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Voice of America, 98-10-04Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>CONTENTS
[01] CROATIA - POPE (S ONLY) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)DATE=10/4/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-239665 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: POPE JOHN PAUL THE SECOND IS NEARING THE END OF A THREE-DAY TRIP TO CROATIA, WHERE HE CELEBRATED MASS (SUNDAY) IN THE PORT CITY OF SPLIT. CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES IS FOLLOWING THE POPE'S JOURNEY FROM OUR REGIONAL NEWS BUREAU IN PRAGUE. TEXT: THE PONTIFF APPEALED FOR A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO WHAT HE CALLED THE "TRAGEDY" OF KOSOVO, IN NEIGHBORING SERBIA. HE SAID HE HOPES RECONCILIATION AND FORGIVENESS CAN AT LAST TAKE THE PLACE OF VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTION. THE POPE'S COMMENTS CAME AS NATO IS PREPARING FOR POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTION IN KOSOVO, WHERE FIGHTING BETWEEN YUGOSLAV FORCES AND ETHNIC ALBANIANS HAS DRIVEN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CIVILIANS FROM THEIR HOMES. AT A MASS SATURDAY, THE POPE BEATIFIED CROATIA'S CONTROVERSIAL
WORLD WAR TWO-ERA CARDINAL ALOJZIJE STEPINAC, ELEVATING HIM TO
THE LAST STEP BEFORE SAINTHOOD. THE POPE HONORED CARDINAL
STEPINAC AS A FOE OF COMMUNISM AFTER THE WAR, BUT CRITICS SAY HE
COLLABORATED IN CROATIA'S WARTIME PRO-NAZI GOVERNMENT. (SIGNED)
[02] G-7 ENDS (L) BY BARRY WOOD (WASHINGTON)DATE=10/3/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-239651 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE WORLD'S MAJOR ECONOMIC POWERS HAVE ENDED A MORE THAN SIX HOUR MEETING IN WASHINGTON WHERE FINANCE MINISTERS AND CENTRAL BANK CHIEFS DISCUSSED WAYS TO OVERCOME THE UNPRECEDENTED TURMOIL IN FINANCIAL MARKETS. V-O-A'S ECONOMICS CORRESPONDENT BARRY WOOD REPORTS THE GATHERING FOCUSED ON FINANCIAL MARKET REFORM AND POSSIBLE INCREASED REGULATION OF THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM. TEXT: THE MEETING RANGED FROM THE RECESSION IN JAPAN TO CAPITAL FLIGHT FROM BRAZIL TO RUSSIA'S PARTIAL DEFAULT TO REFORMS IN THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND. U-S TREASURY SECRETARY ROBERT RUBIN SAID THE PARTICIPANTS ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO SOLVING THE WORLD CRISIS. THE GROUP OF SEVEN COMPRISES GERMANY, FRANCE, BRITAIN AND ITALY AS WELL AS THE UNITED STATES, JAPAN, AND CANADA. RUSSIAN MINISTERS TOOK PART IN THE LATTER HALF OF THE MEETING. A STATEMENT ISSUED SATURDAY NIGHT HIGHLIGHTED THE PROMISE OF COOPERATION TO BRING STABILITY BACK TO FINANCIAL MARKETS. JAPAN IS CALLED ON TO BOOST ITS GROWTH AND CLOSE DOWN ITS INSOLVENT BANKS WHILE USING PUBLIC MONEY TO SAVE THE REST. RUSSIA IS URGED TO LAUNCH DEBT RESCHEDULING DISCUSSIONS WITH ITS FOREIGN CREDITORS AND CLOSE ITS INSOLVENT BANKS. RUSSIA IS EXPLICITY WARNED TO RESIST TRIGGERING MORE INFLATION BY PRINTING MONEY. THE GROUP OF SEVEN SAY THEY WANT GREATER TRANSPARENCY IN THE OPERATIONS OF THE I-M-F AND THEY ARE UNDERTAKING A STUDY TO DETERMINE IF THE GLOBAL SYSTEM REQUIRES MORE REGULATION. DEEP CONCERN IS EXPRESSED ABOUT THE ADVERSE IMPACT OF RAPID MOVEMENTS OF MONEY OUT OF DEVELOPING COUNTRY MARKETS. THERE WAS MUCH DISCUSSION ABOUT BRAZIL, WHICH IS ATTEMPTING TO AVOID A CURRENCY DEVALUATION BY RAISING INTEREST RATES. NOTABLY ABSENT FROM THE STATEMENT IS ANY PROMISE FOR A COORDINATED REDUCTION IN EUROPEAN, JAPANESE AND AMERICAN INTEREST RATES. THERE WAS WIDESPREAD APPROVAL OF RECENT U-S MOVES TO REDUCE INTEREST RATES. THE MEETING AGREED TO EXPLORE PRESIDENT CLINTON'S PROPOSAL FOR A
SPECIAL LENDING OPERATION WITHIN THE I-M-F TO ASSIST COUNTRIES
FEARFUL OF, BUT NOT YET EXPERIENCING, FINANCIAL TURMOIL.
