Voice of America, 97-10-13

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

CONTENTS

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

[02] GREECE-TURKEY (L-ONLY) BY ANTHEE CARASSAVA (ATHENS)

[03] MONDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

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

[05] NORTHERN IRELAND (L-ONLY) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

[06] TURKEY/CYPRUS (S/L VER) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN (ANKARA)

[07] TURKEY/KURDS (L-ONLY) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN (ANKARA)

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

INTRO: THE MAJOR STOCK EXCHANGES OF WESTERN EUROPE MONDAY POSTED SOLID GAINS AT THE CLOSE OF TRADING. FOR THOSE CLOSING NUMBERS, HERE'S VOA'S PAUL FRANCUCH IN LONDON.

TEXT: A FIRM OPENING ON WALL STREET, TALK OF BIG CORPORATE MERGERS AND A GENERAL LACK OF DISCOURAGING ECONOMIC NEWS HELPED THE BIG MARKETS OF EUROPE POST SUBSTANTIAL GAINS MONDAY.

EUROPE'S BIGGEST STOCK MARKET HERE IN LONDON SAW THE "FINANCIAL TIMES" 100 INDEX OF STOCKS ADD ALMOST 73 POINTS AT THE CLOSE. IN PARIS, THE "CAC 40" INDEX WAS UP JUST UNDER 46 POINTS FOR THE DAY. THE FRANKFURT "DAX 30" INDEX OF GERMAN STOCKS ADDED NEARLY 43 POINTS AT THE CLOSE OF TRADING.

THE U-S DOLLAR WAS MOSTLY FIRM AGAINST OTHER EUROPEAN CURRENCIES, ALTHOUGH IT TRADED SLIGHTLY LOWER AGAINST THE GERMAN MARK AND BRITISH POUND.

GOLD PRICES REMAINED VIRTUALLY UNCHANGED. THE LONDON CLOSING FIX WAS SET AT 328-DOLLARS-95 CENTS AN OUNCE. (SIGNED)
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13-Oct-97 1:48 PM EDT (1748 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] GREECE-TURKEY (L-ONLY) BY ANTHEE CARASSAVA (ATHENS)

INTRO: THE GREEK MILITARY IS ON FULL ALERT FOLLOWING A STRING OF AERIAL CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN GREEK AND TURKISH JET-FIGHTERS OVER THE AEGEAN SEA. U-S SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL ENVOY FOR CYPRUS, RICHARD HOLBROOKE, IS IN THE REGION TRYING TO EASE TENSION BETWEEN NATO'S ANTAGONISTIC ALLIES, GREECE AND TURKEY. MORE FROM REPORTER ANTHEE CARASSAVA IN ATHENS.

TEXT: GREEK MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY AT LEAST 80 TURKISH WARPLANES HAVE VIOLATED GREEK NATIONAL AIRSPACE SINCE SUNDAY. TURKEY DENIES THE ACCUSATION, BUT GREEK MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY IT IS THE FIRST IN WHAT THEY CALL A VERY LONG TIME THAT THEY'VE RECORDED SUCH INTENSIFIED ACTIVITY BY THE TURKISH AIR FORCE.

OFFICIALS IN ATHENS SAY THE VIOLATIONS OCCURRED OVER THE SOUTHEAST FLANK OF THE AEGEAN SEA DURING A JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE BETWEEN GREECE AND CYPRUS.

ANNOYED BY A STRING OF MOCK BOMBING RUNS OVER CYPRUS, ANKARA HAS CONDEMNED THE MILITARY MANEUVER AS DANGEROUS AND PROVOCATIVE. GREECE, IN TURN, IS CONSIDERING DIPLOMATIC ACTION FOLLOWING TURKEY'S ALLEGED AIRSPACE VIOLATIONS.

THE LATEST SHOW OF RIVALRY SURFACED AS U-S SPECIAL ENVOY RICHARD HOLBROOKE ARRIVED IN TURKEY FOR HIGH-LEVEL NEGOTIATIONS.

