Voice of America, 99-03-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] KOSOVO / THURSDAY WRAP (L) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)

[02] NATO / KOSOVO (S) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

[03] NATO / YUGO JETS (S ONLY) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

[04] CLINTON / KOSOVO (L) BY DAVID GOLLUST (WHITE HOUSE)

[05] CLINTON / KOSOVO (L-UPDATE) BY DAVID GOLLUST (WHITE HOUSE)

[06] BRITAIN / NATO (L) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

[07] KOSOVO / FRANCE (L ONLY) BY JULIAN NUNDY (PARIS)

[08] NATO BOMBS / CANADA BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (WASHINGTON)

[09] YUGO WAR / BALKAN SPILLOVER BY NICK SIMEONE (SOFIA, BULGARIA)

[10] KOSOVO PENTAGON FRIDAY (L) BY JIM RANDLE (PENTAGON)

[11] KOSOVO / PENTAGON FRIDAY - S & L-UPDATE BY JIM RANDLE (PENTAGON)

[12] RUSSIA/NATO (L) (CQ) BY EVE CONANT (MOSCOW)

[13] RUSSIA / NATO (L UPDATE) BY EVE CONANT (MOSCOW)

[14] U-N / BOSNIA / YUGOSLAVIA (L - ONLY) BY MAX RUSTON (UNITED NATIONS)

[15] U-N / KOSOVO (L) BY MAX RUSTON (UNITED NATIONS)

[16] U-N / KOSOVO REFUGEES (L ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (LONDON)

[17] SERB RALLY (L-O) BY MICHAEL LELAND (CHICAGO)

[18] "WHILE KOSOVO BURNS" BY PAMELA TAYLOR (WASHINGTON)

[19] EU COMPROMISE BY JONATHAN BRAUDE (BERLIN, GERMANY)

[20] ISRAEL / E-U (L ONLY) BY DEBORAH TATE (JERUSALEM)

[21] FRANCE / TUNNEL FIRE (L) BY JULIAN NUNDY (PARIS)

[22] BANANAS / CARIBBEAN BY MICHAEL BOWMAN (MIAMI)

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

[24] THE NATO ATTACK CONTINUES BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[25] NATO ATTACKS YUGOSLOVIA TO SAVE KOSOVARS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[26] MORE REACTION TO NATO / YUGOSLAVIA BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[27] FRIDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[28] BRITAIN / PINOCHET (L ONLY) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

[01] KOSOVO / THURSDAY WRAP (L) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)

INTRO: NATO WARPLANES HAVE LAUNCHED A SECOND NIGHT OF AIR STRIKES AGAINST TARGETS IN SERB-DOMINATED YUGOSLAVIA. SERB LEADERS HAVE RESPONDED TO THE TWO-DAY CAMPAIGN BY SEVERING RELATIONS WITH NATO COUNTRIES AND EXPELLING WESTERN JOURNALISTS. V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT IN WASHINGTON.

TEXT: NATO OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS OF THE AIR CAMPAIGN SO FAR. DOZENS OF MILITARY AND DEFENSE FACILITIES HAVE BEEN HIT IN THE ATTACKS, WHICH ARE AIMED AT DESTROYING THE ABILITY OF THE SERBS TO CONTINUE THEIR CRACKDOWN IN KOSOVO.

PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS SAID AGAIN, THE ACTION HAD TO BE TAKEN TO PREVENT A HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE IN KOSOVO. MR. CLINTON SAYS YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC KNOWS WHAT HE MUST DO TO END THE AIR STRIKES.

I THINK THAT IT IS CLEAR. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT ANY CLEARER, THAT WE EITHER HAVE TO HAVE A CHOICE FOR PEACE BY SERBIA -- NOT JUST STOPPING THE KILLING FOR AN HOUR OR TWO -- BUT A CHOICE FOR PEACE, OR WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO LIMIT THEIR ABILITY TO MAKE WAR ON THOSE PEOPLE.

SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT SAYS THE PEACE ACCORDS SIGNED BY KOSOVO'S ETHNIC ALBANIANS REMAIN ON THE TABLE AND DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS TO MR. MILOSEVIC REMAIN OPEN.

YUGOSLAVIA HAS RESPONDED TO THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS BY SEVERING ALL DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH THE LEADING MEMBERS OF NATO -- THE UNITED STATES, BRITAIN, FRANCE AND GERMANY.

NEARLY ALL WESTERN JOURNALISTS HAVE LEFT BELGRADE AND KOSOVO, AFTER BEING ORDERED OUT BY SERB AUTHORITIES. MEANWHILE, CHINA HAS JOINED RUSSIA AND SEVERAL FORMER SOVIET STATES IN DENOUNCING THE NATO BOMBING CAMPAIGN. RUSSIA HAS SUBMITTED A DRAFT U-N SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION DEMANDING AN END TO THE USE OF FORCE IN YUGOSLAVIA. THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO CHANCE IT WILL BE APPROVED. MOST EAST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES HAVE EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE NATO ACTION.

DESPITE THE NATO BOMBING, U-S OFFICIALS SAY SERB AND YUGOSLAV SECURITY FORCES IN KOSOVO ARE CONTINUING THEIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIAN SEPARATISTS IN KOSOVO.

SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT WARNED PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC AGAINST TRYING TO USE THE CONFLICT TO DESTABILIZE NEIGHBORING STATES.

PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO USE THIS CRISIS TO BROADEN THE CONFLICT, OR SPREAD VIOLENCE AND INSTABILITY ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION. NOR SHOULD HE ATTACK THE DEMOCRATICALLY-ELECTED GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO, WHOSE APPROACH TO THE CRISIS HAS BEEN RATIONAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE, IN STARK CONTRACT TO THAT OF PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC.

