Voice of America Digest, 26 October 1995

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

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] !!! VOA DIGEST - OCTOBER 26, 1995

US / YELTSIN / PEACE TALKS -- THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS NOT EXPECTING RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN'S HOSPITALIZATION TO DELAY NEXT WEEK'S BOSNIA PEACE TALKS IN THE UNITED STATES. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT DAVID BORGIDA REPORTS US OFFICIALS ARE TAKING A WAIT AND SEE APPROACH TO THE NEWS, AND HOPING THE RUSSIAN LEADER RECOVERS QUICKLY. OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH US EMBASSY OFFICIALS IN MOSCOW AND KNOW LITTLE MORE THAN WHAT HAS BEEN REPORTED BY YELTSIN AIDES, THAT PRESIDENT YELTSIN IS HOSPITALIZED FOR A RECURRENT HEART PROBLEM NOT SEEN AS LIFE-THREATENING. WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN MIKE MCCURRY SAID THE WHITE HOUSE IS HOPING THE RUSSIAN LEADER'S CONDITION IMPROVES IN THE DAYS AHEAD, AND THAT HE CAN MEET WITH THE PARTIES TO THE UPCOMING TALKS ON MONDAY. (10/26)

PERRY / GRACHEV -- US DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY AND RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER PAVEL GRACHEV HAVE BEGUN TALKS IN WASHINGTON ON TERMS FOR RUSSIAN INVOLVEMENT IN BOSNIAN PEACEKEEPING. RUSSIA REFUSES TO PLACE ANY FORCES IT MAY CONTRIBUTE UNDER NATO COMMAND. MR GRACHEV TOLD REPORTERS AS HE BEGAN TALKS THAT WHILE THE ISSUES ARE DIFFICULT, HE IS SURE SOME KIND OF AN UNDERSTANDING WILL BE FOUND. RUSSIA HAS OFFERED TO PROVIDE AS MANY AS TWENTY THOUSAND SOLDIERS TO HELP ENFORCE A SETTLEMENT OF THE CONFLICT. BUT THE UNITED STATES WANTS THE RUSSIAN CONTINGENT TO BE MUCH SMALLER, AND TO COME UNDER A UNIFIED NATO COMMAND, A DEMAND RUSSIAN PRESIDENT YELTSIN ADAMANTLY OPPOSES. CORRESPONDENT DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS FROM THE PENTAGON. (10/26)

BALKAN TALKS / DELAY -- THERE IS A ONE DAY DELAY IN THE BOSNIA PEACE TALKS SCHEDULED TO START NEXT WEEK NEAR DAYTON, OHIO. CORRESPONDENT RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS THE DELAY IS TO ACCOMMODATE A SUMMIT MEETING IN MOSCOW. (10/25)

CHRISTOPHER / BOSNIA -- SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER IS CONVENING A MEETING OF ALL HIS BOSNIA NEGOTIATORS OUTSIDE WASHINGTON. CORRESPONDENT RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS IT WILL BE THE FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR NEXT WEEK'S BOSNIA PEACE TALKS. (10/25)

US / BALKANS / HUMAN RIGHTS -- US ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN SHATTUCK IS MAKING ANOTHER TOUR OF BALKAN CAPITALS TO PRESS WASHINGTON'S HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS IN ADVANCE OF NEXT WEEK'S BOSNIAN PEACE TALKS IN THE US STATE OF OHIO. THE AMERICAN ENVOY HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE IN ZAGREB, AND CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS REPORTS FROM THE CROATIAN CAPITAL. (10/25)

CROATIA / SERBS -- CROATIAN OFFICIALS AND REBEL SERB LEADERS HELD MORE TALKS WITH UN AND US MEDIATORS WEDNESDAY ON THE DISPUTED REGION OF EASTERN SLAVONIA, THE LAST STRIP OF CROATIAN TERRITORY STILL HELD BY SERB FORCES. THERE WAS NO WORD OF PROGRESS AT WEDNESDAY'S SESSION, BUT OFFICIALS ARE VOICING HOPE FOR A SETTLEMENT BEFORE NEXT WEEK'S BOSNIAN PEACE TALKS IN THE UNITED STATES. CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS REPORTS. (10/25)

ISRAEL / US EMBASSY -- ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER YITZHAK RABIN IS VISITING WASHINGTON AMID CONTROVERSY BETWEEN THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS OVER THE JUST-APPROVED LEGISLATION TO MOVE THE US EMBASSY IN ISRAEL TO JERUSALEM. MR. RABIN IS TREADING A FINE LINE AS HE TRIES TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE. CORRESPONDENT DAVID GOLLUST HAS DETAILS. (10/25)

CLINTON / MIDEAST -- PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS REAFFIRMED THE US COMMITMENT TO BE A FORCE FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. MR. CLINTON MADE HIS COMMENTS AS HE ACCEPTED AN AWARD FROM A JEWISH-AMERICAN ORGANIZATION FOR HIS EFFORTS TO PROMOTE MIDDLE EAST PEACE. CORRESPONDENT DEBORAH TATE REPORTS THE PRESIDENT MADE NO MENTION OF A CONGRESSIONAL VOTE TO MOVE THE US EMBASSY IN ISRAEL FROM TEL AVIV TO JERUSALEM. (10/25)

CONGRESS / JERUSALEM -- ONE DAY AFTER THE US CONGRESS VOTED TO BUILD AN EMBASSY IN JERUSALEM, AMERICAN LAWMAKERS JOINED WITH ISRAELI LEADERS TO MARK THE 3000TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE JEWISH PRESENCE IN THE CITY. CORRESPONDENT PAULA WOLFSON REPORTS THEY GATHERED IN THE CAPITOL ROTUNDA. (10/25)

US / JAPAN / CRIMES -- THE UNITED STATES HAS AGREED TO EASE REGULATIONS TO FACILITATE THE HANDOVER TO JAPANESE AUTHORITIES OF US MILITARY PERSONNEL ACCUSED OF SERIOUS CRIMES IN JAPAN. THE AGREEMENT FOLLOWS A PUBLIC UPROAR IN JAPAN OVER THE ALLEGED RAPE OF A SCHOOLGIRL IN OKINAWA BY THREE US SERVICEMEN. CORRESPONDENT DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS. (10/25)

SLOVAKIA / EU -- THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE UNITED STATES WEDNESDAY EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SLOVAKIA. CORRESPONDENT BARRY WOOD REPORTS. (10/25)

GERMANY / FRANCE -- FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC HAS WRAPPED UP HIS FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO BONN, WHERE HE WAS GREETED WITH ANTI NUCLEAR PROTESTS AND SOME SKEPTICISM ABOUT FRANCE'S ABILITY TO PUT ITS ECONOMIC AFFAIRS IN ORDER. CORRESPONDENT KYLE KING REPORTS. (10/25)

HONDURAS / EXECUTIONS -- A PROMINENT HONDURAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST SAYS SIX MILITARY INTELLIGENCE AGENTS HAVE BEEN EXECUTED IN AN APPARENT ATTEMPT TO BLOCK AN INVESTIGATION INTO HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS COMMITTED DURING THE 1980'S. CORRESPONDENT BILL RODGERS REPORTS THE HONDURAN MILITARY HAS DISMISSED THESE CLAIMS AS IRRESPONSIBLE. (10/25)

NICARAGUA / EPIDEMIC -- NICARAGUAN AUTHORITIES SAY AT LEAST TWELVE PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM THE OUTBREAK OF A MYSTERIOUS DISEASE IN NORTHWESTERN NICARAGUA, AND NEARLY SEVEN HUNDRED OTHERS HAVE BEEN INFECTED. CORRESPONDENT BILL RODGERS REPORTS THE US GOVERNMENT IS HELPING NICARAGUA LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DISEASE. (10/25)

