Voice of America, 31 December 1995

From: "Ioannis V. Bousnakis" <ivb19@nfi.com>

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] BONO / BOSNIA (S ONLY) BY KYLE KING (SARAJEVO )

INTRO: POP STAR BONO, THE LEADER OF THE IRISH MUSIC GROUP U-2 IS HELPING THE PEOPLE OF SARAJEVO BRING IN THE NEW YEAR. SPEAKING TO REPORTERS DURING A SURPRISE VISIT, THE ROCK STAR PAID SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO THE CITY AND ITS PEOPLE. V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS.

TEXT: WEARING HIS CUSTOMARY SUNGLASSES AND JOKING WITH REPORTERS, BONO SAID HE WAS HAPPY TO BE THE FIRST FAMOUS TOURIST TO VISIT SARAJEVO SINCE THE PEACE TREATY WAS SIGNED.

ON A SERIOUS NOTE, BONO SAID THERE IS REALLY NOTHING THAT CAN PREPARE YOU FOR THE DESTRUCTION THE CITY SUFFERED, BUT HE SAID HE WAS IMPRESSED BY ITS PEOPLE AND THEY WAY THEY SURVIVED THE HORRORS OF WAR.

THIS MAY SOUND TRITE, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING OF THE WIT AND HUMOR OF THE PEOPLE OF SARAJEVO THAT STRUCK A CHORD, THE ALMOST SORT OF EVERYDAY SURREALISM OF THE PLACE.

THE ROCK SUPER STAR SAID HE THOUGHT HE NOTICED A SPECIAL LIGHT IN PEOPLE'S EYES.

QUESTIONED ABOUT CONCERT PLANS, HE SAID HE LOOKED FORWARD TO PLAYING SARAJEVO, BUT IT WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE POSSIBLE UNTIL 1997. (SIGNED)

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31-Dec-95 11:18 AM EST (1618 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] BOSNIA / NEW YEARS (L) BY KYLE KING (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: BOSNIANS ARE CELEBRATING THE NEW YEAR WITH A MIXTURE OF JOY AND SADNESS. DESPITE A GROWING SENSE THE FOUR-YEAR WAR IS FINALLY OVER, MANY PEOPLE LOOK BACK AT THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION AND ASK THEMSELVES HOW IT EVER HAPPENED. V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO.

TEXT: THE NEW YEAR'S TRIBUTE TO SARAJEVO CONCERT AT THE NATIONAL THEATER MARKED AN ECUMENICAL CELEBRATION OF THE END OF THE WAR, AND A RETURN TO THE CITY'S ONCE-THRIVING CULTURAL LIFE.

DRESSED IN TUXEDOS AND EVENING GOWNS, AND EVEN MILITARY FATIGUES, SURVIVORS OF THE TERRIBLE SIEGE LISTENED INTENTLY TO THE STRAINS OF BEETHOVEN'S POWERFUL FIFTH SYMPHONY, AS IT ECHOED THROUGH A BUILDING STILL BEARING THE SCARS OF SNIPER BULLETS.

ACROSS TOWN, BOSNIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MOHAMMED SACIRBEY WAS PLAYING HOST TO BONO, THE LEAD SINGER OF THE IRISH ROCK GROUP U-2, WHO CAME TO SARAJEVO TO SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH THE BOSNIAN PEOPLE ON NEW YEAR'S.

AT AN IMPROMPTU NEWS CONFERENCE THAT WAS, IN MANY WAYS, TYPICAL FOR THE CITY, YET REMARKABLE FOR ITS INFORMALITY, THE FOREIGN MINISTER DESCRIBED HIS VISION OF THE NEW BOSNIA.

CLEARLY, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA TO BUILD SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT IN THE PAST EXISTED IN EUROPE EXCEPT MAYBE IN SARAJEVO BEFORE THE WAR, AND THAT IS WHERE EAST MEETS WEST, WHERE ISLAM MEETS CHRISTIANITY, CATHOLICISM MEETS ORTHODOXY, WHERE THE VALUES OF ONE PART OF THE GLOBE MEETS THE VALUES OF ANOTHER WHERE I THINK BOTH PARTS CAN BENEFIT FROM THAT.

THE CELEBRATION OF THE NEW YEAR HERE IS A FESTIVAL THAT ALL THE TRADITIONS IN THE CITY HAVE IN COMMON AND THAT APPEALS GREATLY TO ME.

