//// EDS: PERISHABLE MATERIAL, DATED AFTER 10 P-M E-S-T ! ! ////

TEXT: TURNING TO THE POPE'S VISIT TO CUBA, "USA TODAY" TIES IN BOTH PRESIDENT CLINTON'S LATEST TROUBLES WITH THOSE OF FIDEL CASTRO, AS THE POPE MAKES THINGS DIFFICULT FOR THE COMMUNIST LEADER WITH SOME OF HIS COMMENTS.

VOICE: PRESIDENTS, BE THEY IN WASHINGTON OR HAVANA, HAVE A TENDENCY TO THINK THEY CAN MANIPULATE ANY SITUATION TO THEIR LIKING. BUT LIKE BILL CLINTON, FIDEL CASTRO SPENT THE WEEKEND LEARNING THAT CONTROL IS NOT ALWAYS SO EASY. BY THE TIME POPE JOHN PAUL ... ENDED HIS FIVE-DAY VISIT TO CUBA SUNDAY, CUBAN CITIZENS' YEARNING FOR FREEDOM APPEARED TO HAVE SPILLED BEYOND THE CAREFUL PARAMETERS DESIGNATED BY THE VISIT'S GOVERNMENT PLANNERS IN HAVANA. ..... LIKE OTHER COMMUNIST LEADERS THE POPE HAS VISITED, [MR.] CASTRO MAY FIND IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET THE GENIE OF RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL OPENNESS BACK IN THE BOTTLE. HE ALREADY HAS LEARNED IT'S AWFULLY HARD TO LET THAT GENIE OUT ONLY PART OF THE WAY.

TEXT: MEANWHILE, "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" SAYS THIS IS A PERFECT TIME FOR THE U-S GOVERNMENT AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO REASSESS THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CUBA.

VOICE: NOW THAT JOHN PAUL HAS COMPLETED THIS ARDUOUS TRIP AND RETURNED TO ROME, AMERICANS AND CUBANS AND THEIR ANTAGONISTIC GOVERNMENTS SHOULD GIVE THOUGHT TO TURNING THE POPE'S WORDS AND PRINCIPLES INTO PERMANENT DEEDS. WASHINGTON CAN PLAY A KEY ROLE AS A WATCHDOG FOR FULFILLMENT OF THE PAPAL MESSAGE, BUT IT IS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO MUST DECIDE WHETHER THE TIME IS AT HAND TO RESHAPE THIS COUNTRY'S POLICY TOWARD CUBA.

TEXT: TODAY'S "NEW YORK TIMES" SHARES THE POPE'S OPINION REGARDING THE EMBARGO, NOTING:

VOICE: THOSE WHO OPPOSE AMERICA'S OBSOLETE TRADE EMBARGO ON CUBA FOUND AN ELOQUENT ALLY IN POPE JOHN PAUL ... AS HE VISITED THE ISLAND IN RECENT DAYS. IT WAS NOT JUST JOHN PAUL'S CRITICISM OF EMBARGOES, WHICH HE HAD MADE BEFORE, BUT THE ATTENTION HE DREW TO HUMANITARIAN NEEDS IN CUBA THAT WASHINGTON HAS STUBBORNLY IGNORED. ..... IF ANYTHING, THE EMBARGO HAS HELPED MR. CASTRO RETAIN POWER BY GIVING HIM A RALLYING POINT TO UNITE CUBANS, AND SOMETHING TO BLAME FOR THEIR PRIVATIONS.

TEXT: TURNING AGAIN TO DOMESTIC ISSUES, MAINE'S "PORTLAND PRESS HERALD" LAUDS THE PRESIDENT'S EFFORT FOR DEALING WITH RACISM IN AMERICA.

