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Voice of America, 99-04-07Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>CONTENTS
[01] KOSOVO / U-S HOSTAGES (L) BY CHRIS DRAKE (NICOSIA)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247732 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE THREE U-S SOLDIERS CAPTURED LAST WEEK BY THE SERBS COULD BE HANDED OVER TO A FORMER PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS. CHRIS DRAKE IN NICOSIA REPORTS THE FORMER CYPRIOT LEADER, SPYROS KYPRIANOU. ANNOUNCED THAT A DEAL WITH YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC FOR THEIR FREEDOM IS ALMOST COMPLETE, AND HE IS FLYING TO BELGRADE VIA ATHENS. TEXT: IT HAS TO BE STRESSED THAT THE DEAL IS NOT YET COMPLETE. BUT MR. KYPRIANOU SAYS HE IS CONFIDENT OF EVENTUAL SUCCESS, STRESSING THAT AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE HAS ALREADY BEEN REACHED. AN OBVIOUS STUMBLING BLOCK COULD BE HIS CALL FOR A 24-HOUR CEASEFIRE BY NATO WHILE HE IS IN BELGRADE. BUT IT IS NOT CLEAR IF THIS IS A PRECONDITION FOR THE VISIT OR MERELY A PLEA. MR. KYPRIANOU EMPHASIZED THAT THIS IS NOT A DEAL BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS, BUT THE RESULT OF HIS OWN PERSONAL INITIATIVE, AND IS BEING DONE ON PURELY HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS. RELATIONS BETWEEN THE GREEK CYPRIOTS AND THE SERBS -- BOTH ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS -- ARE VERY CLOSE. INDEED, EVER SINCE THE NATO BOMBING BEGAN, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROTEST RALLIES AND DEMONSTRATIONS OUTSIDE THE U-S EMBASSY HERE IN NICOSIA. AND THE EMBASSY REMAINS UNDER A HEAVY POLICE GUARD. MR. KYPRIANOU IS FLYING FIRST TO THE GREEK CAPITAL, ATHENS, ON A COMMERCIAL FLIGHT, AND THEN EXPECTS TO GO ON BY PRIVATE JET, ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT YET KNOWN WHEN THE FLIGHT TO BELGRADE IS SCHEDULED TO DEPART. HE THEN HOPES TO BRING THE MEN BACK TO CYPRUS AND HAND THEM OVER TO THE U-S EMBASSY. IF HE DOES SUCCEED IN GAINING CUSTODY OF THE AMERICANS, IT WILL
BE MAJOR DIPLOMATIC COUP, BOTH FOR MR. KYPRIANOU AND THE GREEK
CYPRIOTS. HOWEVER, MR. MILOSEVIC WILL UNDOUBTEDLY WANT TO GAIN
THE MAXIMUM PUBLICITY FOR THIS MOVE TOO. (SIGNED)
[02] DEALING WITH KOSOVO'S REFUGEES BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)DATE=04/07/99TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP NUMBER=6-11229 TELEPHONE=619-3335 EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS CONTENT= INTRO: TWO DOMINANT SUB THEMES TO THE WAR IN THE BALKANS EMERGED AT MID-WEEK IN THE U-S PRESS. ONE WAS THE OUTRIGHT REJECTION OF YUGOSLOVIA'S DECLARATION OF AN ORTHODOX-EASTER CEASEFIRE, AND THE OTHER THE GROWING PLIGHT OF THE REFUGEES. TODAY, WE CALL ON ____________ FOR A SAMPLING OF COMMENT ON THE REFUGEE CRISIS. TEXT: U-S INTELLIGENCE FIGURES NOW SAY SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC'S BRUTAL ATTEMPT TO EMPTY KOSOVO PROVINCE OF ITS ETHNIC-ALBANIAN MAJORITY IS NEARING COMPLETION. ESTIMATES AT MID WEEK INDICATE ALMOST ONE-MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FORCED FROM THEIR HOMES DURING THE PAST YEAR, MANY OF THEM DURING THE PAST TWO-WEEKS. THE REFUGEES, MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN, ARE OVERFLOWING THE BORDERS OF THE SMALL, SOUTHERN YUGOSLAV PROVINCE, INTO NEIGHBORING MACEDONIA, ALBANIA, AND THE DEMOCRATICALLY-RUN YUGOSLAV PROVINCE OF MONTENEGRO. THEY ARE OVERWHELMING BOTH GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS TO CARE FOR THEM, AND NATO IS MAKING A MAJOR PROJECT OF TEMPORARILY RE-SETTLING THEM AWAY FROM THE WAR ZONE. THERE IS A GOOD DEAL OF CRITICISM IN THE U-S PRESS ABOUT WHY THERE WERE NOT BETTER PREPARATIONS FOR THE REFUGEES, BEFORE THE AERIAL ATTACKS BEGAN, AND WHY MORE WAS NOT DONE FASTER FOR THEM AFTER THE NATO BOMBING COMMENCED. WE BEGIN IN THE HISTORIC, GEORGIA PORT CITY OF SAVANNAH, WHERE "THE SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS" SAYS WE MAY BE AIDING IN THE ETHNIC CLEANSING. VOICE: THE UNITED STATES HAS AGREED TO TEMPORARILY HOUSE 20-THOUSAND DISPLACED KOSOVARS, INCLUDING MANY WHO ARE LIVING IN SQUALID REFUGEE CAMPS ON THE BORDER BETWEEN YUGOSLAVIA AND MACEDONIA. GERMANY, TURKEY AND CANADA HAVE ALSO AGREED TO PROVIDE A REFUGE. SUCH A HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE IN THE FACE OF THIS BURGEONING CRISIS IS COMMENDABLE. ... THAT SAID, THE RESETTLEMENT OF KOSOVO BY THE PEOPLE NOW FLEEING FOR THE BORDERS MUST BE PART OF THE LONG-TERM STRATEGY FOR THE REGION. TEXT: IN CALIFORNIA, "THE SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS" SAYS IN ITS HEADLINE "WE MUST EASE REFUGEES' SUFFERING," ADDING: VOICE: NATO'S TASK NOW MUST BE AS MUCH TO SAVE THEIR LIVES AND LESSEN THEIR MISERY AS TO CONTINUE ITS MILITARY CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE FORCES OF YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC. ... THE BLAME FOR THEIR DISPLACEMENT LIES WITH [MR.] MILOSEVIC, BUT THAT DOES NOT CHANGE NATO'S ABSOLUTE OBLIGATION TO HELP THEM. AT LEAST THE REFUGEES ARE WELCOME IN ALBANIA. BUT ALBANIA IS PATHETICALLY POOR, AND CANNOT POSSIBLY TAKE CARE OF SO MANY REFUGEES WITHOUT MASSIVE INTERNATIONAL AID. TEXT: AS FOR THE UNITED STATES PLAN TO RELOCATE THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES TO THE SPRAWLING GUANTANAMO NAVAL BASE IN CUBA, "THE MIAMI HERALD" DOES NOT LIKE THAT IDEA ONE BIT. VOICE: ...THE IDEA OF THE UNITED STATES PUTTING ITS SHARE OF WAR VICTIMS INTO MILITARY CAMPS AT GUANTANAMO BAY AND GUAM IS APPALLING. PUTTING 20-THOUSAND ETHNIC ALBANIANS INTO TEMPORARY SHELTERS WHERE THEY WOULD BE ISOLATED FROM U-S COMMUNITIES AND OFFERS OF COMFORT AND SUPPORT IS A HALF-BAKED [NOT WELL THOUGHT OUT] SOLUTION TO A SERIOUS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS. ... IS THIS HOW WE WANT TO TREAT THE KOSOVARS? HAVEN'T THEY BEEN BRUTALIZED ENOUGH BY SERBIAN ETHNIC CLEANSING? SHELTERING THE REFUGEES OUTSIDE THE U-S MAINLAND MAY BE POLITICAL EXPEDIENT, BUT IT IS NOT HUMANE. TEXT: "THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS" SUMS UP ITS VIEW OF THE REFUGEE'S PLIGHT AND HOW THEY ARE BEING HANDLED WITH THESE FRUSTRATED LINES: VOICE: ... AS THE COLD RAIN FALLS ALONG KOSOVO'S RUGGED BORDERS, THE NEED FOR SHELTERING AND FEEDING A CHILD, COVERING UP A GRANDMOTHER WITH A BLANKET AND GETTING MEDICINE TO AN INFANT MUST BE MET HERE AND NOW. THAT NATO HAS FINALLY REALIZED THIS IS WONDERFUL; THAT IT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THIS LONG TO ACT IS INEXCUSABLE. TEXT: IN THE MIDWEST, "THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE" DOES NOT SEE AN ESPECIALLY BRIGHT FUTURE FOR THE KOSOVARS, EITHER. VOICE: THE TASKS [FOR NATO] ARE TWOFOLD: THE SHORT-TERM JOB OF FINDING A PLACE TO HOUSE AND CARE FOR THE REFUGEES, AND THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF RETURNING THEM HOME. ... REPATRIATING THESE UNFORTUNATES IS MORE DAUNTING [THAN TEMPORARILY RELOCATING THEM]. ...BARRING A HUGE NATO GROUND OFFENSIVE, THE PROSPECTS ARE DIM THAT ALL THESE KOSOVARS WILL BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THE VILLAGES THAT [MR.] MILOSEVIC'S THUGS HAVE LOOTED AND BURNED. ABSORBING REFUGEES WHO HAVE RESETTLED IN HOST COUNTRIES FOR GOOD, WHILE NOT AN EASY TASK, PALES NEXT TO THE JOB OF MANAGING LARGE NUMBERS OF UNASSIMILABLE MIGRANTS WHO WANT NOTHING MORE THAN TO LEAVE. FOR THE WEST, THIS TEMPORARY EMERGENCY MAY BECOME A PERMANENT PROBLEM. TEXT: BOSTON'S "CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR"AGREES THAT REPATRIATION IS A CRITICAL PRIORITY AFTER THEY ARE TEMPORARILY RE-LOCATED. VOICE: AT SOME POINT, NATO'S MIGHT (POWER) WILL BE NEEDED TO OPEN THE WAY FOR HUNDREDS-OF-THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES TO RETURN TO KOSOVO. BUT THE ALLIANCE'S IMMEDIATE TASK IS TO PROVIDE FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THOSE PEOPLE SO THEY CAN RETURN. ... MACEDONIA IS NEAR THE BREAKING POINT, FACED WITH 136-THOUSAND REFUGEES. MANY MACEDONIANS WORRY THEIR COUNTRY'S FRAGILE ETHNIC BALANCE IS THREATENED... THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES TRIED TO PREPARE FOR THE KOSOVO OUTFLOW. BUT U-N-H-C-R EXPECTED THAT ONLY AROUND 100-THOUSAND WOULD FLEE THE PROVINCE ... NOT [ANTICIPATING] THE SCALE OF BELGRADE'S TERROR CAMPAIGN. THAT CAMPAIGN CAN NOT BE ALLOWED TO SUCCEED. TEXT: LASTLY, "THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE" SAYS NATO MUST BE READY TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT TO THE KOSOVARS IN THE END. VOICE: THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC HAS SOUGHT TO EVICT THE KOSOVARS AND INFLICT POLITICAL INSTABILITY ON HIS NEIGHBORS. THIS IS THE SIDE WAR, AS DEADLY AS THE SHOOTING MATCH IN SERBIA'S SKIES. MOST REFUGEES DREAM OF RETURNING HOME WHEN A CONFLICT ENDS. A FARM, A HOME, OR A WAY OF LIFE DRAW PEOPLE BACK, EVEN TO A PLACE WITH TRAGIC MEMORIES. IT IS UP TO NATO TO MAKE SURE THIS HOPE STAYS ALIVE. TEXT: THAT CONCLUDES THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT ON THE PLIGHT OF
THE KOSOVO REFUGEES DURING THE BALKAN WAR.
[03] E-U / REFUGEES (S ONLY) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247758 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: EUROPEAN UNION INTERIOR MINISTERS MET WEDNESDAY IN LUXEMBOURG TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY CAN HELP EASE THE BURDEN OF CARING FOR THOUSANDS OF KOSVAR ALBANIAN REFUGEES DEPORTED TO MACEDONIA AND ALBANIA. CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS FROM LONDON THE EUROPEAN IS PROVIDING MORE AID TO GOVERNMENTS OF THE REGION DEALING WITH THE CRISIS. TEXT: THE EUROPEAN UNION IS OFFERING MORE THAN 270-MILLION DOLLARS OF AID FOR THE KOSOVAR REFUGEES AND THE GOVERNMENTS OF MACEDONIA, ALBANIAN, AND MONTENEGRO, WHICH ARE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. E-U FOREIGN MINISTERS ARE SURE TO APPROVE THE PLAN ON THURSDAY. BUT E-U MEMBER STATES DIFFER ON THE POLITICALLY-SENSITIVE POLICY OF AIR-LIFTING REFUGEES OUT OF THE REGION. GERMANY SAYS IT WILL TAKE IN TEN-THOUSAND. BRITAIN HAS BEEN RELUCTANT TO MOVE REFUGEES ALREADY TRAUMATIZED BY THEIR DEPORTATION FROM KOSOVO, BUT SAYS IT WILL ACCEPT AN UNSPECIFIED NUMBER. FRANCE ARGUES THAT MOVING KOSOVAR REFUGEES OUT OF THE REGION
BENEFITS BELGRADE'S CAMPAIGN OF ETHNIC CLEANSING. E-U INTERIOR
MINISTERS DID AGREE THE PRIORITY SHOULD BE TO KEEP THE REFUGEES
WHERE THEY ARE SO THEY ARE CLOSER TO GOING HOME. (SIGNED)
[04] KOSOVO REFUGEE CAMP (DEBRIEFER) BY EVE CONANT (BLACE, MACEDONIA)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247731 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: V-O-A'S EVE CONANT VISITED THE DESERTED "BLACE" REFUGEE CAMP ALONG THE MACEDONIA-YUGOSLAV BORDER AND DESCRIBES THE SITUATION (TO V-O-A LONDON EDITOR PAUL FRANCUCH): TEXT: I'M RIGHT OUTSIDE OF A VILLAGE ... RIGHT ABOVE THE CAMP AND THE CHECKPOINT WHERE THE REFUGEES WERE PASSING THROUGH INTO MACEDONIA. WHAT I CAN SEE FROM HERE IS THAT ON THE OTHER SIDE, ON THE KOSOVO SIDE, THERE ARE CARS -- A LINE OF CARS POINTED TOWARD MACEDONIA IN WHAT LOOKS LIKE A PARKING LOT FILLED WITH CARS. BUT THERE ARE NO PEOPLE. THESE LOOK LIKE CARS THAT HAVE BEEN ABANDONED. AND WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM THE THE MACEDONIA RED CROSS, AS WELL AS FROM LOCALS HERE, IS THAT THERE IS NOBODY ELSE TRYING TO GET ACROSS. THAT'S NOT OFFICIAL THOUGH -- BUT IT'S WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING AT THIS POINT. EARLIER TODAY I WENT DOWN INTO THE CAMP WHERE THE REFUGEES HAD
BEEN. AND THE MACEDONIAN POLICE PUSHED JOURNALISTS AWAY FROM THE
CAMP -- TOLD THEM TO GO AWAY WITH ABSOLUTELY NO EXPLANATION AS TO
WHERE THE REFUGEES HAD GONE. AND ALL I COULD SEE WERE ABANDONED
TENTS, PILES OF GARBAGE. THERE'S STILL THE SMELL OF WHAT
OBVIOUSLY MUST HAVE BEEN DAYS AND DAYS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
BEING THERE. RIGHT OUTSIDE THE CAMP THERE WERE PILES OF DIAPERS
FOR PEOPLE TO USE, AND WATER ... BUT IT LOOKS LIKE NO OTHER
SUPPLIES WERE THERE OTHER THAN THAT. IT'S EMPTY.
(FRANCUCH:) THE INDICATIONS ARE THIS ALL HAPPENED IN THE LAST
24 HOURS. THERE ARE REPORTS THAT MACEDONIAN OFFICIALS CLEARED
OUT THE CAMP OVERNIGHT. FROM PEOPLE THAT YOU TALKED WITH, WAS
THERE ANY INDICATION AS TO WHAT HAPPENED WHEN ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE BORDER? WHEN DID THEY START SEEING SOME SORT OF CHANGE IN
THIS LONG QUEUE OF KOSOVARS HOPING TO CROSS THE BORDER INTO
MACEDONIA?
