Voice of America, 99-02-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] ALBRIGHT-KOSOVO (L ONLY) BY PAULA WOLFSON (WASHINGTON)

[02] HUSSEIN-EUROPE (S&L) (BRUSSELS)

[01] ALBRIGHT-KOSOVO (L ONLY) BY PAULA WOLFSON (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT SAYS U-S GROUND TROOPS WILL GO TO KOSOVO ONLY IF A FIRM CEASEFIRE IS IN PLACE. NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN SERB FORCES AND ETHNIC-ALBANIAN SEPARATISTS ARE NOW UNDERWAY IN FRANCE. AS CORRESPONDENT PAULA WOLFSON REPORTS, MRS. ALBRIGHT IS LOOKING FOR RESULTS.

TEXT: WORD THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION COULD SEND UP TO FOUR- THOUSAND TROOPS TO KOSOVO HAS MANY MEMBERS OF THE U-S CONGRESS WORRIED.

MRS. ALBRIGHT -- ALONG WITH SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WILLIAM COHEN -- HAS BEEN CONSULTING WITH LAWMAKERS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

SHE SAYS THE PRESIDENT DOES NOT NEED CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL TO TAKE PART IN AN INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING FORCE. BUT IN A NATIONALLY BROADCAST INTERVIEW (ABC TELEVISION'S "MEET THE PRESS") SHE SOUGHT TO EASE CONCERNS IN THE LEGISLATURE.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE THERE IF THERE IS FIGHTING. THAT IS VERY CLEAR. THIS HAS GOT TO BE UNDER "PERMISSIVE" CONDITIONS.

MRS. ALBRIGHT SAYS IF THAT COMMITMENT IS LACKING AND PEACE EFFORTS COLLAPSE, THOSE INVOLVED WILL PAY THE PRICE. SHE WARNED SERBIA COULD FACE NATO BOMBINGS. THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS COULD LOSE FOREIGN BACKING

THEY WILL LOSE THE SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND FIND THEMSELVES INCREASINGLY ISOLATED AND THEY CAN NOT OPERATE WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

A DECADE AGO, SERBIA TOOK AWAY KOSOVO'S PROVINCIAL AUTONOMY AND IMPOSED DIRECT RULE. THE ETHNIC-ALBANIAN MAJORITY ACCUSED SERBIAN FORCES OF REPRESSION AND ULTIMATELY LAUNCHED A FIGHT FOR FULL INDEPENDENCE. THE SERBS INSIST KOSOVO MUST REMAIN PART OF SERBIA AND SAY THEY ARE WILLING TO GRANT ONLY LIMITED SELF-RULE. (SIGNED)
NEB/PW/ENE/RAE
07-Feb-99 3:29 PM EST (2029 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] HUSSEIN-EUROPE (S&L) (BRUSSELS)

CORRESPONDENT=RON PEMSTEIN CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO: EUROPEANS MOURNED JORDAN'S KING HUSSEIN AS A FRIEND AND A FIGHTER FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM BRUSSELS ON THE REACTION IN EUROPE.

TEXT: THE FLAG AT BRITAIN'S BUCKINGHAM PALACE HAS BEEN PLACED AT HALF-STAFF IN HONOR OF KING HUSSEIN. HE WAS EDUCATED IN BRITAIN AT HARROW AND RECEIVED MILITARY TRAINING AT SANDHURST. QUEEN ELIZABETH EXPRESSED HER SADNESS AND BRITAIN WILL BE REPRESENTED AT KING HUSSEIN'S FUNERAL BY HER SON, PRINCE CHARLES.

BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR PRAISES KING HUSSEIN'S COMMITMENT TO PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

HE WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY AND CHARISMATIC PERSUADER FOR PEACE.

MR. BLAIR ALSO SAYS HE IS CONFIDENT THE KING'S 37-YEAR-OLD SON, ABDULLAH, WILL BE A GOOD FRIEND TO PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

OTHER MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION WERE QUICK TO EXPRESS THEIR SENTIMENTS. FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC DESCRIBES KING HUSSEIN AS AN IMMENSE VOICE FOR PEACE WHO PREFERRED DIALOGUE TO CONFRONTATION.

FRENCH PRIME MINISTER LIONEL JOSPIN SAYS KING HUSSEIN'S ACTIONS MARKED THE CENTURY AND HISTORY WILL AWARD HIM AN IMPORTANT PLACE. IN BONN, CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHOEDER CALLS KING HUSSEIN A GOOD AND RELIABLE FRIEND OF GERMANY. IN HIS TELEGRAM TO KING ABDULLAH, MR. SCHROEDER SAYS KING HUSSEIN ALWAYS GAVE THE PEACE PROCESS IN THE MIDDLE EAST NEW IMPULSES FOR A PEACEFUL, JUST SOLUTION.

LEADERS IN SPAIN AND ITALY WERE QUICK TO PRAISE KING HUSSEIN'S CONTRIBUTION TO MIDDLE EAST PEACE. THE RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY EXPRESSES ITS REGRET AT THE DEATH OF KING HUSSEIN, SAYING THE RESPECT HE HAD IN THE REGION ALLOWED HIM TO PROMOTE WAYS OUT OF CRITICAL SITUATIONS. (SIGNED)
NEB/RP/DW/RAE
07-Feb-99 9:49 AM EST (1449 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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