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Voice of America, 99-09-21

Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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


CONTENTS

  • [01] KOSOVO - DISARM (S-ONLY) BY TIM BELAY (PRISTINA)
  • [02] MONTENEGRO INDEPENDENCE (L ONLY) BY TIM BELAY (PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO)
  • [03] BELGRADE PROTEST PREVIEW (L-ONLY) BY PHILIP SMUCKER (BELGRADE)
  • [04] BELGRADE PROTESTS L-ONLY BY PHILIP SMUCKER (BELGRADE)
  • [05] CYBER YUGOSLAVIA BY LAUREN COMITEAU (THE HAGUE)
  • [06] RUSSIA CAUCASUS (L ONLY) BY PETER HEINLEIN (MOSCOW)
  • [07] COHEN - NATO (L-ONLY) (CQ) BY JIM RANDLE (TORONTO, CANADA)
  • [08] NATO - MONEY (L ONLY)(CQ) BY JIM RANDLE (TORONTO, CANADA)
  • [09] E-U / FOOD (L-ONLY) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)
  • [10] N-Y ECON WRAP (S & L) BY BRECK ARDERY (NEW YORK)
  • [11] TUESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

  • [01] KOSOVO - DISARM (S-ONLY) BY TIM BELAY (PRISTINA)

    DATE=9/21/1999
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-254125
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: NATO has reached agreement with the Kosovo Liberation Army on a plan for the K-L-A to disband and let members join a new group to be called the Kosovo Protection Corps. Tim Belay reports that the compromise came only after more than two days of intense negotiations.

    TEXT: Disagreement in several areas delayed the final disbanding of the K-L-A. NATO credits the ten-thousand member rebel force with helping drive Yugoslav armed forces out of the province, but the alliance did not want the new Kosovo Protection Corps to act as a military organization. NATO said it would allow only two hundred members of the five-thousand member Corps to carry sidearms. The K-L-A wanted permission for most of the Protection Corps to carry weapons. NATO prevailed on that point, but on a question of who would be in charge, it appears the K-L-A won. General Agim Ceku, the former chief of staff of the K-L-A, has been named Commander of the Kosovo protection corps.

    /// Opt ///

    NATO had raised objections to allowing K- L-A commanders to also run this new national guard- style force. /// End opt /// (Signed)
    NEB/TB/GE /PLM 21-Sep-1999 05:51 AM EDT (21-Sep-1999 0951 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [02] MONTENEGRO INDEPENDENCE (L ONLY) BY TIM BELAY (PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO)

    DATE=9/21/1999
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-254146
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: Observers in the Yugoslav Republic of Montenegro say they believe the republic's voters would approve a proposal to break away from Yugoslavia. But as Tim Belay reports from Montenegro's capital, Podgorica, they say such a vote is not likely to happen soon.

    TEXT: One month ago, Montenegro's leaders told the Yugoslav government they want broad autonomy for their republic or complete independence. Their message included a threat to hold a public vote on the matter if Yugoslav officials did not agree. That 30-day period is over now. But nothing has happened. And some observers say they believe nothing much will happen soon. The director of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Montenegro is Srdan Darmanovic. He says he believes Montenegrin officials will wait until they are able to coordinate a vote for independence with their supporters in Western Europe and the United States.

    /// DARMANOVIC ACT ONE ///

    Nobody in the West wants a potential new crisis because in a new crisis it is clear that western countries will have to intervene again. A new conflict would push the west to bomb Serbia again or to intervene directly in Montenegro.

    /// END ACT ///

    Mr. Darmanovic says Montenegro's departure from the Yugoslav Federation would create problems for an international community which wants the Serbian province of Kosovo to remain part of what is left of Yugoslavia. Serbia is Yugoslavia's only other remaining republic. Mr. Darmanovic says there is strong support in Montenegro for the republic to hold a vote on breaking away from Yugoslavia. But he says such a move also depends on how long Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic stays in power.

    // DARMANOVIC ACT TWO ///

    Is he still strong or let's say is he capable to instigate a new conflict? He is clearly defeated in Kosovo, but for instigating one more conflict maybe he is still capable.

