Voice of America, 96-09-17

Voice of America Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

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

[02] BOSNIA / COMMENT BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (SARAJEVO)

[03] BOSNIA SURVIVES AN ELECTION BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[04] BOSNIA VOTE (L ONLY) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

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

INTRO: THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST, WITH U-S TROOPS POSSIBLY GOING TO KUWAIT, AND SADDAM HUSSEIN'S ENEMIES IN NORTHERN IRAQ UNDER ASSAULT, GIVES RISE TO A NUMBER OF EDITORIALS IN TUESDAY'S U-S PRESS. OTHER TOPICS TODAY INCLUDE: THE DRUG WAR IN AMERICA; THE BOSNIAN ELECTION AFTERMATH; SHANNON LUCID'S LONG SPACE RIDE; [OPT] AND THE CAMERAS IN THE COURTROOM DEBATE AS THE SECOND O-J SIMPSON MURDER TRIAL BEGINS. NOW HERE IS _______________WITH A CLOSER LOOK IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: IN THE SOUTHERN STATE OF GEORGIA, THE LEAD EDITORIAL IN TODAY'S ATLANTA CONSTITUTION IS ENTITLED "THORN IN AMERICA'S SIDE."

VOICE: "THE NATION AGAIN TURNS ANXIOUSLY TOWARD THE MIDDLE EAST, WHERE THOUSANDS OF U-S TROOPS ARE BEING DEPLOYED TO DEFEND KUWAIT AND OTHER NATIONS. AGAIN, AGGRESSION BY SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS FORCED AN EXPENSIVE AND NERVE-WRACKING MILITARY RESPONSE BY U-S LEADERS. AND AGAIN, THE UNITED STATES HAS CAUSE TO REGRET ITS DECISION FIVE YEARS AGO TO ALLOW SADDAM TO REMAIN IN POWER."

TEXT: [BEGIN OPT] AND WHAT OF THE FATE OF THE ANTI-SADDAM IRAQIS AND THEIR FAMILIES? THAT'S WHAT THE BOSTON GLOBE IS CONCERNED ABOUT, NOTING:

VOICE: "IF THEY ARE TO BE SAVED, WASHINGTON MUST ACT SWIFTLY. MASSOUD BARZANI, THE KURDISH CLAN LEADER WHO MADE A PACT WITH THE DEVIL IN BAGHDAD, HAS ASSERTED REPEATEDLY THAT HIS FORCES, NOT SADDAM'S HENCHMEN, CONTROL NORTHERN IRAQ. [MR.] BARZANI'S BOAST SHOULD BE PUT TO THE TEST BEFORE HE ENTERS POLITICAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH SADDAM AND SELLS OUT THE CLUSTERS OF ENDANGERED PEOPLE .... AS PART OF A DEAL WITH BAGHDAD." [END OPT]

TEXT: AS THE FACE OFF WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN GIVES SOME INDICATION OF LESSENING, THE BALTIMORE SUN PLEADS FOR "CALM IN THE GULF."

VOICE: "IT WILL TAKE AN AIR OF COMPETENCE AND CALM NOW FOR THE SHOW OF FORCE TO DO ITS JOB WITHOUT HAVING TO BE USED IN ANGER. SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS BEEN SHOWN HE CANNOT GET AWAY WITH MURDER WHILE THE U-S IS DISTRACTED WITH ITS ELECTION. HE SHOULD NEXT BE SHOWN THAT HE CANNOT PLAY PARTISAN DIFFERENCES IN THE U-S FOR HIS OWN ADVANTAGE."

TEXT: WITH REGARD TO THE WEEKEND ELECTION IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES SAYS IN TODAY'S LEAD EDITORIAL THAT THE MESSAGE DELIVERED WAS "SEPARATISM LIVES."

VOICE: "NO SINGLE ASPECT OF SATURDAY'S VOTING WAS MORE OBVIOUS THAN THE DETERMINATION OF ALL PARTIES - - SERB, MUSLIM AND CROAT - - TO GAIN THE BIGGEST POSSIBLE SHARE OF PARLIAMENTARY POWER FOR THEIR ETHNIC CONSTITUENTS. ....WHEN THE VOTES ARE FINALLY TALLIED, WHEN THE CHALLENGES ARE RECONCILED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, IN OTHER WORDS WHEN BOSNIA HAS, ON PAPER, A NEW FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, [MESSERS] IZETBEGOVIC, MILOSEVIC AND THE BOSNIAN SERBS AND CROATS WILL HAVE TO CONFRONT THE DARK SHADOWS OF SEPARATISM."

TEXT: IN NEBRASKA, THE OMAHA WORLD-HERALD IS PESSIMISTIC ABOUT BOSNIA'S FUTURE.

VOICE: "SERB, MUSLIMS AND CROATS SEEM AS POLARIZED AS EVER. THE PEACE THAT EMERGED FROM THE DAYTON NEGOTIATIONS IS ARTIFICIAL. FROM ALL APPEARANCES, THE COMBATANTS ARE BIDING THEIR TIME UNTIL INTERNATIONAL TROOPS GET OUT OF THE WAY. THEN THE VIOLENCE AND ETHNIC CLEANSING WILL RESUME. THE RISK AND EXPENSE OF U-S INVOLVEMENT WILL HAVE BEEN FOR NOTHING."

TEXT: THE WASHINGTON POST WRITES THAT WHILE INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS FOUND THE BOSNIA VOTING "RELATIVELY VIOLENCE FREE AND GENERALLY FREE AND FAIR," "THESE JUDGEMENTS CONCEAL LARGE DISTORTIONS."

VOICE: "... THE ELECTIONS WERE CONDUCTED, BY THE SEPARATE BOSNIAN COMMUNITIES, TO GIVE SECESSION-MINDED SERBS AND CROATS THE OPTION OF INDEPENDENCE AND UNIFICATION WITH SERBIA AND CROATIA, RESPECTIVELY. TO THE CONSIDERABLE EXTENT THAT THE SERBS AND CROATS SUCCEEDED, THE ELECTIONS CONSTITUTED A SHARP BLOW TO SHRINKING OFFICIAL AMERICAN HOPES. .... THERE SHOULD BE NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT THERE CAN BE NO EXCUSES FOR NOT DOING WHAT CAN BE DONE."

TEXT: THE U-S SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS, NOW CIRCLING THE EARTH, IS SCHEDULED TO BRING BACK AMERICA'S ASTRONAUT SHANNON LUCID FROM HER SEVEN-MONTH ODYSSEY ABOARD THE RUSSIAN SPACE STATION MIR, WHERE SHE HAS BEEN SINCE MARCH. THE BOSTON GLOBE WARNS THAT WE SHOULDN'T TAKE THE RISKS AND SACRIFICES OF SPACE TRAVELERS FOR GRANTED.

VOICE: "TODAY, DESPITE THE CHALLENGER DISASTER [SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER EXPLODED SHORTLY AFTER LAUNCH JANUARY 28, 1986, KILLING ALL SEVEN ASTRONAUTS], PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS DURING LAUNCHES AND LANDINGS ARE GIVING THEM [THE ASTRONAUTS] LESS OF AN EAR THAN THEY GIVE WEATHER REPORTS. A LOT OF PEOPLE PROBABLY FORGOT THAT [MS.] LUCID WAS IN OUTER SPACE. .... JUST BECAUSE THEY MAKE IT LOOK EASY DOESN'T MEAN IT IS. HAVE A SAFE TRIP HOME, SHANNON - AND THANKS FOR THE OVERTIME."

TEXT: IN CALIFORNIA, THE CIVIL TRIAL OF FORMER FOOTBALL STAR AND BROADCASTER O-J SIMPSON IS ABOUT TO BEGIN. LAST YEAR, IN A TRIAL BROADCAST ON TELEVISION, A CRIMINAL COURT JURY FOUND HIM NOT GUILTY. NOW, THE FAMILIES OF HIS WIFE NICOLE, AND HER FRIEND RON GOLDMAN, KILLED AT THE SIMPSON HOME, ARE SUING MR. SIMPSON FOR DAMAGES, ALLEGING THAT HE KILLED THEM. THE JUDGE HAS BANNED ALL CAMERAS AND EVEN SKETCH ARTISTS FROM THE COURTROOM, PROVOKING ANOTHER DEBATE. USA TODAY SAYS THE JUDGE IS WRONG.

VOICE: "WITHOUT CAMERA COVERAGE, THE PUBLIC WON'T HAVE THE SAME SENSE OF WHETHER A VERDICT IS JUSTIFIED OR EVEN WHETHER THIS KIND OF SUIT - - POTENTIALLY EXACTING FINANCIAL PENALTIES FROM [MR.] SIMPSON FOR ACTIONS A JURY HAS FOUND HIM INNOCENT OF COMMITTING - - SHOULD BE ALLOWED."

TEXT: THE NEW YORK TIMES IS UPSET ABOUT HOW THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS DEALING WITH THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE HANGING OF ACTIVIST KEN SAROWIWA AND EIGHT OTHER OGONI TRIBAL ACTIVISTS.

VOICE: "UNFORTUNATELY, THE [CLINTON] ADMINISTRATION'S OFFER OF KINDER TREATMENT IN RETURN FOR STEPS TOWARD DEMOCRACY SUGGESTS THAT WASHINGTON IS UNWILLING TO PRESS ... [NIGERIAN LEADER GENERAL SANI] ABACHA TO END THE ABUSES. TO BE EFFECTIVE, THE AMERICAN APPROACH SHOULD BE BACKED BY SPECIFIC SANCTION THREATS. ..... MR. ABACHA HAS PROVED TO BE THE KIND OF MAN WHO LISTENS TO NOTHING ELSE."

TEXT: THAT ENDS THIS SAMPLING OF EDITORIALS FROM TODAY'S U-S PRESS.
NEB/ANG/GE
17-Sep-96 11:27 AM EDT (1527 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[02] BOSNIA / COMMENT BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: AS THE VOTE COUNTING CONTINUES IN BOSNIA, IT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT THE COUNTRY'S MUSLIM PRESIDENT, ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC, WILL BE THE LARGEST SINGLE VOTER-GETTER, AND WILL THUS HEAD THE NEW THREE-MEMBER RULING COUNCIL THAT IS TO BE FORMED AFTER THE FINAL RESULTS ARE ANNOUNCED. V-O-A'S DOUGLAS ROBERTS IN SARAJEVO REPORTS BOSNIAN POLITICAL ANALYSTS ARE NOW BEGINNING TO SHIFT THEIR ATTENTION TO THE RESULTS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, TO BE ISSUED AFTER THE FINAL PRESIDENTIAL TALLY IS RELEASED.

TEXT: ZLATKO LAGUMDZIA OF THE SARAJEVO-BASED SOCIAL-DEMOCRATIC PARTY WAS AMONG THOSE PREDICTING AN IZETBEGOVIC VICTORY FROM THE OUTSET OF THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN. BUT MR. LAGUMDZIA SAYS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SUCH AN OUTCOME SHOULD NOT BE OVER-ESTIMATED BECAUSE THE POWERS OF THE RULING COUNCIL WILL BE LIMITED, AND DECISIONS AMONG ITS MUSLIM, SERB AND CROAT MEMBERS MUST BE ADOPTED BY CONSENSUS.

IT IS NOT SO IMPORTANT WHO IS PRESIDENT BECAUSE (THE) DAYTON AGREEMENT IS VERY PRECISE IN THE SENSE THAT PRACTICALLY ALL THREE GUYS HAVE EQUAL POWER, EQUAL SHARE OF POWER. AND EVERYONE CAN, IF HE WANTS, HE CAN BLOCK THE PRESIDENCY. I AM AFRAID THAT THE PRESIDENCY WILL BE, MOST OF THE TIME, BLOCKED.

MUHAMMED FILIPOVIC, BOSNIA'S AMBASSADOR TO BRITAIN, WHO HEADS A SMALL LIBERAL PARTY, SHARES THAT ASSESSMENT.

I DO NOT PAY SO MUCH ATTENTION TO THE PRESIDENCY. I DO NOT THINK IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BODY IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE STATE. I BELIEVE MOST IMPORTANT IS THE PARLIAMENT, ESPECIALLY OF THE FEDERATION. IF WE CAN PROVE THAT THE FEDERATION COULD BE A NORMAL STATE, WITH RECOGNIZED HUMAN RIGHTS ON ALL TERRITORY OF THE FEDERATION, THEN WE ARE GOING TO PROVE (THE) POSSIBILITY OF (THE) BOSNIA.

BOTH AMBASSADOR FILIPOVIC AND MR. LAGUMDZIA REPRESENT SARAJEVO'S INTELLIGENSIA, THE EDUCATED ELITE. THEY ARE STAUNCH PROPONENTS OF A MULTI-ETHNIC BOSNIA WHO BELIEVE THAT MR. IZETBEGOVIC'S RULING S-D-A PARTY HAS ABANDONED THAT PRINCIPLE IN FAVOR OF ISLAMIC TOTALITARIANISM.

AMBASSADOR FILIPOVIC BELIEVES THE S-D-A AND THE LEADING CROAT AND SERB PARTIES WERE DE FACTO ALLIES DURING THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN, IN ORDER TO SECURE THEIR GRIP ON POWER.

I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE NATURAL, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTERS OF EACH OTHER BECAUSE REALLY THEY ARE ON THE SAME POLITICAL GROUND.

AMBASSADOR FILIPOVIC AND MR. LAGUMDZIA PREDICT THAT OPPOSITION CANDIDATES WILL FARE BETTER IN THE PARLIAMENTARY VOTE THAN THEY DID IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, ESPECIALLY IN THE MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION.

MR. LAGUMDZIA SAYS THAT IN THE LONG RUN, THE OPPOSITION MAY BE ABLE TO CHALLENGE THE SUPREMACY OF THE ETHNICALLY BASED PARTIES THAT LED BOSNIA INTO WARFARE MORE THAN FOUR YEARS AGO.

WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY IS THAT WHEN ONE ETHNICAL PARTY LOSES IN ANY SENSE, IT WILL BE LIKE A DOMINO EFFECT. WE CANNOT, UNFORTUNATELY, BREAK ALL THREE OF THEM IMMEDIATELY, BUT WE HAVE TO OPEN THE PROCESS TO, LET US SAY, BEAT THE FIRST DOMINO.

MR. LAGUMDZIA SAYS THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT THE S-D-A AND ITS SERB AND CROAT COUNTERPARTS WILL HOLD THE MOST SEATS IN THE THREE SEPARATE LEGISLATURES THAT ARE TO BE FORMED HERE. BUT HE SUGGESTS THAT AN OPPOSITION VICTORY MAY BE POSSIBLE WHEN BOSNIAN VOTERS GO TO THE POLLS TWO YEARS FROM NOW. (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/JWH/RRM
17-Sep-96 3:20 PM EDT (1920 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[03] BOSNIA SURVIVES AN ELECTION BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA OVER THE WEEKEND WERE REMARKABLY FREE OF VIOLENCE, AND FEATURED A LARGE TURNOUT OF VOTERS.

THE U-S PRESS IS HAILING THE ELECTIONS AS A FIRST STEP, NO MATTER HOW TENUOUS, TOWARD A BETTER TOMORROW FOR THAT WAR-TORN NATION, THOUGH SOME FEEL THE BALLOTING MERELY VALIDATED FUTURE ETHNIC SEPARATION.

WE GET A SAMPLING NOW FROM ___________________ IN TODAY'S U-S OPINION ROUNDUP.

TEXT: THE U-S PRESS IS SOMEWHAT DIVIDED OVER WHY THERE WAS NO VIOLENCE. SOME WROTE THAT MANY PEOPLE FROM THE REGION'S THREE ETHNIC GROUPS, ESPECIALLY BOSNIAN MUSLIMS, WERE AFRAID TO RIDE ON THE BUSES ESCSORTED BY U-N TROOPS TO THEIR HOME VILLAGES. BOSNIAN MUSLIMS WERE SUPPOSED TO VOTE THERE EVEN THOUGH THE VILLAGES ARE CONTROLLED BY EITHER SERBS OR CROATS.

BOTH THE NEW YORK TIMES AND LOS ANGELES TIMES TOOK THAT THEME, POINTING OUT THAT THE OVERRIDING EFFECT OF THESE ELECTIONS WAS TO CONSOLIDATE THE GAINS OF THE PRO-PARTITION, NATIONALIST FORCES, RATHER THAN TO PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR A BUDDING, TRI-PARTITE DEMOCRACY.

WE BEGIN OUR SAMPLING IN MAINE, WHERE THE PORTLAND PRESS HERALD HOWEVER, TAKES A MORE SANGUINE VIEW.

VOICE: "BOSNIA'S FIRST POST-WAR ELECTIONS SATURDAY WERE MARKED BY A REMARKABLE TURNOUT OF BETWEEN 60 AND 70 PERCENT OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS AND AN ALMOST TOTAL ABSENCE OF VIOLENCE. THOSE TWO FACTS ALONE MAKE THE EVENT A FAR GREATER SUCCESS THAN ANYONE HAD PREDICTED. FAIR AND DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS THEY WEREN'T, WHOLLY, BUT CONSIDERING THE MAELSTROM IN WHICH THEY WERE CONDUCTED, THEY MAY HAVE COME AS CLOSE TO THAT STANDARD AS THEY COULD. ...... [THEY WERE] ONLY THE BEGINNING OF BOSNIA'S LONG ROAD BACK. AROUND EVERY TURN AHEAD SHOULD BE AN INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE ENSURING THE MOVEMENT IS IN A FORWARD DIRECTION."

TEXT: TURNING TO THE GREAT PLAINS, NEBRASKA'S OMAHA WORLD-HERALD FAULTS THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION FOR WHAT IT SEES AS ITSN INATTENTION TO FOREIGN POLICY, PARTICULARLY IN BOSNIA.

VOICE: "[OPT] THE FLAWS IN [MR.] CLINTON'S [FOREIGN POLICY] APPROACH ARE NOW SHOWING. CERTAINLY BOSNIA HAD ELECTIONS THAT WERE RELATIVELY FREE OF VIOLENCE. BUT U-S TROOPS WERE ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO LEAVE BOSNIA BY DECEMBER TENTH. ON SUNDAY, REPORTERS ASKED MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, THE U-S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, AND SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER WHETHER THE SCHEDULE WILL BE MET. THEY SAID IT WAS TOO EARLY TO SAY. [END OPT] ..... SERBS, MUSLIMS AND CROATS SEEM AS POLARIZED AS EVER. THE PEACE THAT EMERGED FROM THE DAYTON NEGOTIATIONS IS ARTIFICIAL. FROM ALL APPEARANCES, THE COMBATANTS ARE BIDING THEIR TIME UNTIL INTERNATIONAL TROOPS GET OUT OF THE WAY. THEN THE VIOLENCE AND ETHNIC CLEANSING WILL RESUME. THE RISK AND EXPENSE OF U-S INVOLVEMENT WILL HAVE BEEN FOR NOTHING."

TEXT: IN MINNEAPOLIS, THE STAR TRIBUNE FEELS THE ELECTIONS WERE A SUCCESS JUDGING BY THE RAISED EXPECTATIONS OF PRESS AND OTHER OBSERVERS, WHO TALKED NOT ABOUT HOW LITTLE VIOLENCE THERE WAS, BUT HOW DISORGANIZED THE SOME OF THE VOTING WAS. IN SUM, THE STAR TRIBUNE SAYS:

VOICE: "WHILE A NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL GROUPS HAVE CRITICIZED EITHER THE IDEA OR THE EXECUTION OF THE ELECTIONS, THE UNITED STATES SHOULD BE PROUD OF ITS LEADERSHIP IN THE DAYTON ACCORDS - - LEADERSHIP THAT WILL BE FURTHER TESTED IN THE MONTHS TO COME. U-S ENVOY RICHARD HOLBROOKE ANNOUNCED .... THAT BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC AND SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC WILL MEET IN PARIS IN A FEW WEEKS. THE MEETING, UNTHINKABLE A FEW MONTHS AGO, IS DESIGNED TO START THE MAPPING OUT OF DIPLOMATIC AND GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS."

TEXT: IN THE PACIFIC ISLAND STATE OF HAWAII, THE HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN IS NOT AS ENCOURAGED AS ITS COLLEAGUES IN THE MAINLAND U-S PRESS.

VOICE: "THE BOSNIAN ELECTIONS WENT OFF AS SCHEDULED SATURDAY BUT FEW HAD ILLUSIONS THAT THEY ADVANCED THE CAUSES OF PEACE AND DEMOCRACY. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS LITTLE VIOLENCE, THANKS TO THE PRESENCE OF 60-THOUSAND NATO TROOPS, THE PROCESS WAS CLEARLY FLAWED BY INTIMIDATION OF OPPOSITION PARTIES AND GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF THE NEWS MEDIA. YET THERE SEEMS NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO ACCEPT THE RESULTS AND TRY TO MUDDLE THROUGH. ..... MANY OBSERVERS ... BELIEVE THE ELECTIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL MORE STABLE CONDITIONS WERE ACHIEVED. THE FAILURE OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMAND TO ARREST THE BOSNIAN SERB LEADERS RADOVAN KARADZIC AND RATKO MLADIC, INDICTED AS WAR CRIMINALS, MADE A MOCKERY OF THE WHOLE EFFORT. EVIDENCE OF ABUSES DURING THE CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN PLAYED DOWN BY U-S OFFICIALS IN AN ATTEMPT TO PORTRAY THE PROCESS IN A FAVORABLE LIGHT. ....THE PEACE PROCESS IN BOSNIA IS NOT THE SUCCESS THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD LIKE TO PRETEND THAT IT IS."

TEXT: LOOKING BEYOND THE PEACEFUL VOTING IS THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, WHICH SAYS IN PART:

VOICE: "WHILE THE DAYTON AGREEMENT IS BEING HERALDED AS THE BRILLIANT DIPLOMACY THAT DELIVERED BOSNIA FROM CERTAIN DESTRUCTION, IT HAS IN FACT SEWN THE SEEDS OF NEW INSTABILITY BY LEGITIMIZING THE DIVISION OF THE COUNTRY INTO RELATIVELY HOMOGENOUS ETHNIC ENCLAVES. THE 'CONDITIONS' FOR ELECTIONS SET DOWN IN DAYTON WERE CASUALLY WAVED OFF [DISREGARDED] IN THE NAME OF POLITICAL EXPEDIENCE (NAMELY, PRESIDENT CLINTON'S OWN ELECTION TIMETABLE.)"

TEXT: WRITING THE DAY OF THE ELECTIONS, WHICH IT SAID SHOULD HAVE BEEN POSTPONED, THE MIAMI HERALD WARNED OF HOW FRAGILE THE SITUATION STILL REMAINS.

VOICE: "ALL THAT'S LEFT TO DO NOW, THEN, IS TO LOOK AHEAD TO THE VITAL ROLE THAT NATO, AND PARTICULARLY THE UNITED STATES, MUST PLAY IN THE BOSNIAN CONFLICT. FOR A CONFLICT IT IS, STILL. ..... CLEARLY .... NATO AND U-S INVOLVEMENT IN THE REGION MUST NOT END."

TEXT: AND LASTLY, IN THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, THIS SUMMATION:

VOICE: "SOME SAY THE ELECTION CAME TOO SOON, THAT MORE POLITICAL SPADEWORK [ORGANIZATION] WAS NEEDED. MUCH MORE. BUT WE DISAGREE. FOR ALL ITS FAULTS, THE ELECTION HAS SERVED A PURPOSE. IT HAS CREATED A GOVERNMENT AND, WHEN THE TALLY IS COMPLETED, THE BALLOTS WILL HAVE FILLED LEGISLATIVE SEATS. THIS IS A PROPER LEGAL FRAMEWORK. WHAT WOULD DELAY HAVE ACHIEVED? THAT CANNOT BE KNOWN, BUT MOMENTUM HAS A VALUE IN DIPLOMACY."

TEXT: AND ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF EDITORIAL OPINION ON THE SATURDAY ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA.
NEB/ANG/NL
17-Sep-96 1:37 PM EDT (1737 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[04] BOSNIA VOTE (L ONLY) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: THE COUNTING OF BALLOTS FOR BOSNIA'S ELECTION IS PROCEDING SLOWLY. DAVID FOLEY IN SARAJEVO REPORTS IT IS STILL TOO EARLY TO SAY WHETHER THE MUSLIM OR SERB CANDIDATE WILL BECOME THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNTRY'S NEW THREE-MEMBER JOINT PRESIDENCY.

TEXT: RESULTS FROM 150 VOTE COUNTING CENTERS ARE CONTINUING TO TRICKLE INTO THE MAIN ELECTION CENTER HERE IN SARAJEVO. ELECTIONS OFFICIALS CANNOT EXPLAIN WHY THEIR INITIAL ESTIMATES OF WHEN RESULTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE WERE SO WILDLY OPTIMISTIC, BUT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DELAY BETWEEN WHEN RESULTS ARE FIRST AVAILABLE TO ELECTION ORGANIZERS AND WHEN THEY ARE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC.

BALLOTS FOR THE THREE-MEMBER JOINT PRESIDENCY, WHICH WILL HAVE A MUSLIM, A SERB, AND A CROAT MEMBER, ARE THE FIRST TO BE COUNTED. WHICHEVER CANDIDATE GETS THE MOST VOTES WILL BECOME THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PRESIDENCY COUNCIL.

WHILE THE PUBLICLY RELEASED TALLIES SHOW LESS THAN HALF THE COUNTING CENTERS HAVE REPORTED RESULTS, SENIOR OFFICIALS SAY FIGURES FROM MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF COUNTING CENTERS ARE AVAILABLE. THOSE RESULTS SHOW ALIA IZETBEGOVIC, THE MUSLIM CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENCY WITH A SIGNIFICANT LEAD OVER HIS SERB RIVAL, MOMCILO KRAJISNIK. BECAUSE SOME COUNTING CENTERS HAVE VASTLY MORE VOTERS THAN OTHERS THOUGH, IT IS STILL TOO EARLY TO PREDICT MR. IZETBEGOVIC AS THE WINNER.

FINAL RESULTS ARE EXPECTED LATE TUESDAY OR EARLY WEDNESDAY, AND OFFICIALS SAY THE NEXT STEP WILL BE TO LAUNCH THE NEW JOINT POWER SHARING INSTITUTIONS.

THE SENIOR INTERNATIONAL MEDIATOR IN BOSNIA, CARL BILDT, WILL GO WEDNESDAY TO THE BOSNIAN SERB HEADQUARTERS IN PALE, OUTSIDE SARAJEVO, TO MEET WITH BOSNIAN SERB LEADERS. OFFICIALS SAY HE WILL BE SEEKING IMMEDIATE ASSURANCES THAT THE SERBS WILL LIVE UP TO THEIR COMMITMENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW POWER SHARING INSTITUTIONS WITH MUSLIMS AND CROATS. ON MONDAY, EDWARD VAN THIJN, THE HEAD OF THE INDEPENDENT ELECTION MONITORS, SAID FINAL ELECTION RESULTS SHOULD NOT BE CERTIFIED UNTIL THE SERBS MAKE A WRITTEN PROMISE TO ADJUST THEIR CONSTITUTION TO ADAPT TO THE DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT AND UNTIL THE RULING NATIONALIST SERB POLITICAL PARTY PROMISES TO END ITS DRIVE FOR SECESSION.

MR. BILDT'S SPOKESMAN, MIKE MCCLAY, SAID EVERYONE SUPPORTED THOSE SENTIMENTS.

MR. BILDT HAS READ THE STATEMENT THAT MR. VAN THIJN MADE YESTERDAY, AND FOUND IT A VERY SENSIBLE AND BALANCED ACCOUNT.

MR. MCCLAY SAID THOUGH THAT MR. BILDT WAS ALREADY SATISFIED WITH CHANGES THE SERBS MADE TO THEIR CONSTITUTION LAST WEEK.

MR. BILDT HAS ALSO PREPARED WHAT HE CALLS A "QUICK-START" PACKAGE OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION AND DIRECTIVES THAT CAN BE QUICKLY ACTED ON BY THE NEW JOINT PRESIDENCY ONCE IT IS ESTABLISHED.

INTERNATIONAL OFFICIALS INSIST THE FIRST MEETING OF THE PRESIDENCY, WHICH WILL BE KEY TEST OF SERB INTENTIONS, SHOULD TAKE PLACE QUICKLY IN SARAJEVO AS CALLED FOR IN THE DAYTON ACCORD. (SIGNED)
NEB/DF/JWH/CF
17-Sep-96 11:07 AM EDT (1507 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

Voice of America Directory - Previous Article - Next Article