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Voice of America, 98-06-26Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>CONTENTS
[01] KOSOVO - HOLBROOKE UPDATE (L) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)DATE=6/26/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-234607 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: U-S ENVOY RICHARD HOLBROOKE HAS WARNED ABOUT ESCALATION IN THE VIOLENCE IN SERBIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THE LIMITS OF HIS DIPLOMATIC EFFORT TO END THE FIGHTING. HIS COMMENTS CAME AFTER TALKS WITH ETHNIC ALBANIAN LEADERS TODAY (FRIDAY) ON THE LAST LEG OF HIS MISSION TO YUGOSLAVIA'S SERBIAN REPUBLIC. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES IS FOLLOWING THE STORY FROM OUR EAST EUROPEAN NEWS BUREAU IN PRAGUE. TEXT: MR. HOLBROOKE SAID HE HAS NO MAGIC SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS IN KOSOVO, WHERE ETHNIC ALBANIAN GUERRILLAS ARE FIGHTING FOR INDEPENDENCE. HE SAID THE SITUATION IS DANGEROUS AND HIS IMMEDIATE GOAL IS TO PREVENT THE VIOLENCE FROM GETTING ANY WORSE. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED SINCE THE UPSURGE IN VIOLENCE WAS TRIGGERED BY A SERBIAN CRACKDOWN IN MARCH. MANY OF THE VICTIMS HAVE BEEN WOMEN, CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY. TENS OF THOUSANDS MORE HAVE BEEN FORCED FROM THEIR HOMES, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE ALBANIAN BORDER. MR. HOLBROOKE WARNED OF A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION AROUND KIJEVO, ON THE MAIN ROAD WEST OF THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL, PRISTINA, WHERE FIGHTING HAS RAGED BETWEEN SERBIAN FORCES AND GUERRILLAS OF THE KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY. CONTROL OF THAT ROAD IS CONSIDERED AN IMPORTANT MEASURE OF THE BALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN THE GUERRILLAS AND THE SERB FORCES. ON HIS LAST DAY IN YUGOSLAVIA MR. HOLBROOKE MET WITH TWO LEADING ETHNIC ALBANIANS -- IBRAHIM RUGOVA, WHO HAS FAVORED A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION TO THE CRISIS, AND ADEM DEMACI, A LONG-TIME ADVOCATE FOR KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE WHO IS MORE WILLING TO ACCEPT AN ARMED STRUGGLE. EARLIER, MR. HOLBROOKE MET WITH YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC. NOTHING CONCRETE HAS EMERGED FROM HIS TALKS EITHER WITH THE ALBANIANS, WHO WANT AN INDEPENDENT KOSOVO, OR THE SERBS WHO INSIST THAT KOSOVO MUST REMAIN PART OF SERBIA. //OPT//BEFORE LEAVING KOSOVO, MR. HOLBROOKE SAID DOZENS OF DIPLOMATS
BASED IN BELGRADE WOULD SOON ARRIVE TO TRY TO CALM THE SITUATION.