    /// END ACT ///

    Mr. Darmanovic says that while a vote on Montengro's independence is not likely in the near future, local leaders are moving ahead with plans to establish a new local currency for the republic. (Signed)
    NEB/TB/JWH/JO 21-Sep-1999 12:59 PM EDT (21-Sep-1999 1659 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [03] BELGRADE PROTEST PREVIEW (L-ONLY) BY PHILIP SMUCKER (BELGRADE)

    DATE=9/21/1999
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-254129
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: Serbian opposition leaders launch today what they hope will be a final push to oust Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic from power. From Belgrade, Philip Smucker reports organizers look forward to a new, charismatic leadership emerging from the daily protests.

    TEXT: Serbia's opposition movement is beginning a wave of mass protests (this evening) in what it hopes will be the beginning of the end of the rule of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Despite divisions in their ranks and doubts about the ability of peaceful protests to make a difference in Serbia, opposition leaders say they are confident in change. The protests are being launched at time when Serbia's economy has reached a new, all-time low for this decade. Goran Svilanovic, a leader of Serbia's Civic Alliance, said the countrywide street protests /// OPT /// - which begin at 6 pm Belgrade time - /// END OPT /// are likely to start with a core of support and grow into a mass uprising. He said he expects the protests to continue into the winter. Most opposition leaders believe that only immense public pressure will force Mr. Milosevic to step aside. Many analysts say that the Yugoslav President's indictment as a war crimes suspect by the international tribunal in the Hague will only strengthen his determination to remain in power. The Serbian opposition will begin Tuesday's protest by comparing the Milosevic regime's promises on health, education and welfare to the reality of what is now a ruined state. Serb demonstrators say they will stage a mock trial of government and will issue a verdict on their guilt or innocence. Opposition leaders say that verdict will be delivered to Parliament and to the front doors of the homes of politicians. Officials close to President Slobodan Milosevic say demonstrators should not fear a police crackdown, unless they disobey the law. (SIGNED)
    NEB/PS/GE/BK 21-Sep-1999 10:19 AM LOC (21-Sep-1999 1419 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America


    [04] BELGRADE PROTESTS L-ONLY BY PHILIP SMUCKER (BELGRADE)

    DATE=9/21/1999
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-254162
    INTERNET=YES CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: The Serbian opposition has begun a new wave of street demonstrations aimed at removing Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic from power. Philip Smucker reports on these protests from Belgrade.

    TEXT: The opposition leaders say Mr. Milosevic's policies have ruined the country and that they have three goals - the president's resignation, a transitional government and free elections. An estimated 35,000 citizens attended the demonstrations on a rainy night in Belgrade, and tens of thousands more protested in the streets of other cities in Serbia. The leader of Serbia's Democratic Party, Zoran Djindjic, urged demonstrators to put Mr. Milosevic on what amounts to a mock public trial in the coming days. He said that the latest round of street protests would be a test of nerves and endurance.

    //DJINDJIC ACT//

    We must show who is stronger in this country, the people or evil, Serbia or [Mr.] Milosevic. That must be shown this fall, this year - we must make it clear.

    //END ACT//

    In Belgrade's Republic Square, street vendors sold cardboard masks of Mr. Milosevic and protesters had the option of poking out the eyes on the image of the president's face, The crowd listened and laughed a bit amid the blare of rock music and protest speeches. The angriest of those speeches came from a leader of the Civic Alliance opposition group, Goran Svilanovic, who said he had been forced to serve in the army for three months because of Mr. Milosevic's Kosovo policies. Mr. Svilanovic said the Serbian people had been led into war thinking they would fight for something good, but had instead been "forced into crime." He also said the children of Mr. Milosevic were living in luxury while the children of common citizens were poorer than ever. The protests are taking place at time when Serbia's economy has reached its lowest point in a decade. Government workers and the elderly have not received salaries or pension payments in months. Mr. Milosevic's Socialist Party has tried to counter the protests by portraying the opposition leaders as lackeys of NATO who support a Western agenda to destroy Yugoslavia. But most Serbian and Western analysts believe that the Yugoslav President's indictment as a war crimes suspect by an international court will only increase his determination to stay in power. (SIGNED) NEB/PS//JP 21-Sep-1999 17:19 PM EDT (21-Sep-1999 2119 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [05] CYBER YUGOSLAVIA BY LAUREN COMITEAU (THE HAGUE)

    DATE=9/21/1999
    TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
    NUMBER=5-44292
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: After a decade of wars that saw the break-up of Yugoslavia, there is now a new Balkan state vying for international recognition. It is called Cyber Yugoslavia, and it is located in -- cyberspace. Lauren Comiteau in the Hague tells more about this first computer internet "on line" nation.

