Voice of America, 97-07-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] CYPRUS TALKS (L ONLY) BY CHRIS DRAKE (NICOSIA)

[02] BALKAN WAR CRIMINALS (L ONLY) BY ELAINE JOHANSON (UNITED NATIONS)

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

[04] MONDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[01] CYPRUS TALKS (L ONLY) BY CHRIS DRAKE (NICOSIA)

INTRO: LEADERS OF THE GREEK AND TURKISH COMMUNITIES ON THE DIVIDED MEDITERRANEAN ISLAND OF CYPRUS HAVE MET ON CYPRUS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN THREE YEARS. CHRIS DRAKE IN NICOSIA REPORTS PRESIDENT GLAFCOS CLERIDES FOR THE GREEK CYPRIOTS AND TURKISH CYPRIOT LEADER RAUF DENKTASH HAVE BEEN HOLDING TALKS TO DISCUSS WAYS OF REDUCING TENSION BETWEEN THEIR COMMUNITIES FOLLOWING THE TURKISH INVASION IN 1974.

TEXT: THE TALKS WERE HELD AT THE HOME OF THE RESIDENT U-N REPRESENTATIVE, GUSTAV FAISSAL, AND WERE SCHEDULED TO LAST TWO HOURS. BUT THEY CAME TO A SUDDEN HALT AFTER ONLY ONE.

THAT CAUSED CONFUSION BECAUSE THE SCORES OF LOCAL JOURNALISTS WERE WAITING MORE THAN ONE MILE AWAY AT THE REQUEST OF THE UNITED NATIONS, AND THEN HAD TO BE RUSHED BACK TO WATCH THE LEADERS DEPART.

WITH NEITHER MAKING ANY COMMENT, IT WAS LEFT TO MR. FAISSAL TO ANNOUNCE THEY WOULD HOLD MORE TALKS ON THURSDAY.

BUT WHILE THE IMMEDIATE ASSUMPTION WAS THAT THEIR SHORTENED DISCUSSIONS DID NOT GO AS WELL AS HOPED, HE INSISTED THERE WAS NO CAUSE FOR PESSIMISM, SAYING AGREEMENT TO HAVE THE SECOND MEETING WAS PROOF.

THE OBJECT OF THESE TALKS IS TO REDUCE TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY WITH A VIEW TO PREVENTING VIOLENT CLASHES OF THE SORT THAT ERUPTED LAST SUMMER BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.

NEXT MONTH, THE LEADERS ARE DUE IN SWITZERLAND FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF U-N SPONSORED MEETINGS DESIGNED TO REUNITE THE ISLAND IN AN OVERALL SETTLEMENT.

THEY MET EARLIER THIS MONTH JUST OUTSIDE NEW YORK.

BUT SINCE THEN, THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS INVITED THE GREEK CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT TO APPLY FOR E-U MEMBERSHIP.

THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS WILL BENEFIT ONLY IF THERE IS A FULL SETTLEMENT FIRST. AND TURKEY ITSELF WAS POINTEDLY NOT INVITED TO APPLY FOR E-U MEMBERSHIP. THAT HAS ANGERED BOTH TURKEY AND THE TURKISH CYPRIOTS, AND BADLY SOURED THE ATMOSPHERE. (SIGNED)
NEB/CD/JWH/EH
28-Jul-97 2:49 PM EDT (1849 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] BALKAN WAR CRIMINALS (L ONLY) BY ELAINE JOHANSON (UNITED NATIONS)

INTRO: THE UNITED NATIONS' CHIEF CIVILIAN OFFICIAL IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA HAS PROPOSED A FREEZE ON OUTSIDE ASSETS OF BALKAN WAR CRIMINALS AS A WAY OF BRINGING MORE PRESSURE ON THEM TO SURRENDER. CARLOS WESTENDORP -- UNTIL RECENTLY SPAIN'S U-N AMBASSADOR -- BRIEFED THE SECURITY COUNCIL MONDAY. VOA CORRESPONDENT ELAINE JOHANSON REPORTS:

TEXT: AMBASSADOR WESTENDORP BELIEVES BOSNIA WILL NEVER BE NORMAL AS LONG AS WAR CRIMINALS REMAIN AT LARGE. HE WANTS INTERNATIONAL PERSONNEL TO DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER TO FORCE THEM INTO THE OPEN, ARREST THEM AND DELIVER THEM FOR TRIAL IN THE HAGUE.

