Voice of America, 98-08-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] KOSOVO TALKS (L-ONLY) BY PHILLIP SMUCKER (PRISTINA)

[02] KURDISH HISTORY BY BEA HOGAN (NEW YORK)

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

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

[05] THURSDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[01] KOSOVO TALKS (L-ONLY) BY PHILLIP SMUCKER (PRISTINA)

INTRO: KOSOVO PEACE MEDIATOR CHRISTOPHER HILL SAID THURSDAY THAT DIRECT TALKS ARE NOT NEEDED TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS THERE. HE STRESSED THAT HIS ROLE AS A PEACE MEDIATOR IS ALLOWING BOTH SERBS AND ALBANIANS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEIR DEMANDS AND INTERESTS TO ONE ANOTHER. PHILLIP SMUCKER REPORTS FROM PRISTINA.

TEXT: U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY CHRISTOPHER HILL SAYS HE IS CONFIDENT THAT PEACE TALKS ARE MOVING AHEAD IN KOSOVO, DESPITE A LACK OF DIRECT MEETINGS BETWEEN SERB AND ALBANIAN NEGOTIATORS. AFTER TALKS WITH SERBIAN AND ETHNIC ALBANIAN AUTHORITIES THURSDAY, THE CHIEF U.S. KOSOVO ENVOY SAID THERE IS NO NEED FOR DIRECT TALKS AT PRESENT.

I THINK AT SOME POINT, WE MAY NEED DIRECT TALKS. FOR NOW WE FEEL THE PURSUING OF TALKS THROUGH INDIRECT MEANS IS WORKING. THERE MAY BE A TIME WHEN WE NEED TO BRING THE PARTIES TOGETHER, AND WHEN THAT TIME COMES WE'LL CERTAINLY DO THAT. FOR NOW WE'RE CONTINUING INDIRECT TALKS AND WE FEEL THEY'RE MOVING ALONG WELL.

SERB NEGOTIATORS HAVE OFFERED DIRECT TALKS TO THEIR ALBANIAN COUNTERPARTS IN KOSOVO, BUT THE SENIOR ALBANIAN NEGOTIATOR FEHMI AGANI HAS REJECTED THE OFFER AS, WHAT HE CALLS, A PROPAGANDA PLOY. THE ALBANIAN SIDE IS STANDING BY ITS PRIOR CONDITION THAT VIOLENCE MUST END IN KOSOVO AND SERBIAN SECURITY FORCES MUST BE WITHDRAWN.

WHEN MR. AGANI MET WITH AMBASSADOR HILL ON THURSDAY. THE TWO DISCUSSED WAYS OF ACCELERATING THE PEACE TALKS. BUT ETHNIC ALBANIAN GUERRILLAS AND THE KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY, OR K-L-A, STILL REMAIN OUTSIDE THE PEACE PROCESS. MANY OF THEM ARE INCREASINGLY BITTER TOWARDS WESTERN CAPITALS IN BELGRADE, AFTER A BLISTERING SERB OFFENSIVE THAT OVERRAN MOST OF THEIR BASES IN RECENT WEEKS.

WESTERN OFFICIALS ADMIT THAT YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC STILL BELIEVES THAT MILITARY AND POLICE FORCE CAN CRUSH THE ALBANIAN REBELLION IN THE PROVINCE OF TWO MILLION PERSONS. THEY SAY THAT MR. MILOSEVICS' POLICIES ARE MAKING YUGOSLAVIA A PARIAH (OUTCAST) STATE.

