Voice of America, 96-08-19

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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 / AMMUNITION (L) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

[03] GERMANY / LIBYA (S ONLY) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

[04] UNITED NATIONS REFORM BY MAX RUSTON (NEW YORK)

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

INTRO: CONTINUED REACTION TO LAST WEEK'S REPUBLICAN NOMINATING CONVENTION LEADS THE EDITORIAL COLUMNS OF MANY U-S DAILIES THIS MONDAY. OTHER TOPICS INCLUDE: THE REFORM PARTY'S EMERGENCE WITH CANDIDATE ROSS PEROT; THE CLOSING MOMENTS OF THE NUCLEAR TEST BAN CONFERENCE IN GENEVA; THE PRO-DEMOCRACY FERMENT IN INDONESIA; THE CONTINUED FREEDOM OF SUSPECTED WAR CRIMINALS IN BOSNIA, AND AIRLINE SECURITY. NOW, HERE WITH A CLOSER LOOK IS __________________ AND TODAY'S U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: EDITORIAL WRITERS HAVE NOW HAD TIME TO RE-READ AND ANALYZE WHAT BOB DOLE HAD TO SAY IN HIS NEARLY HOUR-LONG ACCEPTANCE SPEECH AT THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION IN SAN DIEGO THURSDAY NIGHT. THAT IS JUST ONE ASPECT OF THE CONVENTION, AND THE BUDDING DOLE-KEMP CAMPAIGN, THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED IN MONDAY'S PAPERS. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER IS CONCERNED ABOUT A MIXED MESSAGE FROM MR. DOLE ON FOREIGN POLICY.

VOICE: "TRYING TO PREDICT HOW PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE BOB DOLE WOULD MAKE FOREIGN POLICY IF ELECTED HAS BECOME PRETTY CONFUSING. AS SENATOR DOLE, HE WAS THE VERY MODEL OF A MODERATE REPUBLICAN INTERNATIONALIST. BUT HIS SPEECH ACCEPTING THE G-O-P NOMINATION LAST WEEK PUT FORWARD A MISHMASH [MUDDLE] OF FOREIGN POLICY STANDS THAT REFLECT THE CONTRADICTIONS WITHIN HIS PARTY: ISOLATIONISM VERSUS FOREIGN INVOLVEMENT, FREE TRADE VERSUS PROTECTIONISM. ADD THEM ALL UP AND THEY SEEM TO CANCEL THEMSELVES OUT."

TEXT: THE BALTIMORE SUN LOOKS BEYOND THE CONVENTION, AND EVEN BEYOND THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, TO WONDER ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, SHOULD BOB DOLE BE DEFEATED.

VOICE: "AT ISSUE IS THE SOUL AND CONTROL OF THE GRAND OLD PARTY... THE PARTY'S CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS ... MAY ACCOUNT FOR ONLY A THIRD OF ALL REGISTERED REPUBLICANS. BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR FERVENCY, THEY ARE THE ONES WHO GAIN CONTROL OF STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEES ... AND HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF BULLDOZING THEIR WAY TO CENTER-STAGE WHEN THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION NEXT ASSEMBLES... BUT THE WAY BOB DOLE PUT DOWN [IGNORED] THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT AND ITS OUTSPOKEN OPPONENTS, AND THE WAY BOTH SIDES ACCEPTED THIS TREATMENT WHILE AWAITING ANOTHER DAY, WAS A REMINDER ... THE STRUGGLE FOR (CONTROL OF) THE G-O-P GOES ON."

TEXT: IN THE NATION'S CAPITOL, THE WASHINGTON TIMES FEELS THE CONVENTION WAS A SUCCESS IN LAUNCHING THE CANDIDATES INTO THEIR CAMPAIGN.

VOICE: "THE DOLE/KEMP ROADSHOW IS PERHAPS THE CLEAREST EVIDENCE OF THE GOP CONVENTION'S SUCCESS. MR. DOLE IS ENERGIZED AND BUOYANT, AND HIS MOOD IS SHARED BY THE REPUBLICAN FAITHFUL WHO CAME TO SAN DIEGO DOWNCAST AND DEFEATIST... THE SAN DIEGO CONVENTION MAY SOON BE LOOKED UPON AS THE MOMENT WHEN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SOLIDIFIED ITS PLACE AS THE NEW MAJORITY PARTY IN THE UNITED STATES."

