Voice of America, 99-03-01

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

CONTENTS

[01] TURKEY-AMBASSADOR (L-ONLY) BY NEJLA SAMMAKIA (WASHINGTON)

[02] DOLE/KOSOVO (S) BY NICK SIMEONE (WASHINGTON)

[03] EURO OUTLOOK (L-ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (WASHINGTON)

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

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

[06] PROFILE: SERBIA'S MIRA MARKOVIC BY RON PEMSTEIN (BELGRADE)

[01] TURKEY-AMBASSADOR (L-ONLY) BY NEJLA SAMMAKIA (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE LEADER OF TURKEY'S KURDISH REBELS, ABDULLAH OCALAN, WAS CAPTURED BY TURKISH AGENTS IN KENYA TWO WEEKS AGO AND IS AWAITING TRIAL ON CHARGES OF TREASON. ALTHOUGH TURKEY DOES NOT WANT OFFICIAL OBSERVERS AT MR. OCALAN'S TRIAL, THERE ARE INDICATIONS IT WILL ALLOW SOME FORM OF INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE AT THE PROCEEDINGS. NEJLA SAMMAKIA REPORTS FROM WASHINGTON.

TEXT: NO DATE HAS YET BEEN SET FOR MR. OCALAN'S TRIAL, BUT TURKEY IS INVITING A DELEGATION OF NORWEGIAN PARLIAMENT MEMBERS TO ATTEND THE SESSION -- ON THE CONDITION THAT THE NORWEGIANS DO NOT CALL THEMSELVES OBSERVERS.

TURKEY'S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES, BAKI ILKIN, SAYS MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE'S COMMITTEE ON THE PREVENTION OF TORTURE, CURRENTLY VISITING TURKEY, ARE EXPECTED TO VISIT (TUESDAY) THE ISLAND PRISON (IMRALI) WHERE MR. OCALAN IS BEING HELD.

MR. OCALAN, WHO LED THE REBEL KURDISTAN WORKERS' PARTY, OR P-K-K, FACES CHARGES OF TREASON, LEADERSHIP OF A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION AND MASS MURDER -- PUNISHABLE BY THE DEATH PENALTY.

TURKEY'S REFUSAL TO ADMIT OBSERVERS TO THE TRIAL IS RAISING CONCERNS AMONG EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND HUMAN-RIGHTS GROUPS ABOUT THE FAIRNESS OF THE COURT PROCEEDINGS.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (MONDAY), AMBASSADOR ILKIN SAID THERE IS NO QUESTION HOW THE TRIAL WILL BE CONDUCTED:

THE TRIAL IS GOING TO BE VERY FAIR. SOME EUROPEAN COUNTRIES HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY HIM [MR. OCALAN] WHEN HE WAS IN EUROPE, AND THEY DECLINED, SO I DON'T THINK THAT THEY HAVE MUCH TO SAY ABOUT THE WAY THE TRIAL IS GOING TO BE CONDUCTED IN TURKEY.

TURKEY HAS BEEN TRYING TO TRACK DOWN MR. OCALAN FOR YEARS. HE OPERATED OUT OF NEIGHBORING SYRIA UNTIL DAMASCUS EXPELLED HIM, UNDER PRESSURE FROM TURKEY. HE SURFACED LAST NOVEMBER IN ITALY, WHERE HE UNSUCCESSFULLY SOUGHT POLITICAL ASYLUM, THEN EMBARKED ON A FOUR-MONTH JOURNEY SEEKING SHELTER. HIS FLIGHT ENDED IN KENYA, WHERE TURKISH AGENTS CAPTURED HIM NEAR THE GREEK EMBASSY [ON FEB. 15TH].

TURKEY'S RELATIONS WITH EUROPE, ALREADY TENSE OVER EUROPEAN UNION ISSUES, HAVE BEEN STRAINED FURTHER BY THE OCALAN AFFAIR. TURKEY HAS ACCUSED GREECE OF PROVIDING ARMS AND OTHER HELP TO THE P-K-K, AND IT IS ALSO UNHAPPY WITH GERMANY, WHICH LEVELLED CHARGES AGAINST MR. OCALAN BUT REFUSED TO DEMAND HIS EXTRADITION FROM ITALY.