CLINTON / BUDGET -- PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE FEDERAL DEFICIT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO 164 BILLION DOLLARS, NEARLY HALF OF WHAT IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO. AT A NEWS CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY, MR CLINTON ARGUED THAT THE REDUCTION IN THE DEFICIT, AS WELL AS OTHER ECONOMIC INDICATORS, ARE EVIDENCE THAT THE UNITED STATES SHOULD CONTINUE FOLLOWING HIS ECONOMIC POLICIES RATHER THAN THOSE PROPOSED BY THE REPUBLICAN-LED CONGRESS. CORRESPONDENT DEBORAH TATE REPORTS. (10/25)

CLINTON / ARAFAT / GIULIANI -- THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS EXPRESSING REGRET OVER A DECISION BY NEW YORK CITY MAYOR RUDOLPH GIULIANI TO EXPEL PALESTINE LIBERATION ORGANIZATION CHAIRMAN YASIR ARAFAT FROM A CONCERT FOR WORLD LEADERS MONDAY NIGHT. BUT IT IS ALSO SAYING THE MAYOR HAD A RIGHT TO DECIDE WHO ATTENDS SOCIAL FUNCTIONS HE SPONSORS. CORRESPONDENT DAVID BORGIDA REPORTS. (10/25)

US / RACISM -- A PANEL OF CLERGY WILL LOOK AT THE SO-CALLED RACIAL DIVIDE IN THE US IN LIGHT OF ATTACKS ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL AGENDA, SIMPSON VERDICT, MILLION MAN MARCH ON WASHINGTON AND PRESIDENT CLINTON'S SPEECH. THE PANEL WILL DISCUSS WHAT THE US RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS POLITICAL LEADERS, CAN DO TO BRIDGE THE DIVIDE. CURRENT AFFAIRS' GARY REPORTS. (10/26)

QUEBEC / REFERENDUM -- CURRENT AFFAIRS' BARBARA SCHOETZAU LOOKS AT THE ISSUES AT THE HEART OF THE QUEBEC REFERENDUM. (10/26)

BBC RADIO DRAMA WINNER KATY PARISI -- THE WINNER OF THE BBC'S ANNUAL RADIO DRAMA COMPETITION IS AMERICAN KATY PARISI, WHO WORKED AT THE VOA IN THE 1960S, BEFORE SHE WENT ON TO BECOME A FREELANCE WRITER OF EVERYTHING FROM HUMOR PIECES TO SHORT STORIES TO CORPORATE SPEECHES. MS PARISI TELLS CURRENT AFFAIRS' CAROLYN WEAVER REPORTS.HOW HER PLAY BEGAN DURING THE ICY WINTER OF 1993, WHEN SHE WAS SNOWBOUND AT HOME, WORKING ON A JIGSAW PUZZLE, WHILE LISTENING TO OPERA STARS FROM THE EARLY DAYS OF RECORDING. (10/26)

CONGRESSWOMAN SCHROEDER / PROFILE -- OF THE EIGHTEEN AMERICAN WOMEN RECENTLY INDUCTED INTO THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S HALL OF FAME, ONLY ONE IS IN POLITICS. SHE IS CONGRESSWOMAN PAT SCHROEDER, OF COLORADO, WHO IS SERVING HER 23RD YEAR IN THE US CONGRESS. CURRENT AFFAIRS' MARILYN SILVEY HAS A LOOK AT MS SCHROEDER'S LIFE AND CAREER. (10/26)

AIRPORTS / TRAVELER-FRIENDLY -- WAITING FOR HOURS AT AN AIRPORT USED TO BE A DREARY EXPERIENCE. CURRENT AFFAIRS' ZLATICA HOKE REPORTS NOW YOU CAN WORK OUT, PLAY GOLF AND EVEN HAVE YOUR TEETH CLEANED BEFORE YOU TAKE OFF. (10/26)

RUSSIA / NONCONFORMIST ART -- AN IMPORTANT COLLECTION OF ART BY A GENERATION OF ARTISTS WHO STRUGGLED AGAINST THE SOVIET SYSTEM WENT ON DISPLAY THIS WEEK IN THE NORTHEASTERN STATE OF NEW JERSEY. THE COLLECTION IS CONSIDERED THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE OUTSIDE RUSSIA. STAFFER MONA GHUNEIM IN NEW YORK HAS THE STORY. (10/26)

WHY LENDING TO POOR WOMEN IS GOOD BUSINESS -- AS MRS CLINTON PUT IT IN BEIJING, MICROCREDIT IS NOT A HANDOUT; IT'S A HELPING HAND. CURRENT AFFAIRS' JANE KUCZYNSKI REPORTS ON THE ADMINISTRATION'S COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS AND ON NEW GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES. (10/26)

KLINGHOFFER / TERRORISM -- TEN YEARS AFTER THEIR FATHER WAS MURDERED BY PALESTINIAN TERRORISTS DURING A HIJACKING OF THE ACHILLE LAURO CRUISE SHIP, THE DAUGHTERS OF LEON KLINGHOFFER CAME TO WASHINGTON TO REMIND AMERICANS ABOUT THE SCOURGE OF TERRORISM. STAFFER MICHELE KELEMEN REPORTS THE TWO WOMEN MET WITH CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS AND URGED THEM TO PASS PRESIDENT CLINTON'S SWEEPING ANTI-TERRORISM MEASURES. (10/25)

LABOR UNION ELECTION -- MEMBERS OF THE AFL/CIO, THE LARGE FEDERATION OF US LABOR UNIONS, SELECTED A NEW LEADER WEDNESDAY IN THE FIRST CONTESTED ELECTION IN THE UNION'S 40-YEAR HISTORY. CORRESPONDENT CHRIS SIMKINS REPORTS. (10/25)

INSIDE USA:

RADIATION EXPERIMENTS / TALK TO AMERICA -- AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF A HIGH LEVEL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, PRESIDENT CLINTON EARLIER THIS MONTH APOLOGIZED TO VICTIMS OF HUMAN RADIATION EXPERIMENTS CONDUCTED IN THE PAST. 'TALK TO AMERICA' IS JOINED BY TWO OF THE COMMITTEE'S REPRESENTATIVES. AFTER EXAMINING THE COMMITTEE'S REPORTS, DAN GUTTMAN AND DR MARY ANN STEVENSON, A RADIATION ONCOLOGIST, REVEAL TO OUR LISTENERS WHAT THEY CONCLUDED. (ENGLISH 10/26)

THE BROWN AMENDMENT / TWO VIEWS -- AFTER THE ADOPTION OF THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE SO CALLED 'BROWN AMENDMENT' ABOUT THE EXPANSION OF NATO, STAFFER TADEUSZ WALENDOWSKI INTERVIEWS A POLISH-AMERICAN JOURNALIST TADEUSZ KOPINSKI, AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE WASHINGTON CHAPTER OF THE POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS, KAZIMIERZ LENARD. (POLISH 10/25)

US / MEDICARE REFORM -- DR MAREK LESNIEWSKI-LAAS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL SECURITY EXPLAINS THE CURRENT STRUCTURE OF MEDICARE AND REASONS FOR THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THE EFFORTS TO BRING ITS COSTS UNDER CONTROL. (POLISH 10/25)