VARIOUS PROPOSALS FOR REFORMING THE I-M-F ARE ON THE TABLE.
CONSENSUS WILL BE SOUGHT IN MEETINGS OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
WORLD FINANCE MINISTERS ARE IN WASHINGTON FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING
OF THE WORLD BANK AND I-M-F. (SIGNED)
[03] ISRAEL/SYRIA/TURKEY (S ONLY) BY AL PESSIN (JERUSALEM)DATE=10/4/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-239667 CONTENT= VOICED AT: ///// SIDEBAR TO MAIN STORY /////INTRO: ISRAEL SAYS IT WANTS TO STAY OUT OF THE DISPUTE BETWEEN ITS ALLY, TURKEY, AND ITS ADVERSARY, SYRIA. CORRESPONDENT AL PESSIN REPORTS FROM JERUSALEM. TEXT: ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAID SUNDAY ISRAEL HAS NO PART IN THE INCREASED TENSION BETWEEN SYRIA AND TURKEY, AND HAS TAKEN STEPS TO REASSURE SYRIA IN THAT REGARD. DEFENSE MINISTER YITZHAK MORDECHAI SAYS HE HAS ORDERED ISRAEL'S ROUTINE MILITARY OPERATIONS SCALED DOWN IN THE OCCUPIED GOLAN HEIGHTS TO DEMONSTRATE TO SYRIA THAT ISRAEL HAS NO HOSTILE INTENTIONS. MINISTER MORDECHAI SAYS ISRAEL DOES NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO REDUCE THE CHANCES OF RESUMING PEACE TALKS WITH SYRIA. THE ISRAEL-SYRIA CEASEFIRE LINE HAS BEEN QUIET FOR DECADES, BUT
ISRAEL STILL OCCUPIES A LARGE SWATH OF SYRIAN TERRITORY AND THE
TWO COUNTRIES ARE TECHNICALLY AT WAR. AT THE SAME TIME, ISRAEL
HAS CLOSE AND GROWING MILITARY TIES WITH TURKEY -- A SITUATION
WHICH WORRIES SEVERAL ARAB COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY SYRIA.
(SIGNED)
[04] SYRIA / TURKEY (S) BY SCOTT BOBB (CAIRO)DATE=10/4/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-239657 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: EGYPT'S PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK HAS FLOWN TO DAMASCUS AND WILL FLY TO ANKARA IN AN EFFORT TO DEFUSE MOUNTING TENSIONS BETWEEN SYRIA AND TURKEY. THE TRIP FOLLOWS WARNINGS OF A HEIGHTENED STATE OF ALERT BY THE TURKISH, AS WE HEAR FROM MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB IN CAIRO. TEXT: THE EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT LAUNCHED A SURPRISE ROUND OF SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY, AFTER THE TURKISH WARNED SYRIA ITS FORCES ARE ON STANDBY ALONG THEIR COMMON BORDER. SYRIA -- WHICH HAS GOOD RELATIONS WITH EGYPT -- SAYS IT WANTS A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION TO THE RISING TENSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. TURKEY ACCUSES SYRIA OF SUPPORTING KURDISH GUERRILLAS WHICH ARE FIGHTING FOR AUTONOMY IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY. SYRIA IS ANGRY OVER INCREASING MILITARY TIES BETWEEN TURKEY AND ISRAEL, WITH WHICH SYRIA IS STILL IN A STATE OF WAR. ISRAEL SAYS IT HAS REDUCED MILITARY ACTIVITY ALONG THE BORDER TO
INDICATE IT IS NOT A PARTY TO TURKEY'S MILITARY ESCALATION.
