Voice of America, 22 January 1996

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

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] MONDAY'S HEADLINES BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE U-S CONGRESS COMING BACK INTO FULL SESSION AFTER THE HOLIDAY RECESS AND THE CONTINUING FEDERAL BUDGET BATTLE ARE TWO OF THE TOPICS DEALT WITH IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL COLUMNS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. OTHER SUBJECTS TACKLED BY [ADDRESSED BY] AMERICA'S MAJOR DAILIES INCLUDE: THE STATE OF THE UNION ON THE EVE OF PRESIDENT CLINTON'S ADDRESS BEFORE THE CONGRESS; THE PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS; THE SPECTER OF GLOBAL WARMING, AND A FINAL TRIBUTE TO BARBARA JORDAN. NOW, HERE WITH A CLOSER LOOK IS ______________ AND TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: MONDAY'S "WASHINGTON POST" HAS A LONG LEAD EDITORIAL GREETING THE RETURNING MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, BACK FROM THEIR LONG HOLIDAY RECESS, SAYING IN PART:

VOICE: "IF THE PRESIDENT AND THE REPUBLICANS FAIL TO AGREE ON A BUDGET, AS NOW SEEMS LIKELY, HOW DO THEY MANAGE THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR? ... THERE ARE TWO IMMEDIATE ISSUES BEFORE THEM. ON FRIDAY, MOST OF THE MAJOR DOMESTIC AGENCIES RUN OUT OF SPENDING AUTHORITY; THEY WILL HAVE TO SHUT DOWN AGAIN, A RESULT THAT THE ONCE-BURNED REPUBLICANS WANT TO AVOID, UNLESS THE AUTHORITY IS SOMEHOW EXTENDED. THE TREASURY ALSO THREATENS TO BUMP UP AGAINST THE DEBT CEILING. IF THE CEILING ISN'T RAISED OVER THE OBJECTIONS OF SOME REPUBLICANS, THE SECRETARY WON'T BE ABLE TO BORROW THE MONEY NEEDED TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OPERATING WITHOUT RESORTING TO UNPRECEDENTED MEANS... THIS IS A CONGRESS THAT OPENED WITH AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY, PARTICULARLY IN THE HOUSE, BUT IN FACT NOT MUCH HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. DO THE PARTIES NOW DECIDE TO DO SOME ORDINARY BUSINESS, OR DO THEY KEEP THROWING THE WEDDING CHINA AT ONE ANOTHER? [FIGHTING]"

TEXT: IN PENNSYLVANIA, "THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER" LAMENTS:

VOICE: "IT WOULD BE HARD ENOUGH TO HAMMER OUT A BUDGET DEAL IF THE BASIC DISAGREEMENTS WERE JUST OVER MONEY. BUT THERE'S MORE TO IT. BEYOND THE MIND-NUMBING ARITHMETIC AND THE VOTE-SEEKING DEMAGOGUERY, THIS BUDGET IMPASSE HINGES ON REAL DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN PRESIDENT CLINTON AND THE REPUBLICAN CONGRESS OVER FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S BASIC ROLE... THE BUDGET GRIDLOCK ISN'T JUST PARTISAN SNIPING; IT'S AN INEVITABLE WAR BETWEEN COMPETING VISIONS."

TEXT: "THE BALTIMORE SUN" SEES THE BUDGET CRISIS, AMONG OTHER CONCERNS, AS READY-MADE TOPICS FOR PRESIDENT CLINTON'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS TOMORROW (TUESDAY) EVENING:

VOICE: "FOR PRESIDENT CLINTON, THE TIMING OF HIS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS TUESDAY NIGHT WAS MADE IN HEAVEN. IT COMES WHEN HIS REPUBLICAN TORMENTORS ARE DIVIDED AS NEVER BEFORE. THEY ARE DIVIDED ON THE FLAT TAX, THE DEBT CEILING, THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, THE SHAPE OF THE BUDGET AND EVEN WHETHER THEY SHOULD NEGOTIATE WITH THE WHITE HOUSE BY TELEPHONE OR IN PERSON. IF MR. CLINTON FLUBS [FAILS] THIS OPPORTUNITY, HE MAY NEVER GET A BETTER ONE."

