Voice of America, 98-01-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] BOSNIA - MONEY (L ONLY) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)

[02] E-U / SATELLITE (L-ONLY) BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)

[03] EURO STOCKS (S-ONLY) BY JACK HUIZENGA (LONDON)

[04] IRAQ / KURDS BY AMBERIN ZAMAN (ERBIL, NORTHERN IRAQ)

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

[06] WEDNESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY GARY EDQUIST (WASHINGTON)

[01] BOSNIA - MONEY (L ONLY) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)

INTRO: THE WESTERN POWERS' TOP REPRESENTATIVE IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA HAS ENDED A FACTIONAL STALEMATE OVER DESIGN OF A COMMON CURRENCY. HE'S DONE THAT BY DECIDING ON THE DESIGN HIMSELF. AS WE HEAR FROM V-O-A CENTRAL EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES, THE NEW CONVERTIBLE "MARKA" BANKNOTES SHOULD BE ON THE STREETS IN A FEW MONTHS.

TEXT: HIGH REPRESENTATIVE CARLOS WESTENDORP IS DECIDING ON THE DESIGN FOR THE NEW MONEY ON HIS OWN, AFTER MUSLIM, SERB AND CROAT MEMBERS OF THE BOSNIAN PRESIDENCY FAILED TO AGREE. THE PROPOSALS INCLUDED NATIONALIST SYMBOLS WHICH WERE UNACCEPTABLE TO THE OTHER FACTIONS.

THE NEW CURRENCY WILL HAVE WORDING IN BOTH THE CYRILLIC ALPHABET USED BY BOSNIAN SERBS AND THE LATIN ALPHABET USED BY MUSLIMS AND CROATS. A SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE OFFICE OF THE HIGH REPRESENTATIVE, AISLING BYRNE (PRON. ASH'-LING BURN), SAYS THE NEW DESIGNS INCLUDE MANY OF THE SUGGESTIONS MADE BY THE THREE FACTIONS ... WITHIN LIMITS.

WE'VE SHUNNED ANY ULTRANATIONALIST SYMBOLS, ANY DESIGN OR GRAPHICS WHICH RELATE TO EVENTS WHICH WOULD BE CONTROVERSIAL OR DIVISIVE. NEVERTHELESS, WE'VE ENDED UP WITH A DESIGN PROPOSAL WHICH DOES TAKE ON A NUMBER OF THEIR SUGGESTIONS AND WHICH TRIES TO BALANCE THEM ACROSS THE ETHNIC GROUPS, SO THAT THERE ISN'T A SYMBOL REPRESENTING ONE PEOPLE WHICH IS NOT MATCHED BY A SYMBOL REPRESENTING ANOTHER GROUP.

FOUR CURRENCIES NOW CIRCULATE IN BOSNIA. BOSNIAN SERBS USE THE YUGOSLAV "DINAR." CROATS USE THE CROATIAN "KUNA." MUSLIMS USE AN INTERIM BOSNIAN DINAR. AND EVERYONE USES THE GERMAN "MARK." THE BOSNIAN DINAR WILL BE PHASED-OUT AS THE MARKA IS INTRODUCED. BOSNIAN AUTHORITIES CAN ONLY HOPE THAT THE NEW MARKA WILL DRIVE THE OTHER CURRENCIES OUT OF CIRCULATION. AS VALID NATIONAL CURRENCIES IN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES, NEITHER BOSNIAN AUTHORITIES NOR THE HIGH REPRESENTATIVE CAN DE-MONETIZE THEM.

NO, WE'RE SEEING THE OPPOSITE ACTUALLY. WE'RE CONSCIOUS THAT THERE IS VERY MUCH A DESIRE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A MONEY, A CURRENCY WHICH THEY CAN BELIEVE IN, WHICH THEY KNOW WILL NOT BE WITHDRAWN, WILL NOT DISAPPEAR, WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO HYPER-INFLATION, WILL BE SOMETHING WHICH THEY CAN EXCHANGE WHEN THEY GO INTO A BANK, WHEN THEY TRAVEL. SO WE'RE VERY CONFIDENT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY POSITIVE STEP FORWARD.

