Voice of America, 96-12-03 (1 of 2)

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

CONTENTS

[01] TUESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[02] BELGRADE PROTESTS (L ONLY) BY JULIA GLYN-PICKETT (BELGRADE)

[03] BELGRADE RADIO JAMMED (L-ONLY) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

[04] BILDT / YUGOSLAVIA (L ONLY) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

[05] BOSNIA CONFERENCE (L) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

[06] E-U / ALGERIA (L ONLY) CORRECTED BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)

[01] TUESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S RETICENCE TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT THE GROWING PROTESTS IN SERBIA COMES UNDER HEAVY CRITICISM TODAY IN SEVERAL U-S NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS. OTHER TOPICS OF DISCUSSION INCLUDE RUSSIA'S WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS FROM CHECHNYA; A CONTROVERSIAL DECISION BY ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO, AND THE NEWLY STRENGTHENED CLEAN AIR ACT. NOW, HERE IS _________________ WITH A CLOSER LOOK IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: THE UNITED STATES' POSITION REGARDING THE PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATIONS NOW IN THEIR THIRD WEEK IN SERBIA DRAWS SOME SHARP COMMENT FROM NEW YORK'S NEWSDAY. TODAY'S EDITORIAL HEADLINE SAYS THE U-S "SILENCE ON MILOSEVIC'S TYRANNY IS SHAMEFUL," ADDING:

VOICE: "WHEN SERBIA'S PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC MADE A TRAVESTY OF DEMOCRACY LAST WEEK IN ANNULLING THE OVERWHELMINGLY NEGATIVE RESULTS OF MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, NOT A PEEP OF PROTEST ROSE FROM WASHINGTON. TODAY, WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DEMONSTRATORS POURING INTO THE STREETS OF SERBIA'S CITIES TO OPPOSE [MR.] MILOSEVIC'S TYRANNICAL RULE, THE WHITE HOUSE REMAINS SILENT. THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE... IT IS A TELLING SIGN THAT PROTESTERS IN BELGRADE ARE TRAMPLING OVER AMERICAN FLAGS TO CONDEMN WASHINGTON'S TACIT SUPPORT OF A TYRANT. THAT'S NOTHING TO BE PROUD OF."

TEXT: IN GEORGIA, THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION OFFERS SOME SIMILAR THOUGHTS ON THE SUBJECT:

VOICE: "THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO BE MORE FORTHRIGHT ABOUT DEEPENING UNREST IN YUGOSLAVIA AND LAST WEEK'S FIRST-EVER BOSNIAN WAR CRIMES CONVICTION. OFFICIAL SILENCE SUGGESTS THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON BELIEVES THE LESS SAID ABOUT THE BALKANS, THE BETTER. [OPT] ... THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH A POWER-MAD DICTATOR LIKE SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC IS TO LET HIM KNOW WHAT CONSTITUTES UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR." [END OPT]

TEXT: AND HERE IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL, THE WASHINGTON POST SAYS THE MOMENT OF DECISION HAS ARRIVED IN SERBIA.

VOICE: "THE DEMONSTRATIONS IN SERBIA HAVE REACHED A POINT WHERE IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO ASK WHETHER NOT THEY BUT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC, THEIR TARGET, CAN PERSIST. [OPT] ... THE PROTESTS APPEAR TO BE HEAVY WITH STUDENT, INTELLECTUAL AND MIDDLE-CLASS DEMOCRATS, THOUGH LIGHT ON THE IMPORTANT BLUE-COLLAR CONSTITUENCY... THE PROTESTERS ARE NOT TIGHTLY ORGANIZED, AND THEY ARE FURTHER ATOMIZED BY THE REGIME'S SUCCESS IN CENSORSHIP -- ONLY THE GUTSY NASHA BORBA NEWSPAPER REMAINS AS AN INDEPENDENT VOICE. [END OPT] ... AT THIS OMINOUS MOMENT FOREIGNERS NEED TO THINK CLEARLY ABOUT THEIR OWN RESPONSIBILITIES... NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT ANYWHERE IN THE GHOST YUGOSLAVIA THAN TO SUPPORT DEMOCRATIC FORCES, AND NOWHERE IS THIS MORE IMPORTANT THAN IN THE SERBIAN CORE."