THE U-N OFFICIAL IS SEEKING SECURITY COUNCIL SUPPORT TOWARD THIS GOAL. IN A PRIVATE MEETING WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS, HE PROPOSED DECISIVE INTERNATIONAL ACTION TO TRACE AND FREEZE BANK ACCOUNTS AND OTHER FINANCIAL ASSETS INDICTED WAR CRIMINALS MAY HAVE HIDDEN ABROAD:

WE ALL KNOW WHICH ARE THE SO-CALLED HAVENS FOR THESE ACTIVITIES AND IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING IF THE SECURITY COUNCIL WOULD REFLECT ON THAT POSSIBILITY AND IN A CERTAIN MOMENT BRING A RESOLUTION TO BE ABLE TO TRACE THESE ASSETS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THE U-N OFFICIAL NOTED SWITZERLAND IS NOT THE ONLY PLACE WHERE PEOPLE HIDE MONEY. HE MENTIONED THE CHANNEL ISLANDS, CYPRUS, EVEN LEBANON.

THE TWO MOST NOTORIOUS MEN UNDER INDICTMENT ARE BOSNIAN SERB LEADER RADOVAN KARADZIC -- WHO DIRECTED THE SERB WAR EFFORT IN BOSNIA -- AND HIS TOP GENERAL, RATKO MLADIC.

MR. WESTENDORP ALSO WARNED THE SECURITY COUNCIL ABOUT THE INSIDIOUS DANGERS OF UNCHECKED CORRUPTION IN BOSNIA AND RECOMMENDED SETTING UP AN ANTI-CORRUPTION UNIT IN THE COUNTRY. THE U-N OFFICIAL SAID RAMPANT CORRUPTION IS ANOTHER FACT OF POST-WAR BOSNIAN LIFE THAT UNDERMINES CONFIDENCE-BUILDING AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY. (SIGNED)
NEB/EJ/EH
28-Jul-97 2:17 PM EDT (1817 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE MIXED TODAY (MONDAY) BUT THE WIDELY FOLLOWED DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT A RECORD HIGH FOR THE FOURTH TIME IN THE LAST SIX TRADING SESSIONS. CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT 81 HUNDRED 21, UP SEVEN POINTS. BUT THE LARGER STANDARD AND POOR'S INDEX OF 500 STOCKS CLOSED DOWN TWO POINTS AT 936.

DESPITE THE RECORD HIGH IN THE INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE, ANALYSTS SAY THERE WAS SOME CAUTION IN THE MARKET AS TRADERS AWAIT IMPORTANT ECONOMIC STATISTICS EXPECTED LATER IN THE WEEK.

ANDY BROOKS OF THE T. ROWE PRICE INVESTMENT COMPANY SAYS SOME WEAKNESS IN STOCK PRICES MAY BE AHEAD.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE WELL THAT WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY PRETTY QUICKLY. SOMETIMES THAT REVERSES COURSE. SO IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME TO SEE THIS MARKET SLOW DOWN SOME THIS SUMMER.

A HUGE ACQUISITION IN THE AMERICAN LIFE INSURANCE INDUSTRY WAS ANNOUNCED. THE LINCOLN NATIONAL CORPORATION WILL PAY ONE POINT FOUR BILLION DOLLARS IN CASH FOR THE INDIVIDUAL LIFE INSURANCE BUSINESS OPERATED BY THE CIGNA CORPORATION.

AND A CONSOLIDATION IN THE U-S FERTILIZER INDUSTRY IS PLANNED. THE I-M-C GLOBAL CORPORATION WILL PAY ALMOST 800 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE FREEPORT-MCMORAN (MAC-MORE-AN) COMPANY. ANALYSTS SAY THE ACQUISITION WILL ENHANCE I-M-C'S DOMINANT POSITION IN THE PHOSPHATE FERTILIZER BUSINESS.

