Voice of America, 97-01-21

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

CONTENTS

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

[02] EDITORIAL: ALBRIGHT ON NATO

[03] BELGRADE / RIGHTISTS (L ONLY) BY JULIA GLYN-PICKETT (BELGRADE)

[04] BELGRADE'S FORGOTTEN HERO BY ED WARNER (WASHINGTON)

[05] EURO STOCKS (S ONLY-CQ) BY JACK HUIZENGA (LONDON)

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

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON'S SECOND INAUGURAL SPEECH AND THE DAY'S FESTIVITIES REMAIN THE DOMINANT TOPIC AMONG THE NATION'S NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS JUST AS IT WAS YESTERDAY.

HOWEVER THERE ARE A FEW OTHER SUBJECTS UNDER DISCUSSION, INCLUDING: THE ETHICS SITUATION SWIRLING AROUND HOUSE SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH; THE DEMOCRATIC FUNDRAISING CONTROVERSY; ANTI-DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENTS IN INDONESIA AND TROUBLE WITH COLOMBIA'S ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN.

NOW, HERE WITH A QUOTE OR TWO AND A CLOSER LOOK IS _______________ AND TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: MANY OF THE NATION'S PAPERS ARE COMMENTING ON PRESIDENT CLINTON'S SECOND INAUGURAL ADDRESS AND THE START OF HIS SECOND TERM. EVEN SOME PAPERS THAT HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY CRITICAL OF MR. CLINTON ARE WISHING HIM WELL. ONE IS THE NEW YORK POST, WHICH SAYS IN ITS HEADLINE: "ALL THE BEST, MR. PRESIDENT" ADDING:

VOICE: "WE NUMBER OURSELVES AMONG PRESIDENT CLINTON'S CRITICS. AND OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, WE EXPECT TO DIRECT PLENTY MORE CRITICISM IN HIS DIRECTION WHEN WE BELIEVE IT'S WARRANTED. STILL.... WE WISH BILL CLINTON THE VERY BEST AS HE STARTS HIS SECOND TERM AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE."

TEXT: TODAY'S MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE SAYS OF THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS:

VOICE: "..... [MR.] CLINTON EXUDED THE OPTIMISM ONE WOULD EXPECT OF THE BOY ONCE PHOTOGRAPHED WITH PRESIDENT JOHN KENNEDY. IT IS THE OPTIMISM OF A POLICY WONK WHO REALLY DOES BELIEVE IN GOVERNMENT - - A GOVERNMENT, AS HE PUT IT, THAT PROVIDES THE TOOLS PEOPLE NEED IN ORDER TO BETTER THEIR LIVES, INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY. ..... AND PROGRESS IS WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS JUST NOW. .... [MR.] CLINTON'S INAUGURAL SPEECH ADDRESSED AMERICANS' ASPIRATIONS. NOW HE AND CONGRESS, THROUGH THEIR JOINT CONDUCT OF GOVERNMENT, MUST RESPOND TO THEIR CYNICISM."

TEXT: HERE'S PART OF THE NEW YORK TIMES REACTION:

VOICE: "INAUGURAL ADDRESSES OFTEN EVOKE A SENSE OF TRIUMPH AND A VISION OF BATTLES TO COME. FOR LOVERS OF SUCH SAILING RHETORIC, PRESIDENT CLINTON'S ADDRESS .... WAS DISTINCTLY EARTHBOUND. BUT IT WAS ALSO NOTABLE FOR ITS ENNOBLING APPEAL TO CONCILIATION AND WHAT HE CALLED 'A NEW SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY FOR A NEW CENTURY. ..... LOOKING BEYOND RACE, MR. CLINTON APPEALED FOR AN END TO PARTISAN SQUABBLING IN CONGRESS. THAT WAS EXACTLY THE RIGHT SENTIMENT ... [BUT]..... FOR ALL THE PRESIDENT'S DESIRE FOR HARMONY, IT IS GOVERNMENT - - AND IN THESE NEXT FOUR YEARS A MIXTURE OF PRESIDENTIAL DETERMINATION AND CONGRESSIONAL COOPERATION - - THAT WILL MAKE HIS DREAM SUCCEED OR FAIL."