TEXT: USA TODAY'S EDITORIAL PAGE FOCUSES ON ROSS PEROT'S REFORM PARTY, AND HOW DIFFICULT IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST FOR THIRD PARTIES TO SURVIVE IN THIS COUNTRY.

VOICE: "... MESSENGERS OF CHANCE HAVE TRIED FOR TWO CENTURIES TO ELBOW THEIR WAY ONTO THE POLITICAL STAGE. BUT ONLY TWO NEW PARTIES CAPTURED AND HELD NATIONAL ATTENTION -- THE WHIGS AND THE REPUBLICANS... BOTH WERE FOUNDED IN PERIODS OF ONE-PARTY, IF FRACTURED, DEMOCRATIC DOMINANCE, AND THEY BECAME PART OF A NEW TWO-PARTY SYSTEM ALMOST INSTANTLY."

TEXT: THE APPARENT FAILURE OF ALL NATIONS TO AGREE ON THE NUCLEAR TEST BAN ACCORD IS ANOTHER POPULAR TOPIC THIS MONDAY, WITH NEWSDAY OF LONG ISLAND, N.Y., URGING THE UNITED NATIONS NOT TO ALLOW INDIA TO THREATEN THE TREATY'S SUCCESS.

VOICE: "IT WOULD BE A TRAGEDY IF ONE INTRANSIGENT, SHORTSIGHTED GOVERNMENT WERE ABLE TO PREVENT THE REST OF THE WORLD FROM TAKING A HUGE STEP TOWARD BRINGING NUCLEAR WEAPONS UNDER FIRM CONTROL... THE FIVE NUCLEAR LEADERS SHOULD LOBBY THE REST OF THE GENEVA CONFEREES TO SEND THE TREATY TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, EVEN IF INDIA AND IRAN CONTINUE TO OBJECT."

TEXT: IN CALIFORNIA, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES CALLS INDIA'S ANTI-TREATY STAND "DANGEROUS", BUT SAYS NEW DELHI MIGHT YET BE CONVINCED TO SIGN.

VOICE: "INDIA IS RIGHT TO STATE ITS POSITION LOUDLY AND CLEARLY. BUT IT SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO BLOCK ADOPTION OF A PERMANENT TEST BAN, MORE THAN TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING... EVEN IF THE TREATY IS NOT TECHNICALLY IN EFFECT, SIGNATORIES WILL FEEL THE PRESSURE TO HEED ITS PROVISIONS. AND THOSE THAT HAVE SIGNED CAN URGE INDIA TO ADD ITS SIGNATURE AS WELL. THERE MUST BE A WAY TO SATISFY NEW DELHI."

TEXT: THE WASHINGTON POST, WHILE EXPRESSING SOME SYMPATHY FOR INDIA'S POSITION, SUMS UP ITS FEELING THIS WAY:

VOICE: "INDIA IS MAKING A DEEP STRATEGIC ERROR BY NOT SIGNING THIS TREATY. AS MANY INDIANS ALREADY FULLY UNDERSTAND, THE TREATY FULFILLS A PURPOSE WHICH INDIA EMBRACED FROM THE START AND IT SERVES THE COUNTRY'S FUNDAMENTAL NATIONAL INTERESTS."

