Voice of America, 98-04-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] NORTHERN IRELAND (S-ONLY) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

[02] KARADZIC DENIAL (S ONLY) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)

[03] CLINTON / N-IRELAND ONITER (S ONLY) BY DEBORAH TATE (WHITE HOUSE)

[04] CLINTON / N IRELAND (S ONLY) BY DEBORAH TATE (WHITE HOUSE)

[01] NORTHERN IRELAND (S-ONLY) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

INTRO: NORTHERN IRELAND'S LARGEST POLITICAL PARTY HAS GIVEN PRELIMINARY APPROVAL TO AN HISTORIC PEACE AGREEMENT FOR THE BRITISH-RULED PROVINCE. // OPT // THE ULSTER UNIONIST PARTY'S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE VOTED TWO-TO ONE TO ENDORSE THE PLAN. // END OPT // THE POWER-SHARING ACCORD WAS REACHED FRIDAY, AFTER MORE THAN 30 HOURS OF MARATHON NEGOTIATIONS. V-O-A'S PAUL FRANCUCH REPORTS THE AGREEMENT MUST ALSO BE RATIFIED IN A MAY REFERENDUM BY VOTERS IN BOTH THE IRISH REPUBLIC AND NORTHERN IRELAND.

TEXT: THE PROPOSAL CALLS FOR ESTABLISHING A NEW LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY FOR NORTHERN IRELAND WHICH WOULD REPLACE PARLIAMENTARY RULE FROM LONDON. THE NEW 108-MEMBER ASSEMBLY WOULD HAVE PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION, SO BOTH THE PROTESTANT MAJORITY AND CATHOLIC MINORITY WOULD HAVE A VOICE IN GOVERNING.

FORMER U-S SENATOR GEORGE MITCHELL LED NEGOTIATIONS OVER MOST OF THE PAST TWO YEARS OF TALKS. HE TOLD REPORTERS IT'S NOW TIME FOR THE PEOPLE TO SPEAK.

THE PEOPLE OF NORTHERN IRELAND WILL DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THIS STRUCTURE FUNCTIONS, AND I ENCOURAGE THEM TO TELL THEIR POLITICAL LEADERS -- LOUDLY, CLEARLY AND WITHOUT EQUIVOCATION -- "WE WANT THIS TO WORK."

THE NORTHERN IRELAND TALKS WENT MORE THAN 17 HOURS PAST A PLANNED THURSDAY MIDNIGHT DEADLINE. BOTH THE BRITISH AND IRISH PRIME MINISTERS WORKED FEVERISHLY TO BRING THE TALKS TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION. (SIGNED)
NEB/PCF/JO
11-Apr-98 11:56 AM EDT (1556 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] KARADZIC DENIAL (S ONLY) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)

INTRO: THE WIFE OF INDICTED BOSNIAN SERB WAR CRIMES SUSPECT, RADOVAN KARADZIC, HAS DENIED REPORTS THAT HER HUSBAND MAY BE PLANNING TO GIVE HIMSELF UP TO THE U-N WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES IS FOLLOWING THE STORY FROM OUR EAST EUROPEAN BUREAU.

TEXT: THE DENIAL BY LJILJANA KARADZIC FOLLOWS NEWS REPORTS INDICATING MR. KARADZIC IS GETTING READY TO SURRENDER AND BE PUT ON TRIAL AT THE HAGUE.

MRS. KARADZIC TOLD THE BOSNIAN SERB NEWS AGENCY THAT HER HUSBAND HAS NO PLANS TO SURRENDER AND WILL RESIST ANY ATTEMPT TO TAKE HIM INTO CUSTODY.

SHE SAID MR. KARADZIC DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE AUTHORITY OF THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL.

RECENT NEWS REPORTS HAVE SAID THAT THE FORMER BOSNIAN SERB LEADER IS CONSIDERING SURRENDER. THE REPORTS HAVE ALSO SAID MR. KARADZIC APPEARS TO HAVE LEFT HIS HEADQUARTERS NEAR SARAJEVO, AND MAY HAVE EVEN LEFT THE COUNTRY.