MEDICARE -- SLOWING THE GROWTH IN THE COSTS OF THE MEDICARE SYSTEM HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MAIN GOALS OF THE REPUBLICAN-DOMINATED CONGRESS. STAFFER CAMILLE GROSDIDIER HAS A SPECIAL REPORT ON THE MEDICARE DEBATE, WITH COMMENTS FROM PRESIDENT CLINTON, SENATOR LARRY CRAIG, AND PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, JONATHAN JAVITT. (FRENCH 10/26)

GIULIANI / ARAFAT -- DIFFERENT GROUPS IN NEW YORK CITY CRITICIZED MAYOR GIULIANI FOR HIS TREATMENT OF PALESTINIAN LEADER YASSER ARAFAT. CORRESPONDENT LUIS TAMAYO REPORTS FROM NEW YORK. (SPANISH 10/25)

UN / ANNIVERSARY -- THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SPECIAL SESSION TO COMMEMORATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONCLUDED WITH APPROVAL OF A DECLARATION BY WORLD LEADERS. CORRESPONDENT LUIS TAMAYO REPORTS FROM NEW YORK. (SPANISH 10/25)

FLORIDA / IMMIGRATION EXPENSES -- FLORIDA STATE REITERATED ITS REQUEST THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REIMBURSE IT $1,5 BILLIONS SPENT DUE TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. CORRESPONDENT JORGE WEHBY REPORTS FROM MIAMI. (SPANISH 10/25)

USAID / GLOBAL CONNECTION CONFERENCE -- STRINGER VAL SIBIRSKY REPORTS ON THE AID FOR RUSSIA, KAZAKHSTAN AND OTHER FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS DISCUSSED AT THE USAID GLOBAL CONNECTION CONFERENCE ON HUNGER, AGRICULTURE AND TRADE. (RUSSIAN 10/25)

TRUMAN / IRAN -- STRINGER SETAREH SIEG INTERVIEWS FORMER IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE US, ARDESHIR ZAHEDI, ABOUT HIS VISIT TO ATTEND A CONFERENCE AND DINNER IN HONOR OF HARRY S TRUMAN. MR ZAHEDI, WHO WAS THE FIRST IRANIAN EMPLOYEE OF THE POINT-FOUR ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN TEHRAN, TALKED ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMAN'S IRAN POLICY. (FARSI 10/26)

ROMANIAN STUDIES / GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY -- STAFFER DORIN D MOTZ REPORTS ON THE FORMAL OPENING OF THE ION RATIU CHAIR OF ROMANIAN STUDIES AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, AS PART OF THE EDMUND A WALSH SCHOOL OF FOREIGN SERVICE. MR RATIU WAS INTERVIEWED ABOUT HIS EXPECTATIONS. (ROMANIAN 10/25)

US / TURKEY / BUSINESS -- KAYA TUNCER, A LOS ANGELES BASED TURKISH-AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN, ALSO MANAGES THE IZMIR FREE TRADE ZONE IN TURKEY. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH STAFFER HALE EBIRI, M TUNCER DISCUSSED THE US-TURKISH BUSINESS CONFERENCE WHICH OPENED IN LOS ANGELES. HE SAYS A WIDE VARIETY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BUSINESSES ARE REPRESENTED IN THE CONFERENCE, FOCUSING ON BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN SOUTHEAST TURKEY, WHERE THE SOUTHEAST ANATOLIA PROJECT PROVIDES A FAVORABLE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT FOR COMPANIES WORKING IN AGRICULTURE, FOOD PROCESSING, POWER PRODUCTION, AND COMMUNICATIONS. (TURKISH 10/26)

TURKISH WOMEN IN THE ARTS -- PROFESSOR TURKAN SOZUDOGRU IS AN INSTRUCTOR OF CERAMICS AT TURKEY'S GAZI UNIVERSITY IN ANKARA. SAMPLES OF HER WORK ARE BEING DISPLAYED IN EXHIBITS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AS PART OF THE ANNUAL HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL WHICH FEATURES TURKEY. INTERVIEWED BY STAFFER HULYA POLAT, MS SOZUDOGRU DISCUSSES HER WORK, HER PREVIOUS PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL ART FESTIVALS, AND THE ROLE OF TURKISH WOMEN IN ARTS. (TURKISH 10/26)

PIANIST COMPOSER / STEVEN KOWALCZYK -- NATIVE WASHINGTONIAN STEVEN KOWALCZYK HAS ELEVEN SUPERB ORIGINAL PIANO COMPOSITIONS ON HIS ATLANTIC RECORDS DEBUT OFFERING. REPORTER RITA ROCHELLE INTERVIEWED HIM AND FEATURED THE MUSIC OF HIS NEWEST CD, 'MOODS AND GROOVES.' (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/24)

NIGERIAN GUITARIST / KING SUNNY ADE -- THE CHAIRMAN, SUNNY ADE, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD AS THE MASTER OF JUJU MUSIC, HAS RECORDED A NEW ALBUM FEATURING HIS EXCEPTIONAL LEAD VOCALS, GUITAR AND DIGITAL PERCUSSION. REPORTER RITA ROCHELLE INTERVIEWED HIM AND FEATURED THE MUSIC OF HIS CD, 'E DIDE.' (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/25)

QUINTET / STEPCHILD -- STEPCHILD, A GROUP OF FIVE FRESH NEW FACES, REFLECTS THEIR ROOTS WITH JAZZ, SOUL AND GOSPEL MUSIC. THEIR SOUND IS A REMARKABLE COMBINATION OF OLD-SCHOOL RHYTHM AND BLUES LAYERED WITH HIP-HOP AN A HEALTHY DOSE OF JAZZ FOR SEASONING. REPORTER RITA ROCHELLE INTERVIEWED THEM AND FEATURED THE MUSIC OF THEIR NEW CD, 'STEPCHILD.' (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/26)

HOCKEY LEGEND -- WAYNE GRETZKY, CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST PLAYERS IN THE HISTORY OF ICE HOCKEY, IS INTERVIEWED BY STAFFER WALDEMAR CHLEBOWSKI. GRETZKY SPOKE ABOUT HIS FAMILY ROOTS IN BELARUS NEAR THE POLISH BORDER. (POLISH 10/25)

INSIDE AFRICA:

AFRICA / UN CONFERENCE -- FROM NEW YORK, UN RADIO'S ADAMOU MOKHTAR GUEYE REPORTS THE FINAL DECLARATION OF THE SPECIAL UN COMMEMORATIVE SESSION AND PROVIDED EXCERPTS OF SPEECHES FROM AFRICAN LEADERS. (FRENCH 10/25)

NIGER / NEW PEACE FORMULA -- PRESIDENT MAHAMANE OUSMANE OF NIGER, IN NEW YORK TO ATTEND THE UN'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, SAYS HE HAS A NEW FORMULA, TITLED FACTEUR REPUBLIQUE, TO BRING TOGETHER WARRING PARTIES IN POLITICS AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS FOR COLLECTIVE DIALOGUE. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH STAFFER AHMED YERIMA, THE PRESIDENT SAID NIGER MUST EMBRACE THE NEW FORMULA, NOT ONLY FOR THE SAKE OF THE COUNTRY'S STABILITY, BUT ALSO TO ENJOY THE SUPPORT OF INTERNATIONAL BODIES SUCH AS THE IMF AND WORLD BANK. (HAUSA 10/26)