(SIGNED)
[05] TURKEY/SYRIA (L) BY RICHARD ENGEL (CAIRO)DATE=10/4/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-239668 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: EGYPT'S PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK FLEW (SUNDAY) TO SYRIA IN AN ATTEMPT TO EASE RISING TENSIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND SYRIA. MR. MUBARAK IS EXPECTED TO TRAVEL MONDAY TO TURKEY. RICHARD ENGEL REPORTS FROM OUR MIDDLE EAST BUREAU IN CAIRO THAT RELATIONS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENTS IN ANKARA AND DAMASCUS TOOK A TURN FOR THE WORSE THIS WEEKEND WHEN TURKEY BEGAN TO MASS TROOPS ALONG ITS BORDER WITH SYRIA. TEXT: PRESIDENT MUBARAK MET WITH SYRIA'S PRESIDENT HAFEZ AL ASSAD IN DAMASCUS SUNDAY WHERE HE SAID THE MIDDLE EAST CAN NOT ENDURE ADDITIONAL TENSION. BEFORE ARRIVING IN SYRIA, MR. MUBARAK BRIEFLY STOPPED IN SAUDI ARABIA TO CONSULT WITH KING FAHD. EGYPT'S FOREIGN MINISTER, AMR MOUSSA, TOLD REPORTERS IN THE SAUDI CAPITAL MR. MUBARAK'S SURPRISE SHUTTLE IS AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP THE CRISIS FROM ESCALATING, ESPECIALLY ON THE TURKISH SIDE. SATURDAY, TURKEY ANNOUNCED MILITARY EXERCISES AND IS REPORTED TO HAVE SENT TEN-THOUSAND TROOPS AND ARMORED VEHICLES TO THE SYRIAN BORDER. TURKEY ACCUSES SYRIA OF SUPPORTING KURDISH REBELS WHO HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR GREATER AUTONOMY SINCE 1984. THE ANKARA GOVERNMENT ALSO CLAIMS KURDISH REBELS ARE BASED IN LEBANON'S BEKAA VALLEY WHICH IS CONTROLLED BY SYRIA. SYRIA DENIES IT IS SHELTERING KURDISH REBELS. SYRIA HAS BEEN A SHARP CRITIC OF TURKEY FOR FORGING A MILITARY ALLIANCE WITH SYRIA'S ENEMY, ISRAEL. SYRIA ALSO ACCUSES TURKEY OF BUILDING A SERIES OF DAMS ON THE EUPHRATES RIVER THAT THREATEN TO REDUCE SYRIA'S WATER SUPPLY. EGYPT AND THE ARAB LEAGUE HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF TURKEY'S MILITARY PACT WITH ISRAEL, CALLING IT A DESTABILIZING FACTOR IN THE REGION. WHILE EDITORIALS IN THE ARAB WORLD CALLED (SUNDAY) FOR TURKEY AND
SYRIA TO RESOLVE THEIR DISPUTES DIPLOMATICALLY, THEY ARE
GENERALLY SYMPATHETIC WITH SYRIA. AN EDITORIAL IN THE EGYPTIAN
DAILY NEWSPAPER "AL GOMHORIYA" SAID ISRAEL HAS PROMPTED TURKEY'S
RECENT AGGRESSION TOWARDS SYRIA. BUT ISRAEL HAS SAID IT WANTS NO
PART OF THE CURRENT TENSION. (SIGNED)
[06] TURKEY-IRAN BY ALI JALALI (ISTANBUL)DATE=10/4/98TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-41523 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: DESPITE MANY YEARS OF SUSPICION AND MISTRUST, IRAN AND TURKEY HAVE RECENTLY SHOWN INTEREST IN DEVELOPING CLOSER TIES AND COOPERATION ON CERTAIN REGIONAL ISSUES. FROM ISTANBUL, V-O-A'S ALI JALALI REPORTS THE TWO COUNTRIES HAVE EMPHASIZED A NEED FOR REGULAR CONTACTS DEALING WITH ISSUES OF COMMON INTEREST AND CONCERN. TEXT: DURING A VISIT TO TEHRAN LAST MONTH, TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER ISMAIL CEM (JEHM) SPOKE OF THE NEED FOR CLOSER COOPERATION BETWEEN HIS COUNTRY AND IRAN ON ISSUES THAT ARE OF IMMEDIATE CONCERN TO BOTH NATIONS. BUT, ANKARA AND TEHRAN HAVE INDICATED THEY HAVE NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ISSUES THAT DIVIDE THE MIDDLE EAST'S TWO NON-ARAB GIANTS. TURKEY'S GROWING MILITARY TIES WITH ISRAEL AND IRAN'S MULTI-LATERAL COOPERATION WITH GREECE AND ARMENIA ARE AMONG THE DIVIDING MATTERS. PROFESSOR