Voice of America, 16 December 1995

From: "Ioannis V. Bousnakis" <ivb19@nfi.com>

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] !!! VOA DAILY BOSNIA REPORT -- DECEMBER 15, 1995

VOA DAILY BOSNIA REPORT -- 12/15/95 THE FOLLOWING IS A SYNOPSIS OF SIGNIFICANT REPORTING ON BOSNIA BY THE VOICE OF AMERICA THAT HAD BEEN BROADCAST OR FIRMLY SCHEDULED AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION. THIS SELECTION IS NOT INTENDED TO BE EXHAUSTIVE, AND DOES NOT INCLUDE LATE-BREAKING NEWS OR THE MANY REPORTS IN ALL VOA LANGUAGES THAT ARE BASED ON COMMERCIAL WIRE SERVICES OR OTHER SECONDARY SOURCES. WE REGRET THAT WE CANNOT RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR TRANSCRIPTS OF SPECIFIC BROADCASTS OR PROGRAM SEGMENTS. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT VOA, OFFICE OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS. TELEPHONE: +1-202-619-2538. ELECTRONIC MAIL: LETTERS@VOA.GOV (FOR CORRESPONDENCE FROM OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES); LETTERS-USA@VOA.GOV (FOR CORRESPONDENCE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES).

BOSNIAN SERBS / WAR -- THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE DOWNGRADED THEIR THREE-AND-A-HALF YEAR OLD DECLARATION OF A STATE OF WAR IN PARTS OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA UNDER THEIR CONTROL, EXCEPT IN SERB-HELD SUBURBS OF SARAJEVO. THE MOVE FOLLOWS THE SIGNING OF THE BOSNIAN PEACE AGREEMENT. CENTRAL EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT WAYNE COREY REPORTS FROM VIENNA. (12/15)

PARIS SIGNING CEREMONY / SARAJEVO REACTION -- SARAJEVO REACTED CALMLY TO THE SIGNING OF THE BOSNIAN PEACE AGREEMENT IN PARIS. PRIME MINISTER OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, HARIS SILAJDZIC WELCOMES THE PEACE AGREEMENT. SEVERAL SHELLS HIT DOWNTOWN SARAJEVO DURING SIGNING CEREMONY STRINGER VLADIMIR BILIC REPORTS. (CROATIAN 12/14)

US / CROATIA -- US AMBASSADOR PETER GALBRAITH SPOKE WITH CROATIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER VLATKO PAVLETIC ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PEACE AGREEMENT. AMBASSADOR GALBRAITH ALSO LIT A CANDLE AT 'THE WALL' IN ZAGREB FOR ALL DEAD AND MISSING IN THIS WAR. STRINGER LINDA MILISA REPORTS. (CROATIAN 12/14)

BOSNIA / YUGOSLAVIA / RECOGNITION -- BOSNIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN MIRZA HAJRIC TOLD VOA THAT BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AND YUGOSLAVIA HAVE RECOGNIZED EACH OTHER IN PARIS. INTERVIEW BY STAFFER DZEILANA PECANIN. (CROATIAN 12/14)

CROATIA / YUGOSLAVIA / RECOGNITION -- CROATIAN PRESIDENT FRANJO TUDJMAN SAYS TERRITORIAL DISAGREEMENTS ARE PREVENTING MUTUAL RECOGNITION BETWEEN CROATIA AND THE NEW YUGOSLAVIA. REFERRING TO THE PREVLAKA PENINSULA, THE CROATIAN PRESIDENT SAYS YUGOSLAVIA CAN NOT TRADE TERRITORY THAT BELONGS TO A THIRD COUNTRY, IN THIS CASE TO BOSNIA, FOR TERRITORY IN CROATIA. (CROATIAN 12/15)

CROATIA / YUGOSLAVIA / ZAGREB REACT -- CROATIAN OPPOSITION LEADER ZDRAVKO TOMAC (SDP) SAYS NO CROATIAN TERRITORY CAN BE TRADED; SECRETARY OF HSLS PARTY, BOZO KOVACEVIC SAYS THE CROATIAN AND SERBIAN PRESIDENTS HAD PROBABLY REACHED ORAL AGREEMENT IN DAYTON OVER CROATIAN PREVLAKA PENINSULA, BUT CROATIAN PRESIDENT TUDJMAN WANTS TO BREAK THAT AGREEMENT NOW, SINCE HE REALIZED THAT THE PARLIAMENT AND THE PUBLIC ARE AGAINST IT. STRINGER ZELJKO MATRIC INTERVIEWS BOTH OPPOSITION LEADERS. (CROATIAN 12/15)

