL-OFFS. THE TRIGGER WAS THE SLIDE IN THE VALUE OF THE JAPANESE YEN TO AN EIGHT YEAR LOW AGAINST THE U-S DOLLAR. THE FEAR IS THAT THE FALLING YEN MAY CAUSE OTHER ASIAN NATIONS TO DEVALUE THEIR CURRENCIES.

UNTIL LATE IN NEW YORK TRADING, ANALYSTS SAID THE FACT THAT THE INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE HAD HELD ABOVE 87 HUNDRED WAS A POSITIVE SIGN. BUT IN THE FINAL HOUR OF TRADING, IT DIPPED BELOW 87 HUNDRED AND THE SELLING QUICKLY ACCELERATED.

BUT NOT EVERYONE IS PESSIMISTIC. CHARLES CRANE OF THE KEY ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY, SAYS THE DROP IN STOCK PRICES IS SETTING UP AN EXCELLENT BUYING OPPORTUNITY.

I THINK THAT THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF BARGAIN HUNTERS OUT THERE JUST WAITING TO BUY STOCKS ON DIPS AND THIS CERTAINLY QUALIFIES AS A DIP IN JUST ABOUT ANYBODY'S BOOK.

WHILE STOCK PRICES PLUNGED, SO DID OIL PRICES AS THEY REACHED THEIR LOWEST LEVELS IN 12 YEARS ON WORRIES OF OVERSUPPLY. PRICES DIPPED BELOW 12 DOLLARS A BARREL AND SOME ANALYSTS SAY THE OIL PRICE SLIDE WILL CONTINUE.

BUT THE U-S BOND MARKET WAS STRONG. ANALYSTS SAY MANY INVESTORS ARE FLEEING INTO THE SAFETY AND STABILITY OF BONDS, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF THE U-S GOVERNMENT.

GOLDMAN SACHS, ONE OF WALL STREET'S PREMIER INVESTMENT FIRMS, IS GOING PUBLIC. THE PARTNERS IN THE 129-YEAR OLD COMPANY HAVE APPROVED THE IDEA OF ISSUING STOCK. THE STOCK SHOULD BE AVAILABLE WITHIN ABOUT THREE MONTHS.

NORTHERN TELCOM, THE CANADIAN-BASED TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT MAKER, WILL BUY BAY NETWORKS IN A DEAL WORTH MORE THAN NINE BILLION DOLLARS. THE COMBINED COMPANY WILL PROVIDE INTEGRATED NETWORKS WHICH WILL CARRY VOICE, DATA AND VIDEO TRANSMISSIONS.

A NEW JOINT VENTURE PROMISES TO INCREASE THE SPEED OF THE INTERNET. MICROSOFT, COMPAQ COMPUTER AND THE TIME WARNER COMPANY ARE LAUNCHING A PROJECT WHICH WILL DELIVER THE INTERNET THROUGH TELEVISION CABLE CONNECTIONS. "CHAIN SAW AL" HAS BEEN FIRED. BUSINESS EXECUTIVE AL DUNLAP WAS NICKNAMED "CHAIN SAW" FOR HIS RECORD OF CUTTING THOUSANDS OF JOBS IN SEVERAL CORPORATE RESTRUCTURINGS. MR. DUNLAP WAS DISMISSED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE SUNBEAM SMALL APPLIANCES COMPANY. THE BOARD SAID IT LOST CONFIDENCE IN MR. DUNLAP'S LEADERSHIP AFTER HE FAILED TO DELIVER ON PROMISES TO INCREASE SUNBEAM'S PROFITS.(SIGNED) NEB/NY/BA/LSF/PT
15-Jun-98 5:22 PM EDT (2122 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[13] MONDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: A WIDE ARRAY OF TOPICS FILLS THE EDITORIAL PAGES OF MANY U-S NEWSPAPERS THIS MONDAY. INCLUDED AMONG THEM, READERS CAN FIND REACTION TO JAPAN, OFFICIALLY IN RECESSION; THE LATEST THOUGHTS ON THE INDIAN-PAKISTANI NUCLEAR THREAT; THE ILLS OF SLASH AND BURN LAND CLEARING; AND A HORRIBLE RACIAL CRIME IN TEXAS THAT HAS RENEWED DEBATE ON RACISM. NOW, HERE IS ____________________ WITH A CLOSER LOOK IN TODAY'S U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: AFTER MONTHS OF BAD NEWS ON THE ASIAN ECONOMIC CRISIS, TODAY'S "NEW YORK TIMES" COMMENTS ON THE LATEST NEWS, THAT JAPAN IS IN A RECESSION.