TEXT: FOR ITS PART THE BOSTON GLOBE WAS NOT TERRIBLY IMPRESSED, COMPARING THE ADDRESS WITH ITS PREDECESSOR:

VOICE: ".... IT WAS MORE MODEST ..... ITS IDEAS MORE TRUNCATED, ITS COURSE LACKING DIRECTION. ....[MR.] CLINTON'S CALL FOR POLITICAL REFORM - - 'SO THAT THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS SPEAK LOUDER THAN THE DIN OF NARROW INTEREST' - - WAS VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL TO THE RHETORIC FOUR YEARS AGO ..... A SURE SIGN THERE HAS BEEN NO PROGRESS. .... MOST IMPORTANT FOR THE NEAR TERM WAS [PRESIDENT] CLINTON'S CLEAR AND ACCURATE ASSESSMENT THAT THE VOTERS HAVE NOT ASKED FOR 'PETTY BICKERING' BUT FOR REAL PROGRESS. IF THAT MESSAGE IS FOLLOWED, WASHINGTON'S ACTIONS MAY YET SPEAKER LOUDER THAN [MR.] CLINTON'S WORDS."

TEXT: THERE ARE OTHER TOPICS BEING DISCUSSED AND THE ETHICS TRIBULATIONS OF HOUSE SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH ARE AMONG THEM. THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, WHICH IS PUBLISHED NEAR MR. GINGRICH'S CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, TITLED ITS LEAD EDITORIAL: "THE SHAME OF THE HOUSE" AND SAYS IN PART OF THE RECENT ETHICS COMMITTEE INVESTIGATION:

VOICE: "LAST MONTH, SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH EXPRESSED REGRET FOR BRINGING DISHONOR UPON THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. IF THAT REGRET WAS SINCERE, HE OUGHT TO RESIGN. GIVEN THE EVIDENCE OF MISCONDUCT AND DECEIT NOW LAID OUT AGAINST HIM, [MR.] GINGRICH WILL DISHONOR THE HOUSE EVERY TIME HE PICKS UP THE SPEAKER'S GAVEL. ..... HUBRIS DRIVES NEWT GINGRICH, AND NOW IT HAS COME CLOSE TO DESTROYING HIM."

TEXT: THE DEMOCRATS ALSO HAVE AN ETHICS PROBLEM, NOW THAT THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE HAS ADMITTED ACCEPTING MORE THAN ONE-AND-ONE-HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS THAT IT HAS SINCE GIVEN BACK. THE BOSTON GLOBE FEARS THE PRESIDENT IS USING ALLEGATIONS OF RACISM TO COVER UP THAT WRONGDOING.

VOICE: "IT IS SAD INDEED TO SEE PRESIDENT CLINTON, AS HE ENTERS HIS SECOND TERM IN OFFICE, AND THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE PLAYING THE RACE CARD IN ORDER TO DEFLECT ATTENTION FROM THE RISING SCANDAL OF IMPROPER AND ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS. ..... THE PRESIDENT AND THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE BRING SHAME ON THEMSELVES WHEN THEY EMPLOY THIS DIVISIVE AND ULTIMATELY SELF-DESTRUCTIVE TACTIC."

TEXT: ON THE INTERNATIONAL FRONT, THE NEW YORK TIMES IS UPSET BY WHAT IT CALLS ANTI-DEMOCRATIC MOVES AGAINST INDONESIANS BY THEIR GOVERNMENT.

VOICE: "FEW PEOPLE OUTSIDE INDONESIA HAVE HEARD OF MUCHTAR PAKPAHAN, BUT HIS PROBLEMS ARE A GOOD INDEX OF HOW THE COUNTRY'S DEMOCRATS ARE FARING. THE GOVERNMENT IS CARRYING OUT THE MOST SEVERE PERSECUTION IN YEARS OF INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS SUCH AS MR. PAKPAHAN, ... THE HEAD OF THE NATION'S LARGEST INDEPENDENT LABOR UNION. .... HE FACES A LONG PRISON TERM AND POSSIBLY THE DEATH PENALTY FOR CRITICIZING MR. SUHARTO'S RULE, INDONESIA'S BRUTAL OCCUPATION OF EAST TIMOR AND THE NATION'S ECONOMIC GAP BETWEEN RICH AND POOR. ..... HARASSMENT OF NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS IS NOT THE KIND OF REPRESSION THE WORLD GETS EXCITED ABOUT. .... BUT THE REAL MEASURE OF A COUNTRY'S POLITICAL HEALTH IS THE FATE OF THOSE THE WORLD DOES NOT KNOW."

