Voice of America (96-08-05)

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

CONTENTS

[01] MONDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[02] BOSNIA / MOSTAR (L) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

[03] EURO OLYMPIC CRITICS (L-ONLY) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

[04] U-S/MOSTAR UPDATE (S ONLY) BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON )

[01] MONDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE PASSING INTO HISTORY OF THE CENTENNIAL OLYMPICS IN ATLANTA IS NOTED IN THE EDITORIAL COLUMNS OF SEVERAL OF MONDAY'S U-S NEWSPAPERS. OTHER EDITORIAL TOPICS TODAY INCLUDE THE IRAQI OIL EMBARGO AND SOMALIA'S FUTURE AFTER MOHAMED FARAH AIDEED. NOW, HERE WITH A CLOSER LOOK IS ____________________ AND TODAY'S U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: SAYING FAREWELL TO THE SUMMER OLYMPICS, TODAY'S ATLANTA CONSTITUTION NOTES THAT THE TERRORIST BOMBING THAT DISRUPTED THE GAMES SHOULD NOT BECOME THE SINGLE HALLMARK OF THE CENTENNIAL EVENT.

VOICE: "WHY SHOULD THE IMAGE OF THE DEAD AND INJURED IN CENTENNIAL PARK BE MORE LASTING THAN THE IMAGE OF THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS WHO FLOCKED BACK TO THE PARK TO SHOW THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE INTIMIDATED?... THAT CANNOT BE ALL THERE IS TO REMEMBERING THE ATLANTA GAMES. WHY SHOULD THE COWARDICE OF A BOMBER BE REMEMBERED MORE THAN THE COURAGE OF GYMNAST KERRI STRUG, WHO REFUSED TO LET A PAINFUL INJURY KEEP HER FROM CONTRIBUTING TO HER WINNING TEAM?... IT'S IMPRACTICAL TO MAKE A SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENT OF WHAT THE MILLIONS OF VISITORS WHO CAME TO THE GAMES FEEL ABOUT HOW THINGS WENT. BUT MUCH EVIDENCE IS POSITIVE."

TEXT: THE SUMMER GAMES HAD THE LARGEST TELEVISION VIEWING AUDIENCE OF ANY OLYMPICS IN HISTORY. BUT THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR IS UPSET WITH THE EMPHASIS ON AMERICAN ATHLETES BY THE U-S TELECASTER, N-B-C:

VOICE: "AMERICAN VIEWERS UNFORTUNATELY NEVER SAW MANY OTHER IMAGES OF THE GAMES BECAUSE N-B-C CHOSE NOT TO SHOW THEM. ACCORDING TO THE ... NETWORK'S VERSION, ENTIRE OLYMPIC SPORTS DIDN'T EVEN EXIST, ESPECIALLY IF AN AMERICAN DIDN'T MEDAL.... THE OLYMPICS ARE THE 'WORLD'S' [ITALICS FOR EMPHASIS] GAMES: FINE ATHLETES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES DESERVE AS MUCH ATTENTION AND APPLAUSE AS THE AMERICANS."

TEXT: USA TODAY SUGGESTS FUTURE OLYMPIC GAMES FACE THE PROBLEM OF REIGNING IN THE COMMERCIALISM THAT WAS MUCH CRITICIZED IN ATLANTA, WHILE FINDING ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF MONEY THAT CORPORATE SPONSORS PROVIDE.

VOICE: "I-O-C (INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE) OFFICIALS SAY SUCH CONTRACTS ARE THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE THAT THE GAMES REMAIN PROSPEROUS AND VIABLE. BUT THEY CAN'T EXPECT TO CHARGE TENS OF MILLIONS FOR SPONSORSHIPS AND THEN LAY THE BLAME FOR CRASS COMMERCIALISM ELSEWHERE. THIS, THEN, IS THE GAMES' KEY DILEMMA. THE PUBLIC LOVES THE OLYMPICS IN PART BECAUSE ORGANIZERS HAVE SOLD THE IMAGE OF SPORTS FOR SPORT'S SAKE... IT CHALLENGES ORGANIZERS TO FIND SOME BETTER BALANCE BETWEEN PUBLIC DESIRE FOR UNADORNED ATHLETICS AND THE PRAGMATIC NEED FOR CASH. OTHERWISE, THE GAMES RISK SUFFOCATING IN THEIR OWN SUCCESS."

TEXT: THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER WONDERS WHETHER THAT PENNSYLVANIA CITY MIGHT SOMEDAY BE ABLE TO HOST THE SUMMER GAMES, BUT SUGGESTS MAYOR EDDIE RENDELL MAY BE RIGHT IN OPPOSING THE IDEA.

