Voice of America, 99-04-14

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

CONTENTS

[01] CHILDREN / WAR / KOSOVO (L ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)

[02] KOSOVO / UNICEF / BELLAMY (L - ONLY) BY MAX RUSTON (UNITED NATIONS)

[03] MACEDONIA REFUGEES (L-ONLY) BY EVE CONANT (BRAZHDA)

[04] BELGRADE DISPATCH WEDNESDAY (L-O) BY GUY DINMORE (BELGRADE)

[05] YUGOSLAVIA ACCUSES NATO (S & L) BY PAMELA TAYLOR (WASHINGTON)

[06] KOSOVO REFUGEES - S & L BY JIM RANDLE (PENTAGON)

[07] KOSOVO REFUGEES S & L UPDATE BY JIM RANDLE (PENTAGON)

[08] SERB GROUND DEFENSE BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

[09] THE K-L-A BY GIL BUTLER (TIRANA)

[10] REFUGEES / SENATE HEARING (L-ONLY) (WASHINGTON)

[11] BRITAIN/KOSOVO (S/L VER) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

[12] E-U / U-N KOSOVO (L) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

[13] ISRAEL / KOSOVO BY DEBORAH TATE (JERUSALEM)

[14] MEXICO/BALKANS BY GREG FLAKUS (MEXICO CITY)

[15] RUSSIA / KOSOVO BY PETER HEINLEIN (MOSCOW)

[16] KOSOVO / GROUND TROOPS BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (WASHINGTON)

[17] NATO GROUND TROOPS IN KOSOVO BY ED WARNER (WASHINGTON)

[18] NATO / KOSOVO (S) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

[19] U-S / KOSOVO PLAN (L) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)

[20] NATO ATTACKS Q&A BY GUY DINMORE (BELGRADE)

[21] NY ECON WRAP (S&L) BY ELAINE JOHANSON (NEW YORK)

[22] THE BALKAN WAR THREATENS TO WIDEN BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

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

[01] CHILDREN / WAR / KOSOVO (L ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)

INTRO: A UNITED NATIONS EXPERT ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT IS APPEALING TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO HELP BADLY TRAUMATIZED REFUGEE CHILDREN FROM KOSOVO WITH THEIR BASIC SURVIVAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS. LISA SCHLEIN IN GENEVA REPORTS THE EXPERT HAS JUST RETURNED FROM A FOUR-DAY TRIP TO ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA.

TEXT: THE U-N EXPERT, OLARA OTUNNU, SAYS HE WAS SHOCKED BY THE APPALLING CONDITIONS HE FOUND IN THE NORTHERN ALBANIAN TOWN OF KUKES.

MR. OTUNNU SAYS ABOUT 80-THOUSAND ETHNIC ALBANIANS FROM KOSOVO ARE CRAMMED INTO THE SMALL TOWN WITHOUT ADEQUATE SHELTER OR SANITARY FACILITIES. HE SAYS ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE REFUGEES IN KUKES ARE CHILDREN. AND, HE SAYS, THEY ARE THE WORST AFFECTED BY THE CRISIS.

HE SAYS CHILDREN ARE SEVERELY TRAUMATIZED, THEY ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO DISEASE, AND THEY ARE MOST AFFECTED BY FAMILY SEPARATIONS.

IT IS NECESSARY TO MOBILIZE AND TRAIN QUICKLY A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF TRAUMA COUNSELORS, ESPECIALLY FROM WITHIN THE REFUGEE AND HOST COMMUNITIES. THIS PROCESS HAS STARTED. IN ADDITION, AMONG THE MORE USEFUL PROVISION FOR CHILDREN NEEDED TODAY IN THE REFUGEE CENTERS ARE TOYS, GAME BALLS. THESE WOULD HELP TO RESTORE A MEASURE OF NORMALCY TO THEIR LIVES.

MR. OTUNNU SAYS ARRANGEMENTS ALSO SHOULD BE MADE FOR THE REFUGEE CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL. HE SAYS EDUCATION IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. BUT, HE SAYS SCHOOL HELPS CHILDREN COPE WITH THEIR PROBLEMS AND THE DIFFICULTIES THEY FACE EVERY DAY.

THE U-N EXPERT SAYS HE FOUND NO EVIDENCE THAT CHILDREN ARE BEING RECRUITED TO FIGHT THE WAR IN KOSOVO. BUT, HE SAYS THERE IS A NEED FOR WHAT HE CALLS ACTIVE VIGILANCE TO PREVENT THE REFUGEE CAMPS AND HOST FAMILIES FROM BECOMING RECRUITMENT CENTERS. HE SAYS HE IS CONCERNED ABOUT REPORTS THAT YOUNG WOMEN ARE BEING SEXUALLY EXPLOITED.

THERE ARE DISTURBING REPORTS THAT YOUNG REFUGEE WOMEN ARE INCREASINGLY BEING LURED INTO CROSS-BORDER TRAFFICKING FOR PROSTITUTION. INCREASED PROTECTION MEASURES ARE NEEDED INCLUDING PROPER AND FULLER REGISTRATION AND BETTER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIRLS. THESE MEASURES WILL REDUCE THEIR VULNERABILITY TO SUCH EXPLOITATION.

MR. OTUNNU SAYS ALBANIA, IN PARTICULAR, IS IN NEED OF INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE. HE SAYS DONOR NATIONS MUST BUILD MORE REFUGEES CAMPS IN ALBANIA AND PROVIDE THEM WITH THE FACILITIES TO MAKE THEM LIVABLE. (SIGNED)
NEB/LS/JWH
14-Apr-99 10:07 AM EDT (1407 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] KOSOVO / UNICEF / BELLAMY (L - ONLY) BY MAX RUSTON (UNITED NATIONS)

INTRO: THE DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND, CAROL BELLAMY, HAS JUST RETURNED TO U-N HEADQUARTERS AFTER VISITING KOSOVAR REFUGEES IN ALBANIA. MS. BELLAMY SAYS UNICEF WORKERS IN THE REGION ARE NOW FOCUSSING ON PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF DISEASE AND HELPING CHILDREN COPE WITH THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF THE VIOLENCE. V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON REPORTS FROM OUR U-N BUREAU.

TEXT: MS. BELLAMY SPENT MOST OF HER TIME IN THE ALBANIAN CAPITAL, TIRANA, AND THE BORDER TOWN OF KUKES, WHERE MANY OF THE TENS-OF-THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES FROM KOSOVO HAVE SETTLED. SHE SAYS GENERAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AT THIS TIME ARE NOT TERRIBLE. BUT SHE SAYS EXTENSIVE EFFORTS ARE NOW BEING CARRIED OUT TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF DISEASES, SUCH AS CHOLERA. SHE SAYS UNICEF IS CONCENTRATING ON PROVIDING IMMUNIZATIONS AND OTHER MEDICAL TREATMENT AND ENSURING THAT WATER AND FOOD SUPPLIES ARE SAFE AND SANITARY.

MS. BELLAMY SAYS CHILDREN, UNFORTUNATELY, REPRESENT A LARGE PROPORTION OF THOSE FLEEING KOSOVO. WHAT MOST CONCERNS HER IS THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ON REFUGEE CHILDREN OF THE VIOLENCE AND TURMOIL THEY HAVE WITNESSED.

MS. BELLAMY SAYS THE SIGNS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT ARE ALREADY CLEAR, WITH SOME CHILDREN BEING ABSOLUTELY QUIET AND OTHERS BEING HYPERACTIVE.

THE FIRST THING WE ARE DOING, AND THIS IS REALLY AT BEST AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE, IS JUST TO TRY, IN SOME OF THE PLACES WHERE THERE IS THE LARGEST CONCENTRATION OF PEOPLE, TO BOTH IDENTIFY WITHIN THE ADULTS PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN COMMUNITY WORKERS OR TEACHERS OR WHO HAVE BEEN INTERACTORS WITH CHILDREN, AND EVEN TO INVOLVE SOME PARENTS, REALLY AROUND SIMPLE THINGS LIKE PLAY. BUT WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO IS IN THE MOST SIMPLE WAY IS TO BRING SOME MODEST AMOUNT OF NORMALCY INTO WHAT IS A TOTALLY ABNORMAL SITUATION. YOU JUST SEE ON THE FACES OF EVERYBODY, THERE IS NOTHING TO DO, THEY ARE JUST SITTING THERE, THIS IS A SITUATION THAT CANNOT LAST VERY LONG.

MS. BELLAMY SAYS INITIAL CONCERNS THAT MANY CHILDREN HAD BEEN SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES MAY NOT BE ACCURATE, AT LEAST AMONG THE REFUGEES IN ALBANIA. BUT SHE SAYS, SHE IS AWARE OF ABOUT 100 CHILDREN IN MACEDONIA WHO HAVE BEEN SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES. UNICEF IS TRYING TO HELP THOSE CHILDREN LOCATE RELATIVES THROUGH THE DISTRIBUTION OF INSTANT PHOTOGRAPHS AND OTHER MEANS.

SPEAKING ABOUT THE OVERALL RESPONSE OF HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS TO THE REFUGEE CRISIS SURROUNDING KOSOVO, MS. BELLAMY SAYS NOBODY WAS ABLE TO ANTICIPATE THE SPEED AND SCALE OF THE DISASTER. SHE SAYS THE INITIAL RESPONSE WAS IMMEDIATE BUT INADEQUATE. SHE SAYS THE HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE HAS IMPROVED SHARPLY OVER THE LAST WEEK AND IS NOW CLOSE TO ADEQUATE. (SIGNED) NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/PT
14-Apr-99 3:18 PM EDT (1918 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] MACEDONIA REFUGEES (L-ONLY) BY EVE CONANT (BRAZHDA)

INTRO: A NEW WAVE OF ETHNIC ALBANIAN REFUGEES IS CROSSING INTO MACEDONIA. MEANWHILE, INTERNATIONAL AIDE WORKERS SAY THAT REFUGEES STILL HIDING OUT INSIDE KOSOVO ARE RUNNING OUT OF FOOD. VOA'S EVE CONANT IN MACEDONIA REPORTS FROM THE BRAZHDA REFUGEE CAMP NEAR THE BORDER, WHERE MOST OF THE NEW ARRIVALS ARE BEING TAKEN.

TEXT: ///NAT SOUND CHILDREN'S DEMO -- UP AND UNDER///

IT IS A SPONTANEOUS RALLY IN THE REFUGEE CAMP. THE CROWD IS ALL CHILDREN. THEY CHANT "NATO, NATO" AND "PEACE IN KOSOVO." MANY OF THE KIDS, SOME AS YOUNG AS FIVE, ARE HOLDING CARDBOARD SIGNS READING "THANK YOU NATO." A FEW NATO SOLDIERS LOOK BEWILDERED AS THE CHILDREN SWARM AROUND THEIR TRUCK. ONLY A 10-MINUTE DRIVE FROM THIS CAMP IS MACEDONIA'S BORDER WITH KOSOVO, WHERE MORE AND MORE REFUGEES ARE STARTING TO ARRIVE AGAIN. HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS SAY UP TO TEN CARS HAVE MADE IT THROUGH -- AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE IT MEANS SERB SOLDIERS ARE ALLOWING PRIVATE VEHICLES TO LEAVE KOSOVO. THE EXACT NUMBERS OF THOSE ON FOOT IS HARD TO DOCUMENT.

THE VISITING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE U-N WORLD FOOD PROGRAM, CATHERINE BERTINI, IS WORRIED ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE YET TO CROSS.

WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE STATUS OF PEOPLE IN KOSOVO. WE HAVE NO DIRECT INFORMATION ABOUT THEM. WE KNOW, HOWEVER, FROM MANY COMMENTS FROM REFUGEES THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THE HILLS AND HIDING. WE'RE VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO ADEQUATE FOOD.

SHE SAYS HER ORGANIZATION HAS EXAMINED THE IDEA OF PARACHUTING FOOD INTO KOSOVO BUT AT PRESENT IT WOULD BE TOO DANGEROUS. 19-YEAR-OLD TEUTA MIFTARI (TE-'UT-A 'MIF-TARI) SAYS HER FAMILY PAID ALMOST THREE-THOUSAND GERMAN MARKS TO PEOPLE REPRESENTING THEMSELVES AS THE MACEDONIAN RED CROSS AS A BRIBE TO GET OVER THE BORDER FASTER. SHE GUESSES THERE ARE OVER 15-THOUSAND ON THE OTHER SIDE WAITING TO CROSS -- A FIGURE IMPOSSIBLE TO VERIFY, BUT SIMILAR TO REPORTS GIVEN BY OTHER REFUGEES. SHE SAYS SHE SAW SERB SOLDIERS PULLING YOUNG GIRLS AWAY FROM THE LINE OF REFUGEES, WAITING TO GET INTO MACEDONIA.

AT THE BLACE BORDER POINT WEDNESDAY, 19 BUSES FILLED WITH REFUGEES WAIT FOR ORDERS ON WHERE TO GO. EACH BUS IS PACKED WITH AT LEAST 70 PEOPLE.

WHEN THESE NEW ARRIVALS -- MANY OF THEM STANDING IN THE AISLE OF THE BUS -- ARE ASKED IF THERE IS ANY FOOD LEFT IN KOSOVO, THE CROWD GIVES THE SAME ANSWER.