TEXT: LASTLY, ABOUT THE LATEST EFFORTS BY COLOMBIA'S GOVERNMENT TO HALT DRUG TRAFFICKING, THE WASHINGTON POST CALLS IT A "BAD JOKE OF A CAMPAIGN," ADDING:

VOICE: "A LAUGHABLE JAIL SENTENCE .... HAS ... JUST BEEN HANDED DOWN THAT WILL LET THE TWO ... BROTHERS .... [WHO ARE THE] REPUTED LEADERS OF THE INFAMOUS CALI CARTEL ... RUN THEIR BUSINESS FROM JAIL. .... DRUGS ARE NOT JUST A COLOMBIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT PROBLEM. THEY ALSO ARE AN AMERICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, AND BEFORE THAT THEY ARE A PROBLEM ARISING FROM AMERICAN DEMAND. .... BUT IT REMAINS OUTRAGEOUS THAT THE PERSON [PRESIDENT ERNESTO SAMPER] ... WHO NORMALLY WOULD BE REGARDED AS LEADER OF THE BATTLE AGAINST THE DRUG PLAGUE IS IN FACT A HOSTAGE OF THE ENEMY."

TEXT: AND WITH THAT, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF U-S EDITORIALS ON THIS TUESDAY AFTER THE PRESIDENT'S SECOND INAUGURAL.
NEB/ANG/NL
21-Jan-97 10:58 AM EST (1558 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] EDITORIAL: ALBRIGHT ON NATO

ANNCR: THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE VARIETY OF ISSUES. NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

VOICE:

IT IS A CENTRAL LESSON OF THIS CENTURY THAT AMERICA MUST REMAIN A EUROPEAN POWER. THE UNITED STATES HAS AN INTEREST IN EUROPEAN SECURITY BECAUSE IT WANTS TO AVOID THE INSTABILITY THAT DREW FIVE MILLION AMERICANS OVERSEAS TO FIGHT IN TWO WORLD WARS. LIKEWISE, AMERICA HAS AN INTEREST IN EUROPEAN PROSPERITY, BECAUSE U.S. PROSPERITY DEPENDS ON HAVING PARTNERS THAT ARE OPEN TO EXPORTS, INVESTMENT AND IDEAS.

NATO HAS A MAJOR ROLE TO PLAY IN EUROPEAN SECURITY. IN JULY, AT THE NATO SUMMIT IN MADRID, THE ALLIANCE WILL INVITE ONE OR MORE COUNTRIES IN CENTRAL EUROPE TO BEGIN TALKS ON JOINING THE ALLIANCE. THE SUMMIT WILL ALSO ADDRESS NATO'S NEW COMMAND STRUCTURES AND A FRAMEWORK FOR IMPROVED COOPERATION WITH RUSSIA.

MADELEINE ALBRIGHT SERVED FOR FOUR YEARS AS U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS. SHE HAS BEEN CHOSEN BY PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON TO BE SECRETARY OF STATE:

ACTUALITY #1 -- ALBRIGHT (ACTUALITY IN AUDIO SERVICES) "THE PURPOSE OF ENLARGEMENT IS TO DO FOR EUROPE'S EAST WHAT NATO DID FIFTY YEARS AGO FOR EUROPE'S WEST: TO INTEGRATE NEW DEMOCRACIES, DEFEAT OLD HATREDS, PROVIDE CONFIDENCE IN ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND DETER CONFLICT."

AMBASSADOR ALBRIGHT STRESSED THAT NATO SHOULD NOT WAIT UNTIL A MILITARY THREAT APPEARS TO ADD NEW MEMBERS. NATO IS A PERMANENT ALLIANCE, A LINCHPIN OF STABILITY DESIGNED TO PREVENT SERIOUS THREATS FROM EVER ARISING. AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR NATO TO KEEP THE DOOR OPEN TO EVERY EUROPEAN NATION THAT IS ABLE AND WILLING TO SHOULDER THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEMBERSHIP.

AS AMBASSADOR ALBRIGHT SAID, EUROPEAN STABILITY DEPENDS IN LARGE MEASURE ON CONTINUED AMERICAN LEADERSHIP. AND AS HISTORY HAS DEMONSTRATED, EUROPEAN STABILITY IS VITAL TO U.S. NATIONAL INTERESTS. THAT IS WHY THE U.S. WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN ENGAGED, WORKING WITH EUROPE'S DEMOCRACIES TO BUILD A CONTINENT IN WHICH EVERY NATION IS FREE AND EVERY FREE NATION IS A PARTNER WITH THE U.S.