VOICE: "THE PLAIN TRUTH IS THAT THE MAYOR THINKS A PHILADELPHIA OLYMPICS IS A 'BAD IDEA,' AND THAT ATLANTA, LIKE MONTREAL, WILL SEE IT THAT WAY AS THE OLYMPIANS LEAVE BEHIND A BASEBALL STADIUM, A PARK AND LOTS OF DEBT. ATLANTA IS STILL CALCULATING THE CONSEQUENCES OF HOSTING THE SUMMER GAMES."

TEXT: TURNING TO OTHER AFFAIRS, TODAY'S NEW YORK TIMES SAYS ITS TIME TO TEMPORARILY END THE WORLD OIL BOYCOTT ON IRAQ.

VOICE: THE UNITED STATES HAS MADE AN HONORABLE AND REASONABLE EFFORT TO BE SURE THAT A PLANNED HUMANITARIAN BREAK IN THE IRAQI OIL EMBARGO IS NOT ABUSED BY SADDAM HUSSEIN, BUT WASHINGTON SHOULD NOW STAND BACK AND LET THE OIL FLOW. THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S LATEST OBJECTIONS DO NOT JUSTIFY FURTHER DELAY IN ALLEVIATING HUNGER AND ILLNESS IN IRAQ."

TEXT: THERE ARE QUESTIONS IN THE BALTIMORE SUN ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SOMALIA WITHOUT THE INFLUENCE OF CLAN LEADER MOHAMED FARAH AIDEED, WHO DIED LAST WEEK AFTER UNDERGOING SURGERY FOR GUNSHOT WOUNDS.

VOICE: "PEACE MAY RESULT FROM THE SLAYING OF SOMALIA'S FACTION CHIEF MOHAMED FARAH AIDEED. BUT IT IS NOT ASSURED, THOUGH THE POPULATION IS FRIGHTENED, HUNGRY, SICK OF CHAOS AND READY FOR AN END TO CIVIL WAR. GENERAL AIDEED WAS THE PRINCIPAL BARRIER TO ANY ACCORD. ... NORTHERN SOMALIA, A FORMER BRITISH COLONY, HAS GONE SEPARATE AND SPARED ITSELF THE ANARCHY OF SOUTHERN SOMALIA, A FORMER ITALIAN COLONY. THE BANDIT-INDUCED FAMINE HAS NOT RETURNED ON ITS FORMER SCALE, BUT CLAN RIVALRIES HAVE PREVENTED NATIONAL EXISTENCE OR CIVIL SOCIETY. NOW THERE IS A FIGHTING CHANCE TO BUILD A COUNTRY."

TEXT: AND LASTLY, TODAY'S WASHINGTON POST OFFERS SOME THOUGHTS ON ISRAELI FOREIGN POLICY:

VOICE: "ISRAEL APPEARS TO BE EXPLORING A DISENGAGEMENT WITH SYRIA FROM THE UGLY PROXY WAR IN SOUTHERN LEBANON. ISRAELIS WOULD PULL THE PLUG ON A ROGUE LEBANESE MILITIA THEY USE AS A BORDER SECURITY FORCE. SYRIANS WOULD PULL OUT THE ONE MILITIA THEY PERMIT TO OPERATE IN LEBANON, THE HEZBOLLAH TERRORIST FORCE WITH WHICH THEY PRESS ISRAEL TO WITHDRAW FROM GOLAN. WITH ISRAEL-SYRIAN TALKS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PEACE STUCK, 'LEBANON FIRST' IS AN IDEA WORTH EXPLORING. DONE RIGHT, IT COULD EASE TENSIONS IN ITS SECTOR AND LEAD ON."

TEXT: AND WITH THAT, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF EDITORIAL COMMENTS TO BE FOUND IN TODAY'S U-S PRESS.
NEB/ANG/PCH
05-Aug-96 11:43 AM EDT (1543 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] BOSNIA / MOSTAR (L) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: TALKS ARE CONTINUING IN MOSTAR IN SOUTHERN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, IN AN EFFORT TO END A CROAT BOYCOTT OF A CITY COUNCIL LED BY MUSLIMS. CROAT OFFICIALS IN MOSTAR HAVE SAID THEY ARE PREPARED TO SIGN A COMPROMISE DEAL, BUT EUROPEAN UNION OFFICIALS SAY THE CROATS HAVE NOT SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGED THEIR POSITION. DAVID FOLEY REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO.

TEXT: IN WHAT HAS BECOME A FAMILIAR PATTERN HERE IN BOSNIA, LAST MINUTE TALKS HAVE CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL DAYS. AFTER THE FIRST EUROPEAN UNION DEADLINE EXPIRED ON MIDNIGHT SATURDAY, IT WAS EXTENDED TO MONDAY MORNING. THEN E-U OFFICIALS IN BRUSSELS SET A NEW DEADLINE FOR MONDAY EVENING TO ALLOW THE NEGOTIATIONS TO CONTINUE.