TEXT: CONCERNING RECENT PRO-DEMOCRACY PROTESTS IN INDONESIA, THAT SPARKED SERIOUS STREET DEMONSTRATIONS, THE WASHINGTON POST OFFERS THESE WORDS OF CAUTION:

VOICE: "THERE IS TROUBLE IN INDONESIA, AND IT TOUCHES IMPORTANT AMERICAN INTERESTS AND CANNOT BE IGNORED. INDONESIA (POPULATION 200 MILLION) IS THE LARGEST COUNTRY IN A REGIONAL BLOC THAT IS BOTH A TOP-LEVEL TRADING PARTNER OF THE UNITED STATES AND A KEYSTONE OF THE AMERICAN SECURITY ARCH IN ASIA. [OPT] NOT SINCE THE VIETNAM WAR PERIOD WHEN INDONESIA TREMBLED ON THE EDGE OF CHAOS HAVE AMERICANS HAD OCCASION TO WONDER WHERE THE COUNTRY IS GOING. [END OPT] ... AN ORDERLY SUCCESSION TO A FORM OF RULE CONSISTENT WITH ITS CONTEMPORARY ASPIRATIONS IS SOMETHING THE UNITED STATES SHOULD BE WORKING HARD TO HELP BRING ABOUT."

TEXT: IN CONNECTICUT, THE HARTFORD COURANT WONDERS WHY THE TWO KEY BOSNIAN SERB LEADERS ACCUSED OF WAR CRIMES HAVE STILL NOT BEEN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.

VOICE: "IT'S BEEN A MONTH SINCE U-S ENVOY RICHARD HOLBROOKE ANNOUNCED THAT BOSNIAN SERB LEADER RADOVAN KARADZIC AGREED TO GIVE UP HIS POWERS BY STEPPING DOWN AS HEAD OF THE SERBIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY. ALTHOUGH HIS RESIGNATION WAS A STEP FORWARD, IT DID NOT REPRESENT A HISTORIC TURN. THAT TURN WILL COME ONLY AFTER MR. KARADZIC AND HIS MILITARY CHIEF, RATKO MLADIC, ARE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AND TRIED FOR THE WAR CRIMES THEY HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH BY THE U-N TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE. "

TEXT: REGARDING THE GROWING ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS IN THE WEST BANK, TODAY'S SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE LAMENTS:

VOICE: "THE REVELATION LAST WEEK OF A SECRET PLAN BY THE ISRAELI ARMY TO BUILD 300 MILES OF ROADS THROUGHOUT THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK WAS AN OMINOUS DEVELOPMENT FOR ANYONE CONCERNED WITH THE FLAGGING MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS... THIS IS A ... CRITICAL MOMENT FOR AMERICAN INTERESTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. PRESIDENT CLINTON SHOULD TAKE A FIRM STAND AND CLEARLY ARTICULATE U-S OPPOSITION TO ISRAEL'S INCREASINGLY AGGRESSIVE EFFORTS TO EVADE THE HARD-WON NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS AT OSLO."

TEXT: AND LASTLY, ON THE TOPIC OF U-S AIRLINE SAFETY, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES NOTES THAT DESPITE SOME STRONG WORDS FROM PRESIDENT CLINTON AFTER THE CRASH OF T-W-A FLIGHT 800, HIS NEW COMMISSION ON AIRLINE SAFETY, HEADED BY VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE, IS JUST GETTING STARTED.

VOICE: "[OPT] [PRESIDENT] CLINTON SAID HE HAS ASKED VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE TO HEAD A COMMISSION TO REVIEW ALL ASPECTS OF AVIATION SAFETY AND THAT [MR.] GORE HAD 45 DAYS TO REPORT INITIAL FINDINGS AND PROPOSE A PLAN OF ACTION... [END OPT] SO, WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE? HALFWAY THROUGH [MR.] GORE'S 45 DAYS, THE FIRST MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ... HAVE FINALLY BEEN NAMED... CONGRESS LEFT FOR ITS RECESS WITHOUT AGREEING ON ANY NEW ANTI-TERRORISM MEASURES... AT THE VERY LEAST, A CHASM EXISTS BETWEEN THE INTENT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVES AND ACTUAL PRACTICE AT THE NATION'S AIRPORTS."

TEXT: AND THAT CONCLUDES THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF SOME EDITORIALS FROM TODAY'S U-S PRESS.
NEB/ANG/PCH
19-Aug-96 11:08 AM EDT (1508 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: NATO EXPERTS IN BOSNIA HAVE BEGUN DESTROYING 300 TONS OF CONFISCATED BOSNIAN SERB AMMUNITION AND EXPLOSIVES. DAVID FOLEY IN SARAJEVO REPORTS THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE FIERCELY PROTESTED AGAINST THE DISPOSAL OF THE MUNITIONS, WHICH WERE FOUND BY NATO SOLDIERS IN AN UNAUTHORIZED SERB STORAGE AREA.

