Voice of America, 98-02-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] CONFLICT PREVENTION BY ELAINE JOHANSON (UNITED NATIONS)

[02] EDITORIAL: TALBOTT ON EUROPE

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

[04] GERMANY / JOBLESS (L) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

[05] THURSDAY'S EDITORIALS BY GARY EDQUIST (WASHINGTON)

[01] CONFLICT PREVENTION BY ELAINE JOHANSON (UNITED NATIONS)

INTRO: INTERNATIONAL POLICY-MAKERS AND SCHOLARS HAVE OUTLINED STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTING DEADLY CONFLICT OF THE KIND THAT RAVAGED NATIONS LIKE RWANDA, BOSNIA AND SOMALIA THIS DECADE. THE GROUP -- CALLED THE CARNEGIE COMMISSION -- DISCUSSED ITS FINDINGS AT THE UNITED NATIONS THURSDAY. V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT ELAINE JOHANSON REPORTS:

TEXT: THE UNITED NATIONS HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR OUTSIDE HELP TO GIVE IT NEW DIRECTIONS FOR SOLVING GLOBAL PROBLEMS. EVERYONE IS WELCOME -- FROM BUSINESS LEADERS AND FORMER DIGNITARIES TO PRIVATE CITIZENS. THE NEW YORK-BASED CARNEGIE CORPORATION RESPONDED. IT SET UP A COMMISSION A FEW YEARS AGO. ITS FOCUS WAS CONFLICT PREVENTION.

THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS ARE NOT NEW IDEAS. THEY HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED AT THE UNITED NATIONS FOR YEARS. THEY INCLUDE A RAPID REACTION FORCE FOR EMERGENCY DEPLOYMENT, AN INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND A STRONGER HAND FOR THE U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL TO ENGAGE IN PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY.

THE COMMISSION ALSO ENDORSED WHAT THE PRESENT SECRETARY-GENERAL, KOFI ANNAN, HAS EMPHASIZED SINCE TAKING OFFICE LAST YEAR: IT TAKES THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE WHOLE WORLD TO SOLVE THE WORLD'S PROBLEMS.

DAVID HAMBURG -- PRESIDENT OF THE CARNEGIE CORPORATION -- SAYS THE COMMISSION KEPT COMING BACK TO THE CENTRAL POINT OF CONFLICT PREVENTION. HOW TO STOP VIOLENCE OR ETHNIC DIFFERENCES FROM ESCALATING INTO WAR? PROFESSOR HAMBURG SAYS THE PROBLEM IS TOO COMPLEX FOR THE UNITED NATIONS TO HANDLE BY ITSELF:

THE PROBLEM IS TOO HARD INTELLECTUALLY AND TECHNICALLY AND POLITICALLY TO BE HANDLED BY ANY ONE INSTITUTION, NO MATTER HOW STRONG -- ANY ONE GOVERNMENT, NO MATTER HOW STRONG. THE STRENGTHS FOR THIS PURPOSE HAVE TO BE POOLED, BURDENS HAVE TO BE SHARED...THERE HAS TO BE SOME REASONABLE DIVISION OF LABOR..TO MAKE A TRULY CIVILIZED WORLD.

THE CARNEGIE COMMISSION WENT BEYOND ACADEMIC CONTEMPLATION OVER A YEAR AGO AND INVITED TO NEW YORK WHAT IT CONSIDERED MODERATE LEADERS FROM KOSOVO -- THE LARGELY ETHNIC ALBANIAN ENCLAVE IN SERBIA THAT COULD BE A FUTURE FLASHPOINT. PROFESSOR HAMBURG SAYS THERE IS A MIDDLE GROUND IN MOST POTENTIAL CONFLICT SITUATIONS AND THE IDEA IS TO PROVIDE PRAGMATIC LEADERS WITH A NEUTRAL FORUM TO TRY TO STAVE OFF WAR:

THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH A MODERATE INCLINATION WHO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF A VIOLENT OUTCOME WHO ARE MORE OR LESS GROPING FOR SOME WAY, SOME PATH TOWARD MUTUAL ACCOMMODATION.