E-U NEGOTIATORS IN MOSTAR SAY THE MUSLIMS AND CROATS ARE NEAR AN AGREEMENT. STRONG INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE TO REACH A DEAL IS BEING APPLIED IN THE CROATIAN CAPITAL, ZAGREB, AND HERE IN SARAJEVO.

BUT BOTH THE CROATS AND MUSLIMS GIVE LITTLE CREDENCE TO E-U DEADLINES. BOTH SIDES KNOW THAT DESPITE THREATS TO WITHDRAW FROM MOSTAR, EUROPEAN UNION OFFICIALS DO NOT WANT TO SEE TWO YEARS OF EFFORTS TOWARD RECONCILIATION END IN FAILURE.

THE SENIOR INTERNATIONAL MEDIATOR IN BOSNIA, CARL BILDT, MET ON MONDAY MORNING WITH BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ALIA IZETBEGOVIC TO DISCUSS MUSLIM OBJECTIONS TO A PROPOSED DEAL TO END THE STAND-OFF. MR. BILDT'S SPOKESMAN, COLUM MURPHY, SAYS THE CROATS MUST ACCEPT THE ELECTION RESULT.

WE WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY POLITICAL BLACKMAIL AND OUR VIEW IS VERY SIMPLE AS WE HAVE SAID BEFORE, THAT AN ELECTION IS AN ELECTION IS AN ELECTION, AND ITS RESULTS MUST BE HONORED.

MR. MURPHY ALSO SAID IT WAS NOW TIME FOR STATESMANSHIP AND VISION RATHER THAN SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS.

MOSTAR AND SPECIFICALLY ITS PATRONS AND PROTECTORS MUST DECIDE WHETHER THEY WANT TO JOIN THE MODERN WORLD, THE COMMUNITY OF NATIONS, OR LANGUISH IN TRIBALISM.

A SENIOR BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SAYS HE THINKS A DEAL WILL BE REACHED WITHIN HOURS, BECAUSE HE SAYS, THE BOSNIAN CROATS HAVE TAKEN THE GAME OF BRINKSMANSHIP AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, AND THE CROATS NOW REALIZE, HE SAYS, THEY WILL NOT WIN SIGNIFICANT CONCESSIONS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.

SOME INTERNATIONAL OFFICIALS, THOUGH, ARE WORRIED THAT IF THE CROATS ARE SEEN TO GAIN AT ALL BY THEIR DELAYING TACTICS, ANY DEAL COULD LEAD TO SIMILAR BOYCOTTS OF ELECTION RESULTS BY ALL SIDES AFTER NATIONWIDE ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA IN SEPTEMBER. (SIGNED)
NEB/DF/JWH/MMK
05-Aug-96 11:37 AM EDT (1537 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] EURO OLYMPIC CRITICS (L-ONLY) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

INTRO: THE SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES ARE OVER IN ATLANTA AND IN EUROPE, POST-OLYMPIC COMMENTARY IS FOCUSING LARGELY ON THE NEGATIVE. FROM OUR EUROPEAN NEWS CENTER IN LONDON, V-O-A'S PAUL FRANCUCH HAS A SAMPLING OF COMMENTS.

TEXT: NOTWITHSTANDING THE TERRIBLE MOMENT MORE THAN A WEEK AGO WHEN A BOMB EXPLODED IN ATLANTA'S CENTENNIAL PARK LEAVING TWO PEOPLE DEAD AND SCORES OF OTHER INJURED IN ITS WAKE, COMMENTATORS IN EUROPE HAVE FOCUSED ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL SNAFUS AND EXCESSIVE COMMERCIALISM WHICH THEY FEEL MARRED THIS GREATEST OF ALL SPORTING EVENTS.

ONE OF HUNGARY'S TOP OLYMPIC OFFICIALS, REZSO GALLOV, TOLD HIS COUNTRY'S NEWS AGENCY "M-T-I" THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN SUCH CHAOS AT AN OLYMPICS EVENT OVER THE THREE DECADES IN WHICH HE HAS ATTENDED THEM.

THE PRESIDENT OF ITALY'S INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR ATHLETICS FEDERATION, PRIMO NEBIOLO, BLASTED THE PRIVATE FUNDING OF THIS YEAR'S SUMMER OLYMPICS AND THE NEGATIVE COMMERCIAL ASSOCIATION IT HAS ENGENDERED. "PLACING ONE'S TRUST IN PRIVATE HANDS IS WRONG," HE SAYS.