CROATIA / YUGOSLAVIA / BELGRADE REACT -- THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS OPPOSITION ARE NOT COMMENTING ON THE LACK OF RECOGNITION AGREEMENT BETWEEN ZAGREB AND BELGRADE. BELGRADE MEDIA HAS NOT YET REPORTED THAT YUGOSLAVIA AND BOSNIA HAVE RECOGNIZED EACH OTHER. STRINGER JADRANKA KRONJA REPORTS FROM BELGRADE. (CROATIAN 12/15)

CROATIA / PEACE AGREEMENT -- UPON ARRIVAL FROM PARIS, CROATIAN PRESIDENT FRANJO TUDJMAN EXPRESSED SATISFACTION WITH THE SIGNED PEACE AGREEMENT. ZAGREB STRINGER LINDA MILISA SAYS MR TUDJMAN ALSO STRESSED HIS SATISFACTION WITH THE TALKS HE HELD WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON. (CROATIAN 12/14)

BOSNIA PEACE -- REPORTER TERRY WING TALKS WITH DAN NELSON, DIRECTOR OF GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AT OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY. SPEAKING FROM BELGRADE, MR NELSON GIVES HIS IMPRESSIONS OF THE SERB REACTION TO THE PEACE ACCORD SIGNED IN PARIS, AND DISCUSSES THE HURDLES AHEAD. HE ALSO TALKS ABOUT COMPLICITY IN ALLOWING THE WAR TO GO ON FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS, AND THE FADING ISSUE OF WAR CRIMES. (ENGLISH NEWS PROGRAM 12/14)

PARIS / SIGNING CEREMONY -- STAFFER DJORDJE PUTIC REPORTS ON THE BOSNIA PEACE SIGNING CEREMONY IN PARIS, AS WELL AS REACTIONS OF OFFICIALS AND THE FRENCH PUBLIC. (SERBIAN 12/14)

BOSNIA ACCORD SIGNED -- PARIS STRINGER JAN GRUZEWSKI REPORTS ON THE SIGNING CEREMONY OF THE BOSNIAN PEACE ACCORD. (POLISH 12/14)

EU SUMMIT / MADRID -- THE LEADERS OF FIFTEEN EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES ARE HOLDING A SUMMIT WHICH MARKS THE END OF SIX MONTHS PRESIDENCY OF SPAIN. AMONG OTHER THINGS, THEY ARE GOING TO DISCUSS THE REBUILDING EFFORTS FOR FORMER YUGOSLAVIA, AND THE WAYS OF FINDING DONOR COUNTRIES WHICH WOULD HELP IN THOSE ACTIONS. STRINGER DRAGAN BLAGOJEVIC REPORTS FROM MADRID. (SERBIAN 12/14)

SERBIAN OPPOSITION / PEACE AGREEMENT -- SERBIAN OPPOSITION LEADERS EXPRESS DIFFERENT VIEWS ON THE PEACE AGREEMENT FOR BOSNIA, FROM WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT TO TOTAL DISAGREEMENT. STRINGER DUSKO MASIC REPORTS ON STATEMENTS BY VUK DRASKOVIC OF THE SERBIAN RENEWAL MOVEMENT, VOJISLAV SESELJ OF THE SERBIAN RADICAL PARTY, ZORAN DJINDJIC OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AND VOJISLAV KOSTUNICA OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SERBIA. (SERBIAN 12/14)

CROATIAN MEDIA / TUDJMAN'S SPEECH IN PARIS -- THE CROATIAN MEDIA, QUOTING FROM PRESIDENT TUDJMAN'S SPEECH IN PARIS, PUTS THE BIGGEST ACCENT ON HIS STATEMENT THAT THE REINTEGRATION OF EASTERN SLAVONIA INTO CROATIA IS THE KEY PRECONDITION FOR NORMALIZATION OF THE RELATIONS BETWEEN BELGRADE AND ZAGREB. AMONG OTHERS, US AMBASSADOR TO CROATIA, PETER GALBRAITH WELCOMED THE SIGNING OF THE PEACE ACCORD FOR BOSNIA. ZAGREB STRINGER STEVICA SUSA REPORTS. (SERBIAN 12/14)

