Voice of America, 97-04-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] ALBANIA / GREECE (L ONLY) BY ANTHEE CARASSAVAS (ATHENS)

[02] ALBANIA / ITALY (L ONLY) BY PEGGY POLK (ROME)

[03] CHIRAC CZECH (S-ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (PRAGUE)

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

[05] THE WORLD OF CYBERSPACE BY DAN NOBLE (WASHINGTON)

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

[01] ALBANIA / GREECE (L ONLY) BY ANTHEE CARASSAVAS (ATHENS)

INTRO: ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER BASHKIM FINO IS IN GREECE TO SEEK FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND SOOTHE SECURITY CONCERNS FOR A MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE IN HIS COUNTRY. ANTHEE CARASSAVAS REPORTS FROM ATHENS.

TEXT: ACCOMPANIED BY TEN SENIOR MINISTERS, ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER BASHKIM FINO FLEW TO THE GREEK CAPITAL FOLLOWING URGENT TALKS WITH HIS ITALIAN COUNTERPART, ROMANO PRODI.

LOCAL MEDIA SAID THE MEETING HELPED PAVE THE WAY FOR AN ITALIAN-LED MILITARY MISSION TO ALBANIA, THREE MONTHS AFTER THE COUNTRY SLIPPED INTO NEAR-ANARCHY AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF A STRING OF HIGH-RISK INVESTMENT SCHEMES.

GREECE AND ITALY ARE TWO OF ALBANIA'S BIGGEST TRADE PARTNERS AND ARE COUNTRIES MOST THREATENED BY AN INFLUX OF REFUGEES. BOTH ATHENS AND ROME HAVE TAKEN LEADING ROLES TO DEFUSE THE CRISIS IN ALBANIA -- EUROPE'S POOREST NATION.

THE SPECIAL ENVOY TO ALBANIA FROM THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE, FORMER AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR FRANZ VRANITZKY, AND DUTCH FOREIGN MINISTER HANS VON MIERLO ARE ALSO DUE IN ALBANIA TO MEET WITH MR. FINO.

OFFICIALS IN ATHENS SAY TALKS WILL FOCUS ON SECURITY CONCERNS FOR AN INTERNATIONAL MILITARY MISSION TO MONITOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF MUCH-NEEDED HUMANITARIAN AID IN ALBANIA.

UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS IN GENEVA SAY THEY FEAR THAT FOOD SUPPLIES MAY LAST ONLY A WEEK ACROSS THE FORMER COMMUNIST NATION.

GREECE HAS PLEDGED TO CONTRIBUTE AT LEAST 600 TROOPS TO THE ESTIMATED FIVE-THOUSAND-MEMBER INTERNATIONAL FORCE WHICH ITALY WILL LEAD.

MR. FINO IS ALSO SCHEDULED TO DISCUSS DETAILS OF A 75-MILLION DOLLAR LOAN WHICH GREECE HAS PLEDGED.

WITH ALBANIA IN AN ECONOMIC MELTDOWN, GEECE OFFERED THE LOAN LAST MONTH TO HELP PAY BACK THOUSANDS WHO WERE SWINDLED BY THE FRAUDULENT GET-RICH-QUICK SCHEMES. (SIGNED)
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02-Apr-97 9:37 AM EST (1437 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] ALBANIA / ITALY (L ONLY) BY PEGGY POLK (ROME)

INTRO: THE EUROPEAN MEDIATOR IN THE ALBANIAN CRISIS SAYS A MILITARY MISSION SHOULD BE READY GO TO ALBANIA WITHIN 10 TO 14 DAYS. PEGGY POLK IN ROME REPORTS THE ENVOY, FORMER AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR FRANZ VRANITZKY, UNDERLINED WHAT HE CALLS THE IMPORTANCE OF AVOIDING THE MISTAKES MADE IN YUGOSLAVIA.

TEXT: MR. VRANITZKY CALLED THE ITALIAN-LED MULTINATIONAL MILITARY MISSION TO ALBANIA "INDISPENSABLE."

THE FIVE-THOUSAND MEMBER MISSION WILL SECURE ALBANIA'S MAIN PORTS AND THE TIRANA AIRPORT FOR SHIPMENTS OF HUMANITARIAN AID.

BUT MR. VRANITZKY -- THE ENVOY TO ALBANIA FROM THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE -- TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE IN ROME THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST DO MORE.