VOICE: JAPAN IS NOW OFFICIALLY IN RECESSION, AND ITS GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO DAWDLE ABOUT RESPONDING. THE RISK IS THAT JAPAN'S PROBLEMS MAY CAUSE FURTHER DAMAGE TO ITS ALREADY WEAK ASIAN NEIGHBORS. THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR JAPANESE OFFICIAL MUST BE TO SAVE THE COUNTRY'S SICK BANKING SYSTEM, WHICH IS STILL BURDENED BY BAD LOANS LEFT OVER FROM THE BUBBLE ECONOMY OF THE LATE 1980'S. ..... /// OPT /// THE BANKS, HAVING BELATEDLY AWAKENED TO HOW BAD THEIR SITUATION IS, HAVE CREATED A HUGE CREDIT CRUNCH BY CUTTING BACK ON LOANS TO AVERT FURTHER LOSSES. WORRIED JAPANESE CONSUMERS ARE RELUCTANT TO SPEND, MAKING THINGS WORSE. MONEY IS FLOWING OUT OF THE COUNTRY AS SAVERS SEEK SAFE HAVEN IN FOREIGN BANKS AND FOREIGN BONDS. SO DESPITE A BIG TRADE SURPLUS THE YEN IS TUMBLING .....

TEXT: STILL WITH ASIA, BUT TURNING FROM ECONOMIC TO MILITARY ISSUES, THERE IS ON-GOING CONCERN IN THE AFTERMATH OF RECENT NUCLEAR TESTING BY BOTH INDIA AND PAKISTAN. "NEWSDAY" SAYS WITH PAKISTAN HAVING CALLED A HALT TO NUCLEAR TESTING, IT IS UP TO INDIA TO MATCH THAT.

VOICE: PAKISTAN DECLARED A HALT TO ITS NUCLEAR TESTS. THAT'S A HOPEFUL DEVELOPMENT. BUT IT ISN'T ENOUGH, OF ITSELF, TO DEFUSE THE DANGEROUS TENSIONS BETWEEN THE WORLD'S TWO NEWEST NUCLEAR POWERS OVER THE DISPUTED KASHMIR REGION. NOR DOES PAKISTAN'S DECISION SETTLE TROUBLING ISSUES RAISED BY THE TWO RIVALS' DECISIONS TO DEVELOP NUCLEAR ARSENALS. BOTH SIDES MUST OBSERVE A TESTING MORATORIUM, WHICH MUST BE PUT INTO A FORMAL AGREEMENT, PREFERABLY NEGOTIATED THROUGH NEUTRAL INTERMEDIARIES. ..... /// OPT /// IN ANNOUNCING ITS UNILATERAL NUCLEAR-TEST MORATORIUM, PAKISTAN ALSO CONVEYED AN OFFER OF PEACE TALKS OVER KASHMIR TO INDIA. WHEN PRIME MINISTERS NAWAZ SHARIF OF PAKISTAN AND ATAL BIRHARI VAJPAYEE OF INDIA MEET AS SCHEDULED AS A REGIONAL SUMMIT NEXT MONTH, IN SRI LANKA, THEY MUST DISCUSS PAKISTAN'S OFFER SERIOUSLY. THE PRECARIOUS STABILITY OF THE SUBCONTINENT DEPENDS ON IT. /// END OPT ///

TEXT: IN NEBRASKA, "THE OMAHA WORLD-HERALD" ALSO WORRIES ABOUT THE HANDS OF THE DOOMSDAY CLOCK, SET BY A GROUP OF SCIENTISTS CONCERNED ABOUT THE THREAT OF NUCLEAR WAR, MOVING CLOSER TO "MIDNIGHT," OR NUCLEAR DISASTER.

VOICE: THE CLOCK WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1947. IT EDGED TOWARD MIDNIGHT FOR MANY YEARS. THE MOST PERILOUS YEAR WAS 1953, AFTER THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOVIET UNION TESTED HYDROGEN BOMBS, WHEN THE CLOCK WAS SET AT TWO MINUTES TILL MIDNIGHT. THEN IN 1991, AS A RESULT OF THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL AND THE BREAK-UP OF THE SOVIET UNION, IT WAS SET BACK TO 17 MINUTES BEFORE MIDNIGHT, THE SAFEST INTERVAL SINCE THE DIRECTORS .... OF THE BULLETIN OF ... ATOMIC SCIENTISTS .... BEGAN KEEPING THEIR CLOCK. THE ... TESTING IN INDIA AND PAKISTAN UNSETTLED THE SITUATION AGAIN. ..... IT'S BETTER FOR EVERYONE WHEN THE DIRECTORS FEEL THAT CONDITIONS WARRANT SETTING THE CLOCK BACK. MUCH HANGS ON THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN.

TEXT: TURNING TO CENTRAL AND LATIN AMERICA, "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" EXPRESSES FRUSTRATION THAT, WITH EL NINO-RELATED DROUGHT IN THE REGION, FARMERS CONTINUE TO SET FIRES TO CLEAR LAND FOR PLANTING.

