Voice of America, 97-02-26

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

CONTENTS

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

[02] EDITORIAL: RUSSIA HAS NOTHING TO FEAR FROM NATO

[03] BRITAIN / SERBIAN OPPOSITION (L-ONLY) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

[04] EURO STOCKS (S-ONLY) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

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

INTRO: THE LEAD STORY IN MANY U-S PAPERS THIS WEDNESDAY IS THE REVELATION THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON PLAYED A MUCH MORE DIRECT ROLE IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY FUNDRAISING THAN WAS PREVIOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGED, INCLUDING THE ARRANGEMENT OF STAYS IN THE WHITE HOUSE FOR BIG CONTRIBUTORS.

THOSE REVELATIONS HAVE ALREADY CAUSED SEVERAL PAPERS TO REACT. ONE PAPER HAS AGREED TO THE CALL FOR A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED LAW-BREAKING BY BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN LAST YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.

THE CLONED SCOTTISH SHEEP DOLLY IS ALSO THE SUBJECT OF MORE COMMENTARY AS IS SECRETARY ALBRIGHT'S TRIP AROUND THE WORLD. ALSO INCLUDED UNDER TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION ARE THE POLITICAL CHANGES IN SERBIA [OPT] AND THE DEATH OF A VETERAN EDUCATION UNION LEADER. [END OPT] NOW, HERE IS _______________ WITH A CLOSER LOOK IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: TODAY'S LOS ANGELES TIMES JOINS THE NEW YORK TIMES AND DALLAS MORNING NEWS IN CLAMORING FOR A NEW, SPECIAL INDEPENDENT COUNSEL TO BE APPOINTED TO INVESTIGATE DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN FUND RAISING DURING THE 1996 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. IN UNUSUALLY STRONG LANGUAGE, THE PAPER SAYS:

VOICE: "SUCH A STENCH IS EMANATING FROM THE FREE-FOR-ALL-FUND-RAISING IN LAST YEAR'S ELECTION CAMPAIGN THAT IT'S TIME FOR AN INDEPENDENT COUNSEL TO BE APPOINTED TO INVESTIGATE POTENTIAL CRIMINAL WRONGDOING. BUT WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE AT THE OUTSET THAT A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR'S PROBE WILL NOT SOLVE THE LARGER AND MORE PERVASIVE PROBLEM OF A ROTTEN CAMPAIGN FINANCE SYSTEM. ..... THE SYSTEM DRIVES BOTH PARTIES INTO FUND-RAISING FRENZIES, OFTEN DANCING ALONG A FINE LINE OF LEGALITY."

TEXT: USA TODAY AGREES, NOTING:

VOICE: "WHY IS ANYBODY SURPRISED? ..... DONORS PAY, AND THEY GET FACE-TIME [BRIEF MEETINGS] WITH THE PRESIDENT. IT AIN'T PRETTY, BUT IT'S THE SYSTEM. ..... UNSEEMLY? YES. ..... BUT INEVITABLE AS LONG AS THE PUBLIC EXPECTS AND PERMITS PRIVATE INTERESTS TO PAY FOR THE COSTS OF ELECTION."

TEXT: NEWS THAT SCOTTISH SCIENTISTS HAVE CLONED THE WORLD'S FIRST "HIGH ORDER" MAMMAL, A SHEEP NAMED DOLLY, CONTINUES TO DRAW A FLOOD OF COMMENT. SURROUNDED BY HER PICTURE, THE MIAMI HERALD SAYS:

VOICE: "[OPT] WHEN DR. IAN WILMUT ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THE SUCCESSFUL CLONING OF A SHEEP, HE OPENED WIDE A 21ST CENTURY PANDORA'S BOX. ..... DR. WILMUT'S BREAKTHROUGH, THOUGH STUNNING, WAS RELATIVELY SIMPLE, INEXPENSIVE, AND REQUIRED NO HIGH-TECH EQUIPMENT. IT ALSO WAS INEFFICIENT. ...... EVEN SO, THE POTENTIAL FOR CLONING HUMANS IS EVIDENT. [END OPT] .... SCIENTISTS THOUGHT THAT A SUCCESSFUL MAMMAL CLONING WOULDN'T OCCUR FOR MANY YEARS. AS A RESULT, PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS OF THE MORAL AND ETHICAL IMPACT WERE PUT OFF. NOW THE ISSUE HAS BEEN PUT ON FAST-FORWARD, TO THE REALM IN WHICH FANTASY MEETS REALITY."

TEXT: THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, IN REACTING TO THE NEWS, IS URGING A RAPID STUDY AND NEW LAWS TO DEAL WITH THE NEW POSSIBILITIES.