TEXT: AS PART OF WHAT NATO CALLS OPERATION VOLCANO, ENGINEERS HAVE BEGUN A WEEK LONG PROGRAM TO DESTROY HUNDREDS OF TONS OF MINES, ROCKETS, AND AMMUNITION ON SERB TERRITORY IN EASTERN BOSNIA. THIRTY TONS OF CONTRABAND SERB EXPLOSIVES WERE DESTROYED IN THE FIRST BLAST ON MONDAY. NATO EXPERTS SAY TO AVOID DAMAGE, THE MUNITIONS, INCLUDING ALMOST SIX-THOUSAND CASES OF MINES, ARE BURIED IN A SERIES OF PITS, AND THEN DETONATED.

NATO COMMANDERS ARE CONTINUING TO IGNORE SERB REQUESTS TO STOP THE OPERATION, WHICH THE BOSNIAN SERBS CALL A DANGEROUS PROVOCATION AND A THREAT TO THE DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT. THE SERBS INSIST THE MUNITIONS WERE IN A STORAGE SITE PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED BY NATO, A CLAIM DISMISSED BY NATO SPOKESMAN BRETT BOUDREAU.

THE MINES AND AMMUNITION WERE DISCOVERED IN A FORMER SCHOOLHOUSE THAT HAD NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED AS A SITE, AND MOREOVER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED GIVEN IT IS LOCATED IN A BUILT-UP AREA, NEAR A BUSY HIGHWAY AND WAS NOT ADEQUATELY GUARDED.

NATO COMMANDERS HAVE CONDEMNED WHAT THEY CALL IRRESPONSIBLE THREATS BY SERB ARMY OFFICERS INTENDED TO RAISE ILL-FEELING AMONG THE BOSNIAN SERB POPULATION. SO FAR, A STRONG SHOW OF FORCE BY UP TO TWO-THOUSAND NATO TROOPS HAS PREVENTED THE SERBS FROM INTERFERING IN THE OPERATION. MEANWHILE, INTERNATIONAL OFFICIALS RESPONSIBLE FOR NATION-WIDE ELECTIONS NEXT MONTH IN BOSNIA SAY THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT POTENTIAL VIOLENCE ON ELECTION DAY.

THE OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF THE ELECTION DAY PROCESS, JEFF FISHER, SAYS HE IS TRYING TO PREVENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONFLICT AS THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES TRY TO VOTE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN ETHNIC SIDES, KNOWN AS THE I-E-B-L.

ONE THING WE ARE TAKING A CLOSE LOOK AT RIGHT NOW IS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIAL POLLING STATIONS, IN PARTICULAR ON THE FEDERATION SIDE OF THE I-E-B-L.

MOST OF THOSE EXPECTED TO CROSS OVER TO VOTE ARE MUSLIMS WHO WANT TO RETURN TO THEIR FORMER VILLAGES WHICH ARE NOW OCCUPIED BY SERBS. THE MUSLIMS WANT TO ENFORCE THE DAYTON AGREEMENT, WHICH GIVES THEM THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT.

THE BOSNIAN SERBS ROUTINELY OBSTRUCT SUCH MOVEMENT, INSISTING THE MUSLIMS WILL NEVER BE ALLOWED TO RETURN. INTERNATIONAL OFFICIALS ARE NOW PUTTING HEAVY PRESSURE ON THE SERBS TO PREVENT ELECTION DAY VIOLENCE.

SOME OBSERVERS SAY THE MOVE TO CREATE POLLING STATIONS FOR SERB MUNICIPALITIES IN MUSLIM TERRITORY COULD BACKFIRE IF THE SERBS SEE IT AS A GREEN LIGHT TO BLOCK ACCESS ON ELECTION DAY. MUSLIMS WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO VOTE, AND COULD NOT THEN CLAIM THE ELECTIONS WERE INVALID.