TURKEY MENDED ITS FENCES WITH SYRIA AFTER DAMASCUS EXPELLED THE KURDISH REBEL LEADER. AMBASSADOR ILKIN DESCRIBES THE SITUATION:

AFTER SYRIA PUSHED OCALAN AND SOME OF HIS IMMEDIATE ENTOURAGE OUT OF SYRIA, WE HAVE STARTED HAVING CONTACTS WITH SYRIA ON SECURITY ISSUES ON A REGULAR BASIS, AND WE FEEL THAT THE PREREQUISITE AGAIN, FOR SYRIA, IS IT SHOULD CEASE TO HAVE ANY CONTACTS WITH TERRORISM, IT SHOULD DEPLORE, AND CONDEMN TERRORISM. SO FAR THERE HAVE BEEN POSITVE SIGNS, AND I HOPE THAT THE POSITIVE SIGNS WOULD TURN INTO POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS.

RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND SYRIA HAVE BEEN DOMINATED FOR YEARS BY THEIR DIFFERENCES OVER THE P-K-K, WHICH HAS BEEN WAGING AN ARMED CAMPAIGN FOR SELF-RULE IN TURKEY'S MAINLY-KURDISH SOUTHEASTERN REGION, AND BY ANKARA'S CONTROL OF WATER RESOURCES SHARED BY THE TWO NEIGHBORS. (SIGNED)
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01-Mar-99 6:52 PM EST (2352 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] DOLE/KOSOVO (S) BY NICK SIMEONE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: FORMER U-S SENATOR BOB DOLE IS HEADING TO YUGOSLAVIA TO PRESS SERBIAN OFFICIALS AND SEPARATIST ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO TO CONCLUDE A PEACE AGREEMENT. MEANWHILE, U-S DIPLOMATS SAY THEY ALSO EXPECT KOSOVAR ALBANIAN LEADERS WILL COME TO WASHINGTON TO DISCUSS THE PENDING DEAL. TALKS ON A FINAL PLAN TO END THE YEAR OLD CONFLICT ARE TO RESUME IN FRANCE MARCH 15TH. CORRESPONDENT NICK SIMEONE REPORTS.

TEXT: FORMER SENATOR DOLE WILL MEET WITH KOSOVAR ALBANIANS AND MAY PRESENT ARGUMENTS FOR PEACE TO YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JIM FOLEY SAYS MR. DOLE IS UNDERTAKING THE MISSION AT THE REQUEST OF SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT.

HE IS AN EMINENT FIGURE WHO HAS A LOT OF CREDIBILITY WITH THE KOSOVAR ALBANIANS BECAUSE HE HAS SPOKEN OUT ON THEIR BEHALF OVER THE YEARS. HE'S ALSO SOMEONE -- I DON'T HAVE HIS ITINERARY SO I CAN'T TELL YOU FOR SURE WHERE HE'S GOING -- BUT IF HE WERE TO GO TO BELGRADE HE'S SOMEONE WHO HAS DEALT WITH MR. MILOSEVIC PREVIOUSLY AND WOULD SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES IN THAT REGARD.

THE FORMER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE -- WHO LOST TO BILL CLINTON IN 1996 -- IS NO STRANGER TO THE BALKANS. HE HAS MADE TRIPS TO NEIGHBORING BOSNIA AND STRONGLY SUPPORTS KEEPING A NATO-LED PEACEKEEPING FORCE AS WELL AS AMERICAN TROOPS THERE. (SIGNED) NEB/NJS/JO
01-Mar-99 3:09 PM EST (2009 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] EURO OUTLOOK (L-ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKERS MET MONDAY IN WASHINGTON TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENTS WORLDWIDE. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS ON THE DISCUSSION CONCERNING THE WEST EUROPEAN ECONOMY AND THE NEW EURO CURRENCY.

TEXT: THE BANKERS ARE IN A CAUTIOUSLY UPBEAT MOOD, BELIEVING THE WORST OF THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS IS OVER. WHILE THERE IS CONCERN ABOUT BRAZIL AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH ASIA IS BEGINNING TO RECOVER, THE BANKERS ARE DELIGHTED THAT THE U-S ECONOMY IS DOING SO WELL, PROVIDING AN IMPORTANT MARKET FOR EXPORTS FROM DISTRESSED ECONOMIES.