    TEXT:

    /// SOUNDS OF ESTABLISHING INTERNET CONNECTION - FADE under ///
    The gateway to Cyber Yugoslavia. You do not need a plane or train ticket to get to this country. In fact, if you want a passport, all that is required is a computer internet connection and, says creator Zoran Bacic, to feel Yugoslav -- regardless of your nationality.

    /// BACIC ACT ONE ///

    Now, by our constitution, everyone will be accepted, so everybody is truly innocent until proven guilty, which is I think very difficult to state for most other countries where you really have to prove you have serious reason for joining a community. This is not the case, quite opposite.

    /// END ACT ///

    This cyber country without borders and ethnic wars is about as far away as you can get from what is left of Zoran Bacic's native Yugoslavia. Mr. Bacic himself now lives in Amsterdam. Cyber Yugoslavia is his attempt to reclaim a homeland in cyberspace for anyone willing to create a different kind of society -- one where everyone is equal and no one owns anything. It is an idea, he says, that is not specific to the Balkans.

    /// BACIC ACT TWO ///

    The usual question -- is this like a fourth Yugoslavia, because the previous one was called the third one? And I don't see it as such a thing. I don't see it as the fourth Yugoslavia. I don't see it as the continuation of the old one. It was just accidentally called Yugoslavia, and whatever happens with it will be the point. We don't know yet. Especially not me.

    /// END ACT ///

    About five-thousand people have already joined this virtual nation, which is less than one month old. Every citizen is required to be a Minister or Secretary. For example, Zoran Bacic is the Secretary Webmaster. There is a Secretary for Information and one for War. But there is also a Secretary for the Undersexed, a Secretary of Time Wasting, and one for Postcards and Destroyed Bridges. Citizens of this mythical cyber nation seem to like that idea

    /// BOGOEVJA ACT ONE ///

    I'm the secretary for warm blue seas, and I'm happy and proud to be a citizen of Cyber Yugoslalvia because it's such a noble idea.

    /// END ACT ///

    Julija Bogoeva is from Belgrade but now lives in the Hague in the Netherlands. She says Cyber Yugoslavia has created a space for the many people who still feel connected to the idea of Yugoslavia.

    /// BOGOEVA ACT TWO ///

    For me, it's the idea of diversity and togetherness. For me it proves, and that's why I feel good in this project, because it shows that the idea of Yugoslavia hasn't been defeated. The idea of Yugoslavia has been attacked and has caused bloodshed not a couple times in recent history. But the idea was never killed. The idea lived.

    /// END ACT ///

    The rock group Idoli from the old Yugoslavia plays a possible national anthem.

    /// MUSIC - FADE UNDER ///

    By constitutional decree, all citizens in Cyber Yugoslavia must be active, whether they are suggesting songs for the weekly anthem or voting to amend the constitution itself. More citizens of the mythical nation are from the former Yugoslavia then from anywhere else. But about 90 countries are represented in Cyber Yugoslavia. Americans make up about one-fifth of the virtual population. Mr. Bacic says that when there are five-million citizens, he plans to ask the United Nations for recognition along with 20 square meters of land -- a location for the country's server computer. This is a serious endeavor for some. But others -- like Nenad Popovic, who grew up in what is now Croatia consider it in bad taste.

    /// POPOVIC ACT ///

    I think these things should be personal. The country that was once Yugoslavia is gone, and each of us has their own personal Yugoslavia somewhere -- the Yugoslavia of one's youth. The point is it's something really personal and you cannot really re-create it in any way. You can make fun of it, you can hate it. You can make a cyber-page which is like a joke, but as a political statement or anything of that sort, it just doesn't work.