BRIAN URQUHART -- A U-N OFFICIAL FOR 40 YEARS UNTIL THE MID-1980'S -- IS A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION. HE BELIEVES IN PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY. BUT HE SAYS GOVERNMENTS CANNOT ALWAYS BE PERSUADED TO ACT IN TIME:

IT'S ONE OF THE BETTER KEPT SECRETS OF THE U-N, I THINK, THAT PREVENTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MAJOR PRE-OCCUPATION OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL -- GOING RIGHT BACK TO THE BEGINNING. THE DIFFICULTY WITH PREVENTION IS IT'S NOT A VERY POPULAR FORM OF ACTION BEFORE THE DANGER BECOMES APPARENT. AND IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET GOVERNMENTS OR THE SECURITY COUNCIL OR ANYONE ELSE TO FOCUS ON A THREAT UNTIL YOU BEGIN TO SEE THE HORRENDOUS RESULTS ACTUALLY TAKING PLACE.

THE CARNEGIE REPORT IS ONE OF MANY STUDIES ON CONFLICT RESOLUTION THAT HAVE SURFACED OVER THE LAST YEAR OR TWO. BUT THIS ONE IS BEING WIDELY DISCUSSED AMONG GOVERNMENTS AND IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL.

THE UNITED NATIONS HAS BEEN AT A CROSS-ROADS ALMOST SINCE THE END OF THE COLD WAR. CONFLICTS TODAY ARE MOSTLY WITHIN NATIONS. PAST WARS OCCURRED LARGELY BETWEEN STATES. THE ORGANIZATION IS AT A LOSS OF HOW TO DEAL WITH THE NEW REALITY. AND THE SECURITY COUNCIL -- THE U-N BODY THAT DEALS WITH PEACE AND SECURITY -- IS STRUGGLING TO PRESERVE ITS CREDIBILITY. (SIGNED)
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05-Feb-98 4:09 PM EST (2109 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] EDITORIAL: TALBOTT ON EUROPE

ANNCR: THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE VARIETY OF ISSUES. NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.

VOICE:

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE INVESTED HEAVILY IN PRESERVING THE PEACE AND STABILITY OF EUROPE BECAUSE THEY REALIZE THAT THE SAFETY AND WELL BEING OF THE UNITED STATES DEPEND UPON IT. TWO WORLD WARS BEGAN IN EUROPE AND COST THE LIVES OF OVER HALF A MILLION AMERICANS. THE COLD WAR BEGAN IN EUROPE, AND IT COST THE UNITED STATES THE EQUIVALENT OF OVER THIRTEEN TRILLION DOLLARS.

THE END OF THE COLD WAR CREATED THE POSSIBILITY OF A EUROPE THAT IS WHOLE, FREE AND AT PEACE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ITS HISTORY. BUT THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED ONLY IF THE DOOR TO KEY EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS, SUCH AS THE EUROPEAN UNION AND NATO, REMAINS OPEN TO NEW MEMBERS. LAST YEAR, NATO LEADERS DECIDED TO ADD THREE NEW MEMBERS: POLAND, HUNGARY AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC.

NATO IS A MILITARY ALLIANCE. BUT IT IS ALSO A POLITICAL ORGANIZATION WITH A ROLE TO PLAY IN THE INTEGRATION OF EUROPE. AT THE SAME TIME, THE LEADERS OF THE ALLIANCE MADE CLEAR THAT THE FIRST NEW MEMBERS WILL NOT BE THE LAST. THE ENLARGEMENT OF NATO WILL MAKE FOR A SAFER AND MORE PROSPEROUS EUROPE FOR MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS ALIKE.

THE U.S. HOPES THAT THE GROWTH OF NATO WILL COMPLEMENT THE PLANNED ENLARGEMENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION. THE E-U HAS INVITED TEN NEW DEMOCRACIES IN CENTRAL EUROPE TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP. TURKEY SHOULD BE GIVEN THE SAME CHANCES.