VOICE: "[OPT] WHAT IF HUMANS DECIDE TO MAKE IDENTICAL ARMIES OF THEMSELVES? [END OPT] THIS COUNTRY HAS NO LEGAL BARRIERS TO THE CREATION OF CLONED HUMANS. .... BECAUSE CLONING HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HELP CURE THE SICK, FEED THE HUNGRY AND ENRICH THE BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY, THE PRESSURE TO PUSH EXPERIMENTATION WILL BE GREAT. CONGRESS, AND THE NATION, CAN NO LONGER IGNORE THE POTENTIAL ABUSE OF THIS POWERFUL NEW TECHNOLOGY."

TEXT: AND WHAT ABOUT THE ANIMALS THEMSELVES, WHO THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, POINTS OUT, HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE MATTER?

VOICE: "WITHOUT BECOMING ANIMAL-RIGHTS FANATICS, CIVILIZED PEOPLE MUST ESTABLISH SOME LIMITS ON HOW FAR TO CONDONE EVEN SUPPOSEDLY PAIN-FREE INTERFERENCES WITH ANIMALS' NATURAL EXISTENCES."

TEXT: TURNING TO OTHER NEWS, THE WASHINGTON POST HAS THIS ASSESSMENT OF SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT'S FIRST FORAY INTO WORLD DIPLOMACY.

VOICE: "THE BUZZ [GOSSIP] OF WASHINGTON IS THAT MADELEINE ALBRIGHT DID A GOOD JOB ON HER FIRST TRIP AS SECRETARY OF STATE. NOW THAT ANY GRAND POLICY BREAKTHROUGH WAS EXPECTED, OR SOUGHT, ON A MISSION CONCEIVED AS A POLITICAL AND PERSONAL RECONNAISSANCE ON BOTH SIDES. ..... THERE WAS NO DRAMA OR CRISIS ON THE TRIP, AND SHE WAS NOT HIT BY A TRUCK. SHE DISPLAYED A FOREIGN-POLICY FLUENCY, AND THINGS CAME OFF WELL."

TEXT: NOT ALL PAPERS GAVE THE NEW SECRETARY SUCH HIGH MARKS. MAINE'S PORTLAND'S PRESS HERALD, CITING A RECENT SERIES IN THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER ON GROSS CHINESE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN TIBET, CHIDES MRS. ALBRIGHT FOR NOT TAKING A FIRMER STAND ON THE CHINESE OCCUPATION.

VOICE: "HUMAN RIGHTS WAS THE AREA IN WHICH 'THE LEAST PROGRESS' WAS MADE ON SECRETARY ..... ALBRIGHT'S JUST CONCLUDED TRIP TO CHINA. EVEN THE 'BREAKTHROUGH' OF WHICH SHE SPOKE ON THE EVE OF HER FLIGHT TO BEIJING - - CHINA'S AGREEMENT TO SIGN A COUPLE OF U-N COVENANTS AND RELEASE HALF A DOZEN POLITICAL PRISONERS - - FELL THROUGH. .... IF [MRS.] ALBRIGHT DID NOT READ THE [INQUIRER] SERIES BEFORE GOING TO CHINA, SHE SHOULD HAVE."

TEXT: TURNING TO ANOTHER AREA OF CONFLICT IN THE WORLD, SERBIA, THE SUN IN BALTIMORE NOTES SOME PROGRESS.

VOICE: "THE FIRST THING ZORAN DJINDJHIC DID AFTER BECOMING MAYOR OF BELGRADE BY A MAJORITY OF THE CITY ASSEMBLY WAS TO RESTORE THE INDEPENDENCE OF A TELEVISION STATION SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC HAD MUNICIPALIZED AND INCORPORATED INTO HIS SOCIALIST (FORMERLY COMMUNIST) PROPAGANDA MACHINE. .... FOR MR. DJINDJHIC AND HIS COALITION ALLIES, THIS IS JUST A STEPPING-STONE. THE URBANE AND WILY POLITICIAN HAS STOOD FOR ONE THING IN PUBLIC LIFE: THE OUSTER OF COMMUNISM AND ITS BOSS, MR. MILOSEVIC. ....REAL POLITICS, THE CLASH OF IDEAS AND PHILOSOPHIES ... HAS YET TO REACH SERBIA. WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED SO FAR WON'T END THE SANCTIONS AND OPPROBRIUM ... BUT IT IS A START."

TEXT: IN THE MATTER OF THE SWISS BANKING INVESTIGATION TO FIND MONEY AND OTHER WEALTH DEPOSITED BY JEWS DURING WORLD WAR TWO, THE WASHINGTON POST TAKES NOTE THAT THE SWISS LEADER OF THE INVESTIGATION, THOMAS BORER, SAYS HIS GOVERNMENT NOW REALLY SEEKS THE TRUTH. NOTES THE POST.