    /// END ACT ///

    Joke or no-joke, Zoran Bacic says he is not concerned

    /// BACIC ACT THREE ///

    What is serious and what is not serious? What one person treats as a joke another person treats as a serious issue. Again, it's a question of context. Is there any country that is serious? I don't know.

    /// END ACT ///

    If you want to apply for citizenship in this mythical internet country -- or just go as a tourist -- you can visit Cyber Yugoslavia on the internet at www.juga.com. (Signed)
    NEB/LC/JWH/KL 21-Sep-1999 08:14 AM EDT (21-Sep-1999 1214 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [06] RUSSIA CAUCASUS (L ONLY) BY PETER HEINLEIN (MOSCOW)

    DATE=9/21/1999
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-254151
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: The leaders of two southern Russian republics bordering breakaway Chechnya have held an unauthorized meeting with the Chechen president amid growing fears of a new Caucasian war. V-O-A Moscow Correspondent Peter Heinlein reports that Russia, angered by bombs that killed hundreds of civilians, is continuing a military buildup along the Chechen border.

    TEXT: As Russian jets rained bombs on suspected rebel positions in Chechnya (Tuesday), the presidents of the neighboring republics of Ingushetia and North Ossetia confirmed they had met Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov. The meeting was held at the small Ingush town of Magan a few kilometers from the Chechen border. A spokesman says the three regional leaders discussed the current hostilities in nearby Dagestan, where Russia has amassed a force estimated at 20-thousand troops to battle Chechen-led rebels. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says the objective is to seal off the breakaway region, but many military analysts here believe Russia is intent on reversing the humiliating defeat it suffered in Chechnya three years ago. President Boris Yeltsin has described the earlier Chechen campaign as the biggest mistake of his presidency. The Itar-Tass news agency reports the three regional leaders meeting in Magan discussed ways local law enforcement groups could prevent what are called "bandits" from Chechnya crossing into neighboring republics. But Ingushetia's president was quoted as saying no steps have been taken to seal the Chechen frontier. Journalists and others familiar with the terrain say an attempt to blockade Chechnya would be almost impossible, as well as expensive. President Maskhadov himself has said there is little his forces or anyone else can do to prevent illegal border crossings, especially in remote, rugged mountain areas. Moreover, analysts in Moscow say Mr. Maskhadov has little control over rebel groups operating from Chechen territory. But in an interview published this week in a Moscow magazine, President Maskhadov warned Russian military strategists against any attempt to retake the breakaway region. In a reference to the troop buildup along the Chechnya/Dagestan border, Mr. Maskhadov said "Never again will we allow" Russian troops to march to the center of the Chechen capital, Grozny. (Signed) NEB/PFH/JWH/gm 21-Sep-1999 13:25 PM EDT (21-Sep-1999 1725 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America


    [07] COHEN - NATO (L-ONLY) (CQ) BY JIM RANDLE (TORONTO, CANADA)

    DATE=9/20/1999
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-254117
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:
    /// Reissued to change "plane" to "pilot" in last graph, line 4 ///

    INTRO: NATO defense ministers are taking a hard look at the lessons of the air war in Kosovo as they gather for annual informal talks in Toronto. U-S and Canadian officials say the ministers are seeking better ways to communicate, get troops into battle, and pay for the high tech tools of modern war. V-O- A's Jim Randle reports the 19 nations feel the strain of fielding nearly 80-thousand troops to keep the peace in Bosnia and Kosovo.

    TEXT: U-S Defense Secretary William Cohen says recent air combat over Yugoslavia showed the value of bombs and missiles guided by lasers and satellite signals, and also revealed that U-S capabilities surpass those of most NATO allies. Mr. Cohen says if NATO is to remain an effective military force, the allies must build or buy the equipment to fire satellite-guided weapons and similar advanced, expensive hardware. During the Kosovo campaign, Mr. Cohen says U-S pilots were exposed to unnecessary risk because some allied planes had old-fashioned radios that allowed Serb air defenses to listen in and try to figure out where planes were headed and when they would get there. On a flight from Washington to Toronto Monday, Mr. Cohen told reporters he would urge other NATO leaders to improve their military forces, and resist political pressures to cut military spending. Meantime, Canadian Defense Minister Art Eggleton says reorganization of NATO-led peackeeping forces in the Balkans will be a major issue in these talks because many allied nations are `feeling stretched' by fielding 31-thousand peacekeeping troops in Bosnia and over 45-thousand more in Kosovo. U-S officials have said the ministers will talk about ways to cut the Bosnia force by about one third, but no final decision is planned at this gathering.

