Voice of America, 98-11-02

Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] MACEDONIA ELECTION (L) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)

[02] N-Y ECON WRAP (S & L) BY BRECK ARDERY (NEW YORK)

[03] MONDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[01] MACEDONIA ELECTION (L) BY ART CHIMES (PRAGUE)

INTRO: VOTERS IN MACEDONIA APPEAR TO HAVE TURNED OUT THE SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT OF FORMER COMMUNISTS AND VOTED IN A CENTER-RIGHT COALITION. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ART CHIMES IS FOLLOWING THE STORY FROM OUR REGIONAL NEWS BUREAU IN PRAGUE.

TEXT: THE SOCIALISTS CONCEDED DEFEAT AS A COALITION OF CENTER AND RIGHT PARTIES APPEARED HEADED FOR VICTORY.

THE TWO-PARTY COALITION -- BY ITS OWN COUNT -- IS TWO SEATS SHY OF A PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITY. BUT IT SHOULD HAVE LITTLE TROUBLE IN PICKING UP THE EXTRA SUPPORT FROM OTHER, SMALLER PARTIES.

NATO WANTS TO USE MACEDONIA AS A STAGING AREA FOR A RAPID REACTION FORCE THAT COULD PROTECT OR RESCUE TWO-THOUSAND UNARMED OBSERVERS IN NEIGHBORING KOSOVO. BUT DURING THE CAMPAIGN THE OPPOSITION QUESTIONED WHETHER MACEDONIA SHOULD GET INVOLVED. LATER, HOWEVER, THEY SAID MACEDONIA WOULD STAND BY INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS OF THE OUTGOING GOVERNMENT.

SUNDAY'S VOTING FOLLOWED FIRST-ROUND BALLOTING TWO WEEKS EARLIER.

OFFICIAL RESULTS ARE DUE TO BE RELEASED LATE MONDAY.

MACEDONIA IS THE ONLY FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC TO BECOME INDEPENDENT WITHOUT A WAR. IT HAS HAD A VARIETY OF ONGOING DISPUTES WITH ITS NEIGHBORS.

GREECE DISPUTED ITS NAME, SAYING "MACEDONIA" REFERS TO A PART OF GREECE. SO, FOR OFFICIAL INTERNATIONAL PURPOSES THE COUNTRY IS REFERRED TO AS THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA.

BULGARIA CLAIMS THE MACEDONIAN LANGUAGE IS REALLY JUST A DIALECT OF BULGARIAN.

MACEDONIA'S ETHNIC ALBANIAN MINORITY IS ALSO A CAUSE OF FRICTION. THEY REPRESENT ALMOST ONE-QUARTER OF MACEDONIA'S POPULATION, AND THEY ARE CONCENTRATED ALONG THE BORDERS WITH ALBANIA ITSELF AND YUGOSLAVIA'S EMBATTLED KOSOVO PROVINCE, WHICH ITSELF HAS A 90-PERCENT ALBANIAN MAJORITY. (SIGNED)
NEB/ART/JWH
02-Nov-98 4:46 AM EST (0946 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[02] N-Y ECON WRAP (S & L) BY BRECK ARDERY (NEW YORK)

INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE UP STRONGLY TODAY (MONDAY) AS THE OCTOBER RALLY CONTINUED INTO THE FIRST TRADING DAY OF THE NEW MONTH. V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT 87 HUNDRED SIX, UP 114 POINTS, MORE THAN ONE PERCENT. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500, INDEX CLOSED AT 11 HUNDRED 11, UP ALMOST 13 POINTS.

THE STRONG START TO NOVEMBER FOLLOWED A NINE AND ONE-HALF PERCENT GAIN IN THE INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE IN OCTOBER, THE BIGGEST MONTHLY GAIN SINCE JANUARY OF 1987. OCTOBER HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN A BAD MONTH FOR STOCKS AND ONE THAT TRADERS USUALLY FACE WITH CAUTION. BUT LAST MONTH PROVES THE STANDARD WALL STREET WARNING THAT "PRIOR PERFORMANCE IS NO GUARANTEE OF FUTURE RESULTS."

THE GOVERNMENT REPORTS THE SAVINGS RATE OF THE AVERAGE AMERICAN HAS SUNK TO ITS LOWEST LEVEL SINCE 1933. IN FACT, THE LATEST FIGURES SHOW MANY AMERICANS ARE NOW SPENDING MORE THAN THEY EARN, INDICATING INCREASED BORROWING.

KEVIN FLANAGAN OF THE MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER INVESTMENT COMPANY SAYS THAT CAN NOT BE SUSTAINED.

CONSUMERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAP THEIR INCOMES ANYMORE TO SPEND DOWN THE ROAD (IN THE FUTURE). WHAT WE ARE STARTING TO SEE IS AN UNWILLINGNESS TO EXTEND MORE CREDIT SO I WOULD EXPECT TO SEE SPENDING PATTERNS WEAKEN AS 1998 COMES TO A CLOSE.

BROADCAST TECHNICIANS AT THE A-B-C TELEVISION NETWORK IN THE UNITED STATES STAGED A SURPRISE 24-HOUR STRIKE IN A CONTRACT NEGOTIATION DISPUTE. A-B-C, A UNIT OF THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY, HAS RETALIATED BY LOCKING OUT THE TECHNICIANS INDEFINITELY.

THE SECOND AND THIRD-LARGEST STOCK MARKETS IN THE UNITED STATES FORMALLY COMPLETED THEIR PLANNED MERGER MONDAY. HOWEVER, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECURITIES DEALERS MARKET -- KNOWN AS NASDAQ -- AND THE AMERICAN STOCK EXCHANGE WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE AS SEPARATE MARKETS.(SIGNED) NEB/NY/BA/LSF/PT
02-Nov-98 5:10 PM EST (2210 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[03] MONDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE IMPRESSIVE AND CATHARTIC REPORT OF SOUTH AFRICA'S TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION IS A POPULAR TOPIC IN MONDAY'S U-S EDITORIAL COLUMNS. THERE ARE ALSO COMMENTS URGING PEOPLE TO GET OUT AND VOTE IN TOMORROW'S NATIONWIDE ELECTION, AND SCORN FOR THE LOW TENOR OF MANY CAMPAIGNS.

ALSO IN THE EDITORIALS ARE REACTIONS TO A NEW ANTI-DEMOCRATIC TURN IN CHINA; BRAZIL'S ECONOMIC HARD TIMES; AND A WARNING THAT IT IS TOO SOON TO DECLARE THINGS CLEARED UP IN YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE. HERE IS ____________________ TO BRING YOU TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: U-S PAPERS ARE FULL OF PRAISE FOR THE UNPRECEDENTED CANDOR OF THE HUGE REPORT PREPARED AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF HEARINGS ON THE CRIMES AND VIOLENCE COMMITTED BY ALL SIDES DURING THE BATTLE AGAINST APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA. "THE MIAMI HERALD" TITLES ITS COMMENTARY "TRUTH THAT HURTS."

VOICE: NOW THAT THE WORK OF SOUTH AFRICA'S TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION IS DONE, ITS CRITICS SUDDENLY HAVE MULTIPLIED. EVEN PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA, WHO COMMISSIONED THE GROUP AND ITS WORK, STIFFLY ACCEPTED THE REPORT 'AS IS' WITH 'ALL OF ITS IMPERFECTIONS.' .. MR. MANDELA -- LIKE VIRTUALLY EVERY OTHER INDIVIDUAL, GROUP, OR GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT THE COMMISSION INVESTIGATED -- WAS PERTURBED BY THE REPORT'S PRIMARY THRUST AND ITS UNFLINCHING ADHERENCE TO ITS NOBLE MANDATE: TO DETERMINE AS BEST IT COULD THE TRUTH OF SOUTH AFRICA'S SYSTEM OF APARTHEID. ... IN SUM, THE COMMISSION'S REPORT DESCRIBES AN UGLY PICTURE OF AN UGLY TIME IN SOUTH AFRICA'S HISTORY. HAD IT DONE OTHERWISE, THE COMMISSION'S WORK WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN WORTHY OF ITS LOFTY NAME OR THE PAPER ON WHICH IT WAS WRITTEN. BECAUSE OF ITS SEARING CANDOR, THE REPORT MERITS HIGH PRAISE.

TEXT: IN BOSTON, "THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR" IS ALSO FAVORABLY IMPRESSED, NOTING:

VOICE: MORAL TRUISM: A SIN IS REALLY CONQUERED ONLY WHEN SQUARELY FACED UP TO AND FORSAKEN. THEN MORAL REBUILDING, INCLUDING FORGIVENESS, CAN BEGIN. THAT PROCESS IS MORE EASILY UNDERTAKEN BY AN INDIVIDUAL THAN A SOCIETY. YET SOCIETY IS MADE UP OF INDIVIDUALS. IF EVEN A SIZABLE MINORITY OF SOUTH AFRICANS TAKE THE WORK OF RECONCILIATION SERIOUSLY, ITS VALUE IS INESTIMABLE.

TEXT: IN PENNSYLVANIA, "THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER" SAYS THAT ALTHOUGH MR. MANDELA WAS NOT TOTALLY PLEASED WITH THE REPORT, HE APPARENTLY SEES ITS VALUE IN STARK HONESTY.