TEXT: ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN TODAY'S WASHINGTON POST CHEERS THE WITHDRAWAL OF RUSSIAN TROOPS FROM CHECHNYA. IT READS, IN PART:

VOICE: "ONE OF THE DEFINING IMAGES OF THE SOVIET UNION'S SLOW DEMISE WAS THE RUMBLING RETREAT OF TANKS ACROSS A BRIDGE FROM AFGHANISTAN BACK INTO SOVIET TERRITORY AS THE RED ARMY GAVE UP ON ITS EFFORT TO CONTROL THAT MOUNTAINOUS NATION. LAST WEEK THAT 1989 SCENE RESONATED ACROSS THE YEARS AS THE RUSSIAN ARMY LOADED TANKS ONTO A TRAIN FOR A WITHDRAWAL FROM CHECHNYA AS BANDS OF LOCAL INHABITANTS CHEERED... RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN SENT TROOPS INTO THE BREAKAWAY PROVINCE OF CHECHNYA ... TO SUPPRESS ITS SEPARATIST GOVERNMENT. IT PROVED TO BE THE MOST DISASTROUS MISTAKE OF HIS PRESIDENCY TO DATE. SO ... MR. YELTSIN ... DESERVES CREDIT FOR IMPLICITLY ACKNOWLEDGING HIS INITIAL ERROR, ALBEIT AFTER MANY THOUSANDS OF DEATHS."

TEXT: U-S ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO IS DRAWING INTENSE SCRUTINY FOR HER DECISION NOT TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT COUNSEL (PROSECUTOR) APPOINTED TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED CAMPAIGN FINANCE VIOLATIONS BY THE CLINTON AND DOLE CAMPAIGNS. THE SITUATION IS COMPLICATED BY THE FACT MS. RENO IS BEING CONSIDERED FOR A SECOND TERM BY THE CLINTON WHITE HOUSE. THE BOSTON GLOBE SUGGESTS SHE HAS BEEN "COMPROMISED.'"

VOICE: "THE INDEPENDENT COUNSEL LAW PURPOSEFULLY CASTS A WIDE NET TO COVER ALLEGATIONS OF WRONGDOING BY THE PRESIDENT, HIGH-RANKING AIDES, CABINET MEMBERS AND THE CHAIRMEN AND TREASURERS OF PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEES. FUND-RAISING SHENANIGANS [POSSIBLE IRREGULARITIES] BY BOTH PARTIES IN THIS YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN FALL UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE LAW. IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT ATTORNEY GENERAL ... RENO DID NOT SEE FIT TO INVOKE THE LAW... HER POSITION IS COMPROMISED BY PRESIDENT CLINTON'S REFUSAL TO SAY WHETHER SHE WILL SERVE IN HIS SECOND ADMINISTRATION."

TEXT: THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, WHILE ALSO DISPLEASED BY JANET RENO'S DECISION, SEES A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT COMING OUT OF IT.

VOICE: "WITH FRIDAY'S DECISION NOT TO NAME AN INDEPENDENT COUNSEL IN THE INDOGATE CAMPAIGN-FINANCE FLAP, ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET RENO PUTS HER CAREER PROSECUTORS AT MAIN JUSTICE ON THE LINE. THAT'S ALL TO THE GOOD, WE THINK. THE PERFORMANCE OF THE PUBLIC INTEGRITY SECTION OF THE CRIMINAL DIVISION IN THIS MATTER WILL BE SEEN AS AN IMPORTANT TEST OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S CREDIBILITY AND INDEPENDENCE, PARTICULARLY, AS NOW SEEMS INEVITABLE, AS TENSIONS MOUNT OVER OTHER INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION."

