Voice of America, 98-08-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] U-S/KOSOVO (L) BY GIL BUTLER (STATE DEPARTMENT)

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

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

[04] WEDNESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[05] BRITAIN/IRELAND (S/L) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

[06] CLINTON / IRELAND (S) BY DEBORAH TATE (MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MA.)

[07] BASQUE SEPARATISM BY RICK SALLINGER (BARCELONA)

[01] U-S/KOSOVO (L) BY GIL BUTLER (STATE DEPARTMENT)

INTRO: THE UNITED STATES HAS SENT A HIGH RANKING STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TO YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE BECAUSE OF A WORSENING REFUGEE SITUATION. THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS UP TO 100 THOUSAND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE ARE WITHOUT SHELTER AND THAT ACCESS TO THE NEEDY BY INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS HAS BEEN DISRUPTED. V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT GIL BUTLER HAS MORE ON THE STORY.

TEXT: IN ALL, THE STATE DEPARTMENT ESTIMATES, THERE ARE A QUARTER OF A MILLION INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN KOSOVO AS A RESULT OF THE FIGHTING. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE 26 THOUSAND IN MONTGENEGRO AND 14 THOUSAND KOSOVAR REFUGEES IN ALBANIA. SO JULIA TAFT, THE ASSSISTANT SECRETARY IN CHARGE OF REFUGEE ISSUES, IS BEING SENT TO THE REGION.

STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES FOLEY SAYS HER VISIT WILL UNDERSCORE AMERICAN CONCERN OVER THE SITUATION AND U-S COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE HELP FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE KOSOVO CONFLICT. MR. FOLEY CONFIRMED REPORTS THAT THREE KOSOVAR ALBANIAN RELIEF WORKERS OF THE MOTHER TERESA SOCIETY WERE KILLED WHEN A SERBIAN ARMORED VEHICLE FIRED ON THEIR CAR.

THE EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT THE WORKERS' VEHICLE WAS DELIBERATELY TARGETTED BY A SERBIAN ARMORED VEHICLE LESS THAN ONE KILOMETER AWAY IN BROAD DAYLIGHT. THE TARGETTING OF CIVILIANS IS INDEED A COWARDLY ACT.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID SUCH DELIBERATE ATTEMPTS TO DISRUPT HUMANITARIAN RELIEF WORK SHOWS THE EMPTINESS OF YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC'S PROMISES. HE CALLED ON THE SERBS TO HALT THEIR OFFENSIVE AGAINST KOSOVAR ALBANIANS AND ALLOW HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO BE DELIVERED.(SIGNED)
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26-Aug-98 4:17 PM EDT (2017 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

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

TEXT: THE EUROPEAN EXCHANGES ALL CLOSED SHARPLY LOWER -- ALTHOUGH STILL ABOVE THEIR LOWS FOR THE DAY. ONCE AGAIN, AS IT HAS BEEN ALL WEEK, TRADING VOLUME WAS LIGHT.

ANALYSTS BLAMED THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS IN ASIA AND RUSSIA FOR THE BIG DOWNTURN.

THE BIGGEST LOSS WAS IN FRANKFURT. THE DAX INDEX CLOSED OFF 159-POINTS, ALMOST THREE-PERCENT. IN PARIS, THE CAC-40 INDEX FELL 116-POINTS, TWO-AND-NINE-TENTHS PERCENT.

AND IN LONDON, THE FOOTSIE-100 INDEX ENDED DOWN 109-POINTS, ONE-AND-NINE-TENTHS-PERCENT.

ON THE LONDON CURRENCY EXCHANGE, THE VALUE OF THE U-S DOLLAR GAINED AGAINST THE GERMAN MARK. BUT IT WAS DOWN AGAINST THE BRITISH POUND AND THE JAPANESE YEN. (SIGNED)
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26-Aug-98 2:19 PM EDT (1819 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE DOWN TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN REACTION TO THE WORSENING ECONOMIC CRISIS IN RUSSIA. VOA CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT 85 HUNDRED 23, DOWN 79 POINTS, ALMOST ONE PERCENT. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500 INDEX CLOSED AT ONE THOUSAND 84, DOWN EIGHT POINTS.