IN ORDER TO AVOID WHAT HE CALLS THE "MISTAKES AND ERRORS" COMMITTED IN YUGOSLAVIA, HE SAID IT IS IMPORTANT TO AGREE ON MEASURES TO RESTORE PUBLIC ORDER, REBUILD THE ECONOMY AND INSTILL FAITH IN THE POLITICAL SYSTEM SO THAT THERE CAN BE AN ELECTION THIS YEAR.

MR. VRANITZKY STOPPED IN ROME TO MEET ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER LAMBERTO DINI BEFORE TRAVELLING TO ATHENS FOR TALKS WITH ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER BASHKIM FINO AND DUTCH FOREIGN MINISTER HANS VAN MIERLO.

MILITARY OFFICIALS OF THE COUNTRIES EXPECTED TO TAKE PART IN THE MILITARY MISSION WERE ALSO HOLDING A PLANNING SESSION IN ROME.

EARLIER IN THE DAY, ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER ROMANO PRODI MADE A TRIP TO ALBANIA, CROSSING THE ADRIATIC SEA BY HELICOPTER, TO CONFER WITH THE ALBANIAN PRIME MINISTER.

REPORTS FROM ALBANIA SAID MR. PRODI RECEIVED A WARM WELCOME DESPITE ALBANIAN ANGER ABOUT FRIDAY NIGHT'S COLLISION BETWEEN AN ALBANIAN HARBOR BOAT AND AN ITALIAN NAVAL VESSEL. ALBANIA HAS SAID MORE THAN 80 ALBANIAN REFUGEES MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE INCIDENT. (SIGNED)
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02-Apr-97 11:21 AM EST (1621 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] CHIRAC CZECH (S-ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (PRAGUE)

INTRO: FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC IS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC CAPITAL OF PRAGUE FOR A SHORT VISIT (EDS: SCHEDULED FOR 26 HOURS), DURING WHICH TIME HE HOLDS TALKS WITH CZECH LEADERS VACLAV HAVEL AND VACLAV KLAUS. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD HAS MORE ON THE VISIT.

TEXT: THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE FRENCH PRESIDENT'S VISIT IS EXPECTED TO BE A CALL FOR THE CZECH REPUBLIC TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN UNION BY THE YEAR 2000. MR. CHIRAC HAS MADE SIMILAR STATEMENTS CONCERNING HUNGARY AND POLAND. ANALYSTS SAY THE YEAR 2000 DATE IS MORE SYMBOLIC THAN REAL, AS EUROPEAN UNION OFFICIALS SAY NO NEW EASTERN MEMBER IS LIKELY TO JOIN THE UNION BEFORE 2002 AT THE EARLIEST.

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE FRENCH NEWSPAPER "LE MONDE" THE CZECH PRESIDENT SAID HE HOPES TO HEAR FROM MR. CHIRAC EXACTLY WHEN E-U MEMBERSHIP TALKS WILL BEGIN. THERE ARE SUBTLE DISAGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE TWO LEADERS CONCERNING NATO AND EUROPEAN SECURITY. FRANCE FAVORS NATO EXPANSION BUT WANTS THE EUROPEAN UNION TO HAVE ITS OWN DEFENSE COMPONENT.

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

INTRO: ON KEY WEST EUROPEAN STOCK MARKETS WEDNESDAY, THE INCLINATION WAS ONCE AGAIN TO SELL STOCKS. VOA'S PAUL FRANCUCH REPORTS FROM OUR OFFICES IN LONDON THAT THE RESUMED SELL-OFF ON WALL STREET CONTINUES TO INFLUENCE MARKETS ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.

TEXT: WALL STREET'S GAINS ON TUESDAY PROMPTED MARKETS IN WESTERN EUROPE TO MOVE UP AS WELL AS TRADING STARTED WEDNESDAY. BUT WHEN NEW YORK OPENED AND SELLING BEGAN IN EARNEST ONCE AGAIN, EUROPE FOLLOWED SUIT. FRANKFURT, WHICH THIS WEEK ENDS TRADING EARLIER IN THE DAY THAN NORMAL DUE TO TIME CHANGE DIFFERENCES, ACTUALLY POSTED A GAIN OF SIX POINTS FOR THE DAY ON THE "DAX 30" INDEX. BUT HERE IN LONDON AND IN PARIS, WHERE MARKETS STAY OPEN LATER AND CAN THEREFORE SENSE THE MOOD OF WALL STREET, STOCK PRICES FELL. THE PARIS "CAC 40" INDEX SUFFERED A STEEP DROP OF 51-AND-A-HALF POINTS, WHILE LONDON'S "FINANCIAL TIMES" 100 INDEX LOST 11-AND-A-HALF POINTS.