TEXT: A FINAL THOUGHT ON THE SUBJECT FROM THE WASHINGTON TIMES, WHICH ADDS:

VOICE: "AT LEAST FOR NOW, MISS RENO HAS REJECTED THE OPTION TO APPOINT AN INDEPENDENT COUNSEL. THAT CERTAINLY WILL NOT PRECLUDE THE CONGRESS FROM EXERCISING ITS OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES TO TRY TO GET SOME STRAIGHT ANSWERS ON THIS GROWING SCANDAL."

TEXT: TURNING AGAIN TO INTERNATIONAL CONCERNS, THE ORLANDO SENTINEL DIRECTS ITS READERS' ATTENTION TO ROMANIA'S RECENT ELECTION IN WHICH THE FORMER COMMUNISTS WERE OUSTED. THE SENTINEL SAYS AFTER THE DRAMATIC OVERTHROW OF THE CEAUSESCU REGIME IN 1989, IT IS SAD AMERICANS ARE NO LONGER WATCHING THIS TRANSFORMATION TOWARD TRUE DEMOCRACY.

VOICE: "WHY PAY ATTENTION TO ROMANIA IN THE FIRST PLACE? IT'S A STRATEGICALLY SITUATED COUNTRY, LINKING EUROPE WITH THE MIDDLE EAST, CENTRAL ASIA AND RUSSIA. ALSO, IN THE HISTORICALLY TROUBLED BALKANS, ROMANIA PROVIDES AN OASIS OF RELATIVE STABILITY. THAT'S A PLUS, WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE TROUBLE BOSNIA HAD HAD... BY SWEEPING ASIDE THE REMNANTS OF COMMUNIST INFLUENCE, ROMANIANS HAVE CHOSEN A COURSE THAT SHOULD LEAD THEM TO DEEPER AND FASTER REFORM, WARRANTING EVEN CLOSER TIES WITH THE UNITED STATES."

TEXT: FINALLY, THE MIAMI HERALD APPLAUDS THE NEW, STRICTER FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR CLEANER AIR, BUT WORRIES ABOUT HOW FLORIDA'S POLLUTED CITIES WILL COMPLY.

VOICE: "THE MORNING RUSH-HOUR VIEW FROM ATOP THE SOUTHBOUND I-95 (INTERSTATE HIGHWAY / MOTORWAY) ... BRIDGE AT THE GOLDEN GLADES INTER-CHANGE SAYS IT ALL. THERE, OFF TO THE WEST TOWARD THE EVERGLADES, STRETCHES A BAND OF BROWN, NASTY-LOOKING HAZE. IT'S POLLUTION, DESPITE FLORIDA'S COMPREHENSIVE VEHICLE-EMISSIONS INSPECTION PROGRAM, DESPITE THE FACT THAT SOUTH FLORIDA HOSTS LITTLE HEAVY MANUFACTURING, DESPITE 20 YEARS OF STATE EFFORTS TO CLEAN UP OUR AIR... THE HORIZON'S BROWN HAZE -- AND THE COST TO FLORIDA FOR MEDICAL CARE FOR POLLUTION-RELATED DISEASES ... CALL FOR A MEASURED RESPONSE. IS THE COST OF MAKING THE AIR CLEANER MORE IMPORTANT THAN SAVING THOUSANDS OF FLORIDIANS' LIVES? WE THINK NOT."

TEXT: ON THAT PUBLIC HEALTH NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF EDITORIALS FROM THE U-S PAPERS OF TUESDAY, DECEMBER THIRD.
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03-Dec-96 10:34 AM EST (1534 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] BELGRADE PROTESTS (L ONLY) BY JULIA GLYN-PICKETT (BELGRADE)

INTRO: MORE THAN 100-THOUSAND PEOPLE TOOK PART IN ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS TUESDAY IN SERBIA'S CAPITAL, BELGRADE. JULIA GLYN-PICKETT REPORTS UNIVERSITY STUDENTS REMAIN SOME OF THE KEY PARTICIPANTS IN THE DEMONSTRATIONS.

