Voice of America, 96-07-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] YELTSIN W EURO REACT (L-ONLY) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

[02] RUSSIA POL (L) BY PETER HEINLEIN (MOSCOW)

[03] BOSNIA / ELECTIONS (L ONLY) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

[04] BOSNIA / TUZLA BY KYLE KING (TUZLA, BOSNIA)

[05] YUGO WAR CRIMES (L UPDATE) BY GILLIAN SHARPE (THE HAGUE)

[06] THURSDAY'S EDITORIALS BY DAN NOBLE (WASHINGTON)

[01] YELTSIN W EURO REACT (L-ONLY) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

INTRO: BORIS YELTSIN'S ELECTION AS RUSSIA'S PRESIDENT HAS BEEN GREETED WITH PLEASURE AND RELIEF BY MAJOR NATIONS IN WESTERN EUROPE. VOA'S PAUL FRANCUCH HAS A SUMMARY OF REACTION.

TEXT: WHEN REACTION TO MR. YELTSIN'S VICTORY WAS VOICED EARLY THURSDAY BY THESE EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS, IT WAS ALMOST A CHORUS OF RAPTURE. IN PARIS, FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC CONGRATULATED PRESIDENT YELTSIN BY SAYING YOUR VICTORY IS A REMARKABLE PERSONAL SUCCESS ... PLUS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RUSSIA. MR. CHIRAC CONCLUDED, THE RUSSIAN NATION HAS PROVED THAT DEMOCRACY HAS TAKEN ROOT AND CONFIRMED ITS COMMITMENT TO FREE MARKET ECONOMIC REFORMS.

GERMAN PRESIDENT ROMAN HERZOG SENT MR. YELTSIN A CONGRATULATORY TELEGRAM. IN IT, HE TOO PRAISED THE RUSSIAN LEADER FOR HIS PROGRAMS OF ECONOMIC REFORM, SAYING, ON THIS PATH, GERMANY WILL CONTINUE TO STAND FIRMLY BY RUSSIA'S SIDE. THE GERMAN PRESIDENT SUGGESTED TO MR. YELTSIN THE ELECTION WAS A SIGN OF WHAT HE TERMED -- RUSSIA'S DEMOCRATIC MATURITY. IN LONDON, THE BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE HERALDED THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AS AN HISTORIC EVENT FOR THE COUNTRY. IN A PREPARED STATEMENT, BRITAIN SAID PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S REELECTION IS AN ENDORSEMENT OF HIS ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REFORMS AND PROVIDES A CLEAR MANDATE TO PRESS AHEAD AND CONSOLIDATE THE CONSIDERABLE ACHIEVEMENTS OF RECENT YEARS. (SIGNED)
NEB/PCF/ADEN/RAE
04-Jul-96 7:53 AM EDT (1153 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] RUSSIA POL (L) BY PETER HEINLEIN (MOSCOW)

INTRO: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAS RETURNED TO THE KREMLIN TO BEGIN FORMING A NEW GOVERNMENT, FOLLOWING HIS CONVINCING ELECTION VICTORY. BUT AS PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS FROM MOSCOW, THERE ARE LINGERING DOUBTS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S HEALTH.

TEXT: MR. YELTSIN MADE A BRIEF TELEVISED ADDRESS THURSDAY, SAYING HE WAS PROUD RUSSIA HAD PASSED THE TEST OF DEMOCRACY. SPEAKING IN A CLEAR VOICE, THE PRESIDENT NOTED THE HEATED DEBATE OF THE CAMPAIGN HAD CREATED TENSIONS. HE URGED THE COUNTRY TO RE-UNITE IN THE SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE.

MR. YELTSIN SAID, LET US NOT DIVIDE THE COUNTRY BETWEEN THOSE WHO WON AND THOSE WHO LOST. AFTER ALL, WE HAVE ONLY ONE RUSSIA, ONE FUTURE.

HE ALSO HINTED SOME LEADERS OF OPPOSITION PARTIES, POSSIBLY INCLUDING COMMUNISTS, MIGHT BE INVITED TO JOIN THE GOVERNMENT.