TEXT: IN BOSTON, "THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR" LOOKS AT THE REAL STATE OF THE UNION -- MEANING HOW WELL THE NATION IS FARING SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY -- AND GENERALLY LIKES WHAT IT SEES:

VOICE: "THE TRUTH IS, IT'S DOING FAR BETTER THAN ANYONE BUT VISIONARIES COULD HAVE IMAGINED IN THE 1930S, '40S, '60S OR EVEN '70S. MORE PEOPLE LIVE WITH MORE CREATURE COMFORTS, SAFETYNET CUSHIONS, RETIREMENT BENEFITS, LONGEVITY, FAIRER TREATMENT, AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION THAN EVER BEFORE. BUT, POLLS REGULARLY TELL US, IT DOESN'T FEEL THAT WAY TO MANY AMERICANS. WHY? PERHAPS THE MAIN REASON IS THAT ... THINKING AMERICANS TODAY KNOW THAT THE GREAT ECONOMIC GROWTH SPURT OF THE PAST HALF CENTURY WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY ROLL ON."

TEXT: TURNING TO THE IMPORTANT PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS HELD OVER THE WEEKEND, TODAY'S "NEW YORK TIMES", IN A LEAD EDITORIAL, CALLS THE VOTE "ANOTHER MILESTONE TOWARD PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE BETWEEN ... ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN COMMUNITIES," ADDING:

VOICE: "DESPITE THE EAST JERUSALEM TENSIONS, AND AN ASSORTMENT OF PROBLEMS AT LOCAL POLLING STATIONS, OUTSIDE OBSERVERS EXPRESSED GENERAL SATISFACTION WITH THE ELECTION'S CONDUCT. ISRAEL CAN BEST SERVE ITS OWN INTEREST BY ENCOURAGING THE DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY. IF THE MATURE VOICES OF VILLAGE ELDERS, SHOPKEEPERS, DOCTORS AND LAWYERS CAN NOW BE HEARD OVER THE SHOUTING OF RESTLESS YOUNG MEN FROM THE REFUGEE CAMPS, POLITICAL ARGUMENTS MAY GRADUALLY SHIFT FROM THE ANGRY STREETS TO THE PEACEFUL ELECTORAL ARENA....." TEXT; LOOKING ABROAD, NEW YORK'S LONG ISLAND "NEWSDAY" IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE DETERIORATING SITUATION IN CENTRAL AFRICA:

VOICE: "IN THE DISMAL CALCULUS OF GEOPOLITICS -- AS VIEWED FROM AN AMERICAN PERSPECTIVE -- THE DEATHS OF THOUSANDS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN AN INSIGNIFICANT CORNER OF THE AFRICAN TROPICS GETS LITTLE MORE ATTENTION THAN THE DEATH OF, SAY, 12 EUROPEANS IN CENTRAL ASIA, OR TWO AMERICANS IN THE MIDEAST. STILL, SHEER NUMBERS HAVE A POTENCY OF THEIR OWN. AND WHEN THE DEATH COUNT IN THE CIVIL WAR IN THE CENTRAL AFRICAN NATION OF BURUNDI REACHES 100-THOUSAND -- AS IT DID LAST WEEK -- THEN WE 'SHOULD' [ITALICS FOR EMPHASIS] TAKE NOTICE... TWICE AS MANY HAVE DIED ALREADY AS IN BOSNIA -- ALTHOUGH THE TOLL PALES IN COMPARISON TO THE 500-THOUSAND KILLED IN ETHNIC MASSACRES IN RWANDA, COMMITTED BY THE SAME TWO TRIBES, THE TUTSIS AND THE HUTUS, NOW FIGHTING IN BURUNDI."

TEXT: THE SAINT LOUIS "POST-DISPATCH" RAISES SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT RUSSIA'S BRUTAL ASSAULT ON CHECHEN REBELS IN THE SOUTHERN VILLAGE OF PERVOMAYSKAYA:

VOICE: "THE ATTACK ... WAS MEANT TO BE A MANIFESTATION OF BRUTAL FORCE. THERE WAS NEVER ANY ATTEMPT TO CONDUCT A PRECISION ... RAID TO RESCUE THE HOSTAGES HELD BY CHECHEN REBELS. THE PURPOSE WAS CLEAR FROM THE BEGINNING: TO LEVEL THE TOWN AND EVERYONE IN IT... IT'S HARD TO SEE HOW THE DESTRUCTION OF PERVOMAYSKAYA HELPS (PRESIDENT) YELTSIN OR ANY ATTEMPT TO RESOLVE CHECHNYA'S CIVIL WAR... A JUNE PRESIDENTIAL VICTORY FOR THE REDS OR BROWNS COULD BE DISASTROUS FOR CHECHNYA, A VIRTUAL GUARANTEE THAT THE WAR WOULD BE PROLONGED..."

