Voice of America, 00-03-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] KOSOVO ANNIVERSARY BY TIM BELAY (TIRANA)

[02] NORTHERN IRELAND/UNIONISTS (L) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

[01] KOSOVO ANNIVERSARY BY TIM BELAY (TIRANA)

INTRO: It was one year ago this week that NATO began a bombing campaign against Yugoslavia. Tim Belay, who covered the aftermath of the conflict in Kosovo, has this look at how the province is faring today.

TEXT: NATO Secretary-General George Robertson issued a stern warning to Kosovars on Friday, a year to the day after the launch of NATO's air war: Either promote peace or lose international support. Mr. Robertson says ethnic Albanian leaders have a responsibility to -- in his words -- promote a new vision and not play on old nightmares. Most of the more than 800-thousand refugees who fled during the bombing have returned home, but more than 100-thousand Serbs and members of other minorities have left the province in fear of ethnic Albanian revenge attacks. Secretary Robertson arrived five hours late and had to cancel a planned visit to Kosovska Mitrovica. The city in northern Kosovo has been the scene of violent ethnic clashes and fighting between local residents and international peacekeeping forces over the past few weeks. Selvete Gerxhaliu works in Kosovska Mitrovica as a legal assistant for a civil rights project. Ms. Gerxhaliu, a Kosovar Albanian, says reprisals against Serbs are somewhat justified in view of the suffering endured by the majority Albanian population of Kosovo.

[02] NORTHERN IRELAND/UNIONISTS (L) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

INTRO: In Northern Ireland, the council of the Ulster Unionist party -- which advocates continued union with Britain -- has voted to keep David Trimble as its leader, but only by a small margin. As V-O-A's Laurie Kassman reports from London, the outcome is expected to restrict Mr. Trimble's room for maneuver in achieving peace with the Irish Republican Army and its supporters who want independence from Britain.

TEXT: Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble won 56 percent of the vote and so remains as head of the party. But his challenger, Reverend Martin Smyth gained nearly 44 percent of the vote, exceeding most expectations. Mr. Smyth has been an outspoken opponent to the 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement. After the results were read out, some delegates shouted for Mr. Trimble to resign. The result of Saturday's poll shows the Unionist party is split nearly in half over its approach to the peace process. Historian Michael Foy says Mr. Trimble lost prestige in his own party when he agreed to share power with the Irish Republican Army's political wing, Sinn Fein, before the I-R-A disarmed. Mr. Trimble, he says, took a leap of faith that Sinn Fein leaders would persuade the paramilitaries to make a gesture toward disarmament, but they did not.

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