THE CONVERTIBLE MARKA IS PEGGED ONE-TO-ONE TO THE GERMAN MARK.

[02] E-U / SATELLITE (L-ONLY) BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS HAVE BEEN URGED BY A TOP OFFICIAL TO CATCH UP WITH A TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION WHICH WILL PRODUCE SUCH THINGS AS ELECTRONIC GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND, AND IN-CAR COMPUTERS TO NAVIGATE AROUND TRAFFIC JAMS. JOHN FRASER REPORTS FROM E-U HEADQUARTERS IN BRUSSELS.

TEXT: CENTURIES AGO, MAN LOOKED TO THE HEAVENS, AND NAVIGATED BY THE STARS. NOW, SATELLITES ORBITING THE EARTH CAN CONTROL NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEMS WITH A PRECISION THAT THE EARLY ADVENTURERS COULD ONLY DREAM OF.

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION HAS CALLED ON E-U GOVERNMENTS TO WAKE-UP TO THIS NEW TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

E-U TRANSPORT COMMISSIONER NEIL KINNOCK WARNS THAT EUROPE COULD LOSE JOBS AND TRADE IF IT DOES NOT WIN A SHARE OF THE EMERGING MARKET FOR GLOBAL SATELLITE NAVIGATION SYSTEMS.

MR KINNOCK SAYS ALL THIS IS NOT SCIENCE FICTION BUT REALITY.

BY THE YEAR 2005, THE BUSINESS WILL BE WORTH 50-BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.

E-U OFFICIALS PREDICT THAT COMPUTER NAVIGATION DEVICES WILL BECOME AS COMMON BY THEN AS PORTABLE TELEPHONES ARE TODAY.

AS THE PURCHASE PRICE OF NAVIGATION RECEIVERS CONTINUES TO DROP, THE EQUIPMENT IS USE IN CARS IS EXPECTED TO BECOME AS COMMON AS STEREO EQUIPMENT.

MR. KINNOCK HAS URGED E-U GOVERNMENTS TO DECIDE WITHIN A YEAR ON WHETHER THEY SHOULD FIND GLOBAL PARTNERS TO DEVELOP THESE IMPORTANT NEW SATELLITE NAVIGATION SYSTEMS, OR WHETHER TO GO IT ALONE.

ONE WAY FORWARD WOULD BE BY USING AMERICA'S MILITARY SATELLITE NAVIGATION SYSTEM AS A BASIS FOR AN ADVANCED CIVILIAN SYSTEM.

BUT MR. KINNOCK SAYS THAT IF THIS IS NOT AVAILABLE AS AN OPTION, EUROPE MAY INSTEAD GO INTO PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RUSSIANS, WHO ALSO HAVE SUCH A MILITARY SYSTEM. THE E-U WOULD PROVIDE INVESTMENT TO BALANCE THE RUSSIANS' KNOW HOW.

IF IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO COOPERATE WITH EITHER THE UNITED STATES OR RUSSIA, THE E-U WILL BE FORCED TO DEVELOP ITS OWN SATELLITE NAVIGATION SYSTEM, IF IT WISHES TO EARN A SHARE OF THE EXPANDING GLOBAL MARKET FOR THIS NEW SPACE AGE TECHNOLOGY. (SIGNED)
NEB/JF/PCF
21-Jan-98 10:20 AM EST (1520 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] EURO STOCKS (S-ONLY) BY JACK HUIZENGA (LONDON)

INTRO: STOCK PRICES CLOSED DOWN IN TRADING WEDNESDAY ON EUROPEAN MARKETS. V-O-A'S JACK HUIZENGA HAS THE CLOSING MARKET REPORT FROM LONDON.

TEXT: STOCKS MOVED DOWN IN ALL THREE MAJOR EUROPEAN MARKETS AMID CONTINUING CONCERNS ABOUT THE FINANCIAL CRISIS IN ASIA.