CRITICS SAY IF SUCH POLLING STATIONS ARE CREATED, IT WOULD ALSO CLEARLY SHOW THAT BOSNIA IS ON ITS WAY TO PERMANENT PARTITION. THEY SAY IF VOTERS CANNOT CROSS THE LINE FOR ONE DAY, WITH MORE THAN 50-THOUSAND NATO TROOPS IN BOSNIA, WHAT HOPE IS THERE THEY WILL EVER BE ABLE TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES. (SIGNED)
NEB/DF/JWH/MMK
19-Aug-96 11:16 AM EDT (1516 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] GERMANY / LIBYA (S ONLY) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

INTRO: GERMAN AUTHORITIES HAVE ARRESTED TWO MEN SUSPECTED OF SMUGGLING TO LIBYA HIGH-TECH EQUIPMENT THAT CAN BE USED TO CHEMICAL WEAPONS. FROM BONN, VOA'S KYLE KING REPORTS.

TEXT: PROSECUTORS IN THE GERMAN CITY OF MOENCHENGLADBACH IDENTIFIED THE TWO SUSPECTS BY THEIR FIRST NAMES ONLY. BOTH WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AUGUST NINTH.

AUTHORITIES SAY 47-YEAR-OLD UDO "B" AND 54-YEAR-OLD DETLEF "C" WERE PART OF A TWO-YEAR SMUGGLING OPERATION THAT INVOLVED THE TRANSFER OF MORE THAN TWO-MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF HIGH TECH CHEMICAL WEAPONS-MAKING GEAR.

OFFICIALS SAY THE COMPLEX AUTOMATION EQUIPMENT HAD BEEN PROGRAMMED TO PRODUCE THE CHEMICALS SARIN AND SOMAN -- TWO OF THE MOST TOXIC NERVE GAS AGENTS KNOWN.

U-S OFFICIALS HAVE ACCUSED LIBYA OF TRYING TO BUILD A LARGE UNDERGROUND CHEMICAL WEAPONS PLANT ABOUT 65 KILOMETERS SOUTHEAST OF TRIPOLI, BUT GERMAN OFFICIALS SAY IT IS NOT CLEAR IF THE EQUIPMENT WAS TAKEN THERE.

GERMAN TELEVISION REPORTS SAY THE EQUIPMENT WAS SHIPPED TO LIBYA BY BELGIAN COMPANIES OWNED BY A LEBANESE SUSPECT WHO IS STILL BEING SOUGHT BY POLICE. (SIGNED).
NEB/KBK/PCF/CF
19-Aug-96 1:15 PM EDT (1715 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] UNITED NATIONS REFORM BY MAX RUSTON (NEW YORK)

INTRO: A LEADING FOREIGN POLICY RESEARCH GROUP IN THE UNITED STATES RELEASED A STUDY TODAY (MONDAY) SAYING THE UNITED NATIONS IS IN A STATE OF CRISIS. AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A'S MAX RUSTON IN NEW YORK, THE STUDY SAYS REFORMS ARE URGENTLY NEEDED. BUT IT SAYS THE REFORMS SHOULD FOCUS ON THE ACTIVITIES OF KEY MEMBER STATES, SUCH AS THE UNITED STATES, RATHER THAN THE UNITED NATIONS ITSELF.

TEXT: THE STUDY, SPONSORED BY THE PRIVATE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, FOCUSSES ON THE UNITED NATIONS' RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES. IT OUTLINES THREE CONCLUSIONS: THAT THE UNITED NATIONS HAS SERVED U-S INTERESTS WELL IN THE PAST, THAT IT IS NOW IN CRISIS, AND THAT EFFECTIVE REFORMS MUST FIX AMERICAN PERCEPTIONS OF THE ORGANIZATION'S ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS.

BILLIONAIRE FINANCIER GEORGE SOROS WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PANEL THAT COMPILED THE REPORT. HE DISCUSSED THE NEED FOR REFORM AT A NEWS CONFERENCE AT THE UNITED NATIONS.