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS DEMANDED YUGOSLAVIA PULL BACK ITS
FORCES FROM KOSOVO; THE SERBS SAY THEIR FORCES ARE NEEDED TO
PROTECT THE SERB MINORITY THERE. (SIGNED)
[02] NATO-KOSOVO-OPTIONS (LO) BY JIM RANDLE (PENTAGON)DATE=6/26/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-234617 CONTENT= VOICED AT: /// RE-RUNNING W/CHANGE ONE WORD IN 10TH GRAPH ////// EDITORS: THIS STORY WILL HOLD UP WELL FOR WEEKEND USE ///INTRO: U-S OFFICIALS SAY NATO IS ACCELERATING ITS PLANNING -- SHOULD IT BE CALLED ON TO USE MILITARY FORCE TO STOP FIGHTING IN KOSOVO. PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS NATO PLANS INCLUDE BOTH AIR 'OPTIONS' AND GROUND TROOPS. BUT AS V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS, NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE YET TO ACTUALLY USE FORCE. TEXT: IF NATO FORCE WERE TO BE USED IN KOSOVO, PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS IT WOULD VERY LIKELY COME FROM THE AIR. /// NAT SOUND OF COCKPIT ///STANDING BY FOR TARGET DIRECTORY. Y'ALL RUNNING? SIXTEEN MILES. LASING. I'M OUT RIGHT LOOKING. DON'T LET ME MASK. CLOUDS. // END ACT ///THESE ARE COCKPIT CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN PILOTS AND WEAPONS OFFICERS AS THEY AIM LASER-GUIDED BOMBS. /// NAT SOUND OF COCKPIT ///JUST KEEP IT THERE BUDDY, I CAN SEE IT TOO. BOOM! YEAH BUBBA! NICE SHOT! LASER SAFE /// END ACT ///KOSOVO IS A PROVINCE OF SERBIA, AND SERBIA IS ONE OF YUGOSLAVIA'S TWO REMAINING REPUBLICS. AT LEAST 50-THOUSAND MEMBERS OF YUGOSLAVIA'S ARMY AND SPECIAL POLICE ARE IN KOSOVO, SHELLING AND BURNING VILLAGES. SOME EXPERTS SAY THE NUMBER OF YUGOSLAV TROOPS IS STILL GROWING. NINETY-PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE IN KOSOVO ARE ETHNIC ALBANIANS, MOSTLY MUSLIMS. BUT THE SERBIAN CHRISTIAN MINORITY RUNS THE GOVERNMENT AND THE SECURITY FORCES. YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC SAYS HIS FORCES ARE SIMPLY RESPONDING TO ATTACKS BY SEPARATIST GUERRILLAS OF THE KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY. BUT NATO DEFENSE MINISTERS AND OTHERS SAY THE YUGOSLAV FORCES ARE REPEATING 'ETHNIC CLEANSING' TACTICS USED IN THE BOSNIAN WAR. // OPT //TO HELP PERSUADE THE SERBS TO MODERATE THEIR ACTIONS, PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS NATO'S LEADERSHIP IS CONSIDERING BOTH AIR POWER AND GROUND FORCES. /// BACON ACT ///THERE IS ACTUALLY, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, A TWO-TRACK PROCESS. THE TRACK OF PUTTING PREVENTIVE DEPLOYMENTS INTO ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA BEGAN PRIOR TO LOOKING AT A MORE ROBUST LIST OF OPTIONS WHICH INCLUDED SOME AIR OPTIONS. /// END ACT ///NATO PLANNERS HAVE BEEN WORKING OUT THE DETAILS OF 'PREVENTIVE DEPLOYMENTS' FOR WEEKS. SUCH DEPLOYMENTS WOULD PUT TROOPS PERHAPS THOUSANDS OF THEM -- ON THE GROUND IN ALBANIA AND MACEDONIA, WHICH BORDER THE SERBIAN PROVINCE OF KOSOVO. THAT FORCE C/O/U/L/D BE ORDERED TO KEEP THE KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY, KNOWN AS THE K-L-A, FROM SMUGGLING ARMS AND FIGHTERS INTO KOSOVO. IT COULD ALSO KEEP THE YUGOSLAV ARMY FROM STRIKING ACROSS THE BORDER IN PURSUIT OF K-L-A GUERRILLAS OPERATING IN NEIGHBORING NATIONS. MR. BACON MADE IT CLEAR THAT PLANNING IS WELL UNDERWAY FOR AN AIR CAMPAIGN AS WELL. HE SAID SUCH A CAMPAIGN WOULD START BY SUPPRESSING YUGOSLAV AIR DEFENSES TO PROTECT NATO PILOTS AND AIRCRAFT. HE ALSO MADE IT CLEAR THAT NATO IS CONSIDERING A CAMPAIGN OF
GRADUALLY INCREASING PRESSURE ON THE SERB-DOMINATED YUGOSLAV
ARMED FORCES. MR. BACON SAYS IT WILL TAKE AT LEAST A WEEK, AND
LIKELY LONGER, TO FILL IN THE COMPLEX DETAILS OF THESE PLANS.
(SIGNED).
