Voice of America, 97-11-17

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

CONTENTS

[01] EURO STOCKS (S-ONLY) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

[02] HUNGARY / NATO (L) BY STEFAN BOS (BUDAPEST)

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

[04] NY ECON WRAP (L ONLY) BY JOE CHAPMAN (NEW YORK)

[05] YUGO WAR CRIMES (L-ONLY) BY GILLIAN SHARPE (THE HAGUE)

[01] EURO STOCKS (S-ONLY) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

INTRO: THE MARKET RALLY WHICH BEGAN EARLY MONDAY IN EAST ASIA CONTINUED IN EUROPE LATER IN THE DAY, WITH KEY EURO-BOURSES POSTING SUBSTANTIAL GAINS. PAUL FRANCUCH HAS THE CLOSING FIGURES FROM OUR LONDON OFFICE.

TEXT: THE SHARP RISE ON THE TOKYO EXCHANGE WAS CITED BY ANALYSTS AS THE KEY FACTOR IN PUTTING EUROPE IN A BUYING MOOD. FRANKFURT, LONDON AND PARIS ALL CLOSED HIGHER MONDAY. THE FRENCH "CAC 40" INDEX ENJOYED A NEARLY THREE-PERCENT GAIN, ADDING ALMOST 77-POINTS AT THE CLOSE. IN LONDON, THE "FINANCIAL TIMES" 100 STOCK INDEX ADDED 125-POINTS A GAIN OF MORE THAN TWO-AND-ONE-HALF PERCENT. THE GERMAN "DAX 30" WAS UP 64 POINTS -- A GAIN OF JUST LESS THAN TWO-PERCENT. BUT AFTER-HOURS COMPUTER TRADING IN FRANKFURT DROVE THE DAX UP MORE.

THE U-S DOLLAR STAYED EVEN AGAINST THE BRITISH POUND AND GERMAN MARK.

GOLD ADDED TWO-DOLLARS-10 CENTS AN OUNCE IN THE LONDON CLOSING FIX, SET AT 303-DOLLARS-85 CENTS. GOLD PRICES ARE AT THEIR LOWEST LEVEL IN MORE THAN A DECADE. (SIGNED)
NEB/PCF/RAE
17-Nov-97 1:29 PM EST (1829 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] HUNGARY / NATO (L) BY STEFAN BOS (BUDAPEST)

INTRO: NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JAVIER SOLANA HAS CONGRATULATED HUNGARY FOR THE RESULTS OF A REFERENDUM (SUNDAY) IN WHICH 85-PERCENT OF HUNGARIANS WHO VOTED SUPPORTED MEMBERSHIP IN NATO. STEFAN BOS IN BUDAPEST REPORTS HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SAY THEY SEE NATO MEMBERSHIP AS A FIRST STEP TOWARDS EUROPEAN INTEGRATION.

TEXT: THE HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, LASZLO KOVACS, SAYS THE OUTCOME OF SUNDAYS VOTE WAS BETTER THAN EXPECTED. MR. KOVACS TOLD V-O-A HE PERSONALLY INFORMED THE NATO SECRETARY GENERAL ABOUT THE RESULTS.

I SPOKE TO JAVIER SOLANA, AND I BRIEFED HIM ON THE OUTCOME OF THE REFERENDUM. AND HE WAS VERY HAPPY AND VERY SATISFIED. HE CONGRATULATED US. THE ACCESSION TO NATO IS THE FIRST STEP TO THE EUROPE-ATLANTIC COMMUNITY AND IT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY THE SECOND STEP WHICH IS OUR ACCESSION TO THE EUROPEAN UNION.

MR. KOVACS SAYS NATO MEMBERSHIP IS IMPORTANT FOR COUNTRIES IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE. REFERRING TO CONFLICTS IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA, MR. KOVACS SAYS THE NATO ALLIANCE MAY PREVENT SUCH BLOODSHED FROM ERUPTING AGAIN.

THERE ARE SECURITY RISKS IN THIS REGION THAT MIGHT NOT REACH THE LEVEL OF A MILITARY THREAT TODAY, BUT AS WE SAW WITH THE CRISIS IN FORMER YUGOSLAVIA, IT MIGHT HAPPEN.

