Voice of America, 98-08-30

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

CONTENTS

[01] ALBRIGHT / BOSNIA (L) BY GIL BUTLER (SARAJEVO)

[02] ALBRIGHT/BOSNIA (S) BY GIL BUTLER (BIJELJINA)

[03] KOSOVO ATROCITIES (L ONLY) BY PHILIP SMUCKER (PRISTINA)

[01] ALBRIGHT / BOSNIA (L) BY GIL BUTLER (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: U-S SECRETARY OF STATE MADELINE ALBRIGHT IS IN BOSNIA WHERE SHE HAS BEEN URGING PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR POLITICIANS WHO FAVOR IMPLEMENTING THE DAYTON ACCORDS THAT LEAD TO AN END OF THE BOSNIAN WAR. WITH THE ELECTION LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY, MS. ALBRIGHT IS EMPHASIZING THE MATERIAL BENEFITS OF THE DAYTON AGREEMENTS. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT GIL BUTLER REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO.

TEXT: IN THE BOSNIAN SERB REPUBLIC AND LATER IN A CROAT AND MUSLIM AREA NEAR SARAJEVO, THE SECRETARY MADE IT CLEAR THAT AMERICAN SUPPORT FOR REBUILDING THIS SHATTERED COUNTRY DEPENDS ON FOLLOWING THE GOALS LAID DOWN IN DAYTON, OHIO, IN 1995.

WHATEVER THE OUTCOME OF THE VOTE, WE WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE ONLY TO THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT HELPED IMPLEMENT DAYTON BY WELCOMING REFUGEES, BY MAKING JOINT INSTITUTIONS WORK, BY UPHOLDING JUSTICE AND THE RULE OF LAW.

THE PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT IS THE CITY OF BIJELJINA IN THE BOSNIA SERB REPUBLIC OR REPUBLICA SRBSKA, AS IT IS CALLED. AFTER THE BOSNIAN SERB REPUBLIC PRESIDENT BROKE WITH ANTI-DAYTON SERBS AND BEGAN REFORMS, AID MONEY STARTED FLOWING IN. 100 MILLION DOLLARS IN PROJECTS BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, ACCORDING TO U-S OFFICIALS.

AS YOU CAN SEE HERE AND OVER HERE, THERE WAS TOTAL OVERLOAD. IT HADN'T BEEN MAINTAINED FOR MANY YEARS. THESE TWO CHAMBERS EXPLODED.

IN ADDITION TO PROMOTING THE BENEFITS OF ELECTING PRO-DAYTON ACCORD POLITICIANS, MS. ALBRIGHT HAS BEEN CALLING FOR A RETURN OF REFUGEES IN AN ORDERLY WAY. DURING A SPEECH TO REFUGEES AT A SEMINARY IN A SARAJEVO SUBURB, SHE WAS APPLAUDED WHEN SHE CALLED ON EUROPEAN COUNTRIES NOT TO FORCE RETURNS UNTIL COMMUNITIES HERE ARE READY TO ACCEPT THE REFUGEES.

IT IS WRONG TO STOP REFUGEES FROM COMING HOME BUT I HOPE OUR EUROPEAN ALLIES WILL RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS ALSO IRRESPONSIBLE TO FORCE THEM TO RETURN WHERE THERE IS NO SECURITY, NO HOUSING AND NO JOBS. (APPLAUSE)

AMONG THE GROUPS SECRETARY ALBRIGHT MET ON HER FIRST DAY IN BOSNIA WAS A NEW MULTI-NATIONAL MILITARY UNIT WHICH, AMONG OTHER DUTIES, IS TO HELP PROVIDE SECURITY FOR REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PEOPLE IN BOSNIA.

IN THE REST OF HER STAY HERE, THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL MEET MUSLIM BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC AND CROAT PRESIDENT KRESIMIR ZUBAK. (SIGNED)
NEB/GB/ENE-T
30-Aug-98 5:16 PM EDT (2116 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] ALBRIGHT/BOSNIA (S) BY GIL BUTLER (BIJELJINA)

INTRO: SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT IS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA, SUPPORTING THE UPCOMING NATIONAL ELECTIONS. CORRESPONDENT GIL BUTLER REPORTS FROM BEJELJINA IN THE SERBIAN PART OF BOSNIA, WHERE SECRETARY ALBRIGHT URGED SUPPORT FOR CANDIDATES WHO BACK THE DAYTON ACCORDS THAT ENDED THE BOSNIA FIGHTING.