STOCK PRICES WERE DOWN ALL DAY AND A RECOVERY ATTEMPT LATE IN THE SESSION FAILED.

ANALYSTS SAY U-S STOCKS FOLLOWED OTHER WORLD MARKETS DOWN LARGELY AS A REACTION TO THE ECONOMIC CHAOS IN RUSSIA WHERE THE RUBLE CONTINUES TO COLLAPSE AND THE RUSSIAN CENTRAL BANK HAS BEEN UNABLE TO INTERVENE. PRESSURE ON THE RUBLE WAS SO EXTREME THAT RUBLE-DOLLAR TRADING WAS HALTED IN THE RUSSIAN CURRENCY EXCHANGE.

THE GOVERNMENT REPORTS DURABLE GOODS ORDERS IN THE UNITED STATES ROSE TWO POINT FOUR PERCENT IN JULY, FAR AHEAD OF WALL STREET EXPECTATIONS. DURABLE GOODS ARE EXPENSIVE MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO LAST THREE YEARS OR LONGER. THE REPORT INDICATES CONTINUED STRENGTH IN THE DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

PHILIP MORRIS, THE FOOD AND TOBACCO GIANT, IS RAISING ITS QUARTERLY STOCK DIVIDEND BY 10 PERCENT. THE COMPANY DEFERRED A DIVIDEND HIKE LAST YEAR IN ANTICIPATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE TOBACCO DEAL WHICH WOULD HAVE REQUIRED CIGARETTE COMPANIES TO PAY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO STATE GOVERNMENTS. HOWEVER, THAT DEAL COLLAPSED IN THE U-S CONGRESS A FEW MONTHS AGO.

NORTHWEST AIRLINES HAS CANCELLED 400 FLIGHTS IN ADVANCE OF A POSSIBLE PILOTS STRIKE WHICH IS SET FOR FRIDAY. NORTHWEST SAYS THE FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS WERE MADE TO AVOID HAVING AIRCRAFT STRANDED IN REMOTE LOCATIONS IF THE STRIKE OCCURS.

PILOTS AT AIR CANADA HAVE SET A TUESDAY STRIKE DEADLINE. TALKS ARE UNDERWAY IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT A WALKOUT.

THE APPLIED MATERIALS COMPANY WILL ELIMINATE TWO THOUSAND JOBS OR 15 PERCENT OF ITS WORK FORCE. APPLIED, THE WORLD'S LARGEST SUPPLIER OF EQUIPMENT USED TO MAKE COMPUTER CHIPS, HAS BEEN HURT BY TOO MUCH MANUFACTURING CAPACITY IN THE COMPUTER CHIP BUSINESS.(SIGNED) NEB/NY/BA/LSF/PLM
26-Aug-98 5:06 PM EDT (2106 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] WEDNESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE WIDENING WAR IN CONGO-KINSHASA IS JUST ONE OF THE BIG STORIES DRAWING COMMENT ON THE EDITORIAL PAGES OF AMERICA'S DAILIES THIS WEDNESDAY. THERE IS ALSO A GOOD DEAL OF REACTION TO THE LATEST OFFER TO TRY THE SUSPECTS IN THE PANAM 103 AIRLINER BOMBING OVER LOCKERBIE, SCOTLAND; AND A CONTROVERSIAL DECISION ON HOW TO COUNT THE U.S. POPULATION IN THE MANDATORY YEAR 2000 CENSUS. OTHER TOPICS INCLUDE: THE FORTHCOMING SUMMIT MEETING BETWEEN PRESIDENTS CLINTON AND YELTSIN IN MOSCOW, AND LAST WEEK'S U.S. MISSILE ATTACK ON SUSPECTED TERRORIST BASES IN SUDAN AND AFGHANISTAN. NOW, HERE IS _____________ WITH A CLOSER LOOK AND SOME QUOTES IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: TODAY'S "NEW YORK TIMES" IS WORRIED ABOUT "AFRICA'S WIDENING WAR," IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, NOTING:

