Voice of America, 99-04-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] CRISIS IN KOSOVO

[02] U-N RIGHTS / YUGO (L ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)

[03] KOSOVO / U-N RESPONSE (L - ONLY) BY MAX RUSTON (UNITED NATIONS)

[04] KOSOVO HUMAN RIGHTS (L-ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)

[05] KOSOVO REFUGEES / FOOD (L-ONLY) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

[06] UNHCR / KOSOVO REFUGEES (L-ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)

[07] SOLDIERS MISSING (L) BY DAVID SWAN (PENTAGON)

[08] SOLDIERS MISSING (S-UPDATE) BY DAVID SWAN (PENTAGON)

[09] MACEDONIA/MISSING SOLDIERS (L UPDATE) BY NICK SIMEONE (SKOPJE, MACEDONIA)

[10] MONTENEGRO /KOSOVO / U-S (L-ONLY) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)

[11] CLINTON / PRISONERS (L) BY DAVID GOLLUST (WHITE HOUSE)

[12] CLINTON / KOSOVO WRAP (L-O) BY DAVID GOLLUST (WHITE HOUSE)

[13] PENTAGON-KOSOVO(S) BY DAVID SWAN (PENTAGON)

[14] KOSOVO/U-S POW'S (L ONLY) BY JIM MALONE (WASHINGTON)

[15] BRITAIN / KOSOVO (L) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

[16] NATO-KOSOVO (L) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

[17] NATO-KOSOVO UPDATE (S) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

[18] CHINA / YUGOSLAVIA (L-ONLY) BY STEPHANIE HO (BEIJING)

[19] RUSSIA / MEDIA BY EVE CONANT (MOSCOW)

[20] RUSSIA / KOSOVO (S) BY PETER HEINLEIN (MOSCOW)

[21] RUSSIA / KOSOVO (L) BY PETER HEINLEIN (MOSCOW)

[22] U-S / KOSOVO (L-O) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)

[23] MILOSEVIC PROFILE BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (WASHINGTON)

[24] EDITORIAL: MILOSEVIC IS SERBS' WORST ENEMY

[25] SERBS / CLINTON/P-O-W'S (L-ONLY) BY MIKE JOYCE (CHICAGO)

[26] THE BALKANS BURN: THE WORLD WORRIES BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[27] BALKAN ECONOMIES (L-ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (WASHINGTON)

[28] NORTHERN IRELAND (L) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

[29] NORTHERN IRELAND (S UPDATE) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

[30] OIL COMPANY MERGER (L) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

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

[32] THE KOSOVO CAMPAIGN CONTINUES BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[33] THURSDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[01] CRISIS IN KOSOVO

ANNCR: ON THE LINE -- A DISCUSSION OF UNITED STATES POLICIES AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES.

THIS WEEK, "CRISIS IN KOSOVO." HERE IS YOUR HOST, ROBERT REILLY.

HOST: HELLO AND WELCOME TO ON THE LINE.

THE UNITED STATES AND NATO RECENTLY TOOK MILITARY ACTION AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA. THE AIR STRIKES CAME AFTER YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC REJECTED A PEACE PLAN FOR THE SERBIAN PROVINCE OF KOSOVO. THE PLAN HAD BEEN ACCEPTED BY LEADERS OF KOSOVO'S ETHNIC ALBANIANS, WHO MAKE UP NINETY PERCENT OF THE PROVINCE'S POPULATION. ACCORDING TO NATO, THE ATTACKS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE PEACE ACCORD IS ACCEPTED. PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON SAID, "AMERICA HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO STAND WITH OUR ALLIES WHEN THEY ARE TRYING TO SAVE INNOCENT LIVES AND PRESERVE PEACE, FREEDOM AND STABILITY IN EUROPE. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE DOING IN KOSOVO."

PAULA DOBRIANSKY IS THE WASHINGTON DIRECTOR OF THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS. SHE SAYS THAT THE U.S. OBJECTIVES OF PEACE AND STABILITY IN EUROPE MADE NATO INTERVENTION NECESSARY.

DOBRIANSKY: I DO FEEL THAT THE PRIMARY REASON AS TO WHY WE HAVE AN INTEREST AND A STAKE IS BECAUSE OF THE ETHNIC CLEANSING. BUT I WOULD TAKE IT ONE STEP FURTHER. AND THAT IS THAT THE UNITED STATES DOES HAVE AND HAS ALWAYS HAD AN INTEREST IN SEEING STABILITY MAINTAINED IN EUROPE. WE HAVE A STAKE IN IT, AND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE SITUATION IN KOSOVO ARE SUCH THAT IT AFFECTS A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES IN WHICH THERE HAS BEEN AN OUTPOURING OF REFUGEES OF A MAGNITUDE WE HAVE NOT WITNESSED SINCE WORLD WAR TWO.

HOST: JONATHAN CLARKE IS A FORMER BRITISH DIPLOMAT WHO IS NOW A FOREIGN POLICY SCHOLAR AT THE CATO INSTITUTE. HE SAYS THAT THE NATO INTERVENTION IS UNDERMINING ITS OWN OBJECTIVES. CLARKE: ONE OF THE REASONS FOR GOING IN THERE WAS FOR THE PURPOSE OF REGIONAL STABILIZATION. AND YOU'VE SEEN PRECISELY THE OPPOSITE HAPPEN BOTH IN ALBANIA AND KOSOVO -- YOU'VE SEEN THE REFUGEE INFLOW INTO ALBANIA. IN NORTHERN ALBANIA, FORMER PRESIDENT [SALI] BERISHA IS LURKING, JUST WAITING TO MAKE HIS MOVE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT IN TIRANA. IN MACEDONIA, THERE'S AN EXTREMELY FRAGILE COALITION, A FRAGILE ETHNIC BALANCE THERE. IF THAT IS DISTURBED, WE'RE GOING TO SEE A TREMENDOUS DESTABILIZATION IN MACEDONIA. AND THAT IS GOING TO BE THE SORT OF THING WHICH ARE THE UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES.

HOST: PETER GALBRAITH IS FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CROATIA. HE SAYS THAT MILITARY FORCE IS NECESSARY TO DEAL WITH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC. GALBRAITH: WHEN MILOSEVIC ACCEPTED THE PRINCIPLES FOR AUTONOMY FOR KOSOVO, BUT DIDN'T ACCEPT THE NATO TROOP DEPLOYMENT, IT WAS ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING HE DIDN'T ACCEPT ANY OF IT, BECAUSE HE HAS A LONG RECORD OF MAKING COMMITMENTS WHICH HE HAS NO INTENTION TO KEEP. AND OF COURSE, THAT'S WHY YOU HAD TO HAVE NATO TROOPS TO MAKE SURE HE KEPT THEM. THE ISSUE NOW IS: WHAT IS OUR OBJECTIVE IN THIS MILITARY CAMPAIGN? I THINK THE PRESIDENT STATED IT CORRECTLY WHEN HE INITIATED THE AIR CAMPAIGN. HE SAID OUR GOAL IS TO STOP THE BRUTAL REPRESSION OF THE PEOPLE IN KOSOVO. THAT IS POSSIBLY AN ACHIEVABLE OBJECTIVE, THAT IS, WE MAY BE ABLE TO INFLICT SUFFICIENT PAIN ON THE YUGOSLAV MILITARY SO THAT THEY, IN TURN, CALL OFF THE MILITARIZED POLICE AND THE PARAMILITARIES WHO ARE GOING INTO VILLAGES AND KILLING PEOPLE.

HOST: FORMER AMBASSADOR PETER GALBRAITH SAYS THAT MORE IS AT STAKE THAN THE PEOPLE OF KOSOVO. THE CREDIBILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF NATO WILL DEPEND ON ITS SUCCESS IN STOPPING THE ETHNIC CLEANSING. FOR ON THE LINE, THIS IS --------.

ANNCR: YOU'VE BEEN LISTENING TO "ON THE LINE" -- A DISCUSSION OF UNITED STATES POLICIES AND CONTEMPORARY ISSUES. THIS IS --------.
01-Apr-99 3:25 PM EST (2025 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] U-N RIGHTS / YUGO (L ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)

INTRO: A U-N HUMAN RIGHTS INVESTIGATOR CRITICIZES NATO AIRSTRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA AS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE SINCE THE VIETNAM WAR. LISA SCHLEIN IN GENEVA REPORTS THE U-N INVESTIGATOR SAYS BOMBING ALONE WILL NOT END THE WAR IN THE SERBIAN PROVINCE OF KOSOVO AND WILL NOT STOP THE ATROCITIES WHICH ARE BEING COMMITTED AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIAN CIVILIANS.

TEXT: THE U-N INVESTIGATOR, JIRI DIENSTBIER, CALLS NATO BOMBING A MISTAKE WHICH STEMS FROM GOOD INTENTIONS.

MR. DIENSTBIER SAYS IF NATO WAS REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT MOUNTING A CREDIBLE THREAT AGAINST YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC, IT SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED SENDING GROUND FORCES INTO KOSOVO. HE SAYS BOMBING ALONE WILL DO NOTHING TO BRING PEACE TO THE REGION OR TO HELP THE CAUSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

THE U-N INVESTIGATOR SAYS NATO'S AIR CAMPAIGN IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. HE SAYS THE BOMBING HAS UNIFIED THE YUGOSLAV PEOPLE. HE SAYS EVEN THOSE WHO OPPOSE MR. MILOSOVIC'S AUTOCRATIC RULE AND WANT A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY FEEL OBLIGED TO SUPPORT HIM.

THE BOMBING IS THE LAST OF THE MISTAKES THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MADE IN GOOD WILL DURING THE LAST 10 YEARS, ALWAYS STRENGTHENING MILOSEVIC AND HIS AUTHORITARIAN RULE, WEAKENING DEMOCRATIC FORCES, PUNISHING THE PEOPLE FOR INSTANCE BY ECONOMIC SANCTIONS LEADING TO FURTHER VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS BY OPENING THE CAGES FULL OF WILD DOGS.

MR. DIENSTBIER SAYS HE DOES NOT BLAME NATO AIR RAIDS FOR THE HORRORS ALLEGEDLY COMMITTED AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS. HE SAYS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ALWAYS LIES WITH THE AUTHORITIES OF THE COUNTRY WHICH COMMIT THE CRIMES.

THE U-N INVESTIGATOR SAYS HE CANNOT EVALUATE WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE KOSOVO BECAUSE THERE ARE NO INDEPENDENT OBSERVERS ON THE SCENE. BUT, HE SAYS IT IS CLEAR FROM THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES WHO ARE FLEEING INTO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES THAT TERRIBLE EVENTS ARE TAKING PLACE. HE SAYS THE UNITED NATIONS ESTIMATES MORE THAN 156-THOUSAND KOSOVARS HAVE FLED DURING THE PAST NINE DAYS. AND, HE SAYS TENS OF THOUSANDS MORE REFUGEES ARE REPORTED TO BE LEAVING.

EVEN THOUGH THIS FLOW OF REFUGEES CONTINUES, IF IT IS NOT STOPPED, IT WILL BE AN ETHNIC CLEANSING SIMILAR TO THAT WHICH WE WITNESSED IN BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA AND IN THE CROATIAN KRIJINA SEVERAL YEARS AGO. IT IS CLEAR THAT AN ATMOSPHERE OF LAWLESSNESS IN YUGOSLAVIA PREVAILS IN WHICH ANYTHING GOES AND THERE IS LICENSE TO COMMIT ANY VIOLENT ACT ON THE GROUND.

THE U-N INVESTIGATOR SAYS THE ONLY HOPE FOR THE REGION IS TO ACHIEVE A POLITICAL RESOLUTION TO THE WAR. BUT, HE SAYS HE IS AFRAID IT WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT TO NEGOTIATE A SETTLEMENT NOW THAN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BEFORE THE CURRENT CRISIS ERUPTED. (SIGNED)
NEB/LS/JWH
01-Apr-99 10:59 AM EST (1559 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] KOSOVO / U-N RESPONSE (L - ONLY) BY MAX RUSTON (UNITED NATIONS)

INTRO: THE UNITED NATIONS IS RESPONDING TO THE EVENTS IN YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE WITH MASSIVE HUMANITARIAN RELIEF MEASURES. BUT, ON THE POLITICAL LEVEL, THE GLOBAL PEACEKEEPING ORGANIZATION HAS TAKEN LITTLE ACTION. V-O-A'S U-N CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON LOOKS AT THE REASON WHY.

TEXT: IN CONFLICTS IN ANGOLA, IRAQ, SIERRA LEONE AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES, THE UNITED NATIONS HAS PURSUED INITIATIVES AIMED AT ESTABLISHING CEASEFIRES, ENDING VIOLENCE AND STARTING POLITICAL NEGOTIATIONS. IN SOME CASES, THE 15-MEMBER U-N SECURITY COUNCIL HAS TAKEN THE LEAD. IN OTHERS, U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT, AS WAS THE CASE WHEN HE TRAVELED TO IRAQ FOR TALKS WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN LAST YEAR.

IN THE CASE OF KOSOVO, WHERE HUNDREDS-OF-THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LEFT HOMELESS OR FLED TO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES, NEITHER THE SECURITY COUNCIL NOR MR. ANNAN HAVE TAKEN ANY NEW POLITICAL INITIATIVES OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

U-N SPOKESMAN FRED ECKHARD SAYS MR. ANNAN IS WATCHING THE SITUATION CLOSELY, AND MAINTAINING CONTACT WITH THE MAIN PARTIES INVOLVED. BUT HE SAYS THE SECRETARY-GENERAL HAS NOT FOUND A WAY IN WHICH HIS PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT WOULD HELP THE SITUATION.

HE FEELS HE HAS DONE AND IS DOING EVERYTHING THAT IS WITHIN HIS POWER. YOU KNOW HIM WELL ENOUGH. HE IS NOT THE TYPE TO GRANDSTAND OR CALL FOR SOME KIND OF DRAMATIC GESTURE THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE SUBSTANTIVE AND LEAD TO SOME RESULTS. SO, HE IS KEEPING A LOW PROFILE, WATCHING THE SITUATION CLOSELY, LOOKING FOR A WAY IN WHICH HE MIGHT EVENTUALLY BE HELPFUL. AT THE MOMENT HE DOES NOT SEE A ROLE FOR HIMSELF.

MR. ECKHARD SAYS MR. ANNAN HAS NO IMMEDIATE PLANS TO TRAVEL TO BELGRADE FOR TALKS WITH YUGOSLAV AUTHORITIES. BUT THE U-N SPOKESMAN SAYS MR. ANNAN CAN NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH A TRIP TAKING PLACE IN THE FUTURE. MR. ECKHARD SAYS THE U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL WOULD ONLY BECOME INVOLVED IF THERE WERE SUFFICIENT DEMAND FROM U-N MEMBER STATES AND THE SECURITY COUNCIL.

THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS KEEPING ITS DISTANCE FROM THE EVENTS IN KOSOVO FOR A DIFFERENT REASON. DIPLOMATS SAY THE COUNCIL IS UNIFIED IN WANTING AN END TO VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO. BUT THEY SAY ITS KEY MEMBERS -- BRITAIN, FRANCE, RUSSIA, CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES -- ARE SO FAR FROM A CONSENSUS ON HOW TO ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE VIRTUALLY GIVEN UP ON DISCUSSING THE SITUATION.

THE MAIN POINT OF DISAGREEMENT IN THE COUNCIL IS WHETHER INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION -- PARTICULARLY THE USE OF FORCE -- IS LEGALLY OR MORALLY JUSTIFIED IN KOSOVO. RUSSIA AND CHINA SAY THE USE OF FORCE, PARTICULARLY BY NATO, IS A VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW. DIPLOMATS SAY SUCH OPPOSITION IS BASED ON THE DOMESTIC CONCERNS OF THOSE TWO COUNTRIES, AS THEY DO NOT WANT INTERNATIONAL INVOLVEMENT IN THEIR OWN ETHNIC DISPUTES. BRITAIN, FRANCE AND THE UNITED STATES SAY INTERVENTION IS JUSTIFIED BECAUSE OF THE CATASTROPHIC HUMANITARIAN CONDITIONS IN THE REGION. THEY SUPPORT THE NATO STRIKES AGAINST SERB FORCES, BUT CANNOT ORGANIZE SECURITY COUNCIL ENDORSEMENT OF THOSE STRIKES WITHOUT SUPPORT FROM RUSSIA AND CHINA. (SIGNED) NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/PT
01-Apr-99 4:08 PM EST (2108 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] KOSOVO HUMAN RIGHTS (L-ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)

INTRO: THE UNITED NATIONS' TOP HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER, MARY ROBINSON, SAYS SHE IS SENDING SENIOR OFFICIALS TO THE BALKANS TO INVESTIGATE REPORTS OF WIDESPREAD ETHNIC CLEANSING IN THE SERBIAN PROVINCE OF KOSOVO. LISA SCHLEIN IN GENEVA REPORTS, THE INVESTIGATIVE TEAM IS EXPECTED TO GO TO THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK.