THE DOLLAR SAW LITTLE CHANGE IN VALUE WHEN TRADED AGAINST THE MARK AND THE POUND HERE IN LONDON. GOLD GAINED ABOUT ONE DOLLAR AN OUNCE, CLOSING AT 351-DOLLARS-35 CENTS. (SIGNED)
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02-Apr-97 12:59 PM EST (1759 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] THE WORLD OF CYBERSPACE BY DAN NOBLE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: SOME SKEPTICS ARGUE THAT THE USEFULNESS OF THE INTERNET IS BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION. USERS OF THE INFORMATION HIGHWAY BELIEVE THAT THE HIGH-TECH NETWORK OFFERS ONE OF THE PUREST FORMS OF DEMOCRACY. A NEW BOOK EXPLORES THE SUBJECT OF ON-LINE COMMUNICATION. DAN NOBLE HAS DETAILS.

TEXT: A FEW YEARS AGO, JOHN SEABROOK DESCRIBED HIMSELF AS BEING "COMPUTER ILLITERATE." A STAFF WRITER FOR THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE, MR. SEABROOK WAS ASSIGNED TO DO A STORY ON BILL GATES, THE FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF MICROSOFT, ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE OF AMERICA'S TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES. FROM THAT ASSIGNMENT, HE BEGAN A JOURNEY, ONE THE AUTHOR DESCRIBES IN A VOLUME ENTITLED "DEEPER: MY TWO YEAR ODYSSEY IN CYBERSPACE." MR. SEABROOK WRITES THAT "THIS IS THE STORY OF MY LIFE ON-LINE. ALTHOUGH I DID GET OUT OF THE HOUSE ONCE IN A WHILE TO INTERVIEW PEOPLE FOR THIS BOOK, MY MAIN STRATEGY," HE CONTINUES, "WAS TO REMAIN ALONE IN MY ROOM, WITH MY POWERBOOK (COMPUTER) ON MY DESK, OR SOMETIMES ON MY LAP, READING, LURKING, E-MAILING, CHATTING, POSTING, POINTING AND CLICKING, AND OBSERVING THE EFFECTS THAT ALL THIS TIME SPENT ON-LINE HAD ON MY HEAD."

TAPE: CUT ONE -- JOHN SEABROOK (0:28) "I THINK OVER TIME YOU HAVE A SENSE OF DEPTH, GOING FURTHER AND FURTHER INTO THE INTERNET AND SHEDDING SOME OF YOUR ILLUSIONS. BUT, I THINK THAT THE DAY-TO-DAY EXPERIENCE OF USING THE INTERNET IS MORE OF A SORT OF SKATING ON THE SURFACE, CLICKING HERE, CLICKING THERE, NEVER SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME IN ANY ONE PLACE. IT IS NOT LIKE READING A BOOK WHERE YOU SORT OF JUST SIT THERE WITH YOUR BOOK. WITH THE INTERNET YOU'RE KIND OF BOMBARDED BY A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT INFORMATION SOURCES. SO, IT IS A LITTLE MORE HORIZONTAL THAN VERTICAL, I THINK."

TEXT: JOHN SEABROOK WRITES OF HIS ON-LINE ADVENTURES, AND THE PLACES HE ELECTRONICALLY VISITED -- STARTING FIRST WITH ELECTRONIC, OR E-MAIL.

TAPE: CUT TWO -- JOHN SEABROOK (0:49) "I KIND OF FELL IN LOVE WITH THE E-MAIL EXPERIENCE BECAUSE IT DID SEEM THAT PEOPLE WERE MORE WILLING TO BE OPEN AND SHARING AND JUST THE RESPONSE FROM READERS WAS VERY EXCITING. PEOPLE DON'T WRITE LETTERS THAT MUCH ANY MORE. BUT THEY DO SEND E-MAIL. THEN I DISCOVERED THE DARK SIDE OF E-MAIL WHICH IS THE 'FLAMING' SIDE OF IT. FLAMING IS A FORM OF SPEECH WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE ON-LINE BUT NOT ACCEPTABLE IN OTHER PLACES. IT IS RUDE AND AGGRESSIVE, INSULTING SPEECH THAT YOU CAN USE COMPUTER NETWORKS FOR BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET PUNCHED IN THE NOSE, AND ALSO BECAUSE YOU SORT OF FORGET THAT THERE IS ANOTHER PERSON AT THE OTHER END OF THAT CONNECTION. YOU JUST TEND TO THINK THAT IT IS JUST YOU AND YOUR COMPUTER. YOU JUST HAVE TO GET USED TO THAT ASPECT OF IT."