THE ALBANIAN GUERRILLAS HAVE UNDERCUT THE CURRENT WESTERN NEGOTIATING INITIATIVE BY CALLING FOR A NEW GOVERNMENT TO BE FORMED BEFORE THE RESUMPTION OF PEACE TALKS. KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY FIGHTERS IN THEIR LIKOVAC HEADQUARTERS VOWED THURSDAY TO KEPT UP THEIR FIGHT AGAINST SERBIAN AUTHORITIES. THEY SAY THE CURRENT NEGOTIATION TEAM DOES NOT REPRESENT THEM. (SIGNED)
NEB/PS/WDC /MMK
20-Aug-98 4:06 PM EDT (2006 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] KURDISH HISTORY BY BEA HOGAN (NEW YORK)

INTRO: SUSAN MEISELAS (MY-SEL-IS), A PHOTOJOURNALIST BASED IN NEW YORK, HAS LITERALLY UNEARTHED PREVIOUSLY BURIED PARTS OF KURDISH HISTORY AND PUBLISHED THEM IN HER NEW BOOK. VOA'S BEA HOGAN HAS THE STORY FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: SUSAN MEISELAS' PROJECT BEGAN AS A DOCUMENTARY OF THE NORTHERN IRAQI KURDS AFTER THE GULF WAR IN 1991 AND THEIR BRUTAL REPRESSION UNDER SADDAM HUSSEIN. AS KURDISH REFUGEES FLED INTO TURKEY AND IRAN, MS. MEISELAS WENT THE OPPOSITE WAY. CROSSING THE EASTERN BORDER OF IRAN, SHE ARRIVED IN WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE KURDISH TERRITORY IN NORTHERN IRAQ.

YOU COULD IMAGINE AS YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY, WHICH WAS FOR THE MOST PART INTACT, THE PEOPLE IN THE CAR DRIVING WITH ME WOULD SIMPLY NAME THE VILLAGES THAT ONCE WERE ON THE HILLSIDE, AND ALL I WOULD SEE WAS RUBBLE.

MS. MEISELAS, A NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER WHO HAD COVERED CIVIL WARS IN NICARAGUA AND EL SALVADOR, VISITED THE BOMBED OUT VILLAGES IN NORTHERN IRAQ AND TALKED TO THE KURDS -- MOSTLY MEN -- WHO REFUSED TO FLEE. FROM THESE CONVERSATIONS, SHE CAUGHT GLIMPSES OF THEIR HISTORY AND REALIZED THAT HER OWN OBSERVATIONS WERE JUST A SMALL PART OF A MUCH LARGER STORY.

I GUESS IT EVOLVED INTO A BOOK IN THE SENSE THAT I BEGAN TO GET A FEELING THAT THERE WAS A HISTORY TO A PEOPLE I KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT.

THE KURDS IN NORTHERN IRAQ ARE PART OF A LARGER COMMUNITY WHOSE MEMBERS ARE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT IRAN, IRAQ, SYRIA, TURKEY, AND THE FORMER SOVIET UNION, WITH EXILE COMMUNITIES IN EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES AS WELL.

THOUGH THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS FORMALLY DESIGNATED A KURDISH NATION IN THE 1920'S, HISTORY AND POLITICS CONSPIRED AGAINST IT. TODAY THE KURDS ARE CONSIDERED THE LARGEST PEOPLE WITHOUT THEIR OWN NATION, AND, AS A RESULT, THEIR HISTORY HAS REMAINED LARGELY HIDDEN. MS. MEISELAS' BOOK -- TITLED "KURDISTAN: IN THE SHADOW OF HISTORY" -- ATTEMPTS TO FILL IN SOME OF THE GAPS OF THAT HISTORY.

THE ALLIED WESTERN FORCES ESTABLISHED A NO-FLY ZONE IN NORTHERN IRAQ AFTER THE 1991 GULF WAR TO PREVENT IRAQI ATTACKS AGAINST KURDS. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME, SAYS MS. MEISELAS, THAT THE KURDS WERE ADMINISTERING THEIR OWN TERRITORY. MS. MEISELAS SAYS SHE WITNESSED THE WAYS IN WHICH THE KURDS WERE RECLAIMING THEIR HISTORY. THESE INCLUDED WALL MURALS DEPICTING KURDISH HEROES AND WINDOW DISPLAYS FEATURING HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS.

SO THE IMAGES THAT HAD EXISTED WERE PAINTED ON THE WALLS OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS. THAT WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST THINGS THAT STRUCK ME.