TEXT: WHEN THE SERBIAN OPPOSITION COALITION CALLED "TOGETHER" BEGAN TO FLOUNDER ON THE THIRD DAY OF PROTESTS AGAINST WHAT IT CALLED THE NOVEMBER 17TH ELECTION FRAUD, BELGRADE STUDENTS SEIZED THE INITIATIVE AND CROWDED THE CITY CENTER BY THE THOUSANDS.

AT THE START OF THE STUDENT PROTESTS, THE DWINDLING CROWD OF OPPOSITION SUPPORTERS IN CENTRAL BELGRADE STOOD TRANSFIXED AS MORE THAN 10-THOUSAND STUDENTS MARCHED PAST, BLOWING WHISTLES AND WAVING BANNERS DEMANDING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE ELECTIONS.

BY TUESDAY, THE 13TH DAY OF THE PROTEST, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS HAD RISEN TO MORE THAN 18-THOUSAND.

ONE OF THE STUDENT LEADERS, DUSAN VASILJEVIC, SAID THE STUDENTS HAVE THREE DEMANDS.

MR. VASILJEVIC SAID THE STUDENTS WANT AN ALL PARTY ELECTORAL COMMITTEE TO BE ESTABLISHED TO INVESTIGATE AND MAKE PUBLIC THE TRUE RESULTS OF THE NOVEMBER 17TH LOCAL ELECTIONS IN SERBIA.

HE SAID THE STUDENTS ARE DEMANDING THE RESIGNATION OF THE DEAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE, DRAGUTIN VELICKOVIC, BECAUSE HE DOES NOT REPRESENT THE UNIVERSITY BUT THE RULING SOCIALISTS. FOR THE SAME REASON, HE SAID THE STUDENTS ARE ALSO CALLING FOR THE RESIGNATION OF THE DEAN OF STUDENTS, VOJIN DJURDJEVIC.

MORE THAN 800 UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND STAFF HAVE SIGNED A DECLARATION IN SUPPORT OF THOSE DEMANDS. AND EVERY DAY, POPULAR WRITERS, ACTORS, AND ACADEMICS JOIN THE STUDENTS AS THEY CROWD INTO THE SQUARE NEXT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PHILOLOSPHY -- THE SAME SQUARE WHERE STUDENTS STAGED PRO-DEMOCRACY PROTESTS IN 1968.

RESPONDING TO GOVERNMENT ATTACKS AGAINST THE DEMONSTRATORS, ONE OF YUGOSLAVIA'S MOST FAMOUS SCREEN AND PLAYWRITES, DUSAN KOVACEVIC, TOLD THE STUDENTS NOT TO BE AFRAID.

MR. KOVACEVIC TOLD THE STUDENTS THEY ARE THE LAST HOPE OF SERBIA. AND HE SAID WHATEVER AUTHORITIES TRY TO DO TO STOP THEM, THEY COULD NEVER, AS HE PUT IT, "ARREST THEIR MINDS" BECAUSE AUTHORITIES DO NOT OWN THAT TYPE OF JAIL.

GOVERNMENT PRESSURE TO STOP THE PROTESTS HAS BEEN STEPPED UP SINCE THE END OF A PUBLIC HOLIDAY ON SUNDAY. TUESDAY, BELGRADE POLICE ANNOUNCED THE ARREST OF 32 INDIDIVUALS FOR TAKING PART IN WHAT THEY CALL RIOTS AND FOR DAMAGING STATE PROPERTY.

IN THE AFTERNOON, STUDIO RADIO INDEX WAS CLOSED DOWN AND RADIO B-92 OFFICIALLY LOST ITS FREQUENCY ALTOGETHER. BOTH RADIO STATIONS HAD BEEN THE ONLY ELECTRONIC MEDIA TO REPORT THE DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST WHAT PROTESTERS CALL THE ILLEGAL AND UNDEMOCRATIC BEHAVIOR OF SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSIVIC AND THE GOVERNING SOCIALISTS.

