Voice of America, 99-12-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] U-S / SERBIA OIL (L ONLY) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)

[02] WTO (L) BY AMY BICKERS (SEATTLE)

[03] W-T-O DISSENT BY MIKE O'SULLIVAN (SEATTLE)

[04] W-T-O LABOR BY AMY BICKERS (STATTLE)

[05] W-T-O TRADE TALKS (L) BY AMY BICKERS (SEATTLE, WASHINGTON)

[06] CLINTON-WORLD TRADE (S) BY DAVID GOLLUST (WHITE HOUSE)

[07] EDITORIAL: WORLD TRADE IN SEATTLE

[08] SLOVAKIA / E-U (L-ONLY) BY ALENA KENCLOVA (PRAGUE)

[09] NATO DEFENSE MINISTERS (L ONLY) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

[10] NY ECON WRAP (S&L) BY ELAINE JOHANSON (NEW YORK)

[11] FRIDAY'S EDITORIALS BY JACK PAYTON (WASHINGTON)

[01] U-S / SERBIA OIL (L ONLY) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)

INTRO: The United States has sharply criticized the Yugoslav government for blocking a shipment of European Union heating oil bound for two Serb cities. From the State Department, VOA's Kyle King reports.

TEXT: The convoy of European Union tanker trucks carrying 350 tons of heating oil were halted at the Yugoslav border more than one week ago. E-U officials describe the situation as intolerable. They say the trucks will now return to the Macedonian capital of Skopjie. The fuel is part of a European Union pilot project aimed at providing assistance to Serb cities that are controlled by opponents of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. State Department spokesman James Rubin described the blocking of the shipment as a cynical maneuver.

[02] WTO (L) BY AMY BICKERS (SEATTLE)

INTRO: With only one more day left until the end of the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle, delegates say a number of major hurdles remain that could threaten the launch of a new round of international trade talks. As Amy Bickers reports from the trade conference, anti- W-T-O protests also took place, but were much smaller and peaceful than those earlier in the week.

TEXT: The clock is ticking down for the launching of a new global trade round and the trade ministers at the W-T-O meeting in Seattle know it. Some say they will work around the clock to reach a consensus on which issues should be on the new round's agenda , and delegates from many countries say that there is little agreement and a chance that no resolution will be reached. Among the possible issues to be taken up in the future round: cutting trade barriers in agriculture, revising global antidumping rules, and attaching environmental guidelines to future policies. These issues, and a host of others, have trade ministers bitterly divided. Despite the tension, top U-S officials continue to say they they are confident that agreement will be reached and a new trade round unveiled. However, U-S Trade Representative Charlene Barshevsky, who is also chairing the conference, told reporters that if all 135 members could not settle their differences, she could employ less democratic means to get the new round underway.

[03] W-T-O DISSENT BY MIKE O'SULLIVAN (SEATTLE)

INTRO: Farm subsidies are among the issues being debated by negotiators in Seattle, as delegates to the World Trade Organization wind up four days of meetings. They hope to issue a statement Friday setting the world trade agenda for another three years. As Mike O'Sullivan reports from Seattle, some leaders from the developing world complain they are left out of the process.

TEXT: A number of African and Caribbean delegates complain of a lack of transparency in the W-T-O proceedings, despite their access to so-called "open- ended" negotiating groups. Clement Rohee, minister of foreign affairs of Guyana, says negotiators from the United States and other major countries control the trade agenda.

[04] W-T-O LABOR BY AMY BICKERS (STATTLE)

INTRO: President Clinton wants worker rights to be included in global trade talks, but he's getting a cool reception from developing nations'leaders who say such measures could harm their ability to trade. As Amy Bickers reports from the site of the World Trade Organization talks in Seattle, officials say this divisive issue is one of the steepest hurdles to further trade liberalization.

TEXT: Amid flashing camera lights and much fanfare, President Clinton signed a treaty Thursday banning child labor which was sponsored by the International Labor Organization. The event took place on the fringes of the World Trade Organization Conference in Seattle, which is scheduled to end Friday.

