Voice of America, 97-07-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] BOSNIA / ARREST (S-ALT) BY KYLE KING (SARAJEVO)

[02] CLINTON-BOSNIA (L) BY RON PEMSTEIN (WARSAW)

[03] CLINTON / ROMANIA ONITER (S-ONLY) BY DEBORAH TATE (WARSAW)

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

[05] N-Y ECON WRAP (S & L) BY BRECK ARDERY (NEW YORK)

[06] RETURN OF SECULAR RULE IN TURKEY BY ED WARNER (WASHINGTON)

[01] BOSNIA / ARREST (S-ALT) BY KYLE KING (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: PEACEKEEPING TROOPS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA HAVE SHOT AND KILLED A SUSPECTED BOSNIAN SERB WAR CRIMINAL AND ARRESTED ANOTHER SUSPECTED WAR CRIMINAL, WHO WAS QUICKLY SENT TO THE HAGUE TO STAND TRIAL. V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO.

TEXT: THE OPERATION WAS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND FOR NATO TROOPS. THEY ARRESTED MILAN KOVACEVIC WITHOUT INCIDENT IN THE SERB-HELD TOWN OF PRIJADOR. SHORTLY AFTER HIS ARREST, OFFICIALS OF THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL FLEW THE SUSPECT TO THE HAGUE, WHERE HE IS EXPECTED TO STAND TRIAL.

WHILE MR. KOVACEVIC WAS BEING TAKEN INTO CUSTODY, ANOTHER (WAR CRIMES) SUSPECT -- FORMER PRIJADOR POLICE CHIEF SIMO DRLJACA -- WAS SHOT AND KILLED AFTER HE WOUNDED ONE OF THE BRITISH SOLDIERS TRYING TO DETAIN HIM.

BOTH SUSPECTS WERE UNDER SEALED INDICTMENT FOR CRIMES ALLEGEDLY COMMITTED AGAINST MUSLIMS AND CROATS IN 1992.

BOSNIAN OFFICIALS WELCOMED THE OPERATION, SAYING THERE CAN BE NO PEACE IN THE COUNTRY UNTIL ALL WAR CRIMES SUSPECTS ARE ARRESTED.

NATO OFFICIALS SAY THE ACTION DOES NOT REPRESENT A CHANGE IN THEIR MISSION (ALTHOUGH IT WAS THE FIRST OPERATION OF ITS KIND IN BOSNIA). THEY HAVE NOT RULED OUT FURTHER ARRESTS. (SIGNED)
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10-Jul-97 2:02 PM EDT (1802 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] CLINTON-BOSNIA (L) BY RON PEMSTEIN (WARSAW)

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON LEARNED OF THE CAPTURE OF AN INDICTED WAR CRIMINAL IN BOSNIA AND THE KILLING OF A SECOND SUSPECT AS HE ARRIVED IN POLAND FOR A STATE VISIT. RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM WARSAW, MR. CLINTON APPROVED THE USE OF AMERICAN SUPPORT FOR THE BRITISH NATO OPERATION.

TEXT: THROUGH SUMMIT MEETINGS IN PARIS, DENVER AND MADRID, PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS EMPHASIZED THE NEED TO ENFORCE THE BOSNIA PEACE AGREEMENT, ESPECIALLY THE PROVISIONS ON TURNING OVER INDICTED WAR CRIMES SUSPECTS FOR TRIAL.

THE LATEST OPERATION IN NORTHWEST BOSNIA HAS BEEN UNDER CONSIDERATION SINCE MARCH. INDICTMENTS AGAINST THE FORMER POLICE CHIEF IN PRIJEDOR AND THE HOSPITAL DIRECTOR HAD BEEN SEALED IN THE HAGUE BUT NOT MADE PUBLIC.

THAT MEANT THERE WAS LESS RISK TO NATO TROOPS IN PRIJEDOR WHO ENCOUNTERED THE TWO BOSNIAN SERBS ROUTINELY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT FEEL UNDER THREAT. THE SERBS WERE BOTH WANTED ON CHARGES OF CONDUCTING GENOCIDE IN PRIJEDOR IN 1992 AGAINST MUSLIMS AND CROATS.

PRESIDENT CLINTON WAS BRIEFED ON THE NATO OPERATION TO CAPTURE THE TWO MEN ON HIS WAY TO THE NATO SUMMIT MEETING IN MADRID. HIS APPROVAL WAS NEEDED BECAUSE AMERICAN SOLDIERS WOULD PROVIDE TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE BRITISH NATO TROOPS WHO PATROL THAT SECTOR OF BOSNIA.

