Voice of America, 24 September 1995

From: yanni@ix.netcom.com (Ioannis Bousnakis)

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] BOSNIA / BOYCOTT (S) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: THE BOSNIAN PRESIDENT HAS ANNOUNCED HIS GOVERNMENT WILL NOT ATTEND PEACE TALKS SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY IN NEW YORK. IN A STATEMENT ISSUED BY HIS OFFICE IN SARAJEVO, PRESIDENT ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC BLAMED THE CHANGE ON THE FAILURE OF THE BOSNIAN SERBS TO RESPOND TO HIS PROPOSALS FOR THE DEMILITARIZATION OF THE SERB STRONGHOLD OF BANJA LUKA IN NORTHERN BOSNIA. DAVID FOLEY REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO.

TEXT: THE TALKS BETWEEN THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF BOSNIA, CROATIA AND THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA WERE TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE ON TUESDAY IN NEW YORK, THE SECOND MEETING BETWEEN THE SIDES SINCE THE OUTLINES TO A POTENTIAL PEACE SETTLEMENT WERE FIRST AGREED TO IN GENEVA NINE DAYS AGO. SINCE THEN THE BOSNIAN ARMY AND CROAT FORCES, BACKED BY THE CROATIAN ARMY, HAVE SEIZED VAST CHUNKS OF SERB-HELD TERRITORY, AND FORCED OVER 100-THOUSAND BOSNIAN SERBS TO FLEE THE FIGHTING.

IN THE STATEMENT, PRESIDENT IZETBEGOVIC SAID HE HAD INSTRUCTED HIS FOREIGN MINISTER NOT TO ATTEND THE TALKS BECAUSE THERE HAD BEEN NO RESPONSE TO HIS DEMAND THAT THE BOSNIAN SERBS DEMILITARIZE BANJA LUKA, COMPLETELY LIFT THE SIEGE OF SARAJEVO AND PROVIDE A LAND CORRIDOR FOR ACCESS TO THE EASTERN ENCLAVE OF GORAZDE. RECENTLY, WESTERN DIPLOMATS HAVE EXPRESSED FEARS THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT AND CROAT ALLIANCE, WHICH NOW CONTROLS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF BOSNIA, WILL NOT BE SATISFIED WITH THE EXISTING CONTACT GROUP PEACE PLAN, WHICH DIVIDES THE COUNTRY ALMOST EQUALLY BETWEEN MUSLIM-CROAT ALLIANCE AND THE BOSNIAN SERBS. (SIGNED)

NEB/DF/SKH
24-Sep-95 5:34 PM EDT (2134 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] EUROPEAN SUMMIT (S) BY HARRY DEBILIUS (MADRID)

INTRO: FRENCH NUCLEAR TESTS WERE NOT ON THE AGENDA AT THE E-U SUMMIT BECAUSE THE MEETING WAS INFORMAL AND THERE WAS NO OFFICIAL AGENDA, BUT THEY WERE ON EVERYBODY'S MIND. HARRY DEBILIUS REPORTS FROM MADRID.

TEXT: WHILE FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC WAS ATTENDING THE EUROPEAN UNION SUMMIT MEETING ON THE ISLAND OF MAJORCA HE DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO FORGET ABOUT MOUNTING PUBLIC OPINION AGAINST THE FRENCH NUCLEAR TESTS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC. GREENPEACE SAW TO THAT.

THROUGHOUT THE TWO DAYS OF THE E-U SUMMIT A GREENPEACE SHIP WAS ANCHORED IN THE BAY IN FRONT OF THE HOTEL WHERE SOME DISCUSSIONS TOOK PLACE. A BIG BANNER ON ITS SIDE READ "CHIRAC, NO MORE NUCLEAR TESTS." THE GREENPEACE SHIP REMAINED UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF THE SPANISH NAVY BUT THERE WAS NO CONFLICT.

DEMONSTRATORS SHOWED UP OUTSIDE THE DOORS OF EVERY NEWS CONFERENCE TO REMAIN IN THE EYES OF REPORTERS. THE FRENCH PRESIDENT GOT THE COLD SHOULDER FROM MANY FELLOW EUROPEAN LEADERS. MOST OUTSPOKEN WERE THE SCANDINAVIANS. BRITISH PRIME MINISTER JOHN MAJOR, REPRESENTING ANOTHER NUCLEAR POWER, DID NOT GIVE THE FRENCH HIS OUTRIGHT SUPPORT. (SIGNED) NEB/HD/TMS-T/HVS 24-Sep-95 2:02 AM EDT (0602 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America