FEARING PERSECUTION, MANY KURDS BURIED THEIR FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS IN THEIR BACKYARDS OR HID THEM IN THEIR ATTICS. MS. MEISELAS HAS BROUGHT THESE IMAGES TO LIGHT IN HER BOOK. TRAVELLING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS, SHE VISITED KURDISH FAMILIES AND REPRODUCED THEIR NEGATIVES WITH A POLAROID CAMERA AND A PORTABLE CHEMICAL KIT.

BUT THOSE IMAGES TOLD ONLY PART OF THE STORY. MISSING WERE PICTURES TAKEN BY PEOPLE WHO HAD TRAVELED TO KURDISH AREAS AND HAD LEFT WITH THEIR PHOTOGRAPHS. MS. MEISELAS PICKED UP THE TRAIL IN THE WEST -- AND MADE STARTLING DISCOVERIES. SHE IDENTIFIED A BRITISH WAR CORRESPONDENT WHO HAD COVERED THE KURDISH REBELLION AGAINST THE BRITISH IN THE 1930'S. FREA (FRAY-UH) STARK, A FAMOUS BRITISH TRAVEL WRITER, HAD FILED HER WAR STORIES ANONYMOUSLY IN THE LONDON TIMES, BUT MS. MEISELAS RECOGNIZED THE AUTHOR'S STYLE.

BY READING HER BIOGRAPHY AND LETTERS BACK TO HER FAMILY, I DISCOVERED THAT SHE WAS THE PERSON WHO WAS WRITING IN THE TIMES OF LONDON ABOUT THE WAR IN 1932.

MS. MEISELAS CONSIDERS PHOTOGRAPHS IMPORTANT PASSAGEWAYS TO DISCOVERING HISTORY.

A PHOTOGRAPH OPENS UP A STORY. A PHOTOGRAPH ISN'T JUST WHAT IT IS OF. THERE ARE FORMAL QUALITIES THAT CAN INTRIGUE YOU. SOMETIMES IT IS EVERYTHING THAT SURROUNDS THE PHOTOGRAPH AND ENVELOPS THE PHOTOGRAPH AND THEN INSPIRES THE MEMORY THAT IS THE MOST EXCITING PART OF COLLECTING.

MS. MEISELAS SEES HER BOOK, WHICH SHE WROTE FOR BOTH KURDS AND NON-KURDS, AS A BICULTURAL PROJECT. IT CONTAINS BOTH PHOTOGRAPHS AND PRIMARY MATERIALS, MAKING IT A USEFUL SOURCE BOOK FOR SCHOLARS. YET MS. MEISELAS BELIEVES THAT HER EFFORT IS ONLY THE BEGINNING AND THAT HER BOOK CAN SERVE AS A SIGNPOST FOR FUTURE RESEARCH.

I THINK IT OPENS UP AT BEST MANY KINDS OF QUESTIONS FOR WESTERNERS AS WELL, TO THINK ABOUT THEIR ROLE IN SHAPING THE HISTORY OF KURDISTAN, OR HOW THEY LOOK AT ANY PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSIDERABLY DIFFERENT IN CULTURE AND CUSTOM.

SINCE THE BOOK'S PUBLICATION LAST NOVEMBER, PEOPLE HAVE SENT MS. MEISELAS ADDITIONAL STORIES AND PICTURES. THIS LED MS. MEISELAS TO START AN INTERACTIVE COMPUTER WEBSITE TO WHICH PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE.

WHAT WAS IMPORTANT WAS CONTINUING THIS COLLECTING AND STORYTELLING.

SUSAN MEISELAS SAYS HER RESEARCH, FUNDED BY A 250 THOUSAND DOLLAR MACARTHUR FOUNDATION GRANT, GIVES A VOICE TO A LONG-SILENCED POPULATION. (SIGNED) NEB/NY/BGH/LSF/PT
20-Aug-98 6:38 PM EDT (2238 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

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

TEXT: PRICES FELL ON ALL MAJOR EUROPEAN EXCHANGES. ANALYSTS SAID PRICES WERE DRAGGED DOWN BY FEARS OF MORE BAD NEWS FROM RUSSIA, BY THE WEAK OPENING ON WALL STREET, AND BY GLOBAL ECONOMIC CONCERNS.