ANNCR:

THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, VOICE OF AMERICA, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. YOU MAY ALSO SEND US A FAX AT (202) 619-1043. YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE USED ON THE AIR.
21-Jan-97 3:28 PM EST (2028 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] BELGRADE / RIGHTISTS (L ONLY) BY JULIA GLYN-PICKETT (BELGRADE)

INTRO: SERBIAN STUDENTS CONTINUE TO PROTEST DISPUTED LOCAL ELECTIONS, AMID REPORTS AUTHORITIES PLAN TO CANCEL THE ENTIRE BALLOT IN BELGRADE AND HOLD A NEW VOTE. MEANWHILE, FRENCH FAR-RIGHT LEADER JEAN MARIE LE PEN IS IN SERBIA AT THE INVITATION OF A SERBIAN EXTREME-RIGHT PARTY -- WHICH ALSO DISPUTES THE ELECTION RESULTS, BUT WHICH IS AT ODDS WITH THE LARGEST OPPOSITION COALITION, ZAJEDNO. JULIA GLYN-PICKETT REPORTS FROM BELGRADE.

TEXT: THE LEADER OF THE RIGHTIST FRENCH NATIONAL FRONT, JEAN MARIE LE PEN, ARRIVED IN BELGRADE TUESDAY TO MEET WITH WHAT HE CALLS HIS SERB POLITICAL COUNTERPART, THE LEADER OF THE RIGHTIST OPPOSITION SERBIAN RADICAL PARTY, VOJISLAV SESELJ.

AT THE MEETING WITH MR. LE PEN, MR. SESELJ ATTACKED BOTH THE GOVERNING SOCIALISTS AND THE ZAJEDNO OPPOSITION COALITION.

HE SAID WHILE THE MAIN AIM OF THE SERB RADICAL PARTY WAS TO GET RID OF SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC, ITS SECOND GOAL WAS TO PREVENT THE COALITION, ZAJEDNO, FROM COMING TO POWER. HE SAID ZAJEDNO IS AN EVEN WORSE OPTION FOR SERBIA THAN THE SOCIALISTS.

ZAJEDNO AND STUDENT PROTESTS CONTINUED ON TUESDAY, DESPITE REPORTS OF POLICE VIOLENCE TO STOP DEMONSTRATIONS LATE MONDAY. TUESDAY AFTERNOON, TAXI DRIVERS BROUGHT CENTRAL BELGRADE TO A STANDSTILL IN WHAT THEY CALLED AN ACT OF SOLIDARITY.

[04] BELGRADE'S FORGOTTEN HERO BY ED WARNER (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE YUGOSLAV WRITER MILOVAN DJILAS RISKED HIS LIFE AND GAINED WORLDWIDE FAME BY TURNING AGAINST COMMUNISM AND IN FACT HELPING TO BRING IT DOWN. BUT AS V-O-A'S ED WARNER REPORTS, HIS ONCE INFLUENTIAL WRITINGS ARE NOW SHUNNED IN BELGRADE -- EVEN SOMETIMES CONDEMNED FOR BEING INSUFFICIENTLY NATIONALISTIC.

TEXT: ONCE A DEDICATED COMMUNIST, MILOVAN DJILAS STOOD UP TO STALIN OVER RED ARMY ATROCITIES IN WORLD WAR TWO, HELPED ENGINEER TITO'S BREAK WITH MOSCOW, AND THEN BROKE WITH TITO TO WRITE A SCATHING ACCOUNT OF COMMUNISM IN POWER: "THE NEW CLASS."

BEFORE HIS DEATH IN 1995, MR. DJILAS SAID COMMUNISM NOW HAD A REPLACEMENT: NATIONALISM. IN A BOOK PUBLISHED AS EARLY AS 1969, "THE UNPERFECT SOCIETY," HE PREDICTED THE BREAK-UP OF YUGOSLAVIA ONCE COMMUNISM WAS GONE, AND WARNED AGAINST EXCESSIVE NATIONALISM. HE SAID YUGOSLAVIA'S SUCCESSOR STATES SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT BUT FAIR TO ONE ANOTHER.