MR. YELTSIN TOLD HIS NATIONWIDE AUDIENCE, I AM SURE IN THE NEW TEAM THERE WILL BE A PLACE FOR EVERYBODY YOU TRUST.

THE RUSSIAN LEADER ALSO TOOK THE FIRST STEP TOWARD FORMATION OF HIS NEW ADMINISTRATION, RE-APPOINTING PRIME MINISTER VICTOR CHERNOMYRDIN AND AUTHORIZING HIM TO FORM A CABINET. THE 58-YEAR OLD PRIME MINISTER, A SOLID YELTSIN ALLY, ECHOED THE PRESIDENT'S WILLINGNESS TO COMPROMISE ON CABINET APPOINTMENTS.

MR. CHERNOMYRDIN SAID THERE WILL BE ENOUGH SPACE IN THE CABINET FOR ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE.

THE COMMUNIST SPEAKER OF THE LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT ALSO SOUNDED A NOTE OF COMPROMISE, SAYING HE EXPECTED SWIFT APPROVAL OF THE CHERNOMYRDIN NOMINATION. SPEAKER GENNADY SELEZNOV SAID HE HOPES PARLIAMENT WOULD CONFIRM THE APPOINTMENT ABOUT THE TIME OF PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S INAUGURATION IN EARLY AUGUST.

BUT EVEN AS PLANS FOR A SECOND TERM PROCEEDED, THERE WERE LINGERING DOUBTS ABOUT THE STATE OF MR. YELTSIN'S HEALTH. THE PRESIDENT HAS CANCELLED ALL ENGAGEMENTS FOR MORE THAN A WEEK. DURING THAT TIME, HIS ONLY PUBLIC APPEARANCES HAVE BEEN ON CAREFULLY-EDITED VIDEO TAPES.

I THINK HIS HEALTH IS NOT VERY GOOD. AS A MATTER OF FACT I HAVE HEARD RUMORS FROM PEOPLE CLOSELY CONNECTED WITH INSIDERS THAT MR. YELTSIN HAS INDEED HAD HEART PROBLEMS AND THAT HE HAS EVEN HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE LEFT SIDE OF HIS BODY. IF YOU WATCHED HIM VOTING YESTERDAY, THERE ARE TWO THINGS TO NOTICE. FIRST, HE DID NOT VOTE WHERE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE VOTING. SECOND, HE DID NOT USE HIS LEFT ARM AT ALL. GENERALLY, WHEN HE IS EXCITED ABOUT THINGS HE TENDS TO GESTICULATE RATHER WILDLY. AND HE DID NOT. HE WAS VERY VERY RESERVED, WHICH INDICATES HE IS AILING.

DESPITE THESE HEALTH CONCERNS, RUSSIA'S MARKETS HIT RECORD HIGHS THURSDAY ON NEWS OF MR. YELTSIN'S VICTORY. BUT ANALYSTS SAID AFTER THE INITIAL EUPHORIA, FOREIGN INVESTORS ARE LIKELY TO BE CAUTIOUS.

THE QUESTIONS TROUBLING POTENTIAL INVESTORS ARE WHETHER THE RUSSIAN LEADER'S HEALTH WILL AFFECT HIS ABILITY TO GOVERN, AND WHAT NEW CABINET APPOINTMENTS WILL MEAN FOR RUSSIA'S LONG-TERM, FUNDAMENTAL ECONOMIC PROBLEMS. (SIGNED)
NEB/PH/JWH/RAE
04-Jul-96 12:26 PM EDT (1626 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] BOSNIA / ELECTIONS (L ONLY) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: BOSNIAN-SERB PRESIDENT RADOVAN KARADZIC HAS DECIDED NOT TO RUN FOR OFFICE IN ELECTIONS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER. DAVID FOLEY IN SARAJEVO REPORTS MR. KARADZIC HAS BOWED TO INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE, BUT HIS CONTINUED LEADERSHIP OF THE RULING BOSNIAN SERB POLITICAL PARTY IS CAUSING CONTROVERSY.