TEXT: HALF-WAY THROUGH HIS JOURNEY IN CYBERSPACE, JOHN SEABROOK SAYS HE BECAME INVOLVED WITH THE WORLDWIDE WEB PORTION OF THE INTERNET. THE "WEB" IS THE SECTION THAT OFFERS PICTURES, SOUND, AND MOVEMENT AS WELL AS TEXT. HE CONSTRUCTED HIS OWN WEB SITE, OR HOME PAGE, WHERE ANYONE COULD VISIT HIM ON HIS ELECTRONIC FRONT-PORCH.

TAPE: CUT THREE -- JOHN SEABROOK (0:33) "THE WEB CHANGED THINGS BECAUSE IT BROUGHT THIS WHOLE NEW MODEL OF COMMUNICATION. THE WEB IS, IN A WAY, KIND OF MORE LIKE BROADCAST MEDIA THAN THE USENET WHICH WAS THE CENTER OF THE INTERNET BEFORE THAT. USENET IS A COLLECTION OF NEWS GROUPS WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO AND TALK TO EACH OTHER. BUT THE WEB IS THE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN ESTABLISH YOUR OWN SITE AND THEN BROADCAST, OR SEND INFORMATION, OUT FROM THERE. ALSO, OF COURSE, IT BROUGHT COMMERCE TO THE NET. THAT WAS THE BIG CHANGE."

TEXT: ...COMMERCE IN THE FORM OF ADVERTISEMENTS AND THE SALE OF PRODUCTS. THERE WAS ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE EDUCATION ON THE INTERNET. AGAIN, JOHN SEABROOK.

TAPE: CUT FOUR -- JOHN SEABROOK (0:23) "THERE ARE A NUMBER OF UNIVERSITIES THAT ACTUALLY OFFER DEGREES WHERE YOU CAN GET, PURELY OVER THE INTERNET -- PERHAPS YOU TALK ON THE PHONE A LITTLE BIT TOO. THEY ARE NOT FLY-BY-NIGHT ONLINE UNIVERSITIES. THEY ARE LEGITIMATE, ACCREDITED ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS."

TEXT: BY THE TIME JOHN SEABROOK LOGGED OFF, HE SAYS THAT HE LOST HIS EARLY UTOPIAN ILLUSIONS ABOUT COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY. HE WRITES: "WHATEVER CAPACITY THE MEDIUM HAS FOR BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER, IT HAS AN EQUAL CAPACITY FOR DRIVING THEM APART." AND, THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES: "...IT NOW SEEMS CLEAR TO ME THAT EVIL IS NOT, AS I ONCE BELIEVED, THE PRODUCT OF MAN'S IMPERFECT RELATIONSHIP TO THE WORLD, WHICH INVENTIONS LIKE THE INTERNET WILL AMELIORATE; EVIL LIVES IN THE MIND." (BEGIN OPT) JOHN SEABROOK'S BOOK, "DEEPER: MY TWO-YEAR ODYSSEY IN CYBERSPACE," IS PUBLISHED BY SIMON & SCHUSTER. (END OPT) (ACTUALITIES FROM TALK TO AMERICA, MARCH 19, 1997)
02-Apr-97 11:09 AM EST (1609 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: NO MATTER WHAT CURRENT NEWS EVENT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN, YOU CAN FIND A COMMENT ON IT IN TODAY'S U-S PRESS.

AN EXCEPTIONALLY WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS FILLS THE EDITORIAL COLUMNS THIS WEDNESDAY, INCLUDING:THE TENSIONS IN THE MIDLE EEAST; EL SALVADOR'S ELECTIONS; THE CIVIL WAR IN ZAIRE; THIS NATION'S NEW IMMIGRATION LAW, AND THE FREAK SPRING STORM THAT BURIED NEW ENGLAND UNDER AS MUCH AS 94 CENTIMETERS OF SNOW.

NOW HERE WITH A CLOSER LOOK AND A QUOTE OR TWO IS ____________________________ AND TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: TODAY'S NEW YORK TIMES HAS SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR BEGINNING TO REBUILD SOME CONFIDENCE BETWEEN THE MAIN PROTAGONISTS IN THE PALESTINIAN-ISRAELI CONFLICT.

