Voice of America, 98-06-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] NORTHERN IRELAND (L-ONLY) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

[02] TURKEY QUAKE (L ONLY) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN (ANKARA)

[01] NORTHERN IRELAND (L-ONLY) BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (LONDON)

INTRO: VOTES ARE STILL BEING COUNTED TO DETERMINE THE EXACT COMPOSITION OF NORTHERN IRELAND'S NEW ASSEMBLY. V-O-A'S ANDRE DE NESNERA REPORTS FROM LONDON.

TEXT: NORTHERN IRELAND'S NEW 108-MEMBER ASSEMBLY IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE POLITICAL AGREEMENT OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED BY VOTERS LAST MONTH IN A REFERENDUM.

IT PROVIDES THE BRITISH PROVINCE WITH A MODICUM OF SELF-RULE AND WILL EFFECTIVELY BE NORTHERN IRELAND'S GOVERNMENT. THE ASSEMBLY WILL HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR SUCH ISSUES AS EDUCATION, AGRICULTURE AND HEALTH -- AND IT WILL ESTABLISH NEW CROSS-BORDER INSITUTIONS WITH THE IRISH REPUBLIC.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN 25 YEARS, PARTIES FROM ALL SHADES OF NORTHERN IRELAND'S POLITICAL SPECTRUM WILL BE SITTING TOGETHER, SHAPING THE FUTURE COURSE OF THE BRITISH PROVINCE. BUT GIVEN THE DEEP DIVISIONS COMING FROM DECADES OF MISTRUST AND VIOLENCE, MANY PEOPLE SAY THE ROAD AHEAD WILL BE FAR FROM SMOOTH.

IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT THE PARTIES WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER OF SEATS IN THE NEW ASSEMBLY ARE THE TWO MOST POPULAR POLITICAL ENTITIES IN NORTHERN IRELAND -- THE PRO-BRITISH "ULSTER UNIONISTS" AND THE PRO-IRISH "SOCIAL, DEMOCRATIC AND LABOUR PARTY."

BUT THE ASSEMBLY ALSO HAS REPRESENTATIVES WHO CAMPAIGNED AGAINST THE POLITICAL AGREEMENT WHICH SET UP THIS NEW ASSEMBLY. THOSE POLITICIANS -- MOST OF THEM FROM THE HARDLINE PRO-BRITISH "DEMOCRATIC UNIONIST PARTY" -- SAID THEY WOULD ATTEMPT TO BLOCK THE WORK OF THE ASSEMBLY, ESPECIALLY ON ISSUES SUCH AS CROSS-BORDER BODIES WITH THE IRISH REPUBLIC.

ONE OF THOSE ELECTED TO THE NEW ASSEMBLY IS JOHN ALDERDICE -- THE LEADER OF NORTHERN IRELAND'S NON-SECTARIAN ALLIANCE PARTY. BEFORE HIS VICTORY WAS ANNOUNCED, HE EXPLAINED WHAT HIS ROLE WILL BE IN THE NEW ASSEMBLY.

THE VERY FIRST PRIORITY IS GOING TO BE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS NOT PULLED APART. ON SOME OF THE CONTENTIOUS ISSUES, EVEN RELATIVELY MODERATE UNIONISTS AND NATIONALISTS WILL TEND TO GO OPPOSITE WAYS. YOU KNOW VERY WELL, ANDRE, THAT ON THINGS LIKE PRISONERS, ON POLICING, ON CONTENTIOUS PARADES, UNIONISTS GO ONE WAY, NATIONALISTS GO THE OPPOSITE WAY. SO A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR ROLE AS "ALLIANCE" IS GOING TO BE HOLDING IT TOGETHER AGAINST THE PRESSURES TO SPLIT IT ALL APART.

MANY ANALYSTS SAY THE PRESSURES TO SPLIT THE ASSEMBLY APART WILL INDEED BE GREAT. BUT THEY ALSO SAY IT WILL PROVIDE THOSE POLITICIANS ELECTED TO THE BODY A CHANCE TO SHOW THE NECESSARY MATURITY AND WISDOM TO SLOWLY MOVE NORTHERN IRELAND AWAY FROM ITS TRADITIONAL SECTARIAN HATREDS INTO A MORE PEACEFUL FUTURE. (SIGNED)
NEB/ADEN/JWH
27-Jun-98 11:27 AM EDT (1527 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] TURKEY QUAKE (L ONLY) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN (ANKARA)

INTRO: MORE THAN 20 PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND 100 INJURED IN A STRONG EARTHQUAKE (SATURDAY) THAT HIT TURKEY'S SOUTHEASTERN PROVINCE OF ADANA. AMBERIN ZAMAN IN ANKARA REPORTS SCIENTISTS ARE SAYING IT MEASURED SIX-POINT-THREE ON THE RICHTER SCALE -- A STRENGTH THAT COULD CAUSE MAJOR DAMAGE IN URBAN AREAS.

TEXT: TURKISH SECURITY OFFICIALS QUOTED BY THE PRIVATE N-T-V NEWS CHANNEL SAID THE QUAKE DAMAGED MANY BUILDINGS IN ADANA, AND THOUSANDS OF PANIC STRICKEN CITIZENS HAD FLED INTO THE STREETS.

NEWS REPORTS SAID THE WORSE DAMAGE OCCURRED IN THE OLD QUARTER OF THE CITY, WHICH LIES JUST INLAND FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST AND IS HEAVILY POPULATED BY ETHNIC KURDS.

ADANA DEPUTY GOVERNOR ARDAHAN TOTUK SAID THE INJURED WERE BEING TREATED IN STATE HOSPITALS ACROSS THE CITY AND THAT THE SITUATION IS -- IN HIS WORDS -- UNDER CONTROL.

THE DIRECTOR OF ISTANBUL'S SEISMOLOGICAL INSTITUTE, AHMET ISIKARA, DESCRIBED THE QUAKE AS SIGNIFICANT AND ADVISED CITIZENS TO REMAIN OUTSIDE THEIR HOMES. HE WARNED THAT AFTERSHOCKS COULD CONTINUE FOR SOME TIME. // REST OPT // THOUGH NONE HAS BEEN REPORTED SO FAR. AROUND 30 PEOPLE WERE REPORTED INJURED IN THE NEIGHBORING COASTAL CITY OF MERSIN AFTER THEY JUMPED OFF THEIR BALCONIES WHEN THE EARTHQUAKE STRUCK. THE PROVINCES OF NIGDE, KAYSERI AND ANTAKYA WERE ALSO AFFECTED.

OFFICIALS SAY POWER HAS BEEN CUT OFF IN ADANA AND MERSIN TO PREVENT FIRES.

OFFICIALS AT THE U-S AIRBASE IN INCIRLIK JUST OUTSIDE ADANA SAID THEY TOO HAD FELT THE IMPACT. (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/JWH
27-Jun-98 12:56 PM EDT (1656 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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