TUZLA / MAYOR -- THE MAYOR OF TUZLA ADDRESSED THE TOWN FOLLOWING THE HISTORIC SIGNING OF THE BOSNIA PEACE ACCORD IN PARIS. STRINGER KONSTANTIN JOVANOVIC REPORTS THAT THE CITIZENS OF TUZLA WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THE AGREEMENT. TOUGH WINTER WEATHER MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR NATO PLANES TO LAND AT THE AIRPORT IN TUZLA. (SERBIAN 12/14)

EXPLOSIONS IN SARAJEVO -- WHILE THE BALKAN AND WORLD LEADERS WERE SIGNING THE PEACE AGREEMENT IN PARIS, SEVERAL SHELLS EXPLODED IN THE CENTER OF SARAJEVO. ACCORDING TO THE BOSNIAN SOURCES, BOSNIAN SERBS LAUNCHED THE MISSILES. AT THE SAME TIME, UNPROFOR OFFICIALS COULD NOT EXACTLY SAY WHO DID IT. STRINGER BORO KONTIC REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO. (SERBIAN 12/14)

CONGRESSMAN PACKARD / BOSNIA PEACE -- CONGRESSMAN RON PACKARD (R-CA) HEADED A CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION WHICH HAS JUST RETURNED FROM ITS FACT FINDING MISSION TO BELGRADE, ZAGREB AND SARAJEVO. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH STAFFER MAJA DRUCKER, CONGRESSMAN PACKARD TALKS ABOUT HIS IMPRESSIONS OF THE BALKAN LEADERS, THEIR COMMITMENT TO PEACE, AND CHALLENGES WHICH AWAIT AMERICAN TROOPS ON THE GROUND IN BOSNIA. (SERBIAN 12/15)

CONGRESS / BOSNIA -- ZYGMUNT NAGORSKI OF THE ASPEN INSTITUTE EVALUATES THE CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE OVER US TROOP DEPLOYMENT IN BOSNIA. INTERVIEW BY STAFFER TADEUSZ WALENDOWSKI. (POLISH 12/14)

SERBIAN AMERICANS / THE WHITE HOUSE -- LEADERS OF FIFTEEN NON-GOVERNMENTAL AMERICAN-SERB ORGANIZATIONS WERE INVITED TO THE WHITE HOUSE TO GIVE THEIR OPINIONS ON THE EXISTING SITUATION AND WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO SOLVE IT. THEIR HOSTS WERE DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER, SANDY BURGER; SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT & SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, ALEXANDER VERSHBOW, AND SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, DANIEL FREID. STAFFER NIKOLETA ILIC TALKED TO ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS, CARSON ROBBINS. (SERBIAN 12/14)

BOSNIA / US FORCES -- KHALED SAFFOURI, DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN TASK FORCE FOR BOSNIA, EXPLAINS TO STAFFER ZEINAB ABDELRAHMAN THE ROLE OF THE US FORCES IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA. (ARABIC 12/14)

KOSOVO REACT / PARIS CONFERENCE -- IN PRISHTINA, THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE DEMOCRATIC LEAGUE OF KOSOVO, THE LARGEST ETHNIC ALBANIAN POLITICAL PARTY IN RUMP YUGOSLAVIA, PRAISED THE BOSNIA ACCORDS, BUT URGED THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT OVER KOSOVO. STRINGER AFERDITA SARACINI-KELMENDI REPORTS. ALBANIAN POLITICAL GROUPS IN MACEDONIA HAVE VOICED SIMILAR SENTIMENTS. STRINGER FAIK MUSTAFA REPORTS. (ALBANIAN 12/15)

BOSNIA PEACE / SERBIA REACT -- THE GOVERNMENT OF RUMP YUGOSLAVIA AND MOST OPPOSITION FORCES HAVE EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE BOSNIA PEACE AGREEMENT. STRINGER FAHRI MUSLIU REPORTS FROM BELGRADE. (ALBANIAN 12/15)

MACEDONIA / ALBANIAN UNIVERSITY -- ON THE EVE OF THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ALBANIAN-LANGUAGE UNIVERSITY IN TETOVA, MACEDONIAN AUTHORITIES TORE DOWN A BUILDING WHERE CLASSES WERE BEING HELD. ALBANIANS SEE THE MOVE AS A PROVOCATION, WHILE THE GOVERNMENT INSISTS THAT THE UNIVERSITY IS ILLEGAL. STRINGER F MUSTAFA REPORTS. (ALBANIAN 12/15)