BUT THERE IS UNCERTAINTY ABOUT EUROPE. TED TRUMAN, THE LONG TIME FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD OFFICIAL WHO RECENTLY BECAME U-S ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY, TOLD THE MEETING THAT EUROPE'S ECONOMY IS SLOWING AND PROBABLY WILL EXPAND BY NO MORE THAN TWO PERCENT THIS YEAR.

WE'RE NOT YET TALKING ABOUT A EUROPEAN RECESSION. GROWTH OF AROUND TWO PERCENT WILL HOWEVER KEEP UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FROM DECLINING MUCH AND MAY PREVENT EUROPE FROM MAKING MUCH OF A CONTRIBUTION TO RECOVERY IN EMERGING MARKET ECONOMIES.

CONCERNING THE EURO CURRENCY, MR. TRUMAN IS MORE OPTIMISTIC. WHILE NOTING THAT SINCE ITS LAUNCH TWO MONTHS AGO THE EURO HAS DECLINED FIVE PERCENT AGAINST THE DOLLAR, MR. TRUMAN DOESN'T NOT REGARD THE DECLINE AS WORRISOME.

THESE MODERATE FLUCTUATIONS IN THE EURO'S VALUE SUGGEST THAT IT IS TAKING ITS PLACE AS A NORMAL CURRENCY, SUBJECT AS ARE MANY OTHER IMPORTANT CURRENCIES TO MANY FORCES PUSHING IT UP OR DOWN.

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

INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE MIXED TODAY (MONDAY) IN A MARKET THAT LACKED ANY CLEAR DIRECTION. VOA BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT 93 HUNDRED 24, UP 18 POINTS. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500 INDEX CLOSED AT 12 HUNDRED 36, DOWN TWO POINTS. AND THE NASDAQ INDEX CLOSED UP MODESTLY.

THE MAJOR AVERAGES WERE UP AND DOWN ALL DAY WITH NO CLEAR DIRECTION, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS SOME CONTINUED CONCERN THAT U-S INTEREST RATES WILL RISE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

I THINK THE BULL MARKET IS VERY MUCH INTACT. OBVIOUSLY NOTHING GOES UP FOREVER OR GOES UP IN A STRAIGHT LINE AND I THINK WE ARE AT A JUNCTURE WHERE PRICES ARE HIGH AND SOME PEOPLE ARE QUESTIONING HOW HIGH PRICES CAN GO.

THE GOVERNMENT REPORTS CONSTRUCTION SPENDING IN THE UNITED STATES SOARED ONE POINT SIX PERCENT IN JANUARY, THE BIGGEST INCREASE IN SEVEN MONTHS.

SOME TECHNOLOGY STOCKS CONTINUED TO SHOW WEAKNESS AS SEVERAL WALL STREET ANALYSTS DOWNGRADED PERSONAL COMPUTER STOCKS. THEY SAY P-C SALES GROWTH IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR HAS BEEN BELOW EXPECTATIONS.

THE REPUBLIC BANK OF NEW YORK SAYS IT WILL ELIMINATE SOME SLOW-GROWING BUSINESSES IN A RESTRUCTURING WHICH COULD RESULT IN THE LOSS OF ALMOST 600 JOBS.

ALBERTSON'S, THE U-S SUPERMARKET CHAIN, ANNOUNCED A NINE PERCENT INCREASE IN QUARTERLY PROFITS, LARGELY BECAUSE OF GROWTH IN ITS PHARMACY BUSINESS.

GENERAL ELECTRIC OF BRITAIN WILL PAY TWO POINT ONE BILLION DOLLARS TO ACQUIRE THE RELTEC TELECOMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT COMPANY OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE SWISS AIR CORPORATION SAYS IT WILL MAKE AN IMMEDIATE PAYMENT OF 135 THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH TO THE RELATIVES OF THE 229 PASSENGERS KILLED IN THE CRASH OF A SWISS AIR JETLINER OFF THE COAST OF CANADA LAST YEAR. THE COMPANY SAYS ACCEPTANCE OF THE MONEY WILL NOT AFFECT THE RIGHT OF RELATIVES TO SUE. SO FAR, LAWSUITS TOTALING ALMOST 10 BILLION DOLLARS HAVE BEEN FILED AGAINST SWISS AIR AND BOEING-MCDONNELL DOUGLAS, MAKER OF THE MD-11 JETLINER.(SIGNED) NEB/NY/BA/LSF/PT
01-Mar-99 5:13 PM EST (2213 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: ON THIS FIRST DAY OF MARCH, THERE ARE MANY TOPICS UNDER DISCUSSION IN THE EDITORIAL PAGES OF THE NATION'S NEWSPAPERS. THE NIGERIAN ELECTION IS ONE; WHILE NEW INFORMATION ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS DURING GUATEMALA'S LONG CIVIL WAR IS ANOTHER POPULAR TOPIC.