LOCAL MEDIA REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE U-S ENVOY IS AIMING FOR A BAN ON ALL GREEK AND TURKISH MILITARY FLIGHTS OVER CYPRUS IN A BID TO AVERT WHAT EXPERTS FEAR MOST -- A DEVASTATING ARMED CONFLICT.

DIPLOMATS HAVE LONG ARGUED THAT A SOLUTION TO CYPRUS IS THE KEY TO PEACEFUL RELATIONS BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEY. SUCH PROSPECTS, HOWEVER, LOOK BLEAK AT PRESENT, AS BOTH NATIONS CONTINUE TO VOLLEY THREATS OF WAR AND HOSTILE PROPAGANDA.

MUCH OF THE CONTROVERSY STEMS FROM PLANS BY THE GREEK CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT TO DEPLOY RUSSIAN-MADE ROCKETS IN DEFENSE OF TURKEY, JUST 70 KILOMETERS AWAY FROM THE ISLAND REPUBLIC. BACKED BY RUSSIA, GREECE HAS WARNED TURKEY THAT ANY ATTEMPT TO STOP DEPLOYMENT OF THE MISSILES WILL CONSTITUTE AN ACT OF WAR.

SCRAMBLING TO EASE TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO NATO ALLIES, WASHINGTON IS PROMOTING A STRING OF CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES AND DEMILITARIZATION OF CYPRUS. (SIGNED)
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13-Oct-97 12:35 PM EDT (1635 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] MONDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THIS IS THE COLUMBUS HOLIDAY IN THE UNITED STATES AND MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING SOME OF THOSE AT A FEW NEWSPAPERS, ARE NOT WORKING. IN THE EDITORIALS COLUMNS, THERE IS A WIDE ARRAY OF SUBJECTS UNDER DISCUSSION INCLUDING: NORTH KOREA'S TRANSFER OF POWER TO A NEW DYNASTY; A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH DIMINISHING NUCLEAR WEAPONS; ALL TALK AND NO ACTION IN CUBA; THE STOCK MARKET CRASH OF 1987; AND SOME THOUGHTS ON THE IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE -- INCLUDING ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS, AN ITALIAN EXPLORER, SAILING ON BEHALF OF SPAIN AND LOOKING FOR THE ORIENT.

NOW, HERE IS ___________________WITH A CLOSER LOOK IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: AS A NEW LEADER TAKES OVER IN NORTH KOREA, THE WASHINGTON POST TRIES TO ASSESS THE XENOPHOBIC NATION'S FUTURE.

VOICE: "THE BIZZARE WAYS OF ISOLATED NORTH KOREA MIGHT BE NOTHING BUT A SOURCE OF WONDER OR AMUSEMENT TO AMERICANS BUT FOR TWO FACTORS. ONE IS THE SIMPLE MORAL SHAME OF THE SUFFERING OF NORTH KOREA'S 20 MILLION PEOPLE.... THEY ARE CUT OFF FROM OUTSIDERS (EVEN FROM RELATIVES IN SOUTH KOREA) AND FROM ANYTHING BUT NORTH KOREAN PROPAGANDA. UNTOLD THOUSANDS ARE STARVING, THANKS TO THE FAILED AGRICULTURAL AND ECONOMIC POLICIES OF THE PAST FIVE DECADES. IN ADDITION, NORTH KOREA -- WITH A MILLION-MAN ARMY AND A HABIT OF BELLICOSE RHETORIC -- CONTINUES TO POSE A THREAT TO A U-S ALLY, SOUTH KOREA, AND TO U-S TROOPS BASED THERE..... SO THE LEADERSHIP SUCCESSION IS OF MORE THAN ACADEMIC INTEREST..... ALTHOUGH U-S AND SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS HAVE EXPRESSED HOPE THAT KIM JONG IL NOW WOULD LEAD HIS NATION ON A MORE CONCILIATORY PATH, NOTHING IN HIS RECORD TO DATE GIVES ANY REASON FOR OPTIMISM."

TEXT: ON ANOTHER ASIAN ISSUE, THE HARTFORD COURANT IS ALARMED ABOUT THE CONTINUING AIR POLLUTION AND FOREST DEVASTATION CAUSED BY THOSE INDONESIAN JUNGLE FIRES.