    /// REST OPT///

    This the last ministerial meeting for Secretary- General Javier Solana, the Spaniard who led the NATO alliance through the Kosovo air war without losing a single pilot in combat. Next month, Mr. Solana will be replaced by British Defense Secretary George Robertson. He impressed other defense ministers by reforming and streamlining the British military. (Signed). NEB/JR/TVM/gm 20-Sep-1999 21:17 PM EDT (21-Sep-1999 0117 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [08] NATO - MONEY (L ONLY)(CQ) BY JIM RANDLE (TORONTO, CANADA)

    DATE=9/21/1999
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-254137
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:
    /// RE-ISSUING TO CLARIFY IDENTIFICATION IN 5TH GRAF, 2ND SENTENCE, OF TEXT.

    INTRO: The man who will soon lead the NATO Alliance, British Defense Minister George Robertson, says members must clarify NATO's goals and do a better job of managing their money and manpower. Mr. Robertson spoke in Toronto where alliance defense ministers are gathered to talk about the lessons of the Kosovo air war and the future of NATO. V-O-A's Jim Randle reports the talks come at a time when many NATO members are cutting military budgets.

    TEXT: Britain's George Robertson says one lesson from Kosovo is that smaller forces and lighter equipment are needed so they can be sent quickly to trouble spots and keep bad situations from becoming catastrophes. He says such forces will not be effective unless they are armed with the most advanced weapons available -- and that, he says, is expensive.

    ///ROBERTSON ACT ///

    I think that Kosovo has shown people, for real, that this world is going to be more dangerous, and that defense is not some luxury that can be cut in times of trouble. But it is a key part of national security, and I think people are responding very much to that message.

    /// END ACT ///

    Mr. Robertson will become NATO's Secretary General next month. He spoke to reporters in Toronto briefly after a breakfast meeting with U-S Defense Secretary William Cohen. Mr. Cohen says the NATO alliance will try to save money for purchasing new weapons by limiting the number of places it dispatches troops and planes.

    /// COHEN ACT ///

    What we are trying to do is not necessarily spend more money but to spend money more wisely.

    /// END ACT ///

    NATO leaders gathered in Toronto say they will discuss ways to cut the current 31-thousand member peacekeeping force in Bosnia by about one third. The Bosnia deployments have cost billions of dollars at a time when an even larger NATO-led force is moving into Kosovo to stop bloodshed there. Europe is home to several multi-national forces, and Mr. Robertson says better coordination between them and NATO could save money. Both Mr. Cohen and Mr. Robertson say more savings could come from reforming the way new weapons are bought. Mr. Robertson says too many nations are spending money developing exactly the same kind of equipment.

    /// ROBERTSON ACT ///

    A lot of money is being spent by the European countries, but we don't get the capability. We tend to compete with each other, duplicate with each other. And I think that most of the European members of NATO are recognizing that that is not the best way of dealing with tomorrow's threats. We've got to be much more sophisticated about what we spend on, and make sure the value is their for the taxpayers' money.

    /// END ACT ///

    NATO leaders were greeted by protests when they arrived Monday, as a few of Canada's 100-thousand ethnic Serbs used signs and chants to criticize NATO's 78 day bombing campaign against Serb targets all across Yugoslavia. NATO's talks are scheduled to continue here through Wednesday. (SIGNED).
    NEB/JR/BK 21-Sep-1999 11:10 AM LOC (21-Sep-1999 1510 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [09] E-U / FOOD (L-ONLY) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