THE BIGGEST DROP WAS IN FRANKFURT. THE DAX-30 INDEX FELL MORE THAN 25 POINTS, ALMOST SIX-TENTHS PERCENT OF THE MARKET'S TOTAL VALUE. THE FRANKFURT INDEX WAS OFF MORE THAN ONE PERCENT IN LATER COMPUTERIZED TRADING. IN PARIS, THE CAC-40 INDEX WAS DOWN MORE THAN 10 POINTS, THREE-TENTHS PERCENT.

AND IN LONDON, THE FOOTSIE-100 INDEX WAS OFF SLIGHTLY -- ABOUT SIX POINTS, ONE-TENTH PERCENT.

ON THE LONDON CURRENCY EXCHANGE, THE VALUE OF THE U-S DOLLAR FELL AGAINST THE GERMAN MARK AND THE JAPANESE YEN, BUT WAS UNCHANGED AGAINST THE BRITISH POUND.
NEB/JWH/RRM
21-Jan-98 1:48 PM EST (1848 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] IRAQ / KURDS BY AMBERIN ZAMAN (ERBIL, NORTHERN IRAQ)

INTRO: ONE OF THE MAIN KURDISH FACTIONS IN NORTHERN IRAQ, THE KURDISTAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY (K-D-P), SAYS IT WANTS TO END NEARLY FOUR YEARS OF WAR WITH A RIVAL GROUP, THE PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN (P-U-K). BUT AMBERIN ZAMAN REPORTS FROM NORTHERN IRAQ THAT THE K-D-P'S LEADER (MASSOUD BARZANI) ALSO IS DEMANDING THAT THE RIVAL P-U-K JOIN FORCES WITH HIS GROUP IN FIGHTING ANOTHER KURDISH FACTION, THE KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, P-K-K.

TEXT: THE P-K-K IS A TURKISH KURD GROUP THAT HAS BEEN WAGING A 14-YEAR-LONG ARMED CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT FOR SELF-RULE IN TURKEY'S MAINLY KURDISH SOUTHEAST REGION. IN RECENT YEARS, THE GROUP HAS SHIFTED ITS BASES TO KURDISH-CONTROLLED NORTHERN IRAQ. THE ENCLAVE HAS BEEN UNDER WESTERN MILITARY PROTECTION SINCE THE END OF THE GULF WAR AFTER THE IRAQI KURDS' FAILED REBELLION AGAINST SADDAM HUSSEIN.

THE RESULTING POWER VACUUM IN NORTHERN IRAQ HAS ENABLED THE P-K-K TO FREELY USE THE REGION TO STAGE CROSS BORDER ATTACKS AGAINST TURKISH SECURITY TARGETS. TURKEY HAS RESPONDED IN THE PAST FEW YEARS WITH MASSIVE OFFENSIVES AGAINST THE P-K-K IN NORTHERN IRAQI TERRITORY. BACKED BY TANKS AND FIGHTER JETS, THE TURKISH ARMY HAS SOUGHT TO DRIVE THE P-K-K OUT OF THE ENCLAVE. TODAY, NORTHERN IRAQ IS THE MAIN BATTLEGROUND IN THE ONGOING WAR BETWEEN THE TURKISH ARMY AND THE TURKISH KURD REBELS.

THE P-P-K IS THE ONLY KURDISH GROUP TO HAVE OPENLY ADVOCATED INDEPENDENCE FOR THE 30-MILLION KURDS SCATTERED ACROSS TURKEY, IRAQ, IRAN, AND SYRIA. IT EMERGED AS ONE OF THE LEADING KURDISH NATIONALIST MOVEMENTS IN THE EARLY 1990'S. BUT ITS VIOLENT METHODS -- WHICH INCLUDE MURDERING THE FAMILIES OF KURDS ALLIED WITH THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT -- HAS LED TO A SHARP DECREASE IN ITS POPULARITY AMONG TURKISH KURDS. AND SEVERAL WESTERN GOVERNMENTS INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES CALL THE P-K-K A TERRORIST GORUP.

AS THE NUMBER OF KURDS VOLUNTEERING FOR THE MOVEMENT HAS BEGUN TO DROP, THE P-K-K HAS RESORTED TO KIDNAPPING KURDISH YOUTHS, FORCING THEM TO TAKE UP ARMS AGAINST THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT.