THAT MEANS "NO"--THERE IS NOT ENOUGH FOOD IN KOSOVO. IN THESE BUSES ALONE THERE ARE AT LEAST 13-HUNDRED PEOPLE. IN THE SPACE OF 30 MINUTES, 11 MORE BUSES ARRIVE -- A SIGN IT IS POSSIBLE THERE ARE, ONCE AGAIN, THOUSANDS WAITING ON THE OTHER SIDE. (SIGNED)
NEB/EC/PCF
14-Apr-99 1:57 PM EDT (1757 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] BELGRADE DISPATCH WEDNESDAY (L-O) BY GUY DINMORE (BELGRADE)

INTRO: YUGOSLAVIA HAS ACCUSED NATO WARPLANES OF ATTACKING A COLUMN OF ETHNIC ALBANIAN REFUGEES RETURNING TO THEIR HOMES IN KOSOVO PROVINCE, KILLING AT LEAST 64 PEOPLE. NATO CONFIRMS THERE HAD BEEN A STRIKE IN THE AREA AGAINST SERBIAN MILITARY TARGETS AND SAYS IT IS INVESTIGATING. GUY DINMORE REPORTS

TEXT: ACCORDING TO SERBIAN OFFICIALS, SOME 1,000 ETHNIC ALBANIANS WERE DRIVING IN A CONVOY BACK TO THEIR VILLAGES NEAR THE SOUTHERN KOSOVO TOWN OF DJAKOVICA, WHEN THEY WERE ATTACKED BY NATO WARPLANES.

THE OFFICIALS SAID AT LEAST 64 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND MANY WOUNDED BY THREE BOMBS. THREE SERBIAN POLICEMEN WERE SAID TO HAVE BEEN ESCORTING THE REFUGEES TRAVELLING IN A COLUMN OF ABOUT 100 TRACTORS, TRAILERS AND CARS.

SERBIAN PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKEN TO THE SCENE RELAYED PICTURES OF CORPSES ON THE ROADSIDE AND MANGLED WRECKS OF TRACTORS. ONE WOUNDED WOMAN WAS SHOWN BEING CARRIED IN A WHEELBARROW.

SO FAR THERE HAS BEEN NO INDEPENDENT CONFIRMATION OF THE ACCOUNT GIVEN BY SERBIAN OFFICIALS. ACCORDING TO REFUGEES WHO CROSSED INTO ALBANIA, THE COLUMN OF KOSOVO ALBANIANS WAS BEING TAKEN BY POLICE OUT OF THEIR VILLAGES AND NOT BACK HOME AS THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT CLAIMED.

NATO SAYS ITS AIRCRAFT HAD LAUNCHED AN ATTACK IN THAT AREA AND IS INVESTIGATING WHAT HAPPENED.

LAST WEEK THREE BOMBS DROPPED BY NATO AIRCRAFT ON THE SOUTHERN TOWN OF ALEKSINAC MISSED THEIR MILITARY TARGETS AND KILLED 16 CIVILIANS. ABOUT 10 PEOPLE DIED WHEN A PASSENGER TRAIN WAS STRUCK BY A MISSILE ON MONDAY. NATO SAID IT HAD BEEN AIMING AT A BRIDGE.

YUGOSLAV DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER VUK DRASKOVIC ESTIMATES SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE HAVE DIED SINCE NATO STRIKES BEGAN ON MARCH 24.

IN BELGRADE WEDNESDAY, SOME TWO-THOUSAND PEOPLE TURNED OUT FOR THE FUNERAL SLAVKO CURUVIJA -- A NEWSPAPER OWNER AND EDITOR SHOT DEAD OUTSIDE HIS HOME LAST SUNDAY BY TWO GUNMEN DRESSED IN BLACK. MR. CURUVIJA WAS ONE OF THE MOST OUTSPOKEN CRITICS OF YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC AND HIS MURDER HAS SENT SHOCK WAVES THROUGH OPPOSITION CIRCLES IN BELGRADE. DESPITE THEIR COLLECTIVE FEAR, LEADERS OF THE OPPOSITION ALLIANCE FOR CHANGE ATTENDED HIS FUNERAL. SOME SAID THEY WERE NOT JUST BURYING A FRIEND BUT ALSO THEIR HOPES FOR DEMOCRACY IN YUGOSLAVIA.
NEB/GD/JO
14-Apr-99 4:50 PM EDT (2050 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] YUGOSLAVIA ACCUSES NATO (S & L) BY PAMELA TAYLOR (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT HAS ACCUSED NATO OF ATTACKING TWO CONVOYS OF ETHNIC ALBANIAN REFUGEES ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES, KILLING 75 AND INJURING 25. THERE IS NO INDEPENDENT CONFIRMATION OF THE ATTACKS, BUT THE BELGRADE GOVERNMENT SAYS WESTERN TELEVISION CREWS (REUTERS & CNN) HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO THE AREA. V-O-A'S PAMELA TAYLOR REPORTS:

TEXT: A TOP YUGOSLAV OFFICIAL SAYS TWO NATO BOMBING ATTACKS EARLY WEDNESDAY IN THE AREA OF DJAKOVICA IN SOUTHWESTERN KOSOVO HIT ETHNIC ALBANIANS AS THEY SOUGHT TO RETURN HOME.

SPEAKING TO VOA BY TELEPHONE FROM BELGRADE, YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, NEBOJSA VUJOVIC, SAID BY THE ALLEGED NATO ATTACK IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE HUMANITARIAN CATASROPHE.

THEY WERE REFUGEES DRIVING IN THEIR CARS FROM THE BORDER TO THEIR HOMES. SO WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT NATO BOMBS ARE TRYING TO PREVENT THOSE PEOPLE FROM RETURNING TO THEIR HOMES. THEY WERE ETHNIC ALBANIANS, TURKS AND OTHERS LIVING IN KOSOVO (AND METOHIA) WHO HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET HOME.

NATO OFFICIALS SAY THEY WERE FLYING BOMBING MISSIONS IN WESTERN KOSOVO AT THE TIME, BUT CANNOT CONFIRM THE REPORTED ATTACKS ON THE REFUGEE CONVOYS. EARLIER, NATO SAID ITS WARPLANES HAMMERED YUGOSLAV BRIDGES, FUEL STORAGE FACILITIES, AIR DEFENSE AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

MR. VUJOVIC DENIED REPORTS THAT YUGOSLAV FORCES BRIEFLY OCCUPIED TWO ALBANIAN VILLAGES TUESDAY, AFTER CROSSING THE BORDER FROM KOSOVO:

WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THAT ALBANIAN SEPARATISTS AND TERRORISTS, ARMED TO THEIR TEETH, ARE CROSSING INTO YUGOSLAVIA. SIX THOUSAND PEOPLE FOR THE FIFTH DAY IN A ROW ARE TRYING TO BREACH OUR BORDERS AND UNDERMINE OUR TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AND SOVEREIGNTY. THEY GOT SIX HUNDRED METERS INSIDE OUR TERRITORY. NOT ONE SINGLE YUGOSLAV EVER CROSSED ALBANIAN BORDERS.

MEANWHILE IN THE ALBANIAN CAPITAL, TIRANA, PRESIDENT REXHEP MEIDANI HAS DISPATCHED REINFORCEMENTS TO THE BORDER REGION TO RESIST ANY FURTHER INCURSIONS BY YUGOSLAV FORCES. AND INTERNATIONAL MONITORS SAID YUGOSLAV FORCES FIRED AT LEAST TWO ARTILLERY SHELLS AT A VILLAGE IN NORTHERN ALBANIA ON WEDNESDAY. (SIGNED)
NEB/PAM/GE
14-Apr-99 2:15 PM EDT (1815 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] KOSOVO REFUGEES - S & L BY JIM RANDLE (PENTAGON)

INTRO: NATO IS DISPUTING CLAIMS BY YUGOSLAV OFFICIALS THAT NATO AIRCRAFT ATTACKED A CONVOY OF ETHNIC ALBANIAN REFUGEES IN KOSOVO, KILLING 75 PEOPLE, AND WOUNDING DOZENS MORE. NATO'S TOP MILITARY COMMANDER SAYS IT APPEARS SERB FORCES WERE ANGERED BY AN ATTACK ON A MILITARY CONVOY, AND THEN RETALIATED BY KILLING THE REFUGEES. FROM THE PENTAGON, VOA'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS.

TEXT: PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS TOP NATO OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING THE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON INCIDENT.

HE SAID NATO MILITARY COMMANDER WESLEY CLARK SAYS ALLIANCE PILOTS ATTACKED A CONVOY OF SERB MILITARY VEHICLES.

HE HAS RECEIVED REPORTS FROM THE PILOTS THAT THEY BELIEVE THEY HIT ONLY MILITARY VEHICLES. HE HAS ALSO RECIEVED VERBAL REPORTS OF THE POSSIBLIITY THAT AFTER THE CONVOY WAS HIT, THAT MILITARY PEOPLE GOT OUT AND ATTACKED CIVILIANS.

BUT A YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN TELLS V-O-A IT WAS THE NATO WARPLANES THAT KILLED THE REFUGEES. THE OFFICIAL SAID THE ATTACKS OCCURRED AROUND VILLAGES IN SOUTHWESTERN KOSOVO AS THE REFUGEES WERE TRYING TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES.

PICTURES ON SERB TELEVISION SHOW TRACTORS AND HORSECARTS ALONGSIDE A ROAD, AND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE LYING DEAD OR WOUNDED WHO THE SERBS SAY WERE VICTIMS OF THE NATO ATTACK. EARLIER, NATO OFFICIALS SAID ALLIANCE PLANES WERE CONDUCTING OPERATIONS ALL OVER YUGOSLAVIA, STRIKING BRIDGES, FUEL STORAGE FACILITIES, AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS AND YUGOSLAV MILITARY FORCES IN THE FIELD.

ON TUESDAY, SERB AIR DEFENSES LAUNCHED THE LARGEST NUMBER OF SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES AGAINST NATO AIRCRAFT SINCE THE BOMBING BEGAN. PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE MADE PROGRESS IN DEGRADING THE SERBIAN AIR DEFENSES -- BUT WARN THEY ARE STILL ROBUST AND DANGEROUS. (SIGNED)
NEB/JR/ENE/WFR
14-Apr-99 5:12 PM EDT (2112 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[07] KOSOVO REFUGEES S & L UPDATE BY JIM RANDLE (PENTAGON)

INTRO: PENTAGON OFFICIALS AND NATO COMMANDERS ARE NOW BACKING AWAY FROM STATEMENTS THAT SERB FORCES MAY HAVE ATTACKED A CONVOY OF ETHNIC ALBANIAN REFUGEES IN KOSOVO. SERB OFFICIALS SAY NATO BOMBS WRECKED THE CONVOY OF TRACTORS AND FARM CARTS, KILLING 64 PEOPLE. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPOTS FROM THE PENTAGON WHERE OFFICIALS ARE WORKING TO CLEAR UP THE CONFUSION.

TEXT: PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON NOW SAYS HE DOES NOT KNOW WHO ATTACKED A GROUP OF KOSOVAR REFUGEES. BUT HE SAYS HE HAS NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT EARLIER NATO STATEMENTS THAT SERB TROOPS ANGERED BY A NATO AIR STRIKE ON A MILITARY CONVOY MAY HAVE ATTACKED THE KOSOVARS IN RETALIATION FOR THE NATO ATTACK.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTRY TELLS V-O-A THAT NATO PLANES ATTACKED A LONG LINE OF TRACTORS AND FARM CARTS AND LEFT MANY DEAD AND INJURED NEAR THE TOWN OF DAKOVICA.

PICTURES ON SERBIAN TELEVISION SHOW WRECKED FARM EQUIPMENT ALONG WITH DEAD AND INJURED PEOPLE THE SERBS SAY ARE VICTIMS OF THE NATO ATTACK.

AT NATO HEADQUARTERS, SPOKESMAN JAN JOOSTEN SAYS TOP OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT AND INTERVIEWING PILOTS WHO INSIST THEY ATTACKED A CONVOY OF SERB TROOPS.

THE AIRCRAFT WERE FIRED ON BY ANTI AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY AND MAN-PORTABLE SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES. THE PILOTS SAY THEY ATTACKED ONLY MILITARY VEHICLES. I CAN NOT CONFIRM THAT THESE ATTACKS MAY HAVE CAUSE CIVILIAN CASUALTIES. WE THROUGHLY INVESTIGATE ALL OUR MISSION DETAILS. AND ONCE THEY HAVE BEEN REVIEWED, WE WILL TELL YOU MORE.

[08] SERB GROUND DEFENSE BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

INTRO: INFORMATION FROM KOSOVAR REFUGEES MOST RECENTLY EXPELLED FROM THE SERB PROVINCE INDICATE SERB FORCES IN KOSOVO ARE PREPARING FOR POSSIBLE NATO GROUND ATTACK DESPITE NATO DENIALS OF SUCH PLANS. V-O-A LONDON CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN EXPLORES THE SERB TACTICS WITH MILITARY ANALYSTS MONITORING THE EMERGING PATTERN.

TEXT: NATO ALLIES INSIST AGAIN AND AGAIN THERE ARE NO PLANS FOR A GROUND INVASION OF KOSOVO. IN BRITAIN, DEFENSE OFFICIALS, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, AND THE PRIME MINISTER HIMSELF SAY "NO" TO GROUND TROOPS.

I WISH TO MAKE IT CLEAR, ABSOLUTELY CLEAR ONCE AGAIN WHAT OUR POSITION IS OF TODAY. NEITHER NATO OR THE UNITED KINGDOM HAVE ANY PLANS FOR AN OPPOSED INVASION OF KOSOVO BY FORCE. THERE IS NO 'U' TURN. THAT IS OUR POLICY. TO THOSE WHO SAY "PUT IN GROUND FORCES NOW AS PART OF A LAND FORCE INVASION OF KOSOVO," I REPEAT, THE DIFFICULTIES OF SUCH AN UNDERTAKING IN THE FACE OF ORGANIZED SERB RESISTANCE ARE FORMIDABLE.