U-S AND NATO OFFICIALS SAY FOR NOW, THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC IS TO CONTINUE AIR STRIKES AGAINST HIS MILITARY AND SECURITY FORCES. OFFICIALS HOPE MR. MILOSEVIC WILL EVENTUALLY END HIS DEFIANCE AND ACCEPT THE NATO-BACKED PEACE PLAN FOR KOSOVO. IF NOT, THEY SAY THE YUGOSLAV ARMY WILL BE SYSTEMATICALLY DESTROYED. (SIGNED)
NEB/KBK/WTW
25-Mar-99 7:34 PM EST (0034 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] NATO / KOSOVO (S) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: NATO IS CONTINUING ITS ATTACKS ON YUGOSLAV MILITARY TARGETS FOR THE THIRD DAY. V-O-A RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM NATO HEADQUARTERS, THAT THE ALLIANCE DENIES ITS UNITY IS STARTING TO SHOW STRAIN IN USING MILITARY FORCE TO GET YUGOSLAVIA TO ACCEPT AUTONOMY FOR ITS ETHNIC ALBANIAN KOSOVARS.

TEXT: NATO MEMBER GREECE HAS CALLED FOR THE ALLIANCE TO STOP BOMBING AND TO RESUME POLITICAL DIALOGUE WITH YUGOSLAVIA. BUT NATO SPOKESMAN JAMIE SHEA INSISTS ALL 19 NATO AMBASSADORS ARE COMMITTED TO USING AIR POWER AS LONG AS NECESSARY.

IT IS POINTLESS TO GIVE UP BEFORE OUR FUNDAMENTAL OBJECTIVES HAVE BEEN REALIZED. IF WE GIVE UP BEFORE THEN, PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC WOULD DECIDE THAT WE ARE WEAK, THAT WE ARE NOT DETERMINED, THAT HE HAS A LICENSE TO CONTINUE WITH HIS CAMPAIGN OF KILLING IN KOSOVO.

NATO SAYS IT HAS HIT 50 TARGETS RELATING TO YUGOSLAVIA'S INTEGRATED AIR DEFENSE IN THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF THE AIR CAMPAIGN, ENCOUNTERING LITTLE OPPOSITION. ANOTHER DECISION MUST BE MADE TO MOVE TO THE NEXT PHASE, TARGETING YUGOSLAV TANK CONCENTRATIONS IN KOSOVO PROVINCE. (SIGNED)
NEB/RDP/JWH/JO
26-Mar-99 10:57 AM EST (1557 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] NATO / YUGO JETS (S ONLY) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: NATO FORCES IN THE BALKANS HAVE SHOT DOWN TWO YUGOSLAV MIG-29 JETS THAT CROSSED INTO AIR SPACE OVER BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM NATO HEADQUARTERS IN BRUSSELS.

TEXT: NATO SPOKESMAN JAMIE SHEA SAYS THE PILOTS OF THE TWO YUGOSLAV JETS WERE CAPTURED BY NATO FORCES IN BOSNIA AFTER BEING SHOT DOWN.

A SHORT TIME AGO, TWO MIG-29'S INVADED THE AIR SPACE OF BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA IN AN APPARENT ATTEMPT TO FIRE AT S-FOR FORCES, THE S-FOR PEACEKEEPING MISSION. THESE TWO MIG-29'S HAVE BEEN SHOT DOWN. THE TWO PILOTS OF THOSE AIRCRAFT HAVE BEEN CAPTURED BY S-FOR.

THERE ARE MORE THAN 30-THOUSAND NATO-LED PEACEKEEPERS IN (THE S-FOR STABILIZATION FORCE IN) BOSNIA. NATO HAS BEEN WORRIED ABOUT ATTEMPTS TO THREATEN NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES DURING THE AIR STRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA.

YUGOSLAV JETS HAVE NOT CHALLENGED NATO AIRCRAFT SINCE THE FIRST DAY OF AIR STRIKES, WHEN THREE YUGOSLAV PLANES WERE SHOT DOWN. (SIGNED)
NEB/RDP/JWH/WTW
26-Mar-99 2:08 PM EST (1908 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] CLINTON / KOSOVO (L) BY DAVID GOLLUST (WHITE HOUSE)

INTRO: HERE IN WASHINGTON, ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS SAY THERE IS NO SIGN THAT TWO DAYS OF ALLIED BOMBING HAVE MOVED YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC ANY CLOSER TO ACCEPTING THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE PLAN FOR ITS SEPARATIST KOSOVO PROVINCE. V-O-A'S DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.

TEXT: WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN JOE LOCKHART SAYS U-S OFFICIALS HAVE HEARD NOTHING POSITIVE FROM BELGRADE AUTHORITIES ABOUT THEIR WILLINGNESS TO EMBRACE A PEACEFUL SOLUTION IN KOSOVO.

BUT HE DESCRIBES PRESIDENT CLINTON AS BEING DETERMINED TO PRESS ON WITH THE AIR CAMPAIGN, ONE HE SAID THAT WILL EITHER FORCE PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC INTO PEACE TALKS OR DEGRADE HIS ABILITY TO WAGE WAR.

IN A BROADCAST MESSAGE BEAMED TO YUGOSLAVIA FRIDAY, MR. CLINTON SAID THE UNITED STATES AND NATO HAVE NO QUARREL WITH THE SERBIAN PEOPLE. HE LAID THE BLAME FOR THE CURRENT CRISIS SQUARELY ON MR. MILOSEVIC:

PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC HAS SPOKEN OFTEN OF SERBIA'S STANDING IN THE WORLD. BUT BY HIS EVERY ACTION, HE HAS DIMINISHED YOUR COUNTRY'S STANDING, EXPOSED YOU TO VIOLENCE AND INSTABILITY, AND ISOLATED YOU FROM THE REST OF EUROPE.

MR. CLINTON SAID ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA HAVE THEIR LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCES, AND SAID THE NATO ALLIES SUPPORT THE DESIRE OF SERBIANS TO MAINTAIN KOSOVO AS PART OF THEIR COUNTRY.

HE SAID THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE AGREEMENT, WHICH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC HAS SPURNED, IS FAIR AND BALANCED AND WILL PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE IN KOSOVO -- SERBS AND ETHNIC ALBANIANS ALIKE.