COMING FROM THE AIRPORT, NOTHING REALLY PREPARES YOU FOR THE DESTRUCTION, AND MY FIRST IMPRESSION WAS THAT IF PEOPLE CAN LIVE THROUGH THIS, THEY MUST BE A VERY EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE INDEED, AND THAT THEY MUST HAVE A GREAT FUTURE.

BUT FOR MANY, THAT FUTURE WILL BE SPENT WITHOUT THE FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES WHO WERE KILLED OR DRIVEN AWAY BY THE ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS HATRED THAT KINDLED THE WORST CONFLICT IN EUROPE SINCE THE SECOND WORLD WAR. ONE WOMAN, ASKED ABOUT HER FEELINGS FOR THE NEW YEAR, SAID SHE WAS HAPPY THE WAR WAS OVER, BUT HER HEART WAS EMPTY BECAUSE THE WORLD SHE HAD KNOWN WAS GONE, AND NOTHING WOULD EVER BE THE SAME. (SIGNED)

NEB / KK / BD-T / SKH
31-Dec-95 5:08 PM EST (2208 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] U-S / NATO (L) BY KYLE KING (SARAJEVO )

INTRO: THE COMPLETION OF THE LONG-DELAYED PONTOON BRIDGE OVER THE SAVA RIVER CLEARS THE WAY FOR THE BULK OF THE U-S CONTINGENT TO THE NATO PEACEKEEPING FORCE TO ENTER BOSNIA. AS V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO, NATO OFFICIALS ARE EXPECTING THE TROOPS TO START POURING IN SUNDAY.

TEXT: AS THE FIRST U-S VEHICLES WERE ROLLING OVER THE NEWLY COMPLETED SAVA RIVER BRIDGE, NATO OFFICIALS WERE LAYING PLANS FOR A HUGE CONVOY THAT WILL HEAD SUNDAY INTO TUZLA.

COLONEL MARK RAYNER, A NATO SPOKESMAN IN SARAJEVO SAYS THE CONVOY OF SEVERAL-HUNDRED TRUCKS AND TRACKED VEHICLES WILL LIKELY SNARL TRAFFIC FROM THE STAGING POINTS IN CROATIA ALL THE WAY INTO BOSNIA.

THE CONVOYS WILL TRAVEL IN WHAT WE CALL SERIALS, OR PACKETS OF 15 VEHICLES, AT 25 MILES AN HOUR, WITH A 10-MINUTE BREAK BETWEEN ALL THOSE SERIALS TO ALLOW LOCAL TRAFFIC ON THE ROADS TO OVERTAKE AND GET AS FREE A MOVEMENT ON THE ROAD AS POSSIBLE.

WORK ON THE SAVA RIVER BRIDGE HAS BEEN A MAJOR HEADACHE FOR U-S MILITARY PLANNERS, WHO WERE PLAGUED BY BAD WEATHER AND FLOODING. JUST AS THEY WERE ABOUT TO PUT THE CENTER SPANS ACROSS THE RIVER SATURDAY, THEY REALIZED THE RAIN SOAKED GROUND UNDERNEATH HAD TO BE REINFORCED WITH GRAVEL.

U-S FORCES ALSO SUFFERED THEIR FIRST CASUALTY SATURDAY.

COLONEL RAYNOR SAYS A SOLDIER WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED TRAVELING IN A JEEP-LIKE VEHICLE KNOWN AS A HUMVEE ON THE ROAD LEADING TO THE BRIDGE.

HE WAS INJURED WHEN THE HUMVEE HIT AN ANTI-TANK MINE. HE IS IN STABLE CONDITION WITH NON LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES. HE WILL PROBABLY BE EVACUATED TO A U-S MILITARY HOSPITAL IN GERMANY.

A TOTAL OF EIGHT MILITARY PLANES HAVE LANDED AT THE NEWLY RE-OPENED AIRPORT IN MOSTAR, AND OTHERS ARE EXPECTED TO LAND IN THE COMING DAYS.

FRENCH TROOPS RE-OPENED THE AIRPORT, AFTER REPAIRING THE RUNWAY AND INSTALLING NEW RADAR EQUIPMENT. THE AIRPORT HAD NOT BEEN USED SINCE BEING DAMAGED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR.

NATO OFFICIALS SAY THEY ALSO PLAN TO ESCORT MORE CONVOYS OF CIVILIAN TRAFFIC INTO THE BOSNIAN-HELD ENCLAVE OF GORAZDE. THE FIRST BUS CARRYING CIVILIANS REACHED GORAZDE SATURDAY, AND OFFICIALS SAY THEY EXPECT REGULAR SERVICE TO BE ESTABLISHED SOON.