TEXT: MS. ROBINSON SAYS SHE PLANS TO SEND A TEAM OF SENIOR U-N OFFICIALS TO THE REGION TO MAKE A FIRST-HAND ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION. THE TEAM, WHICH WILL BE HEADED BY THE U-N SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR ON YUGOSLAVIA, JIRI DIENSTBIER, WILL LEAVE EARLY NEXT WEEK.

SHE EXPRESSES GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT THE CURRENT MILITARY ACTIONS IN YUGOSLAVIA. MS. ROBINSON SAYS, TRAGICALLY, HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS WHO HAVE STRUGGLED SO HARD TO ACHIEVE A SOCIETY THAT'S MORE FAIR IN KOSOVO HAVE ALSO BEEN MURDERED.

I AM OUTRAGED BY REPORTS OF A VICIOUS AND SYSTEMATIC CAMPAIGN OF ETHNIC CLEANSING CONDUCTED BY SERBIAN MILITARY AND PARAMILITARY FORCES IN KOSOVO. THE GRAVITY OF THESE REPORTS UNDERLINES THE NEED FOR IMPARTIAL VERIFICATION OF THE ALLEGATIONS. THE NEXT STEP, FOR WHICH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY, WOULD BE TO ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ESTABLISHED VIOLATIONS.

MS. ROBINSON SAYS SHE HAS ALSO DECIDED TO REDEPLOY HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICERS FROM THE FIELD IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA TO ALBANIA, MACEDONIA AND MONTENEGRO. SHE SAYS THEY WILL CONDUCT INTERVIEWS WITH REFUGEES AND OTHER DISPLACED PEOPLE TO ASSESS THE PREVAILING HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN KOSOVO.

[05] KOSOVO REFUGEES / FOOD (L-ONLY) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

INTRO: THE HEAD OF THE U-N WORLD FOOD PROGRAM, CATHERINE BERTINI, SAYS ENOUGH FOOD FOR KOSOVAR REFUGEES IS NOT A PROBLEM, BUT GETTING THE FOOD TO THEM IS. LONDON CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN SPOKE WITH MRS. BERTINI ABOUT HOW THE AID AGENCY IS DEALING WITH THE PLIGHT OF THE KOSOVAR REFUGEES.

TEXT: MRS. BERTINI SAYS FOOD SUPPLIES WERE BEING DISTRIBUTED EARLIER THIS MONTH TO MORE THAN 100-THOUSAND DISPLACED KOSOVAR ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO PROVINCE. NOW SHE SAYS THOSE HIDING FROM THE SERB MILITARY WILL FIND IT HARDER TO FEED THEMSELVES.

THE PROBLEM NOW IS THERE IS NO ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO FEED THEMSELVES. THEY DID NOT HAVE A GOOD HARVEST. MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO LIVE IN THEIR OWN HOMES AND USE WHATEVER RESERVES THEY HAVE TO COPE. AND SO THEY ARE HAVING TO COPE IN THE HILLS. AND THAT IS A PROBLEM.

THE AID AGENCIES CANNOT REACH THOSE STILL INSIDE KOSOVO. THE FOCUS OF THEIR EFFORTS IS FEEDING AND SHELTERING THE TENS-OF-THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES FLEEING ACROSS THE BORDER INTO MACEDONIA AND ALBANIA.

MRS. BERTINI SAYS THERE ARE ENOUGH FOOD STOCKS IN THE REGION TO HELP FEED 200-THOUSAND REFUGEES FOR FOUR MONTHS.

IF THAT POPULATION INCREASES EVEN MORE -- AND WE THINK IT COULD INCREASE TO 340-THOUSAND -- THEN WE WILL NEED MORE FOOD SUPPLIES. BUT RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE ENOUGH TO SERVE THE REFUGEES CROSSING THE BORDER TODAY.

W-F-P DIRECTOR BERTINI SAYS THE PROBLEM NOW IS GETTING THE FOOD TO THOSE IN NEED WHO ARE STILL HUDDLED NEAR THE ALBANIAN AND MACEDONIAN BORDERS. BUT THE AID WORKERS HAVE TO DEAL WITH BAD ROADS AND ISOLATED CLUSTERS OF REFUGEES CAMPED OUT IN THE COLD.

NOW WE ARE EMPLOYING MORE TRUCKS TO MOVE THE FOOD FROM THE PORTS TO THE REFUGEE CENTERS. FOR INSTANCE, IN ALBANIA, WE ARE MOVING THE FOOD TO FOUR DIFFERENT CITIES IN THE COUNTRY. AND THEN FROM THOSE PLACES, THE U-N-H-C-R AND N-G-O'S (NON GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS) WILL TAKE THE FOOD AND PHYSICALLY DISTRIBUTE THE FOOD TO EACH REFUGEE FAMILY.

MANY MACEDONIAN AND ALBANIAN FAMILIES HAVE OPENED THEIR HOMES TO THE REFUGEES. MRS. BERTINI SAYS THE W-F-P WILL TRY TO PROVIDE SUPPLIES TO THOSE REFUGEES AS WELL TO EASE THE STRAIN ON THEIR HOST FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY IN ALBANIA -- CONSIDERED THE POOREST NATION IN EUROPE.

OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONS HAVE OFFERED TO TAKE IN SOME OF THE REFUGEES, BUT ALBANIAN OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE BETTER OFF WHERE THEY ARE. MRS. BERTINI SAYS SHE AGREES -- AT LEAST FOR NOW. (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/JWH/RAE
01-Apr-99 11:50 AM EST (1650 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] UNHCR / KOSOVO REFUGEES (L-ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)

INTRO: UNITED NATIONS AID AGENCIES SAY THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN KOSOVO IS WORSENING AND SPREADING WIDELY AS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS SPILL ACROSS THE BORDERS INTO NEIGHBORING MACEDONIA, MONTENEGRO AND ALBANIA. LISA SCHLEIN IN GENEVA REPORTS THE AID AGENCIES ARE GEARING-UP FOR WHAT THEY CALL A POTENTIAL HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE.

TEXT: THE UNITED NATIONS REFUGEE AGENCY ESTIMATES THAT MORE THAN 156-THOUSAND KOSOVARS HAVE FLED INTO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES OVER THE LAST NINE DAYS. AT LEAST 100-THOUSAND HAVE GONE INTO ALBANIA. UNICEF, THE UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND, CALLS THIS THE LARGEST OUTPOURING OF REFUGEES IN EUROPE SINCE WORLD WAR TWO.

THE UNITED NATIONS PREDICTS THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES LEAVING KOSOVO WILL REACH 350-THOUSAND OVER THE COMING WEEKS, IF A PEACEFUL SOLUTION IS NOT FOUND. U-N-H-C-R SPOKESMAN KRIS JANOWSKI CALLS THE SITUATION VERY FLUID AND SAYS THIS PREDICTED FIGURE MIGHT GROW EVEN LARGER. HE SAYS AID AGENCIES ARE PLANNING A MAJOR RELIEF OPERATION.

WE'LL TRY TO HELP THE PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE WHICH, UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, ESSENTIALLY MEANS RATHER BIG REFUGEE CAMPS. IF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LEAVE, WE MAY HAVE TO RESORT TO ASKING OTHER COUNTRIES TO HELP. WE HAVE ALREADY APPEALED TO ALL COUNTRIES, NOT JUST NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES, BUT ALSO TO EUROPEAN COUNTRIES TO KEEP THEIR BORDERS OPEN. //OPT// THIS IS A SITUATION WHICH IS CHANGING BY THE DAY AND IN FACT IS GETTING WORSE AND WORSE BY THE DAY. //END OPT//

THE U-N REFUGEE AGENCY IS INCREASING THE NUMBER OF WORKERS IN ALBANIA, MACEDONIA AND MONTENEGRO TO HELP COPE WITH THE CRISIS. AN EMERGENCY TEAM HAS JUST ARRIVED IN ALBANIA. MR. JANOWSKI SAYS A BRITISH CARGO PLANE IS FLYING IN RELIEF SUPPLIES ON A DAILY BASIS TO THE ALBANIAN CAPITAL TIRANA. BUT, HE SAYS, THIS MAY NOT BE ENOUGH.

WE ARE LOOKING QUITE URGENTLY AT AN OPTION OF ORGANIZING A MORE ELABORATE AIRLIFT. I CAN'T TELL YOU ANY MORE ABOUT IT NOW BECAUSE IT'S ALL IN THE MAKING. BUT, THERE'S CERTAINLY A PLAN TO ORGANIZE A SARAJEVO-STYLE ELABORATE AIRLIFT SINCE, WITH THE FIGURES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, IT WILL CERTAINLY BE NEEDED. IT WILL BE NEEDED NOT ONLY IN TIRANA, BUT PROBABLY WILL ALSO BE NEEDED IN SKOPJE.

DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE WAR IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, RELIEF SUPPLIES WERE AIRLIFTED INTO THE CAPITAL, SARAJEVO, MANY TIMES A DAY. THAT AIRLIFT LASTED MANY MONTHS. THE U-N'S WORLD FOOD PROGRAM SAYS IT NOW HAS ABOUT 34-THOUSAND TONS OF EMERGENCY FOOD STOCKS IN THE REGION. BUT, IT SAYS IT IS HAVING PROBLEMS DISTRIBUTING THE FOOD. (SIGNED)
NEB/LS/PCF
01-Apr-99 8:09 AM EST (1309 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[07] SOLDIERS MISSING (L) BY DAVID SWAN (PENTAGON)

INTRO: U-S AND ALLIED FORCES ARE SEARCHING INTENSIVELY FOR THREE AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED BY SERBS IN (THE REPUBLIC OF) MACEDONIA, NEAR KOSOVO. V-O-A'S DAVID SWAN REPORTS,THE INCIDENT COMES AS NATO WIDENS THE AIR STRIKES AIMED AT STOPPING VIOLENCE IN THE PROVINCE.

TEXT: PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY THE MISSING TROOPS WERE PART OF A LARGER GROUP ON A ROUTINE DAYLIGHT PATROL IN THE BORDER REGION. THEIR HUM-VEE MILITARY VEHICLE HAD SPLIT APART FROM OTHERS, WHEN THE THREE RADIOED THEY WERE UNDER SMALL ARMS FIRE AND SURROUNDED. AFTER THAT, CONTACT WAS LOST. THE OTHER NEARBY SOLDIERS LOOKED FOR THEM BUT FOUND NOTHING.

OFFICIALS SAY ALLIED GROUND TROOPS,"BLACK HAWK" HELICOPTERS AND MACEDONIAN POLICE ARE NOW CONDUCTING A MAJOR SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION. WHILE THE ATTACKERS' IDENTITY IS UNCLEAR, OFFICIALS SUSPECT THEY WERE SERB TROOPS OR POLICE. THE AMERICANS WERE IN MACEDONIA AS PART OF A LONGSTANDING MISSION TO DETER SERB AGGRESSION.

THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS BEEN INFORMED OF THE MATTER AND IS DETERMINED TO PRESS ON WITH THE WEEK-OLD BOMBING CAMPAIGN. NATO HAS NOW EXPANDED THE RAIDS TO TARGETS IN AND AROUND BELGRADE. OFFICIALS SAY ALLIED PLANES ARE ALSO GOING AFTER TANKS AND ARMORED VEHICLES ON THE GROUND IN KOSOVO.

SO FAR NATO HAS LOST ONE "STEALTH" FIGHTER BUT SUFFERED NO CASUALTIES -WHICH COULD PROVE POLITICALLY COSTLY TO A MISSION THE WHITE HOUSE IS ALREADY FIGHTING TO JUSTIFY.(SIGNED)
NEB/DS/PT
31-Mar-99 9:36 PM EST (0236 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[08] SOLDIERS MISSING (S-UPDATE) BY DAVID SWAN (PENTAGON)

INTRO: THREE U-S SOLDIERS ARE MISSING IN (THE REPUBLIC OF) MACEDONIA, NEAR THE BORDER WITH KOSOVO, AND ARE THE FOCUS OF AN INTENSIVE ALLIED SEARCH. V-O-A'S DAVID SWAN REPORTS.

TEXT: OFFICIALS SAY SCORES OF GROUND TROOPS AND HELICOPTERS FROM SEVERAL NATIONS ARE LOOKING FOR THE AMERICANS. THEY DISAPPEARED (WEDNESDAY) ON A ROUTINE DAYLIGHT PATROL IN MACEDONIA, A FEW KILOMETERS FROM THE BORDER.

NATO SAYS THE SOLDIERS RADIOED THEY WERE SURROUNDED AND UNDER FIRE - AND THEN, CONTACT WAS LOST. SO FAR NEITHER THEY NOR THEIR VEHICLE HAS BEEN FOUND.

THE ATTACKERS' IDENTITY IS NOT KNOWN. HOWEVER, OFFICIALS BELIEVE THEY COULD HAVE BEEN LOCAL SERB TROOPS, POLICE, PARAMILITARIES OR SIMPLY THUGS.

THE AMERICANS WERE PART OF A FORCE KEEPING WATCH ON THE BORDER AREA. WHILE NOT DIRECTLY TIED TO THE GROWING AIR CAMPAIGN ON YUGOSLAVIA, THEY ARE THE FIRST MISSING ALLIED TROOPS SINCE THE RAIDS BEGAN LAST WEEK.(SIGNED)
NEB/DS/PLM
31-Mar-99 11:37 PM EST (0437 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[09] MACEDONIA/MISSING SOLDIERS (L UPDATE) BY NICK SIMEONE (SKOPJE, MACEDONIA)

INTRO: NATO SAYS SERB FORCES HAVE CAPTURED THREE AMERICAN SOLDIERS ON A ROUTINE PATROL NEAR MACEDONIA'S BORDER WITH YUGOSLAVIA. V-O-A'S NICK SIMEONE REPORTS FROM MACEDONIA'S CAPITAL, SKOPJE, THAT NATO IS SAYING LITTLE ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE SOLDIERS' CAPTURE.

TEXT: NATO SAYS THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS CAME UNDER FIRE (WEDNESDAY) NORTH OF THE MACEDONIAN TOWN OF KUMANOVO WHILE TRAVELING IN A 'HUMVEE' MILITARY VEHICLE.

SERBIAN TELEVISION IS BROADCASTING PICTURES OF THE THREE IN MILITARY CLOTHING AND WITH BRUISED FACES.

NATO SPOKESMAN ROBIN CLIFFORD TOLD REPORTERS THERE HAS BEEN NO CONTACT WITH THE THREE SINCE THEY DISAPPEARED. AND HE WOULD SAY LITTLE ABOUT THEIR CAPTURE UNTIL THE FULL DETAILS OF EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED ARE KNOWN.

I CAN GIVE YOU NO FURTHER DETAILS UNTIL WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. THIS IS VERY EARLY DAYS AT THE MOMENT. WE KNOW THAT AN INCIDENT HAPPENED. WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE THREE U-S SERVICEMEN THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWN ON SERB TELEVISION.

THE AREA OF MACEDONIA NEAR THE YUGOSLAV BORDER WHERE THE THREE U-S SOLDIERS WERE CAPTURED IS RUGGED, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT SAYS THE U-S SOLDIERS HAD CROSSED INTO ITS TERRITORY. BUT NATO SAYS IT IS STILL INVESTIGATING EXACTLY WHERE THE TROOPS WERE WHEN THEY WERE TAKEN.

ALL NATO FORCES CURRENTLY DEPLOYED HERE IN MACEDONIA ARE HERE FOR ONE THING ONLY, AND THAT IS TO BE PREPARED TO CONDUCT PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, IF REQUIRED. WE ARE NOT, AND WE HAVE NO CAPABILITY -- NOR DO WE HAVE ANY INTENTION -- OF CONDUCTING OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS.

THE THREE AMERICAN SOLDIERS HAD BEEN PART OF A NOW-DISBANDED UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN MACEDONIA, AND HAVE SINCE BEEN WORKING WITH THE 12-THOUSAND OR SO NATO TROOPS SET TO MOVE INTO KOSOVO IF A PEACE AGREEMENT IS EVER ACHIEVED THERE. (SIGNED)
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01-Apr-99 6:54 AM EST (1154 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[10] MONTENEGRO /KOSOVO / U-S (L-ONLY) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)

INTRO: U-S OFFICIALS ARE EXPRESSING DEEP CONCERN ABOUT THE SITUATION IN THE SMALL YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO, WHERE YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC HAS REPLACED THE TOP ARMY COMMANDER. FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT, V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS.