ZAIRE / REFUGEES -- IN A STUNNING REVERSAL, ZAIREAN PRESIDENT MOBUTU SESE SEKO SAYS HE DOES NOT SUPPORT A FORCED REPATRIATION OF THOUSANDS OF RWANDAN REFUGEES FROM CAMPS IN ZAIRE. REPORTER CATHERINE MADDUX CONTACTED CHRIS BOWERS OF THE UN REFUGEE AGENCY, UNHCR, TO SEE WHAT IMPACT THE STATEMENT IS HAVING ON ITS REPATRIATION PROGRAM. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/25)

RWANDA / GENOCIDE -- STARTING NOVEMBER FIRST, THE GOVERNMENT OF RWANDA WILL HOST A 5-DAY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GENOCIDE AND JUSTICE. REPORTER JOE DECAPUA SPOKE TO RWANDAN MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION, CHARLES MURIGANDE, ABOUT THE CONFERENCE. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/26)

GABON / POLITICS -- A DELEGATION OF GABONESE GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION OFFICIALS VISITING WASHINGTON, DISCUSSED THE PROCESS OF DEMOCRATIZATION IN THAT COUNTRY; GABON WILL HOLD LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. STRINGER MAIMOUNA MILLS SPOKE WITH OPPOSITION PARTY MINISTER JOACHIM BOUSSAMBA MAPAGA, JEAN CLAUDE MBA OBAME, ADVISOR TO THE INTERIOR MINISTER AND SEBASTIEN MAMBOUNDOU MOUYAMA, MINISTER OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND NATIONAL SOLIDARITY. (FRENCH 10/25)

IVORY COAST / POLITICS -- STRINGER MOHAMED ELBOU REPORTS ON THE CHALLENGES FACING IVORY COAST PRESIDENT HENRI KONAN BEDIE IN HIS NEW TERM. BEDIE WON A LANDSLIDE VICTORY IN THE PAST WEEKEND'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS DESPITE AN ELECTION BOYCOTT BY THE OPPOSITION. (FRENCH 10/25)

NIGERIA / CRIME -- NIGERIAN AUTHORITIES SAY THEY HAVE ARRESTED SEVEN SUSPECTS IN THE KILLING OF POLITICIAN ARTHURY RAWANY. REPORTER CHINEDU OFFOR REPORTS FROM LAGOS. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/25)

NIGERIA / EMIRATE CRISIS -- THE TRADITIONAL COUNCIL OF CHIEFS OF ZARIA EMIRATE IN NIGERIA'S KADUNA STATE IS UP IN ARMS OVER THE CREATION OF A PERCEIVED RIVAL TRADITIONAL CHIEFTAINCY BY THE STATE GOVERNMENT IN ZANGON KATAF, A CHRISTIAN ENCLAVE. HAUSA STRINGER SANI ABDULLAHI REPORTS. (HAUSA 10/26)

NIGER / STRIKES -- THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES WENT ON STRIKE IN NIGER OVER PAY ISSUES. STRINGER MAIMOUNA MILLS SPOKE WITH SOULEYMANE ISSA MAIGA, EDITOR IN CHIEF OF RADIO ANFANI IN NIAMEY ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF THE STRIKE. (FRENCH 10/25)

ANGOLA / PEACE -- STRINGER IDRISSA FALL ASKED UN SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO ANGOLA ALIOUNE BLONDIN BEYE TO EVALUATE THE STATE OF PEACE IN ANGOLA ONE YEAR AFTER THE NOVEMBER 1994 SIGNING OF A PEACE ACCORD BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND UNITA REBELS. (FRENCH 10/25)

UGANDA / OPPOSITION -- UGANDA'S OPPOSITION PARTIES ARE ASKING THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO CHANGE THE NEW CONSTITUTION. REPORTER RICHARD KOTEY SPOKE WITH THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE OPPOSITION UGANDA PEOPLES CONGRESS, BOB KITARIKO, FROM KAMPALA. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/26)

SOUTH AFRICA / ELECTIONS -- ON NOVEMBER 1, SOUTH AFRICA WILL HOLD ITS FIRST MULTI-RACIAL LOCAL ELECTIONS. REPORTER DEBORAH BLOCK INTERVIEWS MONDLI MAKHANYA, WHO IS REPORTING ON THE VOTE FOR THE STAR NEWSPAPER IN JOHANNESBURG. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/26)

ZANZIBAR / ELECTIONS -- ZANZIBAR'S OPPOSITION CIVIC UNITED FRONT CLAIMED VICTORY IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. REPORTER SHAKA SSALI SPOKE WITH THE FRONT'S PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, SEIF SHARIFF HAMAD, FROM ZANZIBAR. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/25)

AFRICA / AIDS -- DOCTORS SAY EXPENSIVE HIGH-TECH MEDICINES FOR FIGHTING AIDS MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE DEVELOPING WORLD. REPORTER WILLIAM EAGLE SPOKE WITH DR PATRICK DIXON OF THE LONDON-BASED INTERNATIONAL CHARITY, AIDS CARE EDUCATION AND TRAINING. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/25)

AFRICA / SOLAR ENERGY -- SOLAR ENERGY IS A TECHNOLOGY OF USING THE SUN TO CREATE ELECTRICITY. REPORTER RODRICK MURRAY ASKS JAMAL GORE, OF RENEWAL ENERGY FOR AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT, WHERE IN AFRICA SOLAR POWER WILL HELP THE MOST. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/25)

ERITREA / MASSAWA PORT -- STAFFER NEGUSSIE MENGESHA, ON A VISIT TO THE ERITREAN PORT CITY OF MASSAWA SPOKE WITH THE CAPTAIN OF THE US BATTLESHIP STARK FFG 31, DURING A BRIEF PORT CALL AT MASSAWA HARBOR. THE SHIP, A PART OF THE US MIDDLE EAST FLEET IS ENDING ITS TOUR OF DUTY IN THE AREA AND IS HEADING BACK HOME TO FLORIDA. NEGUSSIE ALSO REPORTS ON THE REBUILDING EFFORT OF MASSAWA WHICH WAS COMPLETELY DEVASTATED BY 30 YEARS OF WAR. (AMHARIC 10/26)

GHANA / BOXING -- GHANA'S ALFRED COBRA KOTEY HAS LOST HIS WBO BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE TO PUERTO RICO'S DANIEL JIMENEZ. REPORTER BARRY MAUGHAN TALKED TO KOTEY AND HIS MANAGER YOOFI BOHAM ABOUT THE FIGHT AND KOTEY'S PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/25)

INSIDE MIDEAST:

AFGHAN / FIGHTING -- THE TALEBAN LAUNCHED ANOTHER TWO-PRONGED ATTACK ON KABUL FROM SOUTHWEST AND SOUTHEASTERN DIRECTION WEDNESDAY NIGHT. TALEBAN SOURCES SAY FIGHTING CONTINUED IN BAND-E-GHAZI, SANGE NAWESHA AND AREAS TO THE WEST BETWEEN PAGHMAN AND ARGHANDE. PASHTO STRINGER EKRAM SHINWARAI REPORTS THAT THE TALEBAN HAVE ALSO CLAIMED TO HAVE BOMBED THE GOVERNMENT FACILITIES IN QARGHA AND PAGHMAN. (PASHTO, DARI 10/26)

AFGHAN / UN -- SADEQ ABU NAFISA, POLITICAL ADVISOR TO THE UN ENVOY IN AFGHANISTAN SAYS THE UN PEACE MISSION IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON TWO ISSUES, CEASE-FIRE AND THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF POWER TO A REASONABLE MECHANISM. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH STAFFER SPOZHMAI MAIWANDI, ABU NAFISA SAID THE AFGHAN PROBLEM HAS MANY INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DYNAMICS, BUT LATELY THERE HAS BEEN SOME PROMISING INDICATIONS THAT WE MIGHT REACH A PEACEFUL SOLUTION. (PASHTO, DARI 10/26)