TEXT: THE ANNOUNCEMENT MR. KARADZIC WOULD NOT RUN IN ELECTIONS WAS GREETED WITH RELIEF BY INTERNATIONAL OFFICIALS HERE. BUT OBSERVERS SAY IT IS CLEAR HE IS STILL IN CONTROL OF THE BOSNIAN-SERB LEADERSHIP. SUNDAY, MR. KARADZIC, UNDER STRONG INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE, TRANSFERRED HIS PRESIDENTIAL POWERS TO HIS VICE PRESIDENT BILJANA PLAVSIC.

THE HARD-LINE MS. PLAVSIC HAS BEEN NOMINATED BY MR. KARADZIC'S RULING SERB DEMOCRATIC PARTY, THE S-D-S, TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT. THE OTHER S-D-S CANDIDATES FOR SENIOR POSITIONS ARE ALSO CLOSE ASSOCIATES AND FOLLOWERS OF THE BOSNIAN-SERB LEADER.

AS LEADER OF THE S-D-S PARTY, MR. KARADZIC WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR CHOOSING THE PARTY'S CANDIDATES, AND IT HIS LEADERSHIP OF THE PARTY WHICH IS CAUSING CONTROVERSY.

UNDER THE DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT, PERSONS INDICTED FOR WAR CRIMES, SUCH AS MR. KARADZIC, MAY NOT HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE. ON WEDNESDAY, THE HEAD OF THE O-S-C-E, THE INTERNATIONAL BODY RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGANIZING THE ELECTIONS, SAID MR. KARADZIC COULD NOT BE PARTY LEADER BECAUSE IT IS A PUBLIC POSITION.

IN A SIGN OF DIVISIONS AMONGST INTERNATIONAL OFFICIALS, THE SENIOR INTERNATIONAL MEDIATOR IN BOSNIA, CARL BILDT, SAYS MR. KARADZIC'S PARTY LEADERSHIP POST IS NOT A PUBLIC POSITION. BUT, MR. BILDT'S SPOKESMAN COLUM MURPHY SAYS MR. KARADZIC'S INFLUENCE MUST BE LIMITED.

IT IS MR. BILDT'S VIEW THAT IF MR. KARADZIC ATTEMPTS TO EXERCISE INORDINATE INFLUENCE ON THE PROCESS, WHETHER ITS THROUGH THE S-D-S OR OTHERWISE, THEN HE WILL HAVE TO TAKE THE KIND OF SERIOUS ACTION THAT WE HINTED AT THE OTHER DAY.

THAT WOULD MEAN THE IMPOSITION OF SOME KIND OF ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON THE BOSNIAN SERBS, BUT THERE IS LITTLE APPETITE FOR SUCH A MOVE AMONGST THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. OFFICIALS SAY SANCTIONS WOULD HAVE LITTLE SHORT TERM IMPACT, AND COULD EVEN STRENGTHEN MR. KARADZIC IN THE RUN-UP TO THE ELECTIONS.

MR. MURPHY SAYS MR. BILDT WILL KEEP UP THE PRESSURE ON THE BOSNIAN-SERB LEADER.

MR. BILDT'S GOAL IS TO SEE DR. KARADZIC REMOVED, YESTERDAY, TO USE HIS TERM. AND, YES, WE ARE WORRIED AS TO THE INFLUENCE OF DR. KARADZIC BEING THERE DURING THE ELECTORAL PROCESS. AND IF HE IS STILL HERE IN SEPTEMBER, THAT WOULD BE A PROBLEM, BUT SOMETHING THAT WE INTEND TO AVOID.

[04] BOSNIA / TUZLA BY KYLE KING (TUZLA, BOSNIA)

INTRO: U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY SPENT MOST OF THE FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY WITH U-S TROOPS WITH THE U-N PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN BOSNIA. V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS THE HOLIDAY CELEBRATION AT THE U-S MILITARY HEADQUARTERS IN TUZLA INCLUDED A NUMBER OF SPORTING EVENTS.