AT THE SAME TIME, TUESDAY, FIVE JUDGES FROM THE SERBIAN SUPREME COURT SENT AN OPEN LETTER TO THE MEDIA TO PROTEST DECISIONS BY SERBIAN COURTS THAT ANNULED SOME OF THE NOVEMBER 17TH ELECTION RESULTS.

ALSO TUESDAY, FIVE U-S CONGRESSMAN ARRIVED IN BELGRADE TO MONITOR POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS FIRST-HAND. (SIGNED)
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03-Dec-96 3:00 PM EST (2000 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] BELGRADE RADIO JAMMED (L-ONLY) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

INTRO: A RADIO STATION IN BELGRADE WHICH HAS BEEN A PRIME SOURCE OF INDEPENDENT NEWS AND INFORMATION DESPITE JAMMING HAS BEEN ORDERED OFF THE AIR BY THE YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT. A NEWS EDITOR FROM THE STATION, CALLED "B-92," TALKED ABOUT THE CLOSE-DOWN WITH V-O-A'S PAUL FRANCUCH.

TEXT: RADIO NEWS EDITOR ALEXANDRA SCEPANOVIC (SCHTEP-'ON-OH-VITCH) SAYS HER STATION GOT A GOVERNMENT ORDER ABOUT MID-AFTERNOON TUESDAY -- LOCAL TIME -- TO STOP BROADCASTING OR FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES.

WE WERE SENT A LETTER BY THE YUGOSLAV FEDERAL MINISTRY FOR TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS, SAYING THAT OUR RADIO STATION DOES NOT HAVE A LICENSE TO BROADCAST AND THEREFORE IS ILLEGAL.

EDITOR SCEPANOVIC SAYS LISTENERS NOW HEAR EITHER A JAMMED SIGNAL OR MUSIC FROM ANOTHER STATION SHARING THE FREQUENCY.

OUR LISTENERS WERE REPORTING HEAVY JAMMING OF OUR FREQUENCY THROUGHOUT THE DAY, STARTING FROM SAY ONE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON, AND JUDGING BY THEIR WORDS IN BELGRADE, PEOPLE COULD ONLY HEAR SILENCE ON THE WAVES (FREQUENCY) OF RADIO B-92 OR ANOTHER RADIO STATION, CALLED "RADIO RODA," WHICH USUALLY BROADCASTS FOLK MUSIC.

BELGRADE RADIO STATION B-92 SAYS IT HAS EXPERIENCED OCCASIONAL SIGNAL JAMMING IN RECENT DAYS, PRESUMABLY BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE STATION HAS USED THE COMPUTER "INTERNET" AS AN ALTERNATE MODE TO RELAY INFORMATION. B-92 HAS ALSO SERVED AS A FILING POINT FOR MANY VISITING BROADCASTERS WHO SEND REPORTS TO THE INTERNATIONAL NEWS MEDIA. (SIGNED)
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03-Dec-96 11:24 AM EST (1624 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] BILDT / YUGOSLAVIA (L ONLY) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

INTRO: THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S REPRESENTATIVE FOR BOSNIA, CARL BILDT, SAYS HE IS CONCERNED SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC MAY USE FORCE TO CRUSH PROTESTS AGAINST HIS GOVERNMENT. AS V-O-A EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT KYLE KING REPORTS, MR. BILDT MADE THE COMMENTS IN LISBON, WHERE HE SPOKE TO A EUROPEAN SECURITY SUMMIT.

TEXT: MR. BILDT, WHOSE COMMENTS WERE ECHOED BY OTHER TOP EUROPEAN OFFICIALS, SAYS SERBIA IS NOW AT A CROSS ROADS. HE SAYS THE GOVERNMENT CAN TAKE THE PATH OF DEMOCRACY AND REFORM OR IT CAN GO THE PATH OF OPPRESSION AND A RETURN TO THE PAST. MR. BILDT, SAID HE WAS PARTICULARLY CONCERNED BY INDICATIONS THAT SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC MAY USE FORCE TO HALT PROTESTS THAT HAVE BEEN HELD ALMOST DAILY SINCE HE CANCELED THE RESULTS OF LOCAL ELECTIONS.