AFGHAN / CULTURE -- THE PASHTO ACADEMY IN PESHAWAR IS LAUNCHING AN ALL OUT DRIVE TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE ALL ASPECTS OF PASHTOON CULTURE IN PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN. THE NEWLY APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF THE ACADEMY, RAJ WALI SHAH KHATTAK HAS MADE PLANS TO SEND OUT TEAMS TO ALL PARTS OF PASHTOON HABITAT FOR FIELD RESEARCH IN LANGUAGE, DIALECTS, ETHNOGRAPHY ETC. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH STAFFER SADUDDIN SHPOON, KHATTAK SAID THAT WITH THE DEMISE OF PASHTO RESEARCH CENTERS IN AFGHANISTAN, THE PESHAWAR ACADEMY IS THE ONLY COMPREHENSIVE CENTER FOR PASHTO STUDIES. (PASHTO 10/23)

IRAN / NEWSPAPER -- STAFFER HOSSEIN N KANGARLOO INTERVIEWS PARIS-BASED JOURNALIST SAFA HAERI, ABOUT THE REPORTED CLOSING OF A NEWSPAPER IN EASTERN IRAN ON CHARGES THAT IT DEFAMED THE LEADING ISLAMIC CLERIC IN TOWN. (FARSI 10/25)

INSIDE CENTRAL ASIA:

CENTRAL ASIA / US RESEARCH CENTER -- STAFFER ABDUL W HADI INTERVIEWS DR QADIR AMIRYAR, CO-FOUNDER OF THE CENTER FOR ASIA RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY. THE CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED AFTER THE FALL OF SOVIET UNION TO ASSIST THE NEWLY INDEPENDENT STATES IN BUILDING DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS. PROFESSOR ABDUL W HADI RECENTLY VISITED CENTRAL ASIA, INCLUDING TAJIKISTAN, UZBEKISTAN, AND KAZAKHSTAN. HE SAID THE CENTER'S PRIORITIES ARE HELPING THE CENTRAL ASIAN STATES IN DRAFTING NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONS, CIVIL, CRIMINAL AND OTHER LAWS WHICH THESE STATES URGENTLY NEED ON THEIR DIFFICULT PATH TO DEMOCRACY. (DARI 10/26)

INSIDE SOUTH ASIA:

INDIA AT UN -- ADDRESSING THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER P V NARSIMHA RAO, RECOUNTED THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE UN, AND APPEALED FOR THE ELIMINATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS WITHIN A STIPULATED TIME FRAME. HE ALSO URGED AN END TO STATE SPONSORED TERRORISM IN THE WORLD. STRINGER REPORT. (HINDI 10/25)

TIBETAN PROTEST / UN -- ABOUT 200 TIBETAN ACTIVISTS, INCLUDING SIX ON HUNGER STRIKE, ARE DEMONSTRATING AT THE UN IN NEW YORK THEIR DEMANDS TO FREE THEIR HOMELAND FROM CHINESE OCCUPATION AND GRANTING DALAI LAMA THE STATUS OF AN OBSERVER IN THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY. THEY HAVE HANDED A PETITION TO THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL. STRINGER REPORT. (HINDI 10/25)

INDIA / PAKISTAN / ARMS REACT -- THE INDIAN MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PM OFFICE, BHUVNESH CHATURVEDI REACTED SHARPLY TO THE DECISION OF THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE OF THE US SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO APPROVE A MULTI MILLION DOLLAR SALE OF ADVANCED WEAPONS TO PAKISTAN. STAFFER BHAGWAN PRAKASH INTERVIEWS MR CHATURVEDI. (HINDI 10/25)

BANGLA PRIME MINISTER / UN -- BANGLADESH PRIME MINISTER KHALEDA ZIA TOLD THE UN 50TH ANNIVERSARY SESSION THAT DUE TO INDIA'S FARAKKA BARRAGE ON THE GANGES RIVER, NORTHERN BANGLADESH IS TURNING INTO DESERT AND IT HAS BECOME A LIFE AND DEATH QUESTION FOR THE PEOPLE OF BANGLADESH. THE PRIME MINISTER SUPPORTED UN PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS AND PLEDGED TO SEND BANGLADESHI TROOPS WHENEVER CALLED. STAFFER IQBAL BAHAR CHOUDHURY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK. (BANGLA 10/23)

UN / 50TH ANNIVERSARY -- STAFFER IQBAL BAHAR CHOUDHURY REPORTED FROM UN HEADQUARTERS IN NEW YORK ON THE FESTIVE ATMOSPHERE AROUND THE UN, SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SESSION, DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST THE WORLD LEADERS, AND MEETINGS OF THE SOUTH ASIAN LEADERS WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES IN NEW YORK. (BANGLA 10/24)

INDIAN PM / UN SPECIAL SESSION -- INDIAN PRIME MINISTER PV NARASIMHA RAO IN HIS ADDRESS TO THE UN 50TH ANNIVERSARY SESSION SAID THAT A PRAGMATIC ROLE OF THE UN IS ESSENTIAL IN THE PRESENT WORLD OF ANIMOSITY. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE SECURITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE NATIONS OF THE DEVELOPING WORLD WITH LARGE POPULATIONS. STAFFER RAMEN PAINE REPORTS. (BANGLA 10/25)

KHALEDA ZIA MEETS ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC -- BOSNIA'S PRESIDENT ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC MET WITH BANGLADESH PRIME MINISTER KHALEDA ZIA IN NEW YORK AND THANKED HER FOR THE SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY FROM THE ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC CONFERENCE OF WHICH BANGLADESH IS A LEADING MEMBER. THE BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ALSO EXPRESSED HIS NATION'S THANKS TO BANGLADESH FOR SENDING TROOPS FOR PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN BOSNIA. STAFFER IQBAL BAHAR CHOUDHURY REPORTS. (BANGLA 10/25)

INDIAN LEADER SINGH / NY COMMUNITY -- INDIA'S FORMER PRIME MINISTER V P SINGH IN A NEW YORK MEETING OF THE FEDERATION OF THE INDIAN ASSOCIATIONS OF MUSLIMS IN AMERICA URGED THE COMMUNITY TO WORK FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THEIR FELLOW COUNTRYMEN. HE SAID THAT INDIA CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT UNITY AND HARMONY OF ITS RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES. STRINGER ZAKIA KHAN REPORTS FROM NEW YORK. (BANGLA 10/24)

WATER PROBLEMS IN SOUTH ASIA / VOA SEMINAR -- VOA'S NORTH AFRICA, NEAR EAST AND SOUTH ASIA DIVISION HELD A SEMINAR ON SOUTH ASIA'S MOST IMPORTANT CURRENT ISSUE, WATER SHARING. THREE EXPERTS FROM BANGLADESH, INDIA AND PAKISTAN, ECONOMIST PROFESSOR NURUL ISLAM, ECONOMIC & POLITICAL GEOGRAPHER DR ARUN ELHANCE, AND FORMER WORLD BANK DIRECTOR SYED S KIRMANI PARTICIPATED AS GUEST SPEAKERS AND SAID THAT THE WATER SHARING PROBLEMS IN SOUTH ASIA, ESPECIALLY BETWEEN INDIA AND BANGLADESH, CAN BE SOLVED ONLY BY MUTUAL COOPERATION. STAFFER ZIAUR RAHMAN HAS A SPECIAL REPORT. (BANGLA 10/25)