TEXT: U-S OFFICIALS SAY THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TOP YUGOSLAV ARMY COMMANDER IN MONTENEGRO COULD BE A SIGN THAT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC IS PLANNING A CRACKDOWN ON THE SMALL REPUBLIC'S DEMOCRATICALLY-ELECTED GOVERNMENT.

THE OFFICIAL TANJUG NEWS AGENCY SAYS MR. MILOSEVIC NAMED HIS CLOSE ALLY, GENERAL MILORAD OBRADOVIC, AS THE NEW COMMANDER OF THE MONTENEGRO-BASED SECOND ARMY CORP.

STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN CALLS THE SITUATION IN MONTENEGRO TROUBLING AND HE SAYS U-S OFFICIALS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ARMY SHAKE-UP.

WE ARE AWARE OF THAT. THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE SO CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. THAT IS ONE OF THE CLEAR INDICATORS THAT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC HAS DOUBTS ABOUT THE LOYALTY OF HIS FORCES THERE AND IT IS A MATTER OF GRAVE CONCERN TO US.

U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE INDICATIONS MR. MILOSEVIC MAY TRY TO MOVE AGAINST MONTENEGRO'S PRO-WESTERN GOVERNMENT, AND WASHINGTON HAS REPEATEDLY WARNED HIM NOT TO DO SO.

MONTENEGRO AND SERBIA ARE ALL THAT IS LEFT OF THE YUGOSLAV FEDERATION, BUT RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO REPUBLICS HAVE NOT BEEN GOOD. LAST MONTH, MONTENEGRO REFUSED TO IMPLEMENT THE STATE OF WAR AGAINST NATO THAT WAS DECLARED BY THE SERB- DOMINATED YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT.

IN ADDITION TO THE SITUATION IN MONTENEGRO, U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF A MODERATE ETHNIC ALBANIAN OPPOSITION LEADER IBRAHIM RUGOVA.

MR. RUGOVA HAD BEEN REPORTED MISSING IN KOSOVO, BUT YUGOSLAV TELEVISION SHOWED HIM MEETING WITH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC AT THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE IN BELGRADE. THE TWO MEN WERE SHOWN SITTING AND SMILING. THE TELEVISION SAID THEY HAD COME TO A JOINT STAND ON A POLITICAL PROCESS.

STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAYS THE UNITED STATES WANTS TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH THE MODERATE ETHNIC ALBANIAN LEADER TO ASSESS HIS SITUATION.

WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY SPEAK TO HIM. WE ARE GOING TO BE SEEKING THAT OPPORTUNITY. WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT HE AND HIS FAMILY HAVE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AND AT THAT TIME WE WILL BE IN A POSITION TO ASSESS WHAT HIS STATEMENTS ARE AND HIS VIEWS ARE.

SOME ETHNIC ALBANIANS HAVE EXPRESSED SKEPTICISM ABOUT THE MEETING IN BELGRADE OR WHETHER MR. RUGOVA WAS BEING HELD AGAINST HIS WILL.

IN ADDITION TO ETHNIC ALBANIAN LEADERS, U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT REPORTS THAT SERB POLICE HAVE BEEN TARGETING FORMER EMPLOYEES OF THE KOSOVO MONITOR MISSION. THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS IT HAS RECEIVED CONFIRMATION THAT SERB POLICE HAVE KILLED AT LEAST ONE FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONITOR MISSION, WHICH PULLED OUT OF KOSOVO BEFORE NATO BEGAN ITS AIR STRIKES. (SIGNED)
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01-Apr-99 6:13 PM EST (2313 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[11] CLINTON / PRISONERS (L) BY DAVID GOLLUST (WHITE HOUSE)

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON SAYS THE UNITED STATES HOLDS YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC AND HIS GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF THE THREE U-S ARMY MEMBERS CAPTURED BY YUGOSLAV FORCES (WEDNESDAY). HE ALSO URGED AMERICANS TO BE DETERMINED -- AND PATIENT -- IN SUPPORT OF THE NATO AIR CAMPAIGN. V-O-A'S DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.

TEXT: IN HIS FIRST PUBLIC REMARKS ON THE CAPTURE, MR. CLINTON TOLD AN AUDIENCE OF ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL AND FAMILIES IN VIRGINIA, THE THREE AMERICANS WERE SEIZED WHILE ON A PEACEFUL MISSION IN MACEDONIA AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO BASIS FOR THEIR CAPTURE, DETENTION OR THREATENED TRIAL BY BELGRADE.

HE DID NOT SPECIFY WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF THEY ARE NOT RETURNED SAFELY BUT MADE CLEAR THEIR CASE IS A TOP PRIORITY OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE:

ALL AMERICANS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR WELFARE. PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC SHOULD MAKE NO MISTAKE. THE UNITED STATES TAKES CARE OF ITS OWN. (APPLAUSE)

MR. CLINTON ALSO APPEALED TO AMERICANS TO SUPPORT THE NATO AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAV FORCES, WHICH HE SAID WAS UNDERTAKEN ONLY AFTER EVERY CONCEIVABLE PEACEFUL ALTERNATIVE HAD BEEN EXHAUSTED.

HE INSISTED AGAIN MR. MILOSEVIC WAS PREPARING FOR THE ONSLAUGHT (ATTACKS ON KOSOVO'S ETHNIC ALBANIANS) EVEN AS THE KOSOVO PEACE TALKS WERE ENDING IN FRANCE A MONTH AGO. AND HE SAID NATO AIRSTRIKES -- WHILE UNABLE TO HEAD OFF THE CARNAGE -- HAVE AT LEAST GIVEN KOSOVAR ALBANIANS HOPE THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABANDONED IN THEIR SUFFERING:

HAD WE NOT ACTED, THE SERBIAN OFFENSIVE WOULD HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT WITH IMPUNITY. WE ARE DETERMINED THAT IT WILL CARRY A VERY HIGH PRICE INDEED. WE ALSO ACT TO PREVENT A WIDER WAR.

THE PRESIDENT SAID THE KOSOVAR ALBANIANS HAD EMBRACED PEACE AND PUT THEIR TRUST IN THE WESTERN ALLIES AND, AS HE PUT IT: "WE CAN'T LET THEM DOWN."

IN APPEALING FOR PATIENCE WITH THE NATO AIR CAMPAIGN, HE NOTED IT HAS BEEN UNDERWAY A LITTLE MORE THAN A WEEK, HAS FACED BAD WEATHER, AND IS UP AGAINST AN ARRAY OF SERB FORCES IN KOSOVO THAT INCLUDES 40-THOUSAND TROOPS AND 300 TANKS. (SIGNED)
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01-Apr-99 3:14 PM EST (2014 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[12] CLINTON / KOSOVO WRAP (L-O) BY DAVID GOLLUST (WHITE HOUSE)

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS SERVED NOTICE HE HOLDS YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF THE THREE U-S ARMY SOLDIERS CAPTURED BY SERB FORCES ALONG BORDER BETWEEN MACEDONIA AND YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE. HE IS ALSO APPEALING FOR PUBLIC SUPPORT AND PATIENCE IN THE NATO AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA. V-O-A'S DAVID GOLLUST HAS MORE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.

TEXT: WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS MADE NO SECRET OF THEIR ANGER OVER THE FACT THE THREE AMERICANS WERE PARADED ON YUGOSLAV TELEVISION, AND -- FROM THEIR APPEARANCE -- SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN ROUGHED UP. IN A AN ADDRESS AT THE NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, NAVAL AIR STATION, PRESIDENT CLINTON DELIVERED AN IMPLICIT WARNING TO BELGRADE LEADERS THAT THERE MUST BE NO FURTHER MISTREATMENT:

THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO BASIS FOR THEM TO BE TAKEN. THERE IS NO BASIS FOR THEM TO BE HELD. THERE IS CERTAINLY NO BASIS FOR THEM TO BE TRIED. ALL AMERICANS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR WELFARE. PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC SHOULD MAKE NO MISTAKE -- THE UNITED STATES TAKES CARE OF ITS OWN.

MR. CLINTON ALSO USED THE ADDRESS -- TO ARMED FORCES MEMBERS AND FAMILIES OF PERSONNEL DEPLOYED IN THE BALKAN REGION -- TO URGE PATIENCE IN THE NATO AIR CAMPAIGN, WHICH HE STRESSED HAD BEEN UNDERWAY LITTLE MORE THAN A WEEK AND IS AIMED AGAINST A FORMIDABLE SERB GROUND FORCE:

OUR PILOTS HAVE PERFORMED BRAVELY AND WELL IN THE FACE OF DANGEROUS CONDITIONS AND OFTEN-ABYSMAL WEATHER. BUT WE MUST BE DETERMINED AND PATIENT. REMEMBER, THE SERBS HAD 40-THOUSAND TROOPS IN AND AROUND KOSOVO AND NEARLY 300 TANKS WHEN THEY BEGAN THIS, BEFORE THE FIRST NATO PLANE GOT IN THE AIR.

MR. CLINTON MADE THE BRIEF TRIP TO NORFOLK WITH DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN, WHO IN A SESSION WITH REPORTERS REJECTED AS FICTION PUBLISHED CRITICISM THAT THE ADMINISTRATION FAILED TO CONSIDER IN ADVANCE MR. MILOSEVIC'S FURIOUS RESPONSE TO NATO AIRSTRIKES.

SECRETARY COHEN SAID SERB FORCES HAD BEEN POISED FOR THE DRIVE AGAINST THE KOSOVAR ALBANIANS AND NATO'S ONLY REAL CHOICE WAS WHETHER TO PASSIVELY ACCEPT IT:

WE HAD TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT WE COULD SIT ON THE SIDELINES AND WATCH INDIFFERENTLY WHILE 40-THOUSAND TROOPS WENT ON A RAMPAGE THROUGH KOSOVO WHILE NATO TOOK NO ACTION WHAT-SO-EVER. BASED ON MILOSEVIC'S PAST PERFORMANCE -- WE HAVE SEEN HIM ENGAGE IN ETHNIC CLEANSING -- AND I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ABDICATION OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR NATO TO SIMPLY HAVE STOOD ON THE SIDELINES AND WATCHED THIS UNFOLD WITH ALL OF THE HUMAN TRAUMA AND TRAGEDY THAT IS INVOLVED.

MR. COHEN JOINED OTHER ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS IN REJECTING MOSCOW'S CALL FOR CONVENING A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE SEVEN LEADING INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES AND RUSSIA -- THE G-EIGHT -- TO DISCUSS THE KOSOVO CRISIS.

HE SAID MR. MILOSEVIC HOLDS THE KEYS TO PEACE AND, IN HIS WORDS, "CAN PUT THEM ON THE TABLE AT ANY TIME" BY PULLING BACK HIS SECURITY FORCES AND EMBRACING THE PRINCIPLES OF THE RAMBOUILLET KOSOVO PEACE PLAN.

THE ADMINISTRATION'S STRATEGY HAS BEEN UNDER CRITICISM FROM CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS WHO QUESTION WHETHER AIRSTRIKES ALONE CAN FORCE THE HAND OF THE SERB LEADER. HOWEVER SENATE REPUBLICAN JOHN WARNER EMERGED FROM A BRIEFING BY SENIOR DEFENSE AND INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS TO SAY THERE NOW APPEAR TO BE SIGNS THAT BELGRADE'S WAR-FIGHTING CAPABILITY IS BRING UNDERCUT:

WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE, IN MY JUDGMENT, POSITIVE SIGNS THAT THIS AIR CAMPAIGN IS CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR MILOSEVIC-DEPLOYED TROOPS CONDUCTING ETHNIC CLEANSING IN KOSOVO. THE TANKS AND OTHER MILITARY VEHICLES ARE RUNNING SHORT ON FUEL. FOOD AND AMMUNITION IS RUNNING SHORT. AND I THINK WE'RE HAVING A CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS RATE FOR DESTROYING THEIR SUPPLY DEPOTS FOR SUCH LOGISTICS.

SENATOR WARNER SAID HE EXPECTS IN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE DAYS A BROADENING OF THE AIR CAMPAIGN TO INCLUDE MORE ATTACKS ON WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS DUAL-USE TARGETS -- BRIDGES AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE USEFUL TO BOTH THE SERB MILITARY AND CIVILIANS. (SIGNED)
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01-Apr-99 6:03 PM EST (2303 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[13] PENTAGON-KOSOVO(S) BY DAVID SWAN (PENTAGON)

INTRO: THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS PLEDGED TO STAY THE COURSE IN THE AIR WAR ON YUGOSLAVIA, AND DO ALL IT CAN TO WIN THE RELEASE OF THREE CAPTURED SOLDIERS. CORRESPONDENT DAVID SWAN HAS DETAILS.

TEXT: DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN ANGRILY DENIES REPORTS THE WHITE HOUSE LAUNCHED AIR STRIKES WITHOUT CONSIDERING ALL THE RISKS AND CONSEQUENCES. THE STRATEGY IS BEING CRITICIZED FOR FAILING TO STOP, AND PERHAPS INTENSIFYING, THE YUGOSLAV CRACKDOWN IN KOSOVO PROVINCE.

BUT WHILE VISITING A NAVAL BASE (NORFOLK) WITH THE PRESIDENT (THURSDAY), MR. COHEN SAID NATO COULD NOT SIMPLY STAND BY.

THE PRESIDENT WAS RIGHT TO ACT. WE LOOKED AT THIS. WE SAW WHAT THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES WOULD BE IF WE TOOK NO ACTION OR IF WE TOOK ACTION. WE BELIEVE WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING.

MR. COHEN POINTEDLY DESCRIBED THE THREE AMERICANS AS -- ILLEGAL DETAINEES -- NOT PRISONERS OF WAR. THE MEN WERE CAPTURED DURING A RECONNAISSANCE PATROL WEDNESDAY IN THE YUGOSLAV-MACEDONIAN BORDER ZONE. OFFICIALS SAY IT IS NOT CLEAR IF THEY MAY HAVE CROSSED THE BOUNDARY OR WHO THEIR ATTACKERS WERE. (SIGNED)
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01-Apr-99 12:53 PM EST (1753 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[14] KOSOVO/U-S POW'S (L ONLY) BY JIM MALONE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: YUGOSLAVIA'S DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER SAYS THE THREE U-S SOLDIERS CAPTURED BY SERB FORCES WILL BE TREATED HUMANELY. DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER VUK DRASKOVIC SPOKE ABOUT THE SITUATION ON U-S TELEVISION THURSDAY, AND CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE HAS A REPORT.

TEXT: INTERVIEWED ON ABC'S GOOD MORNING AMERICA PROGRAM, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER DRASKOVIC SAYS THE THREE CAPTURED U-S INFANTRYMEN WILL BE TREATED HUMANELY AND THAT THEIR FAMILIES HAVE NO REASON TO WORRY ABOUT THEM.

I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THEY WILL BE TREATED IN THE MOST, BEST HUMANE WAY. I AM SENDING ALL OF THE BEST WISHES TO THE FAMILIES, I AM SENDING REGARDS TO THE FAMILIES OF THE CAPTURED SOLDIERS AND THEY MUST KNOW FOR SERBS, A CAPTURED ENEMY IS NOT THE ENEMY.

MR. DRASKOVIC SAYS THE THREE U-S PEACEKEEPERS WERE CAPTURED BY SERB FORCES INSIDE YUGOSLAV TERRITORY WEDNESDAY. NATO OFFICIALS INSIST THE THREE AMERICAN SOLDIERS WERE ON A ROUTINE PATROL ON THE MACEDONIAN SIDE OF THE BORDER WHEN THEY WERE CAPTURED.

SERB TELEVISION BROADCAST VIDEO OF THE THREE AMERICANS IN UNIFORM. AT LEAST TWO OF THE MEN APPEARED TO HAVE BRUISES ON THEIR FACES.

RETIRED U-S ARMY GENERAL PERRY SMITH TOLD THE NBC TODAY PROGRAM THAT THE APPEARANCE OF THE THREE AMERICANS ON SERB TELEVISION COULD TURN OUT TO BE A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE TRACK RECORD OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS OR SO, ONCE THEY ARE ON TELEVISION, WHEREVER THEY ARE, WHETHER THEY ARE IN IRAQ OR CHAINED TO TARGETS IN SERBIA, NORMALLY THAT MEANS THEY WILL SURVIVE AND BE REPATRIATED (RETURNED) AFTER THE WAR.

MILITARY EXPERTS SAY THE CAPTURE OF THE THREE U-S SOLDIERS MAY CAUSE NATO FORCES TO ALTER THEIR PLAN OF ATTACK. RETIRED U-S ARMY GENERAL NORMAN SCHWARTZKOPF LED ALLIED FORCES DURING THE PERSIAN GULF WAR IN 1991. HE ALSO APPEARED ON NBC'S TODAY PROGRAM.