DEMOCRACY IS THERE TO BE RESPECTED, WHETHER YOU LIKE OR DISLIKE THE RESULTS. AND I AM, OF COURSE, WORRIED WHEN I READ TRANSCRIPTS OF THE LANGUAGE IS NOW BEING USED ON SERBIAN STATE TELEVISION, BY SERBIAN OFFICIAL SPOKESMEN, CALLING THE DEMOCRATIC DEMONSTRATORS 'FASCISTS' -- THAT IS STALINIST LANGUAGE, THAT DOES NOT BODE VERY WELL FOR THE FUTURE.

MR. BILDT SAID ONE WAY OUT OF THE CRISIS MIGHT BE FOR MR. MILOSEVIC TO HOLD NEW LOCAL ELECTIONS WITH INTERNATIONAL MONITORS.

U-S ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EUROPEAN AFFAIRS, JOHN KORNBLUM, SAYS THE UNITED STATES HAS ALSO EXPRESSED ITS CONCERN ABOUT THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION IN SERBIA. HE SAID BECAUSE OF ITS CONCERNS THE UNITED STATES HAS NOT MADE ANY MOVE TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS WITH BELGRADE.

GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER KLAUS KINKEL, WHO ALSO SPOKE TO REPORTERS AT THE LISBON MEETING, SAID THE EUROPEAN UNION SHOULD TAKE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS INTO ACCOUNT BEFORE AUTHORIZING AID TO BELGRADE. (SIGNED)
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03-Dec-96 11:04 AM EST (1604 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] BOSNIA CONFERENCE (L) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

INTRO: AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BOSNIA OPENS IN LONDON WEDNESDAY. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA LOOKS AT THE MAIN THEMES TO BE DISCUSSED DURING THE TWO-DAY GATHERING.

TEXT: REPRESENTATIVES FROM MORE THAN 50 COUNTRIES ARE TO REVIEW THE FIRST YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DAYTON PEACE ACCORDS FOR BOSNIA AND TO ESTABLISH A PROGRAM OF ACTION FOR 1997.

BRITISH OFFICIALS SAY THE CONFERENCE WILL FOCUS ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES, INCLUDING FURTHER MEASURES TO PROMOTE PEACE AND SECURITY, ECONOMIC RECONSTRUCTION, HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES, AND HOW TO BRING ABOUT THE RETURN OF REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PEOPLE. THEY SAY THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE A PLEDGING CONFERENCE NOR WILL IT DISCUSS THE SIZE, MANDATE, AND DUTIES OF THE NEW INTERNATIONAL MILITARY FORCE WHICH WILL REPLACE THE CURRENT ONE NOW IN BOSNIA.

BRITISH OFFICIALS BRIEFING REPORTERS IN ADVANCE OF THE CONFERENCE WERE BLUNT IN THEIR ASSESSMENT OF THE SITUATION IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. THEY SAY HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES CONTINUE, ARMS CONTROL REDUCTION AGREEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH, FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT IS SEVERELY RESTRICTED, AND INDICTED WAR CRIMINALS HAVE NOT BEEN HANDED OVER TO THE INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE. BRITISH OFFICIALS SAY ALL OF THESE ISSUES WILL HAVE TO BE TACKLED BY CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS.

NICHOLAS HINTON IS PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP -- AN ORGANIZATION MONITORING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DAYTON PEACE ACCORDS. HE SAYS THE KEY ISSUE FACING THE CONFERENCE IS TO GET THE PARTIES HAVING SIGNED THE DAYTON AGREEMENT -- BOSNIA, CROATIA, AND SERBIA -- TO HAND OVER INDICTED WAR CRIMINALS TO THE HAGUE TRIBUNAL.