OTHER EDITORIALS DEAL WITH: ENFORCING THE PEACE IN KOSOVO; A COUPLE OF RUSSIAN ISSUES; AND HOW THE MILITARY PAY INCREASE BILL WAS HANDLED IN THE SENATE. NOW, HERE IS _______________ WITH A FEW EXCERPTS AND A CLOSER LOOK IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: TODAY'S "NEW YORK TIMES," NOTING EARLY ELECTION RETURNS FROM NIGERIA, HAS THIS TO SAY ABOUT NIGERIA'S NEW, CIVILIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT, OLUSEGUN OBASANJO.

VOICE: HIS SELECTION REFLECTS THE COMPLEXITIES OF POWER IN NIGERIA TODAY. ... BUT THE TRANSITION [FROM MILITARY TO CIVILIAN RULE] IS INCOMPLETE. MILITARY OFFICERS, WHO LARGELY BANKROLLED MR. OBASANJO'S CANDIDACY, WILL CONTINUE TO LOOM OVER HIS GOVERNMENT. MR. OBASANJO WILL HAVE TO BREAK WITH THEM TO HAVE ANY SUCCESS IN IMPROVING LIFE IN AFRICA'S MOST POPULOUS NATION.

TEXT: REGARDING EVENTS IN THIS HEMISPHERE, A NEW, U-N SPONSORED REPORT ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS DURING GUATEMALA'S BLOODY 34-YEAR-LONG CIVIL WAR DRAWS THIS COMMENT FROM "THE WASHINGTON POST."

VOICE: THE REPORT ... COMMISSIONED AS PART OF A POST-COLD WAR PACKAGE OF MEASURES AIMED AT NATIONAL RECONCILIATION, IN THIS INSTANCE AT 'RECONCILIATION THROUGH TRUTH.' ...TELLS TRUTHS WHOSE ACKNOWLEDGMENT CAN ONLY HELP GUATEMALA RETURN FROM THE DARK. ... IN SOME BUT NOT ALL OF THE CASTRO YEARS, WASHINGTON SUPPORTED THE RULE OF THE ANTI-COMMUNIST OFFICERS AND OLIGARCHS WHOSE HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES FORM THE SUBSTANCE OF THE NEW REPORT. ...

TEXT: "THE NEW YORK POST," HOWEVER, BRISTLES AT THE CRITICISM OF THE U-S MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITIES IN THE REPORT.

VOICE: /// OPT /// NO ONE, CERTAINLY N O T THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES, HAD TO INSTRUCT THE GUATEMALAN MILITARY ON HOW TO TORTURE, KIDNAP AND COMMIT MURDER BY DEATH SQUAD. NO ONE HAD TO TEACH THE THUGS TO COMMIT GENOCIDE AGAINST THE MAYAN INDIANS - - THAT EFFORT ... HAS BEEN GOING ON ... FOR 400 YEARS. ... /// END OPT /// IT IS NECESSARY TO ASK: WHO ARE THE CREATORS OF THE REPORT AND WHAT INTERESTS DO THEY SERVE? THE IDEA OF PLACING BLAME FOR GUATEMALAN CONDUCT ON THE UNITED STATES IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE ENDURING TENDENCY OF THE LEFT TO BLAME AMERICA FOR THE SINS OF OTHERS

TEXT: "THE [MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA] STAR-TRIBUNE" IS UPSET AT THE WAY NATO HAS CONSISTENTLY REFUSED TO ACT ON ITS THREATS TO USE MILITARY FORCE TO ACHIEVE YUGOSLAVIAN COOPERATION IN A KOSOVO PROVINCE PEACE EFFORT.