VOICE: "THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT DROUGHT AND OTHER METEOROLOGICAL EVENTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE RECENT FIRES IN INDONESIAN RAIN FORESTS AND TO THE MASSIVE SMOKE CLOUD ENDANGERING ..... SOUTHEAST ASIA ... INDONESIA'S GOVERNMENT, HOWEVER, HAS PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN CREATING THE CATASTROPHE. PRESIDENT SUHARTO['S] ...... REGIME OPENLY ACKNOWLEDGES THAT LAWS RESTRICTING FOREST BURNING HAVE NOT BEEN ENFORCED. ..... SUCH DESTRUCTION HAS GLOBAL IMPACT, INCLUDING A LONG-TERM REDUCTION IN PRECIPITATION. DENUDING RAIN FORESTS DOES NOT BUILD A DEVELOPING COUNTRY'S INFRASTRUCTURE; IT DESTROYS IT. THAT IS A MESSAGE THE UNITED NATIONS SHOULD GET ACROSS THROUGH ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND, IF NECESSARY, THROUGH ... TRADE ... RESTRICTIONS ..."

TEXT: TURNING TO THE ISSUE OF CONTINUED NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, TODAY'S NEW YORK TIMES SAYS THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR A PAUSE.

VOICE: "NEARLY A DECADE AFTER THE END OF THE COLD WAR, SOME 30-THOUSAND NUCLEAR WARHEADS ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR USE AROUND THE WORLD, EACH WITH DEVASTATING DESTRUCTIVE POWER. FUTURE GENERATIONS MAY SOMEDAY LOOK BACK AT THE FAILURE TO REDUCE THAT TOTAL MORE RAPIDLY AS THE GREATEST BLUNDER OF THE 1990'S. MORE THAN 10-THOUSAND WARHEADS REMAIN IN RUSSIA, WHERE NUCLEAR SECURITY HAS ERODED AND UNDERPAID SCIENTISTS AND SECURITY GUARDS MAY BE TEMPTED TO SMUGGLE WEAPONS FOR PROFIT TO COUNTRIES LIKE IRAN OR LIBYA OR TO CRIMINAL GANGS OR TERRORISTS. .....BUT SINCE 1993 THE DRIVE HAS GONE OUT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS REDUCTION. .... WHAT IS NEEDED IS NOT THE BENDING OF OLD TREATIES BUT IMMEDIATE EFFORTS TO NEGOTIATE NEW AND DEEPER CUTS. [OPT] .... WASHINGTON SHOULD BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS ON A THIRD TREATY NOW, AIMED FOR LIMITS AS LOW AS ONE-THOUSAND WARHEADS ON EACH SIDE, NOT THE TWO-THOUSAND AGREED AT HELSINKI. .... THE PEACEFUL DIVIDENDS THAT HAVE COME WITH THE END OF THE COLD WAR MAY LOOK MEAGER IN THE YEARS AHEAD IF THE DANGER OF NUCLEAR DISASTER IS NOT MORE EFFECTIVELY CONTAINED." [END OPT].

TEXT: AS REGARDS THIS HEMISPHERE, THE MIAMI HERALD IS NOT IMPRESSED WITH THE SIX HOUR SPEECH BY FIDEL CASTRO AT CUBA'S RECENT COMMUNIST PARTY CONGRESS.

VOICE: "[HE, MR. CASTRO, SAID] ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THAT MIGHT DIG CUBA OUT FROM ITS BACKWARD, SOCIALIST HOLE. SUCH WAS THE SAD, TIRED SCENE DURING THE FIFTH CONGRESS OF THE CUBAN COMMUNIST PARTY ..... ALL THE DOUBLE TALK WOULD BE COMIC WERE IT NOT SO TRAGIC. THANKS TO OPPRESSIVE, INCOMPETENT, AND CORRUPT STATE CONTROL, CUBA'S ECONOMY IS IN THE DUMPS. SUGAR HARVESTS ARE IN CONTINUAL SLIDE. CHILD PROSTITUTES WALK THE MALECON FOR HARD CURRENCY. AND THAT SELF-ANNOINTED ONE-PARTY GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO HARASS AND JAIL THOSE WHO DARE DISSENT FROM THE PARTY LINE."