TEXT: AFTER TOURING A REBUILT ELECTRIC STATION THAT WILL SUPPLY POWER FOR 100-THOUSAND PEOPLE, MS. ALBRIGHT PUT THE ELECTION ISSUE IN VERY PLAIN TERMS. SHE SAID THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BOSNIAN-SERB REPUBLIC, REPUBLICA SRBSKA, IS GETTING 100-MILLION DOLLARS IN AID BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT, THE PEOPLE THE REPUBLICA SRBSKA ELECTED HAVE MADE A REAL COMMITMENT TO IMPLEMENT DAYTON. THEY KNOW THAT DAYTON MEANS JOBS, RECONSTRUCTION, AND A NORMAL LIFE. IN OTHER WORDS, DAYTON PAYS.

THE SERB REPUBLIC IS LED BY BILJANA PLAVSIC, WHO THE UNITED STATES CREDITS WITH LEADING THIS PART OF BOSNIA TO AN ACCEPTANCE OF THE DAYTON AGREEMENT. (SIGNED)
NEB/MGB/DW/RAE
30-Aug-98 11:30 AM EDT (1530 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] KOSOVO ATROCITIES (L ONLY) BY PHILIP SMUCKER (PRISTINA)

INTRO: ETHNIC ALBANIAN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS HAVE CALLED (SUNDAY) FOR THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT TO PERMIT FORENSIC EXPERTS TO EXAMINE EVIDENCE FROM A VILLAGE WHERE SERB OFFICIALS CLAIM 22 SERBS WERE KILLED AND LATER CREMATED. ETHNIC ALBANIAN GUERRILLAS WHO ARE ACCUSED OF THE KILLINGS DENY THEY TOOK PLACE. PHILIP SMUCKER REPORTS FROM PRISTINA.

TEXT: THE LEADING ETHNIC-ALBANIAN HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER IN KOSOVO WANTS THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT TO ALLOW OUTSIDE EXPERTS TO EXAMINE EVIDENCE OF AN ALLEGED EXECUTION SITE.

SERB OFFICIALS CLAIMED SATURDAY 22 KIDNAPPED SERBS HAD BEEN EXECUTED NEAR THE VILLAGE OF KLECKA BY MEMBERS OF THE ETHNIC-ALBANIAN "KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY". IN AN INTERVIEW WITH A LEADING ALBANIAN NEWSPAPER (SUNDAY) SENIOR K-L-A OFFICIALS DENIED ANY KILLINGS OR BURNING OF BODIES TOOK PLACE AT THE FORMER REBEL BASE.

THE EVIDENCE AT KLECKA, IF PROVEN THROUGH INTERNATIONAL FORENSIC TESTING, WOULD BE DAMNING FOR THE ETHNIC-ALBANIAN GUERRILLAS FIGHTING FOR INDEPENDENCE FROM SERBIAN RULE.

SERB SECURITY FORCES OUSTED REBELS FROM THE KLECKA BASE LAST FRIDAY AND CALLED IN JOURNALISTS TO LOOK AT HUMAN BONES IN A BRICK KILN THEY CLAIM WAS USED TO BURN DEAD SERB CIVILIANS.

THE KOSOVO ALBANIAN COUNCIL FOR HUMAN RIGHTS CALLED (SUNDAY), FOR SERBIAN OFFICIALS TO PERMIT FORENSIC EXPERTS ATTACHED TO THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE TO EXAMINE CLAIMS SERB SECURITY FORCES HAVE SUMMARILY EXECUTED ALBANIANS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS DURING THE PAST SIX-MONTHS. SO FAR, SERBIAN OFFICIALS HAVE PERMITTED NO OUTSIDE FORENSIC EXPERTS INTO YUGOSLAVIA TO BEGIN INSPECTIONS. THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT HAS DENIED ITS FORCES HAVE COMMITTED ATROCITIES. (SIGNED)
NEB/PS/DW/RAE
30-Aug-98 1:02 PM EDT (1702 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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