BUT IN HER INTERVIEW, MRS. KARADZIC SAID THOSE REPORTS ARE WRONG. SO FAR, ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF SOME 75 PUBLICLY INDICTED BOSNIAN WAR CRIME SUSPECTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. MOST RECENTLY, TWO BOSNIAN SERBS WERE CAPTURED WEDNESDAY. (SIGNED)
NEB/ART/DW/JO
11-Apr-98 12:30 PM EDT (1630 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] CLINTON / N-IRELAND ONITER (S ONLY) BY DEBORAH TATE (WHITE HOUSE)

INTRO: THE NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE AGREEMENT REACHED FRIDAY IN BELFAST WILL BE THE TOPIC OF PRESIDENT CLINTON'S SATURDAY RADIO ADDRESS. V-O-A WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT DEBORAH TATE REPORTS.

TEXT: MR. CLINTON IS EXPECTED TO PAY TRIBUTE THE NEGOTIATORS WHO REACHED THE AGREEMENT, AND LOOK AHEAD TO A FUTURE OF PEACE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE NORTHERN IRELAND AFTER THREE DECADES OF CONFLICT.

HE WILL LIKELY ECHO THE COMMENTS HE MADE FRIDAY, WHEN HE WELCOMED WORD OF THE AGREEMENT.

ALL FRIENDS OF IRELAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND KNOW THE TASK OF MAKING PEACE ENDURE WILL BE DIFFICULT. THE PATH OF PEACE IS NEVER EASY. BUT THE PARTIES HAVE MADE BRAVE DECISIONS. THEY HAVE CHOSEN HOPE OVER HATE, THE PROMISE OF THE FUTURE OVER THE POISON OF THE PAST.

MR. CLINTON HAS PLAYED AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE SEARCH FOR PEACE IN NORTHERN IRELAND, AS WELL AS IN OTHER WAR-TORN REGIONS -- LIKE THE MIDDLE EAST. HE SAYS THE TOUGH DECISIONS AND COMPROMISES THAT MADE THE NORTHERN IRELAND PEACE AGREEMENT POSSIBLE MAY OFFER THE PARTIES TO THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS SOME EXAMPLES TO FOLLOW. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAT/PT
10-Apr-98 7:53 PM EDT (2353 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] CLINTON / N IRELAND (S ONLY) BY DEBORAH TATE (WHITE HOUSE)

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON IS PLEDGING CONTINUED U-S SUPPORT TO THE PEOPLE OF NORTHERN IRELAND SO THAT PEACE MAY TAKE HOLD IN THE PROVINCE AFTER THREE DECADES OF CONFLICT. MR. CLINTON USED HIS SATURDAY RADIO ADDRESS TO DISCUSS DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BRITISH-RULED PROVINCE -- A DAY AFTER A PEACE AGREEMENT WAS REACHED IN BELFAST. V-O-A'S DEBORAH TATE REPORTS.

TEXT: MR. CLINTON PRAISED THE WORK OF THE PARTIES TO THE PEACE PROCESS FOR SHOWING THE COURAGE TO SET ASIDE THEIR DIFFERENCES AND MAKE THE AGREEMENT POSSIBLE.

HE CAUTIONED THERE MAY BE SOME WHO SEEK TO UNDERMINE THE AGREEMENT BY RETURNING TO VIOLENCE. BUT HE EXPRESSED U-S RESOLVE TO SEE THAT THE ACTS OF PEACE AND COURAGE WILL TRIUMPH OVER WHAT HE CALLED COWARDICE AND TERROR.

MR. CLINTON, WHO NOTED HE IS OF IRISH ANCESTRY, PLEDGED CONTINUING U-S SUPPORT TO NORTHERN IRELAND TO SEE THAT PEACE TAKES HOLD.

ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE I PLEDGE THE CONTINUING AID, SUPPORT, ENCOURAGEMENT AND PRAYERS OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE EFFORT TO BUILD A LASTING PEACE AND AN ENDURING PROSPERITY IN IRELAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND.

THE PEACE AGREEMENT IS SEEN AS A FOREIGN POLICY ACHIEVEMENT FOR MR. CLINTON, WHO HAS SPENT MUCH TIME AND EFFORT IN THE SEARCH FOR PEACE IN NORTHERN IRELAND. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAT/PT/JO
11-Apr-98 9:21 AM EDT (1321 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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