MR. KOVACS SAYS HE HOPES THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER NATO-MEMBER NATIONS WILL RATIFY A TREATY ON NATO EXPANSION BEFORE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ALLIANCE IN 1999.

THE OUTGOING U-S AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY DONALD BLINKEN, WHO TOOK PART IN NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT NATO, SAYS HE IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT HUNGARY'S PROSPECTS. MR. BLINKEN ALSO SAYS THE OUTCOME OF THE HUNGARIAN REFERENDUM SENDS A STRONG MESSAGE: TO THE U-S SENATE.

J THINK THE UNITED STATES SENATE WAS LOOKING FOR SOME SIGNALS OF THE HUNGARIAN PEOPLE -- NOT JUST THE GOVERNMENT (BUT) THE PEOPLE -- THAT THEY ARE UNDERSTANDING OF NATO AND ARE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT JOINING NATO. AND I THINK THE RESULT TONIGHT, ONCE THEY ARE FINAL, WILL SHOW THAT THIS IS THE. CASE. AND THE SENATE, I THINK, WILL REACT ACCORDINGLY.

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

INTRO: STRONG CRITICISM OF CONGRESS, NOW THAT IT HAS ADJOURNED FOR THE YEAR, IS A POPULAR EDITORIAL TOPIC THIS MONDAY. OTHER SUBJECTS BEING DISCUSSED INCLUDE: THE ILLNESS OF U-S TROOPS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE GULF WAR, AND THE PENTAGON'S HANDLING OF IT; GETTING THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE TALKS BACK ON TRACK; AN UNEXPECTED SIGNATORY OF THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS TREATY; [OPT] AMERICA'S ENERGY DILEMMA; [END OPT] AND A LEADING CHINESE DISSIDENT GOES FROM A RURAL CHINA PRISON CAMP TO A DETROIT HOSPITAL IN A WEEKEND. NOW, HERE WITH A CLOSER LOOK AND SOME QUOTES IS ___________________ AND TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: YOU GET AN IDEA THAT IN CONNECTICUT, "THE HARTFORD COURANT" WAS NOT PLEASED WITH THE LAST SESSION OF CONGRESS, ESPECIALLY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, FROM ITS EDITORIAL HEADLINE, WHICH READS: "BONEHEADED [DUMB] AND IRRESPONSIBLE."

VOICE: "A A TIME WHEN THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING TO MARSHAL SUPPORT AT THE UNITED NATIONS AGAINST IRAQ'S SADDAM HUSSEIN, IT IS INCONCEIVABLE THAT CONGRESS WOULD DO ANYTHING TO SABOTAGE THE EFFORT. AT A TIME WHEN THE WHITE HOUSE IS ATTEMPTING TO STAVE OFF AN INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CRISIS, IT IS UNIMAGINABLE THAT CONGRESS WOULD STAND IN THE WAY. BUT THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE DID THE INCONCEIVABLE AND THE UNIMAGINABLE LAST WEEK. IT REJECTED PAYING ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN BACK DUES TO THE UNITED NATIONS AND THREE-POINT-FIVE BILLION TO ALLOW THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND TO BOLSTER THE SICKEST ECONOMIES. NO RATIONAL BEING, REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, WOULD ARGUE THAT THE PAYMENTS WOULD BE UNWISE.... WITH SUCH HELP, WASHINGTON WOULD NOT HAVE TO RUSH IN AND BAIL OUT COUNTRIES, AS IT DID WITH MEXICO A FEW YEARS AGO."

TEXT: "USA TODAY" IS ALSO UPSET.

VOICE: "SO MUCH FOR GLOBALIZATION. CONGRESS WRAPPED UP ITS BUSINESS FOR THE YEAR LAST WEEK BY GIVING THE WHOLE IDEA OF A MORE INTEGRATED WORLD A BIG KICK IN THE TEETH.... ODDLY, BY HANDCUFFING THE ADMINISTRATION AT THE U-N AND I-M-F, THE GOP IS GIVING UNIONS THAT URGED DEMOCRATS TO LIMIT [PRESIDENT] CLINTON'S TRADE AUTHORITY WHAT THEY WANT. IF THE WORLD IS A MORE DANGEROUS PLACE POLITICALLY OR ECONOMICALLY, IT'S HARDER TO DO BUSINESS. THAT MEANS LESS TRADE -- AND LESS PEACE AND PROSPERITY FOR ALL."