HUNGARIAN / SERB / MAYORS -- STRINGER ILONA FORGACS INTERVIEWS THE MAYORS OF SZEGED, HUNGARY AND SUBOTICA, SERBIA. THEY ATTENDED A CONFERENCE IN SZEGED, ALONG WITH MUNICIPAL LEADERS FROM ROMANIA. THE FOCUS OF THE CONFERENCE WAS REGIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION AFTER THE LIFTING OF UN SANCTIONS AGAINST SERBIA. THE MAYOR OF SUBOTICA ALSO SPOKE OF THE PROBLEMS CREATED BY THE INFLUX OF SERB REFUGEES FROM BOSNIA. (HUNGARIAN 12/14) 15-Dec-95 8:10 PM EST (0110 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[02] E-U SUMMIT (S & L) BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: EUROPEAN UNION LEADERS SATURDAY CONCLUDED A TWO-DAY SUMMIT IN MADRID. THEY CLAIM SUCCESS IN RE-LAUNCHING THE PROCESS TOWARDS A SINGLE CURRENCY FOR EUROPE, AND IN PREPARING FOR THE ADMISSION OF NEW MEMBERS FROM CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE. JOHN FRASER REPORTS FROM E-U HEADQUARTER IN BRUSSELS..

TEXT: DIPLOMATS SAY THE MADRID MEETING WAS ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL E-U SUMMITS IN RECENT YEARS.

IMPORTANT PROGRESS WAS MADE IN PREPARING EUROPE FOR A SINGLE CURRENCY, AND IN PREPARING TO NEGOTIATE THE ENRY INTO THE UNION OF APPLICANTS FROM CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE.

THE MOST OBVIOUS CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURE WAS AN AGREEMENT THAT SEVERAL EUROPEAN CURRENCIES WILL BE BLENDED INTO ONE ON JANUARY FIRST, 1999. THERE WAS ALSO AGREEMENT THAT THIS NEW SINGLE CURRENCY WILL BE CALLED THE EURO.

THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER JOHN MAJOR,, OPENLY VOICED HIS DOUBTS THAT SOME EUROPEAN ECONOMIES WILL BE READY IN TIME FOR THE SINGLE CURRENCY.

BRITAIN HAS THE RIGHT NOT TO JOIN, AND SAYS IT IS DETERMINED TO PRESERVE THAT RIGHT UNTIL THE LAST POSSIBLE MOMENT. // END OPT

THE E-U LEADERS ALSO AGREED TO OPEN NEGOTIATIONS WITH CENTRAL AND EASTEN EUROPEAN STATES WHICH HOPE TO JOIN THE UNION. THAT PROCESS WILL BEGIN SIX MONTHS AFTER INTERNAL E-U NEGOTIATIONS ON REFORMING WORKING PRACTICES.

THE FIRST WAVE OF TALKS WITH FORMER COMMUNIST STATES COULD BEGIN EARLY IN 1998 -- WITH THE FIRST CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN APPLICANTS JOINING AROUND THE TURN OF THE CENTURY.

NOT ALL ARE LIKELY TO JOIN AT THE SAME TIME, AS SOME WILL BE MORE ADVANCED THAN OTHERS IN ECONOMIC AND DEMOCRATIC TERMS. FINALLY, THE E-U SUMMIT LEADERS AGREED TO OPEN NEGOTIATIONS WITH CUBA ON A TRADE AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION AGREMENT. (SIGNED)

NEB/JF/DW/GPT
16-Dec-95 1:59 PM EST (1859 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[03] NATO/BOSNIA (S ONLY) BY WAYNE COREY (VIENNA)

INTRO: BAD WINTER WEATHER IS DELAYING THE INITIAL DEPLOYMENT OF MAIN NATO FORCES TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. V-O-A'S CENTRAL EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT, WAYNE COREY, REPORTS.

TEXT: PLANES THAT ARE TO FLY HUNDREDS OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS TO TUZLA IN NORTHEASTERN BOSNIA ARE GROUNDED AT THE NATO AIRBASE AT AVIANO IN NORTHERN ITALY. POOR VISIBILITY HAS BEEN A PROBLEM AT AVIANO, DELAYING SOME EARLIER FLIGHTS FROM THERE TO BOSNIA. BUT IT IS POOR VISIBILITY AND FREEZING FOG AT THE TUZLA AIRFIELD THAT IS THE MAJOR PROBLEM NOW. HEAVY SNOW, ICY ROADS AND LOW CLOUDS HAVE ALSO DELAYED THE MOVEMENT OF AMERICAN MILITARY PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT BY AIR AND OVERLAND FROM GERMANY TO A U-S MILITARY STAGING AREA IN SOUTHERN HUNGARY. MOST OF THE 20-THOUSAND AMERICAN TROOPS, WHO WILL HELP IMPLEMENT THE NEW BOSNIAN PEACE AGREEMENT, WILL TRAVEL OVERLAND FROM HUNGARY TO TUZLA. WHILE THE NATO DEPLOYMENT MAY BE GETTING OFF TO A SLOW START, WHAT MAY BE THE WORST WINTER IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE IN YEARS IS HELPING TO KEEP THE PEACE IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. THE WARRING FORCES COULD NOT ENGAGE IN MAJOR MILITARY OPERATIONS IN THIS KIND OF WEATHER EVEN IF THEY WANTED TO. (SIGNED)