SADREDDIN IS A KURDISH SHEPHERD BOY FROM TURKEY'S SOUTHEASTERN PROVINCE OF HAKKARI.

HE SAYS HE WAS KIDNAPPED BY THE P-K-K SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND BROUGHT TO NORTHERN IRAQ FOR TRAINING IN ONE OF ITS CAMPS. HE DESCRIBES THE P-K-K AS A FASCIST DICTATORIAL GROUP AND SAID HE RAN AWAY BECAUSE HE DID NOT BELIEVE IN ITS CAUSE. TODAY, IRAQI KURDISH OFFICIALS SAY, THE P-K-K IS USING THE SAME TACTICS AGAINST IRAQI KURDISH CIVILIANS WHO ARE ALLIED WITH THE K-D-P. K-D-P OFFICIALS SAY THE TURKISH KURD GROUP IS TRYING TO ESTABLISH ITSELF AS THE MAIN POWER IN NORTHERN IRAQ. AND, WHEN THE K-D-P JOINED THE TURKISH ARMY IN A RECENT OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE TURKISH KURDS, THE P-K-K ATTACKED BOTH K-D-P FIGHTERS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS.

FAZIL MIRANI IS THE INTERIOR MINISTER OF THE K-D-P-LED KURDISH ADMINISTRATION IN NORTHERN IRAQ. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH V-O-A, HE DESCRIBED RECENT ATTACKS BY THE P-K-K AGAINST IRAQI KURDISH CIVILIANS.

THE P-K-K IS PROVING WHAT WE HAVE ANNOUNCED THREE DAYS AGO. BESIDES ALL THESE TERRORIST ACTIONS, THEY HAVE CARRIED OUT IN NORTHERN IRAQ BOMBARDING SHELLING VILLAGES OF THE KURDISTAN OF IRAQ, KIDNAPPING PEOPLE, KILLING THE CIVILIANS, AND BURNING THE FARMS, DESTROYING THE BRIDGES WITH THE P-U-K. THREE DAYS AGO THEY KILLED SIX OF OUR BROTHER CHRISTIAN PEOPLE BETWEEN MANGESH AND DOHUK.

BOTH TURKEY AND THE K-D-P ACCUSE THE P-U-K OF JOINING FORCES WITH THE TURKISH KURD GROUP TO GAIN CONTROL OVER NORTHERN IRAQ. LATE LAST YEAR, TURKISH MILITARY PLANES RESPONDED TO THE ALLEGED ALLIANCE BY BOMBING P-U-K POSITIONS AS WELL KILLING SCORES OF P-U-K FIGHTERS IN THE PROCESS.

MANY KURDISH POLITICIANS ACKNOWLEDGE THE ONGOING INTERNAL CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO IRAQI KURD GROUPS HAD HELPED THE TURKISH GROUP BOOST ITS POPULARITY AMONG IRAQI KURDS. THIS WAS BECAUSE THE TURKISH GROUP WAS WIDELY VIEWED TO BE ABOVE PETTY TRIBAL POLITICS BUT WAS INSTEAD PURSUING THE KURDISH NATIONALIST CAUSE. HOWEVER, ITS DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN THE CONFLICT AND ITS CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAQI KURDISH CIVILIANS HAS BROUGHT AND END TO SUCH THINKING.

THE LEADER OF THE ASSYRIAN CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT, YONADIM HANNA, IS AMONG THOSE CRITICIZING THE P-K-K.

THEY (THE P-K-K) START GETTING BENEFIT FROM THE P-U-K - K-D-P CONFLICT AFTER '95, AND THEY WERE GROWING MORE AND MORE. BUT AFTER LAST FIVE-SIX MONTHS WHEN THEY START ATTACKING SOMETIMES SOME VILLAGE FOR FOOD OR GETTING FOOD FROM SOME VILLAGE BY FORCE, SO FOR SURE MANY TIMES THEY ATTACK CARS ON THE ROADS THINKING THAT THESE CARS ARE CARRYING SOME PERSONS FROM THE K-D-P. SO, THEY KILLED MANY TIMES SOME CIVILIANS, SO THEY LOST TOO MUCH OF THEIR POPULARITY.