WE BELIEVE THAT THE COUNTRIES INVOLVED -- THAT IS THE PARTIES THAT SIGNED DAYTON AND PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY THE MEMBERS OF THE CONTACT GROUP -- GREAT BRITAIN, UNITED STATES, RUSSIA, ETC -- THAT ONE OF THE SUBJECTS THAT SHOULD BE DEALT WITH AT THIS WEEK'S PEACE IMPLEMENTATION CONFERENCE, IS TO FACE THIS ISSUE SQUARELY IN THE FACE AND THAT THE NEWLY RECRUITED TROOPS, THE SON OF I-FOR AS IT WERE, SHOULD BE MANDATED TO ARREST THESE GUYS.

MR. HINTON SAYS IF ALL THE INDICTED WAR CRIMINALS ARE NOT HANDED IN, THE DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT WILL SIMPLY FAIL.

BRITISH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAY THE CONFERENCE WILL ALSO DISCUSS WAYS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC AID TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. BUT THESE OFFICIALS ALSO SAY NEW INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE MUST BE CONDITIONAL ON BOSNIAN AUTHORITIES IMPLEMENTING ALL THE PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN THE DAYTON ACCORD -- AND THEY ARE FAR BEHIND SCHEDULE. (SIGNED)
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03-Dec-96 12:05 PM EST (1705 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] E-U / ALGERIA (L ONLY) CORRECTED BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS ANNOUNCED AID WORTH 170-MILLION DOLLARS FOR ALGERIA. JOHN FRASER IN BRUSSELS REPORTS E-U OFFICIALS SAY THE AIM IS TO HELP THE REFORM PROCESS IN ALGERIA, WHERE THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION WAS RECENTLY CONDEMNED BY AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL.

TEXT: THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE E-U AID FOLLOWS A VISIT TO ALGERIA BY EUROPEAN UNION COMMISSIONER MANUEL MARIN.

THE COMMISSIONER SAID HE IS CONVINCED THE ALGERIAN GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO KEEP ITS PROMISES TO MOVE TOWARDS DEMOCRACY, WITH BOTH LEGISLATIVE AND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS SCHEDULED FOR NEXT YEAR.

MR. MARIN SAID THERE ARE CLEAR SIGNS OF HOPE. HE ALSO SPOKE OPTIMISTICALLY ABOUT THE EUROPEAN UNION AND ALGERIA BEGINNING NEGOTIATIONS NEXT YEAR ON A NEW TREATY, KNOWN AS AN ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT.

A SPOKESMAN FOR MR. MARIN STATED THIS ACCORD WOULD INCLUDE A HUMAN RIGHTS CLAUSE, WHICH WOULD OBLIGE ALGERIAN AUTHORITIES TO OBSERVE BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. HE JUSTIFIED THE NEW E-U AID PACKAGE, SAYING IT WILL SUPPORT REFORMS TO ENSURE THE ECONOMIC SURVIVAL OF THE COUNTRY, WHICH HE DESCRIBED AS A MAJOR PARTNER OF THE EUROPEAN UNION.

EUROPEAN UNION OFFICIALS SAY ALGERIA IS CONFRONTED WITH A MAJOR CHALLENGE TO TRANSFORM ITS STATE-CONTROLLED ECONOMY DEPENDENT ON THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY INTO A DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY, CENTERED ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

THEY SAY THE E-U AID COMES AT A CRITICAL MOMENT IN THE REFORM PROCESS, FOLLOWING CONSIDERABLE ECONOMIC PROGRESS.

THE AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT WAS HIGHLY CRITICAL OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN ALGERIA, BLAMING NOT ONLY ISLAMIC MILITANT OPPOSITION GROUPS BUT ALSO GOVERNMENT FORCES AND GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED MILITIAS FOR ABUSES.

IT SPOKE OF AN ATMOSPHERE OF TERROR AND LAWLESSNESS, AND CLAIMED THAT MORE THAN 50-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS. (SIGNED)
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03-Dec-96 8:40 AM EST (1340 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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