Voice of America, 98-08-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] KOSOVO UNREST (S/L) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)

[02] N. IRELAND BOMB (L) BY DAVID WEBER (LONDON)

[01] KOSOVO UNREST (S/L) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)

INTRO: GOVERNMENT FORCES IN YUGOSLAVIA'S EMBATTLED KOSOVO PROVINCE CONTINUED THEIR OFFENSIVE SATURDAY AGAINST SEPARATIST ETHNIC ALBANIAN GUERRILLAS. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES IS MONITORING DEVELOPMENTS FROM OUR REGIONAL NEWS BUREAU IN PRAGUE.

TEXT: ALBANIAN SOURCES SAY SERBS ATTACKED VILLAGES IN WESTERN KOSOVO SATURDAY, USING TROOPS, AIRCRAFT, TANKS AND ARTILLERY. WITNESSES SAY THE VILLAGES WERE IN FLAMES AS THE SERB FORCES CONTINUED THEIR OFFENSIVE AGAINST KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY REBELS

THE SERB-RUN MEDIA CENTER IN PRISTINA CONFIRMS FIGHTING IN THE AREA, BUT SAYS IT BEGAN WITH AN ATTACK ON POLICE FORCES BY HEAVILY-ARMED ETHNIC ALBANIAN GUERRILLAS.

THE NEW FIGHTING COMES ONE DAY AFTER ETHNIC ALBANIAN POLITICAL LEADER IBRAHIM RUGOVA SAID HE WOULD OPEN PEACE TALKS ONLY IF THE SERBS END THEIR OFFENSIVE.

THE AREA IS ONE OF THE REMAINING STRONGHOLDS OF THE KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY, WHICH HAS SUFFERED REPEATED SETBACKS IN A SERB OFFENSIVE THAT BEGAN LAST MONTH.

THE OFFENSIVE HAS DRIVEN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS OUT OF THEIR VILLAGES INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE, RAISING FEARS OF A HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE AS THE HARSH BALKAN WINTER APPROACHES.

THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS NAMED A FIVE-MAN NEGOTIATING TEAM THURSDAY TO RESUME PEACE TALKS WITH THE SERBS. THE K-L-A GUERRILLAS ALSO APPOINTED THEIR OWN TEAM, BUT SO FAR THERE IS NO COORDINATION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.

AMERICAN ENVOY CHRISTOPHER HILL HAS BEEN CONDUCTING SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY, TRYING TO GET THE KOSOVO ALBANIANS TO AGREE ON NEGOTIATORS, WITH HOPES OF A CEASE-FIRE AND TALKS ON A NEW GOVERNING ARRANGEMENT FOR KOSOVO.

THE SERBS HAVE OFFERED SOME KIND OF AUTONOMY, BUT THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS WANT INDEPENDENCE, WHICH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OPPOSES. (SIGNED)
NEB/ART/SD
15-Aug-98 6:21 PM EDT (2221 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] N. IRELAND BOMB (L) BY DAVID WEBER (LONDON)

INTRO: AS MANY AS 21 PEOPLE DIED AND HUNDREDS WERE INJURED WHEN A GIANT CAR BOMB WAS SET OFF SATURDAY IN A BUSY NORTHERN IRELAND MARKET TOWN. DAVID WEBER HAS THIS REPORT FROM LONDON.

TEXT: POLICE SAY THEY RECEIVED A TELEPHONE WARNING THAT A CAR BOMB HAD BEEN PLACED AT THE TYRONE COUNTY COURTHOUSE IN OMAGH.

BUT THE CRUEL IRONY WAS THAT MANY OF THE PEOPLE CLEARED FROM THE COURTHOUSE AREA WERE WATCHING FROM BEHIND POLICE LINES SEVERAL HUNDRED METERS AWAY -- AND THAT WAS WHERE THE BOMB EXPLODED 45 MINUTES LATER.

EYEWITNESSES DESCRIBED OMAGH AS A SCENE OF CARNAGE. FOUR BUILDINGS WERE BADLY DAMAGED IN THE TOWN'S SHOPPING AREA, AND THE STREETS WERE LITTERED WITH GLASS AND BURNED OUT CARS. THE COUNTY HOSPITAL WAS PUT ON FULL EMERGENCY ALERT AND ALL DOCTORS AND NURSES WERE CALLED IN TO HELP. THE HOSPITAL ASKED BLOOD DONORS TO REPORT IN.

MESSAGES OF SHOCK AND OUTRAGE AND SORROW CAME FROM THE NATION'S LEADERS. PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR WHO IS ON VACATION IN EUROPE, DESCRIBED THE BOMBING AS "AN APPALLING ACT OF SAVAGERY AND EVIL." HE SAID THE BOMBERS WILL BE PURSUED TO THE UTMOST TO BRING THEM TO JUSTICE. QUEEN ELIZABETH SENT A MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCE TO THE VICTIMS. NORTHERN IRELAND POLITICIANS WERE QUICK TO CONDEMN THE OMAGH BOMBING.

IT WAS BY FAR THE WORST ACT OF VIOLENCE IN NORTHERN IRELAND SINCE POLITICAL OPPONENTS FINALLY SIGNED WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE "GOOD FRIDAY" AGREEMENT THIS YEAR TO ESTABLISH SELF-GOVERNMENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND TO REPLACE RULE FROM LONDON. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER CAR BOMBS, BUT FEW INJURIES AND NOT MUCH DAMAGE. MOST OF THE EARLIER EXPLOSIONS HAVE BEEN BLAMED ON DISSIDENT ELEMENTS OF THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ARMY.

THE I-R-A DECLARED A CEASEFIRE TWO YEARS AGO, AND PROTESTANT MILITANTS ALSO CALLED A HALT TO VIOLENCE. BUT BOTH GROUPS CONTAIN ELEMENTS THAT CLEARLY WANTED NO PART OF THE PEACE PROCESS THAT THE PEOPLE OF NORTHERN IRELAND HOPED WOULD FINALLY END NEARLY 30 YEARS OF SECTARIAN VIOLENCE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DW/JO
15-Aug-98 1:55 PM EDT (1755 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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