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Voice of America, 00-03-05Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>CONTENTS
[01] ALBRIGHT / EUROPE (L) BY KYLE KING (LISBON, PORTUGAL)DATE=3/4/2000TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-259838 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: Secretary of State Madeleine Albright travels to her native Czech Republic today (Sunday) after wrapping up a visit to Lisbon, where she discussed Chechnya with the Russian and European foreign ministers. VOA's Kyle King reports the Secretary will use her three day trip to Prague to meet with President Vaclav Havel and take part in Czech anniversary celebrations. TEXT: Secretary of State Albright's trip to the Czech
republic comes amid speculation she might be entertaining a
bid for the Presidency of her native country.
But the Secretary, who fled Czechoslovakia as a child to
escape the Nazis, has moved quickly to end the speculation.
Before she began her trip, Ms. Albright issued a statement
saying she was flattered by the reports but is not and will
not be a candidate.
During her visit, Ms. Albright is to hold talks with the
ailing Czech President Vaclav Havel, whose term in office
expires in 2003.
The 62 year old Secretary will also take part in ceremonies
marking the anniversary of the birth of the first
Czechoslovak president, Thomas Masaryk.
Ms. Albright flies to Bosnia on Wednesday. During her
visit to Sarajevo, the Secretary will review efforts to
implement the 1995 Bosnian peace agreement that was signed
in Dayton, Ohio.
Relations between Bosnia's Serb and Muslim-Croat
Federations remain strained and hundreds of thousands of
refugees from the war have yet to return to their homes.
Local elections are due early next month (April 8th), and
officials are hoping the recent defeat of nationalists in
nearby Croatia will encourage voters to choose less hard-
line candidates in Bosnia.
Analysts say the failure of international peacekeepers to
arrest wartime Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and his
military chief Radko Mladic has also been a destabilizing
force. As the Secretary began her 10 day European trip,
the United States offered a reward of up to five million
dollars for the arrest of two men, who have been indicted
for war crimes by the International Tribunal in the Hague.
Following her visit to Bosnia, the Secretary will travel to
Brussels for talks with E-U President Romano Prodi and NATO
Secretary General George Robertson. Those talks are
expected to focus on the situation in Kosovo. (signed)
[02] ALBRIGHT - CZECH TALKS (L) BY KYLE KING (PRAGUE)DATE=3/5/2000TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-259858 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has received assurances from Czech President Vaclav Havel, that his country will not sell technology that could help Iran develop nuclear weapons. The pledge came at the start of the Secretary's three day visit, which will include celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of Thomas Masaryk, who is considered the father of Czech democracy. From Prague, V-O-A's Kyle King reports. TEXT: Secretary of State Albright said she was honored to be in her native country at what she called a special moment in its history. In addition to celebrations honoring the country's first democratic president, the visit coincides with the one year anniversary of the Czech Republic's membership in NATO. Speaking at a joint news conference with President Havel, Ms. Albright praised the Prague government for its efforts to meet NATO's tough membership criteria. /// ALBRIGHT ACT ////// END ACT ////// HAVEL INTERPRETER ACT ////// END ACT ///NNNN Source: Voice of America [03] ALBRIGHT / KOSOVO (S) BY KYLE KING (PRAGUE)DATE=3/4/2000TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-259856 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: Secretary of State Madeleine Albright says she is concerned about recent clashes between Serb police and ethnic Albanians on the Serb side of the Kosovo border. The Secretary made the comments in Prague, following wide-ranging talks with Czech President Vaclav Havel. Correspondent Kyle King reports. TEXT: Secretary of State Albright says it is important that extremists on either side of the Serb border with Kosovo not be allowed to disrupt the situation. Dozens of ethnic Albanians have fled Southern Serbia in recent days following clashes between Serb police and armed ethnic Albanians who say they are trying to defend their communities. /// ALBRIGHT ACT ////// END ACT ///NEB/KBK/RAE 05-Mar-2000 13:59 PM EDT (05-Mar-2000 1859 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |