Voice of America, 10 June 1996

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

CONTENTS

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

[02] BOSNIA/SARAJEVO (L) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

[03] CHRISTOPHER ON NATO CHANGES

[04] E-U / SLOVENIA BY BARRY WOOD (PRAGUE)

[05] E-U BRITISH BEEF (L ONLY) BY JOHN FRASER (LUXEMBOURG)

[06] YUGO ARMS TALKS (L ONLY) BY WAYNE COREY (VIENNA)

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

INTRO: AN ESPECIALLY WIDE ASSORTMENT OF TOPICS GET ATTENTION IN THE EDITORIALS OF THE LEADING NEWSPAPERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THIS MONDAY. THEY RANGE FROM SEAGULLS TO INTERNET CRIME FIGHTING, ALONG WITH: CONCERN OVER CHINA'S NUCLEAR INTENT; WHAT TO DO WITH THE WORLD'S SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL; THE IRISH PEACE TALKS AND THE LATEST WHITE HOUSE FAUX PAS. NOW, HERE IS ________________WITH SOME QUOTES AND A CLOSER LOOK IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: SEVERAL PAPERS ARE COMMENTING ON THE LATEST CHINESE DECLARATIONS AT THE NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY TALKS IN GENEVA. IN THE WORDS OF TODAY'S ORLANDO SENTINEL: "CHINA SHOULD ACT RESPONSIBLY AND FORGET ABOUT CARRYING OUT ADDITIONAL NUCLEAR TESTS -- 'PEACEFUL' OR OTHERWISE." THE SENTINEL ADDS:

VOICE: "BEIJING'S OFFER IN GENEVA LAST WEEK TO STOP NUCLEAR TESTING ONCE A COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR TEST-BAN TREATY IS COMPLETED SMACKED OF HYPOCRISY."

TEXT: ON LONG ISLAND, NEWSDAY TAKES A MORE COMPLIMENTARY TONE TOWARD BEIJING'S OFFER:

VOICE: "FOR ONCE, THERE GOOD NEWS FROM CHINA. ITS RULERS HAVE GIVEN UP THEIR LOONY [CRAZY OR NONSENSICAL] INSISTENCE THAT AN ACROSS-THE-BOARD BAN ON NUCLEAR TESTING MUST MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR TESTS CONDUCTED WITH PEACEFUL USES IN MIND."

TEXT: IN RELATED NEWS, THE ORLANDO SENTINEL SEES SOME LOGIC IN THE CURRENT U-S PLAN TO ACCEPT AND DISPOSE OF AS MUCH AS 20 METRIC TONS OF SPENT, FOREIGN NUCLEAR FUEL OVER THE NEXT 13 YEARS. AS THE PAPER POINTS OUT:

VOICE: "PERHAPS THE MOST COMPELLING REASON ... FOR ACCEPTING THE SPENT FUEL IS TO ENSURE ... IT DOESN'T FALL INTO THE HANDS OF TERRORISTS OR UNFRIENDLY GOVERNMENTS. THE SPENT FUEL CONTAINS HIGHLY ENRICHED URANIUM THAT CAN BE USED TO PRODUCE NUCLEAR WEAPONS."

TEXT: USA TODAY SPEAKS OUT ON ANOTHER DOMESTIC ISSUE: THE REVELATION THAT NORMALLY INACCESSIBLE F-B-I FILES ON A LARGE NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS WAS OBTAINED BY THE CLINTON WHITE HOUSE DURING THE EARLY PART OF HIS PRESIDENCY. THE NATIONAL DAILY HAS THIS TO DAY:

VOICE: "THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SPENT THE WEEKEND TRYING TO CONVINCE THE PUBLIC TO BELIEVE ... THAT IT INNOCENTLY OBTAINED THE MOST SENSITIVE PERSONAL INFORMATION ON A VIRTUAL G-O-P WHO'S WHO. AND IT WASN'T HAVING MUCH ... LUCK. THESE REPORTS ARE NOT YOUR TYPICAL PERSONNEL FILE. THE PERSONAL DISCLOSURE FORM ALONE IS UP TO [AS MANY AS] 20 PAGES LONG... WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF LEON PANETTA ... CALLED THE FETCHING [PROVIDING] OF THESE FILES AN 'INEXCUSABLE' MISTAKE... [MR.] PANETTA INSISTED NO CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION WAS USED IMPROPERLY. AND SO FAR, NO EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY HAS EMERGED. BUT IF THERE'S DOUBT, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ONLY ITS RECORD TO BLAME... THE PRIVACY OF PUBLIC SERVANTS HAS BEEN VIOLATED BY THEIR GOVERNMENT. AND THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE, REGARDLESS OF CAUSE."

TEXT: THE WASHINGTON TIMES IS ALSO HIGHLY SKEPTICAL OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S EXPLANATION, OBSERVING:

VOICE: "AS ... CANDIDATE BOB DOLE RIGHTLY POINTED OUT, THIS LOOKS LIKE A NIXON-STYLE ENEMIES LIST IN THE MAKING. JUST THINK OF THE PERSONAL INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THOSE FILES -- AND THE CLINTON TEAM DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO BREAK IN ANYWHERE TO GET AT IT, JUST CALL THE F-B-I, AS IT HAD A HABIT OF DOING ANYWAY. EQUALLY DISTURBING ARE THE PATHETIC EXPLANATIONS ... TROTTED OUT [OFFERED] BY WHITE HOUSE FLACKS..."

TEXT: WITH REGARD TO THE CLOSELY-WATCHED NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE TALKS WHICH OPENED MONDAY NEAR BELFAST, CHAIRED BY FORMER U-S SENATE MAJORITY LEADER GEORGE MITCHELL, THE WASHINGTON POST SAYS:

VOICE: "THE HITCH [PROBLEM] SO FAR IS THE FAILURE OF THE IRA TO ANNOUNCE A RESUMPTION OF THE CEASE-FIRE, WHICH IS A PRECONDITION TO SINN FEIN'S PARTICIPATION IN THE CONFERENCE. IF ALL GOES WELL, THAT WILL HAPPEN RELATIVELY SOON AND ALL FACTIONS INVOLVED IN THE DECADES-LONG DISPUTE WILL SIT DOWN TOGETHER... PROSPECTS FOR A PERMANENT RECONCILIATION ARE PRETTY GOOD."

TEXT: THE INTERNET PLAYED AN IMPRESSIVE ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL CRIME FIGHTING LAST WEEK WHEN A 14-YEAR-OLD GUATEMALAN WITH A NEW COMPUTER RECOGNIZED AND REPORTED A PAIR OF U-S CRIMINALS HIDING OUT IN THAT COUNTRY. THE TEENAGER SAW THE PAIR ON THE F-B-I'S HOME PAGE OF MOST WANTED CRIMINALS. CAUSING THE POST TO CONSIDER THE GROWING INTERNET WITH AWE:

VOICE: THE VISION OF THE FUTURE EVOKED BY THIS STORY, OF A WORLD IN WHICH THE FAMILIAR 'GLOBAL VILLAGE' BECOMES A PLACE NOT JUST OF INSTANT COMMUNICATION BUT OF NEIGHBORLY NOSINESS ... WHERE NO ONE CAN JUST MELT INTO THE CROWD [DISAPPEAR] , IS REASSURING AND UNNERVING IN ABOUT EQUAL PROPORTIONS. (WHAT IF IT WERE A NETWORK OF HIT MEN [HIRED KILLERS] OR AN AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENT SEEKING A DISSIDENT, RATHER THAN THE F-B-I, MAKING USE OF THIS POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY?)"

TEXT: TODAY'S CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR IS QUESTIONING A GOVERNMENT PLAN TO KILL A LARGE NUMBER OF SEAGULLS IN MASSACHUSETTS TO PROTECT DWINDLING NUMBERS OF SMALLER, AND LESS AGGRESSIVE, TERNS AND PLOVERS. SAY THE MONITOR:

VOICE: "THOSE ENVIRONMENTALISTS WHO OPPOSE THE EXTERMINATION CAMPAIGN ARGUE ... IT'S NOT RIGHT TO KILL ONE SPECIES IN ORDER TO SAVE ANOTHER. OTHERS ... SAY THE GULL POPULATION IS SLOWLY DECREASING AS LANDFILLS CLOSE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD JUST LET NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE... IN AIDING THE RECOVERY OF OTHER ENDANGERED SPECIES, SUCH DIFFICULT CHOICES MAY BECOME MORE, NOT LESS, COMMON. BUT SOLUTIONS IN PREVIOUS CASES HAVE SHOWN THAT SAVING ONE SPECIES DOESN'T HAVE TO MEAN KILLING ANOTHER.

TEXT: AND LASTLY, THE ORLANDO SENTINEL PAYS HOMAGE TO THE BIKINI BATHING SUIT, WHICH IS 50 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR. PRAISING THE FRENCHMAN WHO INVENTED THE SKIMPY [SMALL] SWIM SUIT IN THE 1940S, THE PAPER SAYS:

VOICE: "... THE BIKINI REVOLUTIONIZED SWIMWEAR, FASHION, PERSONAL FREEDOM AND SOCIETY. .... THEY'RE NOT FOR EVERYONE, BUT, AFTER HALF A CENTURY, THEY APPEAR TO BE HERE TO STAY."

TEXT: AND ON THAT FASHION NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF LOOK AT SOME OF THE EDITORIALS RUNNING IN TODAY'S U-S NEWSPAPERS.
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10-Jun-96 11:22 AM EDT (1522 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] BOSNIA/SARAJEVO (L) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: UNITED NATIONS REFUGEE OFFICIALS IN BOSNIA SAY THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE ZERO COMMITMENT TO THE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT OF CIVILIANS -- A KEY ELEMENT OF THE DAYTON PEACE PLAN. THE SENIOR INTERNATIONAL MEDIATOR IN BOSNIA, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THE PROBLEMS, HAS CALLED FOR PATIENCE ON ALL SIDES. DAVID FOLEY REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO.

TEXT: UNDER THE DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT, MUSLIM CIVILIANS SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO RETURN TO THE HOMES THEY WERE ETHNICALLY-CLEANSED FROM DURING THE ALMOST FOUR YEARS OF WAR. BUT SO FAR, EVEN ATTEMPTS TO BRIEFLY VISIT SUCH HOMES HAVE MET WITH LITTLE SUCCESS.

OVER THE WEEKEND, TWO MORE PLANNED VISITS ENDED IN FAILURE. IN ONE INCIDENT, UNITED NATIONS POLICE AND REFUGEE OFFICIALS WERE CHASED FROM A VILLAGE BY AN ANGRY SERB MOB, AND ANOTHER VISIT WAS CANCELLED BY A LOCAL SERB POLICE CHIEF. KRIS JANOWSKI, THE U-N REFUGEE SPOKESMAN, CONDEMNS THE BOSNIAN SERBS FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE DAYTON AGREEMENT.

THEIR COMMITMENT TO FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT IS ZERO, OR SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT, WHICH THEY HAVE PROVEN MANY TIMES ON MANY OCCASIONS RECENTLY.

MR. JANOWSKI SAYS ONLY ONE OF THE LAST 10 SCHEDULED VISITS HAS MET WITH ANY SUCCESS.

THIS IS CERTAINLY A MANIFESTATION OF THE HARSH FACTS ON THE COUNTRY AND TELLS US WHAT A LONG WAY WE HAVE TO GO BEFORE WE CAN PIECE THE TWO COMMUNITIES TOGETHER AGAIN.

THE SENIOR INTERNATIONAL MEDIATOR IN BOSNIA, CARL BILDT, HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE SLOW PACE OF IMPROVEMENTS. HIS SPOKESMAN, COLUM MURPHY, SAYS WHILE CHECKPOINTS HAVE GONE, FEAR IS STILL DIVIDING THE BOSNIAN PEOPLE.

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF KOREA AND CYPRUS THERE IS HARDLY ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD AS DIVIDED AS THE BOSNIA THAT IS NOW GRADUALLY MOVING FROM WAR TO PEACE.

DESPITE THE PROBLEMS, MR. MURPHY SAYS MR. BILDT IS TRYING TO BREAK DOWN THE BARRIERS BETWEEN THE ETHNIC SIDES IN BOSNIA.

A PEACE PROCESS DOES GRADUALLY GATHER MOMENTUM IF IT IS SUSTAINED LONG ENOUGH AND WITH ENOUGH PATIENCE.

BUT PATIENCE IS IN SHORT SUPPLY HERE. HALFWAY THROUGH THE ONE YEAR MANDATE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE DAYTON AGREEMENT, THERE ARE FEW SUCCESSES. NATO HAS SEPARATED THE ARMIES AND THE FIGHTING HAS ENDED, BUT ON THE CIVILIAN SIDE FEW OF THE KEY REQUIREMENTS OF THE PEACE AGREEMENT ARE IN EVIDENCE, AND THERE IS LITTLE SIGN OF ANY POSITIVE MOMENTUM TOWARDS A LASTING PEACE. (SIGNED)
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10-Jun-96 2:34 PM EDT (1834 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] CHRISTOPHER ON NATO CHANGES

ANNCR: THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE VARIETY OF ISSUES. NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

VOICE:

FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE SIXTEEN COUNTRIES OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION MET IN BERLIN THIS MONTH. THEY AGREED TO CHANGES THAT WILL MAKE NATO MORE EFFECTIVE IN MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF THE POST-COLD WAR ERA.

THE FOREIGN MINISTERS ENDORSED THE CONCEPT OF "COMBINED JOINT TASK FORCES." THIS WILL ALLOW ONE OR MORE NATO COUNTRIES TO LAUNCH OPERATIONS WITH THEIR OWN TROOPS, WHILE BORROWING TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT, COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT, SATELLITE INTELLIGENCE, OR OTHER RESOURCES FROM OTHER ALLIANCE MEMBERS. THIS WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR EUROPEAN COUNTRIES OF NATO TO CONDUCT MILITARY OPERATIONS WITHOUT UNITED STATES COMBAT FORCES. BUT SUCH "TASK FORCE" MISSIONS WILL STILL REQUIRE THE UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF NATO'S SIXTEEN-MEMBER NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL.

AS SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER SAID, "THIS PROVIDES FOR A STRONGER NATO, A MORE FLEXIBLE NATO AND ALLOWS OUR EUROPEAN ALLIES TO TAKE MORE RESPONSIBILITY." MR. CHRISTOPHER SAID THE CHANGES WILL GIVE NATO THE MEANS TO RESPOND RAPIDLY TO CRISES WHICH CANNOT BE FORESEEN. THEY WILL ALSO MAKE IT EASIER FOR MEMBERS OF THE PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE TO JOIN WITH NATO WHEN THE ALLIANCE RESPONDS TO EMERGENCIES.

MR. CHRISTOPHER STRESSED THAT NATO REMAINS THE LINCHPIN OF AMERICA'S ENGAGEMENT IN EUROPE AND THE MOST EFFECTIVE INSTRUMENT OF POLITICAL COOPERATION AND MILITARY ACTION WITH AMERICA'S EUROPEAN ALLIES. AS SECRETARY OF STATE CHRISTOPHER SAID, "THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR A REAL SECURITY ALLIANCE. NATO IS THE ESSENTIAL AND MOST REALISTIC FOUNDATION UPON WHICH TO BUILD A SECURE AND UNDIVIDED EUROPE. AND THE QUALITIES THAT HAVE MADE NATO THE MOST SUCCESSFUL ALLIANCE IN HISTORY -- ITS CORE PURPOSE OF COLLECTIVE DEFENSE, ITS INTEGRATED COMMAND STRUCTURE AND THE TRANSATLANTIC LINK -- MUST AND WILL BE PRESERVED."

ANNCR:

THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, VOICE OF AMERICA, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. YOU MAY ALSO SEND US A FAX AT (202) 619-1043. YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE USED ON THE AIR.
10-Jun-96 2:31 PM EDT (1831 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] E-U / SLOVENIA BY BARRY WOOD (PRAGUE)

INTRO: SLOVENIA, THE RICHEST, WESTERN MOST PART OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA TODAY (MONDAY) SIGNED AN ASSOCIATION ACCORD WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS SLOVENIA IS THE 10TH FORMER COMMUNIST STATE TO HAVE SUCH AN ACCORD, WHICH COULD LEAD TO FULL E-U MEMBERSHIP.

TEXT: SLOVENES PRIDEFULLY DECLARE THEIR COUNTRY IS RICHER THAN EITHER GREECE OR PORTUGAL, BOTH OF WHICH ARE E-U MEMBERS. THE TWO-MILLION SLOVENES FURTHER CONTEND THEY ARE NOT REALLY BALKAN BUT RATHER CENTRAL EUROPEAN IN HISTORY AND CULTURE.

THE SMALL ALPINE COUNTRY IS NEATLY TUCKED INTO CENTRAL EUROPE, SHARING BORDERS WITH ITALY AND AUSTRIA AS WELL AS CROATIA.

SLOVENIA IS THE FIRST OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLICS TO GAIN AN ASSOCIATION ACCORD WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION. CROATIA, WHICH IS IN THE MIDST OF AN ECONOMIC BOOM LINKED TO TOURISM AND BOSNIAN AID, HOPES TO BE NEXT.

SLOVENIA INITIALED AN E-U ACCORD IN 1994, BUT ITS IMPLEMENTATION WAS BLOCKED BY THE RIGHT-WING GOVERNMENT IN ITALY TO PROTEST SLOVENIA'S FAILURE TO RETURN LAND TO ITALIANS WHO WERE FORCED TO FLEE AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR. THE TWO COUNTRIES HAVE COMPROMISED ON THE LAND DISPUTE, WITH ITALY'S NEW LEFT WING GOVERNMENT PREFERRING PARTNERSHIP TO CONFLICT AND SLOVENIA PROMISING TO DROP ITS LAWS THAT PREVENT FOREIGNERS FROM BUYING LAND.

NEXT TO GERMANY, ITALY IS SLOVENIA'S BIGGEST TRADING PARTNER, BUYING 14 PERCENT OF SLOVENE EXPORTS. A REMARKABLE 70 PERCENT OF SLOVENE TRADE HAS ALREADY BEEN SHIFTED TO THE EUROPEAN UNION. THE OTHER FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLICS AND THE FORMER SOVIET UNION TODAY PURCHASE ONLY 20 PERCENT OF SLOVENE EXPORTS.

SLOVENIA THIS YEAR BECAME THE FIFTH MEMBER OF THE CENTRAL EUROPEAN TRADE ASSOCIATION -- CEFTA -- A GROUPING THAT ATTEMPTS TO ACHIEVE FREER TRADE AMONG THE CZECH AND SLOVAK REPUBLICS, POLAND, AND HUNGARY. SLOVENIA HAS APPLIED TO JOIN THE O-E-C-D, THE PARIS BASED ECONOMIC AGENCY OF WHICH HUNGARY AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC HAVE ALREADY BECOME MEMBERS.

SLOVENIA'S ECONOMY HAS BEEN PERFORMING WELL. GROWTH EXCEEDED FOUR PERCENT LAST YEAR. INFLATION HAS COME DOWN TO SINGLE DIGITS AND UNEMPLOYMENT IS AROUND 14 PERCENT. THE COUNTRY HAS LAGGED IN PRIVATIZATION BUT PROMISES TO QUICKEN THE PACE.

AS TO WHEN SLOVENIA AND THE OTHER ASSOCIATION STATES WILL BECOME E-U MEMBERS, THAT IS A BIG AND UNANSWERED QUESTION. WHILE THE E-U HAS COMMITTED ITSELF TO EASTERN EXPANSION, THE TECHNICALITIES WILL NOT BE KNOWN UNTIL AFTER THE INTER-GOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE NOW UNDER WAY IN ITALY ENDS NEXT YEAR.

OPTIMISTS SAY THE FIRST EASTERN MEMBER -- LIKELY TO BE POLAND -- COULD ENTER BY THE YEAR 2000. OTHER EXPERTS ARE MORE SKEPTICAL AND DOUBT WHETHER THE FIRST TIER OF CANDIDATES -- WHICH ALSO INCLUDE HUNGARY AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC -- WILL JOIN BEFORE 2003. WHETHER SLOVENIA CAN JOIN THE FIRST GROUP OF CANDIDATE MEMBERS IS NOT CLEAR. OTHER FORMER COMMUNIST COUNTRIES WITH ASSOCIATION AGREEMENTS INCLUDE SLOVAKIA, THE THREE BALTIC REPUBLICS, BULGARIA, AND ROMANIA. (SIGNED)
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10-Jun-96 11:17 AM EDT (1517 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] E-U BRITISH BEEF (L ONLY) BY JOHN FRASER (LUXEMBOURG)

INTRO: FOREIGN MINISTERS FROM EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES HAVE SHARPLY CRITICIZED BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY MALCOLM RIFKIND FOR BRITAIN'S HANDLING OF THE MAD-COW BEEF SCARE. JOHN FRASER IN LUXEMBOURG REPORTS THE FIERCE ATTACK CAME DESPITE NEW CONCESSIONS FROM BRITAIN, WITH A FURTHER EASING OF BRITAIN'S POLICY OF BLOCKING E-U POLICIES.

TEXT: MR. RIFKIND WAS ATTACKED FROM DURING A MEETING OF E-U FOREIGN MINISTERS IN LUXEMBOURG, BECAUSE OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OF BLOCKING EUROPEAN UNION PROGRAMS. OTHER MINISTERS ACCUSED BRITAIN OF BLACKMAIL, OF DISRUPTION, AND OF SABOTAGE, IN WHAT OFFICIALS SAID WAS A VERY ANGRY DEBATE.

THIS CAME DESPITE AN ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR. RIFKIND THREE EXCEPTIONS WOULD BE MADE TO BRITAIN'S POLICY OF SYSTEMATICALLY VETOING ALL E-U DECISIONS WHICH REQUIRE UNANIMITY.

HE INDICATED LAST WEEK HE WOULD ALLOW AN E-U AGREEMENT WITH SLOVENIA. IN ADDITION, HE ANNOUNCED HE IS WILLING TO APPROVE TWO FURTHER DECISIONS -- TO APPROVE E-U AID FOR THE ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA, AND TO ALLOW THE OPENING OF TRADE TALKS WITH ALGERIA. BUT, HE MADE IT CLEAR THESE WERE EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE, AND HE PLEDGED TO VETO A TOTAL OF 17 OTHER MEASURES.

HE STRESSED BRITAIN IS INSISTING FUTURE DECISIONS ABOUT BEEF MUST BE BASED ENTIRELY ON SCIENTIFIC CRITERIA.

MR. RIFKIND SAID WITHOUT BRITIAN'S POLICY OF NON-COOPERATION, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO CHANCE SOME E-U GOVERNMENTS WOULD HAVE CONSIDERED THE EARLY ADOPTION OF A FRAMEWORK FOR THE GRADUAL LIFTING OF THE BAN.

HE SAID HE BELIEVES THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE OF THIS BEING AGREED AT THE EUROPEAN UNION SUMMIT IN FLORENCE (ITALY) NEXT WEEK.

I AM CONFIDENT THERE CAN BE A DEAL. IT IS AN OBJECTIVE WHICH NOT ONLY THE COMMISSION, BUT ALSO THE PRESIDENCY HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN ON BOARD, AND WHICH THE PRESIDENCY ALSO WISH TO ACHIEVE. OF COURSE, A LOT OF WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE OFTEN FOUND IS THAT WHERE THERE IS SUFFICIENT WILL, REMARKABLE RESULTS CAN BE ACHIEVED.

MR RIFKIND SAID E-U LEADERS WILL BE NEGLECTING THEIR DUTY IF THEY DO NOT DEAL WITH THE BEEF PROBLEM AT THE SUMMIT. HE SAID IF THERE IS NO DEAL AT THE FLORENCE SUMMIT, BRITAIN'S POLICY OF NON-COOPERATION IN EUROPE WILL CONTINUE. (SIGNED)
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10-Jun-96 9:50 AM EDT (1350 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] YUGO ARMS TALKS (L ONLY) BY WAYNE COREY (VIENNA)

INTRO: AN ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENT FOR THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA MAY BE SIGNED IN THE NORWEGIAN CAPITAL OF OSLO TUESDAY -- SEVERAL DAYS AFTER A DEADLINE WAS MISSED FOR THE ACCORD TO BE INITIALED. THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT, WHICH OBJECTED TO THE WAY THE AGREEMENT REFERS TO THE BOSNIAN SERBS, HAS NEVERTHELESS SENT ITS FOREIGN MINISTER TO OSLO, AND A SIGNING CEREMONY HAS BEEN PLANNED. V-O-A'S WAYNE COREY HAS DETAILS FROM VIENNA.

TEXT: IF THE ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENT IS SIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED, IT COULD PROVE TO BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ACCORDS THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA.

OFFICIALS OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE (O-S-C-E), WHO PRESIDED OVER THE ARMS CONTROL NEGOTIATIONS, ARE HOPEFUL THE AGREEMENT WILL BE SIGNED IN OSLO ON TUESDAY, AS SCHEDULED.

THE YUGOSLAV, BOSNIAN AND CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS WERE FLYING TO THE NORWEGIAN CAPITAL ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BOSNIAN SERBS AND OF THE MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA.

THE BOSNIAN FOREIGN MINISTER WAS SENT TO OSLO, EVEN THOUGH HIS GOVERNMENT OBJECTS TO THE ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENT'S REFERENCE TO THE BOSNIAN SERB REPUBLIC AS ONE OF THE PARTIES TO THE ACCORD.

THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT HAS SAID THE SERB REPUBLIC SHOULD BE DESCRIBED AS ONE OF THE TWO ENTITIES IN BOSNIA.

SOURCES AT THE O-S-C-E HEADQUARTERS IN VIENNA SAY LAST MINUTE NEGOTIATIONS ARE EXPECTED ON THE DISPUTE IN OSLO. THE SOURCES DOUBT THAT THE BOSNIAN FOREIGN MINISTER WOULD HAVE GONE TO NORWAY IF HE WAS NOT IN A POSITION TO COMPROMISE OR TO ACCEPT THE ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENT AS IT IS.

THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES A FORMULA FOR A BALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN THE BOSNIAN SERBS AND THE MUSLIM / CROAT FEDERATION AND FOR A BALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN YUGOSLAVIA AND CROATIA.

YUGOSLAVIA AND THE BOSNIAN SERBS WOULD HAVE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THEIR MILITARY AIRCRAFT AND HEAVY WEAPONS. WITH ITS CURRENT SHORTAGE OF THESE WEAPONS, THE MUSLIM / CROAT FEDERATION COULD ACQUIRE MORE OF THEM.

THE ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENT INCLUDES VERIFICATION PROVISIONS. THEY WERE AGREED ON LATE LAST WEEK AFTER VERY TOUGH NEGOTIATIONS THAT BEGAN IN JANUARY. (SIGNED)
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10-Jun-96 12:37 PM EDT (1637 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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