VOICE: THE TENSION WAS PALPABLE BETWEEN PRESIDENT MANDELA AND ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU ... THE COMMISSION'S CHAIRMAN ... WHEN THE REPORT WAS RELEASED. BUT THE ARCHBISHOP, WHO WON THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE IN 1984 FOR HIS ANTI-APARTHEID WORK, INSISTED BRAVELY THAT HE WOULD OPPOSE ABUSE OF POWER WHEREVER HE FOUND IT. AND BY THE CEREMONY'S END, HE AND PRESIDENT MANDELA WERE DANCING ON THE STAGE. WITH SUCH COURAGEOUS LEADERS, SOUTH AFRICA MAY YET MOVE BEYOND THE PAST HORRORS CATALOGED BY THE COMMISSION TOWARD A BETTER FUTURE.

TEXT: "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" ADDS: WITH THE COMMISSION'S REPORT, THE NATION MOVES AHEAD.

TURNING TO THE U-S CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION TOMORROW, IN PORTLAND, "THE OREGONIAN" IS DISGUSTED BY THE TENOR OF MANY CAMPAIGNS WHICH HAVE FEATURED MANY NEGATIVE ADVERTISEMENTS. THE PAPER CALLS IT "A RACE WITH NO WINNERS."

VOICE: THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC PARTIES ARE SELLING A PARTICULARLY SKUNKY [FOUL SMELLING] BRAND OF POLITICS IN THE LAST DAYS BEFORE THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS. THEY WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE THE ONLY CHOICE BEFORE AMERICAN VOTERS ON TUESDAY IS THIS: A LYING PRESIDENT OR A DO-NOTHING CONGRESS. DO NOT BUY IT [AGREE WITH THAT POSITION]. ... THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT THE POSSIBLE IMPEACHMENT OF BILL CLINTON AND ABOUT THE DISCREDITABLE RECORD OF THE LAST CONGRESS, BUT IT IS ALSO ABOUT A WHOLE RANGE OF ISSUES ALL BUT IGNORED IN THE NATIONAL POLITICAL ADS.

TEXT: "THE SUN" IN BALTIMORE REMINDS VOTERS THAT EVERY SINGLE VOTE COUNTS, AND THAT SOME ELECTIONS ARE DECIDED ON BUT A SINGLE VOTE OUT OF THOUSANDS CAST.

VOICE: SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO STOP [REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE] ELLEN ... SAUERBREY FROM BECOMING GOVERNOR, OR IF YOU WISH TO GET [INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR] PARRIS ... GLENDENING OUT OF ANNAPOLIS, HERE IS YOUR CHANCE. THE CHOICE IS YOURS. EACH SIDE IS MAKING THAT EXTRA EFFORT TO GET SUPPORTERS TO THE VOTING BOOTHS. WILL YOU BE THERE?

TEXT: OVERSEAS AGAIN, "THE NEW YORK TIMES" IS WORRIED OVER WHAT IT CALLS A "NEW CHILL IN CHINA" TOWARD THE STIRRINGS OF DEMOCRACY.

VOICE: A FEW MONTHS BACK THERE WAS REASON TO HOPE THAT CHINESE AUTHORITIES WERE MODESTLY EXPANDING THE LIMITS OF ACCEPTABLE POLITICAL DEBATE. THOSE EXPECTATIONS HAVE BEEN DASHED BY A NEW BURST OF ARRESTS, DETENTIONS AND CENSORSHIP. IN RECENT DAYS, GOVERNMENT AGENTS CLOSED DOWN AN INDEPENDENT THINK TANK THAT WAS TESTING THOSE NEW LIMITS, CONFISCATED ITS FOUNDER'S PASSPORT AND HALTED CIRCULATION OF A BOOK OF ESSAYS PROPOSING MILD POLITICAL REFORMS. ... THESE ARE INDICATIONS OF A DISTURBING SLIDE BACK TOWARD REPRESSION. PRESIDENT CLINTON, AFTER SPEAKING OUT REPEATEDLY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY ON HIS VISIT TO CHINA LAST SUMMER, SHOULD NOW MAKE PLAIN HIS DISAPPOINTMENT OVER THE CRACKDOWN.

TEXT: IN THIS HEMISPHERE, AS REGARDS BRAZIL'S STRUGGLE TO RIGHT ITS ECONOMY, "THE MIAMI HERALD" SUGGESTS IN ITS HEADLINE THE CURRENT PLAN IS "BRAZIL'S BITTER PILL," BUT ADDING -- WHAT MUST BE DONE IS HARSH, BUT [THE] CONSEQUENCES OF INACTION ARE WORSE.