THEY (NATO) ARE GOING TO FIND OUT WHERE THESE PEOPLE ARE BEING KEPT AND THAT IS GOING TO PREVENT THEM FROM BOMBING THOSE PARTICULAR TARGETS OR NEAR THOSE TARGETS. YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE HOSTAGE SITUATION WHERE THEY TAKE PEOPLE LIKE THAT AND CHAIN THEM TO SOME TARGETS SOMEPLACE AND ADVERTISE THAT THEY ARE THERE SO YOU CANNOT HIT THAT SORT OF THING. BUT THAT IS CLEARLY A VIOLATION OF THE GENEVA CONVENTION.

NATO OFFICIALS IN BRUSSELS SAY THEY EXPECT THE THREE CAPTURED AMERICANS TO BE TREATED HUMANELY, AND THEY ALSO SAY THEY ARE HOLDING SERB AUTHORITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR SAFETY. (SIGNED)
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01-Apr-99 8:59 AM EST (1359 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[15] BRITAIN / KOSOVO (L) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

INTRO: BRITISH OFFICIALS SAY NATO AIR STRIKES ARE DAMAGING YUGOSLAVIA'S MILITARY CAPABILITIES DESPITE BEING LIMITED BY BAD WEATHER. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN IN LONDON REPORTS THE BRITISH OFFICIALS ALSO SAY THEY SEE A SPLIT AMONG SERB MILITARY COMMANDERS.

TEXT: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK SAYS THERE ARE REPORTS THAT SOME YUGOSLAV MILITARY COMMANDERS HAVE BEEN FIRED SINCE THE NATO AIR STRIKES BEGAN LAST WEEK.

WHAT THOSE REPORTS DEMONSTRATE IS EVEN AN AUTOCRATIC REGIME SUCH AS PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC IS VULNERABLE IF SOME OF HIS TROOPS START TO FEEL THE SAME REVULSION AGAINST WHAT HE ASKED THEM TO DO AS THE REST OF THE WORLD.

MR. COOK SAYS NATO AIR STRIKES ARE INFLICTING DAMAGE ON THE SERB MILITARY -- HITTING COMMAND AND CONTROL CENTERS, RADAR SITES, FUEL AND AMMUNITION STORAGE FACILITIES. TIME, MR. COOK SAYS, IS NOT ON THE SIDE OF PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC.

HE SAYS THERE IS EVIDENCE THE YUGOSLAV MILITARY IS RUNNING LOW ON GAS AND DIESEL. NATO AIR STRIKES HAVE ALSO TARGETED AND DAMAGED SEVERAL SERB TANK UNITS IN KOSOVO. THERE ARE ALSO REPORTS THE SERB MILITARY IS HIDING UNDAMAGED TANKS IN CIVILIAN BUILDINGS AND CHURCH FACILITIES.

THE FOREIGN SECRETARY ALSO RENEWS BRITAIN'S WARNING TO MR. MILOSEVIC AGAINST STIRRING UP TROUBLE IN THE SERB REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO, WHOSE LEADERSHIP HAS OPPOSED THE SERB ACTIONS IN KOSOVO.

I WOULD SAY TO PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC, HE SHOULD NOT NOW TRY TO CREATE TROUBLE IN MONTENEGRO. HE ALREADY IS IN ENOUGH TROUBLE HIMSELF. HE DOES NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES OR TIME TO FIGHT ON ANOTHER FRONT.

THE FOREIGN SECRETARY ALSO HAS INTENSIFIED BRITISH EFFORTS TO COUNTER WHAT HE CALLS SERB PROPAGANDA BY SETTING UP SERB LANGUAGE WEB SITES AND GIVING INTERVIEWS TO AN INDEPENDENT SERB RADIO BROADCAST (B-92) ON THE INTERNET.

BRITISH DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY A CLEAR PATTERN HAS EMERGED IN THE SERB CAMPAIGN IN KOSOVO PROVINCE, CLEARING OUT VILLAGES AND TOWNS, SEPARATING THE MEN FROM THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND SENDING THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO THE BORDER. THE FATE OF THE MEN IS NOT KNOWN. BUT A SENIOR BRITISH OFFICIAL SERVING WITH THE KOSOVO VERIFICATION MISSION TOLD THE NEWS BRIEFING THERE ARE UNCONFIRMED REPORTS OF A MASS GRAVE NORTH OF PRIZREN (SOUTHWEST OF PRISTINA). (SIGNED)
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01-Apr-99 7:42 AM EST (1242 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[16] NATO-KOSOVO (L) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: NATO SAYS ITS AIR ATTACKS ON YUGOSLAVIA ARE STARTING TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE COUNTRY'S MILITARY STRUCTURE. BUT OFFICIALS SAY A STRONGER EFFORT IS NEEDED TO STOP THE KOSOVO ETHNIC CLEANSING CAMPAIGN. NATO ALSO SAYS YUGOSLAVIA'S CAPTURE OF THREE AMERICAN SOLDIERS HAS NOT DISRUPTED NATO'S BOMBING CAMPAIGN, AS VOA'S RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM NATO HEADQUARTERS.

TEXT: NATO'S MILITARY COMMANDER GENERAL WESLEY CLARK ACKNOWLEDGES AIR POWER ALONE CANNOT STOP EVERY ACT OF ETHNIC CLEANSING. HE EXPRESSES OUTRAGE AT THE YUGOSLAV MILITARY'S ACTIONS IN KOSOVO.

IT'S A GRIM COMBINATION OF TERROR AND ETHNIC CLEANSING ON A VAST SCALE. IT IS BEING PERPETRATED LARGELY AGAINST DEFENSELESS CIVILIANS BY THE LAST VESTIGE OF A HARDCORE COMMUNIST DICTATORSHIP IN EUROPE. MAN DOES NOT DO THIS TO HIS FELLOW MAN. WE ARE ALL IN UNIFORM OUTRAGED AT THE SIGHT OF THIS. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING UNIFORM MILITARY SOLDIERS DO TO CIVILIANS.

GENERAL CLARK'S ANGER WAS FUELED BY YUGOSLAVIA'S CAPTURE OF THREE AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO WERE PATROLLING ALONG MACEDONIA'S BORDER WITH YUGOSLAVIA. THE GENERAL INSISTS THE SOLDIERS WERE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE SOUTH, AWAY FROM THE BORDER, WHEN THEY WERE CAPTURED BY THE YUGOSLAVS. GENERAL CLARK ACCUSES YUGOSLAVIA OF BEATING THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS.

WE'VE ALL SEEN THEIR PICTURES. WE DON'T LIKE IT. WE DON'T LIKE THE WAY THEY ARE TREATED AND WE HAVE A LONG MEMORY OF THESE KIND OF THINGS.

NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL JAVIER SOLANA SAY THE NATO LEADERSHIP IS PRESENTING THE FIRST WEEK OF THE AIR WAR WITH YUGOSLAVIA AS A WAR OF VALUES. THE BOMBING, ACCORDING TO NATO, HAS AVOIDED CIVILIAN CASUALTIES WHILE THE YUGOSLAV MILITARY HAS BEEN CREATING THEM IN KOSOVO. THAT'S WHY NATO IS NOT CLOSE TO DECLARING VICTORY AFTER EIGHT NIGHTS OF AIR STRIKES.

AFTER ONE WEEK OF AIR OPERATIONS I AM CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT ON BELGRADE'S CRIMINAL, WAR-MACHINE. WE ARE DEGRADING HIS (MILOSEVIC'S) ABILITY TO CARRY OUT THE CURRENT ACTS OF VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO.

THE BOMBS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE UPCOMING (WESTERN) EASTER HOLIDAY AND AS LONG AS NATO HAS THE STAMINA. (SIGNED)
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01-Apr-99 11:33 AM EST (1633 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[17] NATO-KOSOVO UPDATE (S) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: NATO SAYS YUGOSLAVIA WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS TREATMENT OF THE THREE AMERICAN SOLDIERS CAPTURED ON THE MACEDONIAN-YUGOSLAV BORDER. AS RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM NATO HEADQUARTERS, THE WESTERN MILITARY ALLIANCE MAINTAINS THE THREE WERE NOT THREATENING YUGOSLAVIA AT THE TIME THEY WERE TAKEN CAPTIVE.

TEXT: NATO'S POSITION IS THAT THE SOLDIERS WERE DOING ROUTINE PATROL DUTY AND WERE NOT POSING ANY KIND OF THREAT TO YUGOSLAVIA WHEN THEY WERE CAPTURED WHILE DRIVING SOUTH -- AWAY FROM THE YUGOSLAV SIDE OF THE BORDER.

NATO COMMANDER GENERAL WESLEY CLARK SAYS THE ALLIANCE IS STILL INVESTIGATING WHETHER THE BORDER WAS CROSSED BY THE SOLDIERS' ARMORED VEHICLE. BUT HE EXPRESSES ANGER ABOUT YUGOSLAVIA'S SHOWING THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS ON TELEVISION.

LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE THREE SOLDIERS WHO WERE ABDUCTED BY SERB FORCES. WE'VE ALL SEEN THEIR PICTURES. WE DON'T LIKE IT. WE DON'T LIKE THE WAY THEY ARE TREATED AND WE HAVE A LONG MEMORY ABOUT THESE KIND OF THINGS.

DESPITE YUGOSLAVIA'S CAPTURE OF THE SOLDIERS, NATO BELIEVES ITS AIR ATTACKS ARE DEGRADING THE YUGOSLAV MILITARY AND IT PLANS TO CONTINUE THEM AS LONG AS NECESSARY. (SIGNED)
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01-Apr-99 11:04 AM EST (1604 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[18] CHINA / YUGOSLAVIA (L-ONLY) BY STEPHANIE HO (BEIJING)

INTRO: CHINA IS PUBLICIZING THE RESULTS OF A RARE PUBLIC OPINION POLL SHOWING THAT MOST CHINESE OPPOSE THE NATO AIRSTRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA. BUT, AS V-O-A'S STEPHANIE HO REPORTS, CHINESE MEDIA ALSO HAVE BEEN VERY SELECTIVE IN WHICH ASPECTS OF THE BALKAN CONTROVERSY IT REPORTS TO THE CHINESE PUBLIC.

TEXT: WHEN IT COMES TO KOSOVO, CHINESE PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING THE FULL STORY.

BEIJING'S OFFICIAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER, THE CHINA DAILY, REPORTED THURSDAY THAT A GOVERNMENT SURVEY OF TWO THOUSAND PEOPLE SHOWED THAT 77-PERCENT WERE SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE NATO AIRSTRIKES. IT ALSO SAID THAT 70-PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS FELT THE UNITED STATES WAS MOTIVATED BY WHAT THE POLL CALLED "HEGEMONISM"---THE DOMNATION OF ONE STATE OVER ANOTHER---IN ITS DEALINGS WITH YUGOSLAVIA.

AT THE SAME TIME, CHINESE MEDIA HAVE NOT REPORTED CHARGES OF SERB ATROCITIES AND ETHNIC CLEANSING AGAINST KOSOVO ALBANIANS.

FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SUN YUXI, SPEAKING THROUGH AN INTERPRETER, REPEATED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION THAT THE MASS EXODUS OF REFUGEES FROM KOSOVO ARE FLEEING BECAUSE OF THE NATO AIRSTRIKES.

THE AIR STRIKES HAVE CAUSED GREAT CASUALTIES AND THE BOMBING CANNOT BRING ABOUT PEACE.

RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS ABOUT CHINA'S COMMENT ON ALLEGED SERB ATROCITIES AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO, MR. SUN ONLY SAID THAT BEIJING URGES NATO TO HALT ITS BOMBING. IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER CHINA BELIEVES THERE HAS BEEN A BRUTAL ETHNIC CLEANSING IN KOSOVO, MR. SUN AGAIN WOULD ONLY SAY THAT CHINA WANTS THE NATO AIR STRIKES TO STOP.

MR. SUN DID RAISE WHAT -- FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE IN ALL OF THIS -- THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ATTACKING A SOVEREIGN COUNTRY FOR WHAT CHINA SEES AS AN INTERNAL MATTER.

TO SOLVE THE KOSOVO QUESTION ON THE ONE HAND, THE SOVEREIGNTY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF YUGOSLAVIA SHOULD BE RESPECTED.

CHINA'S SUPPORT OF NATO AIRSTRIKES ON BELGRADE BECAUSE OF KOSOVO WOULD WEAKEN BEIJING'S POSITION THAT TIBET AND TAIWAN SHOULD NOT BE DEALT WITH INTERNATIONALLY BECAUSE IT FEELS THEY ARE INTERNAL CHINESE ISSUES.

ALTHOUGH BEIJING IS ANGRY WITH WASHINGTON OVER THE NATO AIR STRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA, IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE STOPPING CHINESE PREMIER ZHU RONGJI'S VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES NEXT WEEK.

IN THE PAST, WE SAID PREMIER ZHU IS GOING TO VISIT AMERICA THIS APRIL. I HAVE NO NEW INFORMATION TO PROVIDE YOU.

THE WHITE HOUSE HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE CHINESE PREMIER IS SCHEDULED TO BE IN THE UNITED STATES FROM APRIL SIXTH THROUGH 14TH. (SIGNED)
NEB/HO/GC/PLM
01-Apr-99 5:47 AM EST (1047 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[19] RUSSIA / MEDIA BY EVE CONANT (MOSCOW)

INTRO: RUSSIA'S ANGER AT NATO AIR STRIKES IS BEING DEMONSTRATED CLEARLY IN SHARPLY ANTI-WESTERN NEWS COVERAGE OF EVENTS IN YUGOSLAVIA. V-O-A'S EVE CONANT IN MOSCOW REPORTS THE NEWS COVERAGE IN TURN IS FUELING MORE ANTI-WESTERN SENTIMENTS.

TEXT: TURN ON A RUSSIAN NEWS BROADCAST AND YOU WILL QUICKLY LEARN HOW RUSSIA FEELS ABOUT NATO AIR STRIKES IN YUGOSLAVIA.

THE REPORTER SAYS THE LATEST EVENTS SHOW THE SITUATION IN KOSOVO HAS DEPARTED FROM THE NATO SCRIPT. HE SAYS THE CAPTURE OF THREE AMERICANS WAS NOT PART OF NATO'S PLANS.

ANOTHER TELEVISION NETWORK TELLS ITS VIEWERS NATO IS STRIKING CULTURAL MONUMENTS, NOT MILITARY ESTABLISHMENTS.

THE REPORTER SAYS THE LATEST ACT OF WHAT HE CALLS VANDALISM WAS THE BOMBING OF AN IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS BUILDING IN THE TOWN OF PEC. HE SAYS THERE ARE NO MILITARY OBJECTS ANYWHERE NEAR IT. AND HE ADDS THAT THE PEOPLE OF BELGRADE WILL SURELY SPEND THIS NIGHT AS HORRIBLY AS THE LAST.

A QUICK GLANCE AT RUSSIA'S MOST POPULAR NEWSPAPERS REVEALS HEADLINES SUCH AS "NATO'S THIRD PHASE OF BANDITISM" OR "NATO THROWS BOMBS ON YUGOSLAVIA AND WE THROW EGGS AT THE AMERICANS" -- A REFERENCE TO ANTI-AMERICAN DEMONSTRATIONS OUTSIDE THE U-S EMBASSY IN MOSCOW.

THE DEAN OF THE MOSCOW STATE UNIVERSITY OF JOURNALISM, YASSEN ZASSOURSKY, SAYS THAT WHILE RUSSIAN REPORTING MAY BE ANTI-WESTERN, RUSSIAN JOURNALISTS DO A BETTER JOB AT EXPLAINING THE YUGOSLAV POSITION.

I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANYBODY WHO IS LAUDING MR. MILOSEVIC. THEY ARE PERHAPS PORTRAYING HIM MORE NEUTRALLY.

RUSSIAN OFFICIALS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT WESTERN INFLUENCE ON RUSSIAN REPORTING OF THE YUGOSLAV CRISIS. AT A NEWS CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY, RUSSIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV DENOUNCED THE UNITED STATES FOR WAGING WHAT HE CALLED "AN AMERICAN PROPOGANDA CAMPAIGN IN RUSSIA TO SUPPORT NATO ACTIONS." BUT HE GAVE NO DETAILS OR EXAMPLES.

BUT GALINA SOKOLOVA, THE CHIEF EDITOR OF RUSSIA'S "RADIO STIL" WHICH RE-BROADCASTS VOICE OF AMERICA PROGRAMS IN VLADIMIR, RUSSIA, SAYS LOCAL AUTHORITIES TELEPHONED THURSDAY TO DEMAND SHE STOP AIRING V-O-A PROGRAMS.

SHE SAYS THE LOCAL OFFICIALS SAID THEY MADE THE DEMAND BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY CALLED "THE PRESENT SITUATION IN RUSSIA." SHE SAYS THEY SAID V-O-A IS BROADCASTING POLITICAL IDEAS THAT OPPOSE THOSE OF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.

LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN VLADIMIR WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT. BUT THE TONE OF RUSSIAN REPORTING ABOUT YUGOSLAVIA IS HAVING A CLEAR EFFECT. RUSSIANS SUCH AS THIS MUSCOVITE, NINA LARIONOVA, SAYS SHE HAS LOST RESPECT FOR AMERICANS SINCE THE BOMBING BEGAN.

SHE SAYS THIS SITUATION IS HORRIBLE. "AMERICA DID NOT SHOW ITS BETTER SIDE." AND SHE SAYS THE UNITED STATES HAS LOST HER RESPECT.

AFTER WATCHING THE YUGOSLAV COVERAGE ON RUSSIAN TELEVISION, MANY RUSSIANS SAY THEY BELIEVE THE UNITES STATES HAS LOST RESPECT FOR THEM AND THEIR GOVERNMENT. THE HEADLINE OF RUSSIA'S "VREMYA" NEWSPAPER SUMS UP RUSSIA'S FRUSTATION AT ITS FAILED DIPLOMATIC ATTEMPTS TO STOP NATO AIR STRIKES. IT SIMPLY READS "THE WEST DIDN'T LISTEN." (SIGNED)
NEB/EC/JWH
01-Apr-99 12:39 PM EST (1739 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[20] RUSSIA / KOSOVO (S) BY PETER HEINLEIN (MOSCOW)

INTRO: RUSSIA IS PREPARING FURTHER MILITARY AND DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES IN RESPONSE TO NATO ATTACKS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA. V-O-A'S PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS ON COMMENTS BY SENIOR OFFICIALS IN MOSCOW.

TEXT: FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV SAYS RUSSIA IS FORMULATING NEW TASKS FOR ITS ARMED FORCES IN LIGHT OF NATO'S PLAN TO SHIFT TO STAGE THREE OF ITS YUGOSLAVIA OPERATIONS.

IN COMMENTS TO RUSSIAN NEWS AGENCIES, MR. IVANOV SAYS A NEW DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVE IS ALSO IN THE WORKS. BUT HE EXPRESSES FRUSTRATION AT THE FAILURE OF RUSSIA'S PREVIOUS MEDIATION EFFORTS, SAYING IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT NATO WANTS.

AGENCIES SAY THE FOREIGN MINISTER SPOKE BY TELEPHONE OVERNIGHT WITH U-S SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT TO EXPLAIN RUSSIA'S PLAN TO SEND UP TO SEVEN NAVY SHIPS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN. ONE RECONNAISSANCE VESSEL IS TO DEPART FRIDAY.

DEFENSE MINISTER IGOR SERGEYEV WAS QUOTED THURSDAY AS DESCRIBING THE CURRENT SITUATION IN THE BALKANS AS BEING LIKE A WHIRLPOOL, DRAWING MORE AND MORE COUNTRIES INTO IT. (SIGNED)
NEB/PFH/JWH
01-Apr-99 5:11 AM EST (1011 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[21] RUSSIA / KOSOVO (L) BY PETER HEINLEIN (MOSCOW)

INTRO: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN IS ATTEMPTING TO LAUNCH A NEW YUGOSLAVIA PEACE INITIATIVE. V-O-A'S PETER HEINLEIN IN MOSCOW REPORTS MR. YELTSIN IS CALLING FOR AN EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE WORLD'S MAIN INDUSTRIAL NATIONS.

TEXT: IN A BRIEF MESSAGE BROADCAST ON RUSSIAN TELEVISION, MR. YELTSIN SAYS NATO AIR STRIKES MUST BE HALTED IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE, IN HIS WORDS, "EVERY LOST DAY BRINGS NEW CASUALTIES AND TRAGEDIES".

MR. YELTSIN SAYS HE ORDERED FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV TO MEET OTHER FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE G-EIGHT -- RUSSIA AND THE WORLD'S SEVEN LEADING INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS. SIX OF THOSE COUNTRIES ARE NATO MEMBERS. THE SEVENTH, JAPAN, HAS EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE NATO ACTIONS IN YUGOSLAVIA.

AT THE SAME TIME, MR. YELTSIN IS SAID TO BE STUDYING PLANS TO SEND MORE NAVY SHIPS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN. ONE RUSSIAN RECONNAISSANCE SHIP IS TO LEAVE PORT FRIDAY, AND OFFICIALS SAY MORE MAY FOLLOW SHORTLY IF MR. YELTSIN APPROVES.

THE YUGOSLAVIA CRISIS APPEARED TO DOMINATE MR. YELTSIN'S TALKS AT THE KREMLIN THURSDAY WITH THE VISITING PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE, ANOTHER SLAVIC COUNTRY THAT HAS CRITICIZED NATO ACTION. IN COMMENTS AFTER THE MEETING, MR. YELTSIN INDICATED HE WOULD TRY TO RALLY MORE SUPPORT FOR HIS ANTI-NATO STANCE FRIDAY AT A SUMMIT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES, WHICH GROUPS 12 FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS.

IN OTHER DEVELOPMENTS THURSDAY, FOREIGN MINISTER IVANOV SAID RUSSIA IS FORMULATING NEW TASKS FOR ITS ARMED FORCES IN REACTION TO NATO AIR STRIKES. HE GAVE NO DETAILS.

NEWS AGENCIES SAY U-S SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT CALLED MR. IVANOV WEDNESDAY TO EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT THE MOVEMENT OF RUSSIAN SHIPS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN.

THE FOREIGN MINISTRY LATER ISSUED A STATEMENT CALLING U-S FEARS "ABSURD" IN LIGHT OF NATO'S LARGE FORCE IN THE REGION. THE STATEMENT SAID RUSSIA HAS NO INTENTION OF INTERFERING IN THE CONFLICT AROUND YUGOSLAVIA.

BUT IN SEPARATE COMMENTS TO RUSSIAN REPORTERS, DEFENSE MINISTER IGOR SERGEYEV WARNED THAT THE BALKAN CONFLICT IS LIKE A WHIRLPOOL, DRAWING MORE AND MORE COUNTRIES INTO IT. (SIGNED)
NEB/PFH/JWH
01-Apr-99 9:23 AM EST (1423 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[22] U-S / KOSOVO (L-O) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)

INTRO: THE UNITED STATES HAS GIVEN A CHILLY RESPONSE TO RUSSIA'S CALL FOR EMERGENCY TALKS ON YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSOVO CRISIS WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE SEVEN LEADING INDUSTRIAL COUNTRIES. V-O-A'S KYLE KING HAS THIS REPORT FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

TEXT: U-S OFFICIALS SAY YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC KNOWS WHAT HE HAS TO DO TO HALT NATO'S WEEK OLD BOMBING CAMPAIGN AGAINST HIS FORCES.

STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAYS A MEETING OF THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE G-7 COUNTRIES PLUS RUSSIA (G-8) WOULD NOT BE THE RIGHT PLACE TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE.

THE SECRETARY (OF STATE) IS IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE G-8 COUNTRIES. WE ARE NOT SURE THAT AN EMERGENCY MEETING OF THIS KIND IS AN APPROPRIATE VENUE FOR A DISCUSSION OF KOSOVO. WHAT WE NEED TO SEE IS A REVERSAL OF COURSE BY MILOSEVIC.

U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS MR. MILOSEVIC HOLDS THE KEY TO ENDING THE CONFLICT IN KOSOVO. THE DEFENSE SECRETARY SAYS HE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT BENEFIT THERE WOULD BE TO A MEETING OF FOREIGN MINISTERS FROM THE G-7 PLUS RUSSIA.

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN MADE THE SUGGESTION IN MOSCOW, WHERE HE SAID NATO AIR STRIKES AGAINST SERB-LED YUGOSLAVIA POSE A GRAVE DISASTER AND MUST NOT BE ALLOWED.

DESPITE ITS CONDEMNATION OF THE NATO AIR STRIKES, RUSSIA HAS SAID IT HAS NO PLANS TO BECOME INVOLVED IN THE CONFLICT.

MR. YELTSIN HAS SAID HE IS STUDYING PLANS TO SEND MORE RUSSIAN WARSHIPS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN TO MONITOR NATO ACTIVITIES. WEDNESDAY, MR. YELTSIN ANNOUNCED HE WAS SENDING AN INTELLIGENCE GATHERING SHIP TO THE AREA LATER THIS WEEK AND POSSIBLY SIX OTHER WARSHIPS.

SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT'S SPOKESMAN SAYS SHE RAISED THE ISSUE OF THE SHIPS IN TWO PHONE CALLS WITH RUSSIAN FOREIGN SECRETARY IGOR IVANOV.

SHE DID RAISE THE ISSUE AND SHE MADE CLEAR WHAT I INDICATED YESTERDAY, THAT WE DON'T THINK IT SENDS A VERY HELPFUL MESSAGE AT ALL.

RUSSIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS MOSCOW IS STILL LOOKING FOR WAYS TO RESTART DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS AIMED AT ENDING THE CONFLICT IN KOSOVO. PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV TRAVELED TO BELGRADE TUESDAY, BUT THE MISSION FAILED TO WIN ANY BREAKTHROUGHS. (SIGNED)
NEB/KBK/JO
01-Apr-99 3:44 PM EST (2044 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[23] MILOSEVIC PROFILE BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: NATO'S AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA'S MILITARY HAS INTENSIFIED AS THE WESTERN ALLIANCE TRIES TO END YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC'S ATTACKS ON ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN THE SERBIAN PROVINCE OF KOSOVO. IN THIS REPORT FROM WASHINGTON, CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA PROFILES PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC -- A MAN WHO HAS REPEATEDLY STAKED HIS POLITICAL CAREER ON DEFENDING SERBS IN KOSOVO.

TEXT: SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC WAS BORN IN 1941 IN A PROVINCIAL TOWN NEAR BELGRADE. HIS FATHER WAS A SCHOOLTEACHER WHO HAD TRAINED TO BECOME AN ORTHODOX PRIEST. HIS MOTHER: A COMMUNIST PARTY ACTIVIST.

DURING HIS UNIVERSITY YEARS HE MET HIS WIFE MIRJANA MARKOVIC WHO TO THIS DAY -- IS HIS CLOSEST ADVISER. TOGETHER THEY BECAME INVOLVED IN POLITICS AND MOVED UP THE HIERARCHY OF THE SERBIAN COMMUNIST PARTY.

THE EARLY POLITICAL CAREER OF SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC WAS UNEVENTFUL. A COLORLESS COMMUNIST OFFICIAL, HE WAS SEEN AS A COMPETENT "APPARATCHIK" (BUREAUCRAT) BEST KNOWN FOR HIS ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS.

BUT ALL OF THAT CHANGED ON APRIL 24TH, 1987. THE SERBIAN COMMUNIST PARTY LEADER AT THE TIME -- IVAN STAMBOLIC -- ASKED HIS GOOD FRIEND SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO GO TO KOSOVO AND TALK TO THE SERBIAN MINORITY LIVING THERE. THE SERBS HAD BEEN AGITATING FOR SOME TIME, CALLING FOR CURBS ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL AUTONOMY GRANTED THE REGION SINCE 1974. IN OTHER WORDS, THE SERBS WANTED TO LIMIT THE POLITICAL POWER OF THE MAJORITY ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO.

AS MR. MILOSEVIC ADDRESSED THE CROWD, EVENTS TURNED UGLY. SERBS BEGAN PELTING THE POLICE -- ESSENTIALLY MADE UP OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS -- WITH STONES. MR. MILOSEVIC THEN TOLD THE SERB MINORITY: "NO-ONE SHOULD DARE TO BEAT YOU."

BALKAN EXPERT LAURA SILBER SAYS THAT PHRASE CATAPULTED SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO THE FOREFRONT OF SERB POLITICS.

WITH THESE WORDS, WHAT HAPPENED WAS, MR. MILOSEVIC'S PROPAGANDA MACHINE -- WHICH HE WAS JUST ABOUT TO TAKE HOLD OF -- OR SHALL I SAY THE SERBIAN COMMUNIST PARTY REGIME BEGAN TO USE THAT SENTENCE "NO-ONE SHOULD DARE TO BEAT YOU" -- ON TELEVISION. IT WAS BROADCAST -- AND THAT REALLY BEGAN TO HELP MILOSEVIC CLIMB TO THE RANKS WHICH EVEN HE HAD NOT ANTICIPATED TO THAT DAY. BUT HE BEGAN TO CHANGE, TO METAMORPHOSE FROM A COMMUNIST PARTY, A GRAY, COLORLESS "APPARATCHIK" (BUREAUCRAT) TO A FIERY NATIONALIST LEADER.

MS. SILBER SAYS IT IS THEN THAT MR. MILOSEVIC REALIZED HE COULD USE THE "NATIONALIST CARD" FOR HIS OWN POLITICAL PURPOSES.

TIM JUDAH IS THE AUTHOR OF A BOOK ENTITLED "THE SERBS." HE SAYS THE STONE-THROWING INCIDENT ON APRIL 24TH, 1987 WAS ORCHESTRATED BY MR. MILOSEVIC.

THE THING IS, THAT WE NOW ACTUALLY KNOW IT (THE DEMONSTRATION) WAS NOT SPONTANEOUS, THAT HE MUST HAVE PLANNED THE WHOLE THING. THAT, IN FACT, HE HAD BEEN TWO DAYS BEFORE AND HE HAD TALKED WITH THE LEADERS OF KOSOVO'S SERBS -- AND THE TRUCK WITH THE STONES THAT THE PEOPLE HAD BEEN THROWING HAD ALREADY BEEN PREPARED. SO IT SHOWED THAT HE WAS EVEN THEN SKILLFUL IN PLANNING -- AT LEAST IN THE SHORT-TERM. BECAUSE THAT IS THE IMPORTANT THING TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT MILOSEVIC: HE IS GOOD AT PLANNING THE SHORT-TERM BUT IN THE LONG-TERM. HE HAS NO VISION, NO POLITICAL VISION.

A YEAR AFTER HIS TRIP TO KOSOVO, MR. MILOSEVIC UNSEATED HIS FRIEND IVAN STAMBOLIC AS COMMUNIST PARTY LEADER. AND IN 1989 HE BECAME PRESIDENT OF SERBIA.

MS. SILBER SAYS HE THEN STRIPPED AUTONOMY FROM KOSOVO -- A REGION THAT HAS CENTURIES OF RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE SERBS -- AND BEGAN TO RULE THE ETHNIC ALBANIAN POPULATION INCREASINGLY BY FORCE.

THIS IS WHEN HE REALLY SETS THE WHEELS IN MOTION BEYOND THE PARTY APPARATUS, TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE PROVINCES OF VOJVODINA TO THE NORTH AND KOSOVO - THE MOSTLY ALBANIAN PROVINCE - TO THE SOUTH. AND THAT IS HOW HE BEGAN TO MAKE HIS BID TO LEAD THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA -- BECAUSE WHAT HE REALLY WANTED THEN WAS TO BECOME THE NEXT JOSIF BROZ TITO (YUGOSLAVIA'S NOTED COMMUNIST COLD WAR LEADER).

BUT THAT DREAM, SAYS MS. SILBER, HAS FAILED MISERABLY. FOR IN THE 12 YEARS SINCE HE ASSUMED POWER IN SERBIA -- AND SINCE HE BECAME YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT EARLY LAST YEAR -- YUGOSLAVIA HAS SHATTERED INTO FIVE COUNTRIES.

EXPERTS SAY THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE MR. MILOSEVIC MAY ALSO LOSE KOSOVO. NATO BOMBINGS ARE EXPANDING AS SERB FORCES AND PARAMILITARY GROUPS INCREASE THEIR ATTACKS ON ETHNIC ALBANIANS, FORCING 10 OF THOUSANDS TO FLEE TO NEIGHBORING STATES.

AS THE BOMBING INTENSIFIES AND THE ETHNIC CLEANSING CONTINUES, MANY ANALYSTS SAY AUTONOMY IS NO LONGER A VIABLE SOLUTION FOR KOSOVO. THEY SAY MR. MILOSEVIC'S STRONG-ARM TACTICS CAN ONLY LEAD TO INDEPENDENCE. BUT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC IS TOTALLY OPPOSED TO THAT SCENARIO, ESPECIALLY SINCE HE HAS STAKED HIS POLITICAL CAREER ON DEFENDING SERBS IN KOSOVO. (SIGNED)
NEB/ADEN/JO
01-Apr-99 2:09 PM EST (1909 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[24] EDITORIAL: MILOSEVIC IS SERBS' WORST ENEMY

ANNCR: THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE VARIETY OF ISSUES. NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

VOICE:

TERRIBLE THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN THE SERBIAN PROVINCE OF KOSOVO. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS HAVE BEEN DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES. HOUSES AND WHOLE VILLAGES HAVE BEEN BURNED TO THE GROUND. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN COLD BLOOD. WITHOUT A DOUBT, THESE ARE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY.

