Voice of America, 97-12-20

Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] GREECE / PLANE CRASH (L-ONLY) BY ANTHEE CARASSAVA (ATHENS)

[02] CASPIAN OIL: AZERBAIJAN BY HASAN JAVADI (WASHINGTON)

[03] "MAN OF THE YEAR" / ANDREW GROVE (L) BY LARRY FREUND (NEW YORK)

[01] GREECE / PLANE CRASH (L-ONLY) BY ANTHEE CARASSAVA (ATHENS)

INTRO: GREEK SEARCH CREWS ARE SLOWLY RECOVERING WHAT'S LEFT OF A UKRAINIAN PASSENGER PLANE THAT DISAPPEARED OVER NORTHERN GREECE WEDNESDAY. CREWS FOUND THE WRECKAGE TODAY (SATURDAY) -- BUT NONE OF THE PLANE'S 70 PASSENGERS AND CREWMEMBERS SURVIVED THE CRASH. ANTHEE CARASSAVA REPORTS FROM ATHENS.

TEXT: EYEWITNESSES CALLED IT A HARROWING SIGHT. NOT ONE PART OF THE UKRAINIAN PLANE WAS FOUND INTACT.

RESCUE CREWS FOUND DEBRIS OF THE PLANE SCATTERED OVER THE SLOPES OF A SOARING MOUNTAIN NEAR MOUNT OLYMPUS -- THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN RANGE IN GREECE.

THE DISCOVERY CAME THREE DAYS AFTER THE UKRAINIAN JET LOST CONTACT WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS WHILE MAKING A SECOND LANDING ATTEMPT AT SALONIKA'S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE PLANE HAD LEFT ODESSA, UKRAINE, FOR SALONIKA.

CREWS ARE PRESENTLY TRYING TO RECOVER WHAT'S LEFT OF THE PLANE, WHICH WAS FOUND ABOUT 70 KILOMETERS SOUTHWEST OF SALONIKA. NONE OF THE PASSENGERS OR CREW SURVIVED THE POWERFUL CRASH.

THE DISCOVERY CAME LESS THAN AN HOUR AFTER ANOTHER CRASH STUNNED GREECE.

A MILITARY TRANSPORT PLANE PARTICIPATING IN THE SEARCH CRASHED INTO A MOUNTAIN NEAR ATHENS, KILLING ALL FIVE CREWMEMBERS ABOARD. THE HERCULES C-130 HAD LEFT AN AIR FORCE BASE TO PICK UP MILITARY PERSONNEL AND TRANSPORT THEM TO NORTHERN GREECE TO ASSIST IN SEARCH EFFORTS.

THE CAUSES OF BOTH CRASHES ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION.

CIVIL AVIATION OFFICIALS, HOWEVER, BLAME THE UKRAINIAN PILOT FOR THAT PLANE'S TRAGIC COURSE. THEY SAY HE LOST HIS ORIENTATION AND HAD TROUBLE COMMUNICATING IN ENGLISH WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS.

SEARCH CREWS HAVE YET TO FIND THE PLANE'S BLACK BOX.

BOTH CRASHES ARE CONSIDERED AMONG THE WORST AIR DISASTERS TO HIT GREECE. (SIGNED) NEB/AC-FAXED/RRM
20-Dec-97 1:40 PM EST (1840 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[02] CASPIAN OIL: AZERBAIJAN BY HASAN JAVADI (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE CASPIAN SEA, WITH ITS VAST OIL AND NATURAL GAS RESOURCES, HAS BECOME AN AREA OF GREAT INTEREST TO COUNTRIES AND OIL COMPANIES. IN THIS REPORT, VOA'S HASAN JAVADI SURVEYS THE OIL DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE THIS YEAR IN AZERBAIJAN, ONE OF COUNTRIES THAT BORDERS THE CASPIAN. .