TEXT: AND LASTLY, "NEWSDAY," WHICH SAYS CONGRESS HAS LITTLE EXCEPT FOR BALANCING THE BUDGET TO SHOW FOR ITS YEAR'S WORK.

VOICE: "THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE 105TH CONGRESS THUS FAR CAN BE SUMMED UP IN TWO WORDS -- BALANCED BUDGET. THE TRACK RECORD SINCE THAT DEAL WAS STRUCK CAN BE SUMMED UP IN ONE -- BONEHEADED.... IT'S DAMAGING TO THE NATIONAL INTEREST. BUT IT'S TYPICAL OF HOW CONGRESS HAS CONDUCTED ITSELF."

TEXT: TURNING TO INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, AND THE MIDDLE EAST, "THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR" WONDERS:

VOICE: "HOW DID MIDEAST PEACE GET SO FAR OFF TRACK? WHAT CAN BE DONE TO GET BACK TO THE CONSTRUCTIVE PERIOD OF TWO YEARS AGO? FIRST, EXAMINE THE PROBLEM. COMPARE THIS WEEK'S EMPTY ECONOMIC SUMMIT IN QATAR TO THE BUSTLING DEAL-PROPOSING OF PREVIOUS SUMMITS. AT THE EARLIER SESSIONS, ARAB AND ISRAELI BUSINESS LEADERS TALKED HOPEFULLY ABOUT TRADE, JOINT ENTERPRISES, REGION-WIDE DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM, NEW HIGHWAYS AND AIRPORTS. IN CONTRAST, THIS WEEK U-S SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT IS JUST ABOUT THE ONLY HIGH-RANKING OFFICIAL IN SIGH AT DOHA ..... IRONICALLY, IT ISN'T THE MARAUDER TO THE NORTH, SADDAM HUSSEIN, WHO IS INVADING THE GULF PEACE THIS TIME. IT'S THE NEAR COLLAPSE OF THE STRIKING PROGRESS THAT THE RABIN AND PERES GOVERNMENTS OF ISRAEL WERE MAKING WITH THEIR ARAB NEIGHBORS IN 1995 AND EARLY 1996."

TEXT: AS REGARDS THE CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS SADDAM HUSSEIN APPEARS TO BE PRODUCING AND STOCKPILING, DESPITE THE U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS, TODAY'S "WALL STREET JOURNAL" SAYS THAT IS REASON ENOUGH FOR PRESIDENT CLINTON NOT TO HAVE KILLED FUNDS FOR MORE SPACE WEAPONS.

VOICE: "SURELY IRAQ'S MADMAN EXISTS PARTLY TO REMIND US OF THE FOOLISHNESS OF THESE IDEAS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE THREE VETOED SPACE PROGRAMS .... IN VETOING THE THREE SPACE PROGRAMS, THE PRESIDENT LAID DOWN A MARKER. HIS VISION OF NATIONAL SECURITY CALLS FOR UNILATERAL RESTRICTIONS ON THE U-S ABILITY TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST FUTURE ENEMIES USING MISSILES AS WEAPONS."

VOICE: STILL IN THE REGION, REMEMBERING THE GULF WAR, "THE HARTFORD COURANT" SAYS THE PENTAGON HAS DONE SUCH A POOR JOB OF INVESTIGATING THE VARIOUS HEALTH COMPLAINTS OF GULF VETERANS CALLED GULF WAR ILLNESS, IT SHOULD BE RELIEVED OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY."