TEXT: USA TODAY, LOOKING BACKWARD TO THE BOUNDING STOCK MARKET BEFORE THE CRASH OF 1987, WONDERS WHETHER SUCH A COLLAPSE OF CONFIDENCE COULD HAPPEN AGAIN, DESTROYING THE FINANCIAL SECURITY OF MANY NEW INVESTORS.

VOICE: "[OPT] TEN YEARS AGO THIS WEEK, THE STOCK MARKET WAS SLIDING TOWARD ITS STEEPEST ONE-DAY DROP IN HISTORY. TODAY, THE MARKET HAS ROARED BACK TO HISTORIC HIGHS. YET LAST WEEK, FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD CHAIRMAN ALAN GREENSPAN DELIVERED ANOTHER NOW-FAMOUS DOWNER TO EXUBERANT INVESTORS. ..... BOTTOM LINE: INVESTOR EXPECTATIONS FOR CONTINUATION OF RECENT 34 PERCENT ANNUAL STOCK MARKET GAINS -- THREE TIMES THE HISTORIC AVERAGE -- ARE 'UNREALISTIC.' .... TODAY [END OPT] [MR.] GREENSPAN KEEPS WARNING INVESTORS ABOUT THE MARKET'S RISKS, IN PART BECAUSE THERE'S MORE TO WORRY ABOUT WALL STREET'S EFFECT ON MAIN STREET. .... IN 1987, ONLY 32 PERCENT OF HOUSEHOLD LIQUID ASSETS WAS IN STOCKS OR MUTUAL FUNDS. MORE THAN HALF WAS IN BANK DEPOSITS OR MONEY MARKET ACCOUNTS. TODAY, THOSE NUMBERS ARE REVERSED, WITH 54 PERCENT OF LIQUID ASSETS IN STOCKS AND MUTUAL FUNDS, AND 32 PERCENT IN BANK DEPOSITS AND MONEY MARKET ACCOUNTS. ..... AND MANY FAMILIES NOW RELY ON RISING STOCK PRICES TO PAY DEBTS AS WELL AS FOR RETIREMENT. A PLUNGE COULD DEVASTATE THEM."

TEXT: LASTLY, FROM THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, SOME THOUGHTS ON THE IMMIGRANT POPULATION, AND ONE OF ITS MOST FAMOUS NUMBER, CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, WHOSE BIRTHDAY WE CELEBRATE TODAY.

VOICE: "THE LIFE OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS ANTICIPATES MUCH OF THE OFT-REPEATED IMMIGRANT SAGA: THE OUTCAST'S RESTLESSNESS, SPURRING A BOLD EMBRACE OF THE UNKNOWN; PERSISTENCE LEADING ON TO SERENDIPITY, DISAPPOINTMENT, FRICTION AND FORTUNE. ..... WE ARE A NATION OF HYPHENS, ITALIAN-AMERICAN BEING JUST ONE. FOR MANY OF US, IDENTITY PLANTS ONE FOOT IN AN AMERICAN PRESENT, THE OTHER IN A FOREIGN ANCESTRY. TENSION BUZZES ABOUT THOSE HYPHENS, SOMETIMES FRUITFUL, SOMETIMES, WOUNDING. .... WHAT COLUMBUS DAY INVITES US TO CELEBRATE ARE THE BIGGER PIECES [OF THE NATION'S ETHNIC MOSAIC]. THAT, FOR ALL ITS BACKSLIDING, THE WAY AMERICAN HAS ASSIMILATED WAVE UPON POLYGLOT, MULTIHUED WAVE OF IMMIGRANTS IS JUST SHORT OF A MIRACLE. ... SO, WHATEVER IS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF *YOUR* [ITALICS FOR EMPHASIS] HYPHEN, HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY."