[05] W-T-O TRADE TALKS (L) BY AMY BICKERS (SEATTLE, WASHINGTON)

INTRO: Trade ministers from around the world are meeting in (the northwest city of) Seattle, working against a deadline to hammer out an agreement on the next round of global trade talks. As Amy Bickers reports from Seattle, sharp divisions remain among different countries and a deal is uncertain.

TEXT: Trade negotiators at the World Trade Organization conference are racing against a Friday deadline after spending all night trying to reach an accord. Representatives from the United States say the difficult discussions are moving forward in many areas, but European Union Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy says there is a long way to go to reach agreement. He warns that big gaps remain between the European Union and the United States, and says Europe is still hoping for a comprehensive accord that will launch the next round of trade liberalization.

[06] CLINTON-WORLD TRADE (S) BY DAVID GOLLUST (WHITE HOUSE)

INTRO: President Clinton has telephoned Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi as part of a last-minute drive to achieve an agreement at the World Trade Organization conference in Seattle. As V-O-A's David Gollust reports from the White House, the Clinton administration is eager to move ahead with a new round of negotiations to reduce obstacles to world trade.

TEXT: Mr. Clinton left Seattle Thursday, but is continuing efforts by telephone to salvage an agreement at a conference marred by policy disputes and violent anti-W-T-O demonstrations. Despite reports the conference might end without an agreement on a new trade round, Mr. Clinton told reporters here that at least "a little progress" was being made and that he had spoken with Prime Minister Obuchi earlier in the day. Officials here said the 20 minute talk with the Japanese leader followed similar calls late Thursday with European Union President Romano Prodi, Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo and New Zealand `s new prime minister-elect, Helen Clark. Differences remain at Seattle over key issues including lowering tariffs on farm products and a controversial proposal by Mr. Clinton that the next trade round include consideration of labor standards. (Signed)
NEB/DAD/ENE/JP 03-Dec-1999 15:01 PM EDT (03-Dec-1999 2001 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[07] EDITORIAL: WORLD TRADE IN SEATTLE

THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO EDITORIALS BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST 12/04/99. Anncr: The Voice of America presents differing points of view on a wide variety of issues. Next, an editorial expressing the policies of the United States Government: Voice: Representatives from some one-hundred forty countries met in Seattle, Washington this past week to discuss ways of creating a more prosperous, open, and equitable global trading system. President Clinton wants a new trade round to focus on expanding prosperity and improving the quality of life around the world. In a recent joint statement, President Clinton and European Commission President Romano Prodi [Ro- MAH-noh PROH-dee] said the U-S and the European Union are mindful of the role free trade plays in "ensuring that democracy and free markets improve tangibly the lives of people in a rapidly globalizing world." Many people are concerned that expanding trade poses a threat to their livelihoods. Among those were groups representing European farmers, American workers, and environmental groups. In the streets around the Seattle meeting, some went so far as to riot, looting small businesses and trashing the downtown area, requiring police intervention. The concerns of N-G-O's with issues like child labor and the environment are serious, and indeed were on the W-T-O agenda. The U-S government also organized an N-G-O-Day on the eve of the W-T-O meeting, providing an opportunity for genuine and substantive dialogue between concerned organizations and government officials. But the beneficial consequences of world trade are indisputable. As barriers have come down in recent years, world trade has grown fifteen-fold. And as U-S Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky pointed out recently, expanded trade has helped Africa raise its non-energy exports to the U-S alone by nearly one billion dollars since 1997. But as she also said, the U-S believes the W-T-O and international financial institutions must help developing countries take full advantage of the international trading system. As President Clinton said to a group of farmers, students, and local officials, "some of the poorest countries in the world would get the biggest benefits out of this trade round if we continue to tear down the barriers to agricultural exports. Anncr: That was an editorial expressing the policies of the United States Government. If you have a comment, please write to Editorials, V-O-A, Washington, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. You may also comment at www-dot-voa-dot-gov-slash-editorials, or fax us at (202) 619-1043. 03-Dec-1999 11:40 AM EDT (03-Dec-1999 1640 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[08] SLOVAKIA / E-U (L-ONLY) BY ALENA KENCLOVA (PRAGUE)

INTRO: Four central European presidents say their countries will work together with a new intensity on their way to membership in the European Union (E-U). V-O-A's Alena Kenclova reports from the Czech capital, Prague.