THE BIGGEST DROP WAS IN FRANKFURT. THE DAX INDEX CLOSED DOWN 115-POINTS, ABOUT TWO-PERCENT. IN PARIS, THE CAC-40 INDEX DROPPED 38-POINTS, MORE THAN NINE-TENTHS PERCENT. IN LONDON, THE FOOTSIE-100 INDEX WAS OFF 27-POINTS, ALMOST ONE-HALF PERCENT.

ON THE LONDON CURRENCY EXCHANGE, THE VALUE OF THE U-S DOLLAR ROSE AGAINST THE GERMAN MARK. BUT IT WAS DOWN AGAINST THE BRITISH POUND AND THE JAPANESE YEN. (SIGNED)
NEB/JWH/RAE
20-Aug-98 1:28 PM EDT (1728 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 DOWN TODAY (THURSDAY) AMID CONTINUED PROFIT-TAKING AND CONCERN ABOUT FUTURE CORPORATE EARNINGS. VOA CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT 86-HUNDRED-11, DOWN 81-POINTS, CLOSE TO ONE-PERCENT. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500 INDEX CLOSED AT ONE-THOUSAND-91, DOWN SIX POINTS.

TRADING SLOWED TO A TRICKLE IN MID-AFTERNOON WHEN MANY TRADERS PAUSED TO WATCH PRESIDENT CLINTON'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF U-S STRIKES AGAINST SUSPECTED TERRORIST BASES. HOWEVER, ANALYSTS SAY THE ANNOUNCEMENT HAD NO REAL EFFECT ON STOCK TRADING.

THE SELL OFF WAS BLAMED LARGELY ON CONTINUED PROFIT-TAKING AND WORRIES ABOUT CORPORATE EARNINGS.

THE ASIAN CONTAGION HAS SPREAD INTO MOST OF THE EMERGING MARKETS AND IT IS GOING TO HAVE SOME SUBSTANTIAL REPERCUSSIONS FOR WHAT EARNINGS LOOK LIKE THIS QUARTER AND NEXT.

THE GOVERNMENT REPORTS THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS FILING CLAIMS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS DROPPED BY TWO THOUSAND LAST WEEK, INDICATING THE U-S LABOR MARKET REMAINS STRONG.

A HUGE ACQUISITION IN THE U-S INSURANCE INDUSTRY WAS ANNOUNCED. AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL GROUP -- A-I-G -- WILL PAY 18 BILLION DOLLARS IN STOCK FOR THE SUNAMERICA CORPORATION. ANALYSTS SAY THE DEAL WILL GIVE A-I-G ACCESS TO THE GROWING MARKET FOR RETIREMENT ANNUITIES IN WHICH SUNAMERICA IS VERY STRONG.

TALKS HAVE RESUMED IN AN EFFORT TO END A FIVE-DAY OLD STRIKE AGAINST U-S WEST, A LARGE REGIONAL TELEPHONE COMPANY. SO FAR, THE STRIKE HAS NOT CAUSED ANY MAJOR DISRUPTIONS IN TELEPHONE SERVICE.

THE DELL COMPUTER COMPANY HAS TAKEN ITS DIRECT SALES STRATEGY TO CHINA WHERE CONSUMERS CAN NOW BUY DELL PRODUCTS BY TELEPHONE OR DIRECT FROM THEIR COMPUTERS. DELL SAYS IT EXPECTS CHINA TO BECOME THE SECOND-LARGEST PERSONAL COMPUTER MARKET IN THE WORLD WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