VOICE: IN THE FACE OF NATO'S TIMIDITY, THURSDAY BROUGHT NEW YUGOSLAV TANK AND MORTAR ATTACKS AGAINST ALBANIAN KOSOVARS ... SUCH ATTACKS -- IN VIOLATION OF THE OCTOBER ACCORD -- SHOULD FINALLY RECEIVE THE QUICK, POWERFUL, AND CAREFULLY TARGETED NATO MILITARY RESPONSE THEY DESERVE -- SIMILAR TO THE AIR ATTACKS BEING CARRIED OUT ALMOST DAILY NOW IN PARTS OF IRAQ. ... ON ALMOST EVERY PARTICULAR, THE YUGOSLAV SERBS HAVE FAILED TO COMPLY -- AND NATO HAS FAILED TO PUNISH THAT NONCOMPLIANCE. /// OPT /// ... IT IS PAST TIME FOR NATO, UNDER FIRM U-S LEADERSHIP, TO ACT MILITARILY IN KOSOVO AND TO FORCE [MR.] [YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN] MILOSEVIC TO HONOR HIS AGREEMENT WITH [U-S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR KOSOVO RICHARD] HOLBROOKE. /// END OPT ///

TEXT: STILL IN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS, A PAIR OF THOUGHTS OF RUSSIA. ON NEW YORK'S LONG ISLAND, "NEWSDAY" IS INTRIGUED AT THE THOUGHT OF A MOTION PICTURE DIRECTOR, IN THIS CASE NIKITA MIKHALKOV, BECOMING THE PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA. AFTER MAKING "THE BARBER OF SIBERIA," A NATIONALISTIC MOTION PICTURE, HE SAYS HE MAY RUN FOR PRESIDENT. SAYS "NEWSDAY:"

VOICE: [MR. MIKHALKOV MAY OR MAY NOT BE WHAT RUSSIAN VOTERS WANT, BUT THROUGH HIS ART, HE OFFERS AT LEAST A HOPE OF TRANSCENDING RUSSIA'S TRAGIC PAST.

TEXT: IN TODAY'S "WALL STREET JOURNAL," THE PAPER NOTES YET ANOTHER CANCELLATION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES SUMMITS, SCHEDULED FOR LAST WEEK, AND SAYS:

VOICE: THE REASON C-I-S SUMMITS KEEP BEING POSTPONED IS ONE RUSSIA WON'T READILY ADMIT: THE ORGANIZATION SET UP BY MOSCOW AS A VEHICLE FOR REINTEGRATING THE FORMER SOVIET UNION HAS ALL BUT FALLEN APART. A CORE GROUP OF C-I-S COUNTRIES ARE TRIED OF MOSCOW CALLING THE SHOTS [DIRECTING POLICY] AND PREFER CLOSER TIES TO THE WEST.

TEXT: TURNING TO ONE OF RUSSIA'S ASIAN NEIGHBORS, JAPAN, "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" NOTES A LONG OVERDUE CHANCE IN U-S POLICY, THE INVESTIGATION OF POSSIBLE JAPANESE WAR CRIMINALS.

VOICE: ... FOR REASONS THAT ARE UNCLEAR, WASHINGTON HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY SOUGHT TO IDENTIFY JAPANESE SUSPECTS, SEVERAL HUNDRED OF WHOM ARE THOUGHT BY ONE PRIVATE RESEARCH GROUP TO STILL BE ALIVE. NOW THERE IS A U-S REQUEST FOR COOPERATION FROM JAPAN'S GOVERNMENT, AND IT HAS MET WITH SILENCE. ... JAPAN HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE EVEN BIRTH DATES FOR THE DOZENS OF JAPANESE SUSPECTS NOW ON THE LIST. THIS IS AN UNUSUAL WAY FOR AN ALLY TO ACT, BUT IT IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH JAPAN'S INSTITUTIONALIZED RELUCTANCE TO ACKNOWLEDGE ... THE CRIMES COMMITTED BY ITS ARMED FORCES AND SECRET POLICE BEFORE AND DURING WORLD WAR TWO. /// JAPAN'S RELUCTANCE TO HONESTLY CONFRONT ITS RECENT HISTORY CONTINUES TO BE AN INSULT TO ITS VICTIMS AND A GRIEVOUS DISSERVICE TO ITS OWN PEOPLE.