VOICE: TROOPS, PLANES AND TANKS FROM ANGOLA, ZIMBABWE, UGANDA AND PROBABLY RWANDA ARE NOW INTERVENING ON ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER OF CONGO'S CIVIL WAR. THEIR ACTIONS BLATANTLY VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL BORDERS AND SET AN ALARMING PRECEDENT FOR TURNING OTHER CIVIL WARS, LIKE THOSE IN THE SUDAN AND ANGOLA, INTO REGIONAL CONFLICTS. THE FIGHTING COULD ALSO HASTEN THE BREAKUP OF THE HUGE BUT FRACTIOUS CONGO, CREATING A BREEDING GROUND FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS, WARLORDS AND TERRORISTS IN THE HEART OF AFRICA. THE UNITED STATES ... HAS PAID TOO LITTLE ATTENTION. /// OPT /// ... ALL THESE INTERVENING COUNTRIES, THOUGH THEY MAY BE TEMPORARILY BLINDED TO IT, HAVE A TRANSCENDING INTEREST IN ALLOWING AN AFRICA NOW FINALLY FREE OF SUPERPOWER PROXY CONTESTS TO DEVELOP IN PEACE. AMERICA, WHICH SHARES THAT INTEREST, SHOULD DO MORE TO HELP END THIS DANGEROUS CONFLICT. /// END OPT

TEXT: SEVERAL PAPERS ARE COMMENTING ON THE LATEST WESTERN OFFER TO LIBYA, TO HAVE ITS TWO AGENTS, SUSPECTED OF BOMBING PANAM 103 OVER SCOTLAND, TRIED UNDER SCOTTISH LAW BY SCOTTISH JUDGES IN THE NETHERLANDS. "THE MIAMI HERALD" CALLS IT, "THE ONLY SOLUTION LEFT."

VOICE: THIS PROPOSAL MAKES FEW HAPPY. SEVERAL AMERICANS WHO LOST RELATIVES CONTRAST THIS DRAWN-OUT AFFAIR WITH THE SPEEDY MILITARY REACTION TO THE BOMBINGS OF TWO U-S EMBASSIES IN EAST AFRICA. HOWEVER, WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES TO ENDING THIS DEADLOCK OVER JUSTICE? BOMBING LIBYA A DECADE LATER? NOT LIKELY, NOT NOW. A TRIAL MAY NOT BE AS EMOTIONALLY SATISFYING AS AN AIR STRIKE, BUT IT WOULD BE A STRONG STATEMENT THAT CIVILIZED SOCIETIES SEEK CIVILIZED MEANS OF DETERMINING GUILT AND APPORTIONING PUNISHMENT.

TEXT: ON LONG ISLAND, "NEWSDAY" ADDS:

VOICE: IT'S TIME FOR LIBYA'S MOAMMAR GADHAFI TO PUT UP OR SHUT UP. ... NOT ALL THE VICTIMS' RELATIVES LIKE THE IDEA OF COMPROMISING WITH [MOAMMAR] GADHAFI. BUT ... ALL AGREE ... THE DELAY IN BRINGING THE SUSPECTS TO TRIAL HAS GONE ON FAR TOO LONG. THEY'RE RIGHT.

TEXT: STILL ON THE SUBJECT OF TERRORISM AND RESPONSE TO IT, "THE OREGONIAN" IN PORTLAND IS CALLING FOR THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION TO RELEASE MORE JUSTIFICATION FOR ITS MISSILE ATTACKS ON SUDAN AND AFGHANISTAN.