SOLAR ECLIPSE IN BANGLADESH -- A RARE SOLAR ECLIPSE VISIBLE IN BANGLADESH DREW EXCITEMENT FROM MILLIONS OF PEOPLE GATHERED COUNTRYWIDE TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THE MOON'S PASSAGE ACROSS THE SUN. STRINGER MATIUR RAHMAN CHOUDHURY REPORTS ON THIS UNUSUAL EVENT. (BANGLA 10/24)

INDIAN FEMINIST -- STAFFER SUMAN GUPTA INTERVIEWS NEELAM CHATURVEDI, AN ACTIVIST OF THE INDIAN FEMINIST MOVEMENT ORGANIZATION SAKHI. THEY TALK ABOUT GAINS MADE BY THE FEMINIST MOVEMENT IN INDIA. (HINDI 10/24)

INSIDE EAST ASIA:

CHINA / FRANCE / TAIWAN / ARMS SALE -- CHINA EXPRESSED DEEP CONCERN AT REPORTS THAT FRANCE JUST SIGNED A MAJOR ARMS DEAL WITH TAIWAN AND WARNED THAT IT COULD AFFECT TIES BETWEEN BEIJING AND PARIS. HOWEVER,WU BAOZHANG, CHIEF OF CHINA BRANCH FOR RADIO FRANCE, TOLD STAFFER CHIEN WEI THAT FRANCE DID NOT CONFIRM THE DEAL, AND THE FRENCH PRESS HAS GENERALLY DISREGARDED THE REPORTS. WU ALSO POINTED OUT THAT BEIJING JUST SIGNED A NUCLEAR DEAL WITH PARIS, WHICH HE SAYS IS ANOTHER SIGN THAT NO NEW DEAL HAS BEEN STUCK BETWEEN PARIS AND TAIPEI. (MANDARIN 10/26)

CHINA / WORLD BANK / XINJIANG PROJECT -- IN RESPONSE TO CHARGES BY HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST HARRY WU THAT A WORLD BANK PROJECT IN XINJIANG PROVINCE USES FORCED LABOR AND BENEFITS THE CHINESE ARMY, BANK SPOKESMAN GRAHAM BARRETT SAID NO EVIDENCE HAS BEEN FOUND YET AFTER TWO DAYS OF INITIAL INVESTIGATION. BARRETT SAID THAT IF EVIDENCE IS FOUND WHICH PROVES THE CHARGES ACCURATE, THE BANK WILL TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS, WHICH MAY ENTAIL RECALL OF THE PROJECT LOAN. HE SAID CHINA IS TAKING THE ASSERTIONS SERIOUSLY, ADDING THAT THE BANK WILL SEND REPRESENTATIVES TO XINJIANG TO CONDUCT INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS IF NECESSARY. STAFFER JIANG TIAN INTERVIEWS WORLD BANK SPOKESMAN GRAHAM BARRET. (MANDARIN 10/26)

NEW YORK / HARRY WU / AFL-CIO -- HUMAN RIGHT ACTIVIST HARRY WU CRITICIZED SOME AMERICAN BUSINESSES IN CHINA FOR WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS A COMMON PRACTICE OF MAKING MONEY WHILE NEGLECTING AMERICAN IDEALISM ON HUMAN RIGHTS. THE CHINESE AMERICAN SPOKE AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF AFL-CIO IN NEW YORK. HE ALSO EXPRESSED GRATITUDE TO UNION MEMBERS FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN GETTING HIS RELEASE FROM CHINESE PRISON THIS AUGUST. STAFFER LUO LAN COVERS FROM NEW YORK. (MANDARIN 10/26)

US / FOLLOW-UP TO WOMEN'S CONFERENCE -- HILLARY CLINTON ANNOUNCED ON OCT 25 THAT THE US GOVERNMENT HAS ESTABLISHED AN INTERAGENCY WOMEN'S COUNCIL TO COORDINATE THE GOVERNMENT'S ACTIVITIES IN IMPLEMENTING THE COMMITMENTS THE US DELEGATION MADE AT THE WORLD WOMEN'S CONFERENCE IN BEIJING. THE COUNCIL WILL BE HEADED BY SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DONNA SHALALA. STAFFER RUOSI WU INTERVIEWS LILY LEE CHEN, ADVISOR TO THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED INTERAGENCY WOMEN'S COUNCIL. (MANDARIN 10/26)

CHINA / JIANG'S INTERVIEW -- BEFORE ARRIVING IN THE US, JIANG ZEMIN MET WITH US REPORTERS. XINHUA NEWS AGENCY'S OFFICIAL VERSION OF HIS TALK DIFFERS IN KEY PLACES FROM US MEDIA REPORTS. ACCORDING TO US NEWS & WORLD REPORT'S TRANSCRIPT, HE SAID, "I THINK THAT DENG XIAOPING IS ALL THE GREATER FOR HAVING CREATED THE NECESSARY CONDITIONS IN HIS LIFE TIME FOR US LATE-COMERS TO DO OUR JOB. HE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO ENJOY A HAPPY LIFE." IT IS WIDELY BELIEVED THAT BY THESE WORDS JIANG WAS DECLARING THAT HE IS NOW IN CHARGE; THE STATEMENT IS MISSING IN THE XINHUA VERSION. STAFFER QI FENG INTERVIEWS DR. JUNE TEUFEL DREYER, DEPARTMENT OF POLITICS EAST ASIAN PROGRAMS, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, AND BRETT LIPPENCOTT, POLICY ANALYST, HERITAGE FOUNDATION, WHO COMMENT ON JIANG'S REMARKS AND THE OMISSION. (MANDARIN 10/26)

TAIWAN LIBERATION DAY -- 50 YEARS AGO, TAIWAN WAS LIBERATED FROM JAPANESE OCCUPATION AND RETURNED TO CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY. OCTOBER 25TH IS TAIWAN LIBERATION DAY, BUT THIS YEAR THE PRO-INDEPENDENCE DPP SAYS TAIWAN SHOULD FORSAKE THE CONCEPT OF LIBERATION FROM JAPAN BECAUSE SUCH A CONCEPT IMPLIES THAT TAIWAN IS PART OF CHINA. IN A SPEECH AT A MEETING HOSTED BY THE DPP, PRESIDENT LEE TENGHUI SAID ALTHOUGH PEOPLE CAME FROM CHINA TO TAIWAN AT DIFFERENT TIMES, THEY ARE ALL TAIWAN PEOPLE NOW, AND SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE TAIWAN MORE PROSPEROUS IN THE NEXT 50 YEARS. STRINGER FANG DAOZHUANG REPORTS. (MANDARIN 10/26)

HONG KONG / REACTION TO CLINTON-JIANG MEETING -- STAFFER CHOU YOUKANG IN HONG KONG INTERVIEWS COMMENTATORS ON THE CLINTON-JIANG TALKS. HONG KONG COMMENTATOR LIU RUISHAO SAID THAT THE MEETING ITSELF IS A GOOD SIGN BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT BILATERAL RELATIONS ARE IMPROVING AND ARE BENEFICIAL TO BOTH SIDES. HONG KONG NEWSPAPERS POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH THE TAIWAN ISSUE WAS NOT RESOLVED, THE MEETING SIGNALED A CHANGE IN US POLICY, I.E., THE US WILL LEAVE THE PROBLEM TO TAIWAN AND CHINA TO RESOLVE. (MANDARIN 10/26)