[03] NORTHERN IRELAND (L-ONLY) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)DATE=6/26/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-234594 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: BALLOTS ARE BEING COUNTED IN NORTHERN IRELAND'S ELECTION FOR A NEW ASSEMBLY AS PROVIDED FOR BY APRIL'S POLITICAL AGREEMENT. V-O-A'S ANDRE DE NESNERA REPORTS FROM LONDON. TEXT: THE IMPORTANT QUESTION IN NORTHERN IRELAND IS WHICH OF THE TWO MAIN POLITICAL PARTIES WILL GAIN THE MOST SEATS IN THE NEW 108-MEMBER ASSEMBLY -- THE PRO-BRITISH "ULSTER UNIONIST PARTY," THE LARGEST POLITICAL ENTITY IN THE BRITISH PROVINCE, OR THE PRO-IRISH "SOCIAL, DEMOCRATIC AND LABOUR PARTY," THE PARTY THAT SPEAKS FOR MOST CATHOLICS IN NORTHERN IRELAND. SIX CANDIDATES FROM EACH OF NORTHERN IRELAND'S 18 ELECTION DISTRICTS WILL BE SENT TO THE NEW ASSEMBLY. THEY ARE ELECTED IN A COMPLICATED PROCEDURE WHERE VOTERS ARE ASKED TO NUMBER CANDIDATES IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE. THIS SYSTEM ALLOWS VOTES TO BE TRANSFERRED FROM ONE CANDIDATE TO ANOTHER. TRADITIONALLY, VOTERS IN NORTHERN IRELAND HAVE CAST BALLOTS STRICTLY ALONG SECTARIAN LINES. THOSE FAVORING CONTINUED TIES WITH BRITAIN HAVE VOTED FOR UNIONIST CANDIDATES. THOSE FAVORING CLOSER TIES WITH IRELAND CAST BALLOTS FOR NATIONALIST POLITICIANS. BUT IN THIS ELECTION, THERE APPEARS TO BE THE START OF A SUBTLE SHIFT IN NORTHERN IRELAND ELECTION TRENDS -- A SHIFT THAT COULD HAVE PROFOUND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROVINCE'S POLITICAL FUTURE. THE SUBTLE SHIFT IS MAINLY DUE TO LAST MONTH'S REFERENDUM IN WHICH VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED THE POLITICAL ACCORD ESTABLISHING THE NEW NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY. SEVERAL UNIONIST PARTIES OPPOSED THE AGREEMENT AND HAVE FIELDED CANDIDATES FOR THIS NEW ASSEMBLY. IF ELECTED, THEY HOPE TO BLOCK THE BODY'S WORK. THIS POSES A DILEMMA FOR THOSE UNIONIST VOTERS WHO WANT THE ASSEMBLY TO SUCCEED. AND THIS IS WHERE -- ACCORDING TO JOHN ALDERDICE, LEADER OF THE NON-SECTARIAN "ALLIANCE" PARTY -- THE SHIFT IN ELECTION PATTERNS IS BEGINNING TO OCCUR. /// ALDERDICE ACT ///NOW WHAT WE HAVE BEGUN TO SEE ON THE DOORSTEPS -- AND INDEED IT HAS BECOME CLEAR EVEN AT THE POLITICAL LEADERSHIP LEVEL -- THOSE WHO VOTED 'YES' ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO TRANSFER (THEIR VOTE) TO OTHERS, OTHER CANDIDATES AND OTHER PARTIES WHO ALSO VOTED 'YES.' IN OTHER WORDS, INSTEAD OF UNIONISTS VOTING FOR UNIONISTS WHO ARE ANTI-AGREEMENT BUT ARE STILL UNIONISTS, WHAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO DO IS VOTE FOR OTHER PARTIES THAT ARE PRO-AGREEMENT, EVEN IF -- LIKE MY OWN PARTY -- THEY ARE NOT STRICTLY SPEAKING UNIONIST PARTIES AT ALL. THERE IS A KIND OF COMING TOGETHER OF THE 'YES' PARTIES RATHER THAN A BREAKDOWN ENTIRELY ON THE OLD SECTARIAN GROUNDS. /// END ACT ///MR. ALDERDICE SEES THIS AS AN EXTREMELY POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN A STILL VERY DEEPLY DIVIDED SOCIETY. IT IS WHAT OTHER POLITICIANS HAVE DESCRIBED AS "A CHANGE IN POLITICAL MINDSETS." JOHN ALDERDICE SAYS THE EFFECT OF THIS SHIFT MAY NOT BE FULLY