FERVENT SERB NATIONALISTS CANNOT FORGIVE THAT MODERATION -- OR MR. DJILAS' ACTIONS IN THE TERRIBLE CIVIL WAR THAT ACCOMPANIED THE WAR AGAINST GERMANY HALF A CENTURY AGO. WITH THE SEARING HONESTY FOR WHICH HE WAS NOTED, MR. DJILAS REVEALED IN HIS WARTIME MEMOIRS ALL THE HORRORS OF BATTLE, INCLUDING SOME HE COMMITTED. HE KILLED SERBS WHO IN TURN HAD KILLED COMMUNIST PARTISANS.

WHAT HE LEARNED FROM ALL THE KILLING EMERGED NOT ONLY IN HIS POLITICAL WRITINGS BUT IN HIS FICTION, WHERE HE DESCRIBES WITH GREAT COMPASSION ALL PARTICIPANTS CAUGHT UP IN THE TRAGIC STRUGGLE. THESE WORKS BREATHE A HUMANITY THAT ENCOMPASSES ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE BALKANS.

THAT IS NOT IN FASHION IN SERBIA, HOWEVER. SO MR. DJILAS' WRITINGS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. HE DOES NOT FIGURE IN HISTORY OR LITERARY COURSES. A HISTORY MAJOR AT BELGRADE UNIVERSITY TOLD "THE NEW YORK TIMES: "I HAVE NOT READ HIS BOOKS. WE HAVE MANY GREAT SERB HEROES, BUT HE IS NOT ONE OF THEM."

THAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE TO A POINT, SAYS PAUL SHOUP OF THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA. CONCERNED WITH TOTALITARIANISM, MR. DJILAS DID NOT REALLY ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS OF NATIONALISM:

MILOVAN DJILAS WAS ABOVE ALL A COMMITTED INTERNATIONALIST, AND THIS IS WHAT IS SO SYMPATHETIC ABOUT HIM. WHILE HE WAS A COMMUNIST, HE DID NOT BELONG TO ANY COUNTRY. AND WHEN HE WAS A CONVINCED LIBERAL AND HUMANIST, HE DID NOT BELONG TO ANY COUNTRY. BUT THAT IS WHY HE AND THE PEOPLE OF SERBIA REALLY DID NOT HAVE MUCH TO SAY TO EACH OTHER IN THE LAST ANALYSIS (AT THE END).

MR. DJILAS' SON, ALEKSA, WONDERS IF HIS FATHER'S REPUTATION WILL SUFFER AS MUCH UNDER NATIONALISM AS IT DID UNDER COMMUNISM -- BUT THEN HE RECALLS WHO FINALLY PREVAILED IN THE BATTLE WITH COMMUNISM. (SIGNED)
NEB/EW/MMK
21-Jan-97 3:57 PM EST (2057 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] EURO STOCKS (S ONLY-CQ) BY JACK HUIZENGA (LONDON)

INTRO: SHARE PRICES WERE MIXED TUESDAY ON WEST EUROPEAN EXCHANGES. V-O-A'S JACK HUIZENGA HAS THE CLOSING MARKET REPORT FROM LONDON.

TEXT: STOCK PRICES IN EUROPE FELL SHARPLY IN MORNING TRADING. BUT THEY REBOUNDED AFTER U-S CENTRAL BANK CHAIRMAN ALAN GREENSPAN GAVE A POSITIVE REPORT ABOUT THE U-S ECONOMY. IN LONDON, THE FOOTSIE-100 INDEX WAS DOWN MORE THAN ONE-HALF PERCENT AFTER AN INTEREST RATE WARNING FROM THE BRITISH CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR. BUT IT RECOVERED AFTER MR. GREENSPAN'S COMMENTS, AND ENDED THE DAY UP A FRACTION. IN PARIS, PRICES ALSO WERE DOWN IN THE MORNING. BUT THE CAC-40 INDEX ALSO ENDED THE DAY UP FRACTIONALLY.

IN FRANKFURT, WHERE TRADING ENDS EARLY, THE DAX-30 INDEX ENDED FLOOR TRADING DOWN ALMOST 58 POINTS, ABOUT ONE-AND-EIGHT-TENTHS PERCENT. BUT IT THEN ROSE IN LATER COMPUTERIZED TRADING AFTER THE GREENSPAN REPORT.

ON THE LONDON CURRENCY MARKET, THE VALUE OF THE U-S DOLLAR WAS DOWN A LITTLE AGAINST THE GERMAN MARK, THE JAPANESE YEN, AND THE BRITISH POUND. (SIGNED)
NEB/JWH
21-Jan-97 2:00 PM EST (1900 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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