THAI PRIME MINISTER / NYC -- THE PRIME MINISTER BANHARN TOLD STAFFER CHAMROEN TANSOMBOON THAT HE HAD A FEW MINUTES CHAT WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON AT A DINNER PARTY ON SUNDAY EVENING. THE THAI LEADER SUGGESTED TO PRESIDENT CLINTON THAT THAILAND AND THE US SHOULD TALK ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF DOUBLE TAXATIONS SOON. THE PRIME MINISTER SAID THAT THIS IS A SORE SPOT WITH THAI AND AMERICAN BUSINESSMEN WHO ARE DOING BUSINESS IN BOTH COUNTRIES. (THAI 10/23)

THAILAND / UN -- THE THAI FOREIGN MINISTER TALKED TO STAFFER CHAMROEN TANSOMBOON ON BENEFITS THAT THAILAND HAS RECEIVED FROM ITS MEMBERSHIP IN THE UN FOR THE PAST 49 YEARS AND WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE FUTURE. (THAI 10/25)

DEPUTY THAI PRIME MINISTER / WASHINGTON -- DEPUTY THAI PM DR AMNUAY WEERAWAN TALKED TO HIGH OFFICIALS AT THE USTR AND COMMERCE DEPARTMENT, AND HAD A HALF HOUR SESSION WITH VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, THAI SERVICE EDITOR JESDA SIVALI REPORTED. THE DEPUTY PM TOLD JESDA THAT ONE OF THE IMPORTANT TOPICS HE DISCUSSED WITH VP GORE WAS THE APEC SUMMIT IN OSAKA AND THE INCLUSION OF OPENING MARKETS FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS ON THE AGENDA. DR AMNUAY WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE MORE AMERICAN INVESTMENT IN THAI ENVIRONMENT AND TECHNOLOGY-RELATED INDUSTRIES, WHILE GORE URGED THAILAND TO JOIN THE CORAL REEF CONSERVATION GROUP. (THAI 10/23)

THAILAND / US BUSINESS COUNCIL -- THE TRADE PROMOTION ORGANIZATION HELD ITS FIRST-EVER JOINT MEETING WITH ITS COUNTERPART, THE US-THAILAND BUSINESS COUNCIL IN NYC. DR SARASIN VEERAPOL, DEPUTY UNDERSECRETARY OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, EXPLAINED TO STAFFER CHAMROEN TANSOMBOON WHY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE US AND THAILAND ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF DOUBLE TAXATION IN ORDER TO PROMOTE TRADE AND INVESTMENT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. (THAI 10/25)

NORTH KOREAN DEFECTOR -- SOUTH KOREAN AUTHORITIES ANNOUNCED THURSDAY THAT ANOTHER NORTH KOREAN MILITARY OFFICER HAS DEFECTED TO THE SOUTH. THE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY SAID THE MAN, O YOUNG-NAM, CLAIMED TO BE RELATED TO NORTH KOREA'S LATE DEFENSE MINISTER O JIN-U. SOUTH KOREAN PRESS QUOTED GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AS SAYING THAT 32-YEAR-OLD O IS A FORMER CAPTAIN IN THE NORTH KOREAN ARMY WHO WAS DISPATCHED TO CHINA TO EARN FOREIGN CURRENCY. YONG KYUN LIM REPORTS FROM SEOUL. (KOREAN 10/26)

US / CHINA SUMMIT REACT -- KRZYSZTOF DAREWICZ, BEIJING CORRESPONDENT OF THE POLISH DAILY "RZECZPOSPOLITA" TALKS WITH STAFFER MAREK KRZYZANSKI ABOUT THE CHINESE PERSPECTIVE ON THE AMERICAN-CHINESE SUMMIT. (POLISH 10/25)

HONG KONG / DIVORCE -- SINCE THE LATE SEVENTIES, MORE AND MORE HONG KONG BUSINESSMEN VISIT CHINA AND OFTEN WORK THERE FOR EXTENDED PERIODS. A RECENT SURVEY SHOWS THAT SOME HONG KONG BUSINESSMEN HAVE EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIRS WITH MAINLAND WOMEN AND SOME OF THEM SET UP A SECOND FAMILY THERE. ABOUT 43% OF THE DIVORCE CASES IN HONG KONG RESULT FROM MEN ESTABLISHING A SECOND FAMILY IN THE MAINLAND. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE DIVORCE RATE WILL CLIMB AS 1997 APPROACHES. STAFFER HE PING INTERVIEWS PROFESSOR KATHRINE YUNG, HONG KONG UNIVERSITY, AND PAULINA KUOK, HONG KONG CARITAS CENTER. (MANDARIN 10/26)

HONG KONG / SMOKING -- A RECENT SURVEY IN HONG KONG SHOWS MORE YOUNG PEOPLE AND WOMEN ARE SMOKING THAN EVER BEFORE, ALTHOUGH THE OVERALL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE SMOKING HAS DECLINED SOMEWHAT. TWENTY PERCENT OF HOSPITAL PATIENTS ARE AFFECTED BY SMOKING-CAUSED DISEASES. HOSPITAL CARE FOR THESE PATIENTS AND THE LOSS OF PRODUCTIVITY COSTS HONG KONG SOME 4 BILLIONS DOLLARS PER YEAR. STAFFERS SHEILA TANG AND LAWRENCE NG INTERVIEW OUYANG ENG LAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HONG KONG ANTI-SMOKING AND HEALTH COMMITTEE. (CANTONESE 10/26)

INSIDE EUROPE:

STATE DEPARTMENT / BOSNIA / HUMAN RIGHTS -- THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC HAS PROMISED ACCESS TO AREAS OF BOSNIA WHERE BOSNIAN SERBS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE COMMITTED MASS MURDERS AND OTHER CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN NICHOLAS BURNS SAID THE LOCATIONS TO BE ASSESSED ARE AREAS AROUND SREBRENICA, SANSKI MOST, AND BANJA LUKA. THE US AGAIN WARNED CROATIA NOT TO USE MILITARY MEANS IN ORDER TO RE-INTEGRATE EASTERN SLAVONIA. STAFFER IVANA KUHAR REPORTS. (CROATIAN 10/25)

SHATTUCK / HUMAN RIGHTS / BOSNIA -- US ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS JOHN SHATTUCK HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE IN ZAGREB UPON HIS ARRIVAL FROM YUGOSLAVIA. STRINGER LINDA MILISA QUOTES MR SHATTUCK AS SAYING THAT THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE OPENED A NEW PRISON CAMP FOR MUSLIMS IN NORTHERN BOSNIA. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE VISITED SERBIAN REFUGEES FROM CROATIA AND THAT THEY HANDED HIM A LIST WITH OVER 1000 NAMES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO RETURN TO CROATIA. (CROATIAN 10/25)

BOSNIA / REFUGEES -- THE LATEST WAVE OF SERBIAN ETHNIC CLEANSING BROUGHT HUNDREDS OF CROAT AND MUSLIM REFUGEES TO SANSKI MOST, A TOWN UNDER BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT CONTROL. STRINGER LINDA MILISA QUOTES NEWLY EXPELLED REFUGEES AS SAYING THAT THE TERRORIZING OF THE NON-SERBIAN POPULATION IN NORTHWESTERN BOSNIA STARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER CROATIA RETOOK THE KRAJINA REGION. (CROATIAN 10/25)

BOSNIA / REFUGEES REPATRIATION -- UNITED NATIONS SOURCES SAY THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT HAS STARTED TO REPATRIATE MUSLIM REFUGEES TO THE NEWLY RETAKEN AREAS OF KLJUC, JAJCE, AND SANSKI MOST. STRINGER VLADIMIR BILIC REPORTS THAT EXCEPT FOR SMALL INCIDENTS, THE BOSNIAN CEASE-FIRE IS HOLDING. (CROATIAN 10/25)