THE UNITED NATIONS IS IN CRISIS, MAINLY IN THE UNITED STATES AND PARTLY BECAUSE OF POLITICAL JOCKEYING, BUT PRINCIPALLY BECAUSE MEMBER STATES, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, HAVE FAILED TO PAY THEIR BILLS, AND HAVE GIVEN THE UNITED NATIONS RESPONSIBILITIES WITHOUT THE POWER TO CARRY THEM OUT AND BLAMED THE UNITED NATIONS FOR FAILURES IN NATIONAL POLICIES.

MR. SOROS AND OTHER PANEL MEMBERS SAY THE UNITED NATIONS ITSELF IS IN NEED OF INTERNAL REFORM, INCLUDING COST-CUTTING AND STREAMLINING. BUT THEY SAY MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT NEEDS FOR MAJOR POWERS TO AGREE ON WHEN, HOW AND WHERE TO USE THE ORGANIZATION WELL AND WISELY, AS MR. SOROS EXPLAINS.

SO ALL THIS TALK ABOUT REFORMING THE UNITED NATIONS AS IF IT WAS SOMETHING OUT THERE IS REALLY BALONEY [NONSENSE]. BECAUSE THE UNITED NATIONS IS IN FACT AN ASSOCIATION OF STATES IN WHICH PARTICULARLY THE PERMANENT MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE, SO UNLESS THEY PUT THEIR MIND TO IT, THERE CANNOT BE ANY MEANINGFUL REFORM OF THE UNITED NATIONS.

THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN AMONG THE MOST VOCAL NATIONS CALLING FOR REFORM AT THE UNITED NATIONS. IT HAS CRITICIZED U-N SECRETARY GENERAL BOUTROS BOUTROS-GHALI FOR NOT DOING ENOUGH TO CHANGE THE ORGANIZATION AND CALLED FOR HIM TO STEP DOWN WHEN HIS TERM OF OFFICE ENDS LATER THIS YEAR.

BUT MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS PANEL CALL ON THE UNITED STATES TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE FOR REFORM, RATHER THAN LOOKING FOR IT ELSEWHERE. CHAIRMAN OF THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES, JOHN WHITEHEAD, IS AMONG THOSE WHO EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE ATTITUDE U-S POLITICIANS HAVE TAKEN TOWARDS THE UNITED NATIONS. MR. WHITEHEAD, A FORMER DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE, SAYS WASHINGTON SHOULD RECONSIDER THE WAY IT DEALS WITH THE UNITED NATIONS.

IT IS SO INCONGRUOUS FOR THE NATION THAT HAS EMERGED AS THE SURVIVING SUPERPOWER, THE LEADER OF THE WORLD, SHOULD CAST ITSELF IN THE ROLE OF BEING OPPOSED TO THE UNITED NATIONS, AN ORGANIZATION THAT IT ESTABLISHED MORE OR LESS ITSELF 50 YEARS AGO, AN ORGANIZATION THAT IT CAN LEAD AND SHOULD LEAD INSTEAD OF BEING OPPOSED TO AND SORT OF READ THEMSELVES OUT OF .

THE PANEL OFFERS THREE SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED NATIONS. IT SAYS THE ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS SHOULD RESIST TEMPTATION TO TURN TASKS OVER TO THE UNITED NATIONS WITHOUT GIVING IT SUFFICIENT RESOURCES OR AUTHORITY TO ACCOMPLISH THEM. A NEW PROCESS SHOULD BE SET UP TO ENSURE THAT WASHINGTON PROVIDES FUNDS FOR ANY PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS IT SUPPORTS. AND AN UNDERSTANDING SHOULD BE REACHED ON WHAT ROLE THE UNITED NATIONS WILL PLAY THAT WOULD LEAD WASHINGTON TO PAY ITS OVERDUE BILLS FOR THE ORGANIZATION'S ADMINISTRATION.

MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS PANEL SAY THEY PLAN TO TAKE THE STUDY TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THE ADMINISTRATION IN AN EFFORT TO CONVINCE THEM TO FOLLOW ITS RECOMMENDATIONS. (SIGNED) NEB/NY/MPR/LSF/KL
19-Aug-96 6:09 PM EDT (2209 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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