VOICE: "STRANGE, THEN, THAT THE ONE SWISS ... WHO HAS MOST CLEARLY SHOWN A DESIRE TO GET AT THE TRUTH HAS JUST BEEN FIRED FROM HIS JOB. WE ARE SPEAKING OF 28-YEAR-OLD SECURITY GUARD CHRISTOPH MEILI, WHO LAST MONTH INTERVENED TO STOP THE SHREDDING OF HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS AT THE UNION BANK OF SWITZERLAND, WHERE MR. MEILI WAS MAKING HIS ROUNDS. .... YOU MIGHT THINK - - GIVEN MR. BORGER'S BURNING DESIRE TO FIND THE TRUTH - - THAT THE GUARD WOULD BE HONORED AS A HERO. NOT IN SWITZERLAND."

TEXT: AND LASTLY ON THE PASSING OF LONG-TIME NATIONAL TEACHERS UNION PRESIDENT ALBERT SHANKER, OF CANCER AT 68, THE MIAMI HERALD SAYS:

VOICE: ".... BY THE TIME THE LONGTIME LEADER OF THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS DIED ... SATURDAY .... HE LONG SINCE HAD BECOME ONE OF EDUCATION'S MOST RESPECTED ELDER STATESMEN - - AND ONE OF ITS MOST CREDIBLE VOICES OF REASON."

TEXT: WITH THAT WITH CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF COMMENT FROM SOME OF WEDNESDAY'S U-S PRESS.
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26-Feb-97 11:33 AM EST (1633 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] EDITORIAL: RUSSIA HAS NOTHING TO FEAR FROM NATO

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:

AS DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT RECENTLY SAID, "THE NEW NATO IS NOT A THREAT TO RUSSIA, ANY MORE THAN A DEMOCRATIC RUSSIA IS A THREAT TO THE ALLIANCE." THE U.S. WELCOMES THE DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENTS RUSSIA HAS UNDERTAKEN TO DATE AND BELIEVES THAT COOPERATION WITH RUSSIA IS POSSIBLE AS THE NATO ALLIANCE ENLARGES. SOME RUSSIANS WARN THAT NATO ENLARGEMENT WILL INFLAME NATIONALISTIC ANTI-WESTERN AND MILITARISTIC FORCES IN RUSSIA. MR. TALBOTT SAID THAT THOSE IN RUSSIA WHO ARE CURRENTLY LASHING OUT AGAINST NATO ENLARGEMENT HAVE IT WITHIN THEIR POWER TO BRING PERCEPTIONS MORE INTO LINE WITH REALITY. INSTEAD OF BEING SEEN AS A BLOW TO RUSSIAN PRIDE, NATO ENLARGEMENT SHOULD BE VIEWED AS PART OF A LARGER PROCESS OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION FROM WHICH RUSSIA ITSELF CAN BENEFIT.

ONE OF NATO'S POST-COLD WAR MISSIONS IS TO OPEN ITS DOORS TO COUNTRIES THAT HAVE REGAINED THEIR SOVEREIGNTY, EMBRACED DEMOCRACY, OPENED THEIR MARKETS AND MET SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS TO BE A PART OF THE TRANS-ATLANTIC COMMUNITY. ALL OF EUROPE WILL BE SAFER AND MORE PROSPEROUS IF THESE POST-COMMUNIST COUNTRIES CONTINUE TO EVOLVE TOWARD CIVIL SOCIETY, MARKET ECONOMICS AND HARMONIOUS RELATIONS WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS. THE PROSPECT OF NATO MEMBERSHIP ENCOURAGES THOSE TRENDS.

AN IMPORTANT PART OF NATO'S OPENING TO THE EAST IS ITS WILLINGNESS TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF RUSSIA'S POLITICAL AND SECURITY INTERESTS. IDENTIFYING WAYS TO DEEPEN CONFIDENCE-BUILDING BETWEEN THE ALLIANCE AND RUSSIA IS A MAJOR GOAL OF THE U.S. THERE IS ALREADY A RUSSIAN LIAISON AT NATO HEADQUARTERS, AND RUSSIAN TROOPS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN JOINT MISSIONS ALONGSIDE NATO FORCES IN BOSNIA. RUSSIAN FORCES HAVE ALSO PARTICIPATED SUCCESSFULLY IN PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE EXERCISES. THE U.S. HAS SUGGESTED EXPANDING THESE EXCHANGES AND INCLUDING RUSSIAN OFFICERS AT TOP LEVELS OF THE COMMAND STRUCTURE WHERE APPROPRIATE.

AS DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE TALBOTT SAID, NATO HAS ALREADY CHANGED PROFOUNDLY. AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE MISSION OF THE NEW NATO IS TO WORK WITH A NEW RUSSIA IN BRINGING ABOUT THE PEACEFUL TRANSFORMATION OF EUROPE.