THE INTEL SEMICONDUCTOR COMPANY WILL PAY 420 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE CHIPS AND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION. THE DEAL IS EXPECTED TO IMPROVE INTEL'S POSITION IN THE MARKET FOR COMPUTER CHIPS THAT PROVIDE THREE DIMENSIONAL GRAPHICS AND VIDEO.

THE WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC COMPANY REPORTED A ONE MILLION DOLLAR SECOND QUARTER PROFIT, COMPARED TO AN 89 MILLION DOLLAR LOSS IN THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR. DESPITE THE IMPROVEMENT, PROFITS IN THE COMPANY'S MEDIA DIVISION FELL. WESTINGHOUSE PLANS TO SPLIT ITS MEDIA HOLDINGS -- WHICH INCLUDE THE C-B-S TELEVISION NETWORK INTO A SEPARATE COMPANY LATER THIS YEAR. (SIGNED) NEB/NY/BA/LSF/LWM
28-Jul-97 5:36 PM EDT (2136 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] MONDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

(UNEDITED)

INTRO: AS WE HEAD INTO THE LAST WEEK IN JULY, U-S NEWSPAPERS ARE COMMENTING ON A WIDE ARRAY OF TOPICS, INCLUDING: THE SENATE PROBE OF CAMPAIGN FINANCING; THE FIGHT TO GET FOREIGN AID APPROVED IN CONGRESS; THE DEBATE OVER THE BUDGET; SOME THOUGHTS ON CENTRAL ASIA; AND LOCATING PARENTS WHO REFUSE TO PAY FOR CHILD SUPPORT.

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

TEXT: A SENATE COMMITTEE IS MOVING TOWARD AN AUGUST RECESS IN ITS HEARINGS ON ABUSES OF CAMPAIGN FINANCING LAWS DURING RECENT ELECTIONS AND TODAY'S CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR SAYS SOMETHING WORTHWHILE IS COMING OUT OF THE TESTIMONY.

VOICE: "IF NOTHING ELSE, THE MOST RECENT TESTIMONY BEFORE THE SENATE GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE SHOWS THAT THERE ARE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS AND CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS ON ALL SIDES OF THE CAMPAIGN-FINANCE CONTROVERSY. ..... THE AIRING OF ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING REPUBLICANS ..... GIVES THE HEARINGS A BIPARTISAN NOTE THAT SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO ACTUAL BIPARTISANSHIP - - IN THE SENSE OF TEAMWORK THAT RISES ABOVE PARTY INTEREST TO SEARCH FOR TRUTH. ..... IF THE INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS IS MIRED IN PARTISAN BICKERING AND DEFENSIVENESS, IT WON'T WIN THE PUBLIC ATTENTION ITS SUBJECT MATTER DESERVES."

TEXT: TODAY'S WASHINGTON POST IS LOOKING AT WHAT IT FEELS IS A HOPEFUL TREND IN U-S FOREIGN AID COMMITMENTS, AFTER YEARS OF DECLINING SUPPORT IN CONGRESS.

VOICE: "IN RECENT YEARS, FOREIGN AID HAS SEEMED AT TIMES AN ENDANGERED SPECIES. PUBLIC SUPPORT WAS SAID TO BE DECLINING. ACTUAL U-S AID STEADILY FELL OFF AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMY. THE END OF THE COLD WAR CONTRIBUTED TO THIS TREND. SO DID THE REPUBLICAN TAKEOVER OF THE HOUSE ..... NOW THERE ARE SIGNS THAT THIS LOGIC [THAT FOREIGN AID IS A LONG-TERM BEBNEFIT TO THIS COUNTRY] IS BEGINNING TO TAKE POLITICAL HOLD. ....... RECENTLY THE SENATE PASSED A FOREIGN AID BILL THAT WOULD REVERSE THE DECLINE IN SPENDING. ..... THE HOUSE HASN'T COME QUITE SO FAR. BUT BOTH [BILLS] REFLECT A GROWING CONSENSUS THAT FOREIGN AID SHOULD NOT BE AN ENTITLEMENT BUT A TEMPORARY SOURCE OF HELP TO COUNTRIES THAT ARE HELPING THEMSELVES - - AND THAT FOREIGN AID IS, IN THE LONG RUN, AN INEXPENSIVE INVESTMENT IN STABILITY AND PROSPERITY."

