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Voice of America, 98-11-12Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>CONTENTS
[01] KOSOVO / HOSTAGES (L ONLY) BY PHILIP SMUCKER (JOSANICA, KOSOVO)DATE=11/12/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-241585 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: WESTERN DIPLOMATS IN KOSOVO ARE TRYING TO NEGOTIATE AN END TO A HOSTAGE DRAMA. PHILIP SMUCKER REPORTS FROM JOSANICA VILLAGE IN NORTHERN KOSOVO. TEXT: ANGRY SERBS IN KOSOVO HAVE VOWED TO HOLD SEVEN ETHNIC-ALBANIAN HOSTAGES UNTIL ALBANIAN REBELS RELEASE TWO YOUNG SERB MEN THEY ARE HOLDING. THE SERBS SAID THEY WOULD KILL THEIR ALBANIAN HOSTAGES IF ANY HARM COMES TO THE TWO SERB HOSTAGES. THE TWO YOUNG SERB MEN WERE TAKEN CAPTIVE TUESDAY WHILE TRANSPORTING FIREWOOD IN CENTRAL KOSOVO. IN RESPONSE, WEDNESDAY, RELATIVES OF THE TWO SERBS LED A GANG OF ARMED MEN WHO TOOK ALBANIANS OFF A BUS AT GUNPOINT. EUROPEAN DIPLOMATS ARE TRYING TO BROKER AN EXCHANGE TO END THE CRISIS. A FINNISH MONITOR SAID HIS TEAM HAD SEEN THE TWO SERB HOSTAGES. HE SAID THEY APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION. SOURCES CLOSE TO THE ETHNIC ALBANIAN KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY SAID OFFICERS ARE PREPARED TO RELEASE THE TWO SERBS IF THE ALBANIANS ARE SET FREE. MEANWHILE, KOSOVO'S TOP PEACE MEDIATOR, U-S AMBASSADOR CHRISTOPHER HILL, SAYS HE IS PUSHING AHEAD WITH STALLED PEACE EFFORTS. HE SAYS HE WANTS A PEACE DEAL SOON FOR AN OBSERVER TEAM FROM THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE (O-S-C-E) TO OVERSEE. /// HILL ACT ///WE ARE GOING TO MOVE AHEAD AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE NUMBER OF WHITE JEEPS HERE, THE O-S-C-E IS FLOWING IN, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE O-S-C-E WILL HAVE A PEACE SETTLEMENT TO IMPLEMENT. /// END ACT ///BUT MANY ALBANIANS AND SERBS HAVE SAID THEY DOUBT THE
TWO-THOUSAND UNARMED OBSERVERS -- OFFICIALLY CALLED VERIFIERS --
CAN BRING A HALT TO BLOODSHED AND ABDUCTIONS IN KOSOVO.
(SIGNED)
[02] TURKEY / GOVERNMENT (L-ONLY) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN (ANKARA)DATE=11/12/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-241574 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: TURKISH PRIME MINISTER MESUT YILMAZ'S MINORITY COALITION APPEARS ON THE VERGE OF COLLAPSE AFTER A KEY POLITICAL LEADER LAUNCHED A CENSURE MOTION AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. AMBERIN ZAMAN IN ANKARA REPORTS THE LEFTIST LEADER WITHDREW HIS SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT FOLLOWING ALLEGATIONS THAT MR. YILMAZ IS PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN A MAJOR CORRUPTION SCANDAL. TEXT: THE LEFTIST REPUBLICAN PEOPLE'S PARTY LEADER, DENIZ BAYKAL, SAID HE HAD WITHDRAWN HIS SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT IN ORDER TO ASSURE A FAIR AND THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF CLAIMS THAT PRIME MINISTER YILMAZ HAD USED HIS INFLUENCE TO HELP AN ISTANBUL BUSINESSMAN ACQUIRE A STATE-OWNED BANK. /// OPT ////// OPT ////// END OPT ///THE ALLEGATIONS PROMPTED THE MAIN OPPOSITION ISLAMIST VIRTUE PARTY TO LODGE A CENSURE MOTION AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT WEDNESDAY. THE CONSERVATIVE TRUE PATH PARTY, THE THIRD LARGEST PARTY IN THE 550-MEMBER TURKISH PARLIAMENT, FILED A SIMILAR MOTION THE