OVER THE YEARS, YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC HAS PROVOKED CONFLICT AGAINST SLOVENIA, CROATIA AND BOSNIA. AND HIS REGIME HAS BEEN TORMENTING KOSOVO'S ETHNIC ALBANIANS FOR A DECADE. RECENTLY, WHILE NATO MEMBERS AND OTHER COUNTRIES WERE TRYING TO FIND A PEACEFUL SOLUTION IN KOSOVO, MILOSEVIC WAS REINFORCING HIS TROOPS AND TANKS THERE. WHEN A REASONABLE POLITICAL AGREEMENT WAS ACCEPTED BY ETHNIC ALBANIANS, MILOSEVIC SPURNED IT, LAUNCHED A WAVE OF KILLINGS, FORCED EXPULSIONS AND TERROR IN KOSOVO -- AND BROUGHT A RAIN OF NATO MISSILES AND BOMBS ON SERBIA.

CLEARLY, MILOSEVIC IS NOT ONLY THE WORST ENEMY OF THE KOSOVARS. HE IS ALSO THE WORST ENEMY OF HIS FELLOW SERBS. HE IS LEADING HIS COUNTRYMEN TO RUIN.

JUSTIFIABLY, SERBS ARE ASKING WHY THEIR COUNTRY IS BEING ATTACKED. MOST HAVE DONE NOTHING TO DESERVE IT. BUT THEY MUST LOOK TO THEIR LEADERSHIP. NATO'S OBJECTIVE IS NOT TO HARM INNOCENT SERBS. IT IS TO STOP MILOSEVIC'S BARBAROUS ATTACKS IN KOSOVO.

ONE THING SHOULD BE MADE CLEAR: AMERICANS DO NOT HATE SERBS. FAR FROM IT. THEY WERE AMERICA'S ALLIES AGAINST FASCISM IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR. MANY SERBS GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THAT STRUGGLE. BUT JUST AS AMERICANS COULD NOT STAND BY WHEN HITLER'S FORCES WERE SLAUGHTERING SERBS AND OTHERS A HALF CENTURY AGO, THE UNITED STATES WILL NOT STAND BY AS MILOSEVIC MASSACRES KOSOVARS.

MILOSEVIC MUST DO WHAT HE PROMISED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO -- END THE FIGHTING AND REDUCE HIS MILITARY PRESENCE IN KOSOVO. AND ACCEPT A PEACE SETTLEMENT BASED ON THE ACCORDS NEGOTIATED RECENTLY IN RAMBOUILLET, FRANCE. ONLY THEN, CAN SERBIA END ITS LONG ISOLATION FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD. ONLY THEN, CAN SERBS JOIN THE REST OF EUROPE IN BUILDING DEMOCRACY, PROSPERITY AND PEACE.

ANNCR:

THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, V-O-A, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. YOU MAY ALSO COMMENT AT WWW-DOT-VOA-DOT-GOV-SLASH-EDITORIALS, OR FAX US AT (202) 619-1043.
01-Apr-99 1:10 PM EST (1810 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[25] SERBS / CLINTON/P-O-W'S (L-ONLY) BY MIKE JOYCE (CHICAGO)

INTRO: THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE UNITED STATES HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST PRESIDENT CLINTON IN FEDERAL COURT IN CHICAGO THURSDAY, ASKING THE COURT TO STOP PRESIDENT CLINTON FROM FURTHER BOMBING YUGOSLAVIA.

TEXT: ANTHONY D'AMATO, ATTORNEY FOR THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH , ANNOUNCES THE LAWSUIT AGAINST PRESIDENT CLINTON AT A PRESS CONFERENCE THURSDAY IN CHICAGO.

WE HAVE JUST FILED AN ACTION (ASKING FOR) INJUNCTION AND DECLARATORY JUDGEMENT IN FEDERAL COURT. THE SOLE PLAINTIFF IS THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, AND THE SOLE DEFENDANT IS PRESIDENT WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON. THE DEFENDANT HAS ORDERED AMERICAN SERVICE PERSONNEL TO FIRE MISSILES AND DROP BOMBS ON THE TERRITORY OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA AND SPECIFICALLY THE KOSOVO REGION.

MR. D'AMATO, WHO IS ALSO A LAW PROFESSOR AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY SAYS THE CHURCH'S MAIN CONCERN IS THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE 10 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING IN YUGOSLAVIA.

BUT THE LAWSUIT ALSO MENTIONS THE DANGER TO THE CHURCH'S HOLY PLACES IN YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE.

THE PLAINTIFF'S PROPERTY, CONSISTING OF CHURCHES AND SHRINES, ARE IN IMMINENT DANGER OF BEING DAMAGED OR DESTROYED, AND WE KNOW OF AT LEAST ONE 12TH CENTURY SHRINE IN KOSOVO THAT HAS BEEN SEVERELY DAMAGED. THERE ARE OVER 800 CHURCHES AND SHRINES IN THE SMALL REGION OF KOSOVO ALONE. BUT, EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE PLAINTIFF'S PROPERTY ARE THE HOLY RELICS AND THE HOLY ICONS STORED THROUGHOUT KOSOVO AND MORE GENERALLY IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA.

THE LAWSUIT ASKS THE COURT TO STOP PRESIDENT CLINTON FROM ORDERING FURTHER BOMBINGS OF YUGOSLAVIA. IT ASKS THAT HIS ACTIONS BE DECLARED ILLEGAL AND IN VIOLATION OF THE U-S CONSTITUTION, AND IN VIOLATION OF SEVERAL INTERNATIONAL TREATIES THE UNITED STATES HAS SIGNED.

THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA IS HEADQUARTERED IN THE NORTHERN CHICAGO SUBURB OF GRAYSLAKE, ILLINOIS. HOWEVER, THE LAWSUIT SAYS THAT THE AMERICAN SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IS ACTING NOT ONLY ON ITS OWN BEHALF BUT, IN THE WORDS OF THE COMPLAINT, "THE ENTIRE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, A WORLD-WIDE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY."

FAMILY MEMBERS SAID THEY WERE IN SHOCK AT THE TIME AND THEY REALLY DID NOT WANT TO DISCUSS IT WITH ANYONE IN ANY GREAT DEPTH, NOR DID THEY WANT TO BE GIVING OUT PICTURES OF CHRISTOPHER, OR ANYTHING ELSE. BUT, THEY DID SAY THEY WERE SHOCKED ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND HAD BEEN AWAKENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT BY THE MILITARY FOLKS WHO CAME TO THEIR HOME AND ALSO (BY) THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

GARY MILES SAYS THAT SERGEANT CHRISTOPHER'S CAPTURE SEEMS TO HAVE INTENSIFIED INTEREST IN THE CONFLICT WITH YUGOSLAVIA AMONG PEOPLE IN THE PORT HURON AREA.(SIGNED)
NEB/EMJ
01-Apr-99 6:09 PM EST (2309 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[26] THE BALKANS BURN: THE WORLD WORRIES BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: WITH DAILY TELEVISION PICTURES OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS FLEEING FOR THEIR LIVES FROM YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE EVOKING VIVID MEMORIES OF WORLD WAR TWO, GLOBAL JOURNALISTS ARE INCREASINGLY PREOCCUPIED WITH THE LATEST BALKAN WAR.

MUCH OF THE WORLD'S PRESS SURVEYED SUPPORTS THE NATO CAMPAIGN BECAUSE THE ALLIES, BUT ARE AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE MILITARY ALLIANCE SHOULD DO NEXT. AND IN SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THERE IS GROWING CONCERN THE UNITED STATES IS BYPASSING THE UNITED NATIONS, AND TAKING INTERNATIONAL LAW INTO ITS OWN HANDS.

FOR A SAMPLING, WE TURN NOW TO _____________ AND THIS WEEK'S WORLD OPINION ROUNDUP.

VOICE: IN THE NEIGHBORING REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA, WHERE TENS-OF-THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES ARE FLOODING OVER THE BORDER, SKOPJE'S "DNEVNIK" COMPLAINS:

VOICE: THE WORLD THAT PROMISES BLANKETS, FLOUR, FINANCIAL AID IS, ALAS, FAR FROM HERE. THOSE PROMISES WILL, TIME PROVIDED, GET EVEN MORE AND MORE DISTANT. THOSE WHO SHOW SO MUCH CONCERN ABOUT THE REFUGEES ... WILL HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT AS MUCH AS WE HAVE TO BE HUMANE ... WE HAVE TO BE SELFISH AND TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES, TOO.

TEXT: WHILE ACROSS TOWN, "NOVA MAKEDONIJA" WORRIES ABOUT THE WAR EXPANDING TO MACEDONIAN TERRITORY;

VOICE: ... WE MIGHT ... GET A DOSE OF 'WAR PSYCHOSES,' AND OUR SOIL CAN BE FRUITFUL ... SINCE WE HAVE BOTH SERB AND ALBANIAN MINORITIES HERE.

TEXT: TO THE NORTH, IN MOUNTAINOUS SLOVENIA, WHICH QUICKLY PULLED OUT OF THE YUGOSLAVIAN FEDERATION ALMOST A DECADE AGO, LJUBLJANA'S "DELO" LAMENTED THAT RUSSIA HAD SO LITTLE SUCCESS IN ITS ATTEMPTED INTERVENTION.

VOICE: [PRIME MINISTER] PRIMAKOV'S TRIP TO BELGRADE WAS ... JUST AN EXAMINATION OF THE TERRAIN AND AN ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS. THE WAR CANNOT LAST FOREVER; THE ADVENTURE WOULD BECOME TOO EXPENSIVE FOR THE AMERICAN AND WESTERN EUROPEAN TAXPAYERS ... THE WHITE HOUSE AND PENTAGON SHOULD CARRY OUT THEIR SHOOTING EXERCISES IN THE ARIZONA DESERT ... IT IS TIME FOR EUROPE ITSELF TO START DECIDING ABOUT ... EUROPEAN ISSUES.

TEXT: CHECKING WITH THE BRITISH PRESS, WHERE SEVERAL DAILIES ARE BEGINNING TO SUGGEST PREPARATION OF A GROUND FORCE, WE TAKE THIS FROM "THE DAILY TELEGRAPH."

VOICE: OFFICIAL NATO POLICY REMAINS JUST MORE OF THE SAME, AS IF THE ALLIES HAD NEVER THOUGHT BEYOND THE SHORT TERM, NEVER ASKED THEMSELVES WHAT SHOULD BE DONE IF THE BOMBING FAILS. ... TIME IS SHORT. ETHNIC CLEANSING IS RAPIDLY STRIPPING KOSOVO OF ITS POPULATION AND THREATENING THE STABILITY OF THE COUNTRIES TO WHICH THE REFUGEES ARE FLEEING.

TEXT: "THE GUARDIAN" SAYS IN PART:

VOICE: ... AS THIS PAPER HAS ARGUED BEFORE ... AS A MATTER OF ABSOLUTE URGENCY, WE MUST CREATE A CAPACITY TO PUT A GROUND FORCE INTO KOSOVO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

TEXT: IN FRANCE, SUPPORT FOR THE CRITICS OF THE UNITED STATES-LED ATTACK FROM "LIBERATION" IN PARIS.

VOICE: IF THE UNITED STATES IS INTERVENING, IT IS ALSO BECAUSE EUROPE WANTS IT THAT WAY. BUT EUROPE DOES NOT HAVE THE MILITARY MEANS. ... THOSE WHO ARE SPEAKING OUT AGAINST A U-S 'DICTATE' ARE THE SAME ONES WHO WOULD COMPLAIN IF EUROPE WERE TO HAVE AN INTEGRATED MILITARY STRIKE FORCE.

TEXT: IN GERMANY'S FINANCIAL CAPITAL, "THE FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG" IS SOLIDLY BEHIND THE NATO ASSAULT.

VOICE: THE ONLY CHANCE TO FORCE THE DICTATOR TO GIVE IN IS TO THREATEN HIM WITH DAMAGE THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE ... AND THEN TO INFLICT THIS DAMAGE ... TO PUT IT DIFFERENTLY, [MR.[ MILOSEVIC'S WILL, WHICH CAN ... BE DESCRIBED AS ... CRIMINAL, SHOULD BE BROKEN BY MAKING HIM FEAR FOR HIS OWN LIFE.

TEXT: IN MOSCOW, RUSSIA'S INFLUENTIAL "IZVESTIYA" WORRIES THAT A HISTORICAL PARALLEL IS ABOUT TO OCCUR:

VOICE: SCARY BY ITSELF, WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE BALKANS CAN LEAD TO EVEN MORE SCARY EVENTS. IT LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE 1914, AS ONE AND ALL MAY BE SUCKED INTO THE MAELSTROM OF WAR.

TEXT: IN THE MIDDLE EAST, EGYPT'S "AL AKHBAR" EXPRESSES FRUSTRATION, NOTING:

VOICE: RUSSIA CAN NO LONGER DO ANYTHING BUT EXPRESS CONDEMNATION. IT HAS BECOME LIKE THE ARAB NATION ...

TEXT: IN JORDAN, AMMAN'S "AL-RAY" NOTES SOURLY,

VOICE: THE BALKAN WAR MEANS THE END OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND LEGITIMACY AND THE MARGINALIZATION OF THE U-N.

TEXT: IN THE ORIENT, FOR CHINA'S VIEW, WE TURN TO THE OFFICIAL MUNICIPAL "BEIJING DAILY:"

VOICE: WORTH NOTING ARE PRESIDENT CLINTON'S REMARKS STATING THAT YUGOSLAVIA WILL LOSE TERRITORIAL SOVEREIGNTY OVER KOSOVO IF PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC CONTINUES TO REFUSE THE PEACE ACCORD ... [MR.] CLINTON'S WORDS INDICATE ... THE U-S GOVERNMENT, IN VIEW OF THE INEFFECTIVE STRIKES, IS LIKELY TO VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL NORMS, AND ADOPT A NEW STANCE ON THE KOSOVO ISSUE ...

TEXT: THE JAPANESE ARE WATCHING ALL THIS WITH INTEREST, AND IN TOKYO, "ASAHI SHIMBUN" WRITES:

VOICE: AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE NATO AIR STRIKES HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL SO FAR IN PREVENTING SERB FORCES FROM ENGAGING IN 'ETHNIC CLEANSING' ... THERE ARE NO POSITIVE PROSPECTS FOR PEACE.

TEXT: IN AUSTRALIA, SYDNEY'S NATIONAL DAILY, "THE AUSTRALIAN" OPINED:

VOICE: THE NATO BOMBING HAS CLEARLY FAILED IN ANY OF ITS STATED OBJECTIVES. ... NATO, HAVING ENGAGED, MUST PREVAIL. THE CLINTON WHITE HOUSE HAS MISHANDLED THIS ENGAGEMENT RIGHT FROM THE START, AS IT HAS MISHANDLED THE BALKANS ALL THROUGH THIS DECADE.

TEXT: BUT IN NEIGHBORING NEW ZEALAND, THERE IS MORE SUPPORT FOR THE OPERATION, FROM WELLINGTON'S "DOMINION" WHICH SUGGESTS:

VOICE: ... BOMBING WAS NEVER NATO'S PREFERRED OPTION. NEGOTIATORS TALKED TILL THEY WERE BLUE IN THE FACE [EXHAUSTED] TRYING TO PERSUADE ... [MR.] MILOSEVIC TO ALLOW NATO SOLDIERS TO POLICE A CEASEFIRE IN KOSOVO ... THE DECISION [TO BOMB] WAS TAKEN ONLY AFTER EVERY OTHER OPTION WAS EXHAUSTED ...

TEXT: AND FAR TO THE NORTH, SOUTH KOREA'S "JOONG-ANG ILBO" FROM SEOUL COMMENTS:

VOICE: NATO'S ATTACK AGAINST SERBIA IS A 'LEGITIMATE' INTERVENTION IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, EVEN IF SOME CALL IT AN INFRINGEMENT OF SERBIAN SOVEREIGNTY.

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF WORLD PRESS REACTION TO THE BALKAN WAR.
NEB/ANG/RAE
01-Apr-99 1:54 PM EST (1854 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[27] BALKAN ECONOMIES (L-ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE FRAGILE ECONOMIES OF SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE WERE ALREADY HAVING A TOUGH TIME BEFORE THE LATEST BALKAN HOSTILITIES RESULTED IN THE MASSIVE OUTFLOW OF REFUGEES FROM KOSOVO. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS THAT THE POOREST COUNTRIES IN THE REGION ARE SEEKING ADDITIONAL AID TO HELP WITH THE REFUGEES AND ECONOMIC DISRUPTION.