TEXT: TURNING TO THE TOTAL OUTLAY OF FUNDS FOR THE NATION, INCLUDING FOREIGN AID, THE SUN IN BALTIMORE HAS THIS TO SAY ABOUT THE BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN CONGRESS AND THE WHITE HOUSE.

VOICE: "REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS WOULD LOVE NOTHING BETTER THAN TO WRAP UP A BUDGET AND TAX-CUT DEAL WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON IN TIME TO PUSH THROUGH THIS MAMMOTH PACKAGE BEFORE LAWMAKERS ADJOURN FOR THEIR AUGUST RECESS THIS WEEK. BUT ..... THERE ARE YAWNING [LARGE] GAPS BETWEEN THE CONGRESSIONAL PROPOSALS AND WHAT MR. CLINTON WANTS IN THESE SEPARATE BLUEPRINTS ON ACHIEVING A BALANCED BUDGET IN FIVE YEARS. IN FACT, THERE REMAIN YAWNING GAPS BETWEEN PLANS PUT FORTH BY HOUSE REPUBLICANS AND THEIR MORE PRAGMATIC COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE. RESOLVING THESE THREE-WAY DISPUTES WON'T BE EASY. .......BUT IF THE END RESULT IS AN ILLUSORY BALANCED BUDGET THAT SETS THE STAGE FOR RAMPANT DEFICIT-SPENDING AFTER 2002, THESE TALKS WILL BE VIEWED AS JUST ANOTHER WASHINGTON CHARADE."

TEXT: ON THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE, THE SUN TALKS ABOUT THE EMERGING NEW NATIONS OF FORMERLY "SOVIET" CENTRAL ASIA.

VOICE: "TWO EXAMPLES STRIKINGLY ILLUSTRATE THE REALITIES OF CENTRAL ASIA SINCE THE SOVIET UNION COLLAPSED SIX YEARS AGO: WHEN PRESIDENT CLINTON RECENTLY ATTENDED THE MADRID SUMMIT OF THE NEWLY CREATED EURO-ATLANTIC PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL, HE FOUND HIMSELF SEATED BETWEEN THE PRIME MINISTER OF BRITAIN AND THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF UZBEKISTAN. ACROSS FROM THEM SAT THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF ARMENIA AND THE PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN. EVEN MORE STARTLING, TROOPS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND TURKEY ARE AMONG UNITS THAT WILL PARTICIPATE IN JOINT EXERCISES IN SEPTEMBER HOSTED BY THE CENTRAL ASIAN PEACEKEEPING BATTALION, WHICH IS MADE [UP] OF SOLDIERS FROM KAZAKSTAN, UZBEKISTAN AND KYRGYZSTAN."

TEXT: STILL IN THE CENTRAL ASIAN REGION, TODAY'S WALL STREET JOURNAL SUGGESTS THAT THE ON-GOING WARFARE IN AFGHANISTAN HAS MORE TO DO WITH A PROPOSED GAS PIPELINE THAN WITH RELIGIOUS AND MILITARY ISSUES.

