Voice of America, 15 October 1995

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

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] FRANCE JUPPE (S ONLY) BY JULIAN NUNDY (PARIS)

INTRO: FRENCH PRIME MINISTER ALAIN JUPPE IS STANDING UNOPPOSED FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF HIS GAULLIST PARTY. HIS SUPPORTERS HOPE HIS ELECTION WILL BEGIN A REVIVAL FOR A POLITICIAN WHOSE REPUTATION HAS BEEN SHAKEN IN RECENT WEEKS. JULIAN NUNDY REPORTS FROM PARIS

TEXT: FRENCH PRIME MINISTER ALAIN JUPPE WAS THE ONLY CANDIDATE FOR ELECTION TO THE POST OF PRESIDENT OF "THE GAULLIST RALLY FOR THE REPUBLIC PARTY". HE SUCCEEDS JACQUES CHIRAC WHO WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC LAST MAY.

THE PARTY VOTE FOLLOWS A TENSE TIME FOR THE PRIME MINISTER. LAST WEEK A PROSECUTOR DECIDED NOT TO PRESS CHARGES AFTER INVESTIGATING THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH MR. JUPPE OBTAINED APARTMENTS BELONGING TO THE CITY OF PARIS FOR HIMSELF AND HIS FAMILY.

IN ADDITION, MR. JUPPE HAS BEEN UNDER FIRE FROM MANY OF HIS POTENTIAL SUPPORTERS FOR NOT PUTTING INTO ACTION THE PROMISES OF RADICAL REFORM CONTAINED IN PRESIDENT CHIRAC'S ELECTION PROGRAM. NOW, MR. CHIRAC AND MR. JUPPE ARE SAID TO BE CONSIDERING MOVES TO REGAIN PUBLIC CONFIDENCE. ACCORDING TO SEVERAL POLITICAL SOURCES, MR. JUPPE IS CONTEMPLATING REORGANIZING HIS 42-MEMBER GOVERNMENT, BOTH TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MINISTERS AND TO BRING IN NEW FACES.

NEB/JN/DW/RAE
15-Oct-95 9:46 AM EDT (1346 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[02] GERMANY / ISLAM (L ONLY) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

INTRO: A CONTROVERSIAL AUTHOR WHO HAS WRITTEN EXTENSIVELY ABOUT ISLAM HAS BEEN AWARDED THIS YEAR'S PRESTIGIOUS PEACE PRIZE FROM THE GERMAN BOOK INDUSTRY. ANNEMARIE SCHIMMEL WAS HONORED FOR PROMOTING UNDERSTANDING OF ISLAM. BUT AS V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS, MANY GERMAN INTELLECTUALS HAD BITTERLY OPPOSED THE CHOICE OF MS. SCHIMMEL, SAYING SHE HAD TURNED A BLIND EYE TOWARD HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN MUSLIM COUNTRIES.

TEXT: SPEAKING AT THE AWARD CEREMONY IN FRANKFURT, PRESIDENT ROMAN HERZOG PRAISED ANNEMARIE SCHIMMEL AS A WRITER WHO HAD HELPED BUILD A BRIDGE OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE ISLAMIC WORLD. THE GERMAN PRESIDENT SAID HE LEARNED MUCH ABOUT ISLAM FROM MS. SCHIMMEL'S BOOKS AND DEFENDED HER SELECTION FOR THE AWARD. MS. SCHIMMEL HAS WRITTEN EXTENSIVELY ABOUT ISLAM AND IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE LEADING WESTERN EXPERTS ON THE SUBJECT. BUT HER SELECTION FOR THE GERMAN BOOK INDUSTRY'S PRESTIGIOUS PEACE PRICE WAS STRONGLY OPPOSED BY A GROUP OF ABOUT 200 GERMAN INTELLECTUALS. THEY ACCUSED HER OF SUPPORTING THE DEATH SENTENCE THE FUNDAMENTALIST IRANIAN GOVERNMENT HAS ORDERED AGAINST BRITISH AUTHOR SALMAN RUSHDIE. MS. SCHIMMEL HAS REJECTED THE CHARGES, SAYING SHE HAD MERELY EXPRESSED UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HOW SOME MUSLIMS MAY HAVE BEEN UPSET ABOUT MR. RUSHDIE'S BOOK. IN HER AWARD CEREMONY ACCEPTANCE SPEECH, SHE STRESSED TOLERANCE AND MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING. PRESIDENT HERZOG SAID IT WAS WRONG AND UNJUST TO SEE MS. SCHIMMEL'S LOVE FOR THE SPIRITUAL WORLD OF ISLAM AS AN EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT FOR MUSLIM FUNDAMENTALISM. HE ALSO AGAIN CALLED FOR IRANIAN LEADERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH THREATS AGAINST MR. RUSHDIE TO TAKE THE PRICE OFF HIS HEAD. (SIGNED)