(CONANT:) I KNOW THAT LAST NIGHT AN UNCONFIRMED REPORT BY
ANOTHER WESTERN JOURNALIST WHO WAS STANDING AT A POINT IN THIS
VILLAGE HERE LOOKING OVER INTO THE BORDER AREA. THIS PERSON WAS
SAYING THAT HE COULD SEE PEOPLE BEING TURNED AWAY. HE HAD A
HIGH-POWERED LENS THAT COULD LOOK IN OVER THE BORDER. THAT
REPORT IS NOT CONFIRMED. THE ONLY OTHER INFORMATION I HAVE IS
FROM A NATO MAJOR HERE IN SKOPJE -- THAY KATE. HE SAID LATE LAST
NIGHT SOME NATO OFFICERS SAW A BUS LOAD OF REFUGEES THAT HAD
BROKEN DOWN, AND WHEN THE OFFICERS CAME TO HELP OUT THE BUS AND
GET IT BACK UP AND RUNNING, THEY ASKED THE DRIVER AND PEOPLE ON
THE BUS WHERE THEY WERE GOING? WHAT WAS GOING ON? AND THEY WERE
GIVEN ABSOLUTELY NO INFORMATION. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, NATO IS
VERY CONFUSED AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REFUGEES.
(FRANCUCH:) DESCRIBE MORE THE REMNANTS OF THIS CAMP EVACUATED
OVERNIGHT IN BLACE. ANY SIGNS OF A CLEAN-UP? DOES IT LOOK LIKE
JUST AFTER AN ACCIDENT, AN ABANDONED SITE?
(CONANT:) THERE'S NOT EVEN THE SLIGHTEST SIGN OF CLEAN-UP. AS
YOU WALK TOWARDS THE CAMP, YOU SEE THE MACEDONIAN MILITARY POLICE
IN CAMOUFLAGE. THEY'RE SORT OF SCATTERED AROUND THE EDGES OF THE
CAMP, GUARDING IT. AND INSIDE THE CAMP, THERE'S NOT A SINGLE
PERSON AND IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYBODY'S THERE TRYING TO DO ANY
CLEAN-UP. YOU JUST SEE ABANDONED TENTS, YOU SEE WHAT MIGHT HAVE
BEEN COOKING POTS, LOTS OF GARBAGE. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A
CLEAR PATCH THERE. THERE'S NO GRASS. I'M STANDING OUTSIDE THE
CAMP AND THERE'S GRASS ALL AROUND. (INSIDE) IS A MUDDY PIT FILLED
WITH GARBAGE.
[05] MACEDONIA / MISSING REFUGEES (L ONLY) BY EVE CONANT (MOSCOW)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247765 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THOUSANDS OF ETHNIC ALBANIAN REFUGEES STRANDED AT THE MACEDONIAN-KOSOVO BORDER POINT OF BLACE (BLAT-ZHE) HAVE LEFT THE CAMP. V-O-A'S EVE CONANT IN SKOPJE, MACEDONIA, REPORTS NATO AND HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIALS WERE NOT INFORMED OF THE MOVE AND SAY UP TO 10-THOUSAND REFUGEES MAY HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY BUS TO ALBANIA. TEXT: IT IS KNOWN AS "NO-MAN'S LAND" -- THE TERRITORY BETWEEN MACEDONIA AND KOSOVO, ONE OF THE BORDER POINTS WHERE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS HAVE CROSSED IN ORDER TO ESCAPE WHAT MOST DESCRIBE AS SERB ATROCITIES ON THE OTHER SIDE. TUESDAY, AT THE MACEDONIAN HOLDING AREA OF BLACE, THOUSANDS OF KOSOVAR REFUGEES WERE CAMPED OUT IN THE MUD. BUT AS OF WEDNESDAY, ALL THE REFUGEES WERE GONE, THEIR TENTS ABANDONED. A SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE U-N REFUGEE AGENCY, PAULA GHEDINI, SAYS THE MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT EMPTIED THE CAMP OVERNIGHT. SHE SAYS THE MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT REPORTS THE REFUGEES WERE TAKEN TO NEARBY NATO CAMPS, ALBANIA, AND TURKEY. /// GHADINI ACT ONE ///WE LEARNED THAT THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 10-THOUSAND PEOPLE THAT LEFT IN THE COURSE OF YESTERDAY FOR ALBANIA. IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT'S STILL UNCONFIRMED, BUT APPROXIMATELY 15-HUNDRED WERE FLOWN TO TURKEY ON NINE DIFFERENT FLIGHTS BETWEEEN TWO DAYS. /// END ACT ///SHE SAYS OFFICIALS ARE WORRIED THAT REFUGEES MAY HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM THE BLACE CAMP AGAINST THEIR WILL. /// GHEDINI ACT TWO ///IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE WERE NECESSARILY TAKEN FORCIBLY. WE DO KNOW THAT SOME OF IT WAS INVOLUNTARY, BUT IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY FORCED. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. WHAT WE CAN ATTEST TO IS THE FACT THAT REFUGEES DO NOT USUALLY LEAVE THE FEW ITEMS THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR POSSESSION, MEANING TENTS, BLANKETS, BABY FOOD, PASSPORTS. AND EVIDENCE OF THESE WERE FOUND AT BLACE. SO WE DO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF CONCERN THAT THERE WAS SOME DEGREE OF PRESSURE THAT WAS PLACED ON THESE REFUGEES. /// END ACT ///SHE SAYS THE U-N REFUGEE AGENCY CAN CONFIRM ONLY NEW ARRIVALS TO TWO NATO CAMPS. /// GHADINI ACT THREE ///AS FOR THE NUMBERS AT THIS POINT, IT IS UNCLEAR. THE MACEDONIAN GOVERNMENT SAID TODAY 44-THOUSAND WERE AT THE CAMPS OF STENKOVEC, BRAZDE, AND PRESTINO, RADUZHA AND BOYANA. WE ARE CHECKING INTO THAT. /// END ACT ///MS. GHADINI SAYS THE U-N REFUGEE AGENCY WAS NOT GIVEN ANY
PASSENGER LISTS FOR THE BUSES OR REGISTRATION LISTS OF THE
REFUGEES WHO WERE TAKEN AWAY. MS. GHADINI SAYS SHE IS WORRIED
THAT MANY FAMILIES HAVE BEEN SEPARATED. SHE SAYS THE REFUGEE
AGENCY BELIEVES UP TO 10-THOUSAND ETHNIC ALBANIAN REFUGEES ARE
STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR. (SIGNED)
NEB/EC/JWH/RAE/RRM
[06] BRITAIN / MACEDONIA (S ONLY) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247730 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: MYSTERY SURROUNDS THE WHEREABOUTS OF THOUSANDS OF KOSOVAR ALBANIAN REFUGEES WHO HAVE BEEN MOVED FROM A CAMP NEAR THE MACEDONIA BORDER. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN IN LONDON REPORTS BRITAIN IS DEMANDING THAT MACEDONIA STOP FORCING REFUGEES TO LEAVE FOR OTHER COUNTRIES TEXT: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK SAYS BRITAIN IS TRYING TO PERSUADE MACEDONIAN AUTHORITIES TO STOP DEPORTING KOSOVAR REFUGEES TO OTHER COUNTRIES. /// COOK ACT ///OUR OWN STRONG VIEW IS THAT NO REFUGEE SHOULD BE FORCIBLY SENT TO ANY OTHER COUNTRY AND SHOULD NOT BE PUT ON A BUS OR PLANE WITHOUT KNOWING WHERE THEY ARE GOING. /// END ACT ///MACEDONIAN AUTHORITIES ALREADY FORCIBLY AIR-LIFTED SEVERAL THOUSAND REFUGEES TO NORWAY AND TURKEY, SEPARATING MANY OF THEM FROM OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS. AID WORKERS NOW ARE SEARCHING FOR THOUSANDS OF KOSOVAR REFUGEES
WHO WERE BUSSED OVERNIGHT FROM A MACEDONIAN BORDER CAMP.
MACEDONIAN OFFICIALS WILL NOT SAY WHERE THE REFUGEES WERE TAKEN
BUT REPORTS INDICATE THEY MAY HAVE BEEN BUSSED TO NEIGHBORING
ALBANIA AND GREECE. (SIGNED)
[07] KOSOVO WRAP / WEDNESDAY (L-ONLY) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (WASHINGTON)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247774 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: NATO'S AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAV MILITARY POSITIONS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS NOW AS U-S OFFICIALS SAY COMMANDERS OF YUGOSLAV FORCES COULD FACE CHARGES OF ENGAGING IN WAR CRIMES. IN THIS REPORT FROM WASHINGTON, CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA REVIEWS WEDNESDAY'S DEVELOPMENTS IN THE KOSOVO CRISIS. TEXT: STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS HAVE IDENTIFIED COMMANDERS OF NINE YUGOSLAV ARMY AND POLICE UNITS IN KOSOVO THEY SAY COULD BE PROSECUTED FOR WAR CRIMES. WESTERN OFFICIALS HAVE ACCUSED YUGOSLAV FORCES OF ENGAGING IN A POLICY OF ETHNIC CLEANSING AS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO FLEE FROM KOSOVO TO NEIGHBORING ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMIE RUBIN TOLD REPORTERS THE UNITED STATES IS CONCERNED SERB FORCES WILL COMMIT FURTHER ATROCITIES IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS TO COME. // RUBIN ACT //WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE CLEAR TO THE PEOPLE THERE THAT WE KNOW THE NAMES OF THE UNITS AND THE COMMANDERS OF THE UNITS, SO THEY SHOULD THINK LONG AND HARD BEFORE THEY ACT IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEIR UNITS CONDUCT THESE ATROCITIES - OR WAR CRIMES - OR THAT THEY DO NOT ACT TO PREVENT IT. // END ACT //YUGOSLAV AUTHORITIES HAVE CONSISTENTLY REJECTED ACCUSATIONS OF ATROCITIES BEING COMMITTED IN KOSOVO. THEY SAY THEIR MILITARY IS ENGAGED IN FIGHTING VIOLENT GUERRILAS INTENT ON INDEPENDENCE FOR KOSOVO. //OPT//BUT THE TRIBUNAL'S DEPUTY PROSECUTOR GRAHAM BLEWITT TOLD REPORTERS NATO NATIONS HAVE NOT DONE ENOUGH TO TURN OVER USEFUL INFORMATION. // BLEWITT ACT //IT IS ONLY HELPFUL IF THEY ARE PREPARED TO BACK UP WITH THE EVIDENCE THEY SAY THEY HAVE GOT THAT ESTABLISHED THOSE THINGS. THAT CAUSES US SOME FRUSTRATION, THAT WE ARE BEING TANTALIZED WITH THIS EVIDENCE THAT WE SAY EXISTS WHICH WE EXPECT WILL COME OUR WAY AND WE HAVE TO GO DIGGING FOR IT AND FINDING IT. // END ACT & OPT //MEANWHILE IN AND AROUND KOSOVO, THE REFUGEE CRISIS SHOWS NO SIGNS OF ABATING AS GOVERNMENTS TRY TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION. IN MACEDONIA, OFFICIALS SWEPT AWAY A REFUGEE CAMP HOUSING ABOUT 40-THOUSAND ETHNIC ALBANIANS. OFFICIALS SAY MOST OF THEM WERE SENT TO TENT CAMPS INSIDE THE COUNTRY -- OTHERS TO NEIGHBORING ALBANIA. BUT RELIEF AGENCIES SAY 10-THOUSAND OF THOSE REFUGEES REMAIN UNACCOUNTED FOR. NATO INTENSIFIED ITS AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAV MILITARY TARGETS. PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY THE WEATHER HAS BEEN FAVORABLE ALLOWING MORE NATO WARPLANES TO TAKE TO THE SKIES. DURING THE PAST TWO DAYS, 58 TARGETS WERE HIT INCLUDING FUEL AND AMMUNITION DEPOTS, BRIDGES, ROADS, COMMAND AND CONTROL CENTERS AS WELL AS YUGOSLAV TROOPS AND INTERIOR MINISTRY FORCES. FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE AIR CAMPAIGN BEGAN MARCH 24TH, THE AMERICAN A-10 JET WAS USED. ITS SPECIALTY IS TO FLY LOW AND SLOWLY ALLOWING IT TO ATTACK TANKS. NATO OFFICIALS SAY A YUGOSLAV ARMORED COLUMN NORTH OF KOSOVO'S REGIONAL CAPITAL - PRISTINA - WAS HIT. AT THE PENTAGON, AIR FORCE MAJOR GENERAL CHARLES WALD TOLD REPORTERS NATO IS PLEASED WITH ITS INTENSIFIED ATTACKS AGAINST YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC'S MILITARY. // WALD ACT //IF YOU LOOK AT THE ARRAY OF TARGETS AND THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE WE ARE DOING TO HIS SUSTAINEMENT, HIS LINES OF COMMUNICATION AND HIS COMMAND AND CONTROL, WE ARE DEFINITELY DEGRADING HIS CAPABILITY. IT IS A MATTER OF HOW MUCH DEGRADATION HE WANTS TO SUSTAIN AND HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE. BUT I WOULD SAY IT IS GOING ALONG VERY, VERY WELL. // END ACT //MANY MILITARY ANALYSTS HAVE SAID AN AIR CAMPAIGN ALONE WILL NOT
STOP YUGOSLAV FORCES FROM DRIVING OUT ETHNIC ALBANIANS FROM
KOSOVO. THEY SAY INEVITABLY, NATO GROUND FORCES WILL HAVE TO BE
SENT IN. BUT GENERAL WALD SAID AT THIS TIME, THERE ARE NO PLANS
TO SEND IN GROUND TROOPS. (SIGNED)
[08] KOSOVO / HISTORY BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (WASHINGTON)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-43045 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: FOR TWO WEEKS NOW, NATO HAS BEEN BOMBING STRATEGIC TARGETS IN YUGOSLAVIA IN AN EFFORT TO STOP PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC FROM FORCIBLY EXPELLING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS FROM KOSOVO. IN THIS REPORT FROM WASHINGTON, V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA LOOKS AT WHAT MAKES KOSOVO SO IMPORTANT FOR SERBS. TEXT: KOSOVO IS THE SOUTHERN PROVINCE OF SERBIA -- YUGOSLAVIA'S DOMINANT REPUBLIC. GEOGRAPHICALLY, ITS SOUTHERN BORDERS ARE WITH MACEDONIA AND ALBANIA -- PART OF ITS NORTH-WEST BORDER IS WITH YUGOSLAVIA'S JUNIOR PROVINCE, MONTENEGRO. BEFORE YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC EMBARKED ON A POLICY TO FORCIBLY EXPEL ETHNIC ALBANIANS FROM KOSOVO, THEY REPRESENTED ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF THE PROVINCE'S TWO MILLION PEOPLE. LATEST WESTERN FIGURES SAY ABOUT 900,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LEFT HOMELESS AS A RESULT OF WHAT WESTERN LEADERS CALL A DELIBERATE POLICY OF ETHNIC CLEANSING. MANY OF THEM HAVE CROSSED INTO MACEDONIA AND ALBANIA. ABOUT 70 PERCENT OF THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS ARE MUSLIM. THEY BECAME THE MAJORITY POPULATION IN KOSOVO EARLIER THIS CENTURY. THAT WAS DUE TO A HIGHER BIRTHRATE THAN THE ORTHODOX SERBS AND ALSO BECAUSE MANY SERBS LEFT THE PROVINCE TO SEEK A BETTER LIFE IN THE MORE PROSPEROUS NORTHERN PART OF YUGOSLAVIA. TIM JUDAH IS AN EXPERT ON THE BALKANS AND THE AUTHOR OF A BOOK ENTITLED, "THE SERBS." HE SAYS KOSOVO HAS ALWAYS BEEN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR SERBS. // JUDAH ACT //THE REASON THAT KOSOVO IS SO IMPORTANT - AS THEY SAY SO OFTEN - THEY MAKE THE COMPARISON THAT KOSOVO IS TO SERBS AS JERUSALEM IS TO JEWS. THAT IS THE COMPARISON THEY SO OFTEN MAKE. AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE IN THE MIDDLE AGES, KOSOVO WAS THE CENTER OF SERBIAN KINGDOMS AND FOR THAT REASON IT IS FULL OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHURCHES - OR MANY OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHURCHES - AND MONASTERIES OF THE SERBIAN (ORTHODOX) CHURCH AND MANY HISTORICAL MONUMENTS. // END ACT //KOSOVO WAS ALSO THE SCENE OF A HISTORIC EVENT -- THE BATTLE OF KOSOVO POLYE IN 1389 -- PITTING THE SERBIAN FORCES OF PRINCE LAZAR AGAINST TROOPS OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE. MR. JUDAH - AND MANY OTHER HISTORIANS - SAYS IT APPEARS THE BATTLE WAS A DRAW, DESPITE SERB MYTHOLOGY THAT IT WAS A DEFEAT. THE BALKAN EXPERT SAYS LEGEND HAS IT THAT PRINCE LAZAR, BEFORE BEING KILLED IN THE BATTLE, SAID HE WOULD RATHER FIGHT AND DIE THAN LIVE IN SHAME. THOSE WORDS -- SAYS MR. JUDAH -- WERE A DEFINING MOMENT IN SERB HISTORY. // 2ND JUDAH ACT //THAT MEANS THAT INSTEAD OF BECOMING A TURKISH OTTOMAN VASSAL, SUBMITTING TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE SULTAN, HE PREFERRED TO FIGHT - AS THE EPIC POEMS PUT IT - FOR TRUTH AND FOR JUSTICE. IN THAT SENSE, THE STORY OF KOSOVO - THE BATTLE OF KOSOVO OF 1389 - MYTH AND SERBIAN HISTORY ALL BECOME IN THIS WAY MIXED WITH THE ESSENCE OF CHRISTIANITY. BECAUSE JUST AS THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTIANITY IS RESURRECTION, THE IDEA BECAME THAT SERBIA -- EVEN IF SERBIA DIED (AND) WENT UNDER, WAS TAKEN OVER BY THE TURKS OR WHOEVER OTHER, WHOEVER ELSE -- SERBIA, TOO, WOULD BE RESURRECTED. // END ACT //MR. JUDAH SAYS THIS IDEA THAT SERBIA WILL ALWAYS STAND UP TO OUTSIDE POWERS - EVEN AGAINST OVERWHELMING ODDS - IS VERY MUCH INGRAINED IN THE SERB PSYCHE. /// OPT /// AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY OTHER EXAMPLES IN SERB HISTORY -- UP TO THE PRESENT TIME. // THIRD JUDAH ACT // // OPT ACT //WELL OF COURSE 1941, THE SERBIAN OFFICERS' COUP WHEN THE YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT SIGNED UP TO THE AXIS POWERS. AND OF COURSE 1948: WELL (YUGOSLAV LEADER) MARSHAL (JOZEF BROZ) TITO WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT A SERB. BUT STILL IN THE SAME TRADITION OF STANDING UP TO BIG POWERS, TITO SAYING WHAT WAS THEN SAID TO BE "THE DECISIVE NO" TO STALIN. AND THOSE SAME WORDS, "THE DECISIVE NO" HAS BEEN REPEATED AGAIN IN REFERENCE TO (YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN) MILOSEVIC AND TO NATO -- A KIND OF CONSCIOUS EMULATION THERE. // END ACT // // END OPT ACT //MANY ANALYSTS BELIEVE YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC WILL NOT EASILY GIVE IN TO NATO BOMBINGS GIVEN KOSOVO'S SPECIAL PLACE IN SERBIAN HISTORY AND MYTHOLOGY -- AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT MR. MILOSEVIC HAS STAKED HIS POLITICAL CAREER ON DEFENDING SERBS IN KOSOVO. // REST OPTIONAL //BALKAN EXPERT LAURA SILBER BELIEVES FOR THE TIME BEING, PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT. // SILBER ACT //I THINK HE FEELS THIS IS RESTORING HIS POPULARITY AND THAT IN A SENSE, HE IS BACKED INTO A CORNER AND HE HAS NO CHOICE - IN HIS MIND, PROBABLY - BUT TO STICK THIS OUT. // END ACT //LAURA SILBER AND OTHER ANALYSTS SAY MR. MILOSEVIC IS HOPING THERE