VOICE: "REBUILDING SOME MUTUAL CONFIDENCE BETWEEN PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU OF ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN LEADER, YASSER ARAFAT, IS AN ESSENTIAL CONDITION FOR RESUMING PROGRESS TOWARD PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. ..... RESCUING HOPES OF A LASTING PEACE FROM THE DRIFT TOWARD VIOLENCE REQUIRES REBUILDING BROAD PUBLIC CONFIDENCE ON BOTH SIDES AS WELL. FOR ISRAELIS, CONFIDENCE HINGES MAINLY ON CURBING TERRORISM. .... FOR PALESTINIANS, RESTORING CONFIDENCE IN THE PEACE EFFORT REQUIRES TRANSLATING THE OSLO AGREEMENT'S PROMISES OF AUTONOMY INTO EVERYDAY REALITY AND ENHANCING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD A BETTER LIFE. ..... THESE INCLUDE ALLOWING THE OPENING OF A PALESTINIAN AIRPORT AND SEAPORT IN GAZA, AND ESTABLISHING TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS TO LET PALESTINIANS TRAVEL FREELY THROUGH ISRAELI TERRITORY BETWEEN GAZA AND THE WEST BANK. ..... A GESTURE BY ISRAEL NOW - - FOR EXAMPLE, A CONDITIONAL OPENING OF THE AIRPORT - - COULD HELP REVIVE THE LARGER NEGOTIATING PROCESS."

TEXT: EL SALVADOR, A FORMER TROUBLE SPOT ON THE GLOBE, IS NOW STRUGGLING WITH THE REMAINING FEELINGS OF A BITTER CIVIL WAR AS WELL AS HOTLY CONTESTED ELECTIONS. THE LOS ANGELES TIMES NOTES:

VOICE: "LAST MONTH'S LEGISLATIVE AND MAYORAL ELECTIONS IN EL SALVADOR PROVIDE OPTIMISM FOR THE GROWTH OF DEMOCRACY IN THAT BELEAGUERED CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRY. SALVADORANS WENT TO THE POLLS AND AWARDED A VIRTUAL TIE TO TWO PARTIES THAT WERE RADICAL ENEMIES DURING THE CIVIL WAR OF THE 1980'S. ..... FROM A POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE, THE EVEN VOTE SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD AS THE PEOPLE'S MANDATE FOR A GOVERNMENT BASED ON C ONSENSUS. NEITHER PARTY CAN RULE SUCCESSFULLY WITHOUT THE OTHER, AND TO INTERPRET THE BALLOT RESULTS AS EVIDENCE OF A DIVIDED COUNTRY WOULD BE A MISTAKE WITH SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. .....THIS IS THE TIME TO PULL TOGETHER, FROM THE TOP DOWN THROUGH THE RANKS."

TEXT: AND NOW TO ZAIRE, WHERE A REBELLION IS SLOWLY TAKING OVER THE COUNTRY FROM THE MOBUTU GOVERNMENT. TODAY'S WASHINGTON POST SURVEYS THE CURRENT SITUATION THIS WAY.

VOICE: "IT SEEMS THAT ZAIRE'S LONGTIME AND FADING DICTATOR, MOBUTU SESE SEKO, HAS WON HIMSELF AT LEAST ONE MORE CHANCE TO CLING TO SOME PIECE OF POWER. HE HAS WANGLED A SEAT AT PEACE TALKS EXPECTED TO OPEN SHORTLY IN SOUTH AFRICA. HIS MANY FOES HAD HOPED HE COULD BE DEPRIVED OF A LEGITIMATING ROLE IN A NEGOTIATED TRANSITION FROM CIVIL WAR TO DEMOCRACY IN A REGION AT PEACE. CERTAINLY HE DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE GIVEN EVEN TEMPORARILY ANY SHARE OF POWER HE COULD NOT EARN AT THE POLLS. BUT AGAIN - - PERHAPS FOR THE LAST TIME - - HIS SYMBOLIC VALUE IN REPRESENTING THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF HIS LARGE AND ETHNICALLY FRAGMENTED COUNTRY IS RECOGNIZED."