UN / BOSNIA -- UNPROFOR REPRESENTATIVES IN SARAJEVO EXPRESSED CONCERN BECAUSE OF THREATS TO BRITISH PEACEKEEPERS BY ELEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BOSNIAN MUSLIM-LED ARMY. THE BOSNIAN AND SERBIAN MEDIA REPORT THAT THE CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT IS BEING UPHELD BY ALL SIDES. STRINGER BORO KONTIC REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO. (SERBIAN 10/25)

CROATIA / EASTERN SLAVONIA -- CROATIAN AND SERB NEGOTIATORS FROM EASTERN SLAVONIA ENDED THEIR TALKS IN ERDUT ON THE FUTURE STATUS OF THE DISPUTED AREA. INTERNATIONAL MEDIATORS SAID THAT THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE AGREEMENT ON EASTERN SLAVONIA COULD BE ADOPTED AT THE NEXT MEETING TO BE HELD IN OSIJEK. STRINGER STEVICA SUSA REPORTS FROM ZAGREB. (SERBIAN 10/25)

MONTENEGRO / PREVLAKA -- THE PREDICTION BY CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER M. GRANIC THAT THE PREVLAKA PENINSULA WILL BE INTEGRATED WITH CROATIA BY CHRISTMAS DREW STRONG PUBLIC REACTION IN MONTENEGRO. SOME OPPOSITION PARTIES WANT THE YUGOSLAV DELEGATION TO THE PEACE TALKS IN DAYTON, OHIO DEMAND THAT PREVLAKA BE GIVEN TO BOSNIAN SERBS IN EXCHANGE FOR TERRITORY SURROUNDING DUBROVNIK. STRINGER BOSKO DJUKIC REPORTS FROM PODGORICA. (SERBIAN 10/25)

US NGO / PRE-ELECTIONS ENVIRONMENT IN CROATIA -- THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS IN WASHINGTON DC, HAS SENT A FIVE MEMBER ASSESSMENT TEAM TO CROATIA. THEY VISITED FOUR CITIES AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE STILL SEVERAL UNRESOLVED ISSUES AHEAD OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN CROATIA. THEY CITE ACCESS TO THE CROATIAN MEDIA, NUMBER OF THE SERBIAN REPRESENTATIVES, AND HASTE IN CHANGING THE ELECTION LAW. STAFFER MIRJANA DEDAIC SPOKE WITH THE LEADER OF THE MISSION, NED MCMAHON. (CROATIAN 10/25)

TURKEY / KURDS / COURTS -- TURKEY'S COURT OF APPEALS HANDED DOWN ITS DECISION ON THE EIGHT FORMER PARLIAMENTARIANS WITH KURDISH ORIGIN. THE COURT UPHOLDS THE JAIL SENTENCES GIVEN BY THE STATE SECURITY COURT TO FOUR INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR ALLEGED SUPPORT OF THE SEPARATIST PKK (KURDISH WORKERS' PARTY). THE APPEALS COURT ORDERED THE RELEASE OF TWO IMPRISONED PARLIAMENTARIANS. THE DECISION LEAVES FOUR MEMBERS, INCLUDING A WOMAN, IN JAIL. TWO OF THE EIGHT PARLIAMENTARIANS HAD ALREADY COMPLETED THEIR SENTENCES EARLIER. STRINGER ZEYNEP TINAZ REPORTS ON THE APPEALS COURT DECISION AND THE DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL REACTIONS TO IT. (TURKISH 10/26)

VACLAV HAVEL / UN / INTERVIEW -- STAFFER JARMILA CECH INTERVIEWS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC, VACLAV HAVEL, WHO ATTENDED THE UN 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS IN NEW YORK. THE CZECH PRESIDENT TALKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTS INTO CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE. (CZECH 10/26)

LITHUANIAN PRESIDENT BRAZAUSKAS / UN -- STAFFER LINAS RIMKUS INTERVIEWED LITHUANIAN PRESIDENT ALGIRDAS BRAZAUSKAS. HE URGED THE GREAT POWERS TO REACH AN AGREEMENT ON NATO EXPANSION, AND DEPLORED THAT NATO EXPANSION WAS VIRTUALLY NOT MENTIONED BY PRESIDENT CLINTON AND RUSSIAN PRESIDENT YELTSIN AFTER THEIR MEETING. THE LITHUANIAN PRESIDENT SAID NATO PLANS TO INCLUDE EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ONE OF THE GREAT QUESTIONS FACING EUROPE AND THE WORLD. NEWS STORIES BASED ON THE VOA INTERVIEW WERE CARRIED BY LITHANIAN STATE RADIO AND THE ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS AGENCY IN LITHUANIA, BALTIC NEWS SERVICE. (LITHUANIAN 10/25)

LITHUANIAN PARLIAMENT / SOVIET DESERTERS -- THE LITHUANIAN PARLIAMENT IS DEBATING THE STATUS OF TWO FORMER SOVIET ARMY SOLDIERS, WHO AT THE URGING OF LITHUANIAN LEADERS, IN 1990 DESERTED FROM THEIR UNITS, WERE CAUGHT AND CONVICTED AND THEN TRANSFERRED TO LITHUANIA TO FINISH THEIR SENTENCES. ALTHOUGH RELEASED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE CONVICTIONS ARE STILL ON THEIR RECORDS. STRINGER RITA MILIUTE REPORTS. (LITHUANIAN 10/25)

POLISH PM / UN -- POLAND'S PRIME MINISTER OLEKSY HELD A NEWS CONFERENCE AFTER HIS RETURN FROM THE UN. MR OLEKSY INDICATED THAT HIS AMERICAN INTERLOCUTOR EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PRESIDENTIAL VICTORY OF FORMER COMMUNIST, MR KWASNIEWSKI. CORRESPONDENT WOJCIECH MINICZ REPORTS FROM WARSAW. (POLISH 10/25)

INSIDE EURASIA:

PRESIDENT KUCHMA / BRAZIL -- PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE LEONID KUCHMA ARRIVED IN BRASILIA WITH THE FIRST EVER OFFICIAL VISIT TO BRAZIL BY ANY UKRAINIAN HEAD OF STATE. HE WAS WELCOMED BY PRESIDENT ENRIQUE CARDOZO AND OTHER HIGH LEVEL OFFICIALS. THE PRESIDENTS OF BOTH COUNTRIES SIGNED A NUMBER OF CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, COMMERCIAL AND DIPLOMATIC AGREEMENTS. (UKRAINIAN 10/25)

UKRAINIAN-AMERICANS / PRESIDENT KUCHMA -- STRINGER VICTOR BOROVSKY REPORTS ON A BANQUET HOSTED BY THE UKRAINIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AT THE WALDORF ASTORIA IN HONOR OF THE VISITING UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT. IN HIS REMARKS, THE UKRAINIAN LEADER HAILED UKRAINIAN-AMERICANS FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY AND FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN STRENGTHENING TIES BETWEEN THE ANCESTRAL HOME AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. (UKRAINIAN 10/25)

INSIDE LATIN AMERICA:

BOLIVIA / UNDER SECRETARY WIRTH -- UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR GLOBAL AFFAIRS TIMOTHY WIRTH SAYS THE UNITED STATES WILL HELP BOLIVIA TO ORGANIZE A SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT. STRINGER JORGE GUZMAN REPORTS FROM LA PAZ. (SPANISH 10/25) 26-Oct-95 5:35 PM EDT (2135 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America