THE PRESIDENT APPEALED TO SERBS AND ALL PEOPLE OF GOODWILL TO JOIN IN SEEKING AN END TO THE CONFLICT AND RESTORING SERBIA (YUGOSLAVIA'S DOMINANT REPUBLIC) TO WHAT HE CALLED ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE AS A GREAT NATION IN EUROPE. [SIC]

WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS CONCEDE THAT DESPITE THE SUSTAINED AIR STRIKES, SERB MILITARY ACTIVITY IN KOSOVO IS INTENSIFYING, THOUGH IT FALLS SHORT OF AN ALL-OUT OFFENSIVE.

THEY ALSO DOWNPLAYED COMMENTS BY SOME GREEK AND ITALIAN OFFICIALS ADVOCATING A HALT TO THE BOMBING, INSISTING THAT NATO MEMBERS REMAIN UNITED AND COMMITTED TO PURSUING THE AIR CAMPAIGN.

PRESIDENT CLINTON, WHO CANCELLED A THREE-DAY DOMESTIC TRIP BECAUSE OF THE CRISIS, SPENT MUCH OF FRIDAY IN MEETINGS ON KOSOVO WITH HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM.

HE PLANNED TO DEVOTE HIS SATURDAY RADIO ADDRESS TO A FURTHER EXPLANATION OF KOSOVO POLICY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, WHO OPINION POLLS SUGGEST ARE DIVIDED ABOUT THE WISDOM OF U-S MILITARY INVOLVEMENT THERE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAG/JO
26-Mar-99 11:53 AM EST (1653 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] CLINTON / KOSOVO (L-UPDATE) BY DAVID GOLLUST (WHITE HOUSE)

INTRO: THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS WARNED YUGOSLAV LEADERS THEY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ATROCITIES COMMITTED BY SERB FORCES AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO. V-O-A'S DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.

TEXT: OFFICIALS HERE SAY SERB MILITARY ACTIVITY IN KOSOVO HAS NOT DIMINISHED DESPITE WHAT ARE NOW THREE CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS OF NATO AIRSTRIKES. AND THEY ARE MONITORING WITH GROWING CONCERN REPORTS OF ATTACKS ON CIVILIANS.

IN ONE INCIDENT, REPORTED BY REFUGEES REACHING ALBANIA THURSDAY, 20 KOSOVO ALBANIANS WERE SAID TO HAVE BEEN KILLED BY SOLDIERS IN A SWEEP THROUGH A VILLAGE IN SOUTHWESTERN KOSOVO.

WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN JOE LOCKHART SAID NATO AUTHORITIES LACKED CORROBORATION OF THAT AND OTHER REPORTS OF CRIMES -- INCLUDING THE ABDUCTION OF A NUMBER OF KOSOVAR INTELLECTUALS. BUT HE SERVED NOTICE THAT IF THEY ARE CONFIRMED, YUGOSLAV OFFICIALS -- TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL -- WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS:

WE HAVE IN THE PAST, UNFORTUNATELY, SEEN THAT THIS IS THE KIND OF BARBARIC ACTIVITY THAT PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC, AND THOSE WHO FIGHT FOR HIM, HAVE ENGAGED IN. I WILL SAY THAT BY WHATEVER MEANS WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US, WE WILL FOLLOW THESE REPORTS. AND THOSE WHO COMMIT THEM, THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ORDERING THEM, AND THOSE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE AT THE POLITICAL LEVEL WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN THE INTERNATIONAL WAR-CRIMES TRIBUNAL.

THE U-S WARNING ON WAR CRIMES FOLLOWED AN UNUSUAL DIRECT APPEAL BY PRESIDENT CLINTON TO THE PEOPLE OF YUGOSLAVIA TO OPPOSE POLICIES BY MR. MILOSEVIC -- THAT HE SAID HAVE ISOLATED HIS COUNTRYMEN FROM THE REST OF EUROPE AND EXPOSED THEM TO VIOLENCE AND INSTABILITY.

MR. CLINTON, IN THE MESSAGE BROADCAST BY SATELLITE AND U-S FUNDED RADIOS, SAID THE UNITED STATES AND ITS ALLIES HAVE NO QUARREL WITH THE SERBIAN PEOPLE -- BUT RATHER A LEADERSHIP IN BELGRADE WHICH DRAGGED THE REGION INTO YEARS OF WARFARE:

RIGHT NOW HE'S FORCING YOUR SONS TO KEEP FIGHTING A SENSELESS CONFLICT THAT YOU DID NOT ASK FOR AND THAT HE COULD HAVE PREVENTED. EVERY TIME HE HAS SUMMONED SERBIA'S HISTORY AS A JUSTIFICATION FOR SUCH ACTION, HE HAS IMPERILED YOUR FUTURE.

MR. CLINTON SAID THE NATO ALLIES UNDERSTAND THAT ALL OF THE PEOPLE OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA HAVE LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCES, AND SUPPORT THE DESIRE OF THE SERBIAN PEOPLE TO MAINTAIN KOSOVO AS A PART OF YUGOSLAVIA.

HE SAID THE INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT ON KOSOVO, SPURNED BY MR. MILOSEVIC, WAS FAIR AND BALANCED AND WOULD HAVE UPHELD THE RIGHTS OF THE PROVINCE'S ETHNIC ALBANIANS AND SERBS.

ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS SAY THERE IS NO SIGN THE NATO CAMPAIGN HAS HAD ANY EFFECT ON THE YUGOSLAV LEADER. MR. LOCKHART SAID HE HAS THE CHOICE OF EITHER EMBRACING PEACE, OR SEEING HIS ABILITY TO CONDUCT MILITARY OPERATIONS IN KOSOVO SYSTEMATICALLY DEGRADED BY ALLIED AIRSTRIKES. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAG/JO
26-Mar-99 4:08 PM EST (2108 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] BRITAIN / NATO (L) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

INTRO: BRITISH DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY NATO'S AIR STRIKES ARE EXPANDING TO INCLUDE OTHER MILITARY TARGETS BEYOND AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS. BUT V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS THE BRITISH OFFICIALS CONFIRM THAT SERB REPRESSION IN KOSOVO PROVINCE HAS ESCALATED. THERE ARE ALSO UNVERIFIED REPORTS THAT YUGOSLAV FORCES HAVE SHELLED TWO VILLAGES ACROSS THE BORDER IN NORTHERN ALBANIA.