SOLI OZEL OF BOGAZICI (BOO-AAZIH-CHEE) UNIVERSITY SAYS THE LIST OF ISSUES OF COMMON INTEREST IS MUCH LONGER THAN WHAT DIVIDES THE TWO NEIGHBORS. HE SAYS, EXISTING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES FOLLOW THE TRADITIONAL PATTERN OF BI-LATERAL TIES ENTAILING BOTH COOPERATION AND COMPETITION. // OZEL ACT //EVEN AT THE WEAKEST POINT OF THEIR RELATIONS AT THE HEIGHT OF THE IDEOLOGICAL DIVIDE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION, THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES HAVE INVOLVED A LOT OF COOPERATION. WHICH MEANS ACTUALLY, TO ME ANY WAY, THAT THE TWO COUNTRIES HAVE A LOT MORE TO COOPERATE ON THAN MANY OBSERVERS GIVE CREDENCE TO. // END ACT //MANY REGIONAL OBSERVERS SAY SERIOUS DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OFFICIALLY SECULAR TURKEY AND IRAN'S ISLAMIC REPUBLIC HAVE BEEN A SOURCE OF MISTRUST IN THE PAST. ABOUT TWO-YEARS AGO TURKEY ASKED THE IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO LEAVE TURKEY AFTER HE MADE REMARKS IN SUPPORT OF THE TURKISH PRO-ISLAMIC MOVEMENT. BUT MR. OZEL DOES NOT THINK THE TURKEY-IRAN DIFFERENCES STEM SOLELY FROM IDEOLOGICAL DIVERGENCE. HE POINTS OUT THAT DURING IRAN'S LONG WAR WITH IRAQ IN THE 1980'S, TURKEY WAS IRAN'S NUMBER-ONE TRADE PARTNER. HE ALSO DISMISSES IRAN'S COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA AND GREECE -- WHICH ARE NOT ON FRIENDLY TERMS WITH TURKEY -- AS A SERIOUS THREAT TO IRAN-TURKISH TIES. IN A MEETING LAST YEAR (DECEMBER 1997) IN ATHENS -- IRAN, ARMENIA, AND GREECE ESTABLISHED A COOPERATION GROUP TO PROMOTE CLOSER TIES BETWEEN THE THREE COUNTRIES. DURING THE GROUP'S SECOND MEETING LAST MONTH (SEPTEMBER 10) IN TEHRAN, THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE MEMBER NATIONS DISCUSSED THE CONSTRUCTION OF A PLANNED IRANIAN-ARMENIAN GAS PIPELINE. REGIONAL OBSERVERS SAY IRAN'S PARTICIPATION IN THE GROUP HAS BEEN PARTLY PROMPTED BY THE GROWING MILITARY COOPERATION BETWEEN TURKEY AND ISRAEL. THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT HAS REPEATEDLY SAID ITS COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL IS NOT AIMED AGAINST ANY OTHER COUNTRY. IRAN ALSO DISMISSES PERCEPTIONS ITS RELATIONS WITH GREECE AND ARMENIA MAY BE HARMFUL TO OTHERS. PROFESSOR OZEL SAYS THE SUSPICION MOSTLY STEMS FROM MISPERCEPTION. // OZEL ACT //WE SEEM TO BE IN A CLASSIC CASE OF PERCEPTIONS AND MISPERCEPTIONS GUIDING FOREIGN POLICY AND LEADING MANY OF THE INVOLVED ACTORS TO MAKE A LOT OF MISTAKES. WHAT HAS GREECE TO DO IN OUR REGION? ARE (IRAN'S) RELATIONS WITH GREECE, RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA SO IMPORTANT TO ALIENATE TURKEY? BUT THEN YOU CAN TURN THE TABLES AROUND AND SAY WHILE TURKEY HAS IMPROVED ITS RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL...AND SINCE IT IS AUTOMATICALLY UNDERSTOOD TO BE AGAINST SYRIA, AND SINCE SYRIA IS AN ALLY OF IRAN, IRAN IS ON THE BLACK LIST OF THE ISRAELIS, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE IRANIANS TO DO? THEY ARE TAKING THEIR PRECAUTIONS, AND BASICALLY FOLLOWING THE PRINCIPLE OF THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY IS MY FRIEND, THEY HAVE THESE MEETINGS WITH THE GREEKS AND THE ARMENIANS. // END ACT //BUT MR. OZEL BELIEVES IRAN AND TURKEY'S RELATIONS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES MAY HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ON THE TRADITIONAL PATTERN OF TIES BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS. TURKISH ANALYSTS SAY ANOTHER DIVIDE BETWEEN TURKEY AND IRAN CONTINUES TO BE THEIR COMPETITION IN CENTRAL ASIA AND THE CAUCASUS. "MILLIYET" NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST SHAHIN ALPAY SAYS DESPITE THE LESSONS OF THE PAST SEVEN YEARS CONFIRMING THE TWO COUNTRIES CAN NOT MATCH RUSSIA'S INFLUENCE IN THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS, THE TURKISH-IRAN COMPETITION IN THE REGION IS NOT OVER. // ALPAY ACT //I DO NOT THINK THAT GAME IS OVER, BUT WHAT HAS PROVED TO BE, I MEAN THEY BOTH OF COURSE ARE TRYING TO INCREASE THE TRADE WITH THE AREA, THEY WANT TO TAKE THE TRANSPORT BUSINESS BETWEEN CENTRAL ASIA AND EUROPE...AND OF COURSE THE TWO COUNTRIES ARE COMPETING OVER THE FUTURE OF (OIL AND GAS) PIPELINES WHICH WILL COME OUT OF CENTRAL ASIA, SO I DO NOT THINK THIS COMPETITION, THIS FIGHT OVER CENTRAL ASIA, IS OVER. // END ACT //PROFESSOR SOLI OZEL AGREES, BUT ADDS THAT GIVEN THE GEOGRAPHIC REALITIES IN THE REGION NEITHER IRAN NOR TURKEY CAN WIN A ZERO-SUM GAME. HE SAYS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CONSTRUCTION OF PROPOSED GAS PIPELINE FROM TURKMENISTAN TO TURKEY THROUGH IRAN WILL DEPEND ON BI-LATERAL COOPERATION. HE ALSO EMPHASIZES THE NEED FOR COOPERATION BETWEEN IRAN AND TURKEY IN FINDING SOLUTIONS TO THE KURDISH ISSUE. MR. OZEL SAYS COOPERATION COMBINED WITH COMPETITION FOR INFLUENCE
IN THE REGION WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE MAJOR FEATURES OF
TURKEY-IRAN RELATIONS. HE SAYS THE WAY DOMESTIC POLITICS
DEVELOPS IN IRAN UNDER PRESIDENT KHATAMI WILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT
ON TEHRAN'S RELATIONS WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD, INCLUDING TURKEY.
(SIGNED)
[07] ITALY POL (S&L) BY SABINA CASTELFRANCO (ROME)DATE=10/4/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-239671 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: ITALY'S COMMUNIST PARTY KNOWN AS "COMMUNIST REFOUNDATION" VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY (SUNDAY) TO WITHDRAW ITS SUPPORT FROM THE CENTER-LEFT GOVERNMENT. SABINA CASTELFRANCO REPORTS FROM ROME THE DECISION LEAVES THE GOVERNING COALITION WITHOUT AN EFFECTIVE MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT'S LOWER HOUSE. TEXT: // OPT // THE COMMUNIST VOTE MEANS ITALY'S 55TH POST-WAR GOVERNMENT IS ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE. // END OPT // THE FAR LEFT "COMMUNIST REFOUNDATION PARTY" DECIDED NOT TO ENDORSE PRIME MINISTER ROMANO PRODI'S 1999 BUDGET AND TO WITHDRAW SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT. THE DECISION WAS TAKEN AT THE END OF A TWO-DAY MEETING OF THE PARTY'S POLITICAL COMMITTEE IN ROME. COMMITTEE MEMBERS VOTED 188 TO 122 TO REJECT THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR. THE FUTURE OF ONE OF ITALY'S LONGEST SERVING ADMINISTRATIONS HANGS IN THE BALANCE. PRIME MINISTER ROMANO PRODI MAY OFFER TO RESIGN THIS WEEK. SINCE THE PRODI GOVERNMENT CAME TO POWER IN MAY, 1996, IT HAS RELIED ON THE 34 VOTES OF THE "COMMUNIST REFOUNDATION PARTY" FOR ITS MAJORITY IN THE LOWER HOUSE. // REST OPT //PARTY SECRETARY FAUSTO BERTINOTTI REPEATEDLY THREATENED TO
WITHDRAW SUPPORT UNLESS THE GOVERNMENT ADOPTED A LEFT-WING BUDGET
POLICY.