TEXT: President Rudolf Schuster has gained support from his colleagues in neighboring Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary, for Slovakia's bid to be invited to talks on European Union membership at this month's summit in Helsinki (EDS: December 10). The Slovak president met Alexander Kwasniewski, Vaclav Havel and Arpad Goencz in a mountain resort (Gerlachov) near the Slovak-Polish border on Friday. The presidents also backed Slovakia's efforts to become a member of NATO, like Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, which were admitted to NATO earlier this year.

[09] NATO DEFENSE MINISTERS (L ONLY) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: Defense ministers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have ended two days of talks in Brussels, and much of the discussion centered on Russia - a country that stayed away from the meeting. V-O-A Correspondent Ron Pemstein reports from Brussels.

TEXT: Russia usually sends its defense minister to meet his colleagues from NATO - but not this year. NATO has always avoided commenting on Russian internal affairs - but not this year. During their two-day meeting, the NATO defense ministers urged Russia to exercise restraint in Chechnya and to cease what they called Russia's disproportionate use of force. The ministers also urged Russia to provide humanitarian relief to those in need and to prevent the spread of the conflict to other states. Russia responded angrily, with a spokesman in Moscow saying the NATO comments are intended to worsen the situation in Chechnya. The spokesman says the statements are cynical, coming from an alliance that dropped thousands of bombs and rockets on civilian targets in Kosovo earlier this year. U-S Secretary of Defense William Cohen dismisses the Russian reaction as understandable, considering Russia's economic and political troubles.

[10] NY ECON WRAP (S&L) BY ELAINE JOHANSON (NEW YORK)

INTRO: Stock prices in the United States were sharply higher today (Friday), as Wall Street reacted with exuberance to positive news on the U-S economy. VOA correspondent Elaine Johanson reports from New York:

TEXT: The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 247 points, over two percent, closing at 11-thousand-286 - with the blue-chips up 298 points for the week. Both the Standard and Poor's 500 index and the Nasdaq composite closed at new highs. The Standard and Poor's rose 24 points to 14-hundred-33. The Nasdaq gained just under two percent. The big movement came as Wall Street got word that the U-S unemployment rate was unchanged in November - holding steady at four-point-one percent - and there was no sign of wage inflation. Meanwhile, new U-S factory orders fell in October two- tenths of one percent - showing, perhaps, that the U-S economy may be slowing down.

[11] FRIDAY'S EDITORIALS BY JACK PAYTON (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: Violent protests against the World Trade Organization now ending its meetings in (the western city of) Seattle, Washington continue to puzzle U-S editorial writers. The demonstrations, they conclude, have overshadowed serious problems with the W-T-O itself. Other topics coming in for comment on U-S editorial pages include the new era of Protestant and Catholic cooperation in Northern Ireland, the settlement of claims against Germany for Nazi slave labor during World War Two and the long-running dispute between Britain and Greece over a group of statues known as the Elgin Marbles. Here with a closer look at these issues is _____________ with today's Editorial Digest.

TEXT: We begin our consideration of the protests against the W-T-O meeting with this comment from the Wichita Eagle in the state of Kansas. It says the violence in the streets of Seattle overshadowed what could turn out to be a major weakness in the trade organization.

VOICE: Consider, for example, the treaty that President Clinton signed Thursday banning ... child labor - slavery, bondage, prostitution, pornography, drug trafficking and inherently hazardous work. Supachai Panitchpakdi of Thailand, who takes over the top W-T-O post in 2002, says that linking trade sanctions to such labor-rights violations would be "highly detrimental." If we can't all agree that children shouldn't be chained to machinery, sexually abused and covered with deadly chemicals, how in the world are we going to come to terms with regulations to protect adult workers and the environment ... ?