VOICE: "FIERCE FIGHTING OUTSIDE THE AFGHAN CAPITAL REPRESENTS ANOTHER BLOW TO PAKISTANI AND TURKMEN HOPES FOR AN EARLY END TO THE CIVIL WAR THERE. THEY ARE THE TWO COUNTRIES THAT STAND TO BENEFIT MOST FROM THE LONG-AWAITED CONSTRUCTION OF A NATURAL GAS PIPELINE FROM TURKMENISTAN SOUTH THROUGH AFGHANISTAN TO PAKISTAN AND THE INDIAN OCEAN. THEIR DESIRE TO OPEN THIS STRATEGIC CORRIDOR, AND RUSSIA AND IRAN'S DETERMINATION TO BLOCK IT, IS QUITE LITERALLY FUELING THE WAR. THE BLOODY CONFLICT IS JUST ONE OF SEVERAL STRUGGLES OVER ACCESS TO CENTRAL ASIA'S OIL AND MINERALS. ..... SO GREAT IS THE FEAR OF RUSSIAN MEDDLING, IN FACT, THAT ALMOST EVERY DEAL WITH WORLD'S OIL AND GAS GIANTS SIGN WITH EX-SOVIET STATES INCLUDES AT LEAST A TOKEN SHARE FOR RUSSIAN COMPANIES ..... WILL CHINA DO THE SAME? WE ASK BECAUSE BEIJING IS THE PRIME MOVER BEHIND EFFORTS TO CONSTRUCT A NEW, EASTERN ROUTE OUT OF CENTRAL ASIA, AND IS MOVING SWIFTLY AND DECISIVELY TO MAKE SURE IT HAS THE ENERGY IT NEEDS TO SUSTAIN SUPERPOWERDOM IN THE NEXT CENTURY."

TEXT: NOT TOO FAR AWAY, TO THE WEST, LIES IRAQ, SITE OF THE GULF WAR. RECENT PENTAGON DISCLOSURES THAT MORE THAN 98-THOUSAND U-S TROOPS PROBABLY WERE EXPOSED TO SMALL AMOUNTS OF CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS AT THE END OF THAT WAR, DRAWS THIS COMMENT FROM NEWSDAY.

VOICE: "ONE OF THE OLDEST ARGUMENTS AGAINST USING CHEMICAL WEAPONS IS THAT THEY CAN REBOUND AGAINST THE USER IF THE WIND HAPPENS TO SHIFT THE WRONG WAY. BUT IT TOOK OPERATION DESERT STORM TO DEMONSTRATE THAT DESTROYING [ITALICS FOR EMPHASIS] CHEMICAL WEAPONS CAN BE DANGEROUS FOR THE SAME REASON. ..... AND LAST WEEK, THE PENTAGON SAID THAT NEW COMPUTER STUDIES HAD RAISED THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS POTENTIALLY EXPOSED TO 98-THOUSAND-910. ..... DO THE NEW FIGURES UNDERLINE THE PENTAGON'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PURSUE RESEARCH IN THIS AREA. ABSOLUTELY. AND UNTIL THE LAST ROGUE NATION SIGNS ON TO A WORLDWIDE TREATY BANNING THE MANUFACTURE, STORAGE OR USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS, THEY ALSO ARGUE FOR MORE CAREFUL INVESTIGATION OF WHAT'S IN VANQUISHED ENEMIES AMMO DUMPS BEFORE BLOWING THEM UP."

TEXT: LASTLY, ON A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTRY, THAT OF DIVORCED AND MISSING PARENTS FAILING TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN FINANCIALLY, USA TODAY SAYS:A

VOICE: "DISTURBED BY NEWS THAT STATES HAD FAILED TO COLLECT MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF DELINQUENT CHILD-SUPPORT PAYMENTS IN 1980, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SET OUT TO HELP. IT BEGAN PAYING STATES TO DEVELOP COMPUTER SYSTEMS THAT WOULD TRACK DEADBEAT PARENTS. SEVENTEEN YEARS LATER, WITH AN OCTOBER FIRST COMPLETION DEADLINE LOOMING, THE PROJECT IS A TWO BILLION DOLLAR FIASCO. .....THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION INSISTS STATES CAN FIX THEIR FAILED CHILD-SUPPORT COLLECTION SYSTEMS WITH MORE TIME AND MONEY - - AS IF 17 YEARS AND TWO BILLION DOLLARS AREN'T A FAIR TEST OF A FAILED IDEA. A FRESH START MAKES MORE SENSE."

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF COMMENTS FROM MONDAY'S U-S PRESS.
NEB/ANG/EH
28-Jul-97 10:55 AM EDT (1455 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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