SHAZAD SAIB IS THE P-U-K'S REPRESENTATIVE IN ANKARA. HE DENIES THAT HIS GROUP IS HELPING THE P-K-K.

TURKEY ACCUSES A LOT OF BODIES, A LOT OF COUNTRIES THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTING P-K-K. WE THINK THAT P-K-K IS NOT A PROBLEM CREATED BY WE THE IRAQI KURDS FOR TURKEY. IT IS A TURKISH INTERNAL PROBLEM. IT WAS EXPORTED TO IRAQI KURDISTAN AND IT IS NOT OUR FAULT IN FACT, AND WE ARE NOT THE REASON FOR CREATION OF P-K-K .

MOST ANALYSTS AGREE THE SOLUTION TO THE P-K-K PROBLEM, DOES NOT LIE IN NORTHERN IRAQ BUT IN TURKEY WHERE SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENTS HAVE CONTINUED TO ADDRESS THE KURDISH ISSUE THROUGH PURELY MILITARY MEANS.

A TURKISH NEWSPAPER (MILLIYET) WEDNESDAY PUBLISHED WHAT IT SAYS ARE THE FINDINGS OF AN OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE ALLEGED ABUSE OF A SECRET GOVERNMENT FUND. THE REPORT SAYS A PREVIOUS COALITION GOVERNMENT, LED BY FORMER PRIME MINISTER TANSU CILLER, SPENT 10-MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE FUND IN A FAILED ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE THE DAMASCUS-BASED P-K-K LEADER, ABDULLAH OCALAN.

ANALYSTS SAY THAT AS LONG AS THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT FAILS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE KURDS DEMANDS FOR GREATER CULTURAL FREEDOMS BUT INSTEAD RESPONDS BY FORCE TO THE NON-VIOLENT EXPRESSION OF KURDISH NATIONALIST VIEWS, THE P-K-K WILL CONTINUE TO FIND NEW RECRUITS. (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/JWH
21-Jan-98 12:21 PM EST (1721 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN NEW YORK CLOSED LOWER TODAY (TUESDAY) ABOUT ONE PERCENT ON NEW CONCERNS ABOUT U-S CORPORATE EARNINGS AND THE EFFECT OF ASIAN ECONOMIC PROBLEMS. V-O-A'S JOE CHAPMAN REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: A SHARP DROP IN THE PRICE OF STOCK IN THE I-B-M COMPUTER COMPANY PULLED THE WIDELY FOLLOWED DOW-JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE DOWN BY 79 POINTS AT 77-HUNDRED-94. THE MORE REPRESENTATIVE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500 CLOSED DOWN 8 POINTS AT 971.

INVESTORS ARE SORTING THROUGH HUNDREDS OF CORPORATE EARNINGS REPORTS THIS WEEK AS MANY COMPANIES SUM UP THEIR BUSINESS FOR BOTH THE FINAL THREE MONTHS OF 1997 AND FOR THE FULL YEAR. I-B-M ANNOUNCED FOURTH QUARTER EARNINGS JUST A LITTLE UNDER EXPECTATIONS. BUT MORE IMPORTANT, IT WARNED THAT ITS EARNINGS DURING THE CURRENT THREE MONTH PERIOD WILL BE LESS THAN LAST YEAR.

I-B-M SAYS THE REASON FOR THE EARNINGS FALLOFF IS A COMBINATION OF A STRONG U-S DOLLAR, WEAKNESS IN ASIAN MARKETS AND SOME ONETIME CHARGES. I-B-M IS A COMPONENT OF THE 30-STOCK DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE.

DESPITE THE I-B-M DECLINE, SOME OTHER HIGH TECHNOLOGY STOCKS INCLUDING COMPAQ COMPUTER, SEAGATE, TEXAS INSTRUMENTS AND MICRON TECHNOLOGY ROSE ON GOOD EARNINGS NEWS. HARVEY HIRSCHORN, A SENIOR ANALYST WITH STEIN, ROE AND FARNHAM, SAYS INVESTORS ARE TRYING TO FIND STOCKS WITH LIMITED EXPOSURE TO ASIAN ECONOMIC PROBLEMS.

