Voice of America, 98-08-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] KOSOVO ALBANIANS (L) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)

[02] U-S / KOSOVO (L) BY GIL BUTLER (STATE DEPARTMENT)

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

[04] THURSDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[01] KOSOVO ALBANIANS (L) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)

INTRO: ETHNIC ALBANIAN POLITICIANS IN YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE HAVE NAMED A TEAM TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE RULING SERBS. BUT THE ALBANIAN TEAM COULD BE UNDERMINED BY ITS FAILURE TO INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE REBEL KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES REPORTS FROM OUR REGIONAL NEWS BUREAU IN PRAGUE.

TEXT: KOSOVO'S LEADING ETHNIC ALBANIAN POLITICIAN ANNOUNCED HIS TEAM AT A NEWS CONFERENCE IN THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL, PRISTINA. IBRAHIM RUGOVA SAID THAT THE GUERRILLAS ARE NOT INCLUDED, BUT HE SAID THEY COULD JOIN THE TEAM AT A LATER DATE.

SEPARATELY, THE KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY ANNOUNCED A TEAM THAT WOULD REPRESENT THEM, BUT THEY SAID NOTHING ABOUT JOINING THE TEAM ANNOUNCED BY MR. RUGOVA.

AMERICAN ENVOY CHRISTOPHER HILL, WHO ATTENDED MR. RUGOVA'S NEWS CONFERENCE TO SHOW HIS SUPPORT, SAID THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS ARE READY TO RESUME NEGOTIATIONS. AMBASSADOR HILL, WHO IS BASED IN NEIGHBORING MACEDONIA, HAS BEEN SHUTTLING BETWEEN THE SERBS AND KOSOVO ALBANIANS, TRYING TO GET NEGOTIATIONS STARTED. THE PROCESS HAS BEEN HAMPERED BY THE ALBANIANS' DELAY IN NAMING A TEAM.

KOSOVO PROVINCE HAS A POPULATION OF TWO-MILLION, AND THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS OUTNUMBER THE RULING SERBS NINE-TO-ONE. THE ALBANIANS WANT INDEPENDENCE, BUT BELGRADE INSISTS THE PROVINCE STAY IN (YUGOSLAVIA'S DOMINANT REPUBLIC OF) SERBIA. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ALSO OPPOSES INDEPENDENCE AND IS WORKING TOWARD A SOLUTION THAT WOULD GRANT SUBSTANTIAL AUTONOMY TO KOSOVO'S ALBANIANS.

DURING THE PAST THREE WEEKS, SERB POLICE AND ARMY UNITS HAVE PUSHED THE GUERRILLAS OUT OF LARGE PARTS OF THE PROVINCE THAT THEY FORMERLY CONTROLLED.

THE OFFENSIVE HAS SENT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF KOSOVO ALBANIANS FLEEING THEIR HOMES, AND MANY ARE LIVING OUT IN THE OPEN IN REMOTE AREAS WHERE IT IS DIFFICULT FOR RELIEF AGENCIES TO FIND THEM. AID WORKERS WARN OF A HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE IF THEY CAN NOT RETURN SOON TO THEIR HOMES AND FARMS, AS IT NEARS HARVEST TIME AND AS THE HARSH BALKAN WINTER APPROACHES. BUT MANY HOUSES WERE DAMAGED IN THE FIGHTING, AND MANY OTHERS HAVE BEEN BURNED IN AREAS CONTROLLED BY SERB AUTHORITIES. (SIGNED)
NEB/ART/JWH/JO
13-Aug-98 1:12 PM EDT (1712 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] U-S / KOSOVO (L) BY GIL BUTLER (STATE DEPARTMENT)

INTRO: THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAS CONDEMNED CONTINUED SERB ATTACKS ON ETHNIC ALBANIAN TOWNS IN YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE, BUT HAS WELCOMED KOSOVAR ALBANIANS FORMING A NEGOTIATING TEAM FOR RENEWED TALKS WITH YUGOSLAVIA'S SERBIAN GOVERNMENT. V-O-A'S GIL BUTLER HAS A REPORT FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

TEXT: STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES FOLEY SAID THE TOWN OF JUNIK IS UNDER BOMBARDMENT AND OTHER ETHNIC ALBANIAN VILLAGES ARE UNDER ATTACK. A LARGE NUMBER OF REFUGEES HAS BEEN CREATED.

HE SAID INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS HAVE NOT BEEN ALLOWED INTO THE AREA.