WILL BE SPLITS EMERGING IN THE NATO ALLIANCE OVER CONTINUED AIR
BOMBINGS BEFORE HE WOULD BE FORCED TO GIVE IN OVER THE VERY
SENSITIVE ISSUE OF KOSOVO. (SIGNED)
[09] ANNAN-KOSOVO (L-ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247747 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN SAYS THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT REPORTS OF MASSACRES AND SUMMARY EXECUTIONS OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO MAY AMOUNT TO GENOCIDE. LISA SCHLEIN REPORTS THAT THE SECRETARY GENERAL MADE HIS REMARKS IN A SPEECH TO THE U-N HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION IN GENEVA. TEXT: U-N SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN SAYS THIS LAST COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY WAS MEETING UNDER, WHAT HE CALLS, THE DARK CLOUD OF THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE. HE SAYS THE CRIME OF GENOCIDE KNOWS NO PARALLEL IN HUMAN HISTORY. POINTING TO CAMBODIA, WHERE UP TO TWO MILLION PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY POL POT'S REGIME IN THE 1970S, AND IN RECENT YEARS TO THE COUNTLESS THOUSANDS MASSACRED IN BOSNIA AND RWANDA FOR BELONGING TO THE WRONG ETHNIC GROUP, MR. ANNAN NOW ADDS KOSOVO TO HIS WATCH LIST. ///ANNAN ACT///THOUGH WE HAVE NO INDEPENDENT OBSERVERS ON THE GROUND, THE SIGNS ARE THAT IT MAY BE HAPPENING, ONCE MORE, IN KOSOVO. ///END ACT//////SECOND ANNAN ACT///FROM INDICATIONS WE'VE HAD, ETHNIC CLEANSING IS TAKING PLACE. I ALSO STATED IN MY STATEMENT THAT WE HAVE NO INDEPENDENT OBSERVERS ON THE GROUND. BUT, FROM WHAT WE ARE HEARING, GENOCIDE MAY BE HAPPENING. I CANNOT SAY H-A-S HAPPENED. I SAID M-A-Y BE HAPPENING. ///END ACT///MR. ANNAN TOLD THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN KOSOVO IS A VICIOUS AND SYSTEMATIC CAMPAIGN OF ETHNIC CLEANSING, CONDUCTED BY THE SERBIAN AUTHORITIES. HE SAYS IT APPEARS TO HAVE ONE AIM -- TO EXPEL OR KILL AS MANY ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO AS POSSIBLE. ///THIRD ANNAN ACT///WE SHOULD LEAVE NO ONE IN DOUBT THAT FOR THE MASS MURDERERS, THE ETHNIC CLEANSERS, THOSE GUILTY OF GROSS AND SHOCKING VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS, IMPUNITY IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THE UNITED NATIONS WILL NEVER BE THEIR REFUGE, ITS CHARTER NEVER THE SOURCE OF COMFORT OR JUSTIFICATION. ///END ACT///THE U-N SECRETARY GENERAL TOLD JOURNALISTS THAT HE HOPED THE
CEASE-FIRE YUGOSLAVIA REPORTEDLY HAD IMPLEMENTED IN KOSOVO LEADS
TO PEACE TALKS WITH THE WESTERN ALLIANCE. HE ADDED THAT NATO HAD
LEGITIMATE REASONS TO BE SUSPICIOUS ABOUT THE REPORTED
CEASE-FIRE. NEVERTHELESS, THERE APPEARS TO BE, WHAT HE CALLED,
SOME TENTATIVE MOVEMENT. (SIGNED)
[10] CLINTON - FOREIGN POLICY (L ONLY) BY PAULA WOLFSON (WHITE HOUSE)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247750 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON IS DEFENDING HIS POLICIES ON KOSOVO AND CHINA. IN A MAJOR FOREIGN POLICY ADDRESS, MR. CLINTON SAID THEY ARE TWO OF THE LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES FACING THE UNITED STATES AS A NEW MILLENIUM NEARS. CORRESPONDENT PAULA WOLFSON REPORTS. TEXT: THE PRESIDENT SOUNDED SOMBER, AND ALMOST LIKE A COLLEGE PROFESSOR DELIVERING A LECTURE, AS HE TALKED ABOUT THE FOREIGN POLICY PROBLEMS FACING THE UNITED STATES. IN AN ADDRESS TO A PRIVATE GROUP CALLED "THE U-S INSTITUTE FOR PEACE", MR. CLINTON SPOKE OF AMERICA'S OBLIGATION TO HELP BUILD A MORE PEACEFUL WORLD AT A TIME OF ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS BASED BLOODSHED /// CLINTON ACT ///WE KNOW THAT WE CAN NOT STOP ALL SUCH CONFLICTS. BUT WHEN THE HARM IS GREAT AND WHEN OUR VALUES AND INTERESTS ARE AT STAKE...AND WHEN WE HAVE THE MEANS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, WE SHOULD TRY. /// END ACT ///IT WAS A DIRECT REFERENCE TO THE CRISIS IN KOSOVO. THE PRESIDENT SAID YUGOSLAVIA'S UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE WILL NOT END THE NATO AIRSTRIKES. HE SAID THE ALLIANCE STAND UNITED IN PURPOSE. /// CLINTON ACT ///IT IS NOT ENOUGH NOW FOR MR. MILOSEVIC TO SAY THAT HIS FORCES WILL CEASEFIRE IN A KOSOVO DENIED ITS FREEDOM AND DEVOID OF ITS PEOPLE. HE MUST WITHDRAW HIS FORCES. LET THE REFUGEES RETURN, PERMIT THE DEPLOYMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY FORCE. /// END ACT ///ALTHOUGH HE LED THE ADDRESS WITH BRIEF COMMENTS ON KOSOVO, THE BULK OF THE PRESIDENT'S REMARKS DEALT WITH CHINA. SPEAKING ON THE EVE OF TALKS WITH CHINESE PREMIER ZHU RONGJI, MR. CLINTON ACKNOWLEDGED WASHINGTON'S RELATIONSHIP WITH BEIJING IS NOT PROBLEM FREE. BUT HE SAID AMERICA CAN NOT TURN AWAY. HE MADE SPECIAL MENTION OF NEGOTIATIONS DESIGNED TO CLEAR THE WAY FOR CHINA TO JOIN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION. /// CLINTON ACT ///GETTING THIS DONE AND GETTING IT DONE RIGHT IS PROFOUNDLY IN OUR NATIONAL INTEREST. IT IS NOT A FAVOR TO CHINA. IT IS THE BEST WAY TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD. /// END ACT ///MR. CLINTON TOOK ISSUE WITH SOME CRITICS OF HIS CHINA POLICY. HE
SAID THEY ARE TRYING TO TURN CHINA INTO THE ENEMY. THE PRESIDENT
URGED THEM TO THINK TWICE, SAYING AMERICA CAN NOT RISK ANOTHER
COLD WAR. (SIGNED)
[11] CLINTON / KOSOVO POLICY BY ALISHA RYU (WASHINGTON)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-43048 (CQ) CONTENT= VOICED AT: // EDS: ADDS DROPPED WORD "NOT" IN GRAF 3 OF TEXT ///INTRO: WHILE PRESIDENT CLINTON VOWS TO CONTINUE NATO BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA UNTIL THE SERBIAN LEADERSHIP ACCEPTS NATO DEMANDS FOR PEACE IN ITS KOSOVO PROVINCE -- QUESTIONS OVER HOW WASHINGTON AND NATO GOT INTO KOSOVO AND HOW THEY INTEND TO GET OUT ARE MOUNTING. V-O-A'S ALISHA RYU TAKES A LOOK AT SOME OF THE CRITICISMS BEING HEARD IN THE CORRIDORS OF WASHINGTON AND AMONG MILITARY EXPERTS. TEXT: IT WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT SMART BOMBS AND STEALTH FIGHTERS STREAKING ACROSS YUGOSLAV SKIES. ACCORDING TO THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S INITIAL PLAN, THAT THREAT ALONE SHOULD HAVE FORCED YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO ACCEPT AUTONOMY FOR ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO AS WELL AS NATO PEACEKEEPERS. BUT IT DID NOT. AS THE FLOOD OF KOSOVAR REFUGEES POURED INTO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES, CRITICS OF THE BOMBING CAMPAIGN SAY IT BECAME CLEAR THE UNITED STATES -- AS THE LEADER OF THE ATLANTIC ALLIANCE -- HAD BADLY MISCALCULATED MR. MILOSEVIC'S RESOLVE. FURTHERMORE, REPORTS NOW SUGGEST THAT BOMBING YUGOSLAVIA ELICITED A REACTION FROM MR. MILOSEVIC THAT TOP PENTAGON AND C-I-A OFFICIALS HAD NOT FULLY ANTICIPATED. SO, THE CRITICS ASK, WHY DOES THERE SEEM NOT TO HAVE BEEN A PLAN TO COPE WITH THE MASS EXODUS OF KOSOVAR REFUGEES? THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT DID EXPECT MR. MILOSEVIC TO RETALIATE, BUT WAS SURPRISED BY THE DETERMINATION AND SPEED USED TO DEPORT THE REFUGEES OUT OF KOSOVO. BUT WHAT TROUBLES CRITICS THE MOST IS THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S APPARENT LACK OF A CLEAR EXIT STRATEGY. TED GALEN CARPENTER, A FOREIGN POLICY EXPERT AT THE CATO POLICY INSTITUTE, SAYS OVERCONFIDENCE IN AIR POWER IS LEAVING THE ALLIANCE HELPLESS. // CARPENTER ACT //IT APPEARS THAT THEY DID NOT EVEN THINK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THAT SCENARIO DID NOT TURN OUT. THEY DID NOT HAVE A CONTINGENCY PLAN, FALL BACK POSITIONS, THINK THROUGH ALTERNATIVE SCENARIOS AND NOW THERE SEEMS TO BE A RUSH TO FIND SCAPEGOATS (PEOPLE TO BLAME). // END ACT //MR. CARPENTER AND MOST MILITARY SPECIALISTS ALSO CRITICIZE PRESIDENT CLINTON FOR RULING OUT THE USE OF GROUND TROOPS -- WHICH THEY SAY GAVE MR. MILOSEVIC AN ADVANTAGE IN PLANNING A SWIFT AND UNHINDERED MILITARY OPERATION THROUGH KOSOVO. ROBERT BEISNER, A RETIRED PROFESSOR OF MILITARY HISTORY AT THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, BELIEVES PRESIDENT CLINTON'S APPARENT FEAR OF CIVILIAN AND NATO CASUALTIES WILL MEAN MR. MILOSEVIC CAN AFFORD TO REMAIN DEFIANT FOR WEEKS OR MONTHS. // BEISNER ACT //AT THE VERY OUTSET, HE SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE PENTAGON LEADERS, 'LOOK, I HOPE THE BOMBING WORKS, BUT I WANT TO BE PREPARED TO GO IN ON THE GROUND AT THE SAME TIME IF I HAVE TO SO LET US START MOBILIZING THEM.' BUT MR. BEISNER CONCEDES THAT ANYONE WHO KNOWS THE BALKANS KNOWS THAT THERE ARE NO EASY ANSWERS TO A MULTITUDE OF PROBLEMS THERE. AND, HE SAYS, KEEPING THE 19 NATO COUNTRIES COMMITTED TO THE OPERATION HAS NOT BEEN EASY FOR THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION. // BEISNER ACT //A LOT OF THOSE COUNTRIES HAVE DIFFERENT INTERESTS, DIFFERENT CONCERNS, DIFFERENT FEARS AND MOST OF THEM -- WITH THE EXCEPTION OF GREAT BRITAIN -- HAVE BEEN FAR MORE RELUCTANT THAN THE U-S IN RECENT YEARS TO USE MILITARY FORCE. // END ACT //BUT NOW THAT MILITARY FORCE HAS BEEN USED, MR. BEISNER ADVOCATES A LOT LESS RHETORIC AND MUCH MORE ACTION -- INCLUDING GROUND TROOPS. MR. CARPENTER FEELS IT IS TIME FOR THE UNITED STATES AND NATO TO PULL BACK AND RETHINK THEIR STRATEGY. BOTH MEN AGREE, THOUGH, THAT NOTHING LESS THAN THE CREDIBILITY OF THE UNITED STATES AND ITS NATO ALLIES ARE AT STAKE. THE UNITED STATES AND NATO LEADERS SAY THEY ARE STILL CONFIDENT
THAT THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THEIR MISSION WILL BE MET WITHOUT
FURTHER ESCALATION. (SIGNED)
[12] CLINTON/KOSOVO (S ONLY) BY PAULA WOLFSON (WHITE HOUSE)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247745 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON SAYS YUGOSLAVIA'S UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE IS NOT ENOUGH. MR. CLINTON SAYS CERTAIN CONDITIONS MUST BE MET BEFORE NATO WILL END ITS BOMBING OF YUGOSLAV TERRITORY. CORRESPONDENT PAULA WOLFSON REPORTS. TEXT: THE PRESIDENT SAYS NATO WILL NOT BE SWAYED BY YUGOSLAVIA'S ANNOUNCED CEASEFIRE. /// CLINTON ACT ///WE ARE DETERMINED TO STAY UNITED AND PERSIST UNTIL WE PREVAIL. /// END ACT ///MR. CLINTON LEAVES NO DOUBT NATO IS DEMANDING MORE. /// CLINTON ACT ///IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR MR. MILOSEVIC TO SAY HIS FORCES WILL CEASEFIRE IN A KOSOVO DENIED ITS FREEDOM AND DEVOID OF ITS PEOPLE. /// END ACT ///THE COMMENTS CAME IN A WASHINGTON ADDRESS TO A FOREIGN POLICY
ASSOCIATION. PRESIDENT CLINTON TOLD "THE U-S INSTITUTE FOR
PEACE" THE UNITED STATES CAN NOT STOP ALL CONFLICTS, BUT WHEN THE
HARM IS GREAT AND IMPORTANT VALUES ARE AT STAKE, AMERICA SHOULD
TRY. (SIGNED)
[13] KOSOVO / COHEN / WED (S) BY JIM RANDLE (BRUSSELS)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247753 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS THE NATO BOMBING CAMPAIGN IS BEGINNING TO DAMAGE AND SLOW SERB ATTACKS ON ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE. MR. COHEN SAYS THIS IS NO TIME TO PAUSE ALLIANCE AIR ATTACKS BY ACCEPTING A CEASEFIRE OFFERED BY YUGOSLAVIA. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS FROM NATO HEADQUARTERS IN BRUSSELS. TEXT: YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC IS OFFERING TO STOP MILITARY ACTIONS IN THE SERB PROVINCE OF KOSOVO IF NATO WILL STOP BOMBING RAIDS ON SERB TARGETS ACROSS YUGOSLAVIA. BUT SECRETARY COHEN SAYS SERB FORCES HAVE DRIVEN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS OUT OF KOSOVO, KILLING MANY IN THE PROCESS. /// COHEN ACT 13 ///WE WILL REJECT ANY SETTLEMENT THAT FREEZES THE RESULT OF MILOSEVIC'S GENOCIDE AND REWARDS HIM FOR HIS BRUTALITY. /// END ACT ///MR. COHEN SAYS NATO COUNTRIES CONTINUE TO DEMAND THAT YUGOSLAVIA
MOVE ITS TROOPS OUT OF KOSOVO, ALLOW ETHNIC ALBANIANS POLITICAL
AUTONOMY AND LET KOSOVAR ALBANIANS TO RETURN HOME SAFELY.