    DATE=9/21/1999
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-254135
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: The European Union is ready to lift its ban on Belgian beef exports after tests showed only one percent of cattle examined had any trace of the cancer-causing chemical, dioxin. V-O-A correspondent Ron Pemstein reports from Brussels that even that one percent is causing concern about the rest of world's beef supply. Text: First there was mad cow disease in Britain and Portugal, which stopped their cattle exports. Then Belgian meat exports were banned by the European Union when animal feed contamination caused the appearance of cancer-causing dioxins in chickens, pigs and cattle. Belgium has now complied with the European Union's strict tests for resuming exports. According to the tests, 99 percent of the one thousand cattle tested had no problems. As for the remaining one percent, European Commission spokeswoman Thea Emmerling says the cattle appeared to be contaminated NOT by feed from the company, Verkest, but by their location near industrial complexes.

    ///Emmerling Act///

    Only two of these tests have very high limits. All of the positive samples are from animals raised near industrial complexes and it seems to be clear that there is no relation to the Verkest contamination.

    ///End Act///

    As a result, the European Commission is ready to lift the export ban on Belgian beef, but is asking for more tests on Belgian chickens and pigs. The more startling news is that all European beef exports, in fact the entire world's beef exports, could be contaminated if the cattle are raised near industrial plants.

    ///Emmerling Act///

    We are concerned about the one percent in the levels which were found, but this is not a Belgian problem, but it might be a worldwide problem because of animals raised next to industrial sites. So you have to distinguish the Verkest (feed) contamination and normal contamination which takes place everywhere in the world.

    ///End Act///

    The European Union has refused to import American and Canadian beef on the grounds that the cattle are treated with growth hormones. The European Union insists it must complete scientific tests to make sure that North American beef is safe for consumption. The World Trade Organization has supported the American position that the European ban is, in fact, an unfair trading practice to protect the European beef industry. The sides are now negotiating over whether American beef can be sold on the European market with a proper label to alert consumers. (Signed) NEB/RP/GE/LTD/JP 21-Sep-1999 12:10 PM EDT (21-Sep-1999 1610 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

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

    DATE=9/21/1999
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-254163
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: Stock prices in the United States were down sharply today (Tuesday) as a record U-S trade deficit caused the value of the U-S dollar to fall. VOA Business Correspondent Breck Ardery reports from New York.

    TEXT: The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 10- thousand-598, down 225 points, more than two percent. The Standard and Poor's 500 index closed at 13- hundred-seven, down 28 points. The NASDAQ index lost more than two percent. Analysts say the intense sell-off was fueled by several factors. Perhaps the most important was the record U-S trade deficit in July. That caused a drop in the U-S dollar, touching off new fears that the U-S central bank will raise interest rates again, if only to defend the dollar.

    ///Begin opt///

    James Maguire of the Henderson Brothers investment company says the consensus on Wall Street is starting to shift to the idea that the central bank will again raise interest rates.

    ///Maguire act, opt///

    There had been some feeling that maybe they were not going to raise rates. But now, I think the people on the floor (of the New York Stock Exchange) are about evenly divided on it. Personally, I think we will see a one-quarter percent increase.

    ///end act, end opt///

    In addition to the interest rate worries, Wall Street was shocked by an earnings warning from the Apple computer company which said a shortage of microprocessors prevented it from selling as many products as expected. And, the devastating earthquake in Taiwan sparked concerns that Taiwan's huge computer chip industry will be hurt. Some U-S technology companies import parts from Taiwan.

    ///Rest opt///

    As expected, Bell Atlantic of the United States and Vodaphone AirTouch of Britain have formed a joint venture to combine their mobile telephone operations in the United States. The venture, which will initially serve 20 million wireless telephone customers, may eventually be spun off into a separate company. Goldman Sachs, one of the leading U-S investment banks, reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit. The firm enjoyed a surge in fees for its role in advising companies on mergers and acquisitions. United Technologies, the U-S aerospace company, will cut 15-hundred jobs, or more than eight percent of its work force. Management says the job cuts will improve efficiency. Unilever, the Anglo-Dutch consumer products company, says it will eliminate three-quarters of its branded products, or about 12-hundred items. The company says it will then concentrate on the 400 brands which produce 90 percent of the company's revenues. Unilever says the move will eliminate more than one and one- half billion dollars in costs over the next three years.
    NEB/NY/BA/LSF 21-Sep-1999 17:05 PM LOC (21-Sep-1999 2105 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [11] TUESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