THE DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT CALLS FOR THE EVENTUAL CREATION OF A CORRIDOR THROUGH SERB-HELD TERRITORY TO THE ONCE BESIEGED ENCLAVE, WHICH WAS CUT OFF BY SERB FORCES DURING THE WAR. (SIGNED)

NEB/KBK/DW/RAE
31-Dec-95 9:53 AM EST (1453 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] U-S CASUALTY / BOSNIA (S-ONLY) BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: U-S ARMY SPECIALIST MARTIN JOHN BEGOSH IS RECOVERING FROM INJURIES SUFFERED WHEN HIS ARMY VEHICLE HIT AN ANTI-TANK MINE (SATURDAY) WHILE ON A ROUTINE RECONNAISSANCE MISSION IN BOSNIA. V-O-A'S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS THE YOUNG MAN'S PARENTS IN ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND ARE RELIEVED HIS WOUNDS ARE NOT SERIOUS AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING HIM HOME:

TEXT: THE ARMY SPECIALIST, A MEMBER OF A MILITARY POLICE UNIT (709TH MILITARY POLICE BATTALION), WAS IN THE LEAD VEHICLE OF A FOUR-VEHICLE PATROL. HIS ALL-TERRAIN HUMVEE (EDS NOTE: A VEHICLE SIMILAR TO A JEEP) HIT AN ANTI-TANK MINE PACKED WITH ABOUT FIVE AND ONE-HALF KILOGRAMS OF HIGH EXPLOSIVES ABOUT 15 KILOMETERS SOUTH OF THE SAVA RIVER. HE IS THE FIRST U-S CASUALTY OF THE NATO PEACEKEEPING OPERATION.

THE SOLDIER IS CURRENTLY RECOVERING AT A MOBILE ARMY SURGICAL HOSPITAL NEAR ZUPANJA, CROATIA.

AT HIS PARENTS' HOME IN ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, HIS MOTHER, JUDY, SAID SHE IS RELIEVED HIS INJURIES ARE NOT LIFE-THREATENING:

HE HAS HAD A FRACTURED ANKLE AND THEY WERE OPERATING ON HIM. HE HAD SOMETHING LIKE BRUISES TO HIS STOMACH. HE DIDN'T LOSE ANY LIMBS OR ANYTHING SO HE'S DOING OK.

HIS FATHER, ANDREW, EXPRESSED DOUBTS ABOUT THE U-S MISSION IN BOSNIA:

WE'RE NOT TOO THRILLED ABOUT IT, DON'T KNOW WHY THE UNITED STATES HAS TO BE THE WORLD'S POLICEMAN, BUT APPARENTLY WE ARE. HE (MY SON) WAS IN SOMALIA, ALSO.

U-S OFFICIALS HAVE LONG BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE THREAT LANDMINES POSE TO THE NATO PEACEKEEPING MISSION. PRESIDENT CLINTON REAFFIRMED SATURDAY THAT MINE-CLEARING WILL REMAIN A HIGH PRIORITY. (SIGNED)

NEB/VB/SKH
30-Dec-95 7:29 PM EST (0029 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] UKRAINE/BOSNIA (L ONLY) (MOSCOW)

INTRO: JUST BEFORE AN END-OF-THE-YEAR DEADLINE, UKRAINE HAS AGREED TO TAKE PART IN THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE FORCE IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. FROM V-O-A'S MOSCOW BUREAU, PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS THE UKRAINIAN DECISION CAME AFTER A WEEK-LONG DEBATE.

TEXT: A STATEMENT ISSUED IN KIEV SAID THE 550-PEACEKEEPER CONTINGENT THAT SERVED UNDER U-N COMMAND WOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE NATO-LED FORCE. THE STATEMENT SAID TAKING PART IN PEACE OPERATIONS UNDERSCORES UKRAINE'S COMMITMENT TO BEING A RELIABLE PARTNER IN UPHOLDING WORLD PEACE. THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLIC'S DECISION WAS NOT EASY. IT CAME AFTER DAYS OF SPECULATION THE TROOPS WOULD BE CALLED HOME BECAUSE OF A LACK OF FUNDS TO PAY THEM. UNTIL NOW THE UKRAINIAN CONTINGENT HAS BEEN PAID THROUGH THE UNITED NATIONS, BUT COUNTRIES CONTRIBUTING TO THE NATO-LED FORCE ARE EXPECTED TO PAY THEIR OWN SOLDIERS. A HIGH-RANKING UKRAINIAN OFFICIAL SAID FINDING THE MONEY HAD BEEN NO SIMPLE MATTER. THE OFFICIAL SAID PART OF THE COST MIGHT BE OFFSET BY LEASING SOVIET-BUILT TRANSPORT PLANES TO THE NATO FORCE. OTHER COUNTRIES ARE ALSO BEING CONTACTED ABOUT POSSIBLE FINANCIAL SUPPORT. UKRAINE MAINTAINS ONE OF EUROPE'S LARGEST ARMIES, BUT SALARIES ARE AMONG THE LOWEST ON THE CONTINENT.

THE AVERAGE UKRAINIAN OFFICER MAKES THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT 100-DOLLARS A MONTH, WHILE CONSCRIPTS EARN 20-DOLLARS A MONTH. THE DECISION TO COMMIT TO THE BOSNIA PEACE FORCE WAS FURTHER COMPLICATED BY UKRAINE'S HESITANCY TO PLACE TROOPS UNDER THE COMMAND OF ITS COLD WAR ENEMY, NATO. THAT PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED WHEN IT WAS AGREED THE UKRAINIAN TROOPS WILL SERVE IN THE FRENCH-CONTROLLED ZONE OF SARAJEVO, AND WILL RECEIVE ORDERS THROUGH A FRENCH, NOT A NATO COMMANDER. A SIMILAR ARRANGEMENT HAS BEEN WORKED OUT FOR THE 15-HUNDRED STRONG RUSSIAN CONTINGENT IN THE BOSNIA PEACE FORCE. UKRAINE HAS HAD TROOPS ON THE GROUND IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA SINCE 1992. FIFTEEN HAVE BEEN KILLED IN ACTION, A NUMBER OF THEM SEVERAL-MONTHS AGO WHEN UKRAINIAN UNITS CAME UNDER ATTACK FROM BOTH BOSNIAN-SERB AND MUSLIM FORCES IN THE ENCLAVES OF ZEPA AND GORAZDE. (SIGNED)

NEB/PH/DW/RAE
31-Dec-95 12:12 PM EST (1712 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] WORLD BANK/INCOMES (S&L) BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON )

INTRO: THE WASHINGTON-BASED WORLD BANK'S NEW "ATLAS, 1996" SHOWS THAT PER CAPITA INCOME IN THE WORLD GREW MODESTLY IN 1994 FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1990. V-O-A'S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS THE WORLD BANK ALSO PREDICTS GREATER GROWTH IN LESS DEVELOPED REGIONS BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY EXPERIENCED IN MUCH OF THE INDUSTRIALIZED WORLD:

TEXT: AS OF THE END OF 1994, THE ATLAS SAYS THE AVERAGE PERSONAL INCOME IN THE WORLD GREW ABOUT ONE PERCENT TO 46-HUNDRED DOLLARS. LUXEMBOURG HAD THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA INCOME AT NEARLY 40-THOUSAND DOLLARS FOLLOWED BY SWITZERLAND, JAPAN, DENMARK, NORWAY, THE UNITED STATES AND GERMANY. MOZAMBIQUE, ETHIOPIA AND MALAWI HAD THE LOWEST AVERAGE PERSONAL INCOMES.

AMONG THE FASTEST-GROWING ECONOMIES, THAILAND PLACED FIRST WITH AN AVERAGE OF EIGHT-POINT-TWO PERCENT GROWTH OVER THE PAST DECADE. SOUTH KOREA WAS SECOND AT SEVEN-POINT-SIX PERCENT AND CHINA AND SINGAPORE WERE TIED FOR THIRD AT SIX-POINT-NINE.

SURPRISINGLY, THE AFRICAN COUNTRY OF BOTSWANA WAS FIFTH WITH AN AVERAGE GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT OF SIX-POINT-SIX PERCENT. EVEN UGANDA CAME IN WITH A THREE PERCENT RATE OF GROWTH OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS. WORLD BANK ECONOMIST MICHAEL WARD CALLS THAT QUITE AN ACHIEVEMENT.

THE BANK ALSO NOTES THE GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCTS IN COUNTRIES ACROSS EUROPE, THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN WAS POSITIVE IN 1994 AND, OPTIMISTICALLY, PREDICTS THE TREND OF GROWTH IN DEMAND TO HELP LOWER-INCOME COUNTRIES WELL-PLACED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR GLOBAL CONNECTIONS IN THE GLOBAL MARKET.

30-Dec-95 11:21 PM EST (0421 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America