(SIGNED)
[14] KOSOVO / A-10'S (L) BY JIM RANDLE (BRUSSELS)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247756 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS NATO BOMBS WILL SOON FALL DIRECTLY ON THE SERB TANKS HE BLAMES FOR A CAMPAIGN OF KILLING AND ETHNIC CLEANSING OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS FROM NATO HEADQUARTERS. TEXT: MR. COHEN SAYS NATO WILL SOON INTENSIFY ITS BOMBING CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA BY MAKING GREATER USE OF JETS AND HELICOPTERS SPECIALLY DESIGNED AND EQUIPPED TO DESTROY TANKS ON THE BATTLEFIELD. /// COHEN ACT ///THE 'A-TEN' ATTACK AIRCRAFT ARE GOING TO TARGET THE TANKS. AND WE WILL BE SENDING APACHE HELICOPTERS INTO THE REGION, WHICH ARE VERY CAPABLE TANK KILLERS. WE WILL START TO TAKE THE BATTLE TO THE INDIVIDUAL UNITS ON THE GROUND THROUGH THIS AIR CAMPAIGN WHICH WILL BE INTENSIFIED IN COMING DAYS AND WEEKS. /// END ACT ///BUT MILITARY OFFICERS SAY THESE PLANES MUST FLY LOW AND SLOWLY TO
ACCOMPLISH THEIR MISSION, MAKING THEM VULNERABLE TO AIR DEFENSES,
AND RAISING THE RISK TO AMERICAN PILOTS. (SIGNED).
[15] KOSOVO ATROCITIES EMERGE - L BY JIM RANDLE (BRUSSELS)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247721 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS THERE IS A GROWING BODY OF EVIDENCE POINTING TO WIDESPREAD ATROCITIES BY SERB-LED YUGOSLAV FORCES IN KOSOVO. MR. COHEN SAYS THE DEATHS OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS AT THE HANDS OF SERBS MAY SPARK A NEW, BLOODY LONG-TERM GUERRILLA STRUGGLE IN THE HILLS OF KOSOVO. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS FROM BRUSSELS. TEXT: MR COHEN SAYS PHOTOGRAPHS AND OTHER EVIDENCE IS MAKING ITS WAY OUT OF KOSOVO TO CONFIRM SOME OF THE GRIM TALES OF MURDER AND ETHNIC CLEANSING TOLD BY REFUGEES WHO FLED THE SERB PROVINCE. THE DEFENSE SECRETARY SAYS -- ALTHOUGH ALL STORIES CANNOT YET BE VERIFIED -- THEY ARE BELIEVABLE BECAUSE YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC HAS A HISTORY OF ALLOWING OR ORDERING 'BUTCHERY' BY HIS TROOPS AND POLICE. /// COHEN ACTUALITY ///BASED ON WHAT TOOK PLACE IN BOSNIA, BASED ON WHAT TOOK PLACE IN CROATIA. I THINK WE ARE LIKELY TO SEE FAR MORE NUMEROUS MASS GRAVES, EXECUTIONS, AND HORRORS EVEN BEYOND THAT. THAT WILL TRY OUR SOULS WHEN WE SEE THE RESULTS. /// END ACTUALITY ///MR. COHEN TOLD REPORTERS ON A FLIGHT TO BRUSSELS, THE KILLING OF KOSOVAR ALBANIANS IS LIKELY TO SPARK A LONG-TERM GUERRILLA STRUGGLE IN THE HILLS OF KOSOVO. MR. COHEN SAYS SERB ATTACKS RADICALIZED THE KOSOVARS, PROMPTING MANY MORE OF THEM TO JOIN THE ANTI-SERB KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY. MR. COHEN SAYS A YEAR OF SERB REPRESSION IN KOSOVO CHANGED THE K-L-A FROM A NEARLY-IRRELEVANT FRINGE GROUP TO A SIGNIFICANT FIGHTING FORCE. HE PREDICTS MANY ANGRY KOSOVARS WILL TAKE UP ARMS AND COME DOWN FROM THE HILLS TO ATTACK ANY SERB FORCES THAT REMAIN IN KOSOVO. /// REST OPTIONAL ///NEB / JR / CB / WD 07-Apr-99 3:19 AM EDT (0719 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America [16] BRTAIN / WAR CRIMES (L ONLY) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247737 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: BRITAIN'S FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK HAS CHALLENGED YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO LET U-N WAR CRIMES PROSECUTORS GO INTO THE SERB PROVINCE OF KOSOVO TO INVESTIGATE REPORTS OF MASSACRES AND OTHER ATROCITIES. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN IN LONDON REPORTS THE CALL COINCIDES WITH COMPLAINTS FROM THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL THAT NATO HAS BEEN SLOW TO COOPERATE SO FAR. TEXT: FOREIGN SECRETARY COOK TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE BRITAIN HAS REPORTS OF SIX SEPARATE MASSACRES DURING THE PAST 24 HOURS IN KOSOVO PROVINCE. HE DISPLAYED A MAP OF KOSOVO TO POINT OUT THE LOCATIONS OF THE REPORTED KILLINGS. /// COOK ACT ONE ///IN THAT SINGLE DAY, WE RECEIVED SIX REPORTS OF KILLINGS IN KOSOVO, INCLUDING REPORTS OF A MASS EXECUTION AT PASTRIK, IN THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER OF THE MAP, AND ALSO THE EXECUTION OF 35 CIVILIANS AT SOPI, SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT. THIS IS ON TOP OF THE LONG CHARGE SHEET OF WAR CRIMES WHICH HAVE BEEN NOTCHED UP BY MILOSEVIC'S FORCES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. /// END ACT ///THE REPORTS HAVE NOT BEEN INDEPENDENTLY CONFIRMED. SO MR COOK CHALLENGED PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TO LET WAR CRIMES PROSECUTORS FROM THE HAGUE GO TO KOSOVO TO INVESTIGATE -- A DEMAND THE YUGOSLAV LEADER HAS FLATLY REFUSED IN THE PAST. /// COOK ACT TWO ///LET HIM AGREE TO LET IN THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL TO INVESTIGATE THESE ATROCITIES AND THE OTHERS OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS. LET THERE BE JUSTICE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN MURDERED OR DEPORTED OVER THAT FORTNIGHT (TWO WEEKS). /// END ACT ///FOREIGN SECRETARY COOK ONCE AGAIN WARNED SERB MILITARY OFFICERS THEY WILL NOT ESCAPE PUNISHMENT FOR OBEYING PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC'S ORDERS IN KOSOVO. /// COOK ACT THREE ///I WARN THOSE CARRYING OUT HIS (MILOSEVIC) POLICY THAT IT WILL BE NO DEFENSE TO SAY THEY WERE FOLLOWING ORDERS. WE KNOW THE NAMES OF THE FIVE COLONELS OF THE PRISTINA ARMY CORPS. THEY WILL BE HELD TO ACCOUNT FOR HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES FOR WHAT THEIR UNITS HAVE DONE. THERE IS NO STATUTE OF LIMITATION FOR WAR CRIMES. /// END ACT ///BRITISH OFFICIALS SAY NATO IS GATHERING EVIDENCE BASED ON INFORMATION FROM INSIDE KOSOVO AND FROM REFUGEES FLEEING THE PROVINCE, WHICH NATO PROMISES TO HAND OVER TO THE YUGOSLAV WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL. FRUSTRATED INVESTIGATORS AT THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL SAY THEY ARE
ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR NATO'S EVIDENCE TO PROCEED WITH THEIR OWN
PROBE. THE DEPUTY PROSECUTOR SAYS THE ALLEGED CRIMES AGAINST
HUMANITY -- INCLUDING RAPE, MASS DEPORTATION, AND MASS EXECUTIONS
ARE WITHIN THE TRIBUNAL'S JURISDICTION. (SIGNED)
[17] YUGO WAR CRIMES (L ONLY) BY LAUREN COMITEAU (THE HAGUE)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247738 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: PROSECUTORS AT THE YUGOSLAV WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL SAY WESTERN AND NATO OFFICIALS ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH TO TURN OVER THE EVIDENCE THEY HAVE PROMISED REGARDING WAR CRIMES IN KOSOVO. LAUREN COMITEAU REPORTS FROM THE HAGUE. TEXT: SPOKESPEOPLE FOR THE U-S AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS AND FOR NATO HAVE SAID SEVERAL TIMES THEY HAVE EVIDENCE OF WAR CRIMES. AND THEY SAY THEY ARE GIVING THAT EVIDENCE TO THE YUGOSLAV WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL AT THE HAGUE. U-S SECRETARY OF STATE MADELINE ALBRIGHT SAID TUESDAY THAT THE U-S GOVERNMENT IS COOPERATING FULLY WITH THE TRIBUNAL. AND NATO SPOKESMAN JAMIE SHEA HAS SAID THAT NO ONE WHO HAS COMMITTED WAR CRIMES WILL GO UNPUNISHED. THERE ARE NO HIDING PLACES, HE SAID. BUT THE TRIBUNAL'S DEPUTY PROSECUTOR GRAHAM BLEWITT -- SPEAKING TO REPORTERS WEDNESDAY -- QUESTIONED THE USEFULNESS OF SUCH STATEMENTS. /// BLEWITT ACT ONE ///IT'S ONLY HELPFUL IF THEY'RE PREPARED TO BACK UP WITH THE EVIDENCE THEY SAY THEY'VE GOT THAT ESTABLISHED THOSE THINGS. THAT CAUSES US SOME FRUSTRATION, THAT WE'RE BEING TANTALIZED WITH THIS EVIDENCE THAT WE SAY EXISTS WHICH WE EXPECT WILL COME OUR WAY AND WE KEEP HAVE TO GO DIGGING FOR IT AND FINDING IT. /// END ACT ///MR. BLEWITT SAYS TRIBUNAL PROSECUTORS HAVE RECEIVED SOME OF THAT EVIDENCE, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS THEY EXPECTED -- GIVEN THE PUBLIC STATEMENTS FROM THE UNITED STATES, BRITAIN, AND NATO. HE SAYS HIS OFFICE HAS URGED THEM ALL TO TURN OVER THE EVIDENCE, BUT AS OF YET THERE IS NO INDICATION WHEN THEY WILL. IN THE MEANTIME, PROSECUTOR BLEWITT SAYS HIS OFFICE HAS SENT ITS OWN INVESTIGATORS TO THE REGION -- WITH MORE ON THE WAY LATER THIS WEEK. BUT HE REFUSED TO GIVE SPECIFICS ON HOW THEY ARE GOING ABOUT GATHERING EVIDENCE. WITH THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES -- MANY OF WHOM MAY HAVE WITNESSED ATROCITIES -- MR. BLEWITT SAYS THE TASK IS MONUMENTAL. /// BLEWITT ACT TWO ///IF WE HAD EVERYONE IN THE WHOLE TRIBUNAL DOWN THERE DOING THE JOB, IT WOULD BE INSUFFICIENT. SO WE HAVE TO RELY ON OTHERS TO ASSIST US IN THIS AREA. FRANKLY, WE'RE CONTACTING ANYONE IN THE REGION TO SEE IF THEY'LL HELP US. /// END ACT ///MR. BLEWITT SAYS IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR TRIBUNAL INVESTIGATORS THEMSELVES TO INTERVIEW EVERY REFUGEE COMING OUT OF KOSOVO. BUT HE SAYS THEY ARE TRYING TO GET STATEMENTS FROM KEY EYEWITNESSES TO CRIMES SUCH AS MASS EXECUTIONS, SYSTEMATIC RAPE, DEPORTATIONS, LOOTING, AND PERSECUTION. /// OPT ////// OPT // BLEWITT ACT THREE ///AND IT COMES DOWN TO AS WE'VE SAID FOR MONTHS AND YEARS -- THAT IT IS EVIDENCE-DRIVEN. AND IF THE EVIDENCE IS THERE THAT'S GOING TO SUPPORT A CHARGE, WE WOULDN'T HESITATE TO BRING AN INDICTMENT AND WOULDN'T HAVE REGARD TO THE POSITION OF POLITICAL LEADERS. /// END ACT // END OPT ///MR. BLEWITT SAYS THERE IS A RENEWED SENSE OF URGENCY IN HIS
OFFICE, ONE THAT HAS NOT BEEN SEEN SINCE THE SREBRENICA
MASSACRES IN BOSNIA FOUR YEARS AGO. PROSECUTORS ARE SIMPLY
TRYING, HE SAYS, TO COPE WITH THE CURRENT CRISIS GIVEN WHAT
LIMITED RESOURCES THEY HAVE. (SIGNED)
[18] KOSOVO WAR CRIMES (L) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247766 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE UNITED STATES HAS IDENTIFIED THE COMMANDERS OF NINE YUGOSLAV ARMY AND POLICE UNITS IN KOSOVO -- SAYING THEY COULD BE PROSECUTED FOR WAR CRIMES COMMITTED BY THEIR FORCES AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO. THIS, EVEN AS YUGOSLAVIA CONTINUES TO DENY ITS TROOPS ARE ENGAGING IN ATROCITIES AND SAYS THEY ARE ONLY GOING AFTER MILITANT KOSOVAR SEPARATISTS. FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT, V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS. TEXT: THE UNITED STATES SAYS IT WANTS TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO UNIT COMMANDERS IN KOSOVO THAT THEIR FORCES ARE COMMITTING WAR CRIMES. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAYS THAT UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW COMMANDERS CAN BE PROSECUTED, EVEN FOR FAILING TO PREVENT WAR CRIMES FROM TAKING PLACE. // RUBIN ACT //NO COMMANDER OF THE "V-J", THE YUGOSLAV ARMY, OR THE "MUP", THE POLICE, IS IMMUNE FROM PROSECUTION, NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. ANY COMMANDER OF THE "V-J" OR "MUP" WHO PLANS, INSTIGATES, ORDERS, OR EVEN AIDS OR ABETS IN A WAR CRIME, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, OR GENOCIDE, IS INDIVIDUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR CRIMES COMMITTED IN KOSOVO. // END ACT //STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAY THE NINE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE PUBLICLY IDENTIFIED ARE THE MOST RECENTLY KNOWN COMMANDERS OF THE NINE ARMY AND POLICE UNITS IN KOSOVO. // OPT //STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAYS U-S OFFICIALS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROSPECT THAT SERB FORCES WILL COMMIT FURTHER ATROCITIES IN KOSOVO IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS. // RUBIN ACT TWO //WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE CLEAR TO THE PEOPLE THERE THAT WE KNOW THE NAMES OF THE UNITS AND THE COMMANDERS OF THE UNITS, SO THEY SHOULD THINK LONG AND HARD BEFORE THEY ACT IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEIR UNITS CONDUCT THESE ATROCITIES OR WAR CRIMES OR THAT THEY DON'T ACT TO PREVENT IT. // END ACT //OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE MONITORING THE SITUATION IN KOSOVO AS BEST AS THEY CAN AND ARE PROVIDING THE INFORMATION ON WAR CRIMES TO THE INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE. PROSECUTORS AT THE TRIBUNAL HAVE EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH THE COOPERATION THEY RECEIVED SO FAR, SAYING NATO NATIONS HAVE NOT DONE ENOUGH TO TURN OVER USEFUL INFORMATION. STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAY THEY NEED TO PROTECT THEIR SOURCES OF INFORMATION, BUT THEY ARE MOVING TO ACCELERATE THE SHARING OF INFORMATION WITH THE TRIBUNAL. U-S WAR CRIMES AMBASSADOR DAVID SCHEFFER HAS JUST RETURNED FROM A TRIP TO THE REGION WHERE HE CONDUCTED A SERIES OF INTERVIEW WITH REFUGEES. THE GRAPHIC REFUGEE ACCOUNTS IN HIS REPORT DETAIL A SYSTEMATIC SERB CAMPAIGN TO DRIVE ETHNIC ALBANIANS FROM KOSOVO. OFFICIALS SAY THE ACCOUNTS OF SERB KILLINGS AND WAR CRIMES ARE BEING TURNED OVER TO WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATORS ALONG WITH OTHER INFORMATION. ASKED IF THEY EXPECTED YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO
BE INDICTED BY THE TRIBUNAL, U-S OFFICIALS SAID AGAIN THAT
DECISION WOULD BE UP TO WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATORS. (SIGNED)
[19] KOSOVO WAR CRIMES (S) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247761 CONTENT= VOICED AT: /// RE-RUNNING W/CORRECT NUMBER ///INTRO: THE UNITED STATES HAS IDENTIFIED WHAT IT BELIEVES ARE THE INDIVIDUAL COMMANDERS OF NINE YUGOSLAV ARMY AND POLICE UNITS THAT HAVE ALLEGEDLY ENGAGED IN WAR CRIMES IN KOSOVO PROVINCE. THIS, EVEN AS YUGOSLAVIA CONTINUES TO DENY ITS TROOPS ARE ENGAGING IN ATROCITIES AND SAYS THEY ARE ONLY GOING AFTER MILITANT KOSOVAR SEPARATISTS. MORE FROM V-O-A'S KYLE KING AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT. TEXT: U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE MAKING THE NAMES OF THE NINE UNIT COMMANDERS PUBLIC TO PUT THEM ON NOTICE THAT THEY MAY BE PROSECUTED BY THE U-N WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAYS THAT UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW, COMMANDERS CAN BE PROSECUTED EVEN FOR FAILING TO PREVENT THEIR UNITS FROM CARRYING OUT WAR CRIMES. // RUBIN ACT //THE FACT THAT SOMEONE IS ORDERED TO COMMIT CRIMES DOES NOT RELIEVE THAT PERSON OF INDIVIDUAL CRIMINAL LIABILITY. NO COMMANDER OF THE V-J, THE YUGOSLAV ARMY, OR M-U-P, THE POLICE, IS IMMUNE FROM PROSECUTION, NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. // END ACT //THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE NINE INDIVIDUALS BEING PUBLICLY IDENTIFIED ARE THE MOST RECENTLY KNOWN COMMANDERS OF THE NINE UNITS IN KOSOVO. OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THE WAR CRIMES
TRIBUNAL, WHICH WILL DETERMINE IF INDICTMENTS ARE JUSTIFIED.