TEXT: BRITISH MILITARY CHIEF OF STAFF CHARLES GUTHRIE SAYS THE AIR STRIKES WILL CONTINUE FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES TO WEAKEN OR DESTROY YUGOSLAV MILITARY MACHINERY USED TO WAGE WAR ON KOSOVAR ALBANIANS.

OUR ATTACKS SO FAR HAVE HAD TO AIMED AT MAINLY AT YUGOSLAVIA'S AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM SINCE WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO PROTECT OUR OWN AIRCRAFT. BUT THE BALANCE IS NOW SHIFTING TO WIDER MILITARY TARGETS. WE ARE HOWEVER STILL SOME WAY AWAY FROM ACHIEVING OUR OBJECTIVE OF REDUCING THE CAPABILITY OF YUGOSLAVIA SECURITY FORCES TO REPRESS THE KOSOVAR POPULATION.

GENERAL GUTHRIE SAYS YUGOSLAVIA HAS SENT FRESH TROOPS TO REINFORCE THE AGGRESSION IN KOSOVO PROVINCE. HE SAYS NATO WILL CONTINUE THE AIR STRIKES AND NOT ALWAYS UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS. BUT HE INSISTS NATO GROUND FORCES WILL NOT MOVE INTO KOSOVO UNINVITED.

GENERAL GUTHRIE WARNS YUGOSLAVIA AGAINST ATTACKING NATO PEACEKEEPING UNITS IN NEIGHBORING MACEDONIA AND BOSNIA.

WE CONTINUE TO TAKE DELIBERATE MEASURES TO ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF THESE FORCES. YESTERDAY, FOLLOWING REPORTS THE YUGOSLAV ARMY MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO SHELL OUR POSITIONS, OUR A-S-90 LONG-RANGE ARTILLERY WAS MOVED IN MACEDONIA TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND IN FULL MEASURE IN SELF DEFENSE TO ANY YUGOSLAV OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS.

THE BRITISH DEFENSE OFFICIAL SAYS OTHER MEASURES ARE BEING TAKEN FOR WHAT HE CALLS A SWIFT AND SEVERE RESPONSE TO ANY YUGOSLAV ATTACK.

ON THE POLITICAL SIDE, BRITISH DEFENSE SECRETARY GEORGE ROBERTSON DISMISSES SUGGESTIONS OF A CRACK IN NATO'S UNITY DESPITE CALLS FROM GREECE TO STOP THE BOMBING. HE POINTED TO A TALLY SHEET DURING A NEWS BRIEFING TO SHOW THAT ONLY THREE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OPPOSE THE NATO AIR STRIKES. AND AGAIN, MR ROBERTSON UNDERLINES THE AIM OF THE NATO MISSION.

IT IS TO AVERT A HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE BY DISRUPTING THE VIOLENT ATTACKS CURRENTLY CARRIED OUT BY THE YUGOSLAV SECURITY FORCES AGAINST THE KOSOVAR ALBANIANS AND TO WEAKEN THEIR ABILITY TO CONDUCT SUCH REPRESSION IN THE FUTURE.

MR ROBERTSON SAYS HE CANNOT SAY NOW HOW LONG THE MISSION WILL TAKE TO MEET ITS OBJECTIVES BUT NATO, HE SAYS, WILL SEE IT THROUGH TO THE END. (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/JWH
26-Mar-99 8:38 AM EST (1338 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[07] KOSOVO / FRANCE (L ONLY) BY JULIAN NUNDY (PARIS)

INTRO: MEMBERS OF THE FRENCH PARLIAMENT HAVE COMPLAINED THAT THEY WERE NOT CONSULTED IN ADVANCE ABOUT FRANCE'S ROLE IN THE BOMBARDMENT OF YUGOSLAVIA. BUT JULIAN NUNDY IN PARIS REPORTS ALL THE MAIN FRENCH POLITICAL PARTIES -- EXCEPT THE COMMUNISTS -- SUPPORTED FRANCE'S INVOLVEMENT IN A PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE FRIDAY.

TEXT: THE CONSERVATIVE SPEAKER OF THE FRENCH SENATE COMPLAINED THAT PRIME MINISTER LIONEL JOSPIN'S DECISION TO ADDRESS PARLIAMENT FRIDAY HAD COME TOO LATE.

NONETHELESS, SENATE SPEAKER CHRISTIAN PONCELET AND OTHER MEMBERS OF HIS GAULLIST R-P-R PARTY EXPRESSED THEIR SUPPORT FOR FRANCE'S DECISION TO TAKE PART IN THE NATO OPERATION AGAINST YUGOSLAV MILITARY TARGETS.

ONLY THE COMMUNIST PARTY LEADER, ROBERT HUE, ADDRESSING THE LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, WAS FIRMLY AGAINST FRENCH INVOLVEMENT.

EVERY BOMB THAT FALLS, HE SAID, ONLY STRENGTHENS THE HANDS OF THE EXTREMISTS IN YUGOSLAVIA. HOWEVER, A FORMER MEMBER OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY LEADERSHIP, PHILIPPE HERZOG, SAID HE UNDERSTANDS AND FAVORS THE NATO OPERATION.

A DEPUTY FOR THE ECOLOGIST GREENS' PARTY SAID THE SOCIALIST PRIME MINISTER AND THE CONSERVATIVE FRENCH PRESIDENT, JACQUES CHIRAC, HAD IGNORED THE USUAL DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES BY NOT PUTTING THE ISSUE BEFORE PARLIAMENT UNTIL THE BOMBING WAS IN ITS THIRD DAY.

ALTHOUGH MANY OF THE SPEAKERS CRITICIZED MR. JOSPIN'S GOVERNMENT FOR NOT PUTTING THE ISSUE TO DEBATE EARLIER, THEY WERE ALMOST ALL IN FAVOR OF FRANCE'S ACTIVE ROLE.