TEXT: 1997 HAS BEEN (WAS) A PROMISING YEAR FOR THE OIL INDUSTRY IN AZERBAIJAN. SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE IN TWO AREAS, THE PRODUCTION OF OIL AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF PIPELINES THAT CARRY THE OIL.

ON NOVEMBER 12, THE BIGGEST AND THE LONGEST-ESTABLISHED OIL CONSORTIUM IN THE COUNTRY, THE AZERBAIJANI INTERNATIONAL OPERATING COMPANY, THE A-I-O-C, PRODUCED ITS FIRST OFFSHORE OIL. THE OIL WAS TRANSPORTED FROM THE CASPIAN TO THE BLACK SEA VIA A PIPELINE THAT PASSES THROUGH CHECHNYA TO THE RUSSIAN CITY OF NOVOROSSIYSK ON THE BLACK SEA.

AZERBAIJAN'S PRESIDENT, HEYDAR ALIYEV, SPOKE AT A (NOVEMBER 12) CEREMONY MARKING THE PRODUCTION OF THE FIRST OIL. THE PRESIDENT SAID THE OIL WOULD HELP THE COUNTRY DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY

AZERI OIL HAS SERVED HUMANITY IN MANY WAYS. TODAY AZERI OIL IS GREATLY HELPING AZERBAIJAN'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND IN ESTABLISHING ECONOMIC TIES WITH MANY COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD.

MR. ALIEV CALLED IT A HISTORIC DAY FOR HIS COUNTRY AND THE START OF A NEW ERA FOR THE REGION.

NINETEEN OIL COMPANIES ARE NOW OPERATING IN AZERBAIJAN. DURING A TEN-DAY STATE VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES IN AUGUST, PRESIDENT ALIEV SIGNED THREE CONTRACTS WORTH A TOTAL OF 10 BILLION DOLLARS WITH FOUR MAJOR U-S OIL COMPANIES -- EXXON, MOBIL, AMOCO AND CHEVRON.

WHILE OIL PRODUCTION IS RELATIVELY LOW NOW, ONLY AROUND FIVE MILLION BARRELS A YEAR, WHEN A MAIN OIL PIPELINE IS EVENTUALLY CONSTRUCTED, PRODUCTION IS EXPECTED TO CLIMB TO AROUND 100 MILLION BARRELS A YEAR. ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS, HOWEVER, IS WHAT THE ROUTE OF THE MAIN PIPELINE WILL BE.

TENSIONS BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHECHNYA MAKE IT UNLIKELY THE PIPELINE WILL GO THROUGH CHECHNYA. IN FACT, IT IS FEARED THAT THE THE TRANSPORTATION OF EARLY OIL WILL STOP ON DECEMBER 31, BECAUSE RUSSIA HAS SO FAR FAILED TO NEGOTIATE A NEW CONTRACT WITH THE CHECHENS FOR TRANSPORTING THE OIL IN 1998. ALMOST 160 KILOMETERS OF THE PIPELINE IS ON CHECHEN TERRITORY.

ONE POSSIBLE PIPELINE ROUTE, ONE THAT WOULD BYPASS CHECHNYA, IS FROM AZERBAIJAN THROUGH GEORGIA TO THE BLACK SEA, BUT THIS ROUTE WILL NOT BE READY UNTIL LATE 1998. RUSSIA HAS ALSO PROPOSED BUILDING A PIPELINE THAT WILL BYPASS CHECHNYA.

JULIA NANAY, DIRECTOR OF A WASHINGTON-BASED OIL CONSULTING FIRM (PETROLEUM FINANCE COMPANY ON OIL PIPELINES), IS PESSIMISTIC ABOUT THE PIPELINE ROUTE THROUGH CHECHNYA. SHE SAYS ONE POSSIBLE SCENARIO IS THAT THE AZERI OIL WILL BE EXCHANGED WITH OIL PRODUCED BY LUKOIL, A RUSSIAN OIL FIRM:

THERE ARE SOME VIEWS SAYING THAT THE OIL WILL CONTINUE FLOWING DESPITE THE LACK OF AN AGREEMENT (BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHECHNYA). I BELIEVE THAT IS A VERY OPTIMISTIC VIEW.... THERE HAS BEEN SOME TALK OF SWAPPING IT OUT WITH ONE OF LUKOIL REFINERIES IN RUSSIA -- SENDING THE OIL THERE BY BARGE OR TANKER AND THEN TAKING OIL FROM NOVOROSSIYSK. THE OTHER VIEW IS THAT YOU CAN SHUT IN THE OIL OR SWAP IT THROUGH IRAN. NOW FOR COMPANIES THAT ARE IN AZERBAIJAN THAT ARE NON-U-S COMPANIES, THEY WOULD HAVE LITTLE TROUBLE TRYING TO DO THAT. BUT FOR THE U-S COMPANIES, THEY HAVE TO APPLY FOR A LICENSE THROUGH TREASURY.

THE PROSPECT OF STOPPAGE IN THE CHECHEN PIPELINE HAS MADE THE IDEA OF AN OIL SWAP WITH IRAN A POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE. U-S COMPANIES, IF THEY OBTAIN AN EXEMPTION IN THE EMBARGO IMPOSED BY THE U-S GOVERNMENT ON TRADE WITH IRAN, COULD PARTICIPATE IN SUCH AN EXCHANGE BUT SO FAR NO MOVEMENT HAS BEEN MADE IN THIS DIRECTION. WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF A U-S DIALOGUE WITH IRAN ON THE HORIZON, MORE EXPERTS FAVOR THE IDEA OF SWAPPING OIL OR EVEN A PIPELINE THROUGH IRAN.

BECAUSE OF THE MANY TENSIONS IN THE REGION, JULIA NANAY SAYS THAT, INSTEAD OF CONCENTRATING ON BUILDING ONE PIPELINE, SEVERAL PIPELINES SHOULD BE BUILT, INCLUDING A ROUTE THROUGH IRAN:

I THINK THERE SHOULD BE MULTIPLE PIPELINES FROM THIS REGION. THERE IS NO QUESTION. BUT IF YOU THINK OF SHORTER TERM AND MEDIUM TERM OPTION. THE MOST LOGICAL ECONOMIC ROUTE , AND PERHAPS EVEN THE FIRST ROUTE OUT, COULD BE IRAN. THESE COUNTRIES NEED A WAY OUT AND THEY NEED IT FAST. THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO AFFORD ANOTHER FIVE YEARS UNTIL A PIPELINE CAN GET OFF THE GROUND AND THEREFORE THEY MAY USE THE MOST IMMEDIATE OPTION, WHICH IS THE REFINERIES OF THE NORTH IRAN, SWAP OUT AND GET THE OIL OUT OF KHARKH ISLAND.

THE U-S GOVERNMENT FAVORS THE MULTIPLE PIPELINES OPTION, WHICH WOULD ALLOW OIL AND GAS TO FLOW IN SEVERAL DIRECTIONS AND WOULD ALSO PREVENT IRAN, RUSSIA OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY FROM HAVING A MONOPOLY.

RECENTLY IN A CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, SENATOR SAM BROWNBACK, A MEMBER OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR HAVING AT LEAST ONE OF THE PIPELINES GOING THROUGH RUSSIA:

IF IT IS A SET OF MULTIPLE SET OF PIPELINES MOVING THE NATURAL RESOURCES OUT OF THE REGION, I THINK THERE IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR COOPERATION, BACK AND FORTH, WITH MAJOR RUSSIAN OIL AND GAS FIRMS, IF THE COUNTRIES IN THE REGION INVITE THEM IN. I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD ERA OF COOPERATION. I THINK IT DOES NEED TO BE MULTIPLE ROUTES, BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU COULD GET INTO ONE SPHERE OF DOMINANCE OR ANOTHER.