(SIGNED)
[20] BRITAIN/KOSOVO (L) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247729 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK CALLS THE CEASE-FIRE OFFER BY YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC A "SHAM" AND SAYS HE MUST REVERSE THE CAMPAIGN OF ETHNIC CLEANSING. BRITISH DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY NATO IS TARGETING SERB MILITARY UNITS IN KOSOVO CARRYING OUT THAT CAMPAIGN, AS V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS. TEXT: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY COOK SAYS BELGRADE'S CEASE-FIRE OFFER IS NOT ENOUGH TO SATISFY NATO'S DEMANDS. /// COOK ACT ///THE BOTTOM LINE FOR US AND ALL NATO IS THAT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC MUST REVERSE THE ETHNIC CLEANSING OF KOSOVO BY ALLOWING ITS PEOPLE TO RETURN UNDER INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION. /// END ACT ///MR COOK ALSO DISMISSES BELGRADE'S CALL FOR KOSOVAR ALBANIANS TO RETURN HOME NOW. /// COOK ACT TWO ///IT IS HARD FOR THE REFUGEES TO BELIEVE THAT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC WANTS THEM BACK WHEN HIS POLICE HAVE GONE TO SUCH TROUBLE TO SHRED THEIR IDENTITY PAPERS WHEN THEY LEFT. /// END ACT ///MR COOK ALSO CHALLENGES PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TO FREE KOSOVAR ALBANIAN LEADER IBRAHIM RUGOVA, WHO IS REPORTED TO BE UNDER HOUSE ARREST. //OPT///// COOK ACT THREE //// /// OPT ACT ///AS HIS FUEL DEPOTS BURN AND HIS LINES OF COMMUNICATIONS (ARE) CUT, IT MUST HAVE DAWNED ON HIM THAT NATO CAN KEEP GOING LONGER THAN HIM. HE KNOWS HE CANNOT WIN BY MILITARY CONFLICT. /// END ACT /////END OPT//BRITISH DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY NATO HAS CARRIED OUT 190 ATTACKS SINCE THE AIR CAMPAIGN STARTED ON MARCH 24TH. MR. COOK SAYS 80 OF THOSE ATTACKS HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT DURING THE PAST FOUR DAYS. //OPT//MR COOK ALSO CHALLENGES PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TO LET WAR CRIMES
INVESTIGATORS INTO KOSOVO TO VERIFY REPORTS OF MASSACRES AND
OTHER ATROCITIES. (SIGNED)
[21] BRITAIN / KOSOVO (S) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247728 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK CALLS THE CEASEFIRE OFFER OF YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC A SHAM AND SAYS HE MUST REVERSE THE CAMPAIGN OF ETHNIC CLEANSING. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN IN LONDON REPORTS BRITISH DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY NATO IS TARGETTING SERB MILITARY UNITS IN KOSOVO CARRYING OUT THAT CAMPAIGN. TEXT: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY COOK SAYS BELGRADE'S CEASEFIRE OFFER IS NOT ENOUGH TO SATISFY NATO'S DEMANDS. /// COOK ACT ONE ///THE BOTTOM LINE FOR US AND ALL NATO IS THAT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC MUST REVERSE THE ETHNIC CLEANSING OF KOSOVO BY ALLOWING ITS PEOPLE TO RETURN UNDER INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION. /// END ACT ///MR. COOK ALSO DISMISSES BELGRADE'S CALL FOR KOSOVAR ALBANIANS TO RETURN HOME NOW. /// COOK ACT TWO ///IT IS HARD FOR THE REFUGEES TO BELIEVE THAT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC WANTS THEM BACK WHEN HIS POLICE HAVE GONE TO SUCH TROUBLE TO SHRED THEIR IDENTITY PAPERS WHEN THEY LEFT. /// END ACT ///MR. COOK ALSO CHALLENGES PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TO FREE KOSOVAR
ALBANIAN LEADER IBRAHIM RUGOVA WHO IS BELIEVED TO BE UNDER HOUSE
ARREST. (SIGNED)
[22] KOSOVO WAR CRIMES (L) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247766 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE UNITED STATES HAS IDENTIFIED THE COMMANDERS OF NINE YUGOSLAV ARMY AND POLICE UNITS IN KOSOVO -- SAYING THEY COULD BE PROSECUTED FOR WAR CRIMES COMMITTED BY THEIR FORCES AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO. THIS, EVEN AS YUGOSLAVIA CONTINUES TO DENY ITS TROOPS ARE ENGAGING IN ATROCITIES AND SAYS THEY ARE ONLY GOING AFTER MILITANT KOSOVAR SEPARATISTS. FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT, V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS. TEXT: THE UNITED STATES SAYS IT WANTS TO SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO UNIT COMMANDERS IN KOSOVO THAT THEIR FORCES ARE COMMITTING WAR CRIMES. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAYS THAT UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW COMMANDERS CAN BE PROSECUTED, EVEN FOR FAILING TO PREVENT WAR CRIMES FROM TAKING PLACE. // RUBIN ACT //NO COMMANDER OF THE "V-J", THE YUGOSLAV ARMY, OR THE "MUP", THE POLICE, IS IMMUNE FROM PROSECUTION, NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. ANY COMMANDER OF THE "V-J" OR "MUP" WHO PLANS, INSTIGATES, ORDERS, OR EVEN AIDS OR ABETS IN A WAR CRIME, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, OR GENOCIDE, IS INDIVIDUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR CRIMES COMMITTED IN KOSOVO. // END ACT //STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAY THE NINE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE PUBLICLY IDENTIFIED ARE THE MOST RECENTLY KNOWN COMMANDERS OF THE NINE ARMY AND POLICE UNITS IN KOSOVO. // OPT //STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAYS U-S OFFICIALS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROSPECT THAT SERB FORCES WILL COMMIT FURTHER ATROCITIES IN KOSOVO IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS. // RUBIN ACT TWO //WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE CLEAR TO THE PEOPLE THERE THAT WE KNOW THE NAMES OF THE UNITS AND THE COMMANDERS OF THE UNITS, SO THEY SHOULD THINK LONG AND HARD BEFORE THEY ACT IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEIR UNITS CONDUCT THESE ATROCITIES OR WAR CRIMES OR THAT THEY DON'T ACT TO PREVENT IT. // END ACT //OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE MONITORING THE SITUATION IN KOSOVO AS BEST AS THEY CAN AND ARE PROVIDING THE INFORMATION ON WAR CRIMES TO THE INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE. PROSECUTORS AT THE TRIBUNAL HAVE EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH THE COOPERATION THEY RECEIVED SO FAR, SAYING NATO NATIONS HAVE NOT DONE ENOUGH TO TURN OVER USEFUL INFORMATION. STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAY THEY NEED TO PROTECT THEIR SOURCES OF INFORMATION, BUT THEY ARE MOVING TO ACCELERATE THE SHARING OF INFORMATION WITH THE TRIBUNAL. U-S WAR CRIMES AMBASSADOR DAVID SCHEFFER HAS JUST RETURNED FROM A TRIP TO THE REGION WHERE HE CONDUCTED A SERIES OF INTERVIEW WITH REFUGEES. THE GRAPHIC REFUGEE ACCOUNTS IN HIS REPORT DETAIL A SYSTEMATIC SERB CAMPAIGN TO DRIVE ETHNIC ALBANIANS FROM KOSOVO. OFFICIALS SAY THE ACCOUNTS OF SERB KILLINGS AND WAR CRIMES ARE BEING TURNED OVER TO WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATORS ALONG WITH OTHER INFORMATION. ASKED IF THEY EXPECTED YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO
BE INDICTED BY THE TRIBUNAL, U-S OFFICIALS SAID AGAIN THAT
DECISION WOULD BE UP TO WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATORS. (SIGNED)
[23] KOSOVO WAR CRIMES (S) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247761 CONTENT= VOICED AT: /// RE-RUNNING W/CORRECT NUMBER ///INTRO: THE UNITED STATES HAS IDENTIFIED WHAT IT BELIEVES ARE THE INDIVIDUAL COMMANDERS OF NINE YUGOSLAV ARMY AND POLICE UNITS THAT HAVE ALLEGEDLY ENGAGED IN WAR CRIMES IN KOSOVO PROVINCE. THIS, EVEN AS YUGOSLAVIA CONTINUES TO DENY ITS TROOPS ARE ENGAGING IN ATROCITIES AND SAYS THEY ARE ONLY GOING AFTER MILITANT KOSOVAR SEPARATISTS. MORE FROM V-O-A'S KYLE KING AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT. TEXT: U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE MAKING THE NAMES OF THE NINE UNIT COMMANDERS PUBLIC TO PUT THEM ON NOTICE THAT THEY MAY BE PROSECUTED BY THE U-N WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAYS THAT UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW, COMMANDERS CAN BE PROSECUTED EVEN FOR FAILING TO PREVENT THEIR UNITS FROM CARRYING OUT WAR CRIMES. // RUBIN ACT //THE FACT THAT SOMEONE IS ORDERED TO COMMIT CRIMES DOES NOT RELIEVE THAT PERSON OF INDIVIDUAL CRIMINAL LIABILITY. NO COMMANDER OF THE V-J, THE YUGOSLAV ARMY, OR M-U-P, THE POLICE, IS IMMUNE FROM PROSECUTION, NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. // END ACT //THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS THE NINE INDIVIDUALS BEING PUBLICLY IDENTIFIED ARE THE MOST RECENTLY KNOWN COMMANDERS OF THE NINE UNITS IN KOSOVO. OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THE WAR CRIMES
TRIBUNAL, WHICH WILL DETERMINE IF INDICTMENTS ARE JUSTIFIED.