APPRECIATED THIS TIME AROUND. BUT HE HOPES THIS TREND TO
NON-SECTARIAN POLITICS WILL BE A PART OF NORTHERN IRELAND WHEN
THE ELECTION FOR THE NEXT ASSEMBLY COMES AROUND IN FOUR OR FIVE
YEARS. (SIGNED)
[04] EURO STOCKS (S ONLY) BY KEVIN LYNCH (LONDON)DATE=6/26/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-234624 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: EUROPE'S MAJOR MARKETS CLOSED MIXED ON FRIDAY, IN A DAY OF RELATIVELY QUIET TRADING MARKED BY CONCERNS ABOUT THE JAPANESE ECONOMY. FROM LONDON, VOA'S KEVIN LYNCH HAS THE CLOSING FIGURES FROM EUROPE. TEXT: WORRIES OVER JAPAN'S TROUBLED BANKING SYSTEM CAUSED THE MARKETS IN EUROPE TO WORRY FRIDAY, AND NO HELP CAME FROM WALL STREET, WHICH ALSO STARTED QUIETLY. IN ADDITION, LONDON'S MARKET IS GROWING ANXIOUS OVER FEARS OF A BRITISH INTEREST RATE RISE IN JULY. HERE ARE THE CLOSING FIGURES. IN LONDON, THE FINANCIAL TIMES 100-SHARE INDEX ENDED THE DAY UP 18 AND-ONE-HALF POINTS, A GAIN OF POINT THREE PERCENT. IN PARIS, THE CAC-40 INDEX WAS UP 12 POINTS, AN INCREASE OF POINT THREE PERCENT. FRANKFURT WAS THE ONE MARKET THAT ENDED ON THE MINUS SIDE, DROPPING 16 POINTS, A LOSS OF POINT THREE PERCENT. THE PRICE OF GOLD CLOSED UNCHANGED IN LONDON, AT 293 DOLLARS AN OUNCE. THE U-S DOLLAR CLOSED HIGHER AGAINST EUROPE'S MAJOR CURRENCIES.
(SIGNED)
[05] N-Y ECON WRAP (S & L) BY BRECK ARDERY (NEW YORK)DATE=6/26/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-234627 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE UP TODAY (FRIDAY) AT THE END OF A VERY POSITIVE WEEK FOR THE STOCK MARKET. V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK. TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT 89 HUNDRED 43, UP EIGHT POINTS. FOR THE WEEK, THE INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE GAINED 231 POINTS OR ABOUT TWO AND ONE-HALF PERCENT. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500 INDEX CLOSED UP ALMOST FOUR POINTS FRIDAY AT A RECORD HIGH 11 HUNDRED 33. ALTHOUGH STOCK PRICES DID REBOUND STRONGLY IN THE PAST WEEK, THERE IS STILL CONCERN ON WALL STREET ABOUT CORPORATE EARNINGS AND THE FINANCIAL CRISIS IN ASIA. ///BEGIN OPT///PATRICK MURPHY OF THE R-P-M INVESTMENT COMPANY SAYS HE WORRIES THAT THE U-S MAY AGAIN HAVE TO SUPPORT THE VALUE OF THE JAPANESE YEN AND WONDERS IF PLANNED REFORMS OF THE JAPANESE BANKING SYSTEM WILL WORK. ///MURPHY ACT///AMERICAN CONSUMERS CONTINUE TO FUEL U-S ECONOMIC GROWTH. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS CONSUMER SPENDING IN MAY JUMPED SIX-TENTHS OF ONE PERCENT. THE ACER COMPUTER COMPANY OF TAIWAN IS FORMING AN ALLIANCE WITH I-B-M TO PRODUCE WHAT ARE CALLED LOGIC INTEGRATED SEMICONDUCTORS. YAHOO, THE COMPUTER INTERNET DIRECTORY AND INFORMATION COMPANY, HAS LAUNCHED A NEW SPANISH LANGUAGE GUIDE TO THE INTERNET'S WORLD WIDE WEB. YAHOO SAYS THE NUMBER OF SPANISH SPEAKERS USING THE INTERNET IS EXPECTED TO RISE FROM ABOUT NINE MILLION TO 37 MILLION WITHIN THE NEXT THREE YEARS. THERE IS NO END IN SIGHT TO THE LABOR PROBLEMS AT GENERAL MOTORS. STRIKES AT TWO PARTS PLANTS HAVE SHUT DOWN ALMOST ALL OF G-M'S NORTH AMERICAN VEHICLE OPERATIONS. THE STRIKERS SEE THEMSELVES AS FIGHTING FOR THEIR JOBS WHILE G-M MANAGEMENT SEEMS DETERMINED TO CUT ITS COSTS, THE HIGHEST IN THE U-S AUTO INDUSTRY. A FINAL AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED IN THE PLANNED MERGER OF THE