TEXT: The Christian Science Monitor, a national newspaper based in Boston, agrees that the street violence masked serious issues at the W-T-O meeting.

VOICE: The protests were not the real action in Seattle. Rather, the unspoken W-T-O agenda is a plan by Europe, Japan and others to thwart the longstanding U-S goal of expanding free trade in agriculture and services, two of its economic strengths. To protect (their own) farmers, Europe and Japan have tried to put other issues, such as antitrust rules, on the W-T- O table in hopes of using them as bargaining chips against U-S demands for more free trade in agriculture.

TEXT: However these issues are settled, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer seemed relieved that the W-T-O meeting in its city was drawing to a close.

VOICE: We feel compelled to apologize to the W-T-O delegates for the unfriendly treatment they endured as the result of a few mindless demonstrators and our city's lamentable failure to anticipate their irresponsible antics. ... That said, we also want to offer a few words of counsel to the members of the W- T-O as they flee our disheveled city: Until you open your business to the world's citizens, your organization will look like trouble to any city that would consider offering you an invitation. Without change, you can be assured that the same public unhappiness that you experienced here will dog your footsteps around the globe.

TEXT: Turning to other international issues, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in the southern state of Georgia praises the new power-sharing government of Protestants and Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland. It warns, however, that more needs to be done before peace is assured.

VOICE: Thanks to Catholics and Protestants willing to share power, thanks to U-S mediation, and, most of all, thanks to a widespread wish to be done with 30 years of futile conflict, the people of Northern Ireland have a chance to manage much of their own affairs and learn to get along in the process.

TEXT: But while all sides in Northern Ireland made difficult concessions to achieve their new power- sharing arrangement, the Atlanta newspaper notes that "the giving in cannot stop there."

VOICE: The hard-line leaders of the Protestant paramilitaries and the I-R-A (Irish Republican Army) guerrillas must agree to turn over their arsenals to a Belfast-based disarmament commission headed by a neutral party ... This is not negotiable. If they fail to respond promptly - within the next few months the whole peace process could unravel.

TEXT: The New York Times devotes part of its editorial page to criticizing German industry for what it considers a less than generous approach to dealing with the issue of Nazi slave labor during World War Two.

VOICE: More than 50 years ago, millions of citizens of Central and Eastern Europe were compelled to work under monstrous conditions for German companies and the Nazi state. ... Hundreds of thousands of people who survived these ordeals are still alive. But all are elderly and thousands die each month. If they are ever to be compensated for their nightmarish suffering, it must be soon. The German government, though financially strapped, has offered to contribute substantially to a settlement. But the chance for an early deal may now be lost because of the unjustified intransigence of German private industry. ... German industry now insists that its two-point-eight-billion dollar (compensation) offer is final. If the survivors' groups do not accept by December 10th, the companies threaten to pull out of the talks. Considering that the victims have waited more than 50 years for compensation, setting such an abrupt and artificial deadline is particularly offensive.

TEXT: With that comment from the New York Times, we turn to a dispute that had its beginnings in the early days of the 19th century when Britain's Lord Elgin took pieces of marble sculpture from the Parthenon in Athens and shipped them to London. The Wall Street Journal sides with the British against Greek demands that the sculptures now be returned to Athens.

VOICE: Curators everywhere fear that should Greece succeed in prying the Parthenon sculptures from the British Museum, it would incite an international scramble to wrest national antiquities from all foreign collections. ... Were all works of art restored to their point of origin, museums would be condemned solely to represent indigenous work. ... The British Museum's justification that the marbles are currently seen free of charge by six-million people per year is persuasive.

TEXT: With that view from the Wall Street Journal, we conclude this sampling of Friday's editorial comment in the U-S press.
NEB/JP/KL 03-Dec-1999 11:31 AM EDT (03-Dec-1999 1631 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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