MR. CLINTON WAS INFORMED OF THE SUCCESS OF THE OPERATION AS HE ARRIVED HERE IN WARSAW. NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER SANDY BERGER SAYS AMERICAN TROOPS DID NOT TAKE PART BUT PRESIDENT CLINTON WAS PLEASED.

U-S S-FOR FORCES PROVIDED SOME LOGISTIC AND BACK-UP AND TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT TO THE OPERATION. NO U-S FORCES PARTICIPATED IN THE DETENTIONS THEMSELVES. THE PRESIDENT, WHEN BRIEFED ON THE OUTCOME OF THIS, INDICATED THAT HE WAS SATISFIED THAT S-FOR HAD ACTED COURAGEOUSLY AND IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER.

A SENIOR AMERICAN OFFICIAL SAYS THE OPERATION SHOWS THAT NO WAR CRIMES SUSPECT IN BOSNIA IS EXEMPT FROM CAPTURE BY NATO TROOPS. THAT IS ANOTHER IN A SERIES OF RECENT WARNINGS TO BETTER-KNOWN BOSNIAN SERB SUSPECTS SUCH AS RADOVAN KARADZIC AND GENERAL RATKO MLADIC.

UNLIKE THE TWO MEN IN PRIJEDOR, WHO DID NOT KNOW THEY WERE SUSPECTS, MR. KARADZIC AND GENERAL MLADIC ARE PROTECTED BY NUMEROUS SECURITY GUARDS. PRESIDENT CLINTON APPROVED THIS OPERATION LAST WEEK, AMERICAN OFFICIALS SAY, BECAUSE OF THE REDUCED RISK TO NATO TROOPS. (SIGNED)
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10-Jul-97 12:11 PM EDT (1611 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] CLINTON / ROMANIA ONITER (S-ONLY) BY DEBORAH TATE (WARSAW)

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON LEAVES POLAND FOR A DAY-LONG VISIT TO ROMANIA TODAY (FRIDAY), WHERE HE WILL REASSURE ROMANIANS THAT ALTHOUGH THEIR COUNTRY WAS NOT CHOSEN FOR EARLY ENTRY INTO NATO, THE DOOR REMAINS OPEN TO ALLIANCE MEMBERSHIP IF THEY CONTINUE ON THE PATH OF REFORM. V-O-A WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT DEBORAH TATE REPORTS FROM WARSAW.

TEXT: IN A SPEECH IN BUCHAREST TO THE ROMANIAN PEOPLE, MR. CLINTON WILL MAKE CLEAR THAT THERE WILL BE FUTHER ROUNDS OF NATO ENLARGEMENT, AND THAT THEIR COUNTRY WILL BE REGARDED AS A PRIME CANDIDATE FOR THE NEXT ROUND.

MR. CLINTON WILL LIKELY WELCOME THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC REFORMS ROMANIA HAS ALREADY UNDERTAKEN, AND WILL URGE THE COUNTRY TO CONTINUE ON THAT COURSE.

IN ADDITION, THE PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO PRAISE BUCHAREST'S RECENT EFFORTS TO SETTLE ITS LONG-STANDING DISPUTES WITH ITS HUNGARIAN MINORITY.

MR. CLINTON WILL ALSO HOLD TALKS WITH PRESIDENT EMIL CONSTANINESCU BEFORE CONCLUDING HIS TRIP.

HIS VISIT TO BUCHAREST WILL BE THE FIRST BY AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT IN MORE THAN 25 YEARS. PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON WAS THE LAST TO VISIT -- IN 1969. (SIGNED)
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10-Jul-97 6:40 PM EDT (2240 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: STOCK PRICES WERE MIXED IN TRADING THURSDAY IN MAJOR EUROPEAN EXCHANGES. V-O-A'S JACK HUIZENGA HAS THE CLOSING MARKET REPORT FROM LONDON.

TEXT: STOCK PRICES ROSE A LITTLE IN TRADING IN LONDON, WITH INVESTORS APPARENTLY RELIEVED THAT AN INTEREST RATE INCREASE WAS SMALLER THAN EXPECTED. BUT PRICES WERE DOWN SHARPLY IN PARIS AND FRANKFURT. IN LONDON, THE FOOTSIE-100 INDEX EDGED UP ABOUT FIVE-AND-ONE-HALF POINTS, ABOUT ONE-TENTH PERCENT OF THE MARKET'S TOTAL VALUE.

BUT PRICES DROPPED IN PARIS. THE CAC-40 INDEX FINISHED OFF MORE THAN 21 POINTS, ABOUT SEVEN-TENTHS OF ONE PERCENT.