TEXT: AND, ON THAT HISTORIC AND CULTURAL NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF EDITORIALS FROM SOME OF THE NATION'S PAPERS ON THIS COLUMBUS DAY HOLIDAY.
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13-Oct-97 11:47 AM EDT (1547 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE UP TODAY (MONDAY) BUT EARLY GAINS WERE CUT BY SELLING PRESSURES LATE IN THE SESSION. V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT EIGHT THOUSAND 72, UP 27 POINTS. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500 INDEX CLOSED AT 968, UP ONE POINT.

STOCK PRICES BEGAN STRONG, WITH THE INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE UP ABOUT 60 POINTS IN THE MORNING. BUT SELLING PRESSURES LATER IN THE DAY CUT THE GAINS. BECAUSE OF THE COLUMBUS DAY HOLIDAY IN THE UNITED STATES, THERE WERE NO GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC REPORTS TO MOVE STOCK PRICES.

STOCK IN BRITISH-BASED B-A-T INDUSTRIES JUMPED ON NEWS THAT IT IS IN MERGER TALKS WITH THE ZURICH GROUP, THE SWISS-BASED FINANCIAL SERVICES FIRM. A DEAL WOULD COMBINE B-A-T'S FINANCIAL SERVICES UNIT WITH THAT OF ZURICH AND SET THE STAGE FOR A SPIN-OFF OF B-A-T'S TOBACCO UNIT.

THERE WERE SOME STRONG EARNINGS REPORTS. THE DONALDSON, LUFKIN AND JENRETTE INVESTMENT FIRM HAD RECORD QUARTERLY PROFITS. T-R-W, THE AUTOMOTIVE AND DEFENSE EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER, SAID ITS THIRD QUARTER EARNINGS WERE ALSO AN ALL-TIME RECORD.

MCDONALD'S, THE WORLD'S LARGEST RESTAURANT CHAIN, SAYS THE STRONG U-S DOLLAR WILL HURT ITS QUARTERLY EARNINGS. HOWEVER, ANALYSTS SAY THEY STILL EXPECT MCDONALD'S PROFITS WILL CLIMB ABOUT EIGHT PERCENT OVER THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

THE APPLE COMPUTER COMPANY HAS REDUCED PRICES OF ITS PERSONAL AND NOTEBOOK COMPUTERS BY AS MUCH AS ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS.

TWO TOP AMERICAN CORPORATE LEADERS ARE SUFFERING SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS. ALBERT COSTELLO, CHAIRMAN OF THE W-R GRACE CHEMICAL COMPANY, HAS SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK. AND ROBERT GOIZUETA (GOY-ZWET-A), THE CHAIRMAN OF COCA-COLA, IS REPORTED IN CRITICAL CONDITION BECAUSE OF COMPLICATIONS FROM LUNG CANCER.(SIGNED)
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13-Oct-97 5:02 PM EDT (2102 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] NORTHERN IRELAND (L-ONLY) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

INTRO: IN BELFAST, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR HAS MET GERRY ADAMS, THE LEADER OF SINN FEIN -- THE POLITICAL WING OF THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY. AS V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA REPORTS FROM LONDON, THE MEETING WAS ESSENTIALLY SYMBOLIC.

TEXT: THE MEETING WAS PART OF BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR'S DISCUSSIONS WITH ALL THE POLITICAL PARTIES INVOLVED IN TALKS ON THE FUTURE OF NORTHERN IRELAND.

THE BRIEF MEETING WAS HELD AT CASTLE BUILDINGS OUTSIDE BELFAST WHERE THE TALKS ARE UNDERWAY. IT TOOK PLACE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AWAY FROM REPORTERS AND PRYING TELEVISION CAMERAS.

DESPITE ITS PRIVATE NATURE, EXPERTS SAY THE MEETING BETWEEN MR. BLAIR AND SINN FEIN PRESIDENT GERRY ADAMS WAS A POWERFUL SYMBOLIC GESTURE. IT WAS THE FIRST MEETING BETWEEN A BRITISH PRIME MINISTER AND A SINN FEIN LEADER SINCE 1921, WHEN PRIME MINISTER DAVID LLOYD GEORGE MET MICHAEL COLLINS. BOTH MEN SIGNED THE ANGLO-IRISH TREATY WHICH FORMALIZED PARTITION.