VOICE: AS THE U-S GOVERNMENT SETTLES INTO ITS NEW-FOUND ROLE OF AGGRESSIVE FIGHTER AGAINST TERRORISM, IT NEEDS THE SUPPORT OF AS MANY PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD AS POSSIBLE. THAT NEED ARGUES STRONGLY FOR U-S COOPERATION WITH AN OBJECTIVE UNITED NATIONS INVESTIGATION OF THE FACTORY IN SUDAN DESTROYED LAST WEEK BY CRUISE MISSILES. .... OF COURSE, NO AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE IS VERY LIKELY TO CHANGE THE MINDS OF THOSE PREDISPOSED TO HOSTILITY TO U-S INTERESTS OR TO SYMPATHY FOR TERRORISTS. BUT MANY OTHERS WOULD SUPPORT OR AT LEAST COMPREHEND LEGITIMATE ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL SELF-DEFENSE AFTER SEEING EVIDENCE OF THE THREAT.

TEXT: THE BIG DOMESTIC ISSUE OF THE WEEK CENTERS AROUND A THREE-JUDGE FEDERAL COURT DECISION BANNING THE USE OF STATISTICAL SAMPLING IN THE NEXT U-S FEDERAL CENSUS, SCHEDULED FOR THE YEAR 2000. SAMPLING WOULD BE USED TO AUGMENT THE PHYSICAL COUNTING OF THE COUNTRY'S POPULATION, TO MAKE UP FOR SERIOUS COUNTING ERRORS IN MINORITY POPULATIONS FOUND IN THE 1990 CENSUS. "THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION" CRITICIZES CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS WHO SUED TO BLOCK THIS SCIENTIFIC TOOL.

VOICE: UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROSPECT OF A TRULY ACCURATE CENSUS IS THREATENING TO SOME PEOPLE. HOUSE SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH (REPUBLICAN-GEORGIA) A MAN WHO USUALLY CELEBRATES THE PROGRESS THAT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CAN BRING, IS FIGHTING TO ENSURE THAT ONLY THE ARCHAIC METHOD OF COUNTING HEADS IS USED BY THE CENSUS BUREAU. THAT'S PARTICULARLY IRONIC BECAUSE IN OTHER CONTEXTS, [MR.] GINGRICH IS AN AVID ENTHUSIAST OF STATISTICAL SAMPLING. .... YET IN THIS CASE, HE AND OTHER REPUBLICANS PROFESS TO DISTRUST THE TECHNIQUE...[SUGGESTING IT] IS PART OF A CONSPIRACY BY THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION TO DISTORT THE CENSUS SO THAT AREAS WITH A HIGHER DEMOCRATIC TURNOUT GET MORE SEATS IN CONGRESS.

TEXT: ON THE WEST COAST, "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" SNORTS:

VOICE: FROM DAY ONE THE DISPUTE OVER SAMPLING HAS BEEN ABOUT POWER, NOT ACCURACY. A NEUTRAL JUDGMENT FROM THE SUPREME COURT IS WARRANTED, PROMPTLY.

TEXT: TURNING OVERSEAS, ONCE MORE, SEVERAL PAPERS ARE NOTING THAT NEXT WEEK'S SUMMIT IN MOSCOW WILL BE BETWEEN TWO PRESIDENTS WITH SERIOUS PROBLEMS, CLINTON AND YELTSIN. "THE ORLANDO SENTINEL" SAYS HOWEVER, THE MEETING CAN STILL BE VERY USEFUL.

VOICE: PRESIDENT CLINTON MAY HAVE LOST HIS CREDIBILITY AT HOME, BUT HE STILL HAS A USEFUL ROLE TO PLAY IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA. SOME SUCH OPPORTUNITY EXISTS IN THE ... PLANNED SUMMIT MEETING. ....AN OPPORTUNITY WILL EXIST TO KEEP U-S -- RUSSIA TIES ON TRACK AND TO TEND TO CRITICAL MATTERS OF MUTUAL INTEREST, FROM COOPERATION IN SPACE TO WEAPONS CONTROL TO THE SPREAD OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. ... SOME CRITICS CONTEND THAT RUSSIA'S TURMOIL WOULD PREVENT A SUMMIT MEETING FROM ACCOMPLISHING MUCH. NOT TRUE.