THOUGH IT HAS BEEN PART OF THE EUROPEAN SYSTEM FOR OVER FOUR HUNDRED YEARS, TURKEY IS STILL STRUGGLING TO DEFINE ITS IDENTITY, ITS ORIENTATION AND ITS DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS. IT IS TRYING TO BALANCE POLITICAL SECULARISM WITH THE PREDOMINANT ISLAMIC FAITH OF ITS PEOPLE. AS DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT SAID, "TURKEY IS MORE LIKELY TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES ABOUT ITS OWN FUTURE IF WE MAKE CLEAR THAT WE BELIEVE ITS FUTURE LIES WITH US."

OVER THE CENTURIES, EUROPE AT ITS BEST HAS DEFINED ITSELF IN TERMS OF UNIVERSAL VALUES, NOT IN TERMS OF ARTIFICIAL BARRIERS. THE EURO-ATLANTIC COMMUNITY TODAY SHOULD REACH OUT TO ANY EUROPEAN NATION THAT ACCEPTS THE SAME STANDARDS OF DEMOCRATIC ORDER. "IF WE DEFINE THE 'EUROPEANNESS' OF A VILLAGE ON THE BASIS OF WHETHER ITS LANDMARKS ARE CHURCH SPIRES OR MINARETS," WARNED MR. TALBOTT, "WE WILL CREATE FOR OURSELVES DANGERS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY THAT WILL BE ALL TOO REMINISCENT OF THE FOLLIES AND TRAGEDIES WE HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE TWENTIETH."

THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS, VOICE OF AMERICA, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. YOU MAY ALSO SEND US A FAX AT (202) 619-1043. YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE USED ON THE AIR.
05-Feb-98 2:16 PM EST (1916 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: STOCK PRICES CLOSED UP IN TRADING THURSDAY ON EUROPEAN MARKETS. EDITOR JACK HUIZENGA HAS THE CLOSING MARKET REPORT FROM LONDON.

TEXT: PRICES ENDED HIGHER ON ALL THREE MAJOR EUROPEAN EXCHANGES, BUT WELL BELOW THE HISTORIC HIGHS SET EARLIER IN THE DAY.

IN FRANKFURT, THE DAX-30 INDEX ENDED THE FLOOR-TRADING DAY UP MORE THAN 61-POINTS, MORE THAN ONE-AND-THREE-TENTHS-PERCENT. BUT THE GERMAN MARKET THEN DIPPED ABOUT THREE-TENTHS-PERCENT IN LATER COMPUTERIZED TRADING. IN PARIS, THE CAC-40 INDEX ROSE MORE THAN 23 POINTS, SEVEN-TENTHS-PERCENT.

AND IN LONDON, THE FOOTSIE-100 INDEX CLOSED UP MORE THAN 10-POINTS, TWO-TENTHS-PERCENT.

ON THE LONDON CURRENCY EXCHANGE, THE VALUE OF THE U-S DOLLAR ROSE SLIGHTLY AGAINST THE BRITISH POUND. BUT IT WAS DOWN AGAINST THE GERMAN MARK AND THE JAPANESE YEN.
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05-Feb-98 1:35 PM EST (1835 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] GERMANY / JOBLESS (L) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

INTRO: THOUSANDS OF JOBLESS GERMANS ARE TAKING PART IN DEMONSTRATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY, TO PROTEST THE NATION'S RECORD HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE. V-O-A'S KYLE KING IN BONN REPORTS THE DEMONSTRATIONS BEGAN AS THE GOVERNMENT RELEASED NEW FIGURES SHOWING THE JOBLESS RATE IN GERMANY AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL SINCE WORLD WAR TWO.

TEXT: THE LATEST FIGURES FROM THE GERMAN FEDERAL LABOR OFFICE SHOW MORE THAN FOUR-POINT-EIGHT-MILLION PEOPLE WERE OUT OF WORK IN JANUARY, PUSHING THE JOBLESS RATE TO 12-POINT-SIX PERCENT -- A NEW POST-WAR RECORD.

IN MORE THAN 250 CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, SMALL GROUPS OF JOBLESS HELD PROTEST RALLIES (WEDNESDAY). IN BERLIN, DEMONSTRATORS CALLED FOR THE RESIGNATION OF GERMAN CHANCELLOR HELMUT KOHL.

