USIA - State Department Report, 96-11-20

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From: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at <gopher://gopher.usia.gov>

STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING REPORT, NOVEMBER 20, 1996

(Croatia/radio, Bosnia, Zaire/Rwanda, Boutros-Ghali, Belarus) (980)

CROATIA: Davies expressed U.S. concern over a report that the Croatian State Broadcasting Council has refused to renew Zagreb Radio 101's broadcast license. He noted that the independent station had a "loyal following" equal to about one-third of the total radio audience in Zagreb, and that shutting it down would mean "the loss of a principal voice of independent news and opposition viewpoints in Croatia." Davies called the Croatian broadcast board's action "a significant setback for democratization and free expression in Croatia," and noted that "free and open media is an essential element to the functioning of a democratic system." Davies said the United States has "raised repeatedly our concern regarding government restrictions on independent media at the highest levels of the Government of Croatia," including President Tudjman and Foreign Minister Granic. "As Croatia pursues closer ties with the West," said Davies, "it is essential that the government of Croatia respect the rules of a democratic society." He said the issue of whether or not Radio 101 receives another broadcast frequency "will have a high priority on our bilateral agenda with Croatia." He also said the United States will raise its concerns with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and will propose that it be discussed by the Council of Europe.

BOSNIA: Since the United States has received confirmation from Croat-Muslim Federation President Zubak that Deputy Defense Minister Cengic, understood to have close ties to Iran, has resigned and left the government, the U.S. cargo ship Condor will now proceed to the Croatian port of Ploce to unload its cargo of arms destined for Bosnia as part of the train-and-equip program. Davies said U.S. officials will participate in a dockside ceremony when the ship, which had been anchored in the Adriatic Sea, arrives in port.

SERBIA: Davies expressed concern over reports that the ruling party in Serbia may be trying to undermine the results of the just-concluded municipal elections in that country. Initial reports, he said, indicated a good showing by the opposition in these elections. However, he continued, there have been "ominous" reports that Serbian electoral authorities may be tampering with the results by reducing or even reversing the results of individual municipal vote counts. In addition, he said, there have been reports that "thugs" have been intimidating opposition protesters. He said the United States is very concerned about these developments and has expressed these concerns to the Belgrade government.

ZAIRE/RWANDA REFUGEES: Best estimates are that approximately 600,000 Rwandan refugees have crossed back into Rwanda from the Goma region of eastern Zaire. Davies said there are no reports of any retribution being meted out against the refugees from human rights observers on the scene. A large, and still unknown, number of refugees are reported to be in the Bukavu region of eastern Zaire at the opposite end of Lake Kivu from Goma. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees estimates that as many as 700,000 displaced persons could be in that area. There is no way to determine any accurate figures, however, because although the U.S. Disaster Assistance Relief Team has received permission to enter the Bukavu region, other humanitarian organizations have not been able to establish a presence there. There was a November 20 meeting at the United Nations of representatives of nations willing to participate in any multinational force that might be sent to the eastern Zaire-Rwanda border region. A large number of countries, including several from Africa, participated. Another meeting on this mission is scheduled for November 22 in Stuttgart, consisting primarily of military planners. Davies said approximately 200 persons, including U.S. personnel, are in Kigali to establish a logistical center at Kigali airport for potential future operations. About 40-50 of these individuals will be involved in operational planning. Another 1,000 persons will be at Entebbe, Uganda and Mombasa, Kenya to support potential humanitarian missions.

BOUTROS-GHALI: Davies said the United States is sympathetic to the selection of an African as the new United Nations Secretary-General. He said that the United States feels there are a number of individuals, both men and women, from the continent of Africa who are well qualified for the position. If African representatives came up with a list of potential candidates for the Secretary-General's job, he said, the United States would give it "the highest consideration." However, Davies repeated the U.S. assertion that the United Nations is an institution in need of major reform, and that this requires the selection of someone other than Boutros- Ghali to be U.N. Secretary General. He also indicated that election of someone else as Secretary General could have positive impact upon domestic U.S. efforts to address the problem of U.S. arrearages to the United Nations and its affiliates.

BELARUS: Davies said the United States welcomes "Russia's constructive role" in urging Belarusian President Lukashenko "to compromise and honor the decisions of the Constitutional Court and the Parliament. He said both Russian President Yeltsin and Prime Minister Chernomyrdin have been active in this effort, and that one or both of them has spoken directly to Lukashenko. Davies said Yeltsin and Belarusian Parliament Speaker Sharetsky discussed on November 20 the possibility of a "zero option", in which Lukashenko would call off the scheduled referendum and parliament would halt impeachment proceedings. Leaders of Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine also have issued statements expressing their growing anxiety about the Belarusian political crisis, Davies said. He also noted that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is considering dispatching a special emissary to Minsk, but details involving this mission have not yet been fully worked out.

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