VOICE: IN MEXICO, [ALONE] 12-THOUSAND-800-FIRES HAVE CONSUMED ABOUT 450-THOUSAND HECTARES SINCE JANUARY. ..... ALL THIS IS THE WORK OF MAN, EXACERBATED BY TERRIBLE DROUGHT CAUSED BY EL NINO ..... SADLY, THERE ARE ALSO REPORTS OF BLAZES SET BY WEALTHY LANDOWNERS WHO WANT TO CLEAR THE LAND FOR GRAZING AND DRUG TRAFFICKERS WHO USE FIRES AS DIVERSIONS TO KEEP THE ARMY BUSY, AWAY FROM THEIR TURF. WHATEVER THE CAUSES, AID AND OTHER AGENCIES SHOULD CONTINUE TO GIVE ALL POSSIBLE HELP. /// OPT /// AND WHILE ASHES STILL COVER THE GROUND, AGRICULTURE PRACTICES MUST START CHANGING FROM THE TRADITIONAL SLASH-AND-BURN SYSTEM OF CLEARING LAND TO MODERN TECHNIQUES. /// END OPT ///

TEXT: SEVERAL PAPERS ARE EXPRESSING ANGER AND FRUSTRATION AT HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER NEWT GINGRICH FOR CONTINUING TO STIFLE A VOTE ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM. "THE WASHINGTON POST" IN MONDAY'S LEAD EDITORIAL SAYS:

VOICE: THE HOUSE LEADERSHIP CONTINUES TO MOCK ITS PROMISE TO ALLOW A CLEAN VOTE ..... THE CURRENT TACTIC APPEARS TO BE TO SCHEDULE JUST ENOUGH DEBATE EACH WEEK TO KEEP THE ISSUE ALIVE WITHOUT DISPOSING OF IT. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THE MEMBERS -- A MAJORITY -- WHO CLAIM TO WANT TO DEAL SERIOUSLY WITH THE ISSUE ARE GOING TO FORCE THE RESISTING LEADERS TO LET THEM. THEY HAVE THE POWER. IF THEY FAIL TO EXERCISE IT, THEY BECOME PARTICIPANTS IN THE DUPLICITY THEY PROFESS TO DEPLORE.

TEXT: SHOCK AND OUTRAGE CONTINUES TO FIND ITS WAY INTO THE EDITORIAL PAGES CONCERNING THE BRUTAL MURDER OF A BLACK MAN IN TEXAS, ALLEGEDLY BY A TRIO OF WHITE, FORMER JAIL INMATES WHO DRAGGED HIM BEHIND THEIR SMALL TRUCK FOR SEVERAL KILOMETERS. "USA TODAY" SAYS THE "GRISLY KILLING" POINTS UP THAT RACISM CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF THIS NATION'S MOST SERIOUS SOCIAL PROBLEMS. AND IT ASKS WHETHER THE OUTRAGE, BEING EXPRESSED BY ALL THE TOWN'S CITIZENS, WHITE AND BLACK, IS GOOD ENOUGH:

VOICE: /// OPT /// COLLECTIVE FURY OVER RACE-TINGED ATROCITIES IS, THANKFULLY, ALMOST A HABIT IN THIS COUNTRY. EVEN THREE DECADES AGO IN THE DEEP SOUTH, THAT WAS TRUE. /// END OPT /// ..... THE WELCOME MESSAGE IS THAT WHENEVER AN ATROCITY ILLUMINATES THE SIN OF RACIST HATE, THE NATION WILL STAND UNITED AGAINST IT. THE UNWELCOME MESSAGE IS THAT NO RACIST EXISTS IN A VACUUM AND THAT FOR EVERY SAVAGERY COMMITTED IN THE NAME OF COLOR, A MILLION SLIGHTS ARE GLOSSED OVER. IT IS ALSO A NATIONAL HABIT TO TOLERATE RACIAL DISTINCTION AND INEQUITY.

TEXT: FINALLY, IN THE CARIBBEAN, ON THE ISLAND OF HISPANIOLA, WHERE TODAY'S "PORTLAND [MAINE] PRESS HERALD" EXPRESSES CONCERN FOR SOME RECENT HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN HAITI.

VOICE: CHAMPIONS OF DEMOCRACY IN THE AMERICAS HAD HOPED THAT WHEN RENE PREVAL BECAME PRESIDENT OF HAITI, HE WOULD SET A NEW COURSE. ..... RECENT EVENTS IN THE ARTIBONITE VALLEY IN WESTERN HAITI CALL THOSE HOPES INTO QUESTION. A WAVE OF ARRESTS REMINISCENT OF THE BAD OLD DAYS HAS SWEPT THE VALLEY, WITH UPWARDS OF 60 PEOPLE -- THE NUMBER KEEPS CHANGING -- HAVING BEEN DETAINED. AT LEAST ONE, GASTON PIERRE, IS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN HORRIBLY TORTURED. ..... THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. ..... [MR.] PREVAL CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. HE CAN'T PRETEND TO BE THE LEADER OF A RESURGENT DEMOCRACY AND ALLOW A RETURN OF THE THUGOCRACY THAT PREVAILED BEFORE.

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF EDITORIALS FROM SOME OF MONDAY U-S NEWSPAPERS. NEB/ANG/ MMK
15-Jun-98 10:30 AM EDT (1430 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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