TEXT: FINALLY, A TRIBUTE TO RETIRED SUPREME COURT JUSTICE LEWIS POWELL WHO DIED YESTERDAY AT THE AGE OF 90, FROM MAINE'S "PORTLAND PRESS HERALD.'"

VOICE: HIS PERFORMANCE ... SET THE PATTERN FOR 15 YEARS' SERVICE ON THE ... COURT. HE WAS PRAISED BY SENATORS FAR MORE 'LIBERAL' THAN HE AS 'ONE OF THE COURAGEOUS MEN IN VIRGINIA' WHEN PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON NOMINATED HIM FOR THE COURT IN 1971. IN TRUTH, HE WAS NEITHER LIBERAL NOR CONSERVATIVE, IN THE USUAL SENSE OF THOSE TERMS. INSTEAD, HE STRUCK A BALANCE ON AN IDEOLOGICALLY DIVIDED COURT THAT MADE HIM, SAID SOME, 'THE MOST POWERFUL INDIVIDUAL IN AMERICA.' [JUSTICE] POWELL VOTED TO UPHOLD AFFIRMATION ACTION ... ABORTION RIGHTS ... THE RIGHTS OF RETARDED PEOPLE IN STATE INSTITUTIONS AND THE DEATH PENALTY. ... HE WAS JUST TRYING TO INTERPRET THE U-S CONSTITUTION AS HE SAW IT, [HE] MIGHT HAVE EXPLAINED IN HIS GENTLE TIDEWATER [COASTAL VIRGINIA REGION] DRAWL. HIS PASSING ... IS A TIME TO REFLECT ON ONE WHO SPENT HIS ENTIRE CAREER UPHOLDING AND DEFENDING THAT SACRED DOCUMENT.

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT FROM THE EDITORIAL PAGES OF TODAY'S U-S PRESS.
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26-Aug-98 10:49 AM EDT (1449 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] BRITAIN/IRELAND (S/L) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

INTRO: THE IRISH AND BRITISH PRIME MINISTERS MET WEDNESDAY IN IRELAND AND PLEDGED TO COORDINATE THEIR FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISTS TRYING TO DISRUPT NORTHERN IRELAND'S PEACE PROCESS. THE MEETING COMES AFTER BOTH GOVERNMENTS DECIDED TO CALL EMERGENCY PARLIAMENTARY SESSIONS TO APPROVE TOUGH NEW ANTI-TERRORISM LAWS. CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN HAS MORE FROM LONDON.

TEXT: PRIME MINISTER BLAIR DISMISSES CRITICISM OF THE PROPOSED ANTI-TERRORISM LAWS AS ANTI-DEMOCRATIC AND INSISTS THEY WILL ONLY TARGET EXTREMISTS WHO HE CALLS OUTCASTS TRYING TO WRECK THE PEACE PROCESS.

PROVIDED WE DO IT IN A MEASURED, CAREFUL TARGETED WAY, THESE MEASURES, TOUGH THOUGH THEY ARE, ARE JUSTIFIED.

THE MEASURES WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO ARREST SUSPECTED TERRORISTS ON THE EVIDENCE OF A SENIOR POLICE OFFICIAL, HOLD SUSPECTS LONGER IN DETENTION AND PUNISH THEM FOR NOT COOPERATING DURING THEIR DETENTION. ANOTHER PROPOSED MEASURE WILL CRACK DOWN ON THOSE WHO USE THE UNITED KINGDOM TO CARRY OUT TERRORIST ACTIVITIES ELSEWHERE.