MR. JOSPIN HIMSELF, IN A 30-MINUTE STATEMENT, TOLD PARLIAMENT THAT THE DEBATE HAD TO BE DELAYED BECAUSE OF THIS WEEK'S EUROPEAN UNION SUMMIT MEETING IN BERLIN.

IN HIS STATEMENT, MR. JOSPIN SAID ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE AIR STRIKES LIES WITH YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC.

MR. JOSPIN SAID FRANCE, WHICH WAS HOST TO PEACE TALKS BETWEEN A BELGRADE DELEGATION AND KOSOVAR ALBANIANS THAT BROKE DOWN LAST WEEK, HAD DONE ALL IT COULD TO HELP FIND A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO THE KOSOVO PROBLEM AND TO HEAD OFF MILITARY ACTION.

MR. JOSPIN SAID PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC CAN STOP THE AIR RAIDS ANY TIME HE WANTS, BY AGREEING TO RETURN TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE TO SIGN THE PEACE AGREEMENT DRAWN UP IN FRANCE. (SIGNED)
NEB/JWN/JWH
26-Mar-99 10:55 AM EST (1555 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[08] NATO BOMBS / CANADA BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: NATO CONTINUES ITS AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST SERB AND YUGOSLAV MILITARY POSITIONS AFTER DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS FAILED TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS IN SERBIA'S PREDOMINANTLY ETHNIC ALBANIAN PROVINCE OF KOSOVO. CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA SPOKE WITH RETIRED CANADIAN GENERAL LEWIS MACKENZIE ABOUT NATO'S BOMBING CAMPAIGN - AND HE FILED THIS REPORT FROM WASHINGTON.

TEXT: RETIRED CANADIAN GENERAL LEWIS MACKENZIE KNOWS THE BALKANS WELL. IN 1992, HE WAS THE COMMANDER OF UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPERS - KNOWN AS "UNPROFOR" - IN THE BOSNIAN CAPITAL OF SARAJEVO. HE RETIRED FROM THE CANADIAN ARMY SEVERAL YEARS AGO. SINCE THEN, HE HAS WRITTEN AND LECTURED ON MILITARY STRATEGY AND ON BALKAN AFFAIRS.

GENERAL MACKENZIE DOES NOT BELIEVE YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC WILL GIVE UP ANY TIME SOON -- EVEN UNDER HEAVY NATO BOMBINGS. SENIOR NATO OFFICIALS SAY AIR STRIKES WILL CONTINUE UNTIL YUGOSLAV MILITARY AND SECURITY FORCES END THEIR ATTACKS ON ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN THE KOSOVO REGION OF SERBIA - YUGOSLAVIA'S DOMINANT REPUBLIC. BELGRADE SAYS ITS SECURITY OPERATION IS AN INTERNAL MATTER, AIMED AT FIGHTING VIOLENT ETHNIC-ALBANIAN GUERRILLAS INTENT ON GAINING INDEPENDENCE FOR THE REGION.

GENERAL MACKENZIE SAYS THE YUGOSLAV ARMY - OR J-N-A - IS PLAYING A WAITING GAME WITH NATO BEFORE UNLEASHING ITS AIR DEFENSES AND ANTI-AIRCRAFT MISSILES AGAINST NATO PLANES.

IT WAS SMART OF THEM NOT TO TURN ON THEIR RADARS AND THEIR ANTI-AIRCRAFT WEAPONS BECAUSE NATURALLY, THEY ARE WAITING UNTIL IT COMES TIME TO SEND IN MANNED FLIGHTS DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. AND THE DEMAND FOR THAT IS GOING TO GO UP DRAMATICALLY. BECAUSE THE NATURAL FOLLOW-UP TO BOMBING FIXED TARGETS IN BELGRADE AND KOSOVO IS GOING TO RESULT IN THE J-N-A GETTING ABSOLUTELY AS MUCH AS KOSOVO UNDER ITS CONTROL BY ROLLING ACROSS THE ALBANIAN VILLAGES DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE STOPPED BY STRATEGIC BOMBING. IT IS ONLY GOING TO BE STOPPED BY DAYLIGHT SORTIES BY FIGHTER AIRCRAFT.

DAYLIGHT FLIGHTS - SAYS THE RETIRED CANADIAN GENERAL - INEVITABLY INCREASES THE RISK FOR NATO PILOTS.

GENERAL MACKENZIE IS CONCERNED THAT NATO IS NOW PERCEIVED AS BEING THE AIR FORCE OF THE KOSOVO LIBRATION ARMY - OR K-L-A - JUST AS IT WAS ACCUSED IN THE BOSNIAN CONFLICT OF PROVIDING AIR COVER TO THE BOSNIAN ARMY.

JUST ONCE, ANDRE, I WISH WE COULD GET INVOLVED IN A CONFLICT IN MY LIFETIME, WHERE WE WOULD SAY : "WE REALLY HATE THE PEOPLE WE ARE ATTACKING. WE LOVE THEIR LEADERSHIP, BUT WE REALLY HATE THEIR PEOPLE." WE HAVE DEMONIZED THE LEADERSHIP FROM HITLER ON FORWARD -- AND THEREFORE FOR US TO SAY WE HAVE NOTHING AGAINST THE YUGOSLAVIAN PEOPLE, WE ARE ONLY MAD AT THE YUGOSLAVIAN LEADERSHIP, FALLS ON FAIRLY DEAF EARS WHEN IN ACTUAL FACT, IT QUITE LEGITIMATELY APPEARS TO THE YUGOSLAVIAN POPULATION THAT WE HAVE TAKEN - AS YOU HAVE SUGGESTED - THE SIDE OF THE K-L-A.

MANY MILITARY ANALYSTS SAY A SUSTAINED AIR CAMPAIGN WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO FORCE YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TO CAPITULATE. THEY SAY NATO WILL BE FORCED TO SEND IN GROUND TROOPS.

THE WESTERN ALLIANCE HAS INDICATED IT IS NOT PREPARED TO FORCE ITS WAY INTO KOSOVO. GENERAL MACKENZIE SAYS EVEN IF IT WANTS TO, NATO IS NOT IN A POSITION TO DO SO.

WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT IN THE CASE OF THE GULF WAR, THE TROPS - THE GROUND TROOPS - WERE IN THE DESERT - FOR ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MONTHS TRAINING BEFORE GENERAL SCHWARTZKOPF PUT UP HIS HAND AND SAID : "RIGHT, I AM READY TO GO." IT TAKES TIME TO PUT A COALITION FORCE TOGETHER. AND THERE ISN'T ANY BIG DESERT AROUND KOSOVO TO USE AS A SANDBOX TO TRAIN TROOPS. THEY HAVE TO GO INTO VERY CONGESTED AREAS, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE MACEDONIA, WHERE THE POPULATION FROM ALL REPORTS IS SOMEWHAT RESISTANT TO ANY MORE NATO TROOPS COMING IN.

(OPT) // FOURTH MACKENZIE ACT //

I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRECEDENCE BEING ESTABLISHED BY OUT-FLANKING THE SECURITY COUNCIL, JUST BECAUSE WE DO NOT LIKE WHAT THE SECURITY COUNCIL MIGHT TELL US TO DO : BY THAT I MEAN CHINA AND RUSSIA MIGHT WELL VETO ANY ACTION AGAINST THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA. THAT TO ME IS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT BECAUSE PRESUMABLY - TO USE A BIT OF HYPERBOLE IN ORDER TO MAKE THE POINT - NEXT WEEK WE COULD BE BOMBING ANKARA FOR WHAT IS GOING ON AGAINST THE KURDS IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY, WE COULD BE BOMBING INDONESIA FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE 200,000 EAST TIMORESE, WE COULD BE BOMBING PEKING BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO THE TIBETANS. IT OPENS UP AN INTERESTING CAN OF WORMS.

[09] YUGO WAR / BALKAN SPILLOVER BY NICK SIMEONE (SOFIA, BULGARIA)

INTRO: ALREADY, THE EFFECTS OF THREE DAYS OF NATO BOMBING IN YUGOSLAVIA ARE BEING FELT ACROSS EUROPE. IN THE BALKANS, YUGOSLAVIA'S NEIGHBORS MACEDONIA AND BULGARIA ARE NERVOUS ABOUT INSTABILITY AND THE KOSOVO CRISIS SPILLING OVER ONTO THEIR TERRITORY. V-O-A'S NICK SIMEONE IS IN THE BULGARIAN CAPITAL, SOFIA.

TEXT: THE NATO BOMBING OF SERB TARGETS IS PUTTING YUGOSLAVIA'S NEIGHBORS IN A DELICATE POSITION. TAKE FOR EXAMPLE THE CASE OF BULGARIA. THE GOVERNMENT HERE HAS ALLOWED NATO AIRCRAFT TO USE ITS AIRSPACE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME PRIME MINISTER IVAN KOSTOV HAS ISSUED A CAREFULLY WORDED STATEMENT SAYING HE DOES NOT CONSIDER BELGRADE AN ENEMY.

HANGING OVER THIS REGION IS THE FEAR THAT THE KOSOVO CONFLICT -- NOW A FULL SCALE AIR WAR BETWEEN NATO AND YUGOSLAVIA -- COULD ENGULF OTHER NATIONS. IF THE PAST FEW DAYS ARE ANY GUIDE, ATTACKS BY NATO PLANES AND MISSILES AGAINST TARGETS IN YUGOSLAVIA APPEAR TO PUTTING THE REGION MORE ON EDGE THAN THE INTERNAL REBELLION IN KOSOVO EVER DID.

TO CALM THE NERVES OF BALKAN LEADERS, THE ATLANTIC ALLIANCE HAS GIVEN YUGOSLAVIA'S NEIGHBORS GUARANTEES OF SECURITY. BUT BULGARIAN PRIME MINISTER IVAN KOSTOV IS NOT SATISFIED, SAYING IF THE CONFLICT IS NOT RESOLVED SOON IT WILL LEAD TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE WHOLE REGION.

NEIGHBORING MACEDONIA -- WHICH UNTIL EIGHT YEARS AGO WAS A PART OF YUGOSLAVIA -- IS ALREADY SEEING THE EFFECTS OF WAR SPILL OVER ITS BORDERS. MORE THAN 20-THOUSAND REFUGEES FROM KOSOVO HAVE ALREADY FLOODED THE COUNTRY TO JOIN THEIR FELLOW ETHNIC ALBANIANS WHO MAKE UP MORE THAN 20 PERCENT OF MACEDONIA'S POPULATION. THE 10-THOUSAND NATO TROOPS STATIONED ALONG THE COUNTRY'S BORDER WITH YUGOSLAVIA HAVE PROMPTED BELGRADE TO ACCUSE MACEDONIA OF SERVING AS A BASE FOR NATO AGGRESSION. AND RIOTING THURSDAY BY PRO-SERB DEMONSTRATORS IN THE CAPITAL SKOPJE, WHICH DAMAGED THE U-S EMBASSY AND PROPERTY BELONGING TO OTHER NATO MEMBERS, LAID BARE THE DEGREE OF HOSTILITY THAT SOME PEOPLE IN THE REGION FEEL TOWARD NATO'S ATTACKS.

IF THE REGION IS ABLE TO AVOID A WIDER BALKAN WAR, IT'S ECONOMY MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY. ALREADY, MOST AIRPORTS IN BALKAN CAPITALS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO CLOSE NOW THAT THE SKIES OVER SOUTHERN EUROPE ARE LARGELY THE DOMAIN OF NATO AIRCRAFT. THAT IS AFFECTING AIR AND LAND TRAVEL ACROSS MUCH OF EUROPE WITH FLIGHTS FROM FRANKFURT, GERMANY -- ONE OF THE WORLD'S BUSIEST HUBS -- BEING RE-ROUTED TO AVOID AIRSPACE ACTIVE WITH NATO SORTIES.