NEB/KK/DW/RAE
15-Oct-95 11:08 AM EDT (1508 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[03] TURKEY/POLITICS (L-ONLY) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN (ANKARA)

INTRO: TURKEY'S PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER LOST A CRUCIAL VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN PARLIAMENT SUNDAY. AS AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM ANKARA, MRS CILLER HAS CALLED FOR EARLY GENERAL ELECTIONS.

TEXT: MRS. CILLER'S MINORITY GOVERNMENT, FORMED LAST WEEK, LOST THE CONFIDENCE MEASURE AFTER THE PARLIAMENT VOTED 190 TO 230 AGAINST IT.

TURKEY'S FIRST WOMAN LEADER WHO CAME TO POWER TWO-AND-ONE-HALF-YEARS AGO APPEARED UNDAUNTED BY SUNDAY'S RESULT, SAYING NO NEW GOVERNMENT COULD BE FORMED WITHOUT THE PARTICIPATION OF HER CONSERVATIVE TRUE PATH PARTY (D-Y-P). SHE SAID EARLY GENERAL ELECTIONS HAD NOW BECOME A NECESSITY. WITH 177 LAWMAKERS, HER PARTY HAS THE MOST SEATS IN PARLIAMENT, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO FORM A GOVERNMENT ON ITS OWN. MRS. CILLER ACKNOWLEDGED HER REFUSAL TO MEET WORKERS' DEMANDS FOR HIGHER WAGES PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN HER DEFEAT.

MRS CILLER'S DEFEAT BECAME A FOREGONE CONCLUSION AFTER A SMALL LEFT-WING PARTY, LED BY FORMER PRIME MINISTER BULENT ECEVIT, ON WHOSE SUPPORT SHE RELIED DECIDED TO VOTE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OF ITS FAILURE TO SECURE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIONS.

MRS. CILLER TOLD THE PARLIAMENT SHE HAD PLACED THE COUNTRY'S INTERESTS ABOVE THOSE OF HER PARTY. SHE HAS BEEN UNDER ATTACK FOR TAKING A HARD LINE ON LABOR DEMANDS FOR HIGHER PAY. THOUSANDS OF WORKERS GATHERED SUNDAY IN ANKARA TO PROTEST THE GOVERNMENT'S FINAL OFFER OF A 15-PERCENT PAY INCREASE WHILE THE AVERAGE ANNUAL INFLATION RATE IS ABOUT 100-PERCENT.

BUT OBSERVERS SAY THE GREATEST BLOW TO MRS. CILLER CAME FROM REBELS WITHIN HER OWN PARTY. TEN PARTY LAWMAKERS VOTED WITH MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITION AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.

OBSERVERS SAY MRS. CILLER'S MAIN CHALLENGE NOW IS TO RETAIN THE PARTY LEADERSHIP TO WHICH SHE WAS ELECTED TWO-AND-ONE-HALF-YEARS AGO.

SEDAT ERGIN IS A LEADING COLUMNIST FOR THE MASS CIRCULATION DAILY "HURRIYET". IN HIS WORDS -- TURKISH POLITICS IS FULL OF SURPRISES.

THE SAFE PREDICTION PERHAPS WOULD BE TO SAY THAT THE WAY OUT FROM THE PRESENT IMPASSE WOULD BE A GRAND NATIONAL COALITION. THAT IS THE FEASIBLE SCENARIO IN THE POLITICAL CIRCLES.

ANALYSTS SAY TURKISH PRESIDENT SULEYMAN DEMIREL COULD ASK THE LEADER OF THE MAIN OPPOSITION MOTHERLAND PARTY MESUT YILMAZ, TO FORM SUCH A NEW BROAD-BASED GOVERNMENT.

ANOTHER POSSIBILITY WOULD BE FOR MRS. CILLER TO LEAD A CARETAKER GOVERNMENT UNTIL EARLY ELECTIONS -- WHICH SHE SAYS SHOULD TAKE PLACE IN DECEMBER. SIGNED NEB/RAE 15-Oct-95 1:56 PM EDT (1756 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America