IT ALSO SENT A STRONG SIGNAL THAT SINN FEIN IS BECOMING PART OF THE POLITICAL MAINSTREAM AND IS BEING TREATED ON THE SAME LEVEL AS ALL OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE PROCESS.

BEFORE MEETING MR. ADAMS, THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER VISITED NORTHERN IRELAND'S SECOND LARGEST CITY -- LONDONDERRY -- WHERE HE SAID IT IS TIME TO TAKE RISKS FOR PEACE.

WE CAN EITHER GO BACK TO THE OLD DAYS OF FIGHTING AND VIOLENCE AND DESPAIR WITH NO FUTURE FOR THE PEOPLE OF NORTHERN IRELAND, OR WE CAN DECIDE, "YES, WE WILL TAKE RISKS FULLY CONSISTENT WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF CONSENT, OF NON-VIOLENCE ON THE PATH TO DEMOCRACY -- BUT WE WILL TAKE RISKS IN ORDER TO GIVE THE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE IN NORTHERN IRELAND THE TYPE OF FUTURE THEY NEED?"

MR. BLAIR'S MEETING HAS BEEN CRITICIZED BY SOME MEMBERS OF UNIONIST -- OR PRO-BRITISH -- POLITICAL PARTIES. THEY SAY THE MEETING WAS PREMATURE, SINCE IT IS STILL UNCLEAR WHETHER SINN FEIN HAS PERMANENTLY RENOUNCED VIOLENT MEANS TO ACHIEVE ITS POLITICAL GOALS. OTHERS WERE FAR MORE NEGATIVE. SAYING THE MEETING WAS AN INSULT TO THE VICTIMS OF I-R-A VIOLENCE.

HOWEVER DAVID ERVINE, THE LEADER OF THE PROGRESSIVE UNIONIST PARTY WHICH HAS CLOSE TIES TO PRO-BRITISH PARAMILITARIES, TOLD REPORTERS HE IS NOT DISTURBED BY THE EVENT.

VIOLENT NATIONALISM IS NOT CONTAGIOUS, SO I DO NOT THINK THE PRIME MINISTER WILL PARTICULARLY RECEIVE ANY DAMAGE FROM IT.

BRITISH OFFICIALS SAY MR. BLAIR'S TRIP TO NORTHERN IRELAND -- HIS SECOND SINCE TAKING OFFICE IN MAY -- WAS MEANT TO SHOW HIS COMMITMENT TO FINDING A LASTING, POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE PLAGUED NORTHERN IRELAND FOR DECADES. (SIGNED)
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13-Oct-97 12:21 PM EDT (1621 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] TURKEY/CYPRUS (S/L VER) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN (ANKARA)

INTRO: U-S SPECIAL ENVOY TO CYPRUS, RICHARD HOLBROOKE, HELD TALKS MONDAY IN ANKARA WITH TURKISH PRESIDENT SULEYMAN DEMIREL AND OTHER SENIOR OFFICIALS. IT WAS HIS FIRST VISIT TO THE REGION SINCE BEING APPOINTED TO HIS NEW POST. FROM ANKARA, AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS.

TEXT: SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER MEETING WITH TURKISH PRIME MINISTER MESUT YILMAZ, MR. HOLBROOKE STRESSED HE HAD NOT COME TO TURKEY WITH A PEACE PLAN. HE SAID HE WAS IN TURKEY ONLY TO LISTEN TO THE VIEWS OF TURKISH OFFICIALS ON A RANGE OF ISSUES, WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON CYPRUS. MR. HOLBROOKE ADDED HE WOULD RETURN TO WASHINGTON WITH WHAT HE TERMED A VERY POSITIVE VIEW OF THE TURKISH POSITION.

IN A STATEMENT FOLLOWING HIS MEETING WITH MR. HOLBROOKE, TURKISH PRESIDENT SULEYMAN DEMIREL SAID THE CYPRUS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO IMPINGE ON TURKISH U-S RELATIONS. SOME WESTERN DIPLOMATS INTERPRETED THE PRESIDENT'S WORDS AS A CLEAR WARNING TO THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION THAT TURKEY WELCOMES U-S INTEREST IN THE ISSUE, BUT IT DOES NOT WANT TO BE PRESSURED BY AMERICA.