SAME DAY AIMED AT TOPPLING THE CONSERVATIVE PRIME MINISTER. BUT IT IS MR. BAYKAL'S DEFECTION TO THE OPPOSITION THAT HAS SET IN MOTION WHAT NOW APPEARS TO BE THE INEVITABLE COLLAPSE OF MR. YILMAZ'S YEAR OLD GOVERNMENT. MR BAYKAL'S SUPPORT WAS CRUCIAL IN KEEPING MR. YILMAZ AND HIS COALITION PARTNER AND DEMOCRATIC LEFT PARTY LEADER BULENT ECEVIT IN POWER. TOGETHER THE TWO PARTIES DO NOT COMMAND ENOUGH SEATS TO FORM A MAJORITY GOVERNMENT. MR. YILMAZ SAYS HE WILL NOT RESIGN, BUT CONCEDED DURING A TELEVISION DEBATE EARLY THURSDAY THAT HE WOULD, IN HIS WORDS, "SOON BECOME A MEMBER OF THE OPPOSITION." MR. YILMAZ HAS DENIED ALL THE ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE AND SAYS HE IS THE VICTIM OF A CONSPIRACY AIMED AT UNDERMINING HIS GOVERNMENT'S BATTLE AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME. TURKISH PRESIDENT SULEYMAN DEMIREL IS CONSTITUTIONALLY EMPOWERED TO ASK THE POLITICAL LEADER OF HIS CHOICE TO ATTEMPT TO FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT. USUALLY THIS IS THE LEADER OF THE LARGEST PARTY IN THE PARLIAMENT. OBSERVERS SAY, HOWEVER, GIVEN THE STAUNCHLY PRO-SECULAR TURKISH MILITARY'S AVERSION TO THE ISLAMISTS, THE PRESIDENT IS NOT LIKELY TO ASK THE ISLAMIST VIRTUE PARTY TO FORM THE NEW GOVERNMENT. /// OPT ///IN A FURTHER CRACKDOWN ON THE ISLAMISTS, TURKISH POLICE ARRESTED ANKARA MAYOR MELIH GOKCEK ON CHARGES OF FAVORING PRO-ISLAMIC ALLIES IN MUNICIPALITY TENDERS. /// END OPT /// OBSERVERS SAY THE MOST LIKELY OUTCOME OF THE CURRENT POLITICAL
CRISIS IS THAT PRESIDENT DEMIREL WILL APPOINT A NEUTRAL CARETAKER
GOVERNMENT TO CARRY THE COUNTRY TO PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE NEXT YEAR. (SIGNED)
[03] E-U / ANTIBIOTICS (L ONLY) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)DATE=11/12/98TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-241566 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IS PROPOSING TO BAN THE USE OF FOUR ANTIBIOTICS IN ANIMALS FOR FEAR THEY CAN LEAD TO MEDICINE RESISTANCE AMONG HUMANS. V-O-A'S RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM BRUSSELS. TEXT: THIS IS A CASE WHERE THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION IS TRYING TO BE CAREFUL RATHER THAN SORRY. THE ANTIBIOTICS ARE MAINLY USED BY FARMERS TO PROMOTE THE GROWTH OF PIGS AND POULTRY AND TO INCREASE THEIR RESISTANCE TO DISEASE. THERE IS NO PROOF THAT EATING POULTRY AND PORK TREATED WITH THE FOUR ANTIBIOTICS WILL MAKE HUMAN BEINGS RESISTANT TO MEDICINES. THE SAME FOUR ANTIBIOTICS ARE USED IN DIFFERENT FORMULAS TO TREAT HUMAN INFECTIONS. EUROPEAN COMMISSION SPOKESMAN GERRY KIELY SAYS THE HUMAN PROBLEM IS THE REASON THE COMMISSION WANTS TO BAN THE FOUR ANTIBIOTICS FROM BEING USED ON ANIMALS. /// KIELY ACT ///GIVEN THAT THERE IS A GROWING PROBLEM OF RESISTANT BACTERIA AND A GREATER RISK FOR HUMAN HEALTH. GIVEN THAT THE SCIENTISTS ARE SAYING WE ARE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO BEING AT THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE BECAUSE OF THE GROWING RESISTANCE OF BACTERIA THAT THERE IS CERTAINLY MERIT IN LOOKING AT RESTRICTING THE USE OF CERTAIN ANTIBIOTICS WHICH ARE IMPORTANT FOR HUMAN MEDICINE, RESTRICTING THEM FOR USE IN HUMAN MEDICINE ONLY. /// END ACT ////MR. KIELY SAYS A DECISION ON THE FOUR ANTIBIOTICS IS NOT LIKELY TO BE MADE UNTIL NEXT MONTH. HIS BOSS, AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER FRANZ FISCHLER HAS ASKED SCIENTISTS TO LOOK AT THE FOUR REMAINING ANTIBIOTICS USED IN ANIMALS TO SEE IF THEY SHOULD BE BANNED AS WELL. THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION HAS BECOME MORE SENSITIVE TO THESE FOOD SAFETY AND HEALTH ISSUES SINCE 1996 WITH THE FEARS OF MAD COW DISEASE SPREADING TO HUMANS THROUGH BEEF. DRUG SALES IN THE ANIMAL MARKET IN THE EUROPEAN UNION ARE WORTH
SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THE DRUG COMPANIES AND
FARMERS ARE LIKELY TO PROTEST THE PROPOSED BAN IN ALL 15 EUROPEAN
UNION STATES. (SIGNED)
[04] THURSDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)DATE=11/12/98TYPE=U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST NUMBER=6-11003 TELEPHONE=619-3335 EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS CONTENT= ////////INTRO: THE POSSIBILITY OF CONFLICT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND IRAQ REMAINS AT THE TOP OF MANY EDITORIAL COLUMNS IN THE U-S PRESS THURSDAY, WITH THE ISRAELI SIGNING OF THE WYE ACCORDS, A CLOSE SECOND. /// OPT ////// END OPT ///TEXT: WITH MORE U-S FORCES STEAMING AND FLYING TOWARD THE GULF TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE ON IRAQ TO COMPLY WITH UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTIONS, U-S PAPERS CONTINUE TO COMMENT ON WHAT APPEARS TO BE IMMINENT MILITARY ACTION AGAINST SADDAM HUSSEIN. IN MAINE, "THE PORTLAND PRESS HERALD" SAYS DIPLOMACY HAS RUN ITS COURSE, HEADLINING ITS EDITORIAL: "SADDAM WILL RETREAT ONLY WHEN THREATENED." VOICE: /// OPT /// THE UNITED STATES AND ITS ALLIES OUGHT TO KEEP RECENT HISTORY IN MIND AS THEY CONFRONT IRAQ ... THAT /// END OPT /// HISTORY TEACHES THAT SADDAM HUSSEIN WILL BACK DOWN WHEN HE THINKS HE CAN'T WIN. .... IT IS UP TO THE UNITED STATES AND ALLIES TO SHOW SADDAM THAT HIS SIMULTANEOUS PURSUIT OF MILITARY POWER AND ECONOMIC LIBERTY IS A NO-WIN SITUATION. IF THIS IS DONE, SADDAM WILL LIKELY RETREAT AGAIN. /// OPT /// .... IF RAISING THE STAKES DOES NOT MOVE SADDAM TO BACK DOWN AS HE HAS IN THE PAST, THE RESOLVE OF THE UNITED STATES AND IT ALLIES WILL BE TESTED. IT IS A TEST THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD CANNOT AFFORD TO FAIL. /// END OPT /// TEXT: BENEATH A HEADLINE READING SIMPLY, "BOMB SADDAM," "THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER" WRITES THAT THE U-S CANNOT AFFORD TO BACK DOWN THIS TIME. VOICE: /// OPT /// ... THERE IS METHOD IN THE IRAQI LEADER'S MADNESS. HE IS HOPING THAT HE CAN ONCE MORE JERK THE UNITED STATES AROUND. HE IS BETTING THAT THE ADMINISTRATION WILL BACK DOWN FROM CONFRONTATION AT THE LAST MINUTE, AS IT DID IN FEBRUARY, IN RETURN FOR A DIPLOMATIC DEAL WHAT WILL WEAKEN THE U-N SANCTIONS AGAINST HIM. THIS MUST NOT HAPPEN. /// END OPT /// THE TIME HAS COME FOR A SUSTAINED AND STRATEGIC BOMBING CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAQ. .... BETTER TO DO IT NOW, WHEN HIS RECKLESS DEFIANCE HAS CREATED WIDE SYMPATHY FOR FIRM U-S ACTION. BOMBING BAGHDAD IS THE BEST OF THE BAD CHOICES AVAILABLE ON IRAQ. TEXT: STILL IN THE REGION, THE ISRAELI CABINET'S NARROW VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE WYE ACCORD DRAWS THIS RESPONSE FROM "NEWSDAY" ON NEW YORK'S LONG ISLAND. VOICE: /// OPT /// THE OVERALL IMPORTANCE OF THE VOTE CANNOT BE MINIMIZED. YES, THE WYE AGREEMENT WAS ONLY A RESTATEMENT OF AGREEMENTS THAT PAST ISRAELI GOVERNMENTS