TEXT: LASTLY, MAINE'S "PORTLAND PRESS HERALD" IS UPSET AT THE WAY THE NEW MILITARY PAY RAISE BILL SPED THROUGH THE SENATE WITHOUT EVEN HEARINGS ON HOW ITS COST WILL BE PAID FOR.

VOICE: NO ONE DISPUTES THAT MILITARY RECRUITERS ARE HAVING A TOUGH TIME THESE DAYS, [GETTING YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN TO JOIN THE ALL VOLUNTEER MILITARY SERVICES] AND CERTAINLY THE NATION'S MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM DESERVE TO BE WELL PAID. STILL ... SENATE MAJORITY LEADER TRENT LOTT PUT THE BILL ON A FAST TRACK, HAVING IT CONSIDERED WITHOUT HEARINGS. IT PROVIDES MILITARY RAISES IN EXCESS OF WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAD REQUESTED AND IT WILL COST 55-BILLION DOLLARS OVER 10-YEARS. WHAT IS REALLY DISTURBING, THOUGH, IS THAT THE SENATE PASSED THE BILL WITH NO CLEAR PLAN ON HOW TO PAY FOR THE RAISES. ... BEFORE ... THE HOUSE ... VOTES TO RAISE MILITARY PAY, IT SHOULD HAVE A GOOD IDEA WHERE THE MONEY'S COMING FROM. TO DO OTHERWISE WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE.

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT FROM TODAY'S EDITORIALS IN THE U-S PRESS.
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01-Mar-99 10:55 AM EST (1555 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] PROFILE: SERBIA'S MIRA MARKOVIC BY RON PEMSTEIN (BELGRADE)

INTRO: YUGOSLAVIA'S PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC IS MARRIED TO A WOMAN WHO SHARE NEITHER HIS NAME, NOR HIS POLITICS. NEVERTHELESS, SHE EXERCISES CONSIDERABLE POLITICAL POWER IN YUGOSLAVIA. RON PEMSTEIN TALKED IN BELGRADE WITH A CLOSE CONFIDENT OF THE YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT'S WIFE, AND HAS THIS PROFILE OF MIRA MARKOVIC.

TEXT: THEY ARE CHILDHOOD SWEETHEARTS FROM THE SERBIAN VILLAGE OF POZAREVAC. SERBIAN WRITER SLOVOLJUB DJUKIC HAS PUBLISHED A BOOK IN WHICH HE TELLS THE FOLLOWING STORY:

WHEN SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC WAS A YOUNG NAVAL CADET IN THE NOW CROATIAN CITY OF ZADAR, HIS WIFE MIRA SAW PICTURE OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAV COMMUNIST LEADER, TITO. SHE WAS REPORTED TO HAVE REMARKED TO A FRIEND, SOME DAY MY SLOBO WILL HAVE HIS PICTURE IN ALL THE SHOP WINDOWS OF YUGOSLAVIA.

MRS MILOSEVIC DENIES TELLING THAT STORY. SHE TELEPHONED HER FRIEND, EDITOR SLAVKO CURUVIJA AND CRIED, ASKING HIM TO KILL THE STORY IN HIS NEWSPAPER, "BORBA."

SHE READ THAT AND STARTED WEEPING, AND ASKING THAT (I KILL IT). I SAID, LOOK MIRA, MAYBE SLOVOLJUB (DJUKIC) IS CRAZY? WHO KNOWS IF THAT IS TRUE OR NOT? BUT YOU KNOW THE TRUTH AND DON'T WORRY (THAT) THEY PRINT ONLY A FEW HUNDRED (COPIES) OF THAT CRAZY BOOK.

THAT REASSURANCE ENDEARED THE JOURNALIST TO MRS. MILOSEVIC. SHE BEGAN TO CONFIDE IN MR. CURUVIJA, EVEN THOUGH THEY DISAGREED POLITICALLY.