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.
26-Feb-97 2:05 PM EST (1905 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] BRITAIN / SERBIAN OPPOSITION (L-ONLY) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

INTRO: THE THREE TOP LEADERS OF SERBIA'S OPPOSITION HAVE MET BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY MALCOLM RIFKIND, SEEKING TO GAIN SUPPORT FROM EUROPEAN OFFICIALS FOR DEMOCRATIC REFORMS IN THEIR COUNTRY. V-O-A'S ANDRE DE NESNERA REPORTS FROM LONDON.

TEXT: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY MALCOLM RIFKIND SAYS SERBIA SHOULD HAVE THE SAME POLITICAL FREEDOMS, THE SAME HUMAN RIGHTS, THE SAME LIBERTY THAT THE REST OF EUROPE IS NOW ABLE TO ENJOY.

MR. RIFKIND SPOKE TO REPORTERS AFTER MEETING WITH THE THREE TOP LEADERS OF SERBIA'S OPPOSITION -- VUK DRASKOVIC, VESNA PESIC AND BELGRADE'S NEW MAYOR, ZORAN DJINDJIC. MR. RIFKIND SAID BRITAIN WILL CONTINUE TO HELP THOSE WORKING TOWARDS PEACEFUL AND DEMOCRATIC CHANGE IN SERBIA.

THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY SAID THE MEETING FOCUSED ON WAYS TO MOVE THE REFORM PROCESS FORWARD.

CLEARLY, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS IS LEGITIMATE, PROPER ACCESS TO THE MEDIA, PARTICULARLY STATE TELEVISION AND RADIO IN SERBIA FOR ALL POLITICAL FORCES. THAT WILL BE A MAJOR AREA FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO PRESS AND CERTAINLY THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL BE MAKING THAT VERY, VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE SINGLE, MOST IMPORTANT OBJECTIVES IF THE GOVERNMENT IN SERBIA ARE TO BE SEEN AS RESPONDING TO PROPER (DEMOCRATIC) REQUIREMENTS.

MRS. PESIC SAID THE THREE LEADERS WANT TO CREATE CONDITIONS FOR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS LATER THIS YEAR. SHE SAID THE SERBIAN OPPOSITION FAVORS OPENING A DIALOGUE WITH SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC -- AND SHE WARNED OF MORE UNREST IF THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT REACTS NEGATIVELY TO TALKS.

IF NOTHING -- IF THERE IS NO RESPONSE FROM OUR GOVERNMENT TO GO TO THE PROCESS OF DIALOGUE, THEN WE ARE GOING TO INVITE (CONTINUE) OUR CIVIC PROTEST AND WE WILL TRY TO MAKE MORE PRESSURE FROM THE STREETS.

ALL THREE LEADERS STRESSED THEY NEED THE FULL SUPPORT OF WESTERN COUNTRIES IF DEMOCRATIC CHANGES ARE TO TAKE PLACE IN SERBIA. (SIGNED)
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26-Feb-97 9:29 AM EST (1429 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] EURO STOCKS (S-ONLY) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

INTRO: MAJOR STOCK MARKETS IN WESTERN EUROPE CLOSED MIXED WEDNESDAY. PAUL FRANCUCH IN LONDON HAS THE CLOSING FIGURES.

TEXT: WORRIES ABOUT THE EVER-UPWARD MOVEMENT OF STOCK PRICES EXPRESSED BY U-S FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN ALAN GREENSPAN AFFECTED MARKETS HERE IN WESTERN EUROPE DURING TRADING LATER IN THE DAY. THE EFFECT WAS MAINLY NEGATIVE, WITH KEY STOCK INDEXES IN LONDON AND PARIS CLOSING LOWER -- BUT NOT SUBSTANTIALLY. THE "FINANCIAL TIMES" INDEX OF 100 BRITISH SHARES LOST ABOUT 15-AND-ONE-HALF POINTS AND THE "CAC 40" INDEX OF FRENCH STOCKS WAS DOWN JUST OVER FIVE-AND-ONE-HALF POINTS. TRADING IN FRANKFURT'S "DAX 30" INDEX OF STOCKS ENDED BEFORE MR. GREENSPAN MADE HIS REMARKS TO CONGRESS WEDNESDAY. THE DAX GAINED FOUR-AND-ONE-HALF POINTS AT THE CLOSE.

MR. GREENSPAN'S COMMENTS ABOUT INFLATIONARY CONCERNS BOOSTED THE VALUE OF THE DOLLAR, WHICH GAINED ALMOST A CENT AGAINST THE GERMAN MARK, BUT WAS FRACTIONALLY LOWER AGAINST THE POUND AND THE YEN IN LONDON CURRENCY TRADING. GOLD PRICES REMAINED VIRTUALLY UNCHANGED FROM TUESDAY. (SIGNED)
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26-Feb-97 1:55 PM EST (1855 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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