SOMETIME IN 1998, AFTER ASSESSING ALL THE ECONOMIC AND GEOPOLITICAL ISSUES INVOLVED, A FINAL DECISION WILL BE MADE ON THE ROUTE OF THE MAIN PIPELINE. (SIGNED)
NEB/HJ/KL
20-Dec-97 8:25 AM EST (1325 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[03] "MAN OF THE YEAR" / ANDREW GROVE (L) BY LARRY FREUND (NEW YORK)

INTRO: "TIME" MAGAZINE TODAY (SATURDAY) NAMED THE HEAD OF THE INTEL COMPUTER MICROCHIP COMPANY, ANDREW GROVE, AS ITS MAN OF THE YEAR FOR 1997. "TIME" SAYS MR. GROVE IS THE PERSON MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POWER AND INNOVATIVE POTENTIAL OF MICROCHIPS, WHICH HAVE PROPELLED THE GROWTH OF A NEW ECONOMY. CORRESPONDENT LARRY FREUND REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: "TIME" SAYS ANDREW GROVE CAME TO THE UNITED STATES AS A PENNILESS REFUGEE AND WENT ON, AS CO-FOUNDER OF THE INTEL CORPORATION, TO CREATE WHAT IT CALLS THE SILICON VALLEY (CALIFORNIA) POWERHOUSE WHOSE MICROPROCESSORS RUN 90 PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S PERSONAL COMPUTERS. JOSHUA COOPER RAMA (RAY-MO) IS A SENIOR EDITOR OF "TIME" MAGAZINE.

WHAT ANDY GROVE HAS DONE IS FOCUS ON WHAT IT TAKES TO LEAD A COMPANY INTO THAT POSITION. HE VERY MUCH HAS A SURVIVOR'S INSTINCTS. HE'S A GUY WHO AT AGE FOUR WAS STRICKEN WITH SCARLET FEVER AND ALMOST DIED, WHO AT AGE EIGHT HAD TO SURVIVE THE NAZIS IN BUDAPEST AND HIDE UNDER A FALSE NAME, WHO AT AGE 20 HAD TO RUN FROM HUNGARY TO THE UNITED STATES AND, ONCE ARRIVED IN THE UNITED STATES, MANAGED TO FIGHT HIS WAY TO THE TOP OF THE CLASS AT C-C-N-Y (CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK) AND BECOME A STAR STUDENT AT U-C (UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT) BERKELEY. HE IS A MAN WHO HAS AN INSTINCT FOR SURVIVAL, AN INSTINCT FOR TAKING DIFFICULT SITUATIONS AND MAKING THE MOST OUT OF THEM.

TIME MAGAZINE COMPARES THE MICROCHIP TO THE STEAM ENGINE AND ELECTRICITY: AN ADVANCE THAT PROPELS A NEW ECONOMY. THAT ECONOMY, SAYS TIME, IS GLOBAL ... BASED ON INFORMATION ... AND REWARDS OPENNESS. THE HIGH-TECH INDUSTRY, SAYS TIME, ACCOUNTED FOR LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OF U-S ECONOMIC GROWTH IN 1990 -- BUT ACCOUNTS FOR 30 PERCENT TODAY.

TIME EDITOR JOSHUA COOPER RAMO SAYS ANDREW GROVE, 61 YEARS OLD, ENVISIONS A PLANET OF A BILLION INTER-CONNECTED DEVICES FROM COMPUTERS TO CELLULAR TELEPHONES, ALL RUN BY MICRO-PROCESSORS. HE REALLY SEES US, ADDS MR. RAMO, AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF AN AGE IN WHICH WE ARE GOING TO SEE TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGES IN OUR ECONOMY AND THE WAY IN WHICH WE LIVE.

THIS IS THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF TIME MAGAZINE'S "MAN OF THE YEAR" SELECTION. THE WEEKLY BEGAN THE TRADITION IN 1927 WHEN IT PUT THE PIONEERING AVIATOR CHARLES LINDBERGH ON ITS COVER. (SIGNED)
NEB/NY/LSF/RRM
20-Dec-97 2:07 PM EST (1907 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article