[ END OPT ]

TEXT: TURNING TO AN MORE WIDE-REACHING ISSUE, "THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION" CONCERNS ITSELF THIS MONDAY WITH GLOBAL WARMING, AFTER COMMENTING ON THE EAST COAST SNOWFALL WHICH, THIS WEEKEND, HAS BEEN FOLLOWED BY RECORD FLOODS FROM MELTING SNOW:

VOICE: "WITH SO MUCH MORE WINTER THAN WE NEED, THIS IDEA COULD BE A LITTLE HARD TO CONTEMPLATE, BUT HERE IT IS: MANY SCIENTISTS THINK THE SEVERE WEATHER -- INCLUDING FURIOUS SNOWSTORMS, FLOODS AND DRAMATIC CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE -- IS YET ANOTHER SIGN OF GLOBAL WARMING... A WARMER ATMOSPHERE, SCIENTISTS SAY, CAUSES MORE EVAPORATION OF WATER FROM THE OCEAN. THAT, IN TURN, PRODUCES MORE PRECIPITATION -- RAIN, SLEET, SNOW. THAT INCREASE IN WATER VAPOR ALSO TENDS TO PRODUCE STORMS THAT ARE MORE SEVERE."

TEXT: AND LASTLY, FROM "THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR," DRAWS SOME PARALLELS BETWEEN THE LIVES OF THE LATE CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA JORDAN AND THE BIBLICAL MOSES.

VOICE: "LIKE THE BIBLICAL LAW-CONVEYOR, BARBARA JORDAN WAS A LEADER OF HER PEOPLE WHOSE MORALITY-BASED WORDS ALSO INSPIRED MILLIONS BEYOND THE BLACK COMMUNITY. LIKE MOSES, SHE WAS A BELIEVER IN THE ELEMENTAL, SIMPLE, GUIDING LAW. SHE NEVER LEFT HOME WITHOUT HAVING IN HER PURSE A WELL-WORN COPY OF THE U-S CONSTITUTION, HER SECULAR COMMANDMENTS."

TEXT: AND ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF REVIEW OF SOME OF THE EDITORIALS TO BE FOUND IN THE U-S PRESS THIS MONDAY.

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22-Jan-96 11:21 AM EST (1621 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] BOSNIA / HUMAN RIGHTS (S ONLY) BY WAYNE COREY (VIENNA)

INTRO: NATO WILL PROVIDE WHAT IT CALLS APPROPRIATE ASSISTANCE TO ENSURE THE SECURITY OF INTERNATIONAL TEAMS INVESTIGATING MASS GRAVES IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. V-O-A'S CENTRAL EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT, WAYNE COREY, REPORTS.

TEXT: THE COMMANDER OF THE NATO-LED PEACE FORCE IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, U-S ADMIRAL LEIGHTON SMITH, SAYS THE FORCE WILL PROVIDE APPROPRIATE ASSISTANCE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO ENSURE THE SECURITY OF INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATIONS OF MASS GRAVES.

THE ADMIRAL'S HEADQUARTERS ISSUED THE STATEMENT IN SARAJEVO AFTER HE MET WITH RICHARD GOLDSTONE, THE CHIEF PROSECUTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE.

IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE NATO IS PREPARED TO PROVIDE TO INVESTIGATORS WHO BELIEVE THOUSANDS OF MASSACRED MUSLIMS ARE BURIED IN MASS GRAVES IN EASTERN BOSNIA. MEANWHILE, THE TOP U-S HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL, JOHN SHATTUCK, MET IN BELGRADE WITH SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC.