VOICE: OVER SIX YEARS THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS SHOWN AN EAGERNESS TO SAY THE RIGHT THINGS ON THE TOPIC OF RACE IN AMERICA. .... ALL OF THESE GOOD WORDS ARE WELCOME, FOR THE RIGHT WORDS ARE A POTENT WEAPON AGAINST HATRED AND IGNORANCE. WHAT GIVES THIS ADMINISTRATION CREDIBILITY ON THE ISSUE OF RACE, HOWEVER, ARE ITS ACTIONS, AND OF LATE IT HAS TAKEN TWO THAT MERIT PRAISE. WHEN THE NOMINATION OF BILL LANN LEE AS THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S CIVIL RIGHTS CHIEF WAS IN TROUBLE IN THE SENATE BECAUSE OF [MR.] LEE'S SUPPORT OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, [MR.] CLINTON STOOD BY HIM. .... ON [LAST] MONDAY, THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR HOLIDAY ..... VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE ... DEFENDED AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ... [IN A] PASSIONATE AND INSPIRATIONAL ... SPEECH.

TEXT: LASTLY, SEVERAL PAPERS ARE PLEASED WITH THE FINAL RESOLUTION OF THE UNABOMBER CASE, THAT THE MAN WHO HAS ADMITTED SENDING SEVERAL LETTER BOMBS DURING THE PAST TWO DECADES, HAS PLEADED GUILTY AND WILL SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN PRISON. "THE SUN" IN BALTIMORE SUGGESTS:

VOICE: IN THE END, THE MAD BOMBER WHO INSISTED HIS ACTS WERE RATIONAL DID SOMETHING THAT MADE SENSE. THEODORE ... KACZYNSKI PLEADED GUILTY. BY DOING SO, HE AVOIDED THE DEATH SENTENCE THAT A JURY MIGHT BE RELUCTANT TO IMPOSE ON SOMEONE DIAGNOSED AS MENTALLY ILL. THE PLEA SAVED THE NATION FROM HAVING TO RELIVE HIS INSANITY IN AN EXPENSIVE COURTROOM SPECTACLE .......

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF EDITORIAL COMMENT FROM MONDAY'S U-S PRESS.
NEB/ANG/KL
26-Jan-98 11:04 AM EST (1604 UTC)
NNNN
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) -- AND THE LARGEST TAKEOVER EVER IN THE COMPUTER INDUSTRY WAS ANNOUNCED. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT 77-HUNDRED-12, UP 12 POINTS. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500 INDEX CLOSED AT 956, DOWN ONE-HALF POINT.

ANALYSTS SAY THE ALLEGATIONS OF SCANDAL INVOLVING PRESIDENT CLINTON HAVE STILL NOT HAD A MAJOR IMPACT IN THE U-S FINANCIAL MARKETS. HOWEVER, BOTH STOCK AND BOND PRICES ROSE IMMEDIATELY AFTER MR. CLINTON AGAIN DENIED HE HAD SEX WITH A WHITE HOUSE AIDE AND THEN URGED HER TO LIE ABOUT IT.

LAST YEAR WAS THE BEST EVER FOR THE AMERICAN HOUSING INDUSTRY. THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS SAYS A RECORD FOUR-POINT-TWO-MILLION EXISTING SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WERE SOLD IN 1997.

IN THE BIGGEST TAKEOVER EVER IN THE COMPUTER INDUSTRY, THE COMPAQ COMPANY WILL ACQUIRE THE DIGITAL CORPORATION FOR ALMOST 10-BILLION DOLLARS.

NORTHWEST AND CONTINENTAL AIRLINES HAVE ANNOUNCED A STRATEGIC ALLIANCE IN WHICH NORTHWEST WILL ACQUIRE A 14 PERCENT OWNERSHIP OF CONTINENTAL. ANALYSTS SAY IT IS LIKELY THIS IS THE FIRST IN A WAVE OF CONSOLIDATIONS IN THE U-S AIRLINE INDUSTRY.

THE A-T AND T TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY SAYS IT WILL CUT AS MANY AS 18 THOUSAND JOBS. HOWEVER, COMPANY CHAIRMAN MICHAEL ARMSTRONG SAYS A MAJORITY OF THE JOB CUTS WILL RESULT FROM AN EARLY RETIREMENT PROGRAM.

GENERAL MOTORS SAYS ITS QUARTERLY PROFITS DOUBLED TO A RECORD ONE-POINT-SEVEN-BILLION DOLLARS. FOR ALL OF LAST YEAR, G-M EARNED SIX-POINT-SEVEN-BILLION DOLLARS, ALSO A RECORD.