TEXT:

FOURTH OF JULY FOR SOME OF THE U-S TROOPS IN BOSNIA BEGAN WITH A MARATHON BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT AND A FIVE-KILOMETER RUN AROUND EAGLE BASE IN TUZLA. ORGANIZERS WHO BROUGHT HOLIDAY ENTERTAINMENT FROM THE UNITED STATES SAY THE SOLDIERS RESPONDED ENTHUSIASTICALLY.

UNBELIEVABLE. WE STARTED, ACTUALLY, WITH THE FORTY-NINER GOLDRUSH CHEERLEADERS. THE RESPONSE WAS GREAT.

ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN LARGELY CONFINED TO BASE, AND MANY WERE NOT ANXIOUS TO UNDERTAKE THE MISSION TO BOSNIA, MOST OF THE TROOPS IN TUZLA NOW SAY THEY ARE PROUD TO BE PART OF THE OPERATION.

WHEN I CAME HERE, YEAH, I WAS SKEPTICAL LIKE EVERY OTHER SOLDIER, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE HECK WE ARE DOING HERE. BUT I KEPT UP WITH THE NEWS, AND WHEN I CAME HERE, I THOUGHT I KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO EXPECT, BUT WHEN I WAS GOING OUT ON CONVOYS, COMING IN FROM HUNGARY, CONVOYING DOWN, THERE IS NOTHING THAT COULD HAVE GOT US PREPARED FOR WHAT WE SAW. KIDS ON THE STREETS, AND THAT IS WHAT HURT ME, BECAUSE I AM A MARRIED MAN. I GOT TWO KIDS, FOUR AND A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER -- A FOUR-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AND A SEVEN-YEAR OLD SON -- AND SEEING THESE KIDS THAT ARE THEIR AGE OUT ON THE STREETS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO SURVIVE, ESPECIALLY SINCE I GOT HERE WINTERTIME, THEY HAD NO COATS. AND I PUT THAT IN MY LETTERS HOME. IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD. IF I AM DOING IT FOR ANYTHING, ITS THE KIDS.

MAJOR MATT COOPER, WHO HAS BEEN IN BOSNIA FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, HAS MUCH THE SAME FEELING.

WELL, THE THING THAT IMPRESSES ME IS THAT, I HAVE A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND WORK WITH LOCALS, HERE. EVERYDAY I AM OUTSIDE THE WIRE (BASE), AND THEY ARE WONDERFUL PEOPLE, VERY FRIENDLY, VERY WELL-EDUCATED. THEY NEED A BREAK.

BUT THE MISSION HAS NOT BEEN WITHOUT ITS PROBLEMS.

FOR THE OLDER SOLDIERS, LIKE SERGEANT PATRICK BILON, TRYING TO MAINTAIN MORAL AND VIGILANCE AMONG THE YOUNGER TROOPS HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE. ALTHOUGH HE SAYS THEY HAVE TO BE PREPARED, TO DEFEND THEMSELVES, THEY DO NOT LOOK FAR TO DISCOVER WHY THEY ARE IN BOSNIA.

BUT ALSO WATCH HOW THE PEOPLE ARE. LOOK AT THEIR HOMES AND JUST IMAGINE THAT IS YOUR HOME, WITH THE BULLET HOLES AND THEY ROOF BLOWN OUT, AND THEN MAYBE YOU WILL LEARN TO APPRECIATE WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE. (ANOTHER SOLDIER) LIKE HE WAS SAYING, ABOUT THE KIDS HERE, ESPECIALLY THE KIDS. WHEN I WENT ON A CONVOY A COUPLE OF TIMES AND I SEE THESE KIDS RUNNING AROUND, WITHOUT NO PARENTS MAYBE, AND NO MONEY, NO FOOD. IT JUST BREAKS MY HEART.

BESIDES THE BARBECUES AND GAMES, THOSE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE BASED AT THE MAIN U-S COMPOUND, WILL BE ROCKING TO THE SOUNDS OF A BAND AND MEETING THE CHEERLEADERS OF THE SAN FRANCISCO FORTY-NINERS FOOTBALL TEAM.