NASDAQ (NAS-DAK) MARKET AND THE AMERICAN STOCK EXCHANGE. THE
COMBINED STOCK MARKET WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER THE SO-CALLED
"'AUCTION MARKET" TRADING ON THE EXCHANGE FLOOR ALONG WITH
NASDAQ'S COMPUTERIZED MARKET. IN ADDITION, NASDAQ WILL GAIN
ACCESS TO THE AMERICAN EXCHANGE'S LARGE MARKET IN STOCK OPTIONS
CONTRACTS.(SIGNED)
NEB/NY/BA/LSF/PT
[06] FRIDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)DATE=06/26/98TYPE=U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST NUMBER=6-10783 TELEPHONE=619-3335 EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS CONTENT= (UNEDITED) ////////INTRO: THE EDITORIAL COLUMNS OF SOME U-S NEWSPAPERS ARE TOP HEAVY THIS FRIDAY WITH DOMESTIC ISSUES, INCLUDING COMMENT ON SEVERAL IMPORTANT SUPREME COURT DECISIONS ANNOUNCED THURSDAY. LEADING THIS GROUP, IS THE FINDING THAT THE LINE ITEM VETO IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. OTHER TOPICS GETTING ATTENTION AS THE NATION HEADS INTO ITS FIRST WEEKEND OF THE SUMMER INCLUDE: PRESIDENT CLINTON'S VISIT TO CHINA AND RELATED TOPICS; THE AIDS EPIDEMIC IN AFRICA; SADDAM HUSSEIN'S LATEST LIE REGARDING HIS CHEMICAL WEAPONS ACTIVITY; THE PROBLEM OF EXPANDING JERUSALEM'S BORDERS AND A HUGE COMMUNICATIONS MERGER. NOW, WE WELCOME _______________WHO HAS A CLOSER LOOK AT THESE COMMENTARIES IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST. VOICE: A SPATE OF SUPREME COURT DECISIONS HAS PUSHED PRESIDENT CLINTON'S CHINA TRIP OUT OF THE TOP SPOT IN MANY EDITORIAL COLUMNS. THE COURT RULED THURSDAY THAT A LAW ALLOWING A U-S PRESIDENT TO REMOVE SPECIFIC ITEMS FROM THE FEDERAL BUDGET, WITHOUT KILLING AN ENTIRE BUDGET ITEM, IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. IN GEORGIA, THE COURT'S RULING DRAWS THIS RESPONSE FROM "THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION" TEXT: VIRTUALLY EVERY PRESIDENT SINCE ULYSSES S. GRANT HAS SOUGHT THE POWER TO STRIKE OUT SPECIFIC TAX OR SPENDING ITEMS HE DIDN'T LIKE IN BUDGETS PASSED BY CONGRESS. THE PRESIDENTS HAVE ARGUED THAT HAVING A 'LINE-ITEM VETO' WOULD HELP THEM FIGHT THE PORK-BARREL PROJECTS [ITEMS, USUALLY INVOLVING CONSTRUCTION OF SOMETHING CONSIDERED BY THE PRESS AS UNNECESSARY, INSERTED INTO THE BUDGET BY POWERFUL CONGRESSMEN STRICTLY TO BENEFIT THEIR OWN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS] THAT BLOAT THE BUDGET. BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH GIVING THE PRESIDENT THE POWER TO VETO SPECIFIC ITEMS. THOUGH IT MIGHT SAVE SOME MONEY FOR TAXPAYERS, IT WOULD VIOLATE THE U-S CONSTITUTION [BECAUSE] ....... THE FOUNDING FATHERS DIDN'T WANT THE PRESIDENT TO ACT AS A SUPERLEGISLATOR