LAST YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT AVERTED A SIMILAR THREAT FROM THE
COMMUNISTS BY MAKING CONCESSIONS ON STATE PENSION CUTS AND A
SHORTER WORKING WEEK.
THIS YEAR, MR. PRODI ARGUED THE 1999 BUDGET WAS GOOD FOR JOBS AND
GOOD FOR THE POOR, AND WOULD MEET THE GOVERNMENT'S TARGETS FOR
REMAINING IN GOOD STANDING IN THE EUROPEAN UNION.
BUT THE "COMMUNIST REFOUNDATION PARTY" CLEARLY DID NOT FEEL ITS
DEMANDS HAD BEEN MET. (SIGNED)
[08] KOSOVO CALM (S&L) BY PHILIP SMUCKER (PRISTINA)DATE=10/4/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-239674 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: UNDER THE THREAT OF NATO AIR STRIKES, AN UNEASY CALM HAS DESCENDED ON SERBIA'S TROUBLED KOSOVO REGION AND WESTERN EMBASSIES ARE MAKING PLANS TO EVACUATE NON-ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL. PHILIP SMUCKER REPORTS FROM PRISTINA. TEXT: WESTERN DIPLOMATS SAY SERB FORCES APPEAR -- FOR NOW -- TO BE COMPLYING WITH U-N AND NATO DEMANDS. SERBIAN SECURITY FORCES ARE WITHDRAWING TO THEIR BARRACKS IN KOSOVO AND THEIR BASES IN SERBIA. BUT WESTERN EMBASSIES PUSHED AHEAD WITH PLANS TO EVACUATE ALL BUT ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL IN THE FACE OF THREATENED NATO AIR STRIKES. // OPT //WESTERN POWERS HAVE DEMANDED SERBIAN SECURITY FORCES IN KOSOVO BE REMOVED FROM THE REGION AND RETURNED TO BASES. THEY HAVE ALSO DEMANDED THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT ALLOW OUTSIDE EXPERTS IN TO EXAMINE EVIDENCE OF CIVILIAN MASSACRES. THE DEMANDS FOLLOWED THE DISCOVERY OF SEVERAL SITES LAST WEEK WHERE ETHNIC ALBANIAN REFUGEES WERE ALLEGEDLY MASSACRED BY SERBIAN FORCES. /// REST OPT FOR LONG ///THE U-S BASED ORGANIZATION "HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH" RELEASED A REPORT SUNDAY WHICH ACCUSED THE SERBIAN SECURITY FORCES OF EXECUTING CIVILIANS, DESTROYING CIVILIAN PROPERTY, AND ATTACKING HUMANITARIAN AID WORKERS. HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH SAID THE SERBIAN POLICE REGULARLY TORTURED
DETAINEES AND SAID AT LEAST FIVE PERSONS HAVE DIED IN PRISON FROM
RECENT ABUSE. IT SAID SERBIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE IMPRISONED 684
KOSOVO ALBANIANS AS "TERRORISTS."
MEANWHILE, IN BELGRADE, RUSSIA AND YUGOSLAVIA RELEASED A JOINT
STATEMENT WARNING ANY NATO ACTION IN KOSOVO WOULD BE CONSIDERED
AN ACT OF AGGRESSION. (SIGNED)
[09] RUSSIA / NATO / YUGO (S O) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (MOSCOW)DATE=10/4/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-239661 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT HAS AGAIN CONDEMNED ANY POSSIBLE NATO ATTACK ON YUGOSLAVIA. V-O-A'S ANDRE DE NESNERA REPORTS FROM MOSCOW. TEXT: THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT HAS WARNED NATO AIRSTRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA, WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL, WOULD BE A FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF THE U-N CHARTER AND UNDERMINE THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS. IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT SAID THE CRISIS IN KOSOVO CANNOT BE RESOLVED MILITARILY. IT WENT SAID WESTERN MILITARY INTERFERENCE WOULD ONLY AGGRAVATE THE SITUATION AND UNDERMINE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH A DIALOGUE BETWEEN BELGRADE AND ETHNIC ALBANIANS. THIS WAS THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF STATEMENTS FROM RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OPPOSING MILITARY ACTION AGAINST YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC. LAST FRIDAY, THE LOWER HOUSE OF THE RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT
UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A RESOLUTION SAYING IT WOULD REVIEW ALL
ACCORDS BETWEEN NATO AND MOSCOW IF THE WESTERN ALLIANCE WERE TO
USE FORCE AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA. (SIGNED)
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