TEXT: BULGARIA'S PRIME MINISTER SAYS THAT IN JUST THE PAST WEEK HIS COUNTRY HAS LOST OVER SIX MILLION DOLLARS IN TRANSPORTATION REVENUES. MAJOR TRANSPORT ROUTES RUN WEST FROM BULGARIA THROUGH SERBIA WITH RAIL, ROAD AND RIVER TRAFFIC ALL DISRUPTED. ROMANIA HAS BEEN AFFECTED TO A LESSER EXTENT, ALTHOUGH IT ALSO HAS IMPORTANT RAIL AND RIVER LINKS WITH SERBIA. // OPT // THE DANUBE RIVER IS A MAJOR TRADE ARTERY WHICH RUNS SOUTH FROM HUNGARY THROUGH SERBIA AND THEN ALONG THE BULGARIA ROMANIA BORDER TO THE BLACK SEA. // END OPT //

FINANCIAL ANALYSTS SAY THE LATEST BALKAN WAR HAS ALREADY IMPACTED CROATIA'S IMPORTANT TOURISM ECONOMY -- WHICH HAS BEEN STEADILY RECOVERING FROM THE 1995 BOSNIAN WAR. TOURISM IS CROATIA'S BIGGEST FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNER.

THE REGION'S POOREST COUNTRIES -- BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, MACEDONIA AND ALBANIA -- ARE ALREADY RECEIVING FOREIGN ASSISTANCE TO COPE WITH THE INFLUX OF KOSOVAR REFUGEES.

BUT EVEN GREECE -- THE MOST DEVELOPED BALKAN ECONOMY -- IS BOUND TO BE AFFECTED. IT BORDERS BOTH ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA -- THE TWO COUNTRIES ACCEPTING THE MOST REFUGEES FROM YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE. DAN LUBASH, THE HEAD OF EMERGING MARKET RESEARCH AT MERRILL LYNCH IN LONDON, EXPLAINS.

RIGHT NOW IT IS A QUESTION OF SENTIMENT. GREECE HAS A COMMON BORDER WITH MACEDONIA. IT IS A THREE HOUR DRIVE AWAY FROM KOSOVO. GREECE COULD SUFFER EVENTUALLY FROM AN INFLOW OF REFUGEES. IT COULD SUFFER FROM THE SENTIMENT THAT INVESTORS DON'T NECESSARILY LIKE TO INVEST IN WAR ZONES.

IN FACT ON THURSDAY (4/1) THE GREEK STOCK MARKET LOST SEVEN PERCENT -- THE BIGGEST DAILY LOSS IN SEVERAL YEARS.

ARNAUD HARTMANN, THE WORLD BANK OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF ALBANIA AND CROATIA, DESCRIBES THE KOSOVO CONFLICT AS A MAJOR EXTERNAL SHOCK WITH DESTABILIZING CONSEQUENCES. MRS. HARTMANN SAYS BUDGETARY PLANS FOR CROATIA, ROMANIA, ALBANIA AND BULGARIA WILL ALL BE SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED AS THE INVESTMENT CLIMATE IS DETERIORATES THROUGHOUT THE REGION. (SIGNED)
NEB/BDW/JO
01-Apr-99 4:52 PM EST (2152 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[28] NORTHERN IRELAND (L) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

INTRO: NORTHERN IRELAND'S CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT NEGOTIATORS HAVE ADJOURNED THEIR TALKS UNTIL APRIL 13TH TO FINALIZE A COMPROMISE THAT WOULD BREAK THE IMPASSE OVER WEAPONS DECOMMISSIONING. AS V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS FROM LONDON, THE DISPUTE HAS BEEN HOLDING UP BRITAIN'S TRANSFER OF HOME-RULE POWERS, WHICH WAS DUE ON FRIDAY.

TEXT: BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR SAYS BOTH SIDES NEED WHAT HE CALLS A PAUSE FOR REFLECTION BEFORE THEY GIVE THEIR FINAL APPROVAL TO THE JOINT DECLARATION HE AND IRISH PRIME MINISTER BERTIE AHERN HAVE PUT FORTH.

THE PROPOSAL SETS A TIMETABLE FOR SETTING UP THE NEW NORTHERN IRELAND GOVERNMENT AND FOR A VOLUNTARY HANDOVER OF WEAPONS BY PARAMILITARY GROUPS ONE MONTH AFTER THAT.

A COLLECTIVE ACT OF RECONCILIATION WILL TAKE PLACE WHICH WILL SEE ARMS PUT BEYOND USE ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS IN A MANNER VERIFIED BY THE INTERNATIONAL, INDEPENDENT COMMISSION ON DECOMMISSIONING.

IF THE PROPOSED TIMETABLE GOES AHEAD WITHOUT PROBLEMS, THEN HOME RULE POWERS WILL BE FULLY TRANSFERRED TO THE NEW GOVERNMENT IN BELFAST.

THE POLITICAL WING OF THE IRISH REPUBLIC ARMY, SINN FEIN, HAS ISSUED A STATEMENT EXPRESSING ITS DISAPPOINTMENT THAT A FINAL AGREEMENT HAS NOT BEEN REACHED. THE DISPUTE HAS FOCUSSED ON THE TIMING OF THE I-R-A DISARMING AND THE PARTICIPATION OF SINN FEIN IN THE NEW GOVERNMENT.

NORTHERN IRELAND'S PROTESTANT FIRST MINISTER, DAVID TRIMBLE, HAS REFUSED TO LET SINN FEIN JOIN THE NEW CABINET BEFORE THE I-R-A STARTS HANDING OVER ITS WEAPONS. BUT SINN FEIN LEADER GERRY ADAMS INSISTS THE GOOD FRIDAY PEACE AGREEMENT HAS NO SUCH PRE-CONDITIONS.

MR. BLAIR SAYS THE NEW PROPOSAL HAS NO PRE-CONDITIONS BUT DOES CALL FOR GESTURES OF GOODWILL FROM BOTH SIDES.

THE DECLARATION STATES TOO THAT WHILE THERE IS NO PRE-CONDITION TO DECOMMISSION, THERE IS AN OBLIGATION TO DECOMMISSION.

THE PROPOSAL NOW OFFERED BY THE BRITISH AND IRISH PRIME MINISTERS SETS A TIMETABLE FOR APPOINTING NEW MINISTERS IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND TRANSFERRING SOME POWERS. BUT IT DOES NOT AUTHORIZE A FULL POWER TRANSFER UNTIL THE I-R-A AND OTHER PARA-MILITARIES MAKE THEIR FIRST STEPS IN THE DECOMMISSIONING PROCESS.

BOTH SIDES ARE DUE BACK AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE ON APRIL 13TH TO GIVE THEIR FINAL APPROVAL. (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/JWH
01-Apr-99 10:53 AM EST (1553 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[29] NORTHERN IRELAND (S UPDATE) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

INTRO: NORTHERN IRELAND'S CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT NEGOTIATORS HAVE ADJOURNED THEIR TALKS UNTIL APRIL 13TH TO FINALIZE A COMPROMISE THAT WOULD BREAK THE IMPASSE OVER WEAPONS DECOMMISSIONING. AS V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS FROM LONDON, THE DISPUTE HAS BEEN HOLDING UP BRITAIN'S TRANSFER OF HOME-RULE POWERS, WHICH WAS DUE ON FRIDAY.

TEXT: BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR SAYS BOTH SIDES NEED WHAT HE CALLS A PAUSE FOR REFLECTION BEFORE THEY GIVE THEIR FINAL APPROVAL TO THE JOINT DECLARATION HE AND IRISH PRIME MINISTER BERTIE AHERN HAVE PUT FORTH.

THE PROPOSAL SETS A TIMETABLE FOR SETTING UP THE NEW NORTHERN IRELAND GOVERNMENT AND FOR A VOLUNTARY HANDOVER OF WEAPONS BY PARAMILITARY GROUPS ONE MONTH AFTER THAT.

A COLLECTIVE ACT OF RECONCILIATION WILL TAKE PLACE WHICH WILL SEE ARMS PUT BEYOND USE ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS IN A MANNER VERIFIED BY THE INTERNATIONAL, INDEPENDENT COMMISSION ON DECOMMISSIONING.

IF THE PROPOSED TIMETABLE GOES AHEAD WITHOUT PROBLEMS, THEN HOME RULE POWERS WILL BE FULLY TRANSFERRED TO THE NEW GOVERNMENT IN BELFAST. (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/JWH
01-Apr-99 10:56 AM EST (1556 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[30] OIL COMPANY MERGER (L) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

INTRO: BRITISH-BASED OIL COMPANY "B-P-AMOCO" SAYS IT PLANS TO TAKE OVER U-S BASED "ATLANTIC RICHFIELD" IN A STOCK-SWAP DEAL WORTH AN ESTIMATED 27-BILLION DOLLARS. V-O-A'S PAUL FRANCUCH REPORTS FROM LONDON THE ANNOUNCED DEAL MARKS THE LATEST MOVE IN A QUICKLY CONSOLIDATING WORLD OIL INDUSTRY.

TEXT: THE DEAL, IF APPROVED BY GOVERNMENT REGULATORS AND SHAREHOLDERS, WOULD CREATE THE WORLD'S SECOND LARGEST OIL COMPANY, JUST BEHIND U-S-BASED EXXON-MOBIL, WHICH IS CURRENTLY COMPLETING ITS MERGER PLANS.

B-P-AMOCO CHIEF EXECUTIVE JOHN BROWNE SAYS THE DEAL FITS NEATLY INTO HIS COMPANY'S PLANS FOR STRATEGIC GROWTH, ESPECIALLY IN THE U-S MARKET, WHERE ATLANTIC RICHFIELD HOLDS A COMMANDING POSITION ON THE CAR-DEPENDENT WEST COAST.

IT WAS ONLY LAST DECEMBER WHEN B-P, OR BRITISH PETROLEUM, FINISHED ITS NEARLY 58-BILLION DOLLAR ACQUISITION OF CHICAGO-BASED AMOCO.

WHILE WORLD OIL PRICES HAVE SHOWN SOME RECENT SIGNS OF RECOVERY, OVERALL PRICES IN THE PAST YEAR HAVE DROPPED TO THEIR LOWEST LEVELS IN MORE THAN TWO DECADES, LEADING BIG OIL COMPANIES TO CONSIDER MERGERS AS A WAY TO CUT EXPENSES WHILE MAINTAINING PROFITS.

IF APPROVED, THE B-P-AMOCO MERGER WITH ATLANTIC RICHFIELD, OR "ARCO" AS IT IS MORE COMMONLY KNOWN, WOULD PROMPT THE NEW COMPANY TO CUT ABOUT TWO-THOUSAND JOBS, MOSTLY IN THE UNITED STATES. BUT B-P-AMOCO PREDICTS THE COMPANY WILL GROW, IN THE LONG-TERM.

SEVERAL MARKET ANALYSTS COMMENTING ON THE PROPOSED MERGER AGREE THE COMBINATION WOULD MAKE SENSE FROM A STRATEGIC BUSINESS POINT OF VIEW. B-P-AMOCO, ALREADY BRITAIN'S LARGEST CORPORATION, WOULD PUSH EVEN FARTHER AHEAD OF ITS KEY RIVAL, ROYAL/DUTCH SHELL, IF THE NEW MERGER IS APPROVED.

MARKET ANALYSTS PREDICT MORE CONSOLIDATION IN THE WORLD OIL INDUSTRY. SEVERAL BELIEVE THAT SHELL IS LIKELY TO BE ONE OF THE NEXT COMPANIES TO SEEK OUT, OR BE SOUGHT, AS A MERGER PARTNER. (SIGNED)
NEB/PCF/JWH
01-Apr-99 7:02 AM EST (1202 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE UP TODAY (THURSDAY). V-O-A BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT 98 HUNDRED 32, UP 46 POINTS. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500 INDEX CLOSED AT 12 HUNDRED 93, UP SEVEN POINTS. THE NASDAQ INDEX WAS UP MORE THAN ONE PERCENT.

ANALYSTS SAY THERE WAS SOME BARGAIN HUNTING AFTER SELLING PRESSURES EARLIER IN THE WEEK, BUT SOME TRADERS WERE CAUTIOUS IN ADVANCE OF THE THREE-DAY EASTER HOLIDAY WEEKEND. U-S FINANCIAL MARKETS ARE CLOSED FRIDAY.

AMERICAN CONSUMERS ARE STILL ON A SPENDING SPREE. THE GOVERNMENT REPORTS CONSUMER SPENDING ROSE SEVEN-TENTHS OF ONE PERCENT IN FEBRUARY.

EMPLOYMENT IS GROWING, INCOMES ARE GROWING AND THEREFORE CONFIDENCE IS VERY HIGH. SO AMERICAN CONSUMERS SEEM TO BE SPENDING WITH RECKLESS ABANDON.

AS EXPECTED, B-P AMOCO FORMALLY ANNOUNCED ITS 27 BILLION DOLLAR PURCHASE OF ATLANTIC RICHFIELD, CREATING THE WORLD'S SECOND-LARGEST OIL COMPANY. B-P AMOCO SAYS THE CONSOLIDATION WILL RESULT IN AN INITIAL LOSS OF TWO THOUSAND JOBS, MOST OF THEM IN THE UNITED STATES.

THE C-B-S CORPORATION, ONE OF THE LEADING TELEVISION NETWORKS IN THE UNITED STATES, WILL PAY TWO AND ONE-HALF BILLION DOLLARS FOR KING WORLD, A MAJOR DISTRIBUTOR OF TELEVISION PROGRAMS.

THE MELLON BANK CORPORATION IS LEAVING THE REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE BUSINESS. MELLON WILL SELL ITS 14 BILLION DOLLAR MORTGAGE PORTFOLIO TO G-M-A-C, A SUBSIDIARY OF GENERAL MOTORS.

THERE IS ANOTHER SIGN OF CONTINUED STRENGTH IN THE U-S AUTO INDUSTRY. DAIMLER CHRYSLER CORPORATION REPORTS ITS NORTH AMERICAN SALES IN MARCH WERE UP 16 PERCENT.

AMERICANS WHO USE AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINES WOULD DO WELL TO STICK TO THEIR OWN BANK. A SURVEY SHOWS 93 PERCENT OF AMERICAN BANKS NOW IMPOSE FEES ON NON-CUSTOMERS WHO USE THE BANK'S A-T-M'S.(SIGNED) NEB/NY/BA/LSF/JO
01-Apr-99 6:21 PM EST (2321 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[32] THE KOSOVO CAMPAIGN CONTINUES BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: AS THE U-S LED NATO AIR ASSAULT AGAINST YUGOSLAVIAN MILITARY FORCES CONTINUES, THE U-S PRESS, FOR THE MOST PART, CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE POLICY STRONGLY. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME DISSENTING VOICES AND WE GET SAMPLES OF BOTH NOW FROM _______________ IN TODAY'S U-S OPINION ROUNDUP.

TEXT: THE NATO AIR ATTACK IS WELL INTO ITS SECOND WEEK, AND THE SURGE OF ETHNIC ALBANIAN REFUGEES OVER KOSOVO'S BORDERS TERRITORIES CONTINUES UNABATED.

MANY U-S PAPERS CONTINUE TO FORCEFULLY SUPPORT PRESIDENT CLINTON AND THE NATO POLICY OF TRYING TO FORCE YUGOSLAVIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO THE PEACE TABLE BY REDUCING HIS MILITARY CAPABILITY. BUT WRITING IN "THE WASHINGTON POST," COLUMNIST MICHAEL KELLY, EDITOR OF THE MAGAZINE "NATIONAL JOURNAL" IS UPSET THAT MR. CLINTON HAD N O ANSWER WEEKS AGO, WHEN THE ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER ASKED HIM WHAT HAPPENS IF MR. MILOSEVIC DOES NOT BACK DOWN UNDER THE BOMBING. HE WRITES:

VOICE: ASKED ... ABOUT NEWS REPORTS OF A WAVE OF EXECUTIONS OF ALBANIAN KOSOVARS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY JOE LOCKHARDT SAID: 'WE KNEW HE WAS GOING TO DO THIS.' ... WE KNEW THAT, IF WE BOMBED SERBIA, [MR.] MILOSEVIC WOULD RESPOND WITH A MASSIVE KILLING AND CLEANSING CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE VERY POPULATION WE WERE GOING TO WAR TO PROTECT? IF SO, THEN THE PRESIDENT AND HIS ADVISERS ARE GUILTY OF CRIMINAL IRRESPONSIBILITY. ... THE PRESIDENT ORDERED UP THE BOMBING WITHOUT ANY STRATEGY TO PROTECT THE ALBANIAN KOSOVARS FROM RESULTANT ATTACK, WITHOUT SUFFICIENT GROUND STRENGTH IN THE REGION TO EVEN THINK ABOUT COUNTERING THE SERB GROUND OFFENSIVE, WITHOUT EVEN AN ADEQUATE REFUGEE-AID PLAN IN PLACE. ... DO THESE PEOPLE (I.E. ADMINISTRATION PLANNERS) HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THEY ARE DOING BEYOND BOMBING THEIR WAY THROUGH ANOTHER DAY? DID THEY REALLY START A WAR WITHOUT A STRATEGY FOR COPING WITH THE MOST OBVIOUS CONSEQUENCES?