IN BRITAIN, THE RELATIVELY POOR SHOWING BY THE COUNTRY'S OLYMPIC TEAM AND CALLS FOR ENHANCED GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR TRAINING FUTURE OLYMPIANS -- PERHAPS BY TAPPING INTO FUNDS RAISED BY THE COUNTRY POPULAR WEEKLY LOTTERY -- HAS FILLED SEEMINGLY ENDLESS COLUMN SPACE IN NEWSPAPERS HERE RECENTLY. AND ON THE POPULAR "BREAKFAST NEWS" MORNING TELEVISION PROGRAM MONDAY, A NEWSCASTER'S HEADLINE STORY ON THE CLOSING OLYMPICS CEREMONIES SUMMED UP BRITAIN'S FRUSTRATION.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE, JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH, STOPPED SHORT OF CALLING THE ATLANTA GAMES THE BEST EVER -- AS IS TRADITIONAL. AND FOR BRITAIN, IT WAS ANYTHING BUT -- 34TH POSITION, 15 MEDALS, ONLY ONE GOLD.

THE SEEMINGLY PAROCHIAL SUPPORT BY THE LEGIONS OF AMERICAN SPECTATORS IN ATLANTA PROVIDED GRIST FOR COMMENTATORS IN EUROPE AS WELL. IN BRITAIN'S ESTABLISHMENT NEWSPAPER "THE TIMES" MONDAY, SPORTS COLUMNIST SIMON BARNES WROTE "THE URGENT, ALMOST NEUROTIC NEED FOR SUCCESS HAS BEEN THE KEYNOTE OF THESE GAMES, SO FAR AS THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES ARE CONCERNED." AND IN FRANCE, THE NEWSPAPER "LE FIGARO" ECHOED THAT OBSERVATION, WRITING "ON TELEVISION, ONE HEARD ONLY ABOUT THE TRIUMPHS OF THE AMERICANS."

SEVERAL COMMENTATORS CONCLUDE WITH THE HOPE THAT PROBLEMS THEY FOUND WITH THE GAMES IN ATLANTA SHOULD SERVE AS LESSON FOR ORGANIZERS OF THE YEAR 2000 SUMMER GAMES IN SYDNEY. (SIGNED)
NEB/PCF/JWH/CF
05-Aug-96 12:54 PM EDT (1654 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] U-S/MOSTAR UPDATE (S ONLY) BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON )

INTRO: THE UNITED STATES HAS EXPRESSED ITS DISAPPOINTMENT OVER THE FAILURE OF BOSNIA-CROATS AND MUSLIMS TO RESOLVE THEIR DISPUTE OVER THE OUTCOME OF MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN THE BOSNIAN CITY OF MOSTAR. V-O-A'S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS THE OUTCOME IS VIEWED AS CRUCIAL TO NEXT MONTH'S NATIONAL BOSNIAN ELECTIONS AND THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DAYTON PEACE ACCORDS:

TEXT: WHITE HOUSE SPOKESWOMAN CATHERINE MCKERNAN SAYS THE UNITED STATES IS "GREATLY DISAPPOINTED" OVER THE FAILURE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION-SPONSORED TALKS. MS. MCKERNAN SAYS VISITING CROATIAN PRESIDENT FRANJO TUDJMAN PLEDGED FRIDAY TO PRESIDENT CLINTON HE WOULD PRESS HIS BOSNIAN-CROAT ALLIES TO RESPECT THE ELECTION'S OUTCOME:

THIS (OUTCOME OF TALKS) IS ESPECIALLY DISTURBING IN LIGHT OF ASSURANCES BY PRESIDENT TUDJMAN THAT HE SUPPORTS ESTABLISHMENT OF A MOSTAR CITY GOVERNMENT BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

MANY DIPLOMATS INCLUDING E-U ADMINISTRATOR FOR MOSTAR, MARTIN GARROD, SAY THE OUTCOME OF THE MOSTAR DISPUTE WILL IMPACT NEXT MONTH'S NATIONAL ELECTIONS:

I THINK THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE IN MOSTAR WILL HAVE A VERY SERIOUS EFFECT ON THE ELECTIONS AND FOR THE WHOLE DAYTON PEACE ACCORD AND THE PEACE PROCESS IN GENERAL.

THE WHITE HOUSE SPOKESWOMAN SAYS THE UNITED STATES AGAIN URGES BOTH SIDES TO REACH A COMPROMISE AND APPEALED TO ZAGREB AND THE EUROPEAN UNION TO REDOUBLE MEDIATION EFFORTS.

THAT IS UNCERTAIN SINCE E-U ADMINISTRATOR GARROD SAYS HE EXPECTS AN ORDER FROM BRUSSELS TO WITHDRAW AFTER TWO YEARS OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE DIVIDED CITY. (SIGNED).
NEB/VB/KL
04-Aug-96 10:53 PM EDT (0253 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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