THE BARNES AND NOBLE BOOKSTORE CHAIN PLANS TO STEP UP THE COMPETITION IN THE GROWING MARKET FOR BOOK SALES VIA THE COMPUTER INTERNET. BARNES AND NOBLE WILL SPIN-OFF ITS ON-LINE DIVISION INTO A SEPARATE COMPANY. THE DOMINANT ON-LINE BOOK STORE IS AMAZON DOT COM AND ITS STOCK HAS DONE EXTREMELY WELL, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE COMPANY HAS YET TO EARN A PROFIT.(SIGNED) NEB/NY/BA/LSF/KBK
20-Aug-98 5:06 PM EDT (2106 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] THURSDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON'S ADMISSION OF AN IMPROPER RELATIONSHIP WITH A FORMER WHITE HOUSE INTERN CONTINUES TO GENERATE SUBSTANTIAL COMMENT IN THE EDITORIAL PAGES OF THE U-S PRESS THURSDAY. THERE ARE MANY EDITORIALS ON OTHER TOPICS, HOWEVER, INCLUDING THE NORTHERN IRELAND BOMBING; THE ALLEGED NORTH KOREAN UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROJECT; AND SOME THOUGHTS ON ONE OF THE SUSPECTS IN THE EAST AFRICAN BOMBINGS. JOINING US NOW IS ______________ WITH A CLOSER LOOK AT THESE AND OTHER TOPICS IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: "THE WASHINGTON TIMES" HAS JOINED A GROWING LIST OF NEWSPAPERS AND COLUMNISTS ASKING PRESIDENT CLINTON TO RESIGN. THE PAPER SAYS IN PART, IN THURSDAY'S LEAD EDITORIAL:

VOICE: IF BILL CLINTON WERE AN HONORABLE MAN, HE WOULD RESIGN.

TEXT: "CHICAGO TRIBUNE" COLUMNIST CLARENCE PAGE, SYNDICATED IN HUNDREDS OF OTHER U-S DAILIES, AGREES.

VOICE: ... WITH THE LEWINSKY CONFESSION, [MR.] CLINTON'S DENIAL CRUMBLES TO THE GROUND. ... HE HAS BECOME MORE TROUBLE THAN HE IS WORTH, EVEN TO THOSE OF US WHO GENERALLY FEEL HE IS ON OUR SIDE. ... SO, GO AHEAD, MR. PRESIDENT, DELIGHT YOUR FRIENDS AND FRUSTRATE YOUR ENEMIES. QUIT. ... DON'T RESIGN ONE STEP AHEAD OF THE LAW. BOW OUT GRACIOUSLY SIMPLY BECAUSE IT WOULD BE THE RIGHT THING TO DO, THE RIGHT MESSAGE TO SEND TO THOSE OF US WHO HAVE GROWN TOO CYNICAL ABOUT POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT. IF YOU QUIT NOW, YOU'RE AHEAD. YOU LOOK NOBLE.

TEXT: OTHER PAPERS, LIKE "THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR," WORRY THAT AS THE PRESIDENT AND THE NATION ARE PREOCCUPIED WITH THE NEXT STAGES OF THIS INCIDENT, PRESSING WORLD AFFAIRS ARE GOING UNATTENDED.

VOICE: FOR THE SAKE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE -- AND INDEED MUCH OF THE WORLD -- BOTH PARTIES IN WASHINGTON HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE THE NEXT TWO YEARS PRODUCTIVE. THERE ARE TOO MANY URGENT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA ... TO PERMIT TWO YEARS OF DRIFT. ... A MALAISE HANGS OVER THE WORLD. RECOVERY IN WASHINGTON CAN HELP TO LIFT IT.

TEXT: "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" AGREES WITH "THE MONITOR", MENTIONING THE PROBLEMS OF TERRORISM AS IN THE EAST AFRICAN BOMBINGS; THE NAGGING LAPSE IN MIDDLE EAST PEACE TALKS; THE NEW IRAQI INTRANSIGENCE; AND THE LATEST INTELLIGENCE OF POSSIBLE NORTH KOREAN UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR WEAPONS PRODUCTION.