KOSOVO DIPLOMATIC OBSERVER MISSION TEAMS HAVE BEEN DENIED ACCESS TO THIS AREA. WE EXPECT SERB AUTHORITIES TO GRANT FULL ACCESS TO THIS AREA. REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE SERBS HAVE MINED PATHS AROUND THE VILLAGE AND REFUGEES FROM THE JUNIK AREA ENTERING ALBANIA HAVE BEEN TREATED FOR INJURIES CONSISTENT WITH LAND MINES.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT DID WELCOME SOME NEWS FROM KOSOVO: THE FORMATION OF A KOSOVAR ALBANIAN NEGOTIATING TEAM BY IBRAHIM RUGOVA. SPOKESMAN FOLEY SAYS THAT PUTS TO THE TEST YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC'S PLEDGE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS.

UNTIL THIS POINT, WHILE EFFORTS WERE UNDERWAY TO PUT TOGETHER A KOSOVAR ALBANIAN NEGOTIATING TEAM, THE PROSPECT OF NEGOTIATIONS WAS ONE THAT WAS HYPOTHETICAL. NOW WE HAVE A KOSOVAR ALBANIAN NEGOTIATING TEAM ON THE ONE HAND. WE HAVE MILOSEVIC'S STATED WILLINGNESS TO NEGOTIATE ON THE OTHER HAND. AND THE TIME FOR TESTING IS NOW UPON US.

HE CALLED ON SERB AUTHORITIES TO CREATE A CLIMATE FOR NEGOTIATIONS BY ENDING THE VIOLENCE AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIAN AREAS.(SIGNED)
NEB/MGB/JO
13-Aug-98 5:29 PM EDT (2129 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: STOCK PRICES WERE MIXED IN TRADING THURSDAY IN EUROPE. V-O-A'S JACK HUIZENGA HAS THE CLOSING MARKET REPORT FROM LONDON.

TEXT: PRICES FELL ON ALL MAJOR EUROPEAN EXCHANGES -- AFTER SHARE PRICES PLUNGED ON RUSSIA'S MARKET AMID SERIOUS WORRIES ABOUT THE RUSSIAN ECONOMY. BUT THE EUROPEAN MARKETS REBOUNDED, AFTER THE U-S GOVERNMENT REPORTED STRONGER THAN EXPECTED RETAIL SALES.

ONE OF EUROPE'S MAJOR EXCHANGES -- PARIS -- ACTUALLY MANAGED A GAIN ON THE DAY. THE CAC-40 INDEX CLOSED UP ABOUT SIX POINTS, MORE THAN ONE-TENTH PERCENT.

BUT IN LONDON, THE FOOTSIE-100 INDEX FELL SIXTY-THREE POINTS, MORE THAN ONE-AND-ONE-TENTH PERCENT.

AND IN FRANKFURT, THE DAX INDEX WAS DOWN 32 POINTS, ABOUT SIX-TENTHS PERCENT.

ON THE LONDON CURRENCY EXCHANGE, THE VALUE OF THE U-S DOLLAR ROSE AGAINST THE BRITISH POUND AND THE GERMAN MARK, BUT IT WAS DOWN SLIGHTLY AGAINST THE JAPANESE YEN. (SIGNED)
NEB/JWH/JO
13-Aug-98 2:37 PM EDT (1837 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] THURSDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE DEBATE OVER SECURITY AT U-S EMBASSIES AND OTHER BUILDINGS ABROAD CONTINUES IN THE EDITORIAL PAGES THIS THURSDAY IN THE WAKE OF THE EAST AFRICAN BOMBINGS. THERE IS ALSO CONCERN ABOUT ANOTHER PART OF AFRICA, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, FORMERLY ZAIRE, WHICH APPEARS TO BE IN THE THROES OF ANOTHER CIVIL WAR.

THE HUGE OIL COMPANY MERGER IS ALSO DRAWING COMMENTS, AS IS THE LATEST RASH OF VIOLENCE BY CHILDREN AGAINST CHILDREN, AND U-S POLICY TOWARD THE VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO PROVINCE, AND IRAQI INTRANSIGENCE. NOW, HERE IS ___________ WITH A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PAPERS, WITH SOME OF THEIR COMMENTS IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: THE DEBATE GOES ON OVER HOW SECURE U-S EMBASSIES CAN BE MADE TO WITHSTAND TERRORISM. ON THE FRONT PAGES OF THURSDAY'S PAGES, THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS ADMITTING THAT TWO REQUESTS FOR BETTER SECURITY AT THE EMBASSY IN NAIROBI WERE TURNED DOWN BECAUSE OF A SHORTAGE OF FUNDS. TODAY'S "ORLANDO SENTINEL" SAYS: "ONLY SO MUCH CAN BE DONE TO SAFEGUARD U-S EMBASSIES AGAINST TERRORISM, BUT BETTER SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE WOULD HELP."