VOICE: FACING A POSSIBLE ECONOMIC MELTDOWN, BRAZIL'S LEADERS HAVE CHOSEN THE ONLY SENSIBLE OPTION AVAILABLE TO THEM -- SEVERE AUSTERITY MEASURES. THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR THE HEMISPHERE, AND INDEED FOR THE GLOBAL ECONOMY.

... TAKEN TOGETHER, THE TAX-AND-SPENDING MEASURES PROPOSED BY PRESIDENT CARDOSO WOULD GENERATE ABOUT 80-BILLION DOLLARS OVER THREE YEARS. TARGETING THE TAX INCREASES TO FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS SUCH AS BANK WITHDRAWALS AND STOCK-MARKET INVESTMENTS IS A SENSIBLE WAY OF DEFLECTING SOME OF THE BURDEN FROM THE DESPERATELY POOR, ALTHOUGH IN THE LONG TERM ALL BRAZILIANS WILL BEAR THE LOAD.

TEXT: HALF A WORLD AWAY, IN YUGOSLOVIA'S TROUBLED KOSOVO PROVINCE, "NEWSDAY" ON LONG ISLAND SUGGESTS THAT "IT IS WAY TOO SOON FOR NATO TO DECLARE VICTORY IN KOSOVO; [YUGOSLAVIA'S PRESIDENT SLOBODAN] MILOSEVIC HAS NOT BEEN TAMED."

VOICE: TO BE SURE, THERE ARE FEWER YUGOSLAV TROOPS IN KOSOVO TODAY THAN THERE WERE BEFORE NATO ISSUED ITS ULTIMATUM; FEWER KOSOVARS ARE GETTING KILLED; GROWING TRICKLES OF REFUGEES ARE RETURNING TO BE FED AND HOUSED -- THOUGH NOT AT [MR.] MILOSEVIC'S EXPENSE, OF COURSE. THAT IS PROGRESS OF SORTS. BUT IT IS NOT A SOLUTION. ITS MUDDLING THROUGH A CRISIS. AT SOME POINT, [PRESIDENT] CLINTON AND HIS NATO PARTNERS WILL HAVE TO CONCEDE WHAT THEY CANNOT DO TODAY: WITHOUT PEACE-KEEPING TROOPS IN KOSOVO, THERE WILL NOT BE A PEACE TO KEEP FOR VERY LONG.

TEXT: IN MAINE, "THE PORTLAND PRESS HERALD" NOTES THE CALL FOR NEW ELECTIONS IN QUEBEC AND SUGGESTS THIS COULD WELL BE THE CAMPAIGN OF THE DECADE WITH SEPARATION FROM CANADA THE PRIMARY TOPIC.

VOICE: QUEBEC PREMIER LUCIEN BOUCHARD'S CALLING A LONG-AWAITED PROVINCIAL ELECTION LAST WEEK FOR NOVEMBER 30TH SET THE STAGE FOR A CONTEST OF GIANTS. THE CHARISMATIC, LEGENDARY BOUCHARD AND HIS SEPARATIST PARTI QUEBECOIS WILL BE CHALLENGED BY THE DYNAMIC AND, IN SOME QUARTERS, EQUALLY POPULAR JEAN CHAREST AND HIS ANTI-SEPARATIST QUEBEC LIBERAL PARTY. ...QUEBEC, WISELY KEEPS ITS ELECTION PERIODS SHORT. THE COMING CAMPAIGN AND ITS AFTERMATH, HOWEVER, ARE LIKELY TO REVERBERATE FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.

TEXT: AND FINALLY, A PLEA FOR EVEN MORE WORK ON A VACCINE TO PREVENT AIDS FROM "THE BOSTON GLOBE" WHICH NOTES THE RAVAGES THE DISEASE IS WORKING ON SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, WHERE THE TOLL IS EXPECTED TO EXCEED 62-MILLION PEOPLE BY THE YEAR 2015.

VOICE: PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS PROMISED A SUCCESSFUL VACCINE BY 2007, AND BOSTON IS THE LOCATION OF TRIALS FOR ONE EARLY VERSION, BUT VACCINE RESEARCH CONSUMES ONLY 183-MILLION OF A ONE-POINT-SEVENTY-THREE BILLION (DOLLAR) NIH [NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH] BUDGET FOR AIDS. INCREASED FUNDING WOULD BE ONE OF THE BEST GIFTS THE UNITED STATES COULD GIVE TO FOREIGN NATIONS AND WOULD PREVENT THE DISEASE FROM SPREADING TO THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS.

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE BRING TO A CLOSE THIS SAMPLING OF EDITORIAL COMMENT FROM SOME OF THE NATION'S LEADING DAILY PAPERS.
NEB/ANG/RAE
02-Nov-98 10:56 AM EST (1556 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article