THE POLITICAL ARM OF THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY, SINN FEIN, CALLS THE MEASURES OVERREACTION BUT PROTESTANT HARDLINERS SAY THEY DON'T GO FAR ENOUGH.

THE DECISION TO TOUGHEN ANTI-TERRORISM LAWS CAME AFTER THE CAR BOMBING EARLIER THIS MONTH IN OMAGH, NORTHERN IRELAND, WHICH LEFT 28 DEAD AND MORE THAN 200 INJURED.

PRIME MINISTER BLAIR DISCUSSED THE NEW SECURITY MEASURES WITH IRISH PRIME MINISTER BERTIE AHERN. THEY ALSO DISCUSSED THE NEXT STEPS IN THE PEACE PROCESS AS OUTLINED IN THE GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT, WHICH WAS SIGNED LAST APRIL. MR. AHERN SAYS THE CONSENSUS GREW STRONGER AFTER THE OMAGH BOMBING TO TRY TO SPEED UP THE PROCESS.

IF EVERYONE JUST STICKS RIGIDLY TO THEIR HISTORY OR STATED POSITION, WE'LL NEVER DO IT. BUT I THINK IN THE AGREEMENT THERE WERE COMPROMISES AND NOW WE NEED JUST A BIT OF PROGRESS TO GET WHERE WE GET. BUT WE'LL GET THERE.

BOTH THE IRISH AND BRITISH PARLIAMENTS WILL HOLD EMERGENCY SESSIONS NEXT WEEK TO REVIEW AND APPROVE THE NEW ANTI-TERRORISM LAWS. (SIGNED)
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26-Aug-98 11:28 AM EDT (1528 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] CLINTON / IRELAND (S) BY DEBORAH TATE (MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MA.)

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON NEXT WEEK WILL VISIT THE NORTHERN IRELAND TOWN OF OMAGH, SITE OF A DEADLY BOMB BLAST EARLIER THIS MONTH. V-O-A'S DEBORAH TATE REPORTS FROM MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MASSACHUSETTS, WHERE MR. CLINTON IS ON VACATION.

TEXT: WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN BARRY TOIV ANNOUNCED THAT MR. CLINTON WILL MAKE THE STOP DURING HIS VISIT TO NORTHERN IRELAND NEXT WEEK -- FOLLOWING HIS SUMMIT WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN IN MOSCOW.

MR. TOIV SAYS THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO GO TO OMAGH TO EXPRESS HIS SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILIES OF THAT COMMUNITY, AND TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THOSE WHO WOULD USE VIOLENCE TO STOP THE PEACE PROCESS WILL NOT SUCCEED.

A CAR BOMB IN OMAGH AUGUST 15TH KILLED 28 PEOPLE AND WOUNDED MORE THAN 200 OTHERS IN THE WORST SINGLE ACT OF VIOLENCE SINCE THE CONFLICT IN NORTHERN IRELAND BEGAN THREE DECADES AGO.

A SPLINTER GROUP FROM THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY HAS CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY.

MR. CLINTON -- WHOSE EFFORTS HELPED MAKE POSSIBLE THE NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE AGREEMENT REACHED LAST APRIL -- WILL ALSO VISIT THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL, BELFAST, AND MAKE A STOP IN DUBLIN IN THE IRISH REPUBLIC, BEFORE RETURNING TO WASHINGTON. (SIGNED)
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26-Aug-98 3:27 PM EDT (1927 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[07] BASQUE SEPARATISM BY RICK SALLINGER (BARCELONA)

INTRO: IN SPAIN, THE DESIRE BY SOME FOR INDEPENDENCE OF THE BASQUE REGION HAS BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY TERRORISM. RICK SALLINGER REPORTS FROM BARCELONA THAT WHILE THE BASQUES HAVE MADE GREAT STRIDES TOWARD SELF-GOVERNMENT, THAT HAS NOT ENDED THE VIOLENCE.

TEXT: