Voice of America, 96-11-04

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

CONTENTS

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

[02] EURO STOCKS (S ONLY) BY JACK HUIZENGA (LONDON)

[03] ROMANIA / BULGARIA ELECTIONS (L ONLY-RERUN) BY BARRY WOOD (BELGRADE)

[04] YUGO ELECTION (L ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (BELGRADE)

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

INTRO: ON THE EVE OF ELECTION DAY, EDITORIALS IN MANY U-S NEWSPAPERS ARE URGING AMERICANS TO BE SURE AND VOTE, WHILE OTHERS ARE MAKING LAST-MINUTE COMMENTS ON THE CANDIDATES. OTHER TOPICS ON THIS FIRST MONDAY IN NOVEMBER INCLUDE: A POSSIBLE U-S DIALOGUE WITH IRAN; THE STIFLING OF POLITICAL DISSENT IN CHINA; RUSSIA'S ON-GOING PROBLEMS, AND AN UNFULFILLED PLEDGE BY YASSER ARAFAT AND THE P-L-O. NOW, HERE IS ___________________ WITH A CLOSER LOOK IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: SEVERAL PAPERS LEAD THEIR EDITORIAL COLUMNS WITH COMMENTARIES URGING ALL CITIZENS TO VOTE TUESDAY, WHEN THE NATION ELECTS A PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, ALONG WITH VARIOUS STATE OFFICIALS. THE ORLANDO SENTINEL SAYS, IN PART:

VOICE: "UNFORTUNATELY MANY AMERICANS ARE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE. RECORDS SHOW THAT VOTER PARTICIPATION GENERALLY HAS BEEN DECLINING SINCE 100 YEARS AGO, WHEN 80 PERCENT OF THOSE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE DID SO. IT WAS DOWN TO A LITTLE MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF THE VOTERS IN 1988... THOSE WHO FAIL TO VOTE WILL BE THROWING AWAY ONE OF THEIR MOST PRECIOUS RIGHTS OF CITIZENSHIP AND WILL BE LETTING OTHERS MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THE LEADERS AND POLICIES THAT AFFECT THEIR LIVES... EVERY VOTE COUNTS."

TEXT: FOLLOWING THAT SAME THINKING, THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR SAYS TO ITS READERS:

VOICE: "WHATEVER THE PRICE TAG, YOUR VOTE IS PRICELESS. A FEW VOTERS CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. IN 1976 JIMMY CARTER AND GERALD FORD WOUND UP LESS THAN TWO-MILLION VOTERS APART, A MINUTE FRACTION OF THE ALMOST 71-MILLION WHO DIDN'T VOTE. WHATEVER THE ELECTORAL DIFFERENCE, A DIFFERENCE IS MADE IN THE HEART OF THE VOTERS. EACH KNOWS THAT HE OR SHE HAS RISEN TO AMERICA'S MOST BASIC EQUAL OPPORTUNITY."

TEXT: IN BALTIMORE, THE SUN ALSO PUTS EMPHASIS ON GETTING OUT THE VOTE, WRITING IN PART:

VOICE: "WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY WITH A FORM OF GOVERNMENT KNOWN AS REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY. AS CITIZENS, WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME OR IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE TO VOTE ON EVERY BILL AND IMPLEMENT EVERY LAW. WE GIVE OUR ELECTED LEADERS THE POWERS TO DO THAT FOR US. THEY MAKE THE LAWS AND CARRY THEM OUT -- AND THEN WE GET TO PASS JUDGMENT ON THEIR DECISIONS... WE 'CAN' [ITALICS FOR EMPHASIS] CHANGES THE DIRECTION OF POLITICAL EVENTS ... IF WE TAKE THE TIME TO GO TO THE POLLS TO USE IT."

TEXT: STILL OTHER PAPERS, SUCH AS THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, HAVE REPEATED THEIR ENDORSEMENTS BILL CLINTON FOR REELECTION. [OPT] THE CONSITITUTION ALSO VOICES SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRAT MAX CLELAND, A WOUNDED VIETNAM VETERAN AND FORMER VETERANS ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR, TO FILL THE SENATE SEAT OF THE RETIRING SAM NUNN, ALSO A DEMOCRAT. [END OPT] THE NEW YORK POST JOINED THE VARIOUS PAPERS ENDORSING BOB DOLE FOR PRESIDENT [OPT] AND IS URGING READERS TO VOTE FOR REPUBLICAN RICHARD ZIMMER IN THE BITTER NEW JERSEY SENATE RACE. [END OPT]

TEXT: USA TODAY RUNS EDITORIALS HIGHLY CRITICAL OF BOTH BOB DOLE AND BILL CLINTON FOR THEIR LACK OF CANDOR ON SPECIFIC, IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING THE NATION. THEY POINT TO PROTECTING THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE, BALANCING THE FEDERAL BUDGET, CAMPAIGN FINANCING REFORM, AND THE VARIOUS CLINTON WHITE HOUSE SCANDALS THAT HAVE MARRED THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN. THE PAPER SUMS UP THIS WAY:

VOICE: "FOR TACTICAL REASONS, BOTH SIDES IN THIS CAMPAIGN HAVE ELEVATED AVOIDANCE OF AWKWARD SUBJECTS TO A HIGH ART. IT MAY BE SMART SHORT-TERM POLITICS, BUT IT RISKS VOTER BACKLASH WHEN AWKWARD REALITIES THAT WERE IGNORED HAVE TO BE CONFRONTED AFTER THE ELECTION. THE NATION DESERVED BETTER."

TEXT: TURNING BRIEFLY TO FOREIGN ISSUES, THE WASHINGTON POST IS POSTULATING A CHANGE IN U-S RELATIONS WITH IRAN, POSSIBLY OVER AFGHANISTAN, BUT WARNS:

VOICE: "THE IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARIES HUMILIATED THE UNITED STATES BY KIDNAPPING ITS DIPLOMATS AND HAVE SINCE CONDUCTED A POLICY OUTRAGING INTERNATIONAL NORMS OF DECENT BEHAVIOR. 'THIS' [ITALICS FOR EMPHASIS] IS WHAT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED. IT IS AT THE HEART OF THE MATTER."

TEXT: THE NEW YORK TIMES IS PONDERING THE FATE OF HONG KONG AFTER BRITAIN HANDS OVER THE COLONY OVER TO CHINA NEXT JULY. SAYS THE TIMES OF CHINA'S GOAL TO BE A RESPECTED WORLD POWER:

VOICE: "HONG KONG WILL PROVIDE THE CLEAREST TEST. CHINA NEEDS THE ECONOMIC ENERGY OF HONG KONG TO CREATE PROSPERITY, BUT IT FEARS HONG KONG'S LIBERTIES. ENLIGHTENED GOVERNANCE OF HONG KONG AND ITS SIX-MILLION PEOPLE WOULD BE THE SUREST SIGN THAT CHINA'S LEADERS RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO MODERATE THEIR CONDUCT. SO FAR, THE SIGNS ARE NOT PROMISING."

TEXT: THE SUN IN BALTIMORE HAS TAKEN AT LOOK AT SOME VITAL STATISTICS IN RUSSIA AND REACTS WITH ALARM.

VOICE: "THE RUSSIAN MALAISE, SO EVIDENT DURING THE FINAL YEARS OF SOVIET STAGNATION, CONTINUES. FORGET OPINION POLLS. THERE IS A BETTER MEASURE OF HOW ORDINARY PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THEIR LIVES. THAT GAUGE IS POPULATION STATISTICS. THEY SHOW RUSSIA'S POPULATION FELL BY 350-THOUSAND PEOPLE THIS YEAR TO 147-POINT-SIX MILLION. IN OTHER WORDS, THE DEATH RATE EXCEEDS THE BIRTH RATE... THESE DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS HAVE POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS. THEY FEED THE INSECURITY MANY RUSSIANS FEEL ABOUT THEIR COUNTRY AND ITS FUTURE."

TEXT: THE NEW YORK POST REMINDS READERS THAT PALESTINIAN LEADER YASSER ARAFAT HAS STILL NOT LIVED UP TO HIS PLEDGE TO RESCIND THE SECTIONS OF THE P-L-O COVENANT OF 1964 THAT CALLS FOR ISRAEL'S 'LIQUIDATION'. THE POST SAYS:

VOICE: "LAST APRIL, AMID GREAT FANFARE, [MR.] ARAFAT ANNOUNCED THAT THE COVENANT HAD BEEN ALTERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OSLO REQUIREMENTS. ACTUALLY, THE PALESTINE NATIONAL COUNCIL -- ACTING IN SECRECY -- MERELY EMPOWERED A COMMITTEE TO 'PROPOSE' [ITALICS FOR EMPHASIS] CHANGES IN COVENANT CLAUSES IT BELIEVES CONFLICT WITH THE ISRAEL-P-L-O ACCORDS. SUCH PROPOSALS WERE TO BE PRESENTED TO THE FULL COUNCIL WITHIN SIX MONTHS. THIS DEADLINE EXPIRED LAST WEEK."

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF EDITORIALS FROM MONDAY'S U-S PRESS.
NEB/ANG/PCH
04-Nov-96 11:06 AM EST (1606 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] EURO STOCKS (S ONLY) BY JACK HUIZENGA (LONDON)

INTRO: SHARE PRICES WERE MOSTLY LOWER IN TRADING MONDAY ON MAJOR EUROPEAN MARKETS. V-O-A'S JACK HUIZENGA HAS THE CLOSING FIGURES FROM OUR LONDON BUREAU.

TEXT: DEALERS SAID THE TRADING IN EUROPE WAS MUTED AHEAD OF THE U-S PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS TUESDAY. IN LONDON, THE FINANCIAL TIMES FOOTSIE-100 INDEX ENDED THE DAY DOWN MORE THAN 20 POINTS -- ABOUT ONE-HALF OF ONE-PERCENT -- AT JUST ABOVE THREE-THOUSAND-928.

IN FRANKFURT, THE DAX-30 INDEX ALSO WAS LOWER -- ABOUT FOUR-TENTHS OF ONE-PERCENT. BUT IN PARIS, THE THE CAC-40 INDEX ROSE -- ALTHOUGH ONLY A FRACTION.

ON EUROPEAN CURRENCY MARKETS, THE U-S DOLLAR ROSE A LITTLE IN VALUE AGAINST THE JAPANESE YEN. BUT THE DOLLAR LOST VALUE AGAINST BOTH THE GERMAN MARK AND THE BRITISH POUND. (SIGNED)
NEB/JWH/RAE
04-Nov-96 1:45 PM EST (1845 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] ROMANIA / BULGARIA ELECTIONS (L ONLY-RERUN) BY BARRY WOOD (BELGRADE)

INTRO: ANTI-COMMUNIST CENTER-RIGHT PARTIES HAVE WON ROMANIA'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION, WRESTING POWER FROM THE FORMER COMMUNISTS HEADED BY ROMANIAN PRESIDENT ION ILIESCU. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS CONSERVATIVES ALSO DID WELL IN BULGARIA'S ELECTION.

TEXT: IT WAS A BETTER THAN EXPECTED RESULT FOR THE CENTER-RIGHT PARTIES WHO ARE SET TO OUST THE FORMER COMMUNISTS AND FORM THEIR OWN COALITION GOVERNMENT.

PRELIMINARY RETURNS GIVE THE CENTRIST DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION 31-PERCENT OF THE VOTE AND THEIR LIKELY PARTNER, THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC UNION (LED BY PETRE ROMAN) GOT 13-PERCENT. THE (PRESIDENT ION ILIESCU'S) FORMER COMMUNIST PARTY OF SOCIAL DEMOCRACY GOT A MUCH LOWER THAN EXPECTED 21-PERCENT OF THE VOTE. TURNOUT FOR THESE FIRST PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN ROMANIA IN FOUR YEARS WAS 75-PERCENT.

IN THE PRESIDENT CONTEST, AS EXPECTED, NONE OF THE 16 CANDIDATES GAINED AN ABSOLUTE MAJORITY. THE TWO TOP VOTE GETTERS -- INCUMBENT ION ILIESCU, WITH 32-PERCENT OF THE VOTE, AND DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION LEADER EMIL CONSTANTINESCU, WITH 29-PERCENT WILL CONTEST A NOVEMBER 17TH RUN-OFF.

INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS DECLARED MONDAY THE ROMANIAN ELECTIONS WERE GENERALLY FREE OF IRREGULARITIES. A COUNCIL OF EUROPE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THE VOTING WAS REASONABLY FAIR, BUT IMPROVEMENTS WERE NEEDED.

THE SURPRISE RESULT TRIGGERED ENTHUSIASTIC DEMONSTRATIONS IN BUCHAREST. THIS WILL BE THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT SHIFT OF POLITICAL POWER IN ROMANIA SINCE THE 1989 REVOLUTION TOPPLED THE COMMUNIST DICTATORSHIP. THE CENTER-RIGHT PROMISES TO SPEED UP MARKET BASED REFORMS AND PRIVATIZATION AND DO MORE TO ENCOURAGE FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT. AFTER POLAND ROMANIA IS THE LARGEST MARKET IN POST-COMMUNIST EASTERN EUROPE.

MEANWHILE IN NEIGHBORING BULGARIA, VOTERS REJECTED THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE OF THE RULING SOCIALIST PARTY. IN THE SECOND ROUND OF VOTING, BULGARIANS CHOSE CONSERVATIVE PETAR STOYANOV TO SUCCEED OUTGOING CONSERVATIVE PRESIDENT ZHELU ZHELEV. THE CANDIDATE OF THE SOCIALIST PARTY GOT ONLY 40-PERCENT OF THE VOTE.

THE SOCIALISTS ARE BLAMED FOR BULGARIA'S CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS. DESPITE THE SOCIALISTS STRONG MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT, MR. STOYANOV SAYS HE WILL SEEK TO WIN PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR EARLY PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. (SIGNED)
NEB/BDW/JWH/RAE
04-Nov-96 12:48 PM EST (1748 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] YUGO ELECTION (L ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (BELGRADE)

INTRO: IN YUGOSLAVIA, THE RULING FORMER COMMUNISTS ALLIED TO SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC APPEAR HEADED FOR EASY VICTORY IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS FROM BELGRADE.

TEXT: OFFICIAL RESULTS WILL NOT BE ANNOUNCED UNTIL THURSDAY, BUT PEOPLE IN BELGRADE HAVE NO DOUBT THE LEFTIST COALITION HEADED BY SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC WILL BE DECLARED THE WINNER.

ONLY HOURS AFTER THE VOTING ENDED, OFFICIALS OF THE LEFTIST PARTIES DECLARED VICTORY. A SOCIALIST PARTY SPOKESMAN SAID THE COALITION HAS AN OVERWHELMING LEAD. THE PARTY OF THE YUGOSLAV UNITED LEFT, HEADED BY PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC'S WIFE, SAID IT IS NOT A QUESTION OF WHETHER THE LEFT WILL WIN, BUT BY WHAT MARGIN.

INITIAL RETURNS SUGGESTED THE COALITION WAS GETTING ABOUT 50-PERCENT OF THE VOTE TO ABOUT 23-PERCENT FOR THE FIVE-PARTY UNITED OPPOSITION.

SOME OPPOSITION LEADERS ARE ALLEGING VOTING IRREGULARITIES.

EARLIER A SMALL TEAM OF MONITORS FROM THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE HASTILY DEPARTED FROM BELGRADE WITHOUT ISSUING A STATEMENT. THEIR REPORT IS NOT EXPECTED FOR TWO WEEKS.

SCANDINAVIAN MONITORS CONCEDE PRIVATELY THERE APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN IRREGULARITIES. THE O-S-C-E SAID IT WAS ASKED TO MONITOR THE ELECTIONS ONLY AT THE LAST MOMENT AND DID NOT HAVE TIME TO ADEQUATELY PREPARE. FEWER THAN 100 INTERNATIONAL MONITORS WERE IN YUGOSLAVIA FOR THE VOTING.

SERBIAN AND MONTENEGRIN CITIZENS WERE VOTING FOR 138 SEATS IN THE LOWER HOUSE OF THE YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT. THE LEFTIST COALITION NEEDS A MAJORITY IN THAT CHAMBER IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE 1992 CONSTITUTION TO GIVE SUBSTANTIAL POWER TO THE POST OF FEDERAL PRESIDENT. MR. MILOSEVIC, IN POWER SINCE 1987, IS BELIEVED TO BE PLANNING TO ASSUME THE FEDERAL PRESIDENCY IN ONE YEAR. HE IS CONSTITUTIONALLY BARRED FROM SERVING A THIRD TERM AS PRESIDENT OF SERBIA.

VOTER TURNOUT WAS RELATIVELY LOW IN MONTENEGRO, WHICH WAS ALSO VOTING FOR A REPUBLIC PARLIAMENT. PARTIES ALLIED TO THE SERBIAN SOCIALISTS ARE AHEAD.

IN THE KOSOVO REGION OF SERBIA, ETHNIC ALBANIANS STAYED AWAY FROM THE VOTING, CONTINUING A SIX-YEAR BOYCOTT OF ELECTIONS ORGANIZED BY SERBS. THE SERBIAN OPPOSITION CRITICIZES THE BOYCOTT, SAYING IT BENEFITS MR. MILOSEVIC.

THE YUGOSLAV ELECTION PUZZLES MANY FOREIGN OBSERVERS SINCE A DIRE ECONOMIC SITUATION, THE BREAKUP OF THE OLD YUGOSLAV FEDERATION, WAR IN BOSNIA, INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS, AND THE INFLUX OF MORE THAN ONE-HALF MILLION REFUGEES WOULD NOT APPEAR TO PROVIDE A FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT FOR AN INCUMBENT ADMINISTRATION.

DURING THE CAMPAIGN, MR. MILOSEVIC PUT ASIDE THE SERBIAN NATIONALISM HE ONCE ESPOUSED AND PRESENTED HIMSELF AS A PEACE MAKER AND FORCE FOR STABILITY. THE OPPOSITION WAS FRAGMENTED AND WEAK AND HAD LITTLE ACCESS TO TELEVISION.

YUGOSLAVIA, ONCE AMONG THE RICHEST OF COUNTRIES IN EASTERN EUROPE, IS NOW AMONG THE POOREST. ALMOST ALONE AMONG EAST EUROPEAN LEADERS, MR. MILOSEVIC HAS FAILED TO PUT FORWARD PLANS TO DISMANTLE HIS STATE-RUN ECONOMY. THERE IS A MOOD OF RESIGNATION AND CYNICISM IN BELGRADE, WITH LITTLE EXPECTATION OF POLITICAL CHANGE. (SIGNED)
NEB/BDW/JWH/RAE
04-Nov-96 1:07 PM EST (1807 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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