IN PARLIAMENT, WHERE LAWMAKERS WERE DEBATING THE UNEMPLOYMENT ISSUE, OPPOSITION S-P-D LEADER RUDOLF SHARPING TOOK AIM AT THE POLICIES OF THE KOHL GOVERNMENT.

THIS GOVERNMENT'S POLICY, MR. SHARPING SAID, HAS BEEN ONE OF DELAY WITHOUT COMFORT, A POLICY OF POSTPONING DECISIONS, AND LEAVING THE UNEMPLOYED WITHOUT HOPE.

LABOR DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAY THE SHARP RISE IN JANUARY UNEMPLOYMENT WAS MOSTLY DUE TO WINTER WEATHER. THEY SAY WHEN SEASONAL FACTORS ARE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THE NUMBERS WERE BETTER THAN EXPECTED.

BUT THE FIGURES CONTINUE TO SHOW A SHARP SPLIT BETWEEN WESTERN GERMANY AND THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY, WHERE THE JOBLESS RATE IS NEARLY TWICE AS HIGH AND CONTINUES TO CLIMB.

LABOR OFFICE PRESIDENT BERNHARD JAGODA SAID THE NEW FIGURES SHOW THE LABOR MARKET IN WESTERN GERMANY HAS STABILIZED. BUT HE SAID THIS IS NOT YET THE CASE IN THE EAST. WHAT THE COUNTRY NEEDS, MR. JAGODA, SAID, IS CONSENSUS.

WHAT WE NEED NOW, MR. JAGODA TOLD REPORTERS, IS FOR POLITICAL LEADERS TO SPEAK TO EACH OTHER AND NOT AT EACH OTHER. ALL THE PROBLEMS WILL NOT BE SOLVED BY THEMSELVES, HE SAID. WHAT WE NEED IS BE MORE FLEXIBLE.

DEMONSTRATORS, TAKING A CUE FROM RECENT PROTESTS IN NEIGHBORING FRANCE, SAY THEY NOW PLAN TO HOLD MONTHLY DEMONSTRATIONS. WITH ELECTIONS SCHEDULED FOR LATER THIS YEAR, THE ISSUE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN THE FOCUS OF NATIONAL ATTENTION. (SIGNED)
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05-Feb-98 9:12 AM EST (1412 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] THURSDAY'S EDITORIALS BY GARY EDQUIST (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: EDITORIALS ABOUT IRAQ; THE VISIT TO WASHINGTON OF THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER; AN EXECUTION IN TEXAS; AND THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST PRESIDENT CLINTON ARE LEADING AMERICAN NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS THURSDAY. NOW, HERE WITH A CLOSER LOOK AND SOME QUOTES, IS __________________ AND TODAY'S U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: IN THE CURRENT STANDOFF AGAINST IRAQ, "THE NEW YORK POST" ENTITLES ITS EDITORIAL, "GOING IT ALONE AGAINST IRAQ." THE EDITORIAL CONTINUES:

VOICE: IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING RIGHT, DO IT YOURSELF. ... DIPLOMATIC SUPPORT WOULD BE NICE, SURE. BUT ... THAT IS FAR LESS NECESSARY THAN IT WAS IN 1990, WHEN GEORGE BUSH WAS ASSEMBLING THE GULF WAR COALITION. IN 1998, THE U-S IS THE SOLE WORLD SUPERPOWER, AND EVERY HONEST PERSON KNOWS THAT [IRAQI LEADER] SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS UNDERTAKEN HIS ARMS BUILDUP TO DEFY THE WILL OF THE U-S, NOT T HE UNITED NATIONS. ... SOONER OR LATER, THOUGH, THE TALKING HAS TO STOP, AND THAT TIME IS CLOSE AT HAND. WHETHER THIS MEANS THE SHOOTING MUST START IS, IN THE END, UP TO SADDAM.