VOICE: IN LIGHT OF THE ATTACKS IN AFRICA ... GREATER ATTENTION TO EMBASSY SECURITY HAS BECOME URGENT. PROPERLY, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS ORDERED SOME IMMEDIATE STEPS, INCLUDING A REVIEW OF SECURITY PRACTICES. .... [HOWEVER] EVEN TRYING TO ACHIEVE INVULNERABILITY WOULDN'T BE PRUDENT. IT WOULD COST TOO MUCH WITHOUT GUARANTEEING RESULTS. AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DOWNSIDE WOULD AMOUNT TO A VICTORY FOR TERRORISTS.

TEXT: "USA TODAY" CHARGES IN ITS LEAD EDITORIAL HEADLINE THAT "15 YEARS OF NEGLECT INVITED EMBASSY DISASTERS," ADDING THAT THE PRESENT SITUATION APPEARS LITTLE IMPROVED.

VOICE: THIS PAST YEAR, THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE, [GAO] CONGRESS' WATCHDOG, HAS REPEATED WARNINGS ABOUT THE LACK OF FOCUS, POOR MANAGEMENT AND INEFFECTIVE BUDGETING AMONG THE 40 AGENCIES, BUREAUS AND OFFICES SHARING A ROLE IN COMBATING TERRORISM. CONFUSION ... IS SO PERVASIVE ... THE GAO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE ... HOW MUCH IS ALLOCATED EACH YEAR FOR TERRORISM NEEDS BY FEDERAL AGENCIES.

TEXT: STILL WITH AFRICA, "THE BOSTON GLOBE" LOOKS WESTWARD TO CONGO, WHERE ANOTHER CIVIL WAR APPEARS TO BE UNDERWAY, NOTING:

VOICE: THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, FEEBLE GIANT OF AFRICA, IS BESET BY NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE TRIED TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS BY INTERVENING IN ITS AFFAIRS. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD DISCOURAGE THIS MEDDLING AND ENCOURAGE THE CONGOLESE TO DEVISE A LASTING POLITICAL SETTLEMENT OF THEIR OWN. .... TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THE ANGOLAN GOVERNMENT TO THE SOUTH IS APPARENTLY READY TO RESUME ITS WAR AGAINST THE LONG-RUNNING UNITA INSURGENCY AND MAY USE CONGO TERRITORY AS A SPRINGBOARD. ... AN ANGOLAN INCURSION [INTO CONGO] AGAINST UNITA WILL FURTHER DESTABILIZE CONGO. ANGOLA HAD BEST SEEK ITS SOLUTION INTERNALLY.

TEXT: THAT HUGE OIL COMPANY MERGER, ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY, WHEREIN BRITISH PETROLEUM TAKES OVER AMOCO, DRAWS THIS RESPONSE FROM "THE SUN" IN BALTIMORE.

VOICE: THE 48-POINT-TWO-BILLION DOLLAR MERGER OF BP WITH AMOCO FLOWS FROM WEAK OIL PROFITS CAUSED BY OVERPRODUCTION BY THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES. IT WILL CREATE THE THIRD BIGGEST OIL COMPANY IN THE WORLD, AFTER EXXON ... AND ROYAL DUTCH/SHELL.

TEXT: "THE NEW YORK TIMES" ADDS THAT:

VOICE: IN THE END, THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF THIS MERGER WILL ... DEPEND ON THE SUCCESS OF THE COMPANY IN FINDING AND DEVELOPING NEW OILFIELDS AT A REASONABLE COST, AND ON WHETHER OIL PRICES REMAIN DEPRESSED FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD.

TEXT: A PAIR OF STORIES INVOLVING YOUTHFUL MURDERS ALSO DRAWS CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION. "THE MIAMI HERALD" ADDRESSES THE STORIES OF A SEVEN AND AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD ARRESTED IN CHICAGO FOR MURDERING A PLAYMATE TO STEAL HER BICYCLE AND TWO BOYS FROM ARKANSAS SENTENCED TUESDAY FOR AMBUSHING CLASSMATES, AND KILLING FIVE PEOPLE WITH HIGH-POWERED RIFLES.

VOICE: DESPITE THE DIFFERENCES, THESE CASES RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ADEQUACY OF JUVENILE LAWS TO DEAL WITH CHILDREN WHO KILL. MOST SUCH OFFENDERS CAN BE HELD IN CUSTODY ONLY UNTIL THEY'RE 18 YEARS OLD - - PUNISHMENT WOEFULLY INADEQUATE IN SCENARIOS SUCH AS THESE.