THE FALL WAS EVEN BIGGER IN FRANKFURT. THE DAX-30 INDEX WAS DOWN 63 POINTS, MORE THAN ONE-AND-ONE-HALF PERCENT

ON THE LONDON CURRENCY EXCHANGE, THE U-S DOLLAR GAINED IN VALUE AGAINST THE JAPANESE YEN. BUT IT LOST VALUE AGAINST THE GERMAN MARK, THE BRITISH POUND, AND ALL OTHER MAJOR EUROPEAN CURRENCIES.
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10-Jul-97 1:13 PM EDT (1713 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] N-Y ECON WRAP (S & L) BY BRECK ARDERY (NEW YORK)

INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE UP TODAY (THURSDAY) IN A REBOUND FROM WEDNESDAY'S BIG SELL-OFF. V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT 78 HUNDRED 86, UP 44 POINTS. THE LARGER STANDARD AND POOR'S INDEX OF 500 STOCKS CLOSED AT 913, UP SIX POINTS.

ANALYSTS SAY BARGAIN HUNTERS WERE BUYING STOCKS AFTER WEDNESDAY'S BIG DROP WHICH FEATURED A 119 POINT LOSS IN THE INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE.

THE GOVERNMENT REPORTED THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS CLAIMING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS ROSE BY MORE THAN 10 PERCENT LAST WEEK. ECONOMISTS SAY MUCH OF THE INCREASE WAS RELATED TO TEMPORARY LAYOFFS IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY.

THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY REPORTED ITS QUARTERLY PROFITS SOARED TO A RECORD TWO POINT ONE BILLION DOLLARS. IT WAS G-E'S 16TH CONSECUTIVE QUARTERLY EARNINGS INCREASE.

ABBOTT LABORATORIES, A MAKER OF DRUG AND NUTRITIONAL PRODUCTS, ANNOUNCED AN 11 PERCENT PROFIT JUMP. AND MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, THE GIANT HOTEL CHAIN, ENJOYED A 22 PERCENT GAIN IN QUARTERLY EARNINGS.

HE WAS NOT EVEN HUMAN BUT HIS RETIREMENT WAS A SOURCE OF RELIEF FOR MANY ANTI-SMOKING ADVOCATES. THE R-J REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY SAYS IT WILL NO LONGER USE THE JOE CAMEL CARTOON CHARACTER IN ITS ADVERTISING FOR CAMEL CIGARETTES. PRESIDENT CLINTON AND ANTI-SMOKING ACTIVISTS SAY THAT JOE CAMEL APPEALED TO CHILDREN AND ENTICED THEM TO START SMOKING.

ANALYSTS ARE DIVIDED OVER THE FUTURE OF APPLE COMPUTER AFTER THE RESIGNATION OF GILBERT AMELIO, THE MAN WHO UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO REVIVE THE STRUGGLING COMPANY. SOME SAY THERE IS LITTLE HOPE THAT APPLE CAN EVER REGAIN ITS POSITION AS A SERIOUS COMPETITOR IN THE PERSONAL COMPUTER INDUSTRY. OTHERS SAY THAT IF STEVEN JOBS, ONE OF APPLE'S CO-FOUNDERS, CAN BE PERSUADED TO RETURN TO THE COMPANY FULLTIME, IT MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE.(SIGNED) NEB/NY/BA/LSF/PT
10-Jul-97 5:02 PM EDT (2102 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] RETURN OF SECULAR RULE IN TURKEY BY ED WARNER (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: AN ISLAMIST COALITION GOVERNMENT IN TURKEY HAS BEEN REPLACED -- UNDER MILITARY PRESSURE -- BY A SECULAR ONE. SPEAKERS AT A WASHINGTON CONFERENCE GAVE THEIR ASSESSMENT OF WHAT THIS MEANS FOR TURKEY'S FUTURE AS A PIVOTAL NATION BESET BY MANY PROBLEMS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. VOA'S ED WARNER ATTENDED AND HAS THIS REPORT.

TEXT: WAS IT A "VELVET COUP" OR, IN THE WORDS OF A TURKISH GENERAL, A "POST-MODERN COUP"? AT A MEETING OF THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY, ALAN MAKOVSKY SEARCHED FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THE MILITARY PRESSURE THAT FORCED OUT TURKEY'S ISLAMIST COALITION GOVERNMENT.

A SENIOR FELLOW AT THE INSTITUTE, MR. MAKOVSKY SAID THE MOVEMENT AGAINST THE CONTROVERSIAL GOVERNMENT WAS WIDESPREAD:

WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT THE MILITARY WAS THE DRIVING FORCE, IT ALSO SHOULD BE POINTED OUT THAT THIS WAS REALLY THE TURKISH ESTABLISHMENT ACTING ON ALL CYLINDERS. THE PRESS WAS EXERTING A LOT OF PRESSURE. TRADE UNIONS, WHICH HAD LONG BEEN AT LOGGERHEADS WITH ONE ANOTHER, JOINED WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO CALL FOR THE END OF THIS GOVERNMENT. THAT WAS UNPRECEDENTED FOR THESE GROUPS TO GET TOGETHER.