TEXT: THE NEW IMMIGRATION LAW HAS NOW GONE INTO EFFECT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES ENGENDERING MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT HOW IT WORKS. THE CHANGES IT BRINGS HAS CAUSED PANIC AMONG MANY ALIENS, BOTH ILLEGAL AND LEGAL. WHICH PROMPTS TODAY'S SUN IN BALTIMORE TO SAY:

VOICE: "AS THE NATION BRACES FOR ONE OF ITS TOUGHEST CRACKDOWNS EVER ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND ON THE BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO LEGAL ALIENS, COURT CHALLENGES ARE PREDICTABLY UNDER WAY. ONE OF THE FIRST ERUPTED WITH AN APRIL FIRST DEADLINE, AS ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING TO PROTECT WOULD-BE NEWCOMERS CONVINCED A FEDERAL JUDGE THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD GOOFED [ACTED ILLEGALLY] IN NOT GIVING 30-DAYS NOTICE OF NEW PROCEDURES FOR SUMMARY DEPORTATIONS. BUT HE WAS QUICKLY REVERSED BY AN APPEALS COURT APPARENTLY INFLUENCED BY GOVERNMENT WARNINGS OF 'CHAOS.' THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. HAVING FAILED TO SET UP A ROADBLOCK ON A TECHNICALITY, PRO-IMMIGRANT GROUPS ARE EXPECTED TO PROTEST THE LAW ITSELF, .... THAT GIVES THE IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE EXPANDED POWERS TO BLOCK THE ENTRY OF THOSE WITHOUT PROPER DOCUMENTS."

TEXT: AN UNEXPECTEDLY SEVERE SPRING STORM THAT DUMPED A FEW CENTIMETERS SHY OF A METER OF SNOW ON PARTS OF THE NORTH EAST AND CLOSED BOSTON'S CRITICAL LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FOR THE BETTER PART OF APRIL FIRST, IS DRAWING A GOOD DEAL OF COMMENT IN THE PRESS. THE BOSTON GLOBE SAYS:

VOICE: "A BIT LATE, PERHAPS, BUT VERY REAL. THE BIGGEST STORM OF THE SEASON FINALLY MADE WINTER A VIVID REALITY FOR THOSE WHO THOUGHT THEY'D GOTTEN AWAY WITH A FAST ONE ["PLAYED A TRICK ON MOTHER NATURE."] THE LAW OF AVERAGES HAS ONCE AGAIN ASSERTED ITSELF. SNOWFALL FOR THE SEASON HAS TOPPED ONE METER, ABOUT TYPICAL IN THESE PARTS.... CAN WE NOW DEPEND ON SPRING? MARCH WENT LIKE A LION, AND WHO CAN SAY IF LIONS, LIKE LAMBS, MIGHT ALSO HAVE CLONES? [THIS LAST SENTENCE IS A REFERENCE TO AN OLD AMERICAN PROVERB THAT "MARCH COMES IN LIKE A LION [LOTS OF BLUSTERY, COLD WINDS AND SNOW] BUT GOES OUT LIKE A LAMB [WITH SPRING FLOWERS BLOSSOMING AND WARM TEMPERATURES]."

TEXT: AND LASTLY, THIS NOTE OF CONCERN OVER THE ECONOMY IN RUSSIA FROM NEWSDAY.

VOICE: "THE GAP BETWEEN WHAT PREOCCUPIES RUSSIA'S LEADERS AND WHAT THE MAJORITY OF ORDINARY RUSSIANS THINK IS IMPORTANT IS GROWING DISTURBINGLY WIDE. WHILE PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN AND HIS RIVALS OBSESS ABOUT RUSSIA'S ERODING GLOBAL ROLE AND THE ENCROACHMENT OF THE NATO ALLIANCE, MILLIONS OF RUSSIANS ARE WORRYING - - AND DEMONSTRATING IN PUBLIC - - ABOUT BACK WAGES THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PAID IN MONTHS. .... IF THERE IS A TREND .... IT'S THE GROWING SENSE OF ALIENATION THAT RUSSIANS FEEL TOWARD THEIR GOVERNMENT. RUSSIANS SEE A SLIVER OF THEIR POPULATION GROWING CONSPICUOUSLY WEALTHY, LEAVING AN EVER-LARGER MAJORITY FEELING LEFT OUT OF THE UNEVEN BENEFITS CONFERRED BY THEIR NATION'S RAPACIOUSLY FREE MARKET. [OPT] THE OPPRESSION OF THE SOVIET 'DICTATORSHIP OF THE PROLETARIAT' IS BEING REPLACED BY THE TYRANNY OF A RUNAWAY MARKET ECONOMY REGULATED MORE BY ORGANIZED CRIME THAN BY THE GOVERNMENT."

TEXT: WITH THAT, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF EDITORIAL COMMENTS FROM TODAY'S U-S PRESS.
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02-Apr-97 11:20 AM EST (1620 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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