FOR TROOPS FURTHER OUT IN THE FIELD, ORGANIZERS OF THE INDEPENDENCE DAY ENTERTAINMENT AND BARBECUES WILL BE MOVING THE PARTY ON A SMALLER SCALE TO MANY OF THE FORWARD OUTPOSTS. (SIGNED)
NEB/KBK/JWH/RAE
04-Jul-96 1:11 PM EDT (1711 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] YUGO WAR CRIMES (L UPDATE) BY GILLIAN SHARPE (THE HAGUE)

INTRO: THE YUGOSLAV WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL HAS HEARD ITS FIRST EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT OF THE FALL OF THE U-N SAFE AREA OF SREBRENICA ONE-YEAR AGO. THE TESTIMONY FROM A SURVIVOR OF THE EVENT AND FROM DUTCH U-N PEACEKEEPERS CAME DURING PUBLIC HEARINGS INTO GENOCIDE CHARGES AGAINST BOSNIAN SERB LEADERS RADOVAN KARADZIC AND RATKO MLADIC. GILLIAN SHARPE REPORTS FROM THE HAGUE.

TEXT: PROSECUTORS AT THE TRIBUNAL CALL WHAT HAPPENED AT SREBRENICA THE FINAL AND MOST APPALLING ACT OF ETHNIC CLEANSING IN BOSNIA. THEY SAY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE MURDERED BY BOSNIAN-SERB SOLDIERS.

THE MAN WHO HAS BEGUN HIS TESTIMONY IS KNOWN AS WITNESS "A" TO PROTECT HIS IDENTITY. HE TOLD THE COURT HE, ALONG WITH OTHER MEN, HAD BEEN SEPARATED FROM A COLUMN OF REFUGEES.

SPEAKING THROUGH A TRANSLATOR, HE SAID GENERAL MLADIC HAD THEN BEGUN TO TAUNT THEM.

HE SAID, I AM A GENERAL OF THE SERB ARMY, RATKO MLADIC. THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW ME NOW HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE ME. AND THEN HE SAID, SEE WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT BEFELL YOUR SREBRENICA. EVEN NATO CANNOT SAVE YOU.

EARLIER IN THE DAY, THE COURT HEARD FROM THE DUTCH U-N COMMANDER IN SREBRENICA, COLONEL TON KARREMANS. HE LOOKED ILL AT EASE UNDER SOME HARD QUESTIONING FROM THE JUDGES. HE SAID HE HAD NOT ASKED ABOUT THE FATE OF THE REFUGEES BECAUSE IT HAD NOT OCCURRED TO HIM, AND HAD NOT PROTESTED ABOUT EXECUTIONS, SOME OF WHICH WERE WITNESSED BY HIS OWN MEN.

ONE OF THOSE WITNESSES WAS CORPORAL PAUL GROENEVEGEN. HIS WORDS ARE SPOKEN BY A TRANSLATOR:

I SAW THAT THE MEN GESTURED TO THE MAN THEY HAD CAPTURED, FACE THE WALL. THE SOLDIERS THEN LOOKED AT ONE ANOTHER FOR A SECOND, LIKE THEY WERE ASKING EACH OTHER, WHO IS GOING TO DO IT? AND ONE STEPPED OUT, AND HE WAS A FEW METERS BEHIND THE MAN, AND SHOT HIM WITH AN A-K.

