Voice of America, 97-08-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] U-S/BOSNIA O'NITER (S ONLY) BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON)

[02] BOSNIAN /SERBS (S) BY ART CHIMES (SARAJEVO)

[03] BOSNIA / GELBARD (S) BY ART CHIMES (PALE)

[01] U-S/BOSNIA O'NITER (S ONLY) BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: AS U-S ENVOY ROBERT GELBARD PREPARES TO MEET WITH BOSNIAN SERB LEADERS TODAY (SATURDAY) NATO AND THE UNITED STATES WARNED THEM AGAINST INCITING VIOLENCE IN THEIR POWER STRUGGLE WITH BOSNIAN SERB PRESIDENT BILJANA PLAVSIC. V-O-A'S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS THE WARNINGS FOLLOW THE STONING FRIDAY OF A U-N TEAM AND RIOTING AGAINST NATO FORCES IN THE TENSE BOSNIAN SERB TOWN OF BRCKO THURSDAY:

TEXT: MR. GELBARD, ON A VISIT TO BELGRADE, SAYS THE WEST WILL ACT FORCEFULLY TO STOP HARDLINERS LOYAL TO FORMER BOSNIAN SERB LEADER AND INDICTED WAR CRIMES SUSPECT RADOVAN KARADZIC. MR. GELBARD, WHO IS TO VISIT PALE, THE BOSNIAN SERB CAPITAL, ACCUSES THE LEADERSHIP OF USING STATE-RUN BROADCASTS TO WHIP UP VIOLENCE AGAINST THE NATO STABILIZATION FORCE, OR S-FOR, TROOPS. HE CALLED IT AN "ACT OF AGGRESSION."

IN WASHINGTON, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAYS THE BOSNIAN SERB PRIME MINISTER (GOJKO KLICKOVIC) BROADCAST WHAT HE CALLED AN INCENDIARY MESSAGE URGING CITIZENS TO RESIST S-FOR. MR. RUBIN CALLS THE UNREST ORCHESTRATED, NOT SPONTANEOUS:

THERE WAS CLEARLY A COORDINATED USE OF MEDIA TO INCITE VIOLENCE. PALE MEDIA FALSELY ACCUSED THE INTERNATIONAL FORCES OF MURDER. SIRENS WERE USED TO CALL OUT THE POPULATION IN BRCKO WHO DESCENDED UPON THE BRIDGE WHERE S-FOR TROOPS WERE STATIONED.

NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL JAVIER SOLANA SAYS S-FOR WILL TAKE THE NECESSARY MEASURES, INCLUDING FORCE, AGAINST MEDIA NETWORKS AIRING PROGRAMS INCITING ATTACKS ON S-FOR OR OTHERS.

U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN DENOUNCED THE VIOLENCE AGAINST U-N PERSONNEL AND THE VANDALIZING AND LOOTING OF U-N PROPERTY IN BRCKO. (SIGNED).
NEB/PT
29-Aug-97 7:49 PM EDT (2349 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] BOSNIAN /SERBS (S) BY ART CHIMES (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: THE U-S ENVOY FOR BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, ROBERT GELBARD, IS MEETING TODAY (SATURDAY) WITH HARDLINE BOSNIAN-SERB LEADER RADOVAN KARADZIC AS EFFORTS CONTINUE TO GET THE DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT BACK ON TRACK. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO.

TEXT: THE TALKS ARE SCHEDULED FOR THE SARAJEVO SUBURB OF PALE, WHERE MR. KARADZIC HAS HIS HEADQUARTERS. HE IS LOCKED IN AN ESCALATING POWER STRUGGLE WITH BOSNIAN-SERB PRESIDENT BILJANA PLAVSIC.

IN A BROADCAST INTERVIEW, MR. GELBARD SAID THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY DOES NOT WANT TO RESORT TO FORCE, BUT HE SAID THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION BECAUSE LEADERS IN PALE HAVE USED INFLAMMATORY BROADCASTS, AND WHAT HE CALLED TERRORIST TACTICS.

NATO HAS INDICATED ITS TROOPS WILL TAKE NECESSARY ACTION, INCLUDING FORCE, AGAINST BOSNIAN-SERB MEDIA INCITING VIOLENCE.

FRIDAY IN BELGRADE, MR. GELBARD TOLD YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC THE WESTERN POWERS EXPECT HIM TO USE HIS INFLUENCE TO GET THE HARDLINE BOSNIAN SERBS TO IMPLEMENT THE DAYTON PEACE ACCORDS. (SIGNED)
NEB/RAE
30-Aug-97 2:57 AM EDT (0657 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] BOSNIA / GELBARD (S) BY ART CHIMES (PALE)

INTRO: THE AMERICAN ENVOY FOR BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, ROBERT GELBARD, HAS DELIVERED A TOUGH, UNCOMPROMISING MESSAGE TO HARDLINE BOSNIAN SERBS, WARNING THEM WESTERN POWERS WILL TAKE ACTION UNLESS THEY CHANGE THEIR APPROACH TO IMPLEMENTING THE DAYTON AGREEMENT. VOA CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES REPORTS FROM PALE, WHERE THE TALKS TOOK PLACE AND WHERE HARDLINE FACTION LEADER RADOVAN KARADZIC HAS HIS HEADQUARTERS.

TEXT: AFTER MEEETING WITH KARADZIC ALLY MOMCILO KRAJISNIK, MR. GELBARD SAID THE HARDLINERS HAVE SHOWN NO INTEREST IN IMPLEMENTING DAYTON.

I WARNED HIM IN THE MOST SERIOUS TERMS THAT THERE IS A NEED RIGHT NOW TO CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR OR THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE THE MOST SERIOUS IMAGINABLE.

THE WARNING COMES AT THE END OF A WEEK OF VIOLENT INCIDENTS DIRECTED AGAINST KARADZIC RIVAL. BOSNIAN SERBE PRESIDENT BILJANA PLAVSIC.

THE AMERICAN DIPLOMAT TOLD REPORTERS THE PALE HARDLINERS SHOW NO EVIDENCE THEY ARE INTERESTED IN IMPLEMENTING THE DAYTON AGREEMENT.

FOR HIS PART, MR. KRAJISNIK AVOIDED SOUNDED CONFRONTATIONAL WHEN HE TOLD REPORTERS HE BLAMES CRISIS ON THE RIVAL FACTION LED BY PRESIDENT PLAVSIC, NOT ON NATO FORCES. (SIGNED)
NEB/ART/DW/KL
30-Aug-97 9:47 AM EDT (1347 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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