THE MEDITERRANEAN ISLAND REMAINS DIVIDED BETWEEN GREEK AND TURKISH CYPRIOTS SINCE TURKISH TROOPS INTERVENED IN 1974 AFTER A GREEK-BACKED COUP AIMED AT JOINING THE ISLAND WITH GREECE. EFFORTS BY THE UNITED NATIONS TO NEGOTIATE A LASTING PEACE HAVE FAILED, SO FAR.

TENSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES MOUNTED IN RECENT MONTHS AFTER THE GREEK CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED PLANS TO BUY AND DEPLOY RUSSIAN-MADE SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES ON THE ISLAND. TURKEY HAS THREATENED TO STRIKE THE MISSILES, IF AND WHEN THEY ARE DEPLOYED. GREECE SAYS IT WOULD CONSIDER ANY TURKISH MILITARY ACTION AGAINST THE GREEK CYPRIOTS AS AN ACT OF WAR AGAINST GREECE. (SIGNED)
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13-Oct-97 11:11 AM EDT (1511 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[07] TURKEY/KURDS (L-ONLY) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN (ANKARA)

INTRO: FIGHTING BETWEEN THE MAIN KURDISH FACTIONS IN NORTHERN IRAQ HAS ERUPTED, ENDING A YEAR-LONG WESTERN-BROKERED CEASEFIRE. MEANWHILE, THE TURKISH MILITARY SAYS IT HAS BEGUN SCALING-BACK OPERATIONS AGAINST KURDISH GUERRILLAS BASED IN NORTHERN IRAQ. DETAILS FROM AMBERIN ZAMAN IN ANKARA.

TEXT: A SPOKESMAN FOR THE "KURDISTAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY" OF IRAQ, THE "K-D-P", SAID THE RIVAL "PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN", THE "P-U-K", HAD LAUNCHED A FULL-SCALE OFFENSIVE AGAINST HIS PARTY'S FORCES.

THE K-D-P ALSO ACCUSED TURKISH-KURD GUERRILLAS FROM THE OUTLAWED "KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY," THE "P-K-K", OF TAKING PART IN ATTACKS AGAINST ITS FORCES. THE K-D-P HAS SUPPORTED TURKEY'S THREE-WEEK OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE TURKISH REBEL GROUP IN NORTHERN IRAQ. MEANWHILE, TURKISH OFFICIALS SAY THEIR TROOPS ARE LEAVING THE WESTERN PROTECTED KURDISH ENCLAVE AFTER DESTROYING -- WHAT THEY CALL -- STRATEGIC P-K-K BASES.

MANY WESTERN OBSERVERS SAY THE LATEST ROUND OF FIGHTING BETWEEN THE "K-D-P" AND THE "P-U-K", THE TWO MAIN IRAQI KURDISH GROUPS, HAS DEALT A BLOW TO U-S-SPONSORED TALKS AIMED AT RECONCILIATION.

THE IRAQI-KURDISH GROUPS ARE KEY ELEMENTS OF A COALITION OPPOSING IRAQ PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN. LAST YEAR THE K-D-P OFFICIALLY RESUMED TIES WITH THE IRAQI PRESIDENT BY ASKING HIM TO INTERVENE MILITARILY ON ITS BEHALF AGAINST THE P-U-K.

PRESIDENT SADDAM SENT THOUSANDS OF HIS TROOPS INTO THE ENCLAVE TO HELP THE K-D-P CAPTURE THE STRATEGIC TOWN OF ERBIL. THE UNITED STATES RESPONDED BY FIRING MISSILES AT IRAQI MILITARY TARGETS.

KURDISH EXPERTS SAY COMBINED PRESSURE FROM THE P-K-K AND THE P-U-K COULD PROMPT K-D-P LEADER MASSOUD BARZANI TO INVITE IRAQI TROOPS BACK INTO THE ENCLAVE OR TO ASK TURKISH TROOPS TO STAY ON. (SIGNED)
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13-Oct-97 9:58 AM EDT (1358 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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