BUT SOME POLITICIANS AND ANALYSTS SAY AIR STRIKES MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO STOP YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC. THE LEADER OF BRITAIN'S LIBERAL DEMOCRAT PARTY, PADDY ASHDOWN, TELLS V-O-A NEWS THAT NATO CANNOT UNDERESTIMATE THE EXTENT THAT NATIONALISM FUELS YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSOVO STRATEGY.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO BOMB PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC INTO SUBMISSION. HE IS NOT GOING TO STAND OUT ONE DAY AND WAVE A WHITE FLAG AND SAY, "OKAY I WAS WRONG, YOU CAN HAVE KOSOVO." WHY? BECAUSE KOSOVO IS THE DRAGON THAT HE RODE TO THE PRESIDENCY OF YUGOSLAVIA. HE IS THE MAN WHO RAISED THE NATIONALIST FLAG OVER THE ISSUE OF KOSOVO. HIS FUTURE IS NAILED TO KOSOVO. AND IF KOSOVO GOES, PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC GOES.

SO THE SERB MILITARY APPEARS TO BE TAKING NO CHANCES. REPORTS FROM REFUGEES FLEEING KOSOVO INDICATE SERB UNITS HAVE LAID LANDMINES, MOVED TANKS INTO ABANDONED VILLAGES, TURNED EMPTY SCHOOLS INTO BARRACKS, AND FORTIFIED OTHER BUILDINGS.

MILITARY ANALYST PAUL BEAVER OF JANE'S DEFENSE WEEKLY SAYS THE SERBS ARE SETTING UP A LINE OF DEFENSE ABOUT 20 KILOMETERS FROM THE ALBANIAN AND MACEDONIAN BORDERS.

THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT NATO'S POSTURING ABOUT PUTTING IN PEACEKEEPING GROUPS IN MACEDONIA AND ACE MOBILE FORCES IN ALBANIA, TOGETHER WITH AMERICAN APACHE HELICOPTERS AND MULTIPLE-LAUNCH ROCKET SYSTEMS IS CAUSING THEM CONCERN. AND DESPITE THE RHETORIC OF THE POLITICIANS THAT THERE'LL BE NO INVASION, THE SERB COMMANDERS ARE TAKING NO RISKS.

EDWARD FOSTER OF THE LONDON-BASED ROYAL UNITED SERVICES INSTITUTE DESCRIBES THE YUGOSLAV MILITARY STRATEGY AS A SERIES OF FORWARD DEFENSE LINES THAT CREATES WHAT HE CALLS FIELDS OF FIRE.

THE TACTICS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE DEFENSE IN DEPTH, WHERE THE FORTIFICATIONS ARE NOT ALL YOU CAN SEE. THERE ARE A MUCH MORE DEVELOPED SERIES OF BELTS OF DEFENSE AND AN INVADER WOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO BE SUCKED IN AND THE STAY-BEHIND PARTIES WOULD TRY TO RAISE THE ALARM AND DESPONDENCY IN THE REAR AREAS. SO ANY INVADER WOULD BE KEPT ON HIS GUARD AND THERE WOULD NEVER BE A SHARP AREA AND A SOFT AREA BEHIND.

MILITARY ANALYST PAUL BEAVER SAYS THE STRATEGY IS BASED ON CLASSIC COMMUNIST DOCTRINES OF TOTAL DEFENSE THAT INCLUDES GUERRILLA WARFARE.

I THINK THE YUGOSLAVS ARE VERY MUCH GOING TO DO THAT. THEIR AIM IS TO SET UP A DEFENSIVE LINE AS AN INITIAL BLOCK FORCE AND THEN THEY'LL MELT INTO THE HILLS AND FIGHT AS A GUERRILLA ARMY. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NATO DOES NOT WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN -- SOME PROTRACTED FIGHT.

DEFENSE ANALYST FOSTER FIGURES THE SERB MILITARY IS COUNTING ON NATO'S RELUCTANCE AND ON KOSOVO'S ROUGH TERRAIN WHICH IS FAMILIAR TO THE SERB MILITARY BUT NOT TO NATO FORCES.

ANALYSTS DISAGREE ON HOW LONG PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC IS WILLING TO SUBJECT HIS TROOPS IN KOSOVO TO NATO ATTACKS. SOME SUGGEST HE WOULD GIVE UP PART OF KOSOVO IF THE SERB ORTHODOX MONASTERIES AND MINERAL RESOURCES REMAIN UNDER HIS CONTROL. BUT OTHER ANALYSTS SAY MR. MILOSEVIC WANTS TO CLEAR KOSOVO OF ALL ETHNIC ALBANIANS AND REPOPULATE THE PROVINCE WITH SERB REFUGEES FROM OTHER REPUBLICS THAT HAVE SPLIT FROM YUGOSLAVIA. (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/JWH
14-Apr-99 11:41 AM EDT (1541 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[09] THE K-L-A BY GIL BUTLER (TIRANA)

INTRO: THE KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY CONTINUES TO BE A PRESENCE IN ALBANIA, AS THE LATEST SERBIAN ATTACKS ON BORDER AREAS FREQUENTED BY THE K-L-A HAVE DEMONSTRATED. V-O-A'S GIL BUTLER IS IN ALBANIA'S CAPITAL, TIRANA, AND HAS A REPORT ON THE K-L-A -- A GROUP OF GUERRILLA FIGHTERS THAT DID NOT EXIST IN SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS UNTIL RECENTLY.

TEXT: THE GROWTH OF THE K-L-A, OR U-C-K ('OO-CHE-KA) AS IT IS CALLED IN ALBANIAN, DATES FROM SERBIAN ATTACKS ON KOSOVAR ALBANIAN VILLAGES IN FEBRUARY 1998. THERE ARE NO FIRM NUMBERS ABOUT ITS CURRENT STRENGTH. YUGOSLAVIAN OFFICIALS USE THE FIGURE SIX-THOUSAND -- ALTHOUGH THEY DON'T CALL THE K-L-A GUERRILLA FIGHTERS. THEY CALL THEM "TERRORISTS."

NEW RECRUITS ARE JOINING EVERY DAY -- EVEN COMING FROM NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE.

BUT HOW EFFECTIVE A FIGHTING FORCE IS IT?

THE K-L-A PRESENCE WAS NOT ABLE TO PREVENT SERB FORCES FROM UPROOTING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF KOSOVARS AND PUSHING THEM OUT OF THE SERBIAN PROVINCE.

ACCORDING TO VISAR REKA, WHO IDENTIFIES HIMSELF AS A K-L-A SPOKESMAN, K-L-A FIGHTERS INSIDE KOSOVO ARE NOT CONDUCTING ANY OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS BUT ARE INSTEAD CONCENTRATING ON PROTECTING REMAINING ETHNIC ALBANIAN CIVILIANS WHO, HE SAYS, HAVE BEEN ENCIRCLED BY SERB FORCES.

THE K-L-A HAS BEEN OVERWHELMED BY CIVILIANS FLEEING THE SERB TERROR AND MOST OF ITS RESOURCES GO FOR THE CIVILIANS FOR THEIR DEFENSE, AND FOR SURVIVAL AS WELL.

HE SAYS THERE IS NOW AN URGENT NEED FOR FOOD AND MEDICINE FOR THE CIVILIANS STILL INSIDE KOSOVO.

I MEAN, THIS WAR IS ABOUT SAVING LIVES. SO THAT IS THE PRIORITY. BUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT, THE WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION ARE NEEDED IN ORDER TO PREVENT A FURTHER DETERIORATION OF THE SITUATION -- A FURTHER ADVANCE OF THE SERBIAN TROOPS IN THE AREAS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TOUCHED UNTIL NOW. THESE ARE FEW, BUT STILL THERE ARE CIVILIANS IN THE CITIES AND WE NEVER KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT THE MILOSEVIC REGIME MAY GO IN ORDER TO INFLICT PAIN AND DAMAGE TO THE CIVILIAN DAMAGE.

MR. REKA SAYS NATO HAS NOT AGREED TO SUPPLY WEAPONS TO THE K-L-A. HE SAYS THEY PARTICULARLY NEED ANTI-TANK WEAPONS.

IN NORTHERN ALBANIA, CAMOUFLAGE-UNIFORMED K-L-A MEMBERS ARE VERY EVIDENT, THOUGH THEY DON'T APPEAR TO BE CARRYING WEAPONS. NEVERTHELESS, SERB ATTACKS ON K-L-A CONCENTRATIONS IN BORDER AREAS -- EVEN INSIDE ALBANIA -- HAVE RAISED THE ISSUE OF ALBANIA'S POLICY ON THE ORGANIZATION.

IN A POINTED REMINDER, ILER META -- ALBANIA'S DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER -- SAYS THE K-L-A SIGNED THE RAMBOUILLET PEACE AGREEMENT WHILE THE SERB SIDE REFUSED.

I THINK THE K-L-A PROVED THAT IT IS NOT JUST A MILITARY ORGANIZATION BUT HAS ACQUIRED A POLITICAL PROFILE. FURTHERMORE, THIS ORGANIZATION IS WILLING AND SEEKING A PEACEFUL SOLUTION, IF IT CAN BE POSSIBLE. BUT IN SUCH CONDITIONS, AFTER THE SERB SIDE DIDN'T SIGN THE AGREEMENT, THE RESISTANCE OF THE K-L-A IS LEGITIMATE.

THE ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT IS WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE WESTERN ALLIES -- THE ADVANCED DEMOCRACIES -- AND WE APPRECIATE THE ROLE ALBANIA IS PLAYING IN THIS REGARD. IT IS SHELTERING MORE THAN 300-THOUSAND REFUGEES AND THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE K-L-A WHICH IS THE ONLY FUNCTIONING ORGANIZATION IN KOSOVO -- MILITARY, CIVILIAN, POLITICAL AND EVERYTHING ELSE. THE RELATIONS BETWEEN K-L-A AND THE ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT I WOULD DESCRIBE AS BROTHERLY.

YUGOSLAVIA JUSTIFIES SHELLING THE ALBANIAN BORDER BECAUSE IT SAYS THE K-L-A BASES ITS ACTIVITIES THERE. ALBANIA'S INFORMATION MINISTER, MUSA ULQINI, CALLS THAT A PRETEXT. ALBANIA DENOUNCES WHAT HE CALLS ATTEMPTS BY SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO CHANGE HIS FIGHT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY INTO A FIGHT WITH ALBANIA OVER THE KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY. (SIGNED)
NEB/MGB/PCF/GE
14-Apr-99 1:57 PM EDT (1757 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[10] REFUGEES / SENATE HEARING (L-ONLY) (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THREE ETHNIC ALBANIANS DRIVEN OUT OF KOSOVO TESTIFIED BEFORE A SENATE PANEL IN WASHINGTON WEDNESDAY ABOUT CRIMES ALLEGEDLY COMMITTED BY SERBIAN FORCES IN THE PROVINCE. V-O-A'S CANDACE WILLIAMS ATTENDED THE HEARING AND HAS MORE ON THE EMOTIONAL TESTIMONY.

TEXT: JOURNALIST AFERDITA KELMENDI FOUGHT BACK TEARS WEDNESDAY AS SHE TOLD THE SENATE IMMIGRATION SUBCOMMITTEE ABOUT THE MURDER OF A COLLEAGUE.

MY FRIEND, GAZMEND BERISHA, HE WAS A CORRESPONDENT FOR MY RADIO STATION IN SUVA REKA. HE DID NOT GET OUT. THEY EXECUTED HIM IN THE STREET. I STILL CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I WILL NEVER HEAR HIS VOICE AGAIN. I CANNOT EVEN BEAR TO THINK ABOUT IT.

2ND KELMENDI ACT//

WHEN I CAME TO MY RADIO STATION ON THE MORNING OF MARCH 29TH, BEFORE I ARRIVED, I SAW FROM A DISTANCE THE POLICE RAIDING THE STATION. THEY BROKE DOWN THE DOOR AND DESTROYED THE ENTIRE STATION AND ALL OF ITS EQUIPMENT. I STAYED BACK BY THE CAR AND THEN I DROVE QUICKLY TO WHERE MY FAMILY WAS HIDING.

MS. KELMENDI, WHOSE RELATIVES WERE HIDING IN AN APARTMENT, SAYS THE INCIDENT FORCED THEM AND TWO OTHER FAMILIES TO FLEE KOSOVO FOR FEAR OF THEIR LIVES. SHE SAYS THEY WERE LUCKY TO HAVE HAD ENOUGH MONEY FOR AUTHORITIES WHO DEMANDED TO BE PAID FOR PASSAGE TO MACEDONIA. //END OPT//

ANOTHER REFUGEE, VJOSA DOBRUNA, TOLD A SIMILAR STORY. THE PEDIATRICIAN, WHO LIVED IN PRISTINA, SAYS BEFORE BEING FORCED OUT OF TOWN, SERBIAN SECURITY TROOPS DEMANDED MONEY FROM HER AND TWO RELATIVES, AND BEAT THEM. SHE SAYS THESE INCIDENTS ARE COMMON.

SUMMARY EXECUTIONS, MASS KILLINGS, THE FORCED EXPULSION OF CIVILIANS FROM THEIR HOMES -- THESE CONTINUE EVERY DAY THROUGHOUT KOSOVO.

THE OTHER REFUGEE, MENTOR NIMANI, TOLD THE SENATE PANEL HE HID IN BELGRADE FOR THREE DAYS BEFORE TRAVELLING TO MONTENEGRO BECAUSE HE FEARED FOR HIS SAFETY IN THE YUGOSLAV CAPITAL. MR. NIMANI, A HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST, LATER FLED TO ALBANIA.