TEXT: "THE NEW YORK POST," REACTING TO NEWS THAT THE SWISS BANKING INDUSTRY HAS AGREED TO PAY HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS AND THEIR HEIRS ONE-BILLION-TWO-HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS TO SETTLE CLAIMS OF UNCLAIMED DEPOSITS OF JEWS LOST DURING AND AFTER THE WAR, CALLS IT A "GENEROUS SETTLEMENT" AND SAYS THE BANKS "DESERVE TO BE CONGRATULATED."

TEXT: U-S FOREIGN POLICY, PERCEIVED AS WEAK TOWARD A PAIR OF FOES BY TWO MAJOR PAPERS, DRAWS THE IRE OF BOTH. "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" BEMOANS WHAT IT CALLS THIS COUNTRY'S "PERILOUS WEAKNESS ON IRAQ" IN THE WAKE OF THE LATEST REFUSAL BY THAT NATION TO CONTINUE COOPERATING WITH U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS.

VOICE: FOR NOW, THE [CLINTON] ADMINISTRATION IS TEMPORIZING. MAYBE, DESPITE ITS EARLIER TOUGH WORDS, THAT'S ALL IT INTENDS TO DO. IF SO, AND IF BAGHDAD DOES NOT YIELD TO U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN'S LATEST PLEA TO RESUME COOPERATING WITH THE ARMS INSPECTORS, [SADDAM] HUSSEIN WILL HAVE ACHIEVED A MAJOR POLITICAL VICTORY.

TEXT: AND IN "THE WASHINGTON POST" MORE HARSH WORDS FOR THE U-S AND THE WESTERN NATIONS WHO ARE, IN THE PAPER'S VIEW, ALLOWING IN KOSOVO PROVINCE THE SAME TYPE OF ETHNIC CLEANSING AS OCCURRED IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA.

VOICE: ... THERE CAN BE LITTLE CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT A STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN ACKNOWLEDGED IS 'A HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE' IN THE MAKING. YET THE WEST RESPONDS MUCH AS IT DID FOR SO LONG AS WAR CRIMES TOOK PLACE IN BOSNIA -- THREATENING AND CLUCK-CLUCKING, WRINGING HANDS AND URGING RESTRAINT.

TEXT: "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" ALSO TAKES A SWIPE AT WHAT IT SEES AS THE FRAUDULENT CAMBODIAN ELECTIONS, SUGGESTING OF THE WINNER, FORMER KHMER ROUGE OFFICIAL HUN SEN:

VOICE: UNTIL AND UNLESS HUN SEN BUILDS A COALITION GOVERNMENT THAT INCLUDES BOTH [PRINCE AND FORMER CO-PRIME MINISTER NORODOM] RANARIDDH AND [OPPOSITION PRIME MINISTER CANDIDATE SAM] RAINSY, CAMBODIA CANNOT EXPECT INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT, AND HIS GOVERNMENT CAN DO LITTLE MATERIALLY WITHOUT IT.

TEXT: FINALLY, "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL," CONTEMPLATING MONDAY'S GRAND JURY TESTIMONY OF PRESIDENT CLINTON IN THE MONICA LEWINSKY INVESTIGATION, SAYS OF THE WHOLE AFFAIR:

VOICE: THIS IS NOT THE WAY WE WANT THE PRESIDENCY RUN. DESPITE MR. DOOLEY'S ADAGE THAT ['] POLITICS AIN'T BEANBAG, ['] [MEANING IT IS TOUGH AND NOT A CHILD'S GAME] THERE HAVE TO BE CONVENTIONS AND LIMITS SOMEWHERE. WHAT THE INQUIRY [BEING LED BY INDEPENDENT COUNSEL KENNETH STARR] IS ULTIMATELY ABOUT IS WHETHER THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION WILL SET THE STANDARDS BY WHICH OUR POLITICS ARE CONDUCTED IN THE FUTURE. THE INDEPENDENT COUNSEL WILL BE DERELICT IN HIS DUTY IF HE FAILS TO MAKE THIS ISSUE CLEAR IN MONDAY'S QUESTIONING, AND EVEN MORE SO IN HIS EVENTUAL REPORT TO THE CONGRESS.

TEXT: WITH THAT, WE BRING TO AN END THIS SAMPLING OF EDITORIAL COMMENT FROM THURSDAY'S U-S PRESS.
NEB/ANG/KL
13-Aug-98 11:44 AM EDT (1544 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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