MR. MAKOVSKY SAID THE NEW SECULAR GOVERNMENT IS A SOMEWHAT SHAKY COALITION WHOSE LEADERS ARE APPARENTLY FREE OF CORRUPTION. HE BELIEVES IT HAS AN HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THAT SECULAR PARTIES OF THE RIGHT CAN UNIFY AND ACT EFFECTIVELY AGAINST THE ISLAMIST THREAT.

THAT THREAT IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY, SAID IAN LESSER, A SENIOR ANALYST AT THE RAND CORPORATION. IN THE LAST ELECTION, THE ISLAMIST PARTY, REFAH, WON TWENTY-ONE PER CENT OF THE VOTE AND ON THAT BASIS FORMED A COALITION GOVERNMENT.

ALONG WITH A FERVENT RELIGIOUS PROGRAM, REFAH OFFERS A POPULIST ECONOMIC PROGRAM ATTRACTIVE TO TURKEY'S POOR:

ONE CAN AT LEAST ARGUE THAT IF REFAH IS MARGINALIZED OR EVEN BANNED, THAT THIS WILL TEND TO ENCOURAGE A RETURN TO WHAT HAD BEEN A RATHER MORE RADICAL APPROACH, IN TERMS OF ANTI-WESTERN RHETORIC, IN TERMS OF ANTI-ISRAELI RHETORIC, THAT ALL OF THE INCENTIVES FOR SOUNDING MODERATE AND HELPFUL IN RELATIONS WITH THE WEST - MANY OF THESE WILL HAVE GONE AWAY.

THE REMOVAL OF ISLAMIST REFAH MAKES MILITARY COOPERATION EASIER WITH ISRAEL. MR. MAKOVSKY SAID TURKEY IS COUNTING ON ISRAEL TO HELP WITH THE U-S CONGRESS, WHICH HAS PREVENTED ARMS SALES TO TURKEY:

I THINK TURKEY WOULD LIKE TO BUILD A DIRECT BILATERAL MILITARY RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL, IN LARGE PART BECAUSE IT SEES ISRAEL AS A BACK DOOR TO U-S TECHNOLOGY AND A POTENTIAL ARMS SOURCE. NONE OF THE LOBBIES IN THE UNITED STATES THAT CREATE OBSTACLES IN THE U-S CONGRESS PLAY A ROLE IN ISRAEL. THERE IS NO GREEK LOBBY, KURDISH LOBBY, ARMENIAN LOBBY THAT WOULD INTERFERE WITH THE ARMS TRADE.

AS MUCH AS TURKEY WANTS BETTER TIES WITH THE UNITED STATES, IT HAS QUALMS ABOUT THE WASHINGTON-SPONSORED ENLARGEMENT OF NATO. MR LESSER SAID TURKEY FEARS DILUTION OF THE NATO COMMITMENT TO COME TO A MEMBER'S DEFENSE IF IT FACES A MILITARY THREAT, AND TURKEY HAS A NUMBER OF UNFRIENDLY NEIGHBORS.

MR. LESSER SAID TURKEY ALSO HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE U-S DUAL CONTAINMENT OF IRAN AND IRAQ:

TURKS WILL OFTEN TELL YOU THAT THE GULF WAR HAD TWO LOSERS: BAGHDAD AND ANKARA. AND THEY ARE REFERRING MAINLY TO THE LOSS OF REVENUES. IRAQ WAS THE LARGEST. TRADING PARTNER WITH TURKEY BEFORE THE GULF WAR. THERE IS ALSO THE WIDESPREAD BELIEF THAT THE CURRENT VACUUM IN NORTHERN IRAQ IS FUELING INSTABILITY IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY. ON IRAN, SIMILARLY, THEY ARE VERY MUCH IN THE EUROPEAN MOLD OF CRITICAL DIALOGUE - BROADER ECONOMIC RELATIONS, ENERGY TIES - ALL FINE. CLEARLY, THEY ARE CLOSER TO THE EUROPEAN VIEW THAN THEY WOULD BE TO WASHINGTON'S.

THE SPEAKERS AT THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE SAID WHATEVER HAPPENS ABROAD, TURKEY'S FUTURE WILL BE LARGELY SHAPED BY HOW IT HANDLES ITS INTERNAL POLITICS, INCLUDING THE ISLAMISTS. (SIGNED)
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10-Jul-97 5:51 AM EDT (0951 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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