MR. SHATTUCK SAYS HE TOLD MR. MILOSEVIC THERE IS CLEAR EVIDENCE OF MASS EXECUTIONS OF BOSNIAN MUSLIMS FROM THE ENCLAVE OF SREBRENICA AND THE SERBIAN PRESIDENT SHOULD COOPERATE WITH THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL. (SIGNED)

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22-Jan-96 10:19 AM EST (1519 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] BOSNIA / PRISONERS (S ONLY) BY WAYNE COREY (VIENNA)

INTRO: THE TOP AMERICAN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL SAYS HE AND THE SERBIAN PRESIDENT ARE GOING TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE FORMER WARRING FORCES IN BOSNIA TO FREE THEIR REMAINING WAR PRISONERS. V-O-A'S CENTRAL EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT, WAYNE COREY, REPORTS.

TEXT: AMERICAN HUMAN RIGHTS ENVOY JOHN SHATTUCK SAYS HE WILL URGE THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT TO IMMEDIATELY FREE ALL THE SERB PRISONERS IT IS STILL HOLDING.

HE MADE THE COMMENT IN BELGRADE BEFORE FLYING TO SARAJEVO FOLLOWING TALKS WITH SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC. MR. MILOSEVIC IS SAID TO HAVE AGREED TO URGE THE BOSNIAN SERBS TO RELEASE ALL THEIR PRISONERS UNILATERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY.

DELAYS IN THE FINAL RELEASE OF ALL WAR PRISONERS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA HAVE BEEN A SETBACK TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW BOSNIAN PEACE AGREEMENT.

MR. SHATTUCK SAYS THE RELEASE OF REMAINING WAR PRISONERS IS ONE OF THE MAJOR CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES REQUIRED BY THE PEACE TREATY.

THE FORMER WARRING FORCES ARE SAID TO HAVE GENERALLY MET ANOTHER KEY REQUIREMENT OF THE TREATY - THE PULLBACK OF THEIR TROOPS FROM LINES OF SEPARATION. (SIGNED)

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22-Jan-96 10:14 AM EST (1514 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] BOSNIA SITREP (L ONLY) BY WAYNE COREY (VIENNA)

INTRO: THE COMMANDER OF NATO-LED FORCES IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA SAYS NATO WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION OF MASS GRAVES OF MUSLIMS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. AT THE SAME TIME, U-S HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL JOHN SHATTUCK SAYS HE AND THE PRESIDENT OF SERBIAN WILL PUT PRESSURE ON THE PARTIES IN BOSNIA TO FINALLY RELEASE ALL OF THEIR REMAINING PRISONERS OF WAR. V-O-A CENTRAL EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT WAYNE COREY REPORTS.

TEXT: THE NATO COMMANDER IN SARAJEVO, AMERICAN ADMIRAL LEIGHTON SMITH, HAS PLEDGED HIS FORCES' SUPPORT FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF MASS GRAVES, BELIEVED TO CONTAIN THE BODIES OF THOUSANDS OF BOSNIAN MUSLIMS.

THE NATO COMMANDER'S HEADQUARTERS ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING NATO-LED FORCES WILL PROVIDE APPROPRIATE ASSISTANCE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR AREA SECURITY FOR INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATING TEAMS AT MASS GRAVE SITES.

THE VAGUE STATEMENT WAS ISSUED AFTER ADMIRAL SMITH MET IN SARAJEVO WITH RICHARD GOLDSTONE, THE CHIEF PROSECUTOR OF THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE.

MR. GOLDSTONE, WHO ALSO MET WITH BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC, SAYS INTERNATIONAL INSPECTIONS OF MASS GRAVES IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA WILL BEGIN VERY SOON.

ADMIRAL SMITH EARLIER SAID NATO TROOPS WOULD _NOT_ GUARD MASS GRAVES. BUT HE SAID NATO PLANES WOULD PROVIDE AERIAL SURVEILLANCE. HE SAID NATO WOULD KNOW IF ANYONE TAMPERED WITH THE GRAVES.

NATO IS CLEARLY UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL AND FROM U-S HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL JOHN SHATTUCK TO HELP ENSURE THAT ALLEGED WAR CRIMES IN BOSNIA ARE PROPERLY INVESTIGATED.

MR. SHATTUCK IS CONVINCED THAT THOUSANDS OF MUSLIMS WERE KILLED AND BURIED IN MASS GRAVES AFTER SERB FORCES OVERRAN THE ENCLAVE OF SREBRENICA IN EASTERN BOSNIA LAST JULY.

HE VISITED THE SREBRENICA AREA ON SUNDAY AND THEN WENT TO BELGRADE TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF MASS EXECUTIONS IN BOSNIA WITH SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC.