(SIGNED)
[24] BRITAIN/KOSOVO (L) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247729 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK CALLS THE CEASE-FIRE OFFER BY YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC A "SHAM" AND SAYS HE MUST REVERSE THE CAMPAIGN OF ETHNIC CLEANSING. BRITISH DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY NATO IS TARGETING SERB MILITARY UNITS IN KOSOVO CARRYING OUT THAT CAMPAIGN, AS V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS. TEXT: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY COOK SAYS BELGRADE'S CEASE-FIRE OFFER IS NOT ENOUGH TO SATISFY NATO'S DEMANDS. /// COOK ACT ///THE BOTTOM LINE FOR US AND ALL NATO IS THAT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC MUST REVERSE THE ETHNIC CLEANSING OF KOSOVO BY ALLOWING ITS PEOPLE TO RETURN UNDER INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION. /// END ACT ///MR COOK ALSO DISMISSES BELGRADE'S CALL FOR KOSOVAR ALBANIANS TO RETURN HOME NOW. /// COOK ACT TWO ///IT IS HARD FOR THE REFUGEES TO BELIEVE THAT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC WANTS THEM BACK WHEN HIS POLICE HAVE GONE TO SUCH TROUBLE TO SHRED THEIR IDENTITY PAPERS WHEN THEY LEFT. /// END ACT ///MR COOK ALSO CHALLENGES PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TO FREE KOSOVAR ALBANIAN LEADER IBRAHIM RUGOVA, WHO IS REPORTED TO BE UNDER HOUSE ARREST. //OPT///// COOK ACT THREE //// /// OPT ACT ///AS HIS FUEL DEPOTS BURN AND HIS LINES OF COMMUNICATIONS (ARE) CUT, IT MUST HAVE DAWNED ON HIM THAT NATO CAN KEEP GOING LONGER THAN HIM. HE KNOWS HE CANNOT WIN BY MILITARY CONFLICT. /// END ACT /////END OPT//BRITISH DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY NATO HAS CARRIED OUT 190 ATTACKS SINCE THE AIR CAMPAIGN STARTED ON MARCH 24TH. MR. COOK SAYS 80 OF THOSE ATTACKS HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT DURING THE PAST FOUR DAYS. //OPT//MR COOK ALSO CHALLENGES PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TO LET WAR CRIMES
INVESTIGATORS INTO KOSOVO TO VERIFY REPORTS OF MASSACRES AND
OTHER ATROCITIES. (SIGNED)
[25] BRITAIN / KOSOVO (S) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247728 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK CALLS THE CEASEFIRE OFFER OF YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC A SHAM AND SAYS HE MUST REVERSE THE CAMPAIGN OF ETHNIC CLEANSING. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN IN LONDON REPORTS BRITISH DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY NATO IS TARGETTING SERB MILITARY UNITS IN KOSOVO CARRYING OUT THAT CAMPAIGN. TEXT: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY COOK SAYS BELGRADE'S CEASEFIRE OFFER IS NOT ENOUGH TO SATISFY NATO'S DEMANDS. /// COOK ACT ONE ///THE BOTTOM LINE FOR US AND ALL NATO IS THAT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC MUST REVERSE THE ETHNIC CLEANSING OF KOSOVO BY ALLOWING ITS PEOPLE TO RETURN UNDER INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION. /// END ACT ///MR. COOK ALSO DISMISSES BELGRADE'S CALL FOR KOSOVAR ALBANIANS TO RETURN HOME NOW. /// COOK ACT TWO ///IT IS HARD FOR THE REFUGEES TO BELIEVE THAT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC WANTS THEM BACK WHEN HIS POLICE HAVE GONE TO SUCH TROUBLE TO SHRED THEIR IDENTITY PAPERS WHEN THEY LEFT. /// END ACT ///MR. COOK ALSO CHALLENGES PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TO FREE KOSOVAR
ALBANIAN LEADER IBRAHIM RUGOVA WHO IS BELIEVED TO BE UNDER HOUSE
ARREST. (SIGNED)
[26] CROATIA / KOSOVO (L) BY MICHAEL LELAND (CHICAGO)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247767 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: CROATIA'S DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER SAYS THE KOSOVAR ALBANIANS ARE GETTING A "CRASH COURSE" IN WHAT IT MEANS TO TRY TO STAND UP AGAINST THE SERB-CONTROLLED YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT. CROATIA FOUGHT ITS OWN WAR TO BREAK AWAY FROM YUGOSLAVIA EARLIER THIS DECADE. DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER MATE GRANIC SAYS HIS COUNTRY SUPPORTS THE NATO ACTION IN YUGOSLAVIA. VOA'S MICHAEL LELAND REPORTS MR. GRANIC MADE HIS COMMENTS IN A SPEECH (WEDNESDAY) IN CHICAGO. TEXT: CROATIAN DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER MATE GRANIC SAYS HIS COUNTRY KNOWS WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE THE TARGET OF ATTACKS BY THE SERB-LED YUGOSLAV MILITARY. ITS OWN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE, BEGINNING IN 1991 AND NOT FULLY STOPPED UNTIL 1995, RESULTED IN THOUSANDS OF DEATHS AND WIDESPREAD DAMAGE. SPEAKING AT A CEREMONY FOR THE OPENING OF A CROATIAN CONSULATE IN CHICAGO, MR. GRANIC SAYS IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE SUCH VIOLENCE CONTINUING IN THE BALKANS. // FIRST GRANIC ACT //CROATIA DEFINITELY, AS A NEIGHBOR IN THE BALKAN REGION, WANTS TO SEE A STABLE AND PEACEFUL BALKAN REGION. BUT NOW IS THE MOMENT FOR A FINAL RESOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM. // END ACT //MR. GRANIC SAYS KOSOVO REPRESENTS A TURNING POINT FOR PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE BALKANS. HIS COUNTRY MAINTAINS DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH BELGRADE, BUT SUPPORTS THE NATO MILITARY ACTION. MR. GRANIC CONSIDERS IT THE BEST CHANCE FOR EVENTUAL PEACE, AND TO PREVENT VIOLENCE FROM SPREADING INTO MONTENEGRO OR MACEDONIA. IN HIS SPEECH, HE SUGGESTED THE CRISIS IN KOSOVO WOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TODAY IF STRONGER ACTION HAD BEEN TAKEN AGAINST SERB-LED FORCES IN SLOVENIA, CROATIA OR BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. // SECOND GRANIC ACT //THOSE WHO MISSED A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES TO STOP (YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN) MILOSEVIC THE WAY IT IS BEING TRIED NOW IN KOSOVO, AS WELL AS MILOSEVIC'S NUMEROUS VICTIMS, HAVE TO JOIN EFFORTS AND WORK TOGETHER SO THAT PEACE AND STABILITY CAN PREVAIL AND RETURN TO THE SOUTHEAST OF EUROPE. // END ACT //MR. GRANIC ALSO EXPRESSED HOPE THAT CROATIA CAN EVENTUALLY BECOME A MEMBER OF (NATO'S) "PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE," NATO AND THE EUROPEAN UNION. // THIRD GRANIC ACT //IF WE WERE IN THE PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE NOW AND AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, WE COULD DO MORE TO HELP RESOLVE THE CRISIS, AND THE TRANSATLANTIC ALLIANCE COULD FEEL MORE SECURE. // END ACT //MR. GRANIC SAYS CROATIA WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER HUMANITARIAN
ASSISTANCE TO THE KOSOVAR ALBANIANS, AND HAS TAKEN IN SOME
REFUGEES. HE SAYS HIS COUNTRY WILL MAINTAIN DIPLOMATIC
RELATIONS WITH YUGOSLAVIA, NO MATTER WHO IS IN CHARGE. HE IS
HOPEFUL THE NATO ACTION WILL EVENTUALLY PERSUADE SLOBODAN
MILOSEVIC TO ACCEPT A PEACE PROPOSAL. (SIGNED)
[27] HUNGARY / YUGOSLAVIA (L-ONLY) BY STEPHAN BOS (BUDAPEST)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247773 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: LESS THAN ONE MONTH AFTER BECOMING A FULL NATO MEMBER, HUNGARY SEEMS INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT NATO AIRSTRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA MAY HAVE ON ITS TERRITORY. STEFAN BOS REPORTS FROM BUDAPEST WHERE DEFENSE OFFICIALS CONFIRM THAT YUGOSLAV FIGHTER PLANES HAVE ALREADY VIOLATED HUNGARIAN AIR SPACE. TEXT: HUNGARIAN DEFENSE OFFICIALS TELL V-O-A THAT AT LEAST TWO YUGOSLAV MIG FIGHTER PLANES VIOLATED HUNGARIAN AIR SPACE LAST SUNDAY. DEFENSE MINISTRY SPOKESMAN LAJOS ERDELYI: // ERDELYI ACT //IN THE MORNING AT 10 O'CLOCK (OR SO), TWO YUGOSLAV AIRPLANES CROSSED THE HUNGARIAN BORDER. // END ACT //MR. ERDELYI ADDS THAT NATO F-15 FIGHTER PLANES FORCED THE MIGS TO LEAVE HUNGARY'S AIR SPACE IMMEDIATELY. SOME HUNGARIAN DEFENSE OFFICIALS BELIEVE BELGRADE WAS TRYING TO PROVOKE HUNGARY AND TEST NATO'S RESOLVE. HUNGARY IS NOT ONLY CONCERNED ABOUT VIOLATIONS OF ITS TERRITORY BUT IS ALSO WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF SOME 400-THOUSAND ETHNIC HUNGARIANS LIVING IN THE YUGOSLAV PROVINCE OF VOJVODINA. MANY ETHNIC HUNGARIANS LIVE AROUND THE YUGOSLAV TOWN OF NOVI SAD WHERE NATO WAR PLANES ATTACKED WHAT THE ALLIANCE DESCRIBED AS MILITARY AND OTHER STRATEGIC TARGETS. HUNGARY IS ALSO WORRIED ABOUT REPORTS THAT AN INCREASING NUMBER OF ETHNIC HUNGARIANS FROM VOJVODINA ARE BEING DRAFTED INTO THE YUGOSLAV ARMY FOR OPERATIONS AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO. ETHNIC HUNGARIAN LEADERS IN VOJVODINA HAVE APPEALED TO BUDAPEST TO SCALE BACK ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE NATO CAMPAIGN. SEVERAL HUNGARIAN MINISTERS SAY THEY HOPE THAT HUNGARY'S NON-DIRECT MILITARY ROLE IN THE KOSOVO CONFLICT WILL KEEP YUGOSLAVIA FROM CARRYING OUT REPRISALS AGAINST HUNGARY OR ETHNIC HUNGARIANS. BUT BELGRADE HAS ALREADY CRITICIZED HUNGARY AND OTHER NEIGHBORING
COUNTRIES FOR INDIRECTLY SUPPORTING NATO'S AIR CAMPAIGN.
HUNGARY, AS A MEMBER OF NATO, HAS ALLIANCE PLANES USING ITS AIR
SPACE AND ITS AIRFIELDS FOR CARRYING OUT STRIKES AGAINST
YUGOSLAVIA. (SIGNED)
[28] NATO-KOSOVO (L) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247744 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: NATO HAS ASKED YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO ANSWER SEVERAL QUESTIONS IF HE WANTS THE AIR STRIKES TO STOP. V-O-A'S RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM NATO HEADQUARTERS, THE QUESTIONS CONTAIN CONDITIONS WHICH YUGOSLAVIA HAS ALREADY REJECTED. TEXT: IF NATO IS TO STOP ITS AIR OPERATIONS OVER YUGOSLAVIA, SPOKESMAN JAMIE SHEA SAYS PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC MUST ANSWER THE FOLLOWING FIVE QUESTIONS. ///SHEA ACT///IS PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC PREPARED FOR A VERIFIABLE CESSATION OF ALL COMBAT ACTIVITIES AND KILLINGS? IS HE PREPARED TO WITHDRAW MILITARY POLICE AND PARA-MILITARY FORCES FROM KOSOVO? IS HE PREPARED TO AGREE TO THE DEPLOYMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY FORCE? IS HE PREPARED TO PERMIT THE RETURN OF REFUGEES AND UNIMPEDED ACCESS FOR HUMANITARIAN AID? AND FINALLY IS HE PREPARED TO PUT INTO PLACE A POLITICAL FRAMEWORK FOR KOSOVO ON THE BASIS OF THE RAMBOULLET ACCORDS? ///END ACT///MR. SHEA SAYS THESE QUESTIONS WERE NOT ANSWERED BY YUGOSLAVIA'S UNILATERAL CEASE-FIRE DECLARATION ON TUESDAY -- A DECLARATION THAT HAS BEEN REJECTED BY NATO. YUGOSLAVIA HAS REPEATED ITS OPPOSITION TO STATIONING FOREIGN PEACEKEEPERS IN KOSOVO, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE LED BY NATO. NATO'S MILITARY SPOKESMAN SAYS THERE IS NO SIGN THAT YUGOSLAV FORCES ARE MAKING ANY ATTEMPT TO WITHDRAW FROM KOSOVO. HE DESCRIBES YUGOSLAV TANKS THERE AS "HUNKERING DOWN" -- IN OTHER WORDS, TRYING TO STAY OUT OF SIGHT. THAT'S PROBABLY THE SAFEST POSITION, NOW THAT NATO SAYS IT HAS SUCCESSFULLY TARGETED A YUGOSLAV ARMORED COLUMN NORTH OF KOSOVO'S REGIONAL CAPITAL, PRISTINA. IT IS THE FIRST TIME NATO HAS CLAIMED TO HAVE INTERRUPTED YUGOSLAV MILITARY MOVEMENTS IN KOSOVO. //OPT/////SECOND SHEA ACT////// OPT ACT ///IT IS ONE THING TO PUSH REFUGEES OVER BORDERS WHERE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS NOW INCREASINGLY READY TO DEAL WITH THEM IN A HUMANE WAY. BUT IT IS QUITE ANOTHER THING TO PUSH THEM BACK INTO A WASTELAND WHERE THERE IS NO FOOD, VERY LITTLE WATER, NO MEDICAL SUPPLIES WHERE EVERYTHING HAS BEEN LOOTED. AND I HOPE THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT IS NOT PLAYING POKER WITH PEOPLE'S LIVES AND TRYING TO CREATE A FURTHER INTERNAL HUMANITARIAN CRISIS AT A MOMENT WHEN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS ON ITS WAY TO SOLVING THE EXTERNAL HUMANITARIAN CRISIS. ///END ACT////// END OPT ACT ///NATO'S BOMBING WILL CONTINUE UNTIL YUGOSLAVIA IS READY TO ANSWER THE FIVE QUESTIONS POSED BY MR. SHEA. //END OPT// U-S DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT MET HIS RUSSIAN COUNTERPART HERE IN BRUSSELS ON THE SIDE OF A MEETING BY POLITICAL DIRECTORS OF THE SIX-NATION "CONTACT GROUP." MR. TALBOTT TELLS REPORTERS THE UNITED STATES WANTS RUSSIA INVOLVED IN A SOLUTION, DESPITE THEIR DISAGREEMENT ABOUT NATO'S USE OF FORCE. ///TALBOTT ACT///EITHER THE RUSSIANS CAN RECONCILE THEMSELVES TO THE NEED AND UTILITY FOR CONTINUING FORCE -- OR MILOSEVIC AND THE BELGRADE REGIME ACCEPT CONDITIONS THAT WOULD PERMIT AN END TO THE AIR STRIKES, WHICH HE COULD DO TOMORROW. ///END ACT///ASSUMING PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC DOES NOT ACCEPT THOSE CONDITIONS,
NATO FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET HERE MONDAY TO DETERMINE THE NEXT
STEP IN THE BOMBING CAMPAIGN. (SIGNED)
[29] RUSSIA / KOSOVO (L ONLY) BY PETER HEINLEIN (MOSCOW)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247725 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAS ISSUED A FRESH APPEAL TO WESTERN LEADERS FOR A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT IN YUGOSLAVIA. VOA'S PETER HEINLEIN IN MOSCOW REPORTS RUSSIA IS STEPPING UP EFFORTS TO MEDIATE BETWEEN BELGRADE AND NATO CAPITALS. TEXT: MR. YELTSIN SENT A MESSAGE TO SEVERAL FOREIGN LEADERS WEDNESDAY WITH PROPOSALS ON ENDING THE YUGOSLAVIA CONFLICT. HIS FOREIGN MINISTER, IGOR IVANOV, SAYS THE MESSAGE IS EVIDENCE OF RENEWED EFFORTS IN MOSCOW TO FIND A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO THE KOSOVO CRISIS. THE STEPPED-UP DIPLOMATIC MEASURES CAME AFTER TWO TELEPHONE CALLS FROM WASHINGTON, ASKING RUSSIA TO TAKE A MORE PROMINENT ROLE IN PURSUING PEACE IN THE BALKANS. VICE-PRESIDENT AL GORE SPOKE TO RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV FOR 40 MINUTES, WHILE SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT HAD A SIMILAR CONVERSATION WITH FOREIGN MINISTER IVANOV. AFTER A MEETING OF TOP RUSSIAN OFFICIALS ON YUGOSLAVIA WEDNESDAY, MR. IVANOV TOLD REPORTERS HE SEES BELGRADE'S OFFER OF A UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE AS AN IMPORTANT SIGNAL IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THE CEASEFIRE PROPOSAL WAS DISMISSED AS UNACCEPTABLE IN NATO CAPITALS. RUSSIA'S PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS AT DIPLOMACY ON YUGOSLAVIA HAVE ENDED IN FAILURE. PRIME MINISTER PRIMAKOV'S VISIT TO BELGRADE LAST WEEK PRODUCED A PROPOSAL CALLING FOR A PROMPT END TO NATO AIR STRIKES AN IDEA THAT WAS IMMEDIATELY REJECTED. BUT WESTERN DIPLOMATS SAY KEEPING THE KREMLIN ENGAGED IN PEACEMAKING EFFORTS IS IMPORTANT, BOTH BECAUSE OF MOSCOW'S CLOSE TRADITIONAL TIES TO BELGRADE, AND BECAUSE IT HELPS TO SOOTHE RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA, WHICH HAS STRONGLY OPPOSED AIR STRIKES. RUSSIA'S INITIAL REACTION TO NATO'S USE OF FORCE WAS TO FREEZE RELATIONS WITH THE ALLIANCE AND PRONOUNCE A DEATH SENTENCE ON THE SIX-NATION CONTACT GROUP ON YUGOSLAVIA, OF WHICH IT IS A MEMBER. BUT IN RECENT DAYS, MOSCOW HAS BEGUN TO TEMPER ITS CRITICISM, AND
HAS AGREED TO ATTEND A CONTACT GROUP MEETING SCHEDULED FOR
WEDNESDAY IN BRUSSELS. (SIGNED)
[30] RUSSIA / KOSOVO (L UPDATE) BY PETER HEINLEIN (MOSCOW)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247751 CONTENT= VOICED AT: /// EDS: THIS REPORT UPDATES CR 2-247725 ///INTRO: RUSSIA IS STEPPING UP DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO END THE CRISIS IN YUGOSLAVIA. V-O-A'S PETER HEINLEIN IN MOSCOW REPORTS PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAS SENT A LETTER TO WORLD LEADERS, URGING THEM TO RECONSIDER BELGRADE'S CEASEFIRE OFFER. TEXT: PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S MESSAGE TO LEADERS OF THE G-SEVEN, THE WORLD'S MAIN INDUSTRIAL NATIONS, SAYS YUGOSLAVIA'S UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE OFFER IS THE BEST CHANCE FOR PEACE. INITIAL REACTION TO THE BELGRADE PROPOSAL FROM NATO CAPITALS WAS OVERWHELMINGLY NEGATIVE. BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK CALLED IT A "SHAM". BUT RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV SAYS THE OFFER MUST BE ACCEPTED TO AVERT WHAT HE CALLS "A LOOMING THREAT TO GLOBAL PEACE." HE TOLD REPORTERS WEDNESDAY HE IS ENCOURAGED THAT G-SEVEN MEMBER COUNTRIES APPEAR TO BE RETHINKING THE PROPOSAL IN LIGHT OF MR. YELTSIN'S LETTER. /// IVANOV ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER ///MOSCOW'S LATEST DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVE CAME LESS THAN ONE DAY AFTER TWO HIGH-LEVEL CALLS FROM THE UNITED STATES URGING RUSSIAN LEADERS TO TAKE A MORE PROMINENT ROLE IN PEACE-MAKING EFFORTS. VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE SPOKE TO PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES. SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT HAD A SIMILAR CONVERSATION WITH FOREIGN MINISTER IVANOV. RUSSIA'S PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS AT DIPLOMACY ON YUGOSLAVIA HAVE ENDED IN FAILURE. THE PROPOSAL PRIME MINISTER PRIMAKOV BROUGHT BACK AFTER TALKS LAST WEEK WITH PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC IN BELGRADE WAS IMMEDIATELY REJECTED BY NATO LEADERS. BUT WESTERN DIPLOMATS SAY KEEPING THE KREMLIN ENGAGED IN PEACE-MAKING EFFORTS IS IMPORTANT, PARTLY BECAUSE IT HELPS SOOTHE RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA, WHERE BOTH OFFICIAL AND PUBLIC OPINION IS FIERCELY OPPOSED TO AIR STRIKES. /// PROTESTORS SOUNDS - FADE UNDER ///ABOUT TWO-THOUSAND DEMONSTRATORS GATHERED OUTSIDE THE KREMLIN WEDNESDAY SHOUTING FOR MILITARY AID TO THE BELGRADE GOVERNMENT, AN END TO ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA, AND CREATION OF AN ANTI-NATO MILITARY BLOC SIMILAR TO THE OLD WARSAW PACT. A FEW BLOCKS AWAY, THE DUMA, OR LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT PASSED A RESOLUTION ADVISING PRESIDENT YELTSIN TO SEND WEAPONS AND AN UNSPECIFIED MILITARY MISSION TO BELGRADE. THE NON-BINDING RESOLUTION WAS APPROVED BY A MARGIN OF 279 TO 34. BUT THE KREMLIN IS EXPECTED TO REJECT PARLIAMENT'S ADVICE.