    DATE=9/21/1999
    TYPE=U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST
    NUMBER=6-11479
    EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
    TELEPHONE=619-3335
    CONTENT=

    INTRO: President Clinton's refusal to discuss with Congress his reasons for granting clemency to a group of jailed Puerto Rican terrorists continues as a major controversy in the U-S press. Other topics under scrutiny in the editorial columns of America's newspapers Tuesday include a huge gift to minority education from the world's richest man; U-N peacekeepers in East Timor, and the implications for Indonesia; the terrorist situation in Russia, as the nation mourns a former first lady; penalizing Iraq's children to get at Saddam Hussein; and the peace process in Northern Ireland. Now, here with a closer look and some excerpts is _____________ and today's editorial digest.

    TEXT: President Clinton has granted clemency to about a dozen Puerto Rican terrorists jailed for more than a decade for conspiracy to bomb buildings and other terrorist acts. He did so because the group had not been linked directly to any killings. Many people, however, felt Mr. Clinton was mainly motivated by a desire to help his wife win a Senate seat in New York, where the Puerto Rican vote is important. Now, another controversy over the issue has developed. On New York's Long Island, Newsday says Mr. Clinton was "Wrong on clemency, [but] right on privilege."

    VOICE: . [Mr.] Clinton was right to cite `executive privilege' in denying Congress access to documents and testimony reflecting the advice he received from advisers on the question of clemency for convicted Puerto Rican separatists. Clemency in this case was a bad decision. But presidents since George Washington have properly asserted-and the courts have long recognized-a president's right to shield private executive-branch communications from prying eyes.

    TEXT: The Detroit News agrees, but in Oklahoma, The Tulsa World complains:

    VOICE: Good Lord, Mr. President. . Tell us the whole story. Americans might even agree with you if you can make a good case for clemency. As it is, no one is very happy with a president who forgives terrorists at precisely a time when there are plenty of anti- government, anti-establishment Americans just aching to perform terrorist acts.

    TEXT: Turning to yet another domestic topic, the one- billion-dollar gift from the world's richest man, Microsoft's chairman, Bill Gates, to establish college scholarships for minority students, The Boston Globe says:

    VOICE: While [Mr.] Gates and his fellow information- age titans are looking for tax write-offs and will never be confused with Mother Teresa, they deserve credit for looking beyond the computer screen to help solve some of society's problems.

    TEXT: Oklahoma's Tulsa World is also impressed, noting:

    VOICE: [Mr.] Gates . has a stake in the program other than his money. Better-educated young people will continue to fuel the high-tech industry that has made him wealthy and successful. It also could spawn the next generation of great American philanthropists. And the next such wave could, thanks to the Gates' foundation, reflect the ethnic diversity of the country.

    TEXT: As United Nations peacekeepers build up their strength on the island of East Timor, there is concern in The [Baltimore] Sun that the independence of half this island not lead to the fragmentation of Indonesia.

    VOICE: The cohesion of the world's fourth-biggest country, [EDITORS: fourth MOST POPULUS COUNTRY] with 210-million people on thousands of islands speaking hundreds of dialects, is more important than the secession of some 800-thousand [people] on a lesser isle. If Australia is taking the lead in the force that will aid, guide and protect East Timor, Washington should concentrate on helping Indonesia evolve toward democracy, reduce its army's role, strengthen civil society, restore the economy and- above all-hold together.

    TEXT: On the other side of the world, the terror bombing campaign in Russia, draws this response from today's Forth Worth [Texas]Star-Telegram.

    VOICE: Given the sad condition of Russia's economy, its ideological fragmentation and the general disillusionment of the populace, the terror bombings could be the gust of ill wind that tumbles the house of cards. Regardless of who is responsible, the bombings will exacerbate the political instability in Russia. The plunge toward anarchy could give rise to a new tyranny and perhaps a resurgence of Russian ultra-nationalism and expansion that could pose a real threat to world peace.

    TEXT: Still with Russian affairs, today's New York Times mourns the passing of Raisa Gorbachev, wife of Mikhail Gorbachev, who died of leukemia in Germany.