WHILE FORTUNATE TO HAVE MADE IT OUT OF KOSOVO, THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS SAY THEY CONSIDER THEMSELVES DEPORTEES, NOT REFUGEES, AND WANT TO RETURN HOME SOME DAY.

FOR THEIR PART, SENATORS ON THE PANEL SAID THEY REALIZED HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS FOR THE REFUGEES TO TELL THEIR STORY. BUT THEY ALSO SAID THE UNITED STATES WILL DO ITS PART TO HELP KOSOVAR ALBANIANS REBUILD THEIR LIVES. (SIGNED)
NEB/CAW/WFR
14-Apr-99 5:44 PM EDT (2144 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[11] BRITAIN/KOSOVO (S/L VER) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

INTRO: BRITISH OFFICIALS SAY THE SERB PARAMILITARY COMMANDER KNOWN AS "ARKAN" IS RECRUITING CRIMINALS TO HELP BRUTALIZE KOSOVAR ALBANIANS STILL INSIDE THE SERB PROVINCE. "ARKAN" IS WANTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL. THE BRITISH ALSO SAY A WELL-KNOWN BOSNIAN-SERB COMMANDER (RATKO MLADIC) -- ALSO WANTED ON WAR CRIMES CHARGES -- IS NOW OPERATING IN KOSOVO. CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS BRITISH OFFICIALS ARE ALSO WORRIED ABOUT REFUGEES HIDING IN THE WOODS AND MOUNTAINS OF KOSOVO WHO ARE RUNNING OUT OF FOOD AND WATER.

TEXT: DEFENSE SECRETARY GEORGE ROBERTSON SAYS THE PARAMILITARY COMMANDERS WANTED FOR WAR CRIMES IN BOSNIA ARE NOW OPERATING FREELY IN KOSOVO.

WITH BRUTAL KILLERS LIKE THAT AT WORK IN KOSOVO, IT'S NO WONDER THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE FLED THEIR HOMES.

DESPITE THE MASS EXODUS -- EITHER FORCED OR VOLUNTARY -- OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS, BRITAIN'S INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY, CLARE SHORT, EXPRESSES ALARM FOR THOUSANDS MORE HIDING IN THE WOODS AND MOUNTAINS INSIDE KOSOVO WHO ARE RUNNING OUT OF FOOD AND WATER.

WE HAVE CONSIDERED ALL OPTIONS TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO PEOPLE LIVING IN THE OPEN. BUT THERE ARE NO EASY OPTIONS.

NATO ALLIES HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT POSSIBLE FOOD DROPS INTO THE REGION, BUT CONSIDER IT, FOR THE MOMENT, A VERY RISKY UNDERTAKING.

MISS SHORT SAYS REFUGEE RELIEF OPERATIONS IN MACEDONIA AND ALBANIA ARE GETTING BETTER ORGANIZED. SHE SAYS AID WORKERS ARE ALSO COUNSELING WOMEN AND YOUNG GIRLS WHO SAY THEY WERE RAPED AND ABUSED BY SERB MILITARY BEFORE BEING FORCED OUT OF KOSOVO.

I DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO DJAKOVICA IN THE SOUTHWEST OF KOSOVO, NEAR THE ALBANIAN BORDER. WE HAVE, AS YOU KNOW, INCREASING REPORTS HERE OF SYSTEMATIC AND ORGANIZED USE OF RAPE -- SOMETIMES DELIBERATELY PERFORMED IN FRONT OF CHILDREN, FATHERS, HUSBANDS AND BROTHERS. CLEARLY, AS IN BOSNIA, THIS IS RAPE USED DELIBERATELY TO HUMILIATE A PEOPLE.

MISS SHORT SAYS MASS RAPE IS RECOGNIZED AS A WAR CRIME AND EVIDENCE IS BEING COLLECTED FOR PRESENTATION TO THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL. (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/PCF
14-Apr-99 8:49 AM EDT (1249 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[12] E-U / U-N KOSOVO (L) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: THE LEADERS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION ARE SUPPORTING U-N SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN'S FORMULA FOR A SUSPENSION OF NATO BOMBING, IF YUGOSLAVIA ACCEPTS NATO'S CONDITIONS. RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM BRUSSELS ON THE BEGINNINGS OF A DIPLOMATIC PROCESS THAT NEEDS COOPERATION BY YUGOSLAVIA.

TEXT: THE CONDITIONS OF THE UNITED NATIONS ARE NOT MUCH EASIER ON YUGOSLAVIA THAN THE CONDITIONS OF NATO: AN END TO VIOLENCE IN THE SERBIAN PROVINCE OF KOSOVO, THE WITHDRAWAL OF ALL YUGOSLAV SECURITY FORCES FROM THE PROVINCE AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF AN INTERNATIONAL MILITARY FORCE TO PROTECT A SAFE RETURN BY REFUGEES.

YUGOSLAVIA HAS REFUSED TO DISCUSS THOSE PROVISIONS WHILE THE BOMBING CONTINUES, AND NATO REFUSES TO STOP BOMBING UNTIL YUGOSLAVIA CHANGES ITS MIND.

GERMAN CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHROEDER SAYS THE EUROPEAN UNION LEADERS SUPPORT THE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS OF THE UNITED NATIONS. HE SAYS, THROUGH AN INTERPRETER, THAT YUGOSLAVIA MUST ACCEPT THE CONDITIONS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT, ALSO AT THE LOGIC OF THE POSITION OF NATO, I THINK IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THE MILITARY ACTION WILL CONTINUE UNABATED. IT'S CRYSTAL CLEAR. IT IS CRYSTAL CLEAR, AND THIS WASN'T CALLED INTO QUESTION EVEN BY THE NON-NATO E-U COUNTRIES. IT IS CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT THE POINTS SET FORWARD BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL ARE THE POINTS WHICH HAVE TO BE MET IN ORDER TO FIRST CONSIDER THE REDUCTION OF MILITARY ACTIVITY. WE WILL NOT DEVIATE FROM THAT.

THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL TOOK PART IN A EUROPEAN UNION SUMMIT HERE. KOFI ANNAN SAYS HE WILL CONTINUE HIS DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS ON KOSOVO, BUT IT WILL NOT BE EASY.

I'M IN TOUCH WITH QUITE A LOT OF GOVERNMENTS IN DAILY CONTACTS, TRYING TO SEE HOW WE CAN MOVE THE PROCESS FORWARD AND TRY AND GET SOME RESULTS. IT IS DIFFICULT. IT IS DELICATE. I'M NOT SURE WE WILL SUCCEED.

IF THE UNITED NATIONS CAN SUCCEED IN GETTING YUGOSLAVIA TO ACCEPT WHAT IT REFUSES TO ACCEPT, THE EUROPEAN UNION LEADERS SAY THEY ARE WILLING TO FORM A CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATION FOR KOSOVO TO REPLACE THE SERBIAN ADMINISTRATION -- MAKING KOSOVO A EUROPEAN UNION PROTECTORATE. AN INTERNATIONAL MILITARY FORCE, INCLUDING RUSSIA, WOULD PROTECT THE RETURNING REFUGEES.

CHANCELLOR SCHROEDER SAYS HE CANNOT IMAGINE SUCH A FORCE WOULD NOT HAVE NATO TROOPS FORMING ITS CORE. NATO DISMISSES THE IDEA THAT BOMBING COULD BE SUSPENDED BEFORE IT SEES PROOF THAT ALL SERB SECURITY FORCES WITHDRAW FROM KOSOVO. AS A NATO SPOKESMAN PUTS IT, THE ALLIANCE HAS LEARNED ITS LESSON, AND WILL NOT ACCEPT PROMISES FROM YUGOSLAVIA. (SIGNED)
NEB/RDP/WTW
14-Apr-99 5:52 PM EDT (2152 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[13] ISRAEL / KOSOVO BY DEBORAH TATE (JERUSALEM)

INTRO: ISRAEL'S PARLIAMENT REVIEWED THE COUNTRY'S RESPONSE TO THE KOSOVO CRISIS WEDNESDAY -- A RESPONSE THAT OBSERVERS SAY CAN BEST BE DESCRIBED AS "AMBIVALENT." ISRAEL HAS SENT PLANELOADS OF HUMANITARIAN AID TO KOSOVAR REFUGEES. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT HAS BEEN RELUCTANT TO CONDEMN YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC FOR ALLEGED ATROCITIES AGAINST THE ETHNIC ALBANIAN MINORITY IN KOSOVO. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT DEBORAH TATE REPORTS FROM JERUSALEM.

TEXT: TELEVISION PICTURES OF THOUSANDS OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS FLEEING KOSOVO, WOMEN AND CHILDREN PACKED ONTO TRUCKS, AND CROWDED REFUGEE CAMPS, HAVE RESONATED HERE IN ISRAEL, WHICH OBSERVED HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY THIS WEEK.

ISRAELIS ARE ACTIVELY DONATING BLANKETS, WARM CLOTHING AND MONEY TO THE RELIEF EFFORT. AND EARLIER THIS WEEK, PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU WELCOMED MORE THAN 100 KOSOVAR REFUGEES TO ISRAEL, SAYING THEY COULD STAY AS LONG AS THEY WANT.

BUT APART FROM THE HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS AND EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN FOR THE REFUGEES, THERE HAS BEEN A RELUCTANCE TO BACK NATO AIRSTRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA AND TO CONDEMN YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC FOR ALLEGED ATROCITIES AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS.

OBSERVERS SAY THE REASON IS A SENSE OF HISTORIC SOLIDARITY WITH THE SERBS, WHO SAVED THOUSANDS OF JEWS FROM THE NAZIS DURING WORLD WAR TWO.

YOSEF LAPID IS A JOURNALIST AND A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR WHO IS RUNNING FOR THE KNESSET IN MAY ELECTIONS.

WE HAVE A LONG, HISTORICAL ALLIANCE WITH THE SERBS, WHO WERE ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLES IN EUROPE DURING THE HOLOCAUST WHO TRIED TO SAVE THE JEWS. IN A WAY, WE FEEL LIKE MANY AMERICAN JEWS TOWARD ISRAEL WHEN THEY DISAGREE WITH NETANYAHU'S POLICIES, THEY DISAGREE WITH NETANYAHU'S POLICIES, BUT THEY STILL SUPPORT ISRAEL. WE DISAGREE WITH THE POLICIES OF MILOSEVIC, BUT WE HAVE A VERY SOFT SPOT FOR THE SERBS AND TOTALLY DISLIKE THE IDEA THAT AMERICANS ARE BOMBING YUGOSLAVIA, AND HITTING CIVILIANS AND TRAINS, BEHAVING LIKE A WILD SHERIFF IN A DRUNKEN TOWN.

ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER ARIEL SHARON HAS REFUSED TO SUPPORT NATO'S AIR CAMPAIGN, SAYING IT POSES A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT. HE IS REPORTED TO HAVE TOLD A PRIVATE MEETING THAT NATO COULD ONE DAY USE FORCE TO IMPOSE A SOLUTION TO THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT. LATER, IN AN INTERVIEW, THE FOREIGN MINISTER EXPRESSED HIS OPPOSITION TO AN INDEPENDENT KOSOVO, SAYING IT COULD BECOME A CENTER FOR MUSLIM EXTREMISM THAT COULD THREATEN THE REST OF EUROPE.

SOME OBSERVERS ATTRIBUTE THE FOREIGN MINISTER'S REMARKS TO HIS CAMPAIGN TO FORGE CLOSER TIES WITH RUSSIA -- THE SERBS' TRADITIONAL ALLY -- AND PERHAPS IN SO DOING HELP LIKUD WIN MORE VOTES FROM RUSSIAN JEWS IN ELECTIONS MAY 17TH.

BUT MR. LAPID DISAGREES. HE SAYS MR. SHARON'S POINT ABOUT A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT BEING SET BY NATO HAS STRUCK A CHORD WITH ISRAELIS.

IF NATO IS PRESSING MR. MILOSEVIC TO GIVE KOSOVO TO THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS, THE ARGUMENT GOES, WHY COULDN'T IT ALSO PRESS ISRAEL TO GIVE UP LAND TO THE PALESTINIANS?

THEORETICALLY, THERE ARE ARABS IN THE GALILEE WHO MAY TRY TO GAIN INDEPENDENCE, THEORETICALLY THEY COULD BE SUPPORTED BY SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO GIVE THEM INDEPENDENCE AND WHO WILL START BOMBING US. THERE IS SUCH A THOUGHT -- ALTHOUGH NO ONE THINKS AMERICA WILL BOMB ISRAEL. YUGOSLAVIA DID NOT ATTACK A FOREIGN COUNTRY LIKE IRAQ DID. YUGOSLAVIA MAY BE MISBEHAVING TOWARD ITS MINORITY, BUT IT IS ACTING WITHIN ITS OWN SOVEREIGN RIGHT, AND THIS IS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT, NOT ONLY FOR ISRAEL BUT FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD.

[14] MEXICO/BALKANS BY GREG FLAKUS (MEXICO CITY)

INTRO: MEXICO HAS REITERATED ITS DISAPPROVAL OF NATO MILITARY ACTIONS IN THE BALKANS, BUT HAS ALSO CRITICIZED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES CARRIED OUT BY THE SERBS AGAINST ALBANIAN ETHNIC MINORITIES. VOA'S GREG FLAKUS HAS MORE FROM OUR MEXICO CITY BUREAU.

TEXT: IN A STATEMENT FROM THE MEXICAN FOREIGN MINISTRY TUESDAY, THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT ERNESTO ZEDILLO REITERATED ITS OBJECTION TO THE USE OF FORCE BY NATO AND BACKED EFFORTS BY UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN TO FIND A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT.