NEB/WC/DW/GPT
16-Dec-95 8:40 AM EST (1340 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[04] NATO APPROVAL/BOSNIA (L) BY ELAINE JOHANSON (UNITED NATIONS)

INTRO: THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED A HANDOVER OF PEACEKEEPING IN BOSNIA TO NATO. A UNANIMOUS VOTE FRIDAY AUTHORIZES A 60-THOUSAND STRONG NATO-LED FORCE TO REPLACE U-N PEACEKEEPERS, WHO HAVE BEEN BOGGED DOWN IN THE BOSNIAN CONFLICT FOR OVER THREE YEARS. VOA CORRESPONDENT ELAINE JOHANSON REPORTS:

TEXT: THE SECURITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE NEW FORCE IN BOSNIA TO USE ALL MEANS NECESSARY TO FULFILL ITS DUTIES. IT STRONGLY ENDORSED THE RECENT BOSNIAN PEACE ACCORD, WHICH WAS FORMALLY SIGNED IN PARIS THURSDAY.

THE AUTHORIZATION CAREFULLY AVOIDS GOING BEYOND THE TERMS OF THE PEACE AGREEMENT. THE RESOLUTION -- FOR EXAMPLE -- CALLS FOR COOPERATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE BUT DOES NOT ORDER NATO TROOPS TO ACTIVELY PURSUE WAR CRIMINALS.

THE NEW MISSION IS APPROVED FOR ONE YEAR -- AFTER WHICH THE UNITED STATES SAYS IT WILL PULL OUT. BUT THE COUNCIL LEFT OPEN THE POSSIBILITY OF CONTINUING THE OPERATION BEYOND THE INITIAL TIME PERIOD.

WELL-ARMED SOLDIERS WITH A STRONG MANDATE TO ENFORCE PEACE WILL STEP IN WHERE U-N TROOPS COULD BARELY FUNCTION -- THOUGH MANY OF THE U-N PEACEKEEPERS WILL SIMPLY EXCHANGE THEIR BLUE HELMETS FOR NATO'S GREEN.

U-S AMBASSADOR MADELEINE ALBRIGHT HAILED THE TRANSFER OF COMMAND AS A NEW DAY FOR THE MUSLIMS OF BOSNIA. SHE NOTED -- FOR ALL ITS MEETINGS ON BOSNIA -- THE SECURITY COUNCIL, FOR THE MOST PART, DID NOT HELP:

ON MANY OF THOSE OCCASIONS I HAVE SAT IN THIS CHAMBER IN ANGUISH AS I LOOKED OVER AT THE REPRESENTATIVE OF BOSNIA, WHOSE COUNTRY WAS THE VICTIM OF SUCH BRUTAL AGGRESSION. FOR OFTEN THE COUNCIL'S MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF BOSNIA WAS A TRAGIC ONE: WE CANNOT DEFEND YOU AND WE WILL NOT LET YOU DEFEND YOURSELVES. TODAY, OUR MESSAGE IS A NEW ONE.

WITH THE ENGLISH POET LET US BE OPTIMISTS THIS TIME. "AND NOT BY EASTERN WINDOWS ONLY; WHEN DAYLIGHT COMES, COMES IN THE LIGHT IN FRONT THE SUN CLIMBS SLOW, HOW SLOWLY; BUT WESTWARD, LOOK, THE LAND IS BRIGHT".

THE UNITED NATIONS, FOR ITS PART, WILL STAY ENGAGED IN BOSNIA. BUT IT WILL HAVE A CIVILIAN ROLE. THE U-N WILL OVERSEE A POLICE FORCE, AS WELL AS RELIEF AND REFUGEE ACTIVITIES. (SIGNED)

NEB/EJ/SKH
15-Dec-95 8:06 PM EST (0106 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America