WITH TECHNOLOGY, OUR CONCERN IS THAT THE FIRST QUARTER TENDS TO BE A FAIRLY SLOW REVENUE QUARTER AS IT IS, AND THE ASIA EVENT COULD CAUSE SOME DISAPPOINTMENTS, PERHAPS MORE SO FOR SOME OF THE SMALLER TECHNOLOGY STOCKS THAN SOME OF THE LARGER ONES.

MR. HIRSCHORN BELIEVES THE VOLATILITY THAT HAS AFFECTED U-S STOCK MARKETS SINCE LAST OCTOBER WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE FOR THREE TO SIX MONTHS.

THE MARKET HAS BEEN BASICALLY TREADING WATER (NOT MOVING) SINCE LAST SUMMER AND THE PROSPECT IS THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO TREAD WATER IN THE STOCK MARKET OVER THE NEXT THREE TO SIX MONTHS. AND THE RISK IS THAT SOME OF THE NEWS ON PROFITS AND EARNINGS MAY CONTINUE TO DISAPPOINT.

SOME TRANSPORTATION STOCKS FOUND BUYERS AT HIGHER PRICES AFTER REPORTING STRONG EARNINGS. PRICES OF PHARMACEUTICAL STOCKS FELL OFF SLIGHTLY AFTER A SHARP RUNUP IN THE PREVIOUS TRADING SESSION. (SIGNED) NEB/NY/JMC/LSF/RRM
21-Jan-98 4:51 PM EST (2151 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] WEDNESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY GARY EDQUIST (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: EDITORIAL WRITERS ARE CONSIDERING THE LATEST DISPUTE BETWEEN IRAQ AND THE UNITED NATIONS; THE INVITATION FOR PALESTINIAN LEADER ARAFAT TO VISIT THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM IN WASHINGTON; AND THE ATTACK ON U-S COLLEGE STUDENTS IN GUATEMALA. NOW, HERE WITH A CLOSER LOOK, IS __________________ AND TODAY'S U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: CHIEF U-N ARMS INSPECTOR RICHARD BUTLER HAS BEEN IN BAGHDAD DEMANDING UNIMPEDED ACCESS FOR U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS TO ALL SUSPECTED IRAQI WEAPONS SITES.

VOICE: //OPT// IRAQ COMPLAINS THE WORK OF THE U-N SPECIAL COMMISSION OVERSEEING THE DISMANTLING OF ITS WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETED YEARS AGO. THE SHORT ANSWER IS THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN, HAD IRAQ NOT CONSISTENTLY TRIED TO DECEIVE U-N INSPECTORS ABOUT ITS CONTINUING PROGRAM TO PRODUCE BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS. ... THIS WEEK'S TALKS IN BAGHDAD HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED BY ONE COMMISSION OFFICIAL AS THE TOUGHEST IN THREE YEARS. //END OPT// ... WASHINGTON AND LONDON SAY EXISTING U-N RESOLUTIONS PERMIT THEM TO ACT AT ANY TIME. THE PREFERRED COURSE WOULD BE FOR CHINA, FRANCE, AND RUSSIA, THE OTHER PERMANENT MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL, TO OVERCOME THEIR RELUCTANCE AND JOIN IN REINFORCING THAT AUTHORITY WITH AN UNEQUIVOCAL RESOLUTION WARNING THAT FORCE COULD BE USED UNLESS IRAQI EVASIVENESS ENDS.

TEXT: "NEWSDAY" FROM LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK CONCLUDES IN ITS EDITORIAL THAT "IRAQ LEARNS THAT IF IT ACTS TOUGH, ALLIES WILL CAVE" (I.E. GIVE UP). THE NEWSPAPER CONTINUES:

VOICE: SO WHY SHOULD (SADDAM) HUSSEIN DO ANYTHING BUT GROW MORE INTRACTABLE? PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON AND HIS ALLIES HAVE GIVEN HIM NO REASON TO BEHAVE MORE RESPONSIBLY. ... (PRESIDENT) CLINTON HAS YET TO GIVE (SADDAM) HUSSEIN A REASON TO BELIEVE THAT IF IRAQ KEEPS PUSHING, THE UNITED STATES WILL SHOVE BACK.