U-S SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT REPORTEDLY SENT LETTERS TO THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF SIX LATIN AMERICAN NATIONS, INCLUDING MEXICO, TO EXPLAIN FURTHER THE U-S POSITION REGARDING KOSOVO AND THE NATO ACTIONS IN THE BALKANS. MEXICAN FOREIGN MINISTER ROSARIO GREEN ON TUESDAY CONFIRMED ONLY THAT SHE HAS BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH HER U-S COUNTERPART, BUT SHE PROVIDED NO DETAILS.

MS GREEN SAID THE UNITED STATES IS WELL AWARE OF MEXICO'S POSITION, WHICH IS THAT NO MILITARY ACTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN WITHOUT THE EXPRESS CONSENT OF THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL, SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HIGHLY UNLIKELY SINCE COUNCIL MEMBERS RUSSIA AND CHINA BOTH OPPOSE THE NATO CAMPAIGN. MEANTIME, IN GENEVA, MEXICO JOINED 43 OTHER NATIONS REPRESENTED IN THE U-N HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, IN CONDEMNING THE SERBIAN PRACTICE OF "ETHNIC CLEANSING" IN KOSOVO. (SIGNED).
NEB/GF/PHW/WFR
13-Apr-99 8:01 PM EDT (0001 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[15] RUSSIA / KOSOVO BY PETER HEINLEIN (MOSCOW)

INTRO: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAS NAMED FORMER PRIME MINISTER VICTOR CHERNOMYRDIN AS HIS PERSONAL ENVOY ON THE KOSOVO CRISIS. VOA MOSCOW CORRESPONDENT PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS THE APPOINTMENT IS BEING SEEN MOSTLY AS AN EFFORT TO LIMIT THE AUTHORITY OF THE CURRENT PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV.

TEXT: APPOINTMENT OF THE 61-YEAR-OLD MR. CHERNOMYRDIN TO HEAD RUSSIA'S DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVE ON YUGOSLAVIA CAME AS A SURPRISE TO MANY OBSERVERS. IN HIS FIVE YEARS AS PRIME MINISTER, THE FORMER GAS INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE WAS PERHAPS BEST KNOWN AS PRIMARILY A LOYAL BUREAUCRAT WITH A PENCHANT FOR JUMBLED SPEECH.

IN ANNOUNCING THE APPOINTMENT, KREMLIN AIDE OLEG SYSUYEV TRIED TO PORTRAY MR. CHERNOMYRDIN AS A STATESMAN.

BUT OTHER KREMLIN AIDES AND OBSERVERS SUGGEST THE MOVE IS AT LEAST AS MUCH ABOUT DOMESTIC AS INTERNATIONAL POLITICS. THEY POINT OUT PRESIDENT YELTSIN IS FAMOUS FOR KEEPING HIS SUBORDINATES OFF BALANCE, ENSURING NO ONE HAS ENOUGH POWER TO CHALLENGE HIM.

ANALYST ANDREI RYABOV SAYS THE MOTIVE FOR THIS LATEST MOVE IS TO COUNTERBALANCE THE AUTHORITY OF MR. YELTSIN'S INCREASINGLY POPULAR PRIME MINISTER, YEVGENY PRIMAKOV.

I WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER THIS APPOINTMENT AS AN EPISODE IN THE STRUGGLE, IN THE CONTRADICTIONS BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT AND HIS ADMINISTRATION FROM ONE HAND AND THE PRIME MINISTER AND HIS GOVERNMENT FROM ANOTHER HAND.

MR. RYABOV SAYS THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER MAY HAVE CONSIDERABLE BUREAUCRATIC SKILLS, BUT KNOWS VIRTUALLY NOTHING ABOUT THE BALKANS.

CHERNOMYRDIN, IN THIS CONTEXT, CAN'T PLAY A GRAND ROLE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS AROUND THE YUGOSLAVIAN CRISIS. AND I SUPPOSE THE MAIN ROLE WILL (PLAYED BY) MR. PRIMAKOV AND (FOREIGN MINISTER) MR. IVANOV, BECAUSE MR. CHERNOMYRDIN DOESN'T HAVE ANY PROFESSIONAL QUALITIES TO PLAY A GRAND ROLE IN THIS PROCESS.

THE GOVERNMENT NEWS SERVICE REPORTS MR. CHERNOMYRDIN MET PRIME MINISTER PRIMAKOV WEDNESDAY AFTER THE APPOINTMENT.

A CHERNOMYRDIN AIDE LATER SAID THE NEWLY-NAMED ENVOY WOULD SOON MEET LEADERS OF COUNTRIES INVOLVED IN THE BALKANS CONFLICT.

IN THE MEANTIME, RUSSIA IS PUSHING AHEAD WITH ITS ESTABLISHED DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVE ON THE BALKANS. ONE DAY AFTER FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV MET SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, HIS OFFICE ISSUED A STATEMENT EXPRESSING BROAD AGREEMENT WITH NATO'S GOALS IN YUGOSLAVIA. BUT THE STATEMENT AGAIN EXPRESSED RUSSIA'S STRONG OPPOSITION TO THE USE OF FORCE. (SIGNED)
NEB/PFH/PCF
14-Apr-99 1:06 PM EDT (1706 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[16] KOSOVO / GROUND TROOPS BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: AS NATO'S AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAV MILITARY POSITIONS CONTINUES, MANY DEFENSE ANALYSTS ARE SAYING GROUND TROOPS WILL BE NEEDED TO DEFEAT SERB FORCES IN KOSOVO. IN THIS REPORT FROM WASHINGTON, CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA LOOKS AT THE ISSUE OF SENDING IN FOOT SOLDIERS IN A DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT.

TEXT: THE NATO AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA HAS ENTERED ITS FOURTH WEEK -- WITH APPARENTLY NO END IN SIGHT. TARGETS HAVE INCLUDED FUEL DEPOTS, AIR DEFENSES, MILITARY HEADQUARTERS, COMMUNICATIONS LINKS AND SERB GROUND FORCES.

HOWEVER MANY DEFENSE ANALYSTS ARE SAYING NO MILITARY CAMPAIGN WAS EVER WON BY USING AIR POWER ALONE. THEY BELIEVE INEVITABLY -- IF YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC DOES NOT GIVE UP -- GROUND TROOPS WILL BE NEEDED TO DEFEAT SERB FORCES AND PARAMILITARY GROUPS.

NATO LEADERS -- INCLUDING PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON -- SAY THEY WILL SEND TROOPS ONLY AS PEACEKEEPERS IN THE EVENT OF A POLITICAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC AND THE KOSOVAR ALBANIANS. BUT THEY WILL NOT SEND TROOPS TO FIGHT A WAR.

FORMER ADMIRAL LEIGHTON SMITH WAS IN CHARGE OF NATO'S 1995 AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE BOSNIAN SERBS. HE SAYS PUBLICLY RULING OUT THE USE OF GROUND FORCES WAS A BAD TACTICAL MOVE.

I THINK THAT STATEMENT IN AND OF ITSELF IS WRONG. BECAUSE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IS YOU HAVE TOLD MILOSEVIC WHAT YOU WILL NOT DO. THAT IS CLEARLY NOT A VERY WISE MOVE IN TERMS OF LETTING YOUR ENEMY KNOW WHAT HE CAN OR CAN NOT EXPECT. IT IS LIKE A BOXER CRAWLING INTO THE RING AND PROMISING HIS OPPONENT HE WILL NOT HIT HIM IN THE HEAD.

ADMIRAL SMITH SAYS IF NATO TROOPS ARE INTRODUCED, THEY WILL FACE, IN HIS WORDS, A FORMIDABLE FOE WHO IS ENTRENCHED, KNOWS THE TERRAIN AND IS READY TO FIGHT.

MILITARY ANALYSTS DIFFER AS TO THE NUMBER OF NATO TROOPS REQUIRED TO DEFEAT THE SERBS IN A GROUND WAR. THEY SAY IT DEPENDS ON THE MISSION. IF IT IS TO CARVE OUT A SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL ENCLAVE FOR THE KOSOVO ALBANIANS, NATO COULD USE ABOUT 55-THOUSAND TROOPS. BUT IF THE MISSION IS TO TOTALLY DEFEAT THE YUGOSLAV ARMY AND GO ALL THE WAY TO BELGRADE, IT MAY REQUIRE MORE THAN 200-THOUSAND TROOPS.

MICHAEL O'HANLON -- A MILITARY ANALYST WITH THE (WASHINGTON-BASED) BROOKINGS INSTITUTION -- SAYS ANY CREDIBLE NATO FORCE MUST INVOLVE MORE THAN 100,000 TROOPS.

WE NEED ABOUT 75,000 AMERICAN TROOPS AND ANOTHER 50,000 FROM THE REST OF NATO. THAT IS ABOUT AS MUCH AS THE REST OF NATO CAN PROVIDE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EUROPE HANDLE MORE OF THE BURDEN. BUT IF IT IS A FORCED ENTRY OPERATION ON A TIGHT TIME SCHEDULE, U-S FORCES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAD THE WAY. THAT WOULD MAKE FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 125,000 FORCES. I THINK THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH TO LIBERATE THE MAJORITY OF KOSOVAR TERRITORY. IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO GO ALL THE WAY TO BELGRADE, BUT I DO NOT THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THAT GOAL ANYHOW.

MR. O'HANLON SAYS NATO TROOPS SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY PRE-POSITIONED IN PLACES LIKE ITALY SO THAT THEY COULD BE SENT IN QUICKLY INTO KOSOVO.

BRYAN BENDER IS THE WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF FOR THE BRITISH PUBLICATION "JANE'S DEFENSE WEEKLY." HE SAYS U-S TROOPS WILL FORM THE VANGUARD OF ANY NATO FORCE AND COULD BE SENT TO KOSOVO WITHIN WEEKS. HE SAY THE U-S ARMY DIVISIONS BASED IN GERMANY ARE TRAINING ALL THE TIME AND ARE READY. SO IS NATO'S RAPID REACTION CORPS.

MR. BENDER SAYS ONCE THE NATO FORCE IS IN KOSOVO, THEN THE VERY DIFFICULT WAR AGAINST SERB FORCES BEGINS.

THE SERBS HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF FIGHTING OFF INVADERS. AND I THINK ANY GROUND FORCE THAT WOULD GO IN WOULD HAVE TO BE SIZABLE -- AND ONCE IT GETS THERE, WOULD HAVE TO REMAIN SIZABLE, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT CAN PROVIDE THE SECURITY THAT IS NECESSARY IN KOSOVO FOR THE REFUGEES TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES AND TO INSURE THAT ONCE THEY HAVE RETURNED, THAT THE SERB MILITARY IS NOT ABLE TO GO BACK IN AND DO WHAT IT HAS DONE.

SINCE NATO'S AIR CAMPAIGN BEGAN MARCH 24TH, PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS IN EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE INDICATED INCREASING SUPPORT FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF GROUND TROOPS IN KOSOVO. BUT NATO LEADERS CONTINUE TO SAY NO GROUND FORCES AT THIS TIME.

HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, SEVERAL CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS ARE CALLING ON PRESIDENT CLINTON TO LOOK INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF SENDING TROOPS INTO KOSOVO.

RETIRED COLONEL RALPH PETERS IS A MILITARY STRATEGIST AND BALKAN EXPERT. HE SAYS THE CONGRESSIONAL ANGLE COULD PROVIDE PRESIDENT CLINTON WITH A WAY OUT.

WHAT I BELIEVE PRESIDENT CLINTON IS DOING -- BECAUSE HE IS STILL A GOOD POLITICIAN EVEN THOUGH HE IS NOT MUCH OF A STRATEGIST -- HE IS TRYING TO SET IT UP SO THAT CONGRESS FORCES HIM TO SEND GROUND TROOPS. SO IF IT GOES WRONG, HE IS NOT TO BLAME -- IT IS CONGRESS THAT FORCED HIS HAND, BECAUSE HE SAID: "NO GROUND TROOPS." SO HE IS VERY CLEVER, IN THAT RESPECT. DOMESTICALLY HE IS GOOD.

COLONEL PETERS -- AND OTHER ANALYSTS -- SAY IT WAS RELATIVELY EASY TO GET ALL 19 NATO COUNTRIES TO AGREE ON AN AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA. THEY SAY TO HAVE THEM AGREE ON A PLAN TO SEND IN GROUND TROOPS INTO KOSOVO WILL BE FAR MORE DIFFICULT. (SIGNED)
NEB/ADEN/JO
14-Apr-99 5:21 PM EDT (2121 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[17] NATO GROUND TROOPS IN KOSOVO BY ED WARNER (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: SHOULD NATO GROUND TROOPS GO INTO KOSOVO AND ENGAGE SERBIAN FORCES THERE AND PERHAPS IN OTHER PARTS OF YUGOSLAVIA? THAT QUESTION IS UNDER INTENSE DEBATE AS U-S POLICY MAKERS PONDER WHAT TO DO NEXT IN THE ESCALATING WAR. VOA'S ED WARNER REPORTS SOME DIFFERING VIEWS.

TEXT: SERBIAN FORCES ARE NO MATCH FOR NATO, WRITES GENERAL WILLIAM ODUM IN THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. A FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, THE GENERAL SAYS SOME 50- THOUSAND NATO TROOPS COULD ACHIEVE VICTORY RATHER EASILY OVER POORLY TRAINED SERBS WITH INFERIOR EQUIPMENT. IF NATO INVADES SERBIA FROM BOTH THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH, HE BELIEVES PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVICH WILL BE DOOMED.