TEXT: "[OPT] DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN, PLEADING THAT THE PENTAGON NOT BE STRIPPED OF ITS AUTHORITY IN INVESTIGATING GULF WAR ILLNESSES, SAYS THE AGENCY HAS BEEN DOING A MUCH BETTER JOB OVER THE PAST YEAR. BUT ONLY WHEN COMPARED WITH THE MISERABLE JOB THE DEPARTMENT WAS DOING BEFORE. THE PENTAGON HAD TO BE PUSHED EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. [END OPT] ..... SOME OTHER AGENCY SHOULD CONTROL THE RESEARCH ..... THE PENTAGON AND THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS LACK THE TRUST OF CONGRESS AND VETERANS ON THIS SUBJECT."

TEXT: "THE WASHINGTON POST" HAS TURNED UP AN UNLIKELY SIGNATORY TO THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS TREATY -- IRAN -- AND VIEWS THE ACTION WITH CAUTION.

VOICE: "A HINT OF IRAN'S SUPPOSED NEW-FOUND 'MODERATION' HAS COME INTO PUBLIC VIEW WITH ITS RATIFICATION AND DEPOSIT OF THE TREATY BANNING CHEMICAL WEAPONS.... FOR ITS OWN ADVANTAGE, IRAN NEEDS TO ALTER THE POLICIES -- IN TERRORISM, THE MIDDLE EAST AND SPECIAL WEAPONS -- THAT LIMIT ITS TIES WITH MANY NATIONS AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE UNITED STATES. THERE LIES THE INTEREST IN ITS PROFESSED -- BUT NOT YET PROVEN -- READINESS TO OPEN ITSELF UP TO THE DISCLOSURES AND INSPECTIONS OF THE CHEMICAL TREATY."

TEXT: BACK AT HOME, "THE NEW YORK TIMES" TALKS ABOUT THE NATION'S GROWING NEED FOR ENERGY, MAINLY FOREIGN OIL, BUT THE PROBLEMS OF DEALING WITH THE OIL-RICH BUT STILL UNDEMOCRATIC NATIONS OF THE FORMER SOVIET UNION.

VOICE: "THE WORLDWIDE SCRAMBLE TO DEVELOP NEW AND EXISTING ENERGY SOURCES HAS BECOME A DRIVING FORCE IN CONTEMPORARY FOREIGN POLICY. THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION, BUILDING ON AMERICA'S DUAL ROLE AS THE WORLD'S LARGEST PRODUCER AND LARGEST ENERGY CONSUMER, HAS MADE ITSELF A MAIN PLAYER IN THIS NEW WORLD ENERGY GAME, PROMOTING INCREASED PRODUCTION AT HOME AND ABROAD. ITS SENSIBLE GOAL IS TO LESSEN THE COUNTRY'S VULNERABILITY TO PRESSURES FROM ENERGY EXPORTERS AND PROTECT WASHINGTON'S FREEDOM TO MAKE FOREIGN POLICY BASED ON LARGER AMERICAN AND GLOBAL INTERESTS.... WASHINGTON HAS ... BEEN WOOING THE NEWLY INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENTS OF THE CASPIAN BASIN ... AZERBAIJAN, GEORGIA, KAZAKHSTAN AND TURKMENISTAN, ALL OF WHICH SIT ASTRIDE RICH ENERGY DEPOSITS OR VITAL PIPELINE ROUTES.... BUT EXCEPT FOR GEORGIA, CASPIAN AREA GOVERNMENTS HAVE SHOWN SCANT TOLERANCE FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS AND HAVE TRIED TO USE THEIR LEVERAGE WITH WASHINGTON TO DEFLECT AMERICAN PRESSURES ON THESE ISSUES. THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT THE TRADEOFFS IT MAKES TO SMOOTH ACCESS TO OIL."

TEXT: THE RELEASE BY CHINA OF WEI JINGSHENG, THE MAN WHOM SOME CALL THE FATHER OF CHINESE DEMOCRACY, DRAWS THIS COMMENT FROM "THE WASHINGTON TIMES."