TEXT: PRESIDENT CLINTON HELD TWO ROUNDS OF TALKS TUESDAY WITH ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, AIMED AT ADVANCING THE STALLED MIDEAST PEACE PROCESS. MR. CLINTON WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL MIDDLE EAST DISCUSSIONS WHEN HE MEETS THURSDAY WITH PALESTINIAN LEADER YASSER ARAFAT AT THE WHITE HOUSE. WHILE MR. ARAFAT IS IN WASHINGTON, ONE POSSIBLE STOP WILL BE AT THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM. IT IS A VISIT THAT HAS SPARKED CONTROVERSY. MR. ARAFAT WAS FIRST INVITED, THEN THE INVITATION WAS RESCINDED, THEN IT WAS PUT BACK ON THE SCHEDULE. THE NEW YORK POST WRITES ABOUT WHAT IT CALLS THE "HOLOCAUST MUSEUM TRAVESTY."

VOICE: LET US GET THIS STRAIGHT: THE MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR KILLING MORE JEWS FOR THE CRIME OF BEING JEWS SINCE ADOLF HITLER IS GOING ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO THE U-S HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM? THE ANSWER IS YES, UNLESS THIS CRIME AGAINST DECENCY IS REVERSED. ... IF (MR.) ARAFAT IS RECEIVED AT THE MUSEUM, HE WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE HALL OF REMEMBRANCE WHERE THE ASHES OF HITLER'S VICTIMS ARE PRESERVED, EVEN THOUGH (MR.) ARAFAT, TO THIS DAY, PERMITS AND ENCOURAGES TERRORIST BOMBS THAT TURN JEWS INTO ASHES.

TEXT: THE WASHINGTON POST HAS A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW ON THE TOPIC OF INVITING MR. ARAFAT TO THE MUSEUM.

VOICE: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE NEUTRAL ON THE SUBJECT OF MR. ARAFAT TO BELIEVE, AS WE DO, THAT THE MUSEUM WOULD BE MAKING A MISTAKE BY TURNING HIM AWAY... THE SUFFERING OF THE JEWS IN THE HOLOCAUST IS UNIQUE AND PARTICULAR, AND THE MUSEUM IS DEDICATED TO THAT TRUTH. ... VERY FEW PEOPLE TOUR IT (THE MUSEUM) AND COME AWAY UNMOVED AND UNCHANGED. PERHAPS MR. ARAFAT WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE RARE EXCEPTIONS. BUT WHAT WOULD BE LOST BY TAKING THAT CHANCE?

TEXT: GUNMEN IN GUATEMALA FORCED 13 STUDENTS AND THREE FACULTY MEMBERS OFF A BUS LAST WEEK (JANUARY 16) AND INTO A FIELD, WHERE THEY ROBBED ALL 16 AND RAPED FIVE FEMALE STUDENTS. THE GROUP FROM SAINT MARY'S COLLEGE IN (THE U-S STATE OF) MARYLAND WAS ON THE FINAL DAY OF A 17-DAY STUDY OF AN ANCIENT MAYAN REGION. "THE NEW YORK TIMES" WRITES THE COLLEGE HAS RUN THE SAME GUATEMALA TRIP FOR TWO-YEARS WITHOUT INCIDENT, ALONG WITH TRIPS TO SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES.

VOICE: COLLEGES CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT PROVIDE A HERMETIC ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS. FOREIGN TRIPS, EVEN TO COUNTRIES WHERE SOME RISK IS INVOLVED, CAN BE ENRICHING AND LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES. THIS IS NOT A CLAIM ANYONE WOULD MAKE ABOUT OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT PROBABLY PUT STUDENTS AT HIGHER RISK FOR RAPE, SUCH AS FRATERNITY PARTIES ON SOME CAMPUSES.

TEXT: WITH THAT, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF TODAY'S EDITORIALS FROM THE U-S PRESS.
NEB/GE/RAE
21-Jan-98 11:58 AM EST (1658 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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