HAD REACHED. IN THAT SENSE THERE WERE NO NEW BREAKTHROUGHS IN THE PEACE PROCESS. BUT /// END OPT /// YESTERDAY'S (WEDNESDAY'S) VOTE OF THE LIKUD CABINET, LED BY THE HARD-LINE PRIME MINISTER, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, DEMONSTRATES THAT THE PARTY THAT HAD BEEN OPPOSED TO THE OSLO PEACE PROCESS IS NOW ON BOARD - - RELUCTANTLY, AND WITH CONSIDERABLE DIVISION IN THE RANKS, BUT ON BOARD NONETHELESS. TEXT: "THE NEW YORK TIMES," HOWEVER, CALLING THE VOTE "NO SMALL ACHIEVEMENT," GOES ON TO ACCUSE IT OF BEING "HEDGED WITH UNNECESSARY AND DISRUPTIVE CONDITIONS," APPARENTLY DESIGNED TO PLACATE THE CABINET'S EXTREME HARD-LINERS. VOICE: THE ISRAELI CONDITIONS, INCLUDING A MISCHIEF-INVITING COMMITMENT TO RESUBMIT EACH PHASE OF THE AGREED 13 PERCENT ISRAELI MILITARY PULLBACK FOR SEPARATE CABINET RATIFICATION, MAY BE MEANT TO REASSURE MR. NETANYAHU'S RESTIVE RIGHT-WING CABINET PARTNERS. BUT THEY THREATEN TO UNDERMINE SUBSTANTIVE UNDERSTANDINGS WITH THE PALESTINIANS. TEXT: TURNING TO THIS HEMISPHERE, AND THE DAMAGE WROUGHT TO CENTRAL AMERICA BY HURRICANE MITCH, TODAY'S "ATLANTA (GEORGIA) CONSTITUTION" SUGGESTS THAT NOT ONLY IMMEDIATE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE, BUT WHOLE ECONOMIES WASHED AWAY. VOICE: /// OPT /// BEYOND MOVING SWIFTLY TO WARD OFF STARVATION AND DISEASE, THE WORLD MUST RECOGNIZE THAT MITCH HAS WRECKED THE ECONOMY OF HONDURAS AND HAS BATTERED NICARAGUA'S BADLY. THE PLANTATIONS THAT MADE HONDURAS THE ORIGINAL 'BANANA REPUBLIC' WERE NEARLY WIPED OUT AND COULD TAKE SIX YEARS TO BRING BACK TO FULL PRODUCTION. COFFEE, A RELIABLE MONEY-MAKING CROP IN BOTH COUNTRIES, WILL BE DRASTICALLY CURTAILED FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. SHRIMP FARMING, A PROMISING NEW VENTURE BEFORE MATCH, MAY HAVE TO BE RESTARTED FROM SCRATCH. IN SUM, /// END OPT /// PROSPECTS FOR HONDURANS' AND NICARAGUANS' WORKING THEIR WAY OUT OF THEIR PREDICAMENT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS ARE DISMAL UNLESS THEY GET A HELPING HAND FROM OUTSIDE. ... THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE A LEADER IN AIDING THESE MILLIONS OF INNOCENT VICTIMS, FOR HUMANITARIAN REASONS AS WELL AS OUR OWN SELF-INTEREST. TEXT: COMMENTS CONTINUE TO COME IN ON THE UNEXPECTED RESIGNATION OF NEWT GINGRICH AS SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. "THE ORLANDO SENTINEL" TODAY SAYS: VOICE: /// OPT /// NEWT GINGRICH DID THE RIGHT THING. IN DECIDING TO STEP DOWN ... MR. GINGRICH HAS CLEARED THE WAY FOR PROGRESS ON CAPITOL HILL. IF HE REMAINED IN PLACE, HE WOULD HAVE FACED A BRUTAL BATTLE FOR LEADERSHIP. /// END OPT /// ..... MR. GINGRICH, WHO DESIGNED SUCH SHREWD REPUBLICAN STRATEGIES AS THE 'CONTRACT WITH AMERICA,' ADMITTED THAT HE MISREAD WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTED FROM CONGRESS. .... AND, IN SHOWING THAT HE KNEW WHEN TO LEAVE, MR. GINGRICH SET AN EXAMPLE OF WHICH OTHERS IN HIGH STATION SHOULD TAKE NOTE. /// OPT ///TEXT: AS REGARDS THE ON-GOING JUSTICE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATION OF POSSIBLE ILLEGALITIES BY THE CLINTON CAMP IN THE 1996 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, AND AFTER THE PRESIDENT ANSWERED QUESTIONS FOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATORS THIS WEEK, "THE WASHINGTON POST" WRITES: VOICE: THE DILEMMA THAT [ATTORNEY GENERAL JANET] MS. RENO NOW FACES IS A