IN THE LONG TERM, ANALYSTS SAY INCREASED INSTABILITY IN THE BALKANS COULD SCARE AWAY POTENTIAL INVESTORS. MOST OF THE COUNTRIES IN THIS REGION DEPEND HEAVILY ON TRADE WITH YUGOSLAVIA AND RELY ON ITS OVERLAND ROUTES TO GET GOODS TO MARKET. (SIGNED)
NEB/NJS/JO
26-Mar-99 3:50 PM EST (2050 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[10] KOSOVO PENTAGON FRIDAY (L) BY JIM RANDLE (PENTAGON)

INTRO: NATO AIRCRAFT HAVE SHOT DOWN TWO MORE YUGOSLAV JETS, THIS TIME OVER BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. THE AIR COMBAT TOOK PLACE AS THE ALLIANCE LAUNCHED A THIRD ROUND OF AIR STRIKES ON SERB TARGETS IN YUGOSLAVIA (TODAY FRIDAY). V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS FROM THE PENTAGON.

TEXT: NATO OFFICIALS SAY THE TWO HIGH-PERFORMANCE MIG-29 FIGHTERS WERE SHOT DOWN BY NATO PLANES (OPERATING AS PART OF OPERATION "ALLIED FORCE"). NATO PRESS OFFICER NICK FIORENZA SAYS THE TWO YUGOSLAV JETS WERE IN BOSNIAN AIR SPACE WHEN THEY WERE SHOT DOWN.

THE AIR CRAFT WERE APPARENTLY INTENDING TO ATTACK S-FOR [THE NATO STABILIZATION FORCE IN BOSNIA] ... THE TWO PILOTS HAVE BEEN CAPTURED BY S-FOR AND ARE CURRENTLY UNDER S-FOR DETENTION.

THE DOGFIGHT [AIR BATTLE] BETWEEN AMERICAN F-15'S AND THE YUGOSLAV MIG'S WAS PART OF THE THIRD DAY OF AIR ATTACKS ON SERB TARGETS IN YUGOSLAVIA.

PREVIOUS OPERATIONS USED DARKNESS TO HIDE PILOTS AND PLANES FROM YUGOSLAVIA'S SUPPOSEDLY FORMIDABLE AIR DEFENSES. FRIDAY'S RAIDS INCLUDED THE FIRST DAYTIME LAUNCH OF CRUISE MISSILES FROM NATO NAVAL VESSELS. THEY ALSO INCLUDED A BARRAGE OF AIR-LAUNCHED CRUISE MISSILES (CARRIED TO THE EDGE OF YUGOSLAV AIR SPACE BY AMERICAN HEAVY BOMBERS BASED IN BRITAIN).

OFFICIALS SAY THURSDAY NIGHT'S ATTACKS STRUCK MILITARY TARGETS ACROSS YUGOSLAVIA, INCLUDING AN AIR-DEFENSE MISSILE SITE, A RADAR STATION, AN AMMUNITION-STORAGE AREA AND AIR FIELDS. EARLIER, BRITISH OFFICIALS SAID FUTURE RAIDS WOULD SHIFT FROM YUGOSLAV AIR DEFENSES TO STRIKE THE SERB FORCES NOW THREATENING ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO.

THE OFFICIALS SAID SERB FORCES ARE MOVING FRESH TROOPS INTO KOSOVO AND ESCALATING THEIR REPRESSION OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS.

MILITARY EXPERTS SAY EITHER THESE REPRESSIVE ATTACKS OR PREDICTIONS OF BAD WEATHER OVER YUGOSLAVIA MIGHT EXPLAIN THE NATO DECISION TO EXPAND ATTACKS TO INCLUDE DAYLIGHT RAIDS. (SIGNED)
NEB/JR/WTW
26-Mar-99 2:11 PM EST (1911 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[11] KOSOVO / PENTAGON FRIDAY - S & L-UPDATE BY JIM RANDLE (PENTAGON)

INTRO: NATO OFFICIALS SAY ALLIANCE AIRCRAFT HAVE SHOT DOWN TWO MORE YUGOSLAV JETS, THIS TIME OVER BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. NATO HAS RETRACTED EARLIER REPORTS SAYING THE TWO SERB PILOTS WERE CAPTURED. THE AIR COMBAT TOOK PLACE AS NATO LAUNCHED A THIRD ROUND OF AIR STRIKES ON SERB TARGETS IN YUGOSLAVIA (TODAY FRIDAY). V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS FROM THE PENTAGON.

TEXT: NATO OFFICIALS SAY THE TWO HIGH-PERFORMANCE MIG-29 FIGHTERS WERE SHOT DOWN BY NATO PLANES IN BOSNIAN AIRSPACE. ALLIANCE OFFICIALS SAY YUGOSLAVIA INTENDED TO WIDEN THE CONFLICT IN KOSOVO BY ATTACKING NATO-LED S-FOR TROOPS ENFORCING A 1995 PEACE AGREEMENT IN BOSNIA.

THE DOGFIGHT [AIR BATTLE] BETWEEN AMERICAN F-15'S AND THE YUGOSLAV MIG'S WAS PART OF THE THIRD DAY OF AIR ATTACKS ON SERB TARGETS IN YUGOSLAVIA.

PREVIOUS OPERATIONS USED DARKNESS TO HIDE PILOTS AND PLANES FROM YUGOSLAVIA'S SUPPOSEDLY FORMIDABLE AIR DEFENSES. FRIDAY'S RAIDS INCLUDED THE FIRST DAYTIME LAUNCH OF CRUISE MISSILES FROM NATO NAVAL VESSELS.

THEY ALSO INCLUDED A BARRAGE OF AIR-LAUNCHED CRUISE MISSILES (CARRIED TO THE EDGE OF YUGOSLAV AIR SPACE BY AMERICAN HEAVY BOMBERS BASED IN BRITAIN).

OFFICIALS SAY THURSDAY NIGHT'S ATTACKS STRUCK MILITARY TARGETS ACROSS YUGOSLAVIA -- INCLUDING AN AIR-DEFENSE MISSILE SITE, A RADAR STATION, AN AMMUNITION-STORAGE AREA AND AIR FIELDS. EARLIER, BRITISH OFFICIALS SAID FUTURE RAIDS WOULD SHIFT FROM YUGOSLAV AIR DEFENSES TO STRIKE THE SERB FORCES NOW THREATENING ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO. THE OFFICIALS SAID SERB FORCES ARE MOVING FRESH TROOPS INTO KOSOVO AND ESCALATING THEIR REPRESSION OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS.