    VOICE: In many ways, Mrs. Gorbachev simply declared herself the Soviet Union's first First Lady, a powerful act by a commanding woman. Unlike most Kremlin wives, who favored mud-colored clothes and a secure position out of sight, Mrs. Gorbachev played a role that was front and center. /// OPT /// . Almost eight years after her husband's resignation and three years after his pathetic efforts to be elected Russian president, Mrs. Gorbachev, like her husband, is still more admired outside her own country than within.

    ///END OPT ///

    TEXT: In the Middle East, there are more comments about the hardships being wrought on the Iraqi people by the economic boycott against Saddam Hussein. However, New York's Newsday, on Long Island, says "Iraq Doesn't Deserve to Have Its Sanctions Lifted."

    VOICE: As pressure increased in the United Nations for easing sanctions on Baghdad or dropping them altogether, [President] Clinton must summon the will to stand fast and veto any such move to reward Hussein's enduring defiance. ... As long as Hussein is in control, Iraq will continue to be a massive headache.

    /// OPT ///

    TEXT: Back in Asia, there is still more criticism of the draconian measures Malaysia is taking toward the news media and other government critics. Here's the Honolulu (Hawaii) Star-Bulletin on that.

    VOICE: Last April the former deputy prime minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, was found guilty of four charges of corruption and sentenced to six years in prison. [Mr.] Anwar had been charged with abusing his position by attempting to block an investigation into charges that he had committed adultery and sodomy. . [Mr.] Anwar had been [Prime Minister] Mahathir Mohamad's protege and probable successor until the two men fell out over government economic policy during the Asian economic crisis. . The treatment of [Mr.] Anwar is a measure of how far the Malaysian courts have come from the time when they were respected throughout the world. Judges have also been remarkably harsh with people who criticized the courts. Murray Hierbert, a Canadian journalist for the Far Eastern Economic Review . has begun serving a six-week jail term for the crime of "scandalizing the court." [Mr.] Hiebert wrote about a lawsuit by the wife of a prominent judge ... [who] ... sued her son's' school, alleging that it had unfairly dropped him from the debate team. ... Prime Minister Mahathir bears a heavy responsibility for politicizing the justice system and damaging individual rights. His treatment of [Mr.] Anwar alone is enough to make him a pariah.

    /// END OPT ///

    TEXT: There is some strong criticism of a recent deal between the United States and North Korea, with support from South Korea and Japan, involving an end to some economic sanctions against Pyongyang in return for a halt to long-range missile testing by the North. Says The Augusta, Georgia, Chronicle:

    VOICE: It has been clear throughout the `90s that the Clinton administration policy toward North Korea is to appease, and Pyongyang's policy toward the U-S is to play the extortion game. It's got to stop. /// OPT

    /// . this year the Red rulers were again rattling their sabers, threatening to test long-range missiles that could reach U-S coastal cities [EDITORS: In Hawaii and Alaska]. The administration responded . with a new act of appeasement-lifting a half-century of restrictions on trade, travel and banking. These were huge concessions and, in exchange, the only assurances Pyongyang offered was their word that they would not test the missiles. That's a cruel joke. The history of North Korea, like most communist regimes, is riddled with broken pledges and empty rhetoric.

    ///END OPT ///

    TEXT: Lastly, some thoughts on the plan for a new Northern Ireland police force, recently put forth by the former British governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten. The Los Angeles Times says of the year-long Northern Ireland peace effort:

    VOICE: [The 175 recommendations] . could help set the foundation for policing in a time of peace. These proposals could improve almost any police force, but perhaps not without a radical overhaul of law enforcement and security practices. And that's precisely what's called for in Northern Ireland, where the heavy-handed Royal Ulster Constabulary, a largely Protestant force, enforces the law. Nevertheless, the vast majority in Northern Ireland understands that the population must embrace these proposals or risk what few political gains have been made. . The Patten report is a road map to sensible security.

    TEXT: That concludes this sampling of comment from Tuesday's U-S press. NEB/ANG/rrm 21-Sep-1999 11:28 AM EDT (21-Sep-1999 1528 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America


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