WHO COULD OVERRULE CONGRESS. .... FORTUNATELY, THE SUPREME COURT HAS ENDED THE DEBATE /// OPT ///..... [MAKING] IT CLEAR THAT MAINTAINING THE BALANCE OF POWERS IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY SHORT-TERM GAINS THAT MIGHT COME FROM KILLING PORK. TEXT: "THE WASHINGTON POST" ADDS THAT "THE ... COURT DID THE COUNTRY A FAVOR IN STRIKING DOWN THE LINE-ITEM VETO AUTHORITY ....." WHILE "THE NEW YORK TIMES" SUGGESTS THE RULING WAS"..... A SOUND AND MUCH-NEEDED DECISION." VOICE: ....... THE SIX-TO-THREE DECISION, WRITTEN BY JUSTICE JOHN PAUL STEVENS, FIRMLY CAST ASIDE GOVERNMENT ARGUMENTS THAT IN CANCELING SPECIFIC LINES OF THE BUDGET THE PRESIDENT WAS MERELY EXERCISING AUTHORITY DELEGATED TO HIM BY CONGRESS. INSTEAD THE COURT FOUND THAT THE LINE ITEM VETO VIOLATES THE 'PRESENTMENT CLAUSE' OF [THE CONSTITUTION]. ..... IN CONTRAST ..... THE COURT VEERED OFF COURSE WITH A DANGEROUS EIGHT TO-ONE RULING THAT FOUND NO FIRST AMENDMENT VIOLATION IN CONGRESSIONAL EFFORTS TO CONTROL THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS. ..... IN ALL LIKELIHOOD THIS RULING WILL SIMPLY EMBOLDEN ENEMIES OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR THE ARTS. /// END OPT ///TEXT: TURNING TO WHAT COMMENT THERE IS ON THE CHINA TRIP, "THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER" WORRIES THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON MAY BE SUBLIMATING THE NATION'S CONCERN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AS HE PRESSES FORWARD FOR BETTER TRADE RELATIONS. VOICE: MR. CLINTON'S GENERAL POLICY OF 'ENGAGEMENT' WITH CHINA MAKES SENSE. BUT ITS CRITICS UNDERSTANDABLY WORRY THAT HE IS BURNING AMERICA'S TRADITIONAL CONCERN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ON THE ALTAR OF U-S COMMERCIAL INTERESTS. IN THE INTERESTS OF A BIPARTISAN CHINA POLICY THAT CAN COMMAND WIDESPREAD SUPPORT, MR. CLINTON MUST PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE CONCERNS. ......... TOO OFTEN, MR. CLINTON HAS APPEARED TO GIVE IN NEEDLESSLY TO CHINESE WISHES IN PLANNING HIS VISIT. ..... BUT TIANANMEN REMAINS AN OPEN WOUND, AS EVIDENCED BY THE STUNNING LETTER JUST SENT TO CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY LEADERS BY ZHAO ZIYANG, THE PARTY CHIEF OUSTED AFTER THE CRACKDOWN IN 1989. MR. ZHAO, UNDER HOUSE ARREST SINCE THEN, HAS URGED THE PARTY TO ADMIT ... THE MASSACRE WAS AN ERROR. TEXT: THE EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS OF THE AIDS PROBLEM IN AFRICA DRAWS THE ATTENTION OF FRIDAY'S "PORTLAND PRESS HERALD" WHICH, COMMENTING ON A RECENT U-N HEALTH REPORT, CALLS IT "A FEROCIOUS PLAGUE." VOICE: WHEN DELEGATES TO THE 12TH INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE GATHER SUNDAY IN GENEVA, THEY WILL CONFRONT THE MOST DEADLY STATISTICS ABOUT AIDS COMPILED IN THE 17-YEAR HISTORY OF THE DISEASE. NOWHERE ARE THOSE STATISTICS MORE OMINOUS THAN IN AFRICA, WHERE AIDS SPREADS RAPIDLY, ITS GROWTH ENCOURAGED BY POVERTY AND A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ...... AFRICA'S FIERY EPIDEMIC CONTRASTS WITH