MR. SHATTUCK SAYS HE URGED MR. MILOSEVIC TO COOPERATE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL. THE TRIBUNAL HAS COMPLAINED OF A LACK OF COOPERATION FROM SERBIA SO FAR.

BEFORE GOING TO SARAJEVO, MR. SHATTUCK ALSO TOLD REPORTERS IN BELGRADE HE WOULD PUT PRESSURE ON THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT TO IMMEDIATELY FREE ALL OF ITS REMAINING SERB PRISONERS.

THE U-S HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIAL SAYS PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC AGREED TO URGE THE BOSNIAN SERBS TO UNILATERALLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY RELEASE ALL OF THE WAR PRISONERS THEY STILL HOLD.

A FINAL PRISONER EXCHANGE IS A KEY PART OF THE NEW PEACE AGREEMENT FOR BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. THE DEADLINE FOR THE EXCHANGE HAS BEEN MISSED.

THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT SAID IT WOULD _NOT_ FREE ALL SERB PRISONERS UNTIL THE ISSUE OF MISSING MUSLIMS WAS RESOLVED. BUT, THE GOVERNMENT HAS ACKNOWLEDGED IT IS UNDER STRONG INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE _NOT_ TO ATTACH ANY CONDITIONS TO THE PRISONER RELEASES. (SIGNED)

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22-Jan-96 12:52 PM EST (1752 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] U.S. / BOSNIA WAR CRIMES (L) BY DAVID GOLLUST (PENTAGON)

INTRO: THE UNITED STATES WILL BE PROVIDING INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION TO ASSIST THE INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL INVESTIGATING WAR CRIMES IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY SAYS AN ASSURANCE TO THAT EFFECT HAS BEEN CONVEYED TO THE CHIEF WAR-CRIMES PROSECUTOR RICHARD GOLDSTONE. VOA'S DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS FROM THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT.

TEXT: DEFENSE SECRETARY PERRY SAYS HE AND C-I-A DIRECTOR JOHN DEUTCH HAVE TOLD JUSTICE GOLDSTONE THE UNITED STATES WILL PROVIDE WHAT HE CALLED "APPROPRIATE INTELLIGENCE SUPPORT" TO THE WAR-CRIMES TRIBUNAL. MR. PERRY, WHO SPOKE TO REPORTERS AS HE BEGAN A MEETING WITH BRITISH DEFENSE SECRETARY MICHAEL PORTILLO, GAVE NO DETAILS ON INFORMATION THAT WILL BE SHARED. BUT THE UNITED STATES HAS MOUNTED WHAT OFFICIALS HERE CALL AN UNPRECEDENTED JOINT CIVILIAN AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE OPERATION IN SUPPORT OF U-S TROOPS IN BOSNIA.

UNITED STATES HAS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, DETAILED AIR SURVEILLANCE PICTURES OF SUSPECTED MASS GRAVE SITES IN BOSNIA, INCLUDING THE OPEN-PIT MINE REPORTEDLY BEING USED BY THE BOSNIAN SERBS AS A COLLECTION POINT FOR BODIES OF VICTIMS OF ETHNIC CLEANSING.

THE DEFENSE SECRETARY WELCOMED THE AGREEMENT, ANNOUNCED EARLIER IN THE DAY IN SARAJEVO, UNDER WHICH THE NATO PEACEKEEPING COMMANDER ADMIRAL LEIGHTON SMITH COMMITTED TROOPS TO PROVIDING SECURITY FOR WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL TEAMS INVESTIGATING GRAVE SITES:

I-FOR (IMPLEMENTATON FORCE) AND THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL WILL WORK TOGETHER. AND THE RESULTS OF THE MEETING BETWEEN ADMIRAL SMITH AND JUSTICE GOLDSTONE THIS MORNING, I THINK, WAS SATISIFYING, WHERE THEY AGREED ON APPRPRIATE WAYS OF SUPPORT. THIS IS AN I-FOR ISSUE AND THE I-FOR IS WORKING THE PROBLEM -- I THINK -- QUITE EFFECTIVELY.

MR. PERRY AND HIS BRITISH COUNTERPART WERE GIVEN A CLASSIFIED BRIEFING ON THE BOSNIAN SITUATION -- INCLUDING, OFFICIALS SAID, AN APPRAISAL OF THE RELATIVE MILITARY CAPABILITIES OF THE BOSNIAN-CROAT FEDERATION AND THE BOSNIAN SERBS.