MILITARY EXPERTS SAY EITHER THESE REPRESSIVE ATTACKS OR PREDICTIONS OF BAD WEATHER OVER YUGOSLAVIA MIGHT EXPLAIN THE NATO DECISION TO EXPAND ATTACKS TO INCLUDE DAYLIGHT RAIDS. (SIGNED)
NEB/JR/JO
26-Mar-99 4:44 PM EST (2144 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[12] RUSSIA/NATO (L) (CQ) BY EVE CONANT (MOSCOW)

INTRO: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN AND OTHER TOP LEADERS WERE HOLDING EMERGENCY MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE DAY FRIDAY TO FORMULATE RUSSIA'S RESPONSE TO CONTINUING NATO AIR STRIKES OVER YUGOSLAVIA. AND V-O-A'S EVE CONANT REPORTS FROM MOSCOW, RUSSIA HAS ALSO ASKED NATO'S REPRESENTATIVE IN MOSCOW TO LEAVE.

TEXT: PRESIDENT YELTSIN HAS MET WITH RUSSIA'S PRIME MINISTER, DEFENSE MINISTER, AND TOP MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE CHIEFS. PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV SAYS MR. YELTSIN AND HIS MINISTERS DISCUSSED WAYS TO RETURN TO PEACEFUL NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE YUGOSLAV LEADERSHIP.

HE SAYS THEY DISCUSSED THE NEED FOR FURTHER MEASURES TO PUT THE CONFLICT BACK ON THE PATH OF A PEACE SETTLEMENT AND END THE CRIME BEING COMMITTED AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA.

RUSSIA'S INTERFAX NEWS AGENCY REPORTS RUSSIA HAS AGREED TO REPRESENT YUGOSLAV INTERESTS IN FRANCE. BELGRADE HAS SEVERED RELATIONS WITH PARIS, LONDON AND BONN FOLLOWING THE AIR STRIKES.

PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV AND FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV ALSO HAVE MET WITH LEADERS OF RUSSIA'S LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT INCLUDING LIBERAL PARLIAMENTARY LEADER GRIGORY YAVLINSKY.

MR YAVLINSKY SAYS HE TOLD THE PRIME MINISTER RUSSIA SHOULD NOT GET DRAGGED INTO A WAR. HE CALLS UNACCEPTABLE AND DESTRUCTIIVE MEASURES SOME POLITICIANS ARE SUGGESTING ,, SUCH AS SENDING VOLUNTEERS TO YUGOSLAVIA.

BUT RUSSIA'S COMMUNIST LEADER GENADY ZUGANOV SAYS NATO AIR STRIKES OVER SERB-LED YUGOSLAVIA MUST BE STOPPED.

WE SHOULD RAISE AN OUTCRY ACROSS THE WORLD, HE SAYS,TO PRESSURE THE AGGRESSORS INTO STOPPING THIS SLAUGHTER.

MR. ZUGANOV SAYS COMMUNIST LEADERS AT THE TALKS HAVE CALLED FOR LIFTING THE ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA, AND THE EMBARGOS AGAINST IRAQ, IRAN AND LIBYA TOO. (SIGNED)
NEB/EC/LMK/KL
26-Mar-99 10:52 AM EST (1552 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[13] RUSSIA / NATO (L UPDATE) BY EVE CONANT (MOSCOW)

INTRO: MOSCOW HAS CUT OFF ALL CONTACTS WITH NATO AND TOLD REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ALLIANCE TO LEAVE RUSSIAN TERRITORY. OFFICIALS IN MOSCOW ALSO SAY THEY ARE HALTING COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER NATO COUNTRIES ON SEVERAL INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS. V-O-A'S EVE CONANT REPORTS FROM THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL ON REACTION TO NATO'S AIR STRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA.

TEXT: FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV SAYS RUSSIA HAS GIVEN NATO'S TWO REPRESENTATIVES IN MOSCOW 24 HOURS TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY.

MR. IVANOV SAYS THERE WILL BE NO CONTACT WITH THE LEADERS OF NATO, INCLUDING THE ALLIANCE'S SECRETARY GENERAL, UNTIL WHAT HE CALLS THE AGGRESSION AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA IS STOPPED.

RUSSIA HAS ALREADY HALTED NEGOTIATIONS ON CREATING A NATO MILITARY LIASON OFFICE IN MOSCOW, AND RECALLED ITS AMBASSADOR TO THE WESTERN ALLIANCE.

THE RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IS ALSO CALLING FOR A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE AIRSTRIKES.

MR. IVANOV SAYS THOSE WHO ORDERED THE BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE BY THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE.

PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN MET (TODAY / FRIDAY) WITH PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV AND OTHER SENIOR OFFICIALS, INCLUDING RUSSIA'S INTELLIGENCE CHIEFS. FOREIGN MINISTER IVANOV SAYS THEY AGREED TO OFFER YUGOSLAVIA HUMANITARIAN AID -- MOST LIKELY MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND CALL ON OTHER COUNTRIES TO JOIN THE EFFORT.

A SOURCE IN RUSSIA'S PARLIAMENT SAYS MR. PRIMAKOV HAS ASKED LAWMAKERS TO PUT OFF A VOTE ON RATIFICATION OF THE START-TWO NUCLEAR ARMS REDUCTION TREATY WITH THE UNITED STATES.

NEWS AGENCIES ALSO REPORT RUSSIA'S DEFENSE MINISTRY HAS HALTED COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER NATO COUNTRIES IN TACKLING THE YEAR-2000 COMPUTER PROBLEM, INCLUDING A POSSIBLE JOINT RUSSIAN AND U-S CONTROL CENTER FOR EARLY WARNING OF ANY ATTACK ON EITHER COUNTRY. (SIGNED