PECULIAR ONE THAT BLENDS ALL THE WORST FEATURES OF THE INDEPENDENT COUNSEL LAW WITH ALL THE WORST FEATURES OF THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS. UNDER THE INDEPENDENT COUNSEL STATUTE, MS. RENO WILL BE OBLIGED TO ASK FOR A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR UNLESS SHE CAN ESTABLISH THAT THERE ARE NO GROUNDS FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE SOFT-MONEY QUESTION OR THAT ESTABLISHED DEPARTMENT POLICY WOULD PRECLUDE BRINGING THE CASE. THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS, IN TURN, ARE SUFFICIENTLY VAGUE THAT IT COULD BE DIFFICULT FOR HER TO ESTABLISH THIS TO THE DEGREE NECESSARY. SO .... MS. RENO COULD BE FORCED ... TO GET A PROSECUTOR TO INVESTIGATE IT UNLESS SHE CAN ESTABLISH BY CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE THAT MR. CLINTON DID NOT INTEND TO VIOLATE THE LAW. /// END OPT ///TEXT: "THE WASHINGTON POST" COMMENTS ABOUT PRESIDENT CLINTON'S FORTHCOMING TRIP TO MALAYSIA, AND HOW IT CAN ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS. VOICE: MR. CLINTON IS RIGHT TO GO (IF EVENTS IN IRAQ DO NOT PRECLUDE PRESIDENTIAL TRAVEL); THE OCCASION IS AN ANNUAL MEETING OF ASIAN AND NORTH AND LATIN AMERICAN HEADS OF STATE FOR WHICH MALAYSIA JUST HAPPENS TO BE HOST THIS YEAR. BUT HE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT HIS VISIT CANNOT BE SEEN AS AN ENDORSEMENT OF PRESIDENT MAHATHIR MOHAMAD. ON THE CONTRARY, MR. CLINTON AND HIS TEAM SHOULD SHOW MALAYSIA THAT THEY ARE ON THE SIDE OF DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS. TEXT: /// OPT /// "THE POST" GOES ON TO SUGGEST THE PRESIDENT SHOULD DO EVERYTHING HE CAN TO PROTEST THE ARREST AND TRIAL OF THE FORMER DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ANWAR IBRAHIM. /// END OPT /// /// REMAINDER OPT ///AND LASTLY, ON THE SUBJECT OF GLOBAL WARMING, "THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION" SAYS THE U-S MUST DO BETTER IN REDUCING DANGEROUS EMISSIONS. VOICE: AN INDUSTRY COALITION OPPOSED TO GOVERNMENT ACTION ON GLOBAL WARMING HAS SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON TV ADS DESCRIBING THE PROPOSED CLIMATE TREATY NEGOTIATED LAST YEAR IN KYOTO, JAPAN, AS GROSSLY UNFAIR IN THE UNITED STATES. ... [HOWEVER] WITH FOUR PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION, THE UNITED STATES EMITS 25 PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S GREENHOUSE GASES. IN 1994, THE UNITED STATES PUT FIVE-POINT-32 TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE FOR EACH AMERICAN RESIDENT. THAT SAME YEAR, CHINA EMITTED ZERO-POINT-SEVEN TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE PER CAPITA; BANGLADESH EMITTED POINT-ZERO-FOUR TONS PER PERSON. SO THE COALITION'S SUGGESTION THAT CHINA AND AND BANGLADESH OUGHT TO BE FORCED TO REDUCE OR FREEZE EMISSIONS JUST LIKE THE UNITED STATES IS A CONSCIOUS ACT OF DECEPTION. /// OPT /// UNFORTUNATELY, BUSINESS AND REPUBLICAN OPPOSITION TO THE [GLOBAL WARMING] TREATY HAS REMAINED STRONG ENOUGH TO KEEP THE UNITED STATES FROM SIGNING THE KYOTO TREATY. EVERY OTHER KEY INDUSTRIAL NATION IN THE WORLD IS ALREADY A SIGNATORY TO THAT DOCUMENT, AND U-S PARTICIPATION IS ESSENTIAL IF THE EFFORT IS TO HAVE ANY IMPACT. /// END OPT /// TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF EDITORIALS FROM
THURSDAY'S U-S PAPERS.
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