TEXT: THIS CRITICAL VIEW IS NOT SHARED BY "THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER," WHICH RAN THIS EDITORIAL HEADLINE THIS WEEK: "DON'T BACK DOWN: NATO SHOULD INTENSIFY ITS BOMBING UNTIL [MR.] MILOSEVIC AGREES TO ITS TERMS."

VOICE: ... SOME CRITICS, FLUSH WITH HINDSIGHT, SAY THE POLICY WAS A BLIND BLUNDER. NOT SO. THE HORRORS OF THE PAST WEEK - - A SPEED-UP OF WHAT THE BUTCHER OF BELGRADE HAD DONE FOR YEARS - - WERE NEITHER UNIMAGINED IN WASHINGTON, NOR WERE THEY AN INEVITABLE OUTCOME. THAT THIS UNPREDICTABLE WAR CRIMINAL CHOSE TO ESCALATE DOES, HOWEVER, PAINFULLY COMPLICATE NATO'S NEXT STEPS. ... THE RIGHT COURSE IS INTENSIFIED MILITARY PRESSURE, DETERMINED DIPLOMACY, ALONG WITH EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF REFUGEES.

TEXT: "THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION" INVOKES OUR NATIONAL HONOR, SUGGESTING: "OUR INVOLVEMENT IN KOSOVO COMES DOWN TO WHO WE THINK WE ARE," SUGGESTING WE MUST HAVE THE COURAGE, AS A PEOPLE, TO BE THE WORLD'S LAST SUPERPOWER.

VOICE: IN THE END, CRITICS OF OUR POLICY TOWARD KOSOVO MAY BE CORRECT: IT MAY NOT WORK. IT'S A HARD FACT OF LIFE THAT SOMETIMES YOU DO THE RIGHT THING, AND YOU FAIL ANYWAY.

TEXT: ELSEWHERE, "THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE" IS AGHAST AT THE PROSPECT OF THE MIGHTY U-S RUNNING OUT OF CRUISE MISSILES, THE WEAPON OF CHOICE, IN THE MIDDLE OF A WAR.

VOICE: THE PENTAGON'S HIGH-TECH WEAPON OF CHOICE IN THE BATTLE FOR KOSOVO, AND IRAQ BEFORE IT, HAS BEEN THE CRUISE MISSILE. ITS BEAUTY IS NOT JUST THE SATELLITE WIZARDRY OF ITS TERRAIN-READING GUIDANCE SYSTEM, BUT ITS REMOTE-ATTACK CAPABILITY AND ITS LACK OF A PILOT ... THAT IS WHY IT IS SO SHOCKING AND DISCONCERTING TO LEARN, A WEEK INTO NATO'S AIR BARRAGE ... THAT THE PENTAGON IS SCRAMBLING TO AVOID A SHORTAGE OF CRUISES. ... THE AIR FORCE MAY HAVE FEWER THAN 120 LEFT IN STOCK ... THOSE WON'T LAST FOREVER.

TEXT: TURNING TO PRESIDENT CLINTON'S HOME STATE, THE BIGGEST DAILY IN ARKANSAS, THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE IN LITTLE ROCK, SUPPORTS THE BALKAN CAMPAIGN, BUT HAS SOME CRITICISM FOR MR. CLINTON.

VOICE: /// OPT /// ADDRESSING THE NATION [3/26] ... BILL CLINTON WAS STILL EDITING HISTORY. OFFERING A HOPEFUL PRECEDENT, HE SPOKE OF HOW THE FIGHTING IN BOSNIA HAD FINALLY BEEN STOPPED BY A SHOW OF FORCE. NO NEED TO GO INTO DETAIL: /// END OPT /// THE CARNAGE IN THAT POOR, VIVISECTED COUNTRY WAS ALLOWED TO GO ON FOR FOUR YEARS, FOR BLOODY MONTH AFTER MONTH, MASSACRE AFTER MASSACRE, BECAUSE A RUDDERLESS WEST WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING BUT DILLY-DALLY. AND BILL CLINTON WAS THE EQUIVOCATOR-IN-CHIEF. /// OPT /// ... WHEN HE SPOKE ABOUT KOSOVO, THE PRESIDENT'S WORDS WERE CONVINCING, AND WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE SO FROM ANOTHER SPEAKER. IT'S SO HARD TO SEPARATE THE SPEECH FROM THE SPEAKER. /// END OPT ///

TEXT: STILL IN ARKANSAS, JACK MOSELEY, EDITOR OF "THE SOUTHWEST TIMES RECORD" IN FORTH SMITH, COMPARES PRESIDENT CLINTON'S LEADERSHIP TO THAT OF PRESIDENT FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT IN WORLD WAR TWO, AND FINDS IT SERIOUSLY INADEQUATE. BUT MR. MOSELEY SAYS WE MUST WIN THIS CONFLICT.

VOICE: I SEE LITTLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HITLER ELIMINATING MILLIONS OF JEWS AND [MR.] MILOSEVIC PURGING SERBIA OF ALBANIAN KOSOVARS WITH ETHNIC CLEANSING, WHICH IS TOO NICE A WAY OF SAYING BRUTAL, MASS MURDER OF MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN BECAUSE OF THEIR ETHNIC ORIGIN. WE'RE TALKING THE WORST SORT OF WAR CRIMES, NOTHING LESS. FOR THE SAKE OF OUR PLACE IN THE WORLD AS THE LAST SUPERPOWER, FOR THE SAKE OF NATO THAT WE CREATED, WE ARE COMMITTED. WE MUST WIN. OTHERWISE, NORTH KOREA, CHINA AND AT LEAST A DOZEN OTHER NATIONS WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO ENGAGE IN INHUMAN ACTS ON A MASSIVE SCALE.

TEXT: WHILE IN FLORIDA, "THE ST. PETERSBURG TIMES" IS UPSET ABOUT A LACK OF CANDOR AT THE WHITE HOUSE.

VOICE: PRESIDENT CLINTON IS EITHER DELUDING HIMSELF OR LYING TO THE NATION WHEN HE ASSERTS THAT NATO'S BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA 'ABSOLUTELY (HAS) NOT' CAUSED SERB FORCES TO ACCELERATE THEIR CAMPAIGN OF TERROR AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO. IN FACT, THE NATO MISSION HAS, AT LEAST IN THE SHORT RUN, PRECIPITATED JUST THE SHORT OF HUMANITARIAN DISASTER IT WAS INTENDED TO PREVENT.

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT ON THE WAR IN THE BALKANS.
NEB/ANG/GE
01-Apr-99 12:54 PM EST (1754 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[33] THURSDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS, U-S NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL WRITERS ARE TAKING A BREAK FROM THE NATO ATTACKS IN YUGOSLAVIA TO WRITE ABOUT OTHER TOPICS.

THESE INCLUDE: THE DEBATE OVER MORE FINANCIAL AID TO RUSSIA; THE APPARENT RESOLUTION OF THE POLITICAL CRISIS IN PARAGUAY; THE BRITISH HOUSE OF LORDS VERDICT ON CHILE'S FORMER DICTATOR AUGUSTO PINOCHET; THE MURDER CONVICTION OF A FAMED ASSISTED SUICIDE DOCTOR; AND JAPAN'S CONTINUING STRUGGLE OUT OF ITS ECONOMIC TROUBLES. NOW, HERE IS ___________________ WITH SOME EXCERPTS AND A CLOSER LOOK IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: TO SAY THAT MOST PAPERS ARE NOT WRITING ABOUT THE NATO CAMPAIGN, DOES NOT MEAN THAT THERE ARE STILL NOT SEVERAL COMMENTS ABOUT IT, LIKE THIS ONE FROM MAINE'S "PORTLAND PRESS HERALD."

VOICE: /// OPT /// AS THE UNITED STATES AND ITS NATO ALLIES STEPPED UP THEIR BOMBING CAMPAIGN AGAINST GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY TARGETS IN YUGOSLAVIA ON WEDNESDAY, THE PACE OF SERBIAN ARMY AND POLICE ATROCITIES INCREASED AS WELL. AT THIS POINT, IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THE INCREASED BOMBING ... WILL BY THEMSELVES PERSUADE THE SERBIAN THUG-IN-CHIEF, SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC, TO YIELD. /// END OPT /// ... IT ... SHOULD BE APPARENT THAT IT IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE TO DEAL WITH [MR.] MILOSEVIC. IF HE SHOULD PROPOSE THAT THE BOMBING STOP SO THAT TALKS SHOULD RESUME, THE OFFER SHOULD BE THROWN BACK IN HIS FACE. ... THEN [MR.] MILOSEVIC HIMSELF MUST SURRENDER FOR TRIAL BEFORE THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL AT THE HAGUE. ANY PROPOSAL THAT LEAVES HIM IN POWER IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE ... THE TIME FOR TALKING IS OVER.

TEXT: IN THE UPPER MIDDLE WEST, "THE [MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA] STAR TRIBUNE" POINTS OUT THAT WORKING HARD TO HELP THE REFUGEES IS THE UNITED NATIONS. YET THIS COUNTRY CONTINUES IN DEFAULT ON ITS U-N DEBT.

VOICE: AS AMERICANS, YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THIS: THE UNITED NATIONS IS UP TO ITS NECK [TOTALLY INVOLVED] IN EVERY ASPECT OF DEALING WITH THE DISASTER OF KOSOVO. THIS IS THE UNITED NATIONS THAT IS SO ROUTINELY VILIFIED IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS IS THE UNITED NATIONS TO WHICH THE UNITED STATES OWES ONE-POINT-SIX BILLION DOLLARS (CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN THE ANNUAL U-N BUDGET) IN BACK DUES AND PEACEKEEPING COSTS. ... THIS HAS GONE ON FOR YEARS. IT MUST STOP.

TEXT: IN NEW YORK, "THE DAILY NEWS" REMINDS READERS THAT 85 YEARS AGO, ANOTHER WAVE OF VIOLENCE ACROSS THE BALKANS PAVED THE WAY FOR WORLD WORLD ONE, BEFORE NOTING:

VOICE: HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF. BUT THIS TIME IN FULL COLOR AND WITH ENHANCED AUDIO. ... DESPITE WHAT THE WORLD KNOWS OF PAST GENOCIDES, DESPITE THE DOCUMENTATION OF THE CURRENT NIGHTMARE, IT IS STILL BEYOND BELIEF THAT ONE PEOPLE CAN BE CAPABLE OF SUCH NIGHTMARISH HATRED OF ANOTHER. ... THE SERBS' BLOODLUST APPEARS TO HAVE INCREASED IN DIRECT PROPORTION TO THE AIR STRIKES. BUT THE ANSWER, AS PROBLEMATIC AS IT MIGHT APPEAR, IS NOT TO HALF THE AIR STRIKES. ... FOR THE SAKE OF MORALITY, AND SANITY, [MR.] MILOSEVIC CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO SUCCEED. ... THE UNITED STATES MUST STAND FIRM. THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES MUST STAND FIRMLY BEHIND OUR COUNTRY'S ACTIONS. THERE CAN BE NO TURNING BACK NOW.

TEXT: AS TO RUSSIA'S ROLE IN THE BALKANS, AND HER CURRENT SUPPORT FOR YUGOSLAV LEADER MILOSEVIC, "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" COMMENTS:

VOICE: /// OPT /// WHILE SLAVIC AND FORMER COMMUNIST BONDS EXIST BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES, [RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY] PRIMAKOV KNOWS THAT /// END OPT /// [MR.] MILOSEVIC CAN HURT MOSCOW'S INTERESTS, WHICH INCLUDE INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT SUPPORT FROM WESTERN INSTITUTIONS AT A TIME OF ECONOMIC STRAITS. ... /// OPT /// [AND] THERE IS A CLEAR DOWNSIDE FOR RUSSIA IN STANDING BY [MR.] MILOSEVIC. EFFORTS TO REPOLISH MOSCOW'S INTERNATIONAL IMAGE IN THE POST-COLD WAR WORLD HAVE BEEN DULLED BY [MR.] MILOSEVIC'S BRUTAL CAMPAIGN TO RID KOSOVO OF ITS ETHNIC ALBANIAN POPULATION /// END OPT

TEXT: IN THIS HEMISPHERE, THE POLITICAL CHAOS IN PARAGUAY COMES IN FOR COMMENT FROM "THE SUN" IN BALTIMORE. IT NOTES THAT THE ASSASSINATION OF THE VICE PRESIDENT LUIS MARIA ARGANA, AND RESULTING RIOTS THAT FORCED BOTH PRESIDENT RAUL CUBAS, AND HIS CHIEF BACKER, THE FORMER COUP PLOTTER GENERAL LINO OVIEDO, INTO EXILE, THEN SUGGESTS A FUTURE PATH:

VOICE: THANKS TO MERCOSUR, [THE CUSTOMS UNION LINKING ARGENTINA, BRAZIL AND URUGUAY, TO PARAGUAY] PARAGUAY IS NOT ISOLATED. ITS ECONOMIC PARTNERS, ARGENTINA, BRAZIL AND URUGUAY, MUST HELP PARAGUAY CURE ITS BODY POLITIC. THIS REQUIRES KEEPING GENERAL OVIEDO UNDER WRAPS, DISCOURAGING COUPS, FIGHTING CRIME, MENTORING ON POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FREEDOMS. OTHERWISE, THESE NEIGHBORING NATIONS MIGHT FIND THEMSELVES INFECTED BY PARAGUAY'S AILMENT.

TEXT: THE RECENT DECISION BY THE LAW LORDS, BRITAIN'S HIGHEST COURT OF APPEALS, REDUCING SOME OF THE CHARGES AGAINST FORMER CHILEAN DICTATOR AUGUSTO PINOCHET, DRAWS THIS RESPONSE FROM "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" UNDER THE HEADLINE: "TYRANTS, HEAR THIS."

VOICE: IT IS NOW UP TO BRITISH HOME SECRETARY JACK STRAW TO DECIDE THE EXTRADITION. BUT WHATEVER [MR.] STRAW'S DECISION, THE LAW LORDS' RULING HAS SENT A MESSAGE TO TYRANTS THAT THERE ARE FEWER PLACES TO HIDE AND THAT THERE IS A GLOBAL MECHANISM FOR PURSUING THEM. THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT THAT ADVANCES THE RULE OF LAW.

TEXT: THE NOTORIOUS ASSISTED-SUICIDE DOCTOR IN MICHIGAN, DR. JACK KEVORKIAN, NOW CONVICTED OF MURDER, IS GETTING PLENTY OF COMMENT IN THE PRESS. "NEWSDAY" ON LONG ISLAND, SAYS HE GOT WHAT HE APPARENTLY WANTED IN COURT.

VOICE: AFTER ... ASSISTING IN SOME 130 "SUICIDES," [DR.] KEVORKIAN HAS WHAT MAY PROVE TO BE HIS LAST WISH: THE LEGAL CERTIFICATION THAT HE IS, IN FACT, DR. DEATH. IT'S HARD TO THINK OF ANY OTHER EXPLANATION FOR WHY HE ADMINISTERED A LETHAL DOSE OF POISON TO A MAN SUFFERING FROM LOU GEHRIG'S DISEASE [AMYOTROPIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS] AND ALLOWED A VIDEOTAPE OF THE EVENT TO BE SEEN [ON TELEVISION] ... THE ASSISTED-SUICIDE MOVEMENT WILL CONTINUE ... PEOPLE WHO WANT LEGITIMATELY TO ALLEVIATE SUFFERING DESERVE PROTECTION ... THESE ARE NOT EASY QUESTIONS TO RESOLVE BUT WITH [DR.] KEVORKIAN OUT OF THE EQUATION, IT MIGHT BE EASIER TO FIND COMMON GROUND.

TEXT: LASTLY, ON THE INTRODUCTION OF JAPAN'S NEW TAX CUT TO HELP STIMULATE THE ECONOMY, "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" SUGGESTS:

VOICE: /// OPT /// IT IS FITTING THAT THE LARGEST TAX CUTS IN JAPANESE HISTORY ARE DUE TO TAKE EFFECT TODAY. IT WILL BE TWO YEARS TO THE DAY SINCE THE TAX INCREASE THAT KICKED OFF [BEGAN] JAPAN'S RECESSION. WE WON'T DWELL ON HOW THINGS MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT HAD JAPAN'S CONSUMERS NOT BEEN HIT WITH A 66-PERCENT INCREASE IN THE VALUE-ADDED TAX BACK IN 1997, JUST AS INCOME TAXES WERE RISING AFTER A TWO-YEAR SPECIAL REDUCTION. /// END OPT