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Voice of America, 00-01-16Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>CONTENTS
[01] ARKAN DEATH (L-ONLY) BY TIM BELAY (TIRANA, ALBANIA)DATE=1/15/2000TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-258103 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: The notorious Serb paramilitary leader known as Arkan has been shot to death in a Belgrade hotel. Tim Belay in the neighboring Balkan nation, Albania, reports on the death of a man who had been indicted on war crimes charges by a U-N tribunal. TEXT: Witnesses say Arkan was shot in the lobby of
Belgrade's Intercontinental Hotel by a group of
attackers. One of his bodyguards also was killed and
another person seriously injured. The witnesses say
Arkan and his companions were sitting in a sectioned-
off part of the hotel lobby when the gunmen burst in
and opened fire.
A physician who examined Arkan in a Belgrade emergency
room said "all vital functions" had stopped. He told
reporters several bullets had hit Arkan in the head.
Arkan, also known as Zeljko Raznatovic, was indicted
in 1997 for alleged war crimes in Bosnia, but the
charges were kept secret until last year's NATO air
campaign in the Balkans. His paramilitary forces also
have been accused of involvement in atrocities during
the war in Croatia that started in 1991.
Arkan's forces sided with Serb rebels in both Bosnia
and Croatia. His militia, known as the Tigers, also
was accused of operating against ethnic Albanians in
Kosovo.
In addition, Arkan had been sought on bank robbery
charges in Western Europe in the 1970s and 1980s.
(SIGNED)
[02] TURKEY - GEORGIA (L-ONLY) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN (ANKARA)DATE=1/15/2000TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-258100 INTERNET=YES CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: Turkish President Suleyman Demirel is proposing the establishment of a Caucasus regional stability pact today (Saturday), the second day of his visit to neighboring Georgia. From the Turkish capital Ankara, Amberin Zaman has the details. TEXT: Georgian President Eduard Shavardnadze
described the pact aimed at strengthening political,
economic and security ties between Turkey, Azerbaijan
and Georgia as extremely important for the region.
And President Demirel said the proposed members shared
the political will to make such a pact a reality.
Analysts say the proposed accord is designed to
counter Russian efforts to maintain influence over the
former Soviet Republics in the region.
Both Georgia and Azerbaijan have experienced botched
coup and assasination attempts against their
respective leaders in recent years. Regional experts
have said they suspect elements in Russia were
involved.
There have also been fears that fighting in Russia's
ongoing offensive against Chechen rebels could spill
over into the southern Caucasus republics. Russia has
repeatedly accused Georgia of helping the Chechen
rebels. Analysts say that Turkey's regional stability
pact proposal sends a clear message to Moscow to draw
the line at Chechyna.
Turkey, a key member of NATO, has strong ethnic and
economic ties with Azerbaijan. In a bid to expand its
influence in the region, Turkey is also seeking to
become the main export route for vast reserves of
Azeri and Central Asian oil and natural gas. Those
plans are strongly opposed by Russia, which is
reportedly stepping up pressure on Georgia to block
proposed oil and gas pipelines from being built on its
territory.
Part of the Turkish president's agenda in Georgia was
to persuade Mr Schevardnadze to drop any remaining
objections his government has for building the
pipeline network.
Building a so-called East-West energy corridor between
Central Asia and Turkey is a strategic goal of the
Clinton administration. The aim is to reduce the
former Soviet states' economic dependency on Russia
and open up new opportunities for American investors.
(SIGNED)
[03] ARKAN/REACTION (L-ONLY) BY TIM BELAY (TIRANA)DATE=1/16/2000TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-258113 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: The notorious Serb paramilitary leader known as Arkan was shot to death in a Belgrade hotel Saturday. Tim Belay, in the neighboring Balkan nation of Albania, reports on reaction to the death of a man who had been indicted on war crimes charges by a U-N tribunal. TEXT: Officials say the assassination of Zeljko
Raznatovic - also known as Arkan - was not much of a
surprise, but it may make it more difficult to
prosecute other accused Balkan war criminals.
Arkan was killed by unidentified gunmen while leaving
a restaurant inside Belgrade's Hotel Intercontinental.
Two others died in the gunfire, including his
bodyguard.
The 47-year-old Arkan was under indictment by a U-N
tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for alleged war
crimes in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia. An adviser
to the Bosnian-Muslim presidency says his violent
death was no surprise.
The adviser said he was sorry only that Arkan would
not go to The Hague to testify at the tribunal against
Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, also indicted
for alleged war crimes.
Reaction by the United States was similar. Secretary
of State Madeleine Albright said the United States
took no satisfaction in Arkan's murder and would have
wanted him to stand trial in The Hague.
British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook also said he was
not surprised that the man had died violently.
Arkan briefly entered the Serbian parliament in 1992
as an independent deputy from the southern Kosovo
province. He made a practice of telling Kosovo's
Albanian majority to take a hike over the mountains to
Albania if they did not like Serbian domination.
(SIGNED)
Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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