NOT SO FAST, CAUTIONS COLONEL HARRY SUMMERS, A MILITARY ANALYST AND A DECORATED VETERAN OF THE KOREAN AND VIETNAM WARS. "GENERAL ODUM IS AN INTELLIGENCE OFFICER," HE SAYS. "I AM AN INFANTRYMAN." AS SUCH, HE IS STRONGLY OPPOSED TO PUTTING GROUND TROOPS IN WHAT HE CALLS THE SWAMP OF THE BALKANS.

HE BELIEVES THE SERBS WOULD FIGHT HARD:

THESE PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR HOMELAND, AND THAT MAKES A PRETTY FORMIDABLE FOE BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALL THE INSPIRATION THAT THEY NEED. THE DEFENDER HAS A THREE TO ONE ADVANTAGE OVER HIS ATTACKER. THE TERRAIN IS ROUGH. THEY HAVE COVER AND CONCEALMENT WITH THE MOUNTAINS AND THE WOODED AREAS. IT WILL NOT BE EASY.

COLONEL SUMMERS ADDS THAT AS CASUALTIES MOUNT, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WOULD TURN AGAINST A WAR THAT HAS NO CLEAR OBJECTIVE:

THE VALUE OF WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO DETERMINES THE EXPENDITURE IN HUMAN LIVES. THE VALUE IN WORLD WAR TWO WAS THE SURVIVAL OF THE NATION. WE PAID A MILLION CASUALTIES IN PURSUIT OF IT. THE VALUE IN SOMALIA WAS UNKNOWN, AND NINETEEN WERE TOO MANY.

SOMALIA IS EXAGGERATED, SAYS DANIEL GOURE, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF POLITICAL-MILITARY STUDIES AT THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN WASHINGTON. IF PROPER LEADERSHIP IS ASSERTED, HE THINKS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WOULD SUPPORT THE USE OF GROUND TROOPS, AND SOMALIA WOULD BE FORGOTTEN.

HE DOES NOT MINIMIZE THE RISKS OF LIBERATING KOSOVO:

FROM THE SOUTH, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO PUT SIGNIFICANT GROUND FORCES INTO TWO OF THE POOREST COUNTRIES IN ALL OF EUROPE - ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA, WITH THE LEAST DEVELOPED INFRASTRUCTURE, THE POOREST ROADS AND IN SOME CASES THE WORST WEATHER. IT WOULD BE A VERY CHALLENGING EXERCISE.

MR GOURE SAYS AN INVASION FROM THE NORTH THROUGH HUNGARY WOULD BE MUCH EASIER, BUT THAT WOULD MEAN FIGHTING SERBIA AS A WHOLE WITH THE AIM OF OVERTHROWING THE REGIME.

IN ANY CASE, MR GOURE SAYS BETWEEN SIXTY THOUSAND AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND NATO TROOPS WOULD BE NEEDED, AND THEY WOULD CONFRONT GUERRILLA TACTICS IN CITIES, RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS, AS THE GERMANS DID IN WORLD WAR TWO:

THE SERBIAN ARMY TRAINED FOR TWENTY YEARS NOT TO BE A STAND-UP FIGHTING FORCE BUT TO BE A GUERRILLA ARMY AGAINST A SOVIET INVASION. THAT IS WHAT THEY PREPARED FOR - TO FIGHT A GUERRILLA OPERATION AGAINST OVERWHELMING ODDS. AND THEY MAY BE GOOD ENOUGH TO DO THAT. THEY WILL NOT WIN, BUT IT WILL BE COSTLY FOR US.

DAN GOURE THINKS NATO SHOULD BEGIN TO DEPLOY GROUND TROOPS - A BUILD-UP THAT WILL TAKE AT LEAST THREE MONTHS - AND IN THE MEANTIME SEEK A NEW NEGOTIATING STRATEGY TO PREVENT STILL MORE BLOOD-LETTING IN THE BALKANS. (SIGNED)
13-Apr-99 11:58 PM EDT (0358 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[18] NATO / KOSOVO (S) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: NATO HAS REACTED CAUTIOUSLY TO A KOSOVO PEACE PLAN GERMANY IS DISCUSSING IN BRUSSELS WITH U-N SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN. V-O-A'S RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM NATO HEADQUARTERS IN BRUSSELS.

TEXT: THE GERMAN PLAN CONTAINS A PAUSE OF 24-HOURS IN NATO'S AIR STRIKES IN YUGOSLAVIA IF THE ALLIANCE'S GOALS ARE MET BY THE WITHDRAWAL OF ALL YUGOSLAV MILITARY FORCES FROM THE SERBIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE .

BUT NATO SPOKESMAN JAMIE SHEA DISMISSES THE GERMAN PLAN AS HAVING NO OFFICIAL STANDING.

IT IS SIMPLY AT THE MOMENT WHAT YOU MIGHT CALL A "FOOD FOR THOUGHT" PAPER, A DISCUSSION PAPER, TO PROVOKE NECESSARY REFLECTION. I DO NOT BELIEVE IT HAS ANY OFFICIAL STATUS AT THE PRESENT TIME, EITHER IN THE ALLIANCE OR THE EUROPEAN UNION.

EUROPEAN UNION LEADERS ARE DISCUSSING THE PLAN WITH U-N SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN HERE IN BRUSSELS. MR. ANNAN MET EARLIER WITH NATO'S SECRETARY GENERAL, BUT NATO'S RESTRAINED REACTION INDICATES THE ALLIANCE SEES THE PLAN AS PREMATURE. (SIGNED)
NEB/RDP/JWH
14-Apr-99 10:44 AM EDT (1444 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[19] U-S / KOSOVO PLAN (L) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)

INTRO: THE UNITED STATES HAS GIVEN A CAUTIOUS WELCOME TO A NEW GERMAN PEACE PLAN FOR KOSOVO. U-S OFFICIALS INSIST SERBIAN FORCES MUST WITHDRAW FROM THE PROVINCE BEFORE NATO AIR STRIKES WILL END. FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT, V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS.

TEXT: U-S OFFICIALS SAY IT IS WISE TO BEGIN DISCUSSIONS OF WHAT A PEACE PLAN FOR KOSOVO MIGHT LOOK LIKE ONCE YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC AGREES TO NATO DEMANDS.

WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN JOE LOCKHART SAYS GERMAN PROPOSALS INTRODUCED AT A EUROPEAN UNION SUMMIT IN BRUSSELS (WEDNESDAY) ARE A CONSTRUCTIVE PART OF THAT EFFORT.

IT IS VERY CONSTRUCTIVE WORK, MOVING FROM THE STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES THAT WERE SET FORWARD BY THE NATO FOREIGN MINISTERS TO A MORE DETAILED PLAN THAT GOES INTO THE MODALITIES OF HOW THIS WILL ALL WORK.

U-S OFFICIALS SAY SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT AND GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER JOSCHKA FISCHER DISCUSSED THE GERMAN PLAN TUESDAY. IT CALLS FOR A SUSPENSION OF NATO AIR STRIKES ONCE SERB FORCES BEGIN PULLING OUT OF KOSOVO. THE HIGHLY-DETAILED PROPOSAL ALSO CALLS FOR A U-N - BACKED INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING FORCE TO PROTECT RETURNING REFUGEES. (SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON ADDRESS TO BUSINESS LEADERS,) SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT SAID IT IS LIKELY THE UNITED NATIONS WILL EVENTUALLY PLAY A ROLE IN KOSOVO.

ULTIMATELY AS WE LOOK AT WHAT THE STRUCTURE WILL BE IN KOSOVO ITSELF, [IT SEEMS LIKELY] THAT THE U-N, AND O-S-C-E, AND NATO WILL PLAY A ROLE.

THE SECRETARY DID NOT SAY WHAT THE U-N ROLE MIGHT BE. BUT HER SPOKESMAN, JAMES RUBIN, REPEATED DEMANDS THAT NATO MUST PLAY A KEY ROLE IN ANY INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING FORCE FOR KOSOVO.

IT IS OUR VIEW THAT IN ORDER FOR ANY INTERNATIONAL MILITARY FORCE TO ACCOMPLISH ITS MISSION, NATO MUST HAVE A CORE LEADERSHIP ROLE, AND THE NATO COMMAND STRUCTURE MUST REMAIN INTACT AND OPERATIONAL.

YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC HAS REJECTED THE IDEA OF A NATO FORCE -- A POSITION BACKED UP BY RUSSIA'S INSISTENCE THAT ANY PEACE PLAN MUST BE ACCEPTABLE TO BELGRADE.

THE GERMAN PEACE PLAN ALSO CALLS FOR A MEETING OF FOREIGN MINISTERS FROM THE GROUP OF SEVEN INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES, PLUS RUSSIA, TO DRAFT A U-N RESOLUTION.

SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT SAYS IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE THE TIME FOR SUCH A MEETING YET, , BUT THE IDEA MAY GAIN MOMENTUM AS TIME GOES ON.

WE ARE NOT RULING OUT A G-8 MEETING, AND IN FACT AS WE GO FORWARD, HERE AND THERE ARE MORE ORGANIZATIONS OR GROUPINGS THAT AGREE ON THE PRINCIPLES, I THINK IT GAINS STRENGTH.

[20] NATO ATTACKS Q&A BY GUY DINMORE (BELGRADE)

INTRO: V-O-A NEWS NOW'S VICTOR BEATTIE IN WASHINGTON SPOKE BY PHONE TO FINANCIAL TIMES CORRESPONDENT GUY DINMORE IN BELGRADE (EARLY WEDNESDAY 4/14) CONCERNING THE LATEST NATO ATTACKS ON YUGOSLAVIA. BEATTIE: OBVIOUSLY AS YOU MENTIONED, THE PATTERN HAS CHANGED IN THESE NATO AIR ATTACKS, I GUESS IT WAS RELATIVELY QUIET LAST NIGHT (TUESDAY NIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY) IN BELGRADE. DINMORE: YES, WE COULD HEAR AIRPLANES FLYING OVERHEAD, VERY HIGH IN THE SKY, SOME ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE, BUT THEY SEEM TO BE BYPASSING BELGRADE AND FLYING ONTO THE NORTH. THERE WERE SOME REPORTS OF ATTACKS IN NOVI SAD. BUT THE MAIN CONCENTRATION LAST NIGHT, ACCORDING AT LEAST TO THE YUGOSLAV MEDIA, WAS AN ATTACK IN THE SOUTH ON AN INDUSTRIAL UNIT ON A HYDROELECTRIC PLANT IN NOVA VAROS, WHICH IS NEAR MONTENEGRO, AND ALSO ON AN ON A RAILWAY LINE THAT LINKS SERBIA WITH MONTENEGRO. THEY SEEM TO BE TRYING TO CUT OFF BELGRADE'S ABILITY TO REINFORCE TROOPS TO THE SOUTH. OF COURSE, I SHOULD POINT OUT THAT THE YUGOSLAV MEDIA GIVES VERY FEW REPORTS ON NATO ATTACKS INSIDE KOSOVO. THUS, SITTING IN BELGRADE 300-KILOMETERS AWAY, WE REALLY DO NOT HAVE A VERY CLEAR PICTURE OF WHAT IS GOING ON DOWN THERE. BEATTIE: DO YOU HAVE ANY FEELING THAT THE ATTACKS ON THESE POWER PLANTS IS HAVING AN IMPACT ON, SAY THE ELECTRICAL POWER IN BELGRADE? DINMORE: NO, THOSE PLANTS ARE A LONG WAY FROM BELGRADE. THEY WOULD EFFECT MOSTLY INDUSTRY PROBABLY IN THE NORTH OF MONTENEGRO POSSIBLY A BEER-MAKING FACTORY DOWN THERE. BUT IN BELGRADE, NO. WE HAVE POWER SO FAR. WE HAVE TELEPHONE LINES, WATER, AND ALL THE UTILITIES HERE ARE WORKING PRETTY WELL. NOT SO MUCH SO IN NOVI SAD, THE CITY JUST TO THE NORTH WHERE TWO BRIDGES WERE DESTROYED. SOME POWER LINES AND TELEPHONE LINES WERE DESTROYED THERE. BEATTIE: ARE YOU GETTING A SENSE THAT IS HAMPERING ARMY EFFORTS TO MOVE INTO KOSOVO? DINMORE: WELL, FROM WHAT NATO IS SAYING IN THE SKETCHY REPORTS WE GET HERE, YES. THE ARMY'S ABILITY TO MOVE AROUND IS CERTAINLY HAMPERED BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF FUEL NOW, ROADS, AND BRIDGES BEING CUT. BUT WE GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT, FROM THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF TRAVELING WE ARE ABLE TO DO, THE ARMY IS STILL MOBILE. IT IS NOT SORT-OF STATIC BY ANY MEANS. BEATTIE: ARE THE LOCAL PAPERS TODAY OR THE BROADCAST MEDIA TALKING ABOUT THIS ALLEGED YUGOSLAV INCURSION INTO ALBANIA (TUESDAY)? DINMORE: WELL, THEY ARE COUNTING BRIEF REPORTS BY THE ARMY DENYING THAT THEY DID INTRUDE INTO ALBANIA. THEY SAY THIS IS ANOTHER PRETEXT COOKED UP BY NATO TO JUSTIFY WHAT THEY CALL ITS FASCIST AGGRESSION AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONFIRM INDEPENDENT NEWS REPORTS FROM NORTHERN ALBANIA. IT IS VERY HARD TO GET TO THE BORDER AND OF COURSE WE CAN NOT GO DOWN INTO KOSOVO. WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING A LONG TIME THAT THE YUGOSLAV ARMY WOULD HAVE A GO AT NORTHERN ALBANIA, BOTH AS A WARNING TO THE K-L-A TO STOP INTRUDING INTO YUGOSLAV TERRITORY, BUT ALSO PERHAPS A WARNING BY PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TO THE WEST THAT HE HAS THE POWER TO EXTEND THIS CONFLICT BEYOND HIS BORDERS IF HE CHOOSES. BEATTIE: THIS INCURSION, EVEN THOUGH YUGOSLAVIA DENIES IT, HAS SENT SHIVERS ACROSS EUROPE AND HAS RESULTED IN THE ISSUING OF A STRONG RESPONSE FROM WASHINGTON. HOW DO THE ALBANIAN ARMED FORCES STACK UP AGAINST YUGOSLAV FORCES? DINMORE: WELL, ALBANIA'S ARMED FORCES ARE VERY WEAK. TWO-YEARS AGO, ALBANIANS WERE DESCENDED INTO ANARCHY AND CHAOS WITH THE COLLAPSE OF PYRAMID INVESTMENT SCHEMES. THE ARMY OPENED UP ITS ARSENALS AND WEAPONS WERE LOOTED, WHICH IS ONE REASON THE CONFLICT IN KOSOVO EXPLODED -- BECAUSE AN INFLUX OF WEAPONS FROM ALBANIA.