VOICE: "THE RELEASE YESTERDAY FROM A FORCED-LABOR CAMP OF CHINESE DISSIDENT WEI JINGSHENG AND HIS ARRIVAL IN DETROIT IS CAUSE FOR GREAT CELEBRATION. AND THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT HE HAS BILL CLINTON TO THANK FOR IT. BUT DELIGHT AT THE RELEASE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE PRESIDENT'S KEY ROLE IN ACCOMPLISHING IT MUST BE TEMPERED BY THE CLEAR-EYED RECOGNITION THAT THIS IS NO WAY SPELLS THE END OF THE COMMUNITY REGIME'S BRUTAL SUPPRESSION OF DISSENT IN CHINA ... THROWING ONE ILL DISSIDENT OUT OF THE COUNTRY DOES NOT A HUMAN RIGHTS REVOLUTION MAKE."

TEXT: FOR ITS PART, "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" IS ALSO CAUTIOUS, ADDING:

VOICE: "IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO MAKE TOO MUCH OF CHINA'S RELEASE OF WEI JINGSHENG, WHO BECAME CHINA'S LEADING DISSENT WITH THE ESSAY 'THE FIFTH MODERNIZATION: DEMOCRACY.' .... THOUSANDS OF OTHER POLITICAL PRISONERS REMAIN IN CHINESE JAILS, BUT [MR.] WEI'S RELEASE AFTER PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN'S U-S VISIT DOES SHOW THAT EVEN THE MOST AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES FEEL A NEED TO SHOW SOME RESPECT FOR THE MORAL OPINION OF THE REST OF MANKIND."

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF EDITORIALS FROM MONDAY'S U-S PRESS.
NEB/ANG/MMK
17-Nov-97 10:55 AM EST (1555 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] NY ECON WRAP (L ONLY) BY JOE CHAPMAN (NEW YORK)

INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN NEW YORK CLOSED UP NEARLY TWO PERCENT TODAY (MONDAY) AFTER A SURGE IN TOKYO STOCK PRICES AND A REPORT THAT AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT CONTINUES TO GROW. VOA'S JOE CHAPMAN REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: THE WIDELY-FOLLOWED DOW-JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED UP 126 POINTS AT 76-HUNDRED-48, WHILE THE MORE REPRESENTATIVE S-AND-P 500 CLOSED UP 18 POINTS AT 946.

ANALYSTS IN NEW YORK SAY INVESTORS REACTED TO A RECOVERY ON MOST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS, ESPECIALLY TOKYO, AND TO A REPORT THAT U-S INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT INCREASED FOR THE 15TH MONTH IN A ROW. WALL STREET ANALYST MICKEY LEVY SAYS ALL THE ECONOMIC SIGNS POINT TO A CONTINUED BOOM IN THE U-S ECONOMY.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE BROAD ARRAY OF ECONOMIC STATISTICS THAT DESCRIBE THE ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE, I SEE NO CAUTION SIGNS AT ALL. AS LONG AS THE FINANCIAL MARKETS INTERNATIONALLY ABSORB THE SHOCKS, AS THEY SEEM TO BE DOING, IT LOOKS LIKE FULL SPEED AHEAD TOWARD HEALTHY ECONOMIC EXPANSION AND LOW INFLATION.

THE U-S CENTRAL BANK SAYS INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION LAST MONTH WENT UP ONE-HALF OF ONE PERCENT, THE FOURTH MONTH IN A ROW FOR AN INCREASE OF THAT SIZE OR LARGER.

AMERICAN INVESTORS ALSO REACTED POSITIVELY TO INDICATIONS THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT WILL ASSIST TROUBLED BANKS IN THAT COUNTRY. ANALYSTS SAY HIGH TECHNOLOGY STOCK PRICES ROSE SHARPLY IN NEW YORK ON A BELIEF THAT HIGH TECH FIRMS ARE NOW LESS VULNERABLE TO ASIAN ECONOMIC PROBLEMS.

SOME WALL STREET ECONOMISTS ARE CONCERNED THAT ASIA'S ECONOMIC PROBLEMS COULD CONTRIBUTE TO DEFLATION, BUT ANALYST MICKEY LEVY SAYS IT'S UNLIKELY.

ONLY ABOUT 14 PERCENT OF OUR ECONOMY IS IMPORTS AND YOU ALREADY HAVE IMPORT PRICES DECLINING. DEFLATION IS NOT IN THE CARDS. IT COULD TAKE OFF A COUPLE OF TENTHS (OF ONE PERCENT) FROM INFLATION. YOU WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THE LOW INFLATION ENVIRONMENT.