A WORLDWIDE RATE OF HIV INFECTION NOW AT ONE PERCENT AMONG ADULTS. THE UNITED STATES ..... HAS REDUCED ITS RATE TO ZERO-POINT-SEVENTY-SIX PERCENT. AFRICAN NATIONS SUCH AS SENEGAL, TANZANIA AND UGANDA HAVE DONE LIKEWISE. THE CHALLENGE NOW IS TO SPREAD THAT ATTACK ACROSS AFRICA WITH A SPEED CAPABLE OF CATCHING, AND CONTAINING, THE DISEASE. TEXT: IN MIDDLE EAST ISSUES, THERE IS MORE ANGER AT THE LATEST LIES ATTRIBUTED TO SADDAM HUSSEIN'S IRAN, REGARDING ITS USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS, FROM "THE BOSTON GLOBE" WHICH SAYS IRAQ'S LEADERSHIP LIES TO THE UNITED NATIONS AT EVERY TURN. [OPPORTUNITY] VOICE: ..... THE LYING HAS BECOME SO BLATANT THAT EVEN SADDAM'S NUMBER ONE SHILL IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, RUSSIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV, SAID OF BAGHDAD'S EFFORTS TO GO ON DENYING THE EXISTENCE OF WARHEADS ARMED WITH VX: 'I DON'T THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE FOR BAGHDAD TO DENY IT.' THE WARHEADS, HE SAID, 'SHOULD BE DESTROYED.' /// OPT /// ... THE SECOND CRUCIAL LESSON .....CONCERNS THE CONTENT OF THE LIES SADDAM HAS TOLD. AS THE CHIEF U-N INSPECTOR, RICHARD BUTLER, TOLD THE SECURITY COUNCIL LAST MONTH, BAGHDAD RETAINS TWO-THIRDS OF ITS OPERATIONAL MISSILE FORCE, MORE THAN HALF ITS CHEMICAL WEAPONS, AND ALL ITS PROSCRIBED BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS. THE DANGER FROM SUCH AN ARSENAL ..... IS NOT ABSTRACT. /// END OPT /// TEXT: STILL IN THE REGION, "THE SUN" IN BALTIMORE IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO EXPAND THE BOUNDARIES OF JERUSALEM, BECAUSE OF WHAT THAT WILL DO TO RELATIONS WITH THE PALESTINIANS. VOICE: ANNEXING LAND IN THE JUDEAN DESERT TO THE CITY OF JERUSALEM TO ACCOMMODATE ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS IS, ON THE FACE OF IT, HARMFUL TO THE PEACE PROCESS. /// OPT /// TEXT: LASTLY, "USA TODAY" APPLAUDS THE MERGER ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK BETWEEN THE GIANT U-S TELEPHONE COMPANY A-T & T, [THE AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY], AND THE CABLE TELEVISION GIANT, TELE-COMMUNICATIONS OR T-C-I, SAYS: VOICE: CONSUMERS FINALLY MAY HAVE A TELECOMMUNICATIONS MERGER THAT WILL DO SOMETHING FOR THEM, RATHER THAN JUST FOR COMPANIES' BOTTOM LINES [PROFITS]. /// OPT /// THE 32-BILLION-DOLLAR MERGER OF A-T&T WITH CABLE GIANT TELE-COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED PROMISES TO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF COMMUNICATIONS. IT HAS BEEN TOO LONG IN COMING. /// END OPT /// ..... IT SHOULD HELP SPREAD NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN MAKE THE CABLE LINE INTO A PERSON'S HOME A CONDUIT FOR HIGH-SPEED DATA DELIVERY - - BE IT VOICE, VISUAL OR BITS AND BYTES OF OTHER INFORMATION - - AND IN A HOST OF COMBINATIONS. ....... THIS DEAL MAY OPEN AN ERA OF REAL COMPETITION FOR A NEW COMMUNICATIONS AGE. IT'S ABOUT TIME. TEXT: ON THAT HIGH TECHNOLOGY NOTE WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF
COMMENTS FROM FRIDAY'S U-S PRESS.