I THOUGHT AND THINK VERY (POORLY) ABOUT HER PARTY AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AROUND HER, AND VERY OFTEN OUR CONVERSATIONS BEGAN WITH MY STRESSING THAT THEY ARE CRIMINALS. (I THOUGHT) THAT SHE HAD TO KNOW ... THAT HER RIGHT-HAND MAN (TOP ASSISTANT), MR. TODOROVIC IS ONE OF THEM. THAT PEOPLE AROUND SERBIA ARE TALKING ABOUT A "RASPUTIN" SYNDROME IN SERBIA BECAUSE THAT TODOROVIC, ZORAN, IS DEAD NOW. HE WAS KILLED IN THE STREET (HE) WAS SOMEBODY -- AS I THOUGHT AND (STILL) THINK -- WAS COMPLETELY CRAZY WITH GREAT INFLUENCE ON MILOSEVIC AND MIRA. AND THAT WAS THE WAY WE WERE TALKING.

MRS. MILOSEVIC DOES NOT SHARE HER HUSBAND'S NAME. IN PUBLIC, SHE IS KNOWN AS MIRA MARKOVIC. SHE DOES NOT SHARE HIS MORE MODERATE BRAND OF LEFT-WING POLITICS. WHEN SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC LEFT THE COMMUNIST PARTY TO FORM THE SERBIAN SOCIALIST PARTY, MIRA REMAINED BEHIND TO FORM A REMNANT FACTION, CALLED THE LEAGUE OF COMMUNISTS MOVEMENT FOR YUGOSLAVIA. SHE NOW LEADS THE YUGOSLAV "UNITED LEFT PARTY," AN OPPOSITION PARTY FURTHER TO THE LEFT OF HER HUSBAND'S PARTY.

MR. CURUVIJA SAYS MIRA MARKOVIC IS THE IDEOLOGUE IN THE FAMILY. HE SAYS HER INFLUENCE ON HER HUSBAND COMES AND GOES.

IT COMES IN WAVES, BUT USUALLY IT IS STRONG AND (WITH) GREAT INFLUENCE. BUT WHEN HE IS VERY STRONG, SHE WAS COMPLAINING FROM TIME TO TIME TO ME, SAYING, "LOOK, HE DOESN'T LISTEN ANY MORE." //OPT// IT WAS VERY INTERESTING. I WAS TALKING ABOUT IT ALL AROUND BELGRADE AFTER THAT. I'M (A) JOURNALIST. //END OPT//

AFTER THE ANTI-GOVERNMENT DEMONSTRATIONS IN BELGRADE BETWEEN 1996 AND 1997, PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC INVOKED A SPECIAL LAW ALLOWING THE POLITICAL OPPOSITION TO TAKE CONTROL OF BELGRADE'S CITY GOVERNMENT. BUT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TOLD MR. CURUVIJA LATER THAT HIS WIFE WOULD HANDLE YUGOSLAVIA'S DOMESTIC AFFAIRS.

HE SAID, "I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO THINK AND HANDLE INTERIOR THINGS. THIS FOREIGN POLICY, EUROPEAN UNION, AMERICA ETC. OCCUPIED ME TOO MUCH." AND I THINK THAT HE (MILOSEVIC) LEFT EVERYTHING IN INTERIOR (INTERNAL MATTERS) TO HIS WIFE -- ESPECIALLY AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.

SLAVKO CURUVIJA BECAME EDITOR OF THE "DAILY TELEGRAPH" (DNEVI TELEGRAF), AN OPPOSITION NEWSPAPER. BUT HE CONTINUED HIS OFF THE RECORD TALKS WITH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC'S WIFE. WHEN THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT CRACKED DOWN ON THE OPPOSITION PRESS LAST OCTOBER, HE APPEALED TO MS. MARKOVIC TO OVERTURN THE ORDER CLOSING HIS NEWSPAPER AND CONFISCATING HIS EQUIPMENT. AND HE WARNED OF THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS.

THE LAST TIME WE MET WAS AFTER THAT CLOSING OF MY NEWSPAPER. I CALLED HER AND I WAS VERY ANGRY. I TOLD HER VERY BAD THINGS. I WAS SHOUTING, SAYING THAT THEY WERE CRAZY, THAT THEY ARE GOING STRAIGHT TO OPEN DICTATORSHIP THAT WILL END IN BLOODSHED. ALSO I SAID, MAYBE IT WAS MY MISTAKE, THAT THEY WILL BE HANGED ON TERAZIJE -- THE MAIN SQUARE IN BELGRADE. SHE WAS SHOCKED. AND ALSO I SAID, THIS IS OUR LAST MEETING AND I WILL NEVER CALL YOU AGAIN.

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