MANY ANALYSTS BELIEVE THAT WHILE THERE MAY BE SETBACKS, WALL STREET STOCK PRICES SHOULD GENERALLY MOVE UPWARDS IN THE FINAL WEEKS OF 1997 -- A TIME OF YEAR WHEN STOCK PRICES USUALLY GO UP. (SIGNED)
NY/NEB/JMC/WFR
17-Nov-97 4:45 PM EST (2145 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] YUGO WAR CRIMES (L-ONLY) BY GILLIAN SHARPE (THE HAGUE)

INTRO: FIVE NEW JUDGES HAVE BEEN SWORN-IN AT THE YUGOSLAV WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL AT THE HAGUE, MARKING THE END OF ITS FIRST FOUR-YEAR TERM. ESTABLISHED BY THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL IN 1993, THE TRIBUNAL BEGAN WITH NO INFRASTRUCTURE OR RULES, BUT SINCE THEN HAS ISSUED MORE THAN 70 WAR CRIMES INDICTMENTS. FROM THE HAGUE, GILLIAN SHARPE REPORTS.

TEXT: BEFORE AN AUDIENCE OF DIPLOMATS AND GOVERNMENT MINISTERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, THE FIVE NEW JUDGES PROMISED TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES WITH HONOR AND IMPARTIALITY.

THEIR SWEARING IN IS A COMING OF AGE FOR THE TRIBUNAL, CONFIRMING IT WILL SURVIVE FOR -- AT LEAST -- THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. OUTGOING TRIBUNAL PRESIDENT ANTONIO CASSESE CALLED ESTABLISHING THE COURT A WATERSHED EVENT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.

OUR TRIBUNAL HERALDS THE END OF THE IMMORAL PRACTICE WHEREBY PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR HORRIFIC CRIMES ARE ALLOWED TO GO UNPUNISHED. THE END OF THE IMMORAL PRACTICE OF INDISCRIMINATELY FORGIVING THE AUTHORS OF UNSPEAKABLE CRIMES, THE END OF THE IMMORAL PRACTICE OF LETTING THE SUFFERINGS OF THE VICTIMS FALL INTO OBLIVION.

FOUR-YEARS AGO, THE TRIBUNAL WAS AN INSTITUTION WITH A MISSION -- BUT NO CLEAR WAY TO ACCOMPLISH IT. THERE WERE NO RULES, NO COURTROOMS, IT HAD ISSUED NO CHARGES AND HAD NO-ONE TO STAND IN THE DOCK. ALL THAT HAS CHANGED. IT NOW HAS DETAILED RULES OF EVIDENCE, IT HAS ISSUED 77 PUBLIC INDICTMENTS AND HAS 20 PEOPLE IN CUSTODY, ALTHOUGH THE MAJOR FIGURES INDICTED FOR WAR CRIMES REMAIN FREE.

U-S AMBASSADOR AT LARGE FOR WAR CRIMES ISSUES, DAVID SCHEFFER SAYS SUPPORT FOR THE WORK OF THE TRIBUNAL IS INCREASING.

PARTICULARLY AS MORE INDICTEES COME INTO CUSTODY, AS THE BUDGET PROCESS BECOMES MORE REGULARIZED AT THE UNITED NATIONS, AS THERE IS MORE CONFIDENCE IN THE WORK OF THE TRIBUNAL, AS MORE JUDGMENTS ARE HANDED DOWN, SO THIS EVOLUTION IN THE WORK OF THE TRIBUNAL IS BEGINNING TO PAY OFF. THIS TRIBUNAL IS VERY MUCH ON TRACK.

FUNDING IS LIKELY TO BE THE NEXT MAJOR ISSUE. THE TRIBUNAL'S NEW BUDGET IS BEING DISCUSSED AT THE MOMENT, AND IT URGENTLY NEEDS ADDITIONAL MONEY IF IT'S TO FULFILL ITS MISSION DURING THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. (SIGNED)
NEB/GS/PCF/RAE
17-Nov-97 8:37 AM EST (1337 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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