NEB/ANG/
[07] YUGO RETURNS BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)DATE=6/26/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-234618 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE HEAD OF THE U-N REFUGEE AGENCY (U-N-H-C-R), SADAKO OGATA, WARNS THERE WILL BE NO LASTING PEACE AND STABILITY IN THE REGIONS OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA WITHOUT THE RETURN OF NEARLY TWO MILLION REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PEOPLE. AT A DAY-LONG MEETING IN GENEVA, MS. OGATA PRESENTED A PLAN WHICH STRESSES A REGIONAL APPROACH FOR ENDING THE REFUGEE CRISIS. LISA SCHLEIN SAYS THE MEETING WAS HEAVILY ATTENDED BY OFFICIALS FROM THE COUNTRIES OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA AND REPRESENTATIVES OF DONOR COUNTRIES AND AID AGENCIES. TEXT: THE U-N REFUGEE AGENCY ADMITS ITS EFFORTS TO REPATRIATE NEARLY TWO MILLION REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE TO THE COUNTRIES THAT WERE ONCE PART OF YUGOSLAVIA HAVE LARGELY FAILED. THE WORST PROBLEM OF DISPLACEMENT IS FOUND IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, FOLLOWED BY CROATIA. THE AGENCY HAD HOPED TO BRING BACK 50,000 REFUGEES TO BOSNIA DURING THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR. IT ONLY MANAGED TO REPATRIATE AN ESTIMATED 10,000. THE HEAD OF THE U-N REFUGEE AGENCY, SADAKO OGATA, SAYS ETHNIC MINORITIES HAVE BEEN PREVENTED FROM GOING BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL HOMES BECAUSE OF POLITICAL PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS ABOUT SECURITY. SHE SAYS PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS HAVE ALSO PLAYED A PART IN DISCOURAGING MUSLIMS, SERBS AND CROATS FROM RETURNING TO HOMES IN COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY ARE IN THE MINORITY. /// OGATA ACT ///PEOPLE TRYING TO GO BACK FIND THAT THEIR NEIGHBORS ARE VERY COOL (UNFRIENDLY) AND THAT THEY CANNOT REALLY FACE THIS COOLNESS IN THEIR PLACES OF ORIGIN. THAT KIND OF PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS. THEY'RE QUITE REAL AND THEY DO LEAD TO ALL SORTS OF HARASSMENT. /// END ACT ///THE U-N AGENCY WARNS NEW DISPLACEMENTS IN THE REGION ARE ADDING TO THE EXISTING PROBLEMS. IT SAYS IN THE EASTERN SLAVONIA REGION OF CROATIA, CROATIAN SERBS ARE LEAVING BECAUSE OF DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT FROM THE MAJORITY CROATS. AND, MOST ALARMINGLY, THE AGENCY OBSERVES THAT THE CONFLICT IN KOSOVO HAS DRIVEN AT LEAST 77,000 ETHNIC ALBANIANS FROM THEIR HOMES. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR FORMER YUGOSLAVIA, NICOLAS MORRIS, SAYS THE SITUATION IN KOSOVO LOOKS DISTRESSINGLY SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED IN BOSNIA. /// MORRIS ACT ///THERE IS A LOT OF DESTRUCTION OF HOUSES AND THAT'S A MAJOR CONCERN BECAUSE, COME THE WINTER THERE, IT'S EXTREMELY COLD. AND THERE'S NOT JUST A WINTERIZATION PROBLEM IF THERE ARE STILL REFUGEES IN NORTHERN ALBANIA. BUT, SIMPLY WITHIN KOSOVO, PEOPLES' OWN HOUSES, MAKING THEM FIT TO WITHSTAND THE WINTER. ///END ACT///THE U-N HIGH COMMISSIONER, SADAKO OGATA, SAYS THE POSSIBILITY OF
FURTHER DISPLACEMENTS -- TWO AND A HALF YEARS AFTER BOSNIA'S
DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED -- IS NOT A VERY OPTIMISTIC
OR HAPPY PROSPECT. SHE BELIEVES THESE ISSUES ONLY CAN BE SOLVED
THROUGH A REGIONAL APPROACH BECAUSE, AS SHE SAYS, ALL THESE
PROBLEMS ARE LOCKED TOGETHER LIKE PIECES OF A JIG-SAW PUZZLE.
(SIGNED)
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