BUT I DO NOT THINK ONE SHOULD EXAGGERATE TO MUCH THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS BOARDER INCURSION, IF IT HAPPENED. I DO NOT THINK YUGOSLAVIA IS ABOUT TO INVADE ALBANIA. THE TERRAIN IN THE NORTH IS INCREDIBLY HOSTILE AND PRACTICALLY SPEAKING IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO DO IT, THEY WOULD BE SURROUNDED BY A HOSTILE POPULATION. I THINK IF IT DID HAPPEN IT WAS MORE OF WARNING TO THE K-L-A JUST TO KEEP AWAY FROM THE BORDER AND TRY TO PUSH THEM A BIT DEEPER INTO ALBANIA. BEATTIE: LET ME JUST ASK YOU ONE MORE QUESTION ABOUT THIS RUSSIAN CONVOY THAT WAS HELD UP BY HUNGARY, WHICH IS NOW A NATO MEMBER. I GUESS IT WAS SHORN OF A NUMBER OF TRUCKS THAT WERE CARING WHAT MIGHT BE CONSIDERED MILITARY SUPPLIES. DID YOU SEE THAT CONVOY AT ALL ENTER BELGRADE? DINMORE: WE SAW SOME TRUCKS THAT WERE PARKED OUTSIDE ONE OF THE BIG INTERNATIONAL HOTELS WHERE A LOT OF FOREIGN JOURNALISTS ARE STAYING AND WE ASSUMED THAT THIS WAS THE CONVOY THAT CAME IN FROM RUSSIA. IT HAD 'HUMANITARIAN AID' WRITTEN ON THE BACK. STRANGELY ENOUGH THE MEDIA HERE HAVE NOT REALLY PLAYED THIS OUT TO A LARGE EXTENT, WE THOUGHT ALL THE FOREIGN REPORTERS WOULD BE DRAGGED OUT TO SEE THIS RUSSIAN CONVOY ARRIVING. IT DID ARRIVED SEVERAL DAYS LATE, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE FOR THE ORTHODOX EASTER, BUT BECAUSE THE HUNGARIANS HELD IT UP ON THE BORDER IT SORT-OF SLIPPED IN YESTERDAY AND NOT MANY PEOPLE SEEMED TO NOTICE IT. BEATTIE: GUY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I ASSUME WE WILL HEAR FROM YOU AT SOME POINT LATER TODAY. DINMORE: YES, SURE.
NEB/ENE-T/RAE
14-Apr-99 1:16 PM EDT (1716 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[21] NY ECON WRAP (S&L) BY ELAINE JOHANSON (NEW YORK)

INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE MIXED TODAY (WEDNESDAY). THE SESSION WAS MARKED BY GREAT VOLATILITY AND LAST-MINUTE PROFIT-TAKING . VOA CORRESPONDENT ELAINE JOHANSON REPORTS FROM NEW YORK:

TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE GAINED 16 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 10 THOUSAND 411 -- UP ONE-TENTH OF ONE PERCENT. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500 INDEX LOST 21 POINTS, CLOSING AT 13 HUNDRED 28. AND THE TECHNOLOGY-DOMINATED NASDAQ SHED NEARLY THREE PERCENT, DOWN A HEFTY 76 POINTS.

MIXED CORPORATE EARNINGS REPORTS ARE COMING IN. THE LEADING COMPUTER CHIP-MAKER, INTEL, REPORTED LOWER-THAN-EXPECTED SALES AND PREDICTED EVEN A DOWNTURN IN THE NEXT QUARTER. BUT THE FINANCIAL SECTOR SIZZLED WITH MORE GOOD BANKING NEWS. U-S INVESTMENT BANKER J-P MORGAN -- A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE DOW -- REPORTED PROFITS NEARLY DOUBLE WHAT WALL STREET WAS EXPECTING. 1998 WAS NOT AN ESPECIALLY GOOD YEAR FOR BANKS, AS FINANCIAL TURMOIL IN EMERGING MARKETS TOOK THEIR TOLL. 1999 LOOKS A LOT BETTER.

BUSINESS ANALYST CHARLES CRANE SAYS THE U-S STOCK MARKET OVERALL IS HEALTHY, PRICES ARE NOT TOO HIGH AND THE LONG-TERM FUTURE LOOKS GOOD:

IF YOU'RE EXTENDING YOUR HORIZON FIVE TO 10 YEARS, CORPORATE PROFITS OVER THAT EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME WILL BE SATISFACTORY AND SUPPORT HIGHER STOCK PRICES.

U-S BUSINESS INVENTORIES ROSE A MODERATE FOUR-TENTHS OF ONE PERCENT IN FEBRUARY AS RETAIL SALES INCREASED A ROBUST NINE-TENTHS OF ONE PERCENT. ANALYSTS SAY THAT IS GOOD NEWS FOR U-S MANUFACTURERS -- HURT BY THE RECESSION IN ASIA -- BECAUSE BUSINESSES WILL PROBABLY WANT TO BUILD UP INVENTORIES TO KEEP UP WITH CONSUMER SPENDING. (SIGNED) NEB/NY/EJ/LSF/PT
14-Apr-99 5:50 PM EDT (2150 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[22] THE BALKAN WAR THREATENS TO WIDEN BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE INCURSION INTO ALBANIAN TERRITORY ON TUESDAY BY YUGOSLAV TROOPS IS CAUSING SHOCKWAVES THROUGHOUT THE U-S MEDIA, AS IT CONTEMPLATES THE PROSPECT OF A WIDENED WAR IN THE BALKANS.

HERE ARE SOME SAMPLES NOW FROM _______________ IN TODAY'S U-S OPINION ROUNDUP.

TEXT: THERE WERE SERBIAN CLAIMS ON WEDNESDAY THAT A NATO ATTACK ON A CONVOY OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS REFUGEES KILLED AT LEAST 64 AND LEFT 20 INJURED. IN THE MEANTIME, THE PRESIDENT OF ALBANIA (REXHEP MEIDANI) SAYS HE IS SENDING REINFORCEMENTS TO THE REGION WHERE YUGOSLAV FORCES ON TUESDAY OCCUPIED TWO ALBANIAN VILLAGES NEAR THE BORDER WITH KOSOVO PROVINCE.

THAT INCIDENT HAS CAUSED SOME EDITORIAL WRITERS TO FEAR A WIDENING OF THE WAR. HERE'S SOME OF WHAT "USA TODAY," THE NATIONAL DAILY PUBLISHED IN A WASHINGTON, D-C SUBURB, HAS TO SAY.

VOICE: SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC'S TROOPS CARRIED THEIR WAR AGAINST KOSOVO INTO NEIGHBORING ALBANIA TUESDAY, BRIEFLY BRINGING AMERICANS FACE TO FACE WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ABRUPT AND COSTLY ESCALATION OF THE U-S-LED CAMPAIGN AGAINST [MR.] MILOSEVIC. WOULD WE USE GROUND TROOPS TO PROTECT ALBANIA? NO ONE KNEW. THE IMMEDIATE CRISIS EVAPORATED AS THE SERBS QUICKLY WITHDREW. BUT THE MOMENT WAS A SHARP WARNING OF HOW HAPHAZARD OPERATION ALLIED FORCE HAS BECOME, HOW EASILY IT COULD ESCALATE OUT OF CONTROL AND HOW UNPREPARED THE PUBLIC IS FOR THAT POSSIBILITY. ... IN TIPTOEING INTO THE BALKANS SWAMP, ARMED WITH FINE IDEALS AND INADEQUATE FORCE TO ATTAIN THEM, THEY [THE U-S LEADERSHIP AND NATO] HAVE GREATLY ESCALATED THE RISK THAT WIDER WAR WILL BEGIN BY ACCIDENT. ... TUESDAY'S INCURSION WAS A WAKE-UP CALL FOR A NATIONAL DEBATE -- BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

TEXT: RESPONDING TO THE CALL FROM NATO COMMANDER, GENERAL WESLEY CLARK FOR HUNDREDS MORE AIRCRAFT FOR THE CAMPAIGN, "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" WORRIES ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF A WIDENED WAR.

VOICE: AN EXPANDED AIR WAR PROMISES TO BROADEN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE WAR ZONE. ALBANIA, WHICH HAS BECOME THE MAJOR HAVEN FOR KOSOVO ALBANIANS DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES, WILL BECOME THE BASE FOR THE 24 U-S APACHE HELICOPTERS THAT, ONCE THEY ARE FINALLY SENT INTO ACTION ... COULD CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO BLUNTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SERB FORCES IN KOSOVO. /// OPT /// AS THE SKIES OVER THE BALKANS BECOME MORE CROWDED WITH U-S AND OTHER NATO WARPLANES, BASING AND LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS WILL INCREASE. /// END OPT /// THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT ONE OF NATO'S NEWEST MEMBERS, HUNGARY, COULD BECOME A LAUNCHING POINT FOR PLANES ATTACKING NEIGHBORING YUGOSLAVIA.

TEXT: ON NEW YORK'S LONG ISLAND, "NEWSDAY" SAYS OF THE YUGOSLAV MILITARY INCURSION:

VOICE: IF THAT HAPPENED - - AND THERE IS EVERY INDICATION THAT IT DID - - THEN ... SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC IS FLIRTING WITH A DANGEROUS IDEA. THAT TYPE OF CROSS-BORDER INCURSION, IF REPEATED, WOULD WIDEN THE CONFLICT TO NEIGHBORING BALKAN NATIONS WITH UNFORESEEABLE CONSEQUENCES AND GRAVE RISKS FOR ALL INVOLVED. ... BUT THAT WOULD PRESENT THE ALLIANCE WITH A WHOLE NEW SET OF TOUGH QUANDARIES. WHICH IS PRECISELY WHY [MR.] CLINTON AND OTHER ALLIED COMMANDERS HAVE MET THE NEWS OF THE [TUESDAY] SERB INCURSION WITH STONY SILENCE ...

TEXT: SEVERAL PAPERS, INCLUDING "THE WASHINGTON POST" AND MINNESOTA'S "ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS" ARE LAMENTING THE ASSASSINATION OF A COURAGEOUS AND INDEPENDENT YUGOSLAVIAN JOURNALIST SUNDAY IN BELGRADE. THEY SAY IT IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF YUGOSLAVIAN RUTHLESSNESS. SAYS "THE PIONEER PRESS:"

VOICE: [MR.] MILOSEVIC AND HIS WIFE REGARDED THE PUBLISHER, SLAVKO CURUVIJA, 51, AS A TRAITOR. [MR.] CURUVIJA (PRONOUNCED CHOO- R O O - VEE-YUH) SUPPORTED NEITHER [MR.] MILOSEVIC NOR NATO BOMBING, BUT IN [MR.] MILOSEVIC'S YUGOSLAVIA THESE DAYS, THERE IS NO ROOM FOR UNFRIENDLY JOURNALISTS. [MR.] CURUVIJA, OWNER OF ["] DNEVNI TELEGRAF ["], THE MOST PROMINENT INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER IN YUGOSLAVIA, PAID WITH HIS LIFE FOR PURSUING TRUTH. AS HE AND A FEMALE COMPANION WERE ENTERING HIS APARTMENT IN BELGRADE ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON AFTER A WALK, HE WAS SHOT SEVERAL TIMES ...

TEXT: "THE OREGONIAN" IN PORTLAND IS HORRIFIED BY THE SIGHTING OF WHAT APPEAR TO BE MASS GRAVES IN KOSOVO.

VOICE: AND NOW ... APPARENTLY CONFIRMING STORIES REPEATEDLY TOLD BY KOSOVAR REFUGEES IN ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA - - SATELLITE RECONNAISSANCE REVEALED WHAT SEEM TO BE FRESHLY DUG MASS GRAVES. ... THE STAKES IN KOSOVO ARE NOW TOWERING ... SHORTLY, NATO MARKS ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY AS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MILITARY ALLIANCE IN HISTORY. ITS SEMI-CENTENNIAL MONUMENT SHOULD NOT BE A MASS GRAVE.

TEXT: "THE OMAHA WORLD-HERALD" IN NEBRASKA'S LARGEST CITY, IS UPSET THAT SOME SENATORS ARE LATE IN THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE OPTION OF GROUND TROOPS FOR THE WAR.