IN THE MIDWESTERN STATE OF MINNESOTA, A TRIAL BEGAN ON CLAIMS BY THE STATE THAT THE U-S TOBACCO INDUSTRY OWES IT ONE-POINT-SEVEN-BILLION DOLLARS. MINNESOTA IS ATTEMPTING TO RECOVER MONEY SPENT TO TREAT SMOKING-RELATED ILLNESSES. THE JUDGE IN THE CASE HAS WARNED DEFENSE LAWYERS THEY MAY NOT ARGUE THAT, BY CAUSING EARLY DEATH, THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY IS ACTUALLY SAVING THE STATE MONEY. (SIGNED) NEB/NY/BA/LSF/RRM
26-Jan-98 4:51 PM EST (2151 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[04] NORTHERN IRELAND (L-ONLY) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

INTRO: A NORTHERN IRELAND POLITICAL PARTY REPRESENTING A LOYALIST -- OR PRO-BRITISH -- PARAMILITARY GROUP HAS DECIDED TO WITHDRAW FROM THE CURRENT NEGOTIATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF THE BRITISH PROVINCE. V-O-A'S ANDRE DE NESNERA REPORTS FROM LONDON.

TEXT: NORTHERN IRELAND'S "ULSTER DEMOCRATIC PARTY" IS THE POLITICAL WING OF THE LARGEST PRO-BRITISH PARAMILITARY GROUP KNOWN AS "THE ULSTER FREEDOM FIGHTERS." THIS ORGANIZATION WHICH USES TERRORIST METHODS TO FURTHER ITS GOALS CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY FOR KILLING AT LEAST THREE CATHOLICS IN THE BRITISH PROVINCE IN THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS.

THE BRITISH AND IRISH GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN GRAPPLING WITH THE ISSUE OF WHETHER OR NOT TO EXPEL THE "ULSTER DEMOCRATIC PARTY" FROM CURRENT TALKS ON THE FUTURE OF NORTHERN IRELAND. THE PARTY'S PARTICIPATION IN THE TALKS WAS LINKED TO ITS RENOUNCING VIOLENCE BUT THERE WERE SERIOUS QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER IT WAS COMMITTED TO EXCLUSIVELY PEACEFUL MEANS, GIVEN THE RECENT KILLINGS BY THE PARAMILITARY GROUP IT REPRESENTS.

THE BRITISH AND IRISH GOVERNMENTS, HOWEVER, WERE SPARED HAVING TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE STATUS OF THE "ULSTER DEMOCRATIC PARTY." ITS LEADER -- GARY MCMICHAEL -- TOLD REPORTERS IN LONDON THEY ARE WITHDRAWING FROM THE NEGOTIATIONS. BUT HE MADE CLEAR HIS PARTY REMAINS COMMITTED TO THE PEACE PROCESS.

WHAT WE ARE SAYING HERE IS THAT WE ARE NOT WALKING AWAY FROM THIS PROCESS. LOYALISTS SHOULD NOT WALK AWAY FROM THIS PROCESS. AND WE REMAIN IN A POSITION WHERE WE SEEK TO INFLUENCE THIS PROCESS AND WE WANT BACK INTO THESE NEGOTIATIONS ON THE SAME POWER AS ALL OTHER PARTIES, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

MR. MCMICHAEL SAID OTHER PARTIES IN THE TALKS WERE CALLING FOR THE EXPULSION OF HIS ORGANIZATION FROM THE ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS WHICH HAVE MOVED TEMPORARILY (EDS: THREE DAYS) FROM BELFAST TO LONDON.

ONE OF THOSE IS THE NON-SECTARIAN "ALLIANCE" PARTY, WHOSE LEADER JOHN ALDERDICE MADE CLEAR TO REPORTERS HIS VIEW OF THE CURRENT SITUATION.

WE ARE NOT PREPARED TO ACCEPT OUR FELLOW CITIZENS BEING MASSACRED IN THEIR STREETS AND IN THEIR HOMES IN BELFAST AND IN OTHER PARTS OF NORTHERN IRELAND WHILE PEOPLE ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE WHO ARE DOING THE KILLING ARE INSIDE (THE TALKS), HERE, PRETENDING THAT THEY ARE PEACE-MAKERS WHEN WHAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY DOING IS CORRUPTING THE PROCESS.