DESPITE THE TORRENT OF HARSH ANTI-NATO RHETORIC COMING FROM
MOSCOW, AND THE MOVE TO FREEZE RELATIONS WITH THE ALLIANCE WHEN
AIR STRIKES BEGAN, MR. YELTSIN HAS CLEARLY STATED RUSSIA HAS NO
INTENTION OF GETTING DRAGGED INTO A BALKANS WAR. (SIGNED)
[31] RUSSIA / YUGOSLAVIA BY PETER HEINLEIN (MOSCOW)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-43046 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: RUSSIAN TELEVISION VIEWERS ARE GETTING THEIR FIRST NEWS REPORTS ABOUT THE MASS EXODUS OF REFUGEES FROM KOSOVO. UNTIL THIS WEEK, RUSSIA'S MEDIA HAS FOCUSED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON THE DAMAGE INFLICTED BY NATO AIRSTRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAV MILITARY TARGETS, IMPLYING IT WAS THE BOMBING THAT FORCED REFUGEES TO FLEE. BUT V-O-A MOSCOW CORRESPONDENT PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS ONE RUSSIAN TELEVISION CHANNEL HAS DECIDED TO REPORT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY. TEXT: /// TV ROVNOV REPORT - FADE UNDER ///RUSSIA'S INDEPENDENT TELEVISION CHANNEL N-T-V SURPRISED ITS VIEWERS THIS WEEK WITH PICTURES FROM THE KOSOVO - MACEDONIA BORDER. /// RE-ESTABLISH TV REPORT - FADE UNDER AGAIN ///ONE REFUGEE TELLS ABOUT BEING ROUNDED UP BY SERBIAN POLICE, LOADED ONTO A TRAIN, AND FORCED TO LEAVE. HE SAYS "THIS IS REAL ETHNIC CLEANSING". THAT REPORT WAS FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER SHOWING PICTURES OF A BURNED KOSOVO VILLAGE AND THE BODIES OF ETHNIC ALBANIAN CIVILIANS WHO REPORTEDLY WERE SHOT DEAD BY SERBS. /// TV REPORT - FADE UNDER ///THE CAMERA OPERATOR CAN BE HEARD SAYING, "THE VILLAGE WAS SURROUNDED BY A FORCE OF MOSTLY SERBS, WEARING UNIFORMS AND MASKS. THEY TOOK AWAY WOMEN AND CHILDREN, THEN KILLED THE MEN." THE PICTURES HAVE BEEN SHOWN WIDELY IN THE WEST. BUT FOR RUSSIAN VIEWERS, THIS PRESENTATION ON N-T-V'S INFLUENTIAL WEEKLY NEWS PROGRAM "ITOGI", OR RESULTS, WAS A FIRST. AND "ITOGI" HOST YEVGENY KISELYOV TOLD HIS AUDIENCE YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC, UNTIL NOW PORTRAYED AS A COURAGEOUS SLAVIC LEADER STANDING UP TO NATO AGGRESSION, IS ACCUSED OF ORDERING THE MASSACRES. /// KISELYOV ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER ///HE SAYS MR. MILOSEVIC'S DECISION TO INCREASE ETHNIC CLEANSING IN KOSOVO LED THE U-N'S YUGOSLAV WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL TO ADD HIM TO THE LIST OF POSSIBLE WAR CRIMINALS. IN A LATER INTERVIEW, MR. KISELYOV AGREED THAT THE CHANGE IN N-T-V'S COVERAGE HAS A LOT TO DO WITH RUSSIA'S DOMESTIC POLITICS. OPINION POLLS TAKEN SINCE THE NATO AIR STRIKES BEGAN HAVE SHOWN A SURGE IN POPULARITY FOR COMMUNISTS AND OTHER RADICALS. THE DIRECTOR OF MOSCOW'S CENTER FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES, ANDRE PIONTKOWSKY,QUESTIONS THE RUSSIAN MEDIA'S OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR THE SERBS. IN AN ESSAY PUBLISHED THIS WEEK IN A LOCAL NEWSPAPER, MR. PIONTKOWSKY SAYS ONE-SIDED MEDIA COVERAGE IS WHIPPING UP ANTI-WESTERN HYSTERIA. HE SAYS RUSSIA'S INDEPENDENT MEDIA ARE PAINFULLY AWARE SUCH HYSTERIA COULD TRANSLATE INTO A COMMUNIST ELECTION VICTORY, AND AN END TO RUSSIA'S LIMITED PRESS FREEDOM. /// PIONTKOWSKY ACT ///I THINK PEOPLE AT THE TOP OF N-T-V, REALIZED THAT PARTICIPATING ACTIVELY IN THIS PAN-SLAVIC ETHNIC AND ANTI-AMERICAN HYSTERIA, THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING TO POLITICAL CAUSES OF COMMUNISTS. JUST PAVING THEIR WAY TO POWER. /// END ACT ///SINCE BREAKING THE NEWS OF THE REFUGEE EXODUS AND ETHNIC CLEANSING IN KOSOVO, N-T-V HAS CONTINUED ITS COVERAGE FROM THE CAMPS IN MACEDONIA AND ALBANIA. BUT MR. PIONTKOWSKY SAYS THE TWO MORE STATE-CONTROLLED CHANNELS, O-R-T AND R-T-R, ARE STILL STICKING MOSTLY TO THE OFFICIAL LINE. /// PIONTKOWSKY ACT ///O-R-T AND R-T-R ARE MORE DEPENDENT ON THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUING TO GIVE THE IMAGE OF A BRAVE, INDEPENDENT SERBIA WHICH WAS JUST OUT OF THE BLUE ATTACKED BY THE ONLY SUPERPOWER AND ITS ALLIES. /// END ACT ///BUT THE VIRTUAL BLACKOUT ON NEWS THAT EXISTED DURING THE EARLY
DAYS OF THE MASS EXODUS FROM KOSOVO HAS BEEN BROKEN. MEDIA
EXPERTS SAY IT IS STILL TOO EARLY TO JUDGE THE EFFECT ON PUBLIC
OPINION. BUT N-T-V'S UNCENSORED REPORTS ARE GIVING RUSSIAN
TELEVISION VIEWERS THEIR FIRST GLIMPSE OF A REFUGEE CRISIS THAT
HAS SHOCKED THE REST OF THE WORLD. (SIGNED)
[32] SERBIAN AMERICAN VET PROTEST (L ONLY) BY PAMELA TAYLOR (WASHINGTON)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247769 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: A SERBIAN-AMERICAN, DECORATED AS A U-S WAR VETERAN FOR HIS SERVICE IN VIETNAM, HAS RETURNED HIS BRONZE STAR MEDAL TO THE WHITE HOUSE. MILAN NEDIC [MEE-LAHN NED-ITCH] TRAVELED FROM HOUSTON, TEXAS, TUESDAY TO DELIVER HIS DRAMATIC AND PERSONAL PROTEST AGAINST THE NATO BOMBING OF HIS COUNTRY. VOA'S PAMELA TAYLOR REPORTS: TEXT: MILAN NEDIC WAS BORN IN BELGRADE AND CAME TO AMERICA IN 1963. AN ARDENT ANTI-COMMUNIST, HE JOINED THE U-S ARMY IN 1968 AND WON TWO MEDALS FOR SERVICE IN VIETNAM AS WELL AS THE COVETED BRONZE STAR. MR. NEDIC SAYS HE DECIDED TO RETURN THE PRESTIGIOUS MEDAL WHEN NATO PLANES BEGAN DROPPING BOMBS ON BELGRADE. HE TURNED IN THE MEDAL ALONG WITH AN OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT CLINTON IN WHICH HE WROTE THAT AMERICA'S AND NATO'S PRESTIGE ARE BEING UNDERMINED OVER ISSUES THAT HAVE NO BEARING ON AMERICA'S NATIONAL INTERESTS: // ACT ONE //I HAVE TREMENDOUS DISAGREEMENT WITH OUR PRESIDENT'S POLICY, WHICH IS HORRIBLY MISGUIDED, ILL-ADVISED AND ILL-PREPARED. I CHOSE APRIL 6TH BECAUSE THAT'S THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE BOMBARDMENT OF BELGRADE BY NAZI FORCES DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR. AND NOW MY NATIVE CITY IS BEING AGAIN BOMBARDED. IT'S VERY IRONIC THAT OUR AIR FORCE IS GREETING US NOW WITH BOMBS. // END ACT //MR. NEDIC SAYS WHAT BOTHERS THE MAJORITY OF SERBIAN AMERICANS MOST IS THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IN THIS CENTURY AMERICA HAS BEEN SERBIA'S TRADITIONAL ALLY, NOT RUSSIA. HE CONSIDERS HIMSELF A PATRIOTIC AMERICAN AND APPRECIATES THE RIGHT TO PROTEST THE U-S GOVERNMENT ACTION. HE SAID HIS GESTURE WAS MADE IN SORROW RATHER THAN ANGER BECAUSE HE FELT A 'MORAL IMPERATIVE' TO DO SOMETHING: // ACT TWO //IT IS EXTREMELY PAINFUL. MY HEART IS BROKEN. AND THAT'S WHY I AM WEARING TWO (EMBLEMS) ON MY CLOTHES HERE. ONE IS THE SIGN OF THE (U-S) FIRST INFANTRY DIVISION; THE OTHER, A SERBIAN EMBLEM BECAUSE MY HEART IS TORN. // END ACT //MILAN NEDIC ALSO PLANS TO DELIVER AN OPEN LETTER TO YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC THROUGH THE INTERMEDIARY OF THE SWEDISH EMBASSY SINCE THE YUGOSLAV EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON HAS BEEN CLOSED. IN THAT LETTER, MR. NEDIC URGES PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TO RELEASE THE THREE AMERICAN SERVICEMEN CURRENTLY HELD IN BELGRADE: // ACT THREE //I HAVE NO QUARREL WITH OUR (U-S) ARMED FORCES. ACTUALLY MY HEART IS BLEEDING FOR THOSE THREE YOUNG MEN WHO WERE CAUGHT IN YUGOSLAVIA BECAUSE, INCIDENTALLY, THEY ARE FROM THE SAME DIVISION I FOUGHT WITH IN VIETNAM. I AM TRYING TO SEND THIS LETTER TO PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC URGING HIM TO RELEASE THOSE THREE YOUNG MEN AND I WOULD BE WILLING TO FLY TO BELGRADE AND BRING THE HOSTAGES BACK TO THE UNITED STATES. // END ACT //MR. NEDIC WAS ASKED WHETHER SERBIAN-AMERICANS AGREE WITH THE
SERBIAN GOVERNMENT'S EXPLANATION THAT NATO BOMBS, NOT ETHNIC
CLEANSING, ARE CAUSING THE FLOOD OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS FROM KOSOVO.
HE REPLIED THAT THERE IS PROPAGANDA ON ALL SIDES -- AND NOTED IT
HAS BEEN SAID BEFORE THAT TRUTH IS THE FIRST CASUALTY OF WAR.
(SIGNED)
[33] W-T-O / BANANAS (L ONLY) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247754 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE EUROPEAN UNION SAYS IT WILL ABIDE BY A WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION RULING WHICH SUPPORTS U-S GOVERNMENT CLAIMS THAT E-U BANANA IMPORT POLICIES VIOLATE W-T-O REGULATIONS. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS FROM LONDON THAT EUROPEAN TRADE MINISTERS WANT TO AVOID A TIT-FOR-TAT TRADE WAR. TEXT: THE EUROPEAN UNION'S TRADE COMMISSIONER, LEON BRITTAN, SAYS THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL ABIDE BY THE W-T-O RULING BUT MAY WELL APPEAL IT. THE DECISION FINDS THAT E-U DISCRIMINATION AGAINST BANANAS EXPORTED BY AMERICAN COMPANIES HAS COST THE U-S COMPANIES MORE THAN 190-MILLION DOLLARS YEARLY IN LOST SALES. FOR SIX YEARS, THE U-S GOVERNMENT HAS ARGUED THE E-U RULES UNFAIRLY FAVORED BANANA EXPORTS FROM FORMER BRITISH AND FRENCH COLONIES IN AFRICA AND THE CARIBBEAN. THE UNITED STATES INTENDS TO SLAP TARIFFS ON NEARLY 200-MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF EUROPEAN EXPORTS, RANGING FROM SCOTTISH CASHMERE TO FRENCH HANDBAGS. BUT THAT ANGERS BRITAIN'S TRADE MINISTER BRIAN WILSON WHO TOLD BRITISH RADIO HE CONSIDERS THAT PRACTICE UNFAIR. /// WILSON ACT ///THE PRINCIPLE IS THEY SHOULD NOT BE TAKING ACTION AGAINST ANY UNRELATED INDUSTRIES AND THIS THING SHOULD BE SETTLED WITHIN THE RELEVANT SECTOR, WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CASHMERE OR THESE OTHER INDUSTRIES BUT PURELY HAS TO DO WITH BANANAS. /// END ACT ///MR. WILSON SAYS U-S RETALIATION AGAINST NON-BANANA INDUSTRIES
COULD FUEL AN ALL-OUT TRADE WAR. (SIGNED)
[34] WORLD BANK FORECAST (L-ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (WASHINGTON)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247757 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE WORLD BANK HAS REVISED (WEDNESDAY) DOWNWARDS ITS FORECAST FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS THE INTERNATIONAL LENDER EXPECTS POOR COUNTRIES WILL EXPAND BY ONLY ONE AND A HALF PERCENT THIS YEAR -- THEIR SLOWEST GROWTH IN 17 YEARS. TEXT: WORLD BANK CHIEF ECONOMIST JOSEPH STIGLITZ SAYS THIS SOBERING FORECAST REFLECTS DECLINING TRADE GROWTH, SLUMPING COMMODITY PRICES AND TIGHTENED LONG-TERM FINANCING. THE BANK'S GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCE REPORT CONCLUDES THAT THE IMPACT OF ASIA'S FINANCIAL CRISIS OF 1997 TO 1998 IS DEEPER AND MORE PROLONGED THAN EXPECTED. IN 1998, DEVELOPING COUNTRIES OVERALL GREW BY NEARLY TWO PERCENT. THAT HAS DIPPED TO ONE AND A HALF PERCENT THIS YEAR. A RECOVERY TO THREE POINT SEVEN PERCENT GROWTH IS EXPECTED IN 2000. // OPT IRONICALLY PERHAPS, THE WORLD BANK BELIEVES A RECOVERY IS UNDERWAY IN EAST ASIA -- THE REGION WHERE THE FINANCIAL CRISIS ERUPTED IN JULY 1997. GROWTH THERE IS REBOUNDING TO FOUR PERCENT THIS YEAR, MORE THAN TWICE THE RATE REGISTERED LAST YEAR. THE BANK SAYS CHINA AND INDIA CONTINUE TO DO RELATIVELY WELL, EVEN THOUGH CHINESE EXPORTS ARE DOWN SHARPLY AND THE FLOW OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT IS ALSO LOWER. THE REGION WITH THE POOREST IMMEDIATE OUTLOOK IS EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA. THE REPORT'S PRINCIPAL AUTHOR, URI DADUSH, SAYS THE RUSSIAN FINANCIAL CRISIS OF LAST AUGUST IS HAVING A RIPPLE EFFECT THROUGHOUT THE FORMER SOVIET UNION. //DADUSH ACT//SINCE THE RUSSIAN CRISIS HIT, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE LEARNED IN THIS CRISIS IS THAT EVEN WHEN TRADE RELATIONS ARE RELATIVELY SMALL -- AND RUSSIA IS NOT A BIG IMPORTER FROM A LOT OF THESE COUNTRIES -- EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE A SITUATION LIKE THAT, WHEN YOU HAVE AN ECONOMY THAT IS THE OBJECT OF THE CRISIS CONTRACTING ITS IMPORTS BY 50 PERCENT, THEN ARITHMETICALLY EVEN THOUGH IT IS A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL IT HAS A VERY LARGE EFFECT. //END ACT//EASTERN EUROPEAN AND CENTRAL ASIAN ECONOMIES ARE EXPECTED TO CONTRACT ONE AND A HALF PERCENT THIS YEAR. THE WORLD BANK SAYS STRONG ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE UNITED STATES
MAKES A GLOBAL RECESSION UNLIKELY. LOW INCOME COUNTRIES ARE
OBTAINING LESS FOREIGN ASSISTANCE JUST AS THE PRICE OF THEIR
COMMODITY EXPORTS ARE FALLING. COMMODITY PRICES ARE EXPECTED TO
STAY LOW WELL INTO THE YEAR 2000. (SIGNED)
[35] N-Y ECON WRAP (S & L) BY BRECK ARDERY (NEW YORK)DATE=4/7/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-247768 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE UP STRONGLY TODAY (WEDNESDAY) WITH TWO OF THE THREE MAJOR AVERAGES CLOSING AT RECORD HIGHS. VOA BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK. TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT A RECORD HIGH 10 THOUSAND 85, UP 121 POINTS OR MORE THAN ONE PERCENT. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500 INDEX CLOSED AT A RECORD HIGH 13 HUNDRED 26, UP NINE POINTS. THE NASDAQ INDEX CLOSED DOWN 18 POINTS AFTER CLOSING AT RECORD HIGHS THE TWO PREVIOUS DAYS. ANALYSTS SAY TRADERS ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT FIRST QUARTER CORPORATE EARNINGS WHICH ARE JUST BEGINNING TO BE REPORTED. IN THE VIEW OF MANY INVESTORS, STRONG EARNINGS WILL JUSTIFY THE HISTORICALLY HIGH VALUATIONS OF MANY STOCKS. ///REST OPT FOR LONG //////BEGIN OPT//////OPT///WACHTEL ACT///WE DO HAVE A NARROWLY FOCUSED MOVE. BUT IF YOU GO BACK IN HISTORY, IN THE 1950'S WE SAW THE SAME THING. THERE WAS A BIG MOVE UP IN THE "BLUE CHIPS" (LARGE COMPANY STOCKS) BUT FAILING ADVANCE-DECLINE FIGURES. SO THERE IS A PRECEDENT IN THE PAST THAT THIS COULD PREVAIL. ///END ACT///END OPT///THE STOCK OF SEAGRAM, THE CANADIAN-BASED BEVERAGE AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY, JUMPED MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT AFTER SEAGRAM ANNOUNCED A JOINT VENTURE WITH B-M-G OF GERMANY FOR A MUSIC STORE ON THE INTERNET. GENERAL MOTORS SAYS ITS U-S SALES OF CARS AND LIGHT TRUCKS DROPPED MORE THAN TWO PERCENT IN MARCH. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF STRONG GAINS BY FORD AND DAIMLER CHRYSLER, TOTAL U-S AUTO INDUSTRY SALES HIT A RECORD LAST MONTH. REVLON, THE COSMETICS GIANT, SAYS IT MAY SELL ONE OR MORE OF ITS BUSINESSES. THE COMPANY, WHICH IS CONTROLLED BY FINANCIER RON PERELMAN, HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF TAKEOVER RUMORS. THE STOCK OF M-G-C COMMUNICATIONS SOARED MORE THAN 50 PERCENT
AFTER THE COMPANY ANNOUNCED IT WILL CONCENTRATE ON HIGH SPEED
DATA COMMUNICATIONS. THE COMPANY HAD BEEN PRIMARILY INVOLVED IN
PROVIDING LOCAL VOICE TELEPHONE SERVICES.