VOICE: SENATE DEMOCRATS JOHN KERRY OF MASSACHUSETTS, JOSEPH BIDEN OF DELAWARE, CHARLES ROBB OF VIRGINIA AND JOSEPH LIEBERMAN OF CONNECTICUT HAVE, IN RECENT DAYS, COME OUT IN FAVOR OF THE USE OF U-S GROUND TROOPS IN KOSOVO. THEY COULD HAVE SERVED THEIR PRESIDENT AND THEIR COUNTRY BETTER IF THEY HADN'T WAITED SO LONG TO PUBLICIZE THEIR CONCERNS. THIS IS NOT TO ADVOCATE A GROUND INVASION OF KOSOVO ... HOWEVER, THE OPTION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN TAKEN OFF THE TABLE. PRESIDENT CLINTON RULED IT OUT BECAUSE, LIKE SOME OTHER VIETNAM-ERA DOVES, HE IS TOO ENTHRALLED WITH THE IDEA THAT SIGNIFICANT MILITARY ACTIONS CAN BE WAGED WITH A MINIMUM OF CASUALTIES, WHICH MEANS USING MOSTLY AIR ATTACKS.

TEXT: AND LASTLY, THE VIEW FROM A SMALL TOWN IN MAINE, NEAR THE MOUNT DESERT ISLAND RESORT. THE W E E K L Y "ELLSWORTH AMERICAN" SAYS:

VOICE: THE CIVILIZED NATIONS OF THE WORLD, IT NOW IS CLEAR, CANNOT TOLERATE THE BARBARISM OF .... PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC. THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION MUST PURSUE BY EVERY AVAILABLE MEANS THE DEFEAT OF THIS REGIME. ... AFTER NATO HAS DEFEATED THIS NEW THREAT TO THE PEACE OF THE BALKANS AND TO THAT OF EUROPE AND THE WHOLE WORLD, WE CAN DEBATE OTHER METHODS APPROPRIATE TO A MENACE THAT WE THOUGHT HAD ENDED BY THE DEFEAT OF NAZI GERMANY. /// OPT /// ... THIS WAR IS GOING TO INVOLVE A LOSS OF LIVES AND DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE WISHED TO AVOID. BUT IT MIGHT COST THE FREE WORLD MORE LOSS OF LIFE AND MORE DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY IF IT LOOKED THE OTHER WAY AND LET SUCH AN EVIL REGIME DESTROY INNOCENT CIVILIANS, THUS VINDICATING DOCTRINES OF RACIAL HATRED TOTALLY INCONSISTENT WITH THE PRINCIPLES IN WHICH WE HAVE HITHERTO BELIEVED./// END OPT ///

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF EDITORIAL COMMENT FROM THE U-S PRESS ABOUT THE BALKAN CONFLICT.
NEB/ANG/KL
14-Apr-99 2:25 PM EDT (1825 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON'S CHARACTER AND HIS CONDUCT DURING THE MONICA LEWINSKY AFFAIR HAS SURGED BACK INTO THE EDITORIAL COLUMNS AFTER A FEDERAL JUDGE IN ARKANSAS FOUND THE PRESIDENT IN CONTEMPT OF COURT FOR LYING. REACTION TO THIS LATEST DEVELOPMENT IN WHAT HAS COME TO BE CALLED THE WHITEWATER INVESTIGATION, TODAY OVERSHADOWS THE WAR IN THE BALKANS, AS FAR AS COMMENTARY IS CONCERNED.

OTHER TOPICS UNDER DISCUSSION INCLUDE: THE INDIAN MISSILE LAUNCH; ALGERIANS GOING TO THE POLLS; MEDICINE-RESISTANT DISEASES AND PREMIER ZHU RONGJI'S ON-GOING VISIT TO THE U-S.

NOW HERE IS _______________ WITH SOME EXCERPTS AND A CLOSER LOOK IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS BEEN FOUND IN CONTEMPT OF FEDERAL COURT BY U-S DISTRICT JUDGE SUSAN WEBBER WRIGHT. SHE CITED MR. CLINTON FOR WILLFULLY FALSE, MISLEADING AND EVASIVE TESTIMONY ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH MONICA LEWINSKY IN A DEPOSITION LAST YEAR IN THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT LAWSUIT BROUGHT BY A FORMER ARKANSAS STATE EMPLOYEE, PAULA JONES.

THE JUDGE ORDERED MR. CLINTON TO PAY CERTAIN COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CASE, AND THE NATION'S MEDIA IS RISING UP TO SMITE THE PRESIDENT FOR HIS LACK OF CHARACTER. NEW HAMPSHIRE'S "MANCHESTER UNION-LEADER" SAYS:

VOICE: CLINTON APOLOGISTS WILL DISMISS JUDGE WRIGHT'S RULING [AS] ... OLD NEWS ... TO THIS WE SAY THAT HONESTY AND TRUTHFULNESS STILL MATTER, THAT CHARACTER COUNTS, THAT LYING IS LYING AND PERJURY IS PERJURY. ... THUS IS ADDED ANOTHER ELEMENT TO THE VAUNTED CLINTON LEGACY ... HOW THOROUGHLY APPROPRIATE THAT CONTEMPT NOW BECOMES A PERMANENT HISTORICAL FEATURE OF THIS CONTEMPTIBLE PRESIDENCY.

TEXT: IN TEXAS "THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS" SAYS IT IS TIME FOR THE COUNTRY TO "MOVE ON."

VOICE: JUDGE ... WRIGHT'S ... RULING CARRIES ADDED WEIGHT BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN REMARKABLY FAIR IN HANDLING THE JONES VERSUS CLINTON CASE. .... THE PRESIDENT ... SHOULD ACCEPT THE RULING AND MOVE ON. ... THE DECISION THAT AN ARKANSAS JURY REACHED AGAINST MR. STARR'S EFFORTS TO FIND WHITEWATER FIGURE SUSAN MCDOUGAL IN OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE SHOULD LIKEWISE ENCOURAGE THE INDEPENDENT COUNSEL TO WRAP UP HIS WORK. ... THE PUBLIC ALSO SEEMS READY TO LET THESE ISSUES FIND A NATURAL DEATH.

TEXT: IN TENNESSEE, "THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL" IN MEMPHIS SAYS THE CLINTON COURT DECISION MAY HAVE ON-GOING CONSEQUENCES.

VOICE: ... IT COULD RESULT IN [MR.] CLINTON'S DISBARMENT IN ARKANSAS FROM THE PRACTICE OF LAW.... A POTENTIALLY APPROPRIATE ... PENALTY FOR THE DAMAGE THE PRESIDENT DID TO THE RULE OF LAW THROUGH HIS LYING UNDER OATH, AND TO ALL AMERICANS.

TEXT: "THE OREGONIAN" DESCRIBING THE PRESIDENT'S TESTIMONY THAT LED TO THE CITATION, AS "CONTUMACIOUS" (STUBBORNLY DISOBEDIENT), CONTINUES:

VOICE: HER RULING WAS APPROPRIATE AND EXPECTED. ... FURTHER, IT SHOWS THAT THE COURTS, NOT AN OVERZEALOUS, PARTISAN IMPEACHMENT SPECTACLE, ARE THE PROPER TOOL FOR DEALING WITH [MR.] CLINTON'S OFFENSES.

TEXT: "THE SAN JOSE[CALIFORNIA] MERCURY NEWS" SAYS THE -- JUDGE'S CONTEMPT RULING REMOVES [MR.] CLINTON'S LAST FIG LEAF. WHILE ON NEW YORK'S LONG ISLAND, "NEWSDAY" NOTES IN ITS HEADLINE, UNDER THE TERM "CONTEMPTIBLE BILL," THAT -- GIVEN CONGRESS' FAILURE TO CENSURE [MR.] CLINTON, [THE] JUDGE'S CONTEMPT FINDING IS ESPECIALLY APT.

TEXT: "THE DETROIT NEWS" SAYS OF THE DECISION -- THE CONTEMPT CITATION ... CONFIRMS THAT THE HOUSE IMPEACHMENT WAS A LEGITIMATE EXERCISE OF CONSTITUTIONAL OVERSIGHT," WHILE "THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE" CALLS IT --... A FITTING END TO THIS PARTICULARLY UNSAVORY CHAPTER IN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORY.

CONCERNING THE BALKANS, "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" DECRIES WHAT IT SEES AS "THE WIDENING WAR" COMMENTING, AS DO SEVERAL OTHER DAILIES, ON THE YUGOSLAVIAN MILITARY INCURSION INTO ALBANIAN TERRITORY TUESDAY, AND A NATO REQUEST FOR MORE AIRCRAFT. "THE TIMES" CONCLUDES:

VOICE: IT MAY YET BE THAT THOSE WHO BELIEVE AIR POWER CAN WIN NATO'S OBJECTIVES WILL BE VINDICATED. BUT AT A MINIMUM THE ALTERNATIVE -- SENDING IN INFANTRY AND TANKS PREPARED TO DO BATTLE -- DESERVES TO BE THOUGHTFULLY DEBATED. KOSOVO REMAINS A CONTEST THAT NATO CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE, IF THERE IS STILL TO BE A NATO THE NEXT TIME EUROPEAN SECURITY IS THREATENED.

TEXT: "NEWSDAY" ON NEW YORK'S LONG ISLAND SAYS, WITH TUESDAY'S INCURSION, THE "SERBS FLIRT WITH EXPANDING TO FULL-FLEDGED WAR."

VOICE: IF THAT HAPPENED -- AND THERE IS EVERY INDICATION THAT IT DID -- THEN ...SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC IS FLIRTING WITH A DANGEROUS IDEA. THAT TYPE OF CROSS-BORDER INCURSION, IF REPEATED ... COULD TRANSFORM INTO A FULL-FLEDGED WAR WHAT HAS BEEN UP TO NOW A CIVIL WAR WITH DISASTROUS HUMANITARIAN CONSEQUENCES.

TEXT: THE ASIAN SUB-CONTINENT IS HEATING UP AFTER INDIA'S LAUNCHING OF A MID-RANGE CONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE A FEW DAYS AGO, DRAWING THIS RETORT FROM "THE FLORIDA TIMES UNION" IN JACKSONVILLE, WHICH WARNS:

VOICE: WHILE THE ENTIRE WORLD FOCUSES ITS ATTENTION ON KOSOVO, A FAR GREATER CRISIS MAY BE DEVELOPING IN SOUTH ASIA -- WHERE INDIA FIRED A NUCLEAR-CAPABLE MISSILE ... SUNDAY. THE NEW AGNI MISSILE HAS A RANGE ... TO REACH ANY TARGET IN PAKISTAN AND TO PENETRATE DEEP INTO CHINA. THIS COMES 11-MONTHS AFTER INDIA CONDUCTED A SERIES OF UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR TESTS. ... IT IS REASONABLE TO ASSUME THAT IF YUGOSLAVIA HAD ... NUCLEAR WEAPONS, AND MISSILES TO DELIVER THEM, ... NATO WOULD NOT BE BOMBING IT. IF SMALL COUNTRIES PERCEIVE OF NATO AND THE UNITED STATES AS BULLIES IN THE YUGOSLAV CIVIL WAR, THEY MAY PURSUE NUCLEAR ARMS AS A MEANS OF PROTECTION.

TEXT: TODAY'S "NEW YORK TIMES" IS HAILING ALGERIA'S NATIONAL ELECTIONS THURSDAY AS A BIG STEP TOWARD PEACE IN THAT VIOLENCE-WRACKED NORTH AFRICAN COUNTRY, SAYING IT:

VOICE: ... OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO END A SEVEN-YEAR CIVIL WAR BETWEEN THE ARMY AND ISLAMIC GUERRILLAS THAT HAS COST MORE THAN 80-THOUSAND LIVES. BUT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, THE RULING GENERALS MUST PERMIT AN HONEST VOTE COUNT AND ALLOW THE WINNER TO GOVERN FREELY. ... HAVING SANCTIONED DEMOCRATIC COMPETITION, BOTH SIDES ARE NOW OBLIGED TO HONOR THE RESULTS. THE ELECTIONS SHOULD PROCEED WITHOUT TAMPERING OR INTERRUPTION.

TEXT: IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, "THE STAR LEDGER" WARNS READERS ABOUT NEW STRAINS OF DISEASE THAT ARE PLAGUING MEDICAL SCIENCE, PARTICULARLY DRUG-RESISTANT BACTERIA STRAINS.

VOICE: DRUG-RESISTANT BACTERIA ARE SUSPECTED IN 70-PERCENT OF THE 90-THOUSAND FATAL HOSPITAL INFECTIONS ANNUALLY IN THE UNITED STATES, AND IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE COST OF DRUG-RESISTANT INFECTION EXCEEDS 30-BILLION DOLLARS. ... NEW STRAINS OF TUBERCULOSIS, FOR INSTANCE, HAVE APPEARED AFTER THE DISEASE WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN NEARLY ERADICATED WITH ANTIBIOTICS.

TEXT: LASTLY, "THE DENVER POST" IS PLEASED WITH THE REAL WESTERN WELCOME CHINA'S PREMIER ZHU RONGJI RECEIVED IN ITS CITY ON HIS TOUR, DESPITE SOME MEMBERS OF THE COLORADO LEGISLATURE WHO SNUBBED HIM.

VOICE: COLORADANS CAN TAKE PRIDE IN THE WELCOME THEY AND THEIR ELECTED LEADERS GAVE TO VISITING CHINESE PREMIER ZHU. ... DENVER APPLIED THE EXPERIENCE GATHERED IN HOSTING THE SUMMIT OF THE EIGHT AND THE VISIT OF POPE JOHN PAUL THE SECOND TO PRODUCE A SMOOTH EVENT THAT SHOWCASED COLORADO WHILE DEFTLY NEGOTIATING SOME POTENTIALLY ROCKY SHOALS.

TEXT: THAT CONCLUDES THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT FROM SOME OF TODAY'S U-S DAILY PAPERS
NEB/ANG/RAE
14-Apr-99 11:03 AM EDT (1503 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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