IN NEW YORK, "THE DAILY NEWS" CONTINUES TO RESISTER DISGUST AT THE NORTHERN IRELAND BOMBING WHICH CLAIMED 28 LIVES, AN ATTACK CLAIMED BY A SPLINTER GROUP CALLING ITSELF, "THE REAL I-R-A."

VOICE: THESE BUTCHERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEADLIEST TERROR ATTACK IN NORTHERN IRELAND, AN ACT OF CALCULATED SAVAGERY THAT BLEW 28 PEOPLE TO BITS AND MAIMED 220 OTHERS, AND THEY THINK THEY CAN 'OFFER APOLOGIES'? THEY BOMB A CROWDED SHOPPING DISTRICT ... AND ... EXPECT THE WORLD TO BELIEVE THAT CIVILIANS WERE KILLED BY MISTAKE? ... IF ANYTHING, THE BLOOD IN THE STREETS OF OMAGH SHOULD SIGNIFY RENEWED COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE OF PEACE.

TEXT: "NEWSDAY" ON LONG ISLAND IS CONCERNED ABOUT RECENT INTELLIGENCE REPORTS OF A NEWLY DISCOVERED NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS PRODUCTION FACILITY, IN CONTRAVENTION OF A DEAL WITH THE UNITED STATES TO REPLACE ITS AGING NUCLEAR POWER FACILITIES, WITH NEW ONES THAT DO NOT PRODUCE WEAPONS-GRADE NUCLEAR MATERIAL AS A BY-PRODUCT.

VOICE: NORTH KOREA'S BEHAVIOR IS AS INFURIATING AS IT IS RECKLESS. ITS POPULATION IS DEVASTATED BY FAMINE; ITS ECONOMY IS IN TATTERS; ITS SURVIVAL AT THIS POINT DEPENDS ON THE VERY AID PYONGYANG IS JEOPARDIZING. YES, IT'S VITAL THAT THE NUCLEAR DEAL BE KEPT IN PLACE, BUT NOT AT THE COST OF PUTTING UP WITH THIS DANGEROUS FARCE.

TEXT: IN TEXAS, "THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS" SAYS THE RECENT VISIT BY FIDEL CASTRO TO THE ENGLISH SPEAKING CARIBBEAN SHOULD SEND A SIGNAL TO WASHINGTON.

VOICE: ... THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE CONCERNED. MR. CASTRO'S HOSTS ... PLAYED THE CUBA CARD FOR A REASON. THEY'RE MIFFED AT WASHINGTON, AND UNDERSTANDABLY SO. TAKE TRADE. FOR YEARS, PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS PLEDGED TO GIVE CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES TARIFF BENEFITS EQUAL TO MEXICO'S. THE COUNTRIES NEED THIS CONCESSION BECAUSE NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE DIVERTS MUCH TRADE AND INVESTMENT FROM THE CARIBBEAN TO MEXICO. BUT MR. CLINTON HAS HESITATED TO PUSH THE MATTER BEFORE A RELUCTANT CONGRESS, AND ... CARIBBEAN LEADERS HAVE GOTTEN FED UP WITH HIS EMPTY PROMISES. TAKE BANANAS. THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SUCCESSFULLY PRESSED THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION TO DECLARE EUROPEAN UNION PREFERENCES FOR CARIBBEAN BANANAS ILLEGAL. THIS WAS NOT A BAD OUTCOME, AS EUROPE'S POLICY UNFAIRLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST OTHER COUNTRIES' BANANAS. HOWEVER, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN SLOW TO HELP THE AFFECTED COUNTRIES MAKE THE TRANSITION TO FREE COMPETITION.