MR. PORTILLO MADE CLEAR HIS GOVERNMENT DOES NOT OBJECT TO U-S PLANS TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT TO GOVERNMENT FORCES TO HELP REDRESS THE IMBALANCE THAT CURRENTLY FAVORS THE SERBS:

WHAT WE WE WANT TO SEE IS A BETTER BALANCE OF ARMAMENTS IN THE THEATER. AND WHAT WE'D LIKE TO LOOK FOR IN THE FIRST INSTANCE IS A REDUCTION OF THE ARMS THAT ARE HELD BY THE OTHER PARTIES. BUT I THINK ARMING AND TRAINING WILL HAVE TO PLAY A PART IN THIS THIS. WE'VE ACCEPTED THAT. WHAT IS IMPORTANT, THOUGH, IS THAT THE ARMING AND TRAINING SHOULD BE AT ARMS-LENGTH FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION FORCE, SO THE IMPLEMENTATION FORCE CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT IT IS EVEN-HANDED IN DEALING WITH ALL THE SIDES IN THE CONFLICT.

U-S OFFICIALS SAY THE MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO THE GOVERNMENT FORCES WILL BE HANDLED BY THIRD COUNTRIES, INCLUDING TURKEY AND OTHER ISLAMIC STATES WITH CLOSE TIES TO THE UNITED STATES. PRIVATE U-S DEFENSE CONTRACTORS WILL ALSO TAKE PART. (SIGNED)

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22-Jan-96 1:08 PM EST (1808 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] U-S/BOSNIA/BODIES (S ONLY) BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: U-S ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS JOHN SHATTUCK HAS VISITED SERB-HELD AREAS OF EASTERN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA TO SEE AND CHECK FIRST-HAND ON ACCOUNTS OF MASS KILLINGS AND BURIAL SITES. V-O-A'S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS MR. SHATTUCK, INTERVIEWED BY AMERICAN MEDIA (ABC, NBC), SAYS HE HAS SEEN WHAT HE CALLS OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE OF HORRIBLE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY:

TEXT: MR. SHATTUCK, INTERVIEWED AT ONE SITE NEAR THE FORMER MUSLIM ENCLAVE OF SREBRENICA, SAYS HE BELIEVES UP TO SEVEN-THOUSAND MOSTLY MUSLIM CIVILIANS ARE MISSING AND BELIEVED DEAD. HE SAYS THEIR FATE COULD BECOME CLEAR FROM INVESTIGATIONS OF SITES FOLLOWING THE SPRING THAW.

AT A FORMER WAREHOUSE IN THE VILLAGE OF KRAVICE, MR. SHATTUCK SAYS HE SAW SPATTERED BLOOD AND BIG HOLES IN THE WALLS:

I SAW EVIDENCE OF BLOOD ON THE CEILING. (REPORTER) ON THE CEILING. (SHATTUCK) YES, ON THE CEILING.

SURVIVORS SAY MUSLIMS CAPTURED BY BOSNIAN SERBS AFTER THE FALL OF SREBRENICA LAST JULY HERDED TWO THOUSAND CAPTIVES INTO THE WAREHOUSE AND FIRED ROCKET-PROPELLED GRENADES INTO IT. THE U-S ENVOY DESCRIBED IT AS A TERRIBLE MONUMENT TO THE WAR.

HIS VISIT FOLLOWED MEDIA REPORTS OF NEW MASS GRAVE SITINGS IN THE AREA. HE SAYS THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL, WITH A NATO ESCORT, WILL SOON CONDUCT ON-SITE SEARCHES AND ISSUED A WARNING TO SERBS WHO CONTROL THE AREA:

CERTAINLY, ANY EFFORT TO TAMPER WITH THESE SITES, ANY DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE WILL ITSELF BE EVIDENCE OF WAR CRIMES.

MR. SHATTUCK, WHO SAYS HE EXPECTS NATO PEACEKEEPERS TO SECURE THE AREAS HE VISITED VERY SOON, COMMENDED THE SERBS FOR THEIR COOPERATION DURING HIS VISIT. (SIGNED)

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21-Jan-96 7:51 PM EST (0051 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America