BRITISH AND IRISH OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL DECIDE WHEN THE "ULSTER DEMOCRATIC PARTY" WILL BE ALLOWED BACK INTO THE TALKS. THEY SAY THERE IS NO MINIMUM OR MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME IT WILL BE EXCLUDED -- BUT THEY SAY IT WILL DEPEND ON EVENTS IN NORTHERN IRELAND. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WANT CLEAR PROOF THAT THE PARAMILITARY GROUP IT REPRESENTS ABIDES BY A CEASEFIRE. (SIGNED)
NEB/ADEN/PCF
26-Jan-98 1:44 PM EST (1844 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[05] YUGO WAR CRIMES/JELISIC (L-ONLY) BY GILLIAN SHARPE (THE HAGUE)

INTRO: A BOSNIAN SERB CHARGED WITH GENOCIDE HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY AT THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE MONDAY. GORAN JELISIC -- WHO WAS ARRESTED BY AMERICAN NATO TROOPS ON THURSDAY IS ACCUSED OF MURDERING MUSLIMS PRISONERS IN NORTHEAST BOSNIA. FROM THE HAGUE, GILLIAN SHARPE REPORTS.

TEXT: GORAN JELISIC WAS ONLY 23 WHEN LIE TOOK COMMAND OF THE "LUKA" PRISON CAMP, NEAR BRCKO. PROSECUTORS SAY THAT HUNDREDS OF MUSLIMS AND CROATS WERE KILLED THERE AND THEY SPECIFICALLY CHARGE MR. JELISIC WITH THE MURDER OF 16 -- MOST OF THEM SHOT AT CLOSE RANGE OR BEATEN TO DEATH. NOW AGED 29, HE'S ONE OF ONLY SIX PEOPLE TO FACE GENOCIDE CHARGES AT THE TRIBUNAL.

MR. JELISIC STRODE INTO THE COURTROOM CONFIDENTLY -- ALTHOUGH HE HAS A VISIBLE BRUISE UNDER HIS EYE, WHICH HIS LAWYER SAYS HAPPENED DURING THE ARREST. STANDING TO CONFIRM HIS IDENTITY, HE TOLD JUDGES, "I'M ALSO KNOWN IN MY NICKNAME -- ADOLF." THE INDICTMENT ALLEGES THAT HE INTRODUCED HIMSELF TO PRISONERS AT LUKA AS THE "SERB ADOLF," TELLING THEM HE'D COME TO KILL MUSLIMS. THROUGH A TRANSLATOR, HE ADDRESSED THE COURT.

YOUR HONOR, THERE IS NO NEED TO READ OUT EACH COUNT INDIVIDUALLY BECAUSE THESE ARE ALL LIES AND FABRICATIONS AND THERE IS NO NEED FOR THIS.

MR. JELISIC WENT ON TO PLEAD NOT GUILTY TO ALL THE CHARGES. HIS DEFENSE COUNSEL IS THE BELGRADE-BASED LAWYER, IGOR PANTELIC. HE BRIEFLY REPRESENTED FORMER BOSNIAN SERB LEADER, RADOVAN KARADZIC, WHO'S ALSO CHARGED WITH GENOCIDE. ALTHOUGH HE WAS ONLY APPOINTED ON SUNDAY, MR. PANTELIC SAYS HE'S READY TO GO TO TRIAL IMMEDIATELY. IT IS, HE SAYS, A COMPLICATED CASE.

THE CONJUNCTION OF ALL THESE CHARGES. YOU KNOW WE HAVE GENOCIDE. WE HAVE GRAVE BREACHES, WE HAVE WAR CRIMES ETC. MAYBE REAL ADOLF (HITLER) DID NOT HAVE SO MUCH CHARGES. (LAUGHS)

MR. PANTELIC WOULD GIVE NO DETAILS OF THE DEFENSE'S STRATEGY, ONLY SAYING THAT HE FELT HE HAD A STRONG CASE.

IT'S LIKELY TO BE MANY MONTHS BEFORE HIS CLIENT COMES TO TRIAL. (SIGNED)
NEB/GS/PCF
26-Jan-98 11:45 AM EST (1645 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article