TEXT: THE REVELATION THAT SEVERAL MISSING PAGES IN THE FAMED DIARY OF ANN FRANK, HAVE NOW BEEN FOUND DRAWS A RESPONSE FROM "THE BOSTON GLOBE." ANN FRANK WAS THE DUTCH GIRL WHO HID WITH HER JEWISH FAMILY FROM THE NAZIS UNTIL THEY WERE DISCOVERED AND KILLED AT THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO. SAYS "THE GLOBE":

VOICE: THE NEWS IS AS RIVETING AS THE RETRIEVAL OF A BURIED SHAKESPEARE SONNET OR AN UNKNOWN MOZART OPERA. ... THE POINT IS THAT THERE IS MORE TO LEARN ABOUT THE JEWISH DUTCH GIRL WHO BECAME SUCH A POWERFUL SYMBOL OF THE HOLOCAUST. ANY LEGAL DISPUTES BETWEEN THE UNIDENTIFIED KEEPER OF THE NEW-FOUND DIARY ENTRIES AND THE ORGANIZATIONS WISHING TO PUBLISH THEM .... SHOULD BE RESOLVED QUICKLY, BECAUSE THE WORLD IS WAITING. /// OPT

TEXT: BACK TO PRESENT DAY TERROR NOW, WITH A "USA TODAY" COMMENT ON THE LEADING SUSPECT IN THE EAST AFRICAN U-S EMBASSY BOMBINGS, EXILED SAUDI ARABIAN MILLIONAIRE OSAMA BIN LADEN. THE PAPER LAUDS THE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN THE HUNT FOR THE BOMBERS IN KENYA AND TANZANIA, BUT HAS HARSH WORDS FOR THE FUNDAMENTALIST RULERS OF AFGHANISTAN.

VOICE: ON WEDNESDAY, AFGHANISTAN'S TALEBAN ISLAMIC MOVEMENT VOWED TO PROTECT [MR.] BIN LADEN, WHO HIDES OUT IN THEIR CIVIL-WAR-TORN HOMELAND, AND CHALLENGED THE UNITED STATES -- OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT -- TO TRY TO CAPTURE HIM. .... HE IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF NO NATION, INSTEAD FINANCING HIS MAYHEM WITH A VAST PERSONAL FORTUNE. IN LIGHT OF THAT THREAT, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SHOULD HAVE NO HESITATION TO CAPTURE [MR.] BIN LADEN OR ANY OF HIS TERROR SURROGATES, IF THEY CAN BE LINKED TO THE AFRICAN BOMBINGS.

TEXT: "THE SUN" IN BALTIMORE, IS CALLING FOR TOUGH ECONOMIC REFORMS IN RUSSIA TO GET THAT NATION THROUGH ITS CURRENT FINANCIAL CRISIS WITHOUT A TOTAL COLLAPSE.

VOICE: ... THE MOST SERIOUS IMPACT OF MONDAY'S 34 PERCENT DEVALUATION OF THE RUBLE (AND THE EFFECTIVE DEFAULT ON BILLIONS IN DEBT) WILL BE INSIDE ITS BORDERS. SKYROCKETING PRICES FOR IMPORTED FOOD ITEMS AND CONSUMER GOODS COULD RE-IGNITE UNCONTROLLABLE INFLATION. ORDINARY RUSSIANS, WHO HAVE KEPT THEIR SAVINGS IN BANKS OR UNDER THE MATTRESS, COULD SEE THEIR NEST EGGS WIPED OUT. THAT WOULD BE PARTICULARLY HARD ON THE ELDERLY. ... MONDAY'S DECISION CAME AFTER THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT FAILED TO GET ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY AID FROM FOREIGN BACKERS. RUSSIAN OFFICIALS WILL SOON KNOCK AGAIN ON THE DOORS OF MAJOR WESTERN GOVERNMENTS, ASKING FOR MORE. ... IT WOULD BE EASY TO BE DERISIVE OR DISMISSIVE OF THE FINANCIAL MESS RUSSIANS HAVE IMPOSED ON THEMSELVES. THAT IS NOT AN OPTION, HOWEVER. RUSSIA STILL HAS ENOUGH NUCLEAR WEAPONS TO DESTROY THE WEST; THE COUNTRY CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO SLIDE INTO CHAOS.

TEXT: WITH THAT, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT FROM SOME EDITORIALS IN TODAY'S DAILY NEWSPAPERS.
NEB/ANG/MMK
20-Aug-98 11:03 AM EDT (1503 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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