ALCOA, THE WORLD'S LARGEST ALUMINUM COMPANY, REPORTED
BETTER-THAN-EXPECTED QUARTERLY EARNINGS. THE COMPANY SAYS RECENT
ACQUISITIONS HAVE IMPROVED REVENUES. ALCOA IS THE FIRST OF THE 30
COMPANIES WHICH MAKE UP THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE TO
REPORT QUARTERLY RESULTS.
SUPERVALU, THE U-S FOOD DISTRIBUTOR, REPORTED RECORD PROFITS FOR
THE LATEST QUARTER, ITS EIGHTH STRAIGHT QUARTERLY EARNINGS
RECORD.(SIGNED)
NEB/NY/BA/LSF/PT
[36] WEDNESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)DATE=04/07/99TYPE=U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST NUMBER=6-11228 TELEPHONE=619-3335 EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS CONTENT= //// EDS: MATERIAL DATED AFTER 10 P-M EST ////INTRO: THE WAR IN THE BALKANS, AND DEALING WITH REFUGEES FROM KOSOVO, CONTINUES TO DOMINATE THE EDITORIAL COLUMNS OF MANY U-S PAPERS THIS WEDNESDAY. HOWEVER, THE WAR SHARES SPACE WITH THOUGHTS ON THE TURNING OVER BY LIBYA OF THE TWO AGENTS BELIEVED RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PAN AM JETLINER BOMBING OVER SCOTLAND ELEVEN YEARS AGO. /// OPT ///TEXT: MANY PAPERS ARE SUGGESTING THAT A PROPOSED CEASE-FIRE OVER THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN EASTER MADE BY SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC IS PHONY, WHILE OTHERS ARE CONTINUING TO CALL FOR SPEEDED-UP RELIEF EFFORTS. CALLING TUESDAY'S CEASE-FIRE PROPOSAL "PHONY," "THE NEW YORK TIMES" SAYS: VOICE: THE UNITED STATES AND NATO MUST BE READY TO NEGOTIATE WITH MR. MILOSEVIC IF HE MAKES A SERIOUS PEACE OFFER, AND THERE WERE SIGNS YESTERDAY THAT A NEGOTIATING TRACK COULD QUICKLY DEVELOP IF HE DOES. BUT UNTIL HE BUDGES, THE BOMBING SHOULD PERSIST. TEXT: "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" CALLS THE YUGOSLAV PROPOSAL A "CEASE-FIRE CHARADE," ADDING: VOICE: NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO TALK DEALS WITH [MR.] MILOSEVIC. HE KNOWS THAT THE KEY CONDITION FOR A REAL TRUCE IS A RETURN TO THE RAMBOUILLET PEACE TALKS IN FRANCE. /// OPT /// ... [MR.] MILOSEVIC IS RUNNING LOW ON OPTIONS IN KOSOVO, AND HIS MILITARY FORCES APPEAR OVERWHELMED BY NATO AIR POWER IN SERBIA ITSELF. THE DIPLOMATIC DOOR IS STILL OPEN, BUT HIS TRUCE PROPOSAL OFFERED NO CONCESSIONS AND WAS RIGHTLY REJECTED. /// END OPT /// TEXT: BOSTON'S "CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR" IS CONCERNED FOR THE REFUGEES, NOTING: VOICE: AT SOME POINT, NATO'S MIGHT WILL BE NEEDED TO OPEN THE WAY FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES TO RETURN TO KOSOVO. BUT THE ALLIANCE'S IMMEDIATE TASK IS TO PROVIDE FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THOSE PEOPLE SO THEY CAN RETURN. /// OPT /// ... MACEDONIA IS NEAR THE BREAKING POINT, FACED WITH 136-THOUSAND REFUGEES. MANY MACEDONIANS WORRY THEIR COUNTRY'S FRAGILE ETHNIC BALANCE IS THREATENED. /// END OPT ////// OPT ///TEXT: AND "THE WASHINGTON POST" ASKS, "WHERE ARE THE APACHES?" REFERRING TO THE ANTI-TANK HELICOPTERS, WHICH ARE SAID TO BE ON THEIR WAY TO ATTACK SERBIAN FORCES IN KOSOVO PROVINCE. VOICE: NATO HAS IN PRINCIPLE AGREED TO PROVIDE THE APACHES - - BUT ON A SCHEDULE THAT WILL NOT PUT THEM INTO ACTION FOR WEEKS. BY THEN, MR. MILOSEVIC COULD WELL HAVE COMPLETED HIS ETHNIC CLEANSING. /// OPT /// ... NATO'S STRANGELY LACKADAISICAL HANDLING OF THE APACHE REQUEST SUGGESTS THAT IT HAS ACCEPTED ITS IMPOTENCE AS THE ETHNIC CLEANSING CONTINUES. /// END OPT /// THIS IS WRONG. IT [NATO] SHOULD DEPLOY THE HELICOPTERS NOW. /// END OPT ///TEXT: SHARING THE TOP SPOT WITH THE KOSOVO SITUATION IS THE TURNING OVER OF TWO LIBYAN AGENTS TO SCOTTISH LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS IN THE NETHERLANDS FOR TRIAL IN THE PAN AM JETLINER BOMBING CASE. "THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE" WONDERS WHETHER MUAMMAR GADHAFI IS "EMERGING FROM HIS TENT?" BY RELEASING THE MEN. VOICE: /// OPT /// LOCKERBIE [SCOTLAND, WHERE THE JET CRASHED AFTER THE BOMB WENT OFF, KILLING 270 PEOPLE ON THE PLANE AND ON THE GROUND] CONFIRMED LIBYA AND THE DEVILISH MUAMMAR GADHAFI AS THE EMBODIMENTS OF STATE-SPONSORED TERRORISM. YET, TIMES CHANGE. /// END OPT /// THE SURRENDER OF THE TWO LOCKERBIE SUSPECTS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW U-S-LIBYAN RELATIONS, FROZEN IN HOSTILITY FOR THE PAST TWO DECADES. ... IF LIBYA'S SURRENDER OF THE LOCKERBIE SUSPECTS SIGNALS ITS WILLINGNESS TO REJOIN THE COMMUNITY OF NATIONS, THE U-S SHOULD BE READY TO RECIPROCATE WITH MEASURED DIPLOMATIC AND ECONOMIC MOVES. TEXT: IN TEXAS, "THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS" SAYS IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET AT THE ROOT OF THE HEINOUS CRIME. VOICE: /// OPT /// WHEN THE TRIAL BEGINS - - WHICH PROBABLY WON'T BE FOR SIX MONTHS, ACCORDING TO A LAWYER FOR THE VICTIMS' FAMILIES - - IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN PRESENT ALL THEIR EVIDENCE AND THAT NOTHING BE WITHHELD TO SHIELD MR. GADHAFI FROM POSSIBLE RETRIBUTION. /// END OPT /// THE FAMILIES ARE AFRAID THAT MR. GADHAFI AGREED TO SURRENDER THE SUSPECTS ONLY AFTER RECEIVING ASSURANCES THAT THE TRIAL WOULD NOT BE USED TO 'DESTABILIZE' LIBYA. NOTHING SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO SHIELD MR. GADHAFI. /// OPT ///TEXT: HOWEVER, THE "SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS" HOLDS OUT LITTLE HOPE THAT THE PERSON WHO GAVE THE ORDERS WILL EVER BE IDENTIFIED OR PUNISHED. VOICE: BUT WHO ORDERED THE BOMBING, AND WHY, COULD WELL REMAIN UNRESOLVED. IN ADDITION TO LIBYA, SYRIA AND IRAN ARE SUSPECTED. AND SKEPTICS SUGGEST THAT IF THE TWO LIBYANS WERE GOING TO PIN THE BLAME ON MUAMMAR GADHAFI ... [MR.] GADHAFI WOULD NOT HAVE SURRENDERED THEM FOR TRIAL. /// END OPT ///TEXT: CHINA'S PRIME MINISTER, ZHU RONGJI, IS IN THE UNITED STATES FOR IMPORTANT TALKS ON A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES, AND A MEETING WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON TOMORROW/THURSDAY. BOSTON'S "CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR" SAYS THE VISIT: VOICE: ... IS THE OCCASION TO APPLY THE TOOLS OF STATECRAFT TO A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES AT THE HEART OF THIS RELATIONSHIP. AMONG THEM IS TRADE. CHINA'S DESIRE FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION IS A MAJOR REASON THE ZHU TRIP WENT FORWARD, DESPITE BEIJING'S SHARP OBJECTIONS TO NATO ACTIONS IN YUGOSLAVIA. /// OPT /// OPT ///TEXT: RELIEF SUPPLIES FOR CENTRAL AMERICA TO HELP REBUILD AFTER HURRICANE MITCH ARE FACING ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER IN GETTING TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM, BRINGING THIS EDITORIAL IN "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES," WHICH CALLS THE HOLDUP "INTOLERABLE." VOICE: ON MARCH 19TH, MOST OF THE 28 CARGO CONTAINERS FILLED WITH DONATED GOODS FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FINALLY ARRIVED IN NICARAGUA. TODAY, THE AID SITS ON THE DOCKS BECAUSE THE NICARAGUAN OFFICIALS IN CHARGE OF DISTRIBUTING IT SEEM TO BE PARALYZED BY THEIR OWN INCOMPETENCE AND PARTISANSHIP. THEY HAVEN'T EVEN DRAWN UP A SPECIFIC PLAN FOR DISTRIBUTION. /// OPT /// AS THE 'TIMES' .... DOCUMENTED SUNDAY, FOOD, CLOTHES AND OTHER AID REMAIN WAREHOUSED WHILE AN HOUR'S DRIVE AWAY, THOUSANDS OF VICTIMS - - BAREFOOT CHILDREN WITH SWOLLEN BELLIES, A MOTHER COOKING BEANS IN AN OLD PAINT CAN - - ARE BARELY SURVIVING IN MAKESHIFT REFUGEE CAMPS. /// /// END OPT ///TEXT: TODAY'S "WASHINGTON TIMES" LOOKS TOWARD AFRICA, WHERE, THE PAPER COMMENTS, HUTUS AND TUTSIS IN RWANDA ARE MOVING SLOWLY TOWARD RESOLUTION OF TRIBAL HATRED AFTER THE GENOCIDE EARLIER THIS DECADE. VOICE: RWANDA IS TAKING A MAJOR STEP TOWARD BURYING ITS BLOODY PAST THIS WEEK AFTER FIVE YEARS OF TRYING TO RECOVER FROM A 1994 GENOCIDE THAT KILLED ALMOST ONE-SEVENTH OF ITS POPULATION OF SEVEN-POINT-FIVE MILLION ... IN ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S MOST PUBLIC ACTS OF REDEMPTION, TUTSIS AND HUTUS WILL BURY THE REMAINS OF OVER 20-THOUSAND OF THE GENOCIDE VICTIMS TODAY, THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BEGINNING OF THE GENOCIDE. /// OPT /// BUT THE TUTSI-LED GOVERNMENT HASN'T STOPPED THERE. LAST WEEK, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN RWANDAN HISTORY, THE LOCAL POPULATION WAS ALLOWED TO CHOOSE ITS OWN LEADERS FROM THE LOWEST LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, RESULTING IN 160-THOUSAND NEW LOCAL OFFICIALS' BEING ELECTED. ... RWANDA'S WEEK OF MOURNING TO COMMEMORATE THE GENOCIDE IS SHOWING THE WORLD THAT A COUNTRY MUST NOT FORGET ITS WOUNDS TO LEARN FROM THEM. PARTICULARLY AT A TIME WHEN EUROPE IS SEEING ETHNIC CLEANSING ON A HORRENDOUS SCALE IN KOSOVO, THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WOULD DO WELL TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR EXAMPLE. /// END OPT /// TEXT: AND LASTLY, ABOUT THE "MELISSA" VIRUS THAT SPREAD ACROSS THE WORLD RECENTLY, SLOWING DOWN OR EVEN STOPPING, THE TRANSMISSION OF ELECTRONIC MAIL FROM ONE COMPUTER TO ANOTHER, "USA TODAY" PUBLISHED IN A WASHINGTON, D-C SUBURB SAYS: VOICE: CLICK. CLICK. (I.E. OF A COMPUTER KEYBOARD OR MOUSE) THAT'S ALL IT TAKES NOW TO WREAK HAVOC WITH BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT. /// OPT /// JUST DAYS AFTER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARRESTED THE ALLEGED CULPRIT OF THE MELISSA VIRUS COMES WORD OF OTHER E-MAIL HEADACHES. THE U-S FOREST SERVICE, FACING A DELUGE OF UNWANTED E-MAIL, HAS HAD TO PULL THE PLUG [SHUT DOWN] ON DIRECT ACCESS TO ITS 34-THOUSAND EMPLOYEES. THE REASON: ABOUT 40 GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS WERE PREPARING TO USE E-MAIL LISTS TO LEAFLET THEM ON FOREST ISSUES. SUCH A BOMBARDMENT COULD HAVE TAKEN DOWN THE AGENCY'S MESSAGE SYSTEM AND MONOPOLIZED WORKERS' TIME. /// END OPT /// ... THE COST OF SUCH MISCHIEF RUNS INTO THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, WHICH IS ONE REASON THE PENALTIES KEEP INCREASING. UNDER NEW JERSEY LAW, THE MELISSA VIRUS' CREATOR FACES UP TO 480-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN FINES AND 40 YEARS IN PRISON. TEXT: THAT CONCLUDES THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT FROM THE NATION'S
EDITORIAL COLUMNS THIS WEDNESDAY.
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