TEXT: BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR IS MAKING HIS FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO WASHINGTON FOR A SUMMIT WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON THAT IS EXPECTED TO INCLUDE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IRAQ. "THE BALTIMORE SUN" NOTES THE SIMILARITIES OF THE TWO LEADERS AND WRITES -- THE VISITING PRIME MINISTER MAY END UP GIVING THE PRESIDENT SOME ADVICE.

VOICE: THE VISIT ... COMES AS MANY EXPERTS THINK THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP OF BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES IS OVER, WITH THE END OF THE COLD WAR AND BRITAIN'S FIRM PLACE IN EUROPE. BUT DURING THAT RELATIONSHIP THROUGHOUT THE 20TH CENTURY, FEW PRIME MINISTERS AND PRESIDENTS WERE AS CLOSELY ATTUNED TO EACH OTHER POLITICALLY AND GENERATIONALLY AS THESE TWO ARE, EACH A FIRM ALLY OF THE OTHER. NOW THAT THE ENORMOUSLY SUCCESSFUL PRIME MINISTER HAS COME TO CALL ON THE OLDER AND MORE EXPERIENCED BUT TROUBLED PRESIDENT, IT IS HARDER TO DISTINGUISH WHICH IS THE MENTOR AND WHICH THE PROTEGE.

TEXT: KARLA FAYE TUCKER WAS EXECUTED BY LETHAL INJECTION TUESDAY (FEB. 2) IN TEXAS. SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN EXECUTED IN THE STATE IN MORE THAN A CENTURY. AN EDITORIAL IN "NEWSDAY" (LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK) SAYS -- FAR FROM PROTECTING SOCIETY, THE EXECUTION OF A KILLER IN TEXAS BRUTALIZES IT.

VOICE: IN TRUTH, THERE IS ONLY ONE PURPOSE FOR THE DEATH PENALTY: TO INFLICT CRUDE VENGEANCE. ON TUESDAY EVENING, THE STATE OF TEXAS MADE TUCKER SUFFER FOR HER CRIME. THAT IS WRONG, BUT IT IS THE LAW. IN HER PLEA [TO HAVE HER SENTENCE CHANGED TO LIFE IN PRISON] TO [TEXAS GOVERNOR GEORGE] BUSH, TUCKER SAID THAT THE TWO PEOPLE WHO DIED BECAUSE OF HER AND HER BOYFRIEND DID NOT DESERVE IT. 'NO ONE DESERVES TO BE MURDERED,' SHE SAID. SHE WAS RIGHT, PHILOSOPHICALLY. NOT EVEN SHE DESERVED IT.

TEXT: ON ITS EDITORIAL PAGE, "USA TODAY" WRITES ABOUT THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST PRESIDENT CLINTON. THE NEWPAPER WRITES -- IT HAS BEEN A HECTIC TWO-WEEKS SINCE THE NEWS BROKE THAT MONICA LEWINSKY, A FORMER WHITE HOUSE INTERN, WAS PRIVATELY CLAIMING TO HAVE HAD SEX WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON. THE PRESIDENT HAS DENIED THE ALLEGATION. USA TODAY ADDS:

VOICE: ALTHOUGH THE LURID DETAILS HAVE MULTIPLIED DRAMATICALLY SINCE, THE KNOWABLE TRUTH REMAINS BURIED IN A DRIFT OF ANONYMOUS SOURCES AND UN-SOURCED ASSERTIONS. ... MAKE NO MISTAKE: THE LEWINSKY STORY IS IMPORTANT. NOT FOR REASONS OF PURIENT INTEREST BUT BECAUSE OF QUESTIONS OF INTEGRITY IN OFFICE. IF THE ALLEGATIONS ARE TRUE, THEY WILL BE DEVASTATING. BUT DESPITE ALL THE JUICY TIDBITS ABOUT SEX ACTS, BIBLICAL INTERPRETATIONS, AND BIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE, THE FACTS PUBLICALLY ACKNOWLEDGED BY PEOPLE IN A POSITION TO KNOW THEM ARE FEW.

TEXT: WITH THAT FROM "USA TODAY", WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF TODAY'S EDITORIALS FROM THE U-S PRESS.
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05-Feb-98 10:40 AM EST (1540 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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