BUT HE WILL TAKE THE STAND DURING THE PRESENT HEARINGS. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRIBUNAL SAID IT IS THE SOLDIER'S DECISION AND HE WANTS TO SPEAK. (SIGNED)
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04-Jul-96 2:05 PM EDT (1805 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] THURSDAY'S EDITORIALS BY DAN NOBLE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: BORIS YELTSIN, EMERGING THE WINNER, YESTERDAY, IN THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENTIAL RUNOFF ELECTION, AND THE OBSERVATION OF INDEPENDENCE DAY, TODAY, IN THE UNITED STATES, ARE AMONG THE TOPICS DISCUSSED IN SOME OF AMERICA'S LEADING NEWSPAPERS. NOW, HERE IS _______________ WITH A CLOSER LOOK IN THE JULY FOURTH EDITION OF EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: IN ITS LEAD EDITORIAL, THE NEW YORK TIMES SAYS THAT "THE FORCES OF DEMOCRACY AND REFORM WON A VITAL BUT NOT DEFINITIVE VICTORY IN RUSSIA." THE NEWSPAPER ADDS THAT "IT WOULD BE SATISFYING TO DECLARE THE FINAL DEFEAT OF COMMUNISM AND THE TRIUMPH OF DEMOCRACY AND ENLIGHTENED LEADERSHIP. BUT RUSSIA'S REALITY DOES NOT JUSTIFY EUPHORIA TODAY."

VOICE: "WARY OPTIMISM SEEMS MORE APPROPRIATE. GENNADI ZYUGANOV, THE COMMUNIST CANDIDATE, LOST HIS BID TO BECOME PRESIDENT AND IS PROBABLY SPENT AS A NATIONAL POLITICAL FORCE IN RUSSIA. BUT HIS PARTY, WHILE REBUFFED YESTERDAY, STILL CONTROLS THE LARGEST BLOCK OF SEATS IN THE PARLIAMENT. THOUGH THE PARTY MAY SPLINTER IN THE WEEKS AHEAD, COMMUNISTS AND OTHER OPPONENTS OF REFORM WILL PROBABLY PLAY A DISRUPTIVE ROLE IN RUSSIAN POLITICS FOR YEARS.... RUSSIA'S DEMOCRACY IS IMPERFECT, BUT CONSIDERING THE TYRANNY THAT PREVAILED UNTIL FIVE YEARS AGO, IT STANDS AS A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT. THOUGH NOTED OFTEN IN RECENT WEEKS, THIS POINT BEARS REPEATING TODAY. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, A FREE RUSSIA HAS FREELY CHOSEN ITS LEADER. THAT ALONE IS CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM."

TEXT: THE BALTIMORE SUN TELLS READERS THAT "AT A TIME WHEN RUSSIA DESPERATELY NEEDS A FORCEFUL AND FORWARD-LOOKING LEADER, IT CLEAR WILL NOT HAVE EITHER."

VOICE: "RUSSIA'S POST-COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT IS UNDERDEVELOPED. MANY CRUCIAL FUNCTIONS, SUCH AS TAX COLLECTION, ARE A SHAMBLES. THE LEGAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS INCOMPLETE AND PRECEDENTS WEAK. NO COUNTRY CAN THRIVE THAT WAY. MR. YELTSIN'S VICTORY IS A TRIUMPH FOR THE PRESIDENT, WHOSE HOPES FOR RE-ELECTION SEEMED DOOMED JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO. HE NOW HAS TO PROVE TO HIS DISPIRITED PEOPLE THAT THEY WERE JUSTIFIED IN RENEWING THEIR TRUST IN HIM."

TEXT: THE 220TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA'S DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE IS THE SUBJECT OF THE LEAD EDITORIAL IN TODAY'S WASHINGTON POST. THE NEWSPAPER NOTES THAT "EVEN A CURSORY GLANCE AROUND THE WORLD AT NATIONS STRUGGLING TO COME TO TERMS WITH THEIR ETHNIC IDENTITIES MAKES PLAIN THE GOOD FORTUNE OF THE UNITED STATES....THE AGGRESSIVE NATIONALISM THAT IS THE HALLMARK OF AN ETHNICALLY BASED FOREIGN POLICY HAS NO REAL PRESENCE ON THE AMERICAN SCENE; INTERNATIONALISM REMAINS THE DOMINANT STREAM. FOR WHILE MANY OTHERS FIND THEMSELVES IN THE COILS OF SEPARATIST PASSIONS THAT DIVIDE THEIR PEOPLE AND COARSEN THEIR POLITICS, AMERICANS ENJOY A RELATIVELY BENIGN AND STABLE CONDITION OF MUTUAL RESPECT AND SHARED AMERICANISM AMONG PEOPLES OF MANY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. THIS ROUGH CONSENSUS OFFERS NO CAUSE FOR SANGUINE SELF-CONGRATULATION OR FOR THE NEGLECT OF GROUPS THAT HAVE NOT YET ACQUIRED THE STATUS AND EQUITY -- OR IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, SIMPLE JUSTICE -- TO WHICH THEY ARE ENTITLED. BUT IT IS A SOURCE OF SATISFACTION THAT THE UNITED STATES PROVIDES THE MEANS, IN THE PROCEDURES OF LAW AND FAIR PLAY, TO REDRESS OR CHANNEL ETHNIC CLAIMS AND TO ALLOW THE QUEST FOR AN AMERICAN IDENTITY TO PEACEFULLY UNFOLD."

TEXT: PAUL GREENBERG, EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE, PUBLISHED IN LITTLE ROCK, OFFERS THESE WORDS WHICH WERE PRINTED IN TODAY'S WASHINGTON TIMES.

VOICE: "AMERICA IS MORE THAN A GEOGRAPHICAL DESIGNATION OR A POLITICAL SYSTEM, MORE THAN CERTAIN BORDERS AND LAWS AND INSTITUTIONS OR A SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES. WHEN THE SOVIET UNION GAVE WAY TO A NEW SYSTEM AND NEW HOPE FOR THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE, THE BEST SELLER THAT YEAR IN RUSSIA WAS...THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. RUSSIANS SOUGHT TO MODEL THEIR INSTITUTIONS AFTER THE AMERICAN ONES OUTLINED IN THAT GREAT CHARTER. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A HAPPIER AUGURY FOR RUSSIAN DEMOCRACY IF THEY HAD BEEN CLAMORING FOR COPIES OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, FOR, WITHOUT THE IDEA OF NATURAL RIGHTS, WITHOUT THE SPIRIT OF LIBERTY, EVEN THE GREATEST OF CONSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURES IS BUT AN EMPTY TOMB."

TEXT: AND, THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER COMMENTS ON TODAY'S PRESENTATION, IN THAT CITY, OF THE LIBERTY MEDAL TO FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER SHIMON PERES AND TO KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN. THEY ARE BEING RECOGNIZED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. MR. PERES, WHO LOST HIS RECENT BID FOR RE-ELECTION WILL RECEIVE HIS AWARD IN PERSON. THE NEWSPAPER CALLS MR. PERES' RECOGNITION "BITTERSWEET," POINTING OUT THAT FORMER POLISH PRESIDENT LECH WALESA, WHO WON THE AWARD IN 1989, WAS ALSO DEFEATED FOR REELECTION IN HIS COUNTRY.

VOICE: "HISTORY SHOWS THAT THE MEDAL THAT WILL BE DRAPED OVER MR. PERES' SHOULDERS...IS NOT A POPULARITY PRIZE. IT IS NOT THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD. IT IS FOR THOSE LEADERS WHO RUN TWO STRIDES AHEAD OF THE PACK, WHO ARE DEDICATED TO WINNING, YES, BUT EVEN MORE TO SEEING THEIR VISION LAST LONG AFTER THE CHEERS DIE AWAY.... MR. PERES MAY HAVE ASKED TOO MUCH OF HIS NATION; IN HIS RACE AGAINST TIME AND THE FORCES OF HISTORY, HE LEFT TOO MANY ISRAELIS BREATHLESS. BUT LIBERTY MEDAL RECIPIENTS HAVE A TENDENCY TO DO THAT. AFTER ALL, THEY ARE SELECTED FOR DEMONSTRATING 'LEADERSHIP AND VISION IN THE PURSUIT OF LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE OR FREEDOM FROM OPPRESSION, IGNORANCE OR DEPRIVATION'. NOT FOR TAKING THE EASY ROAD. NOT FOR RUNNING WITH THE PACK."

TEXT: AND ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF SOME OF TODAY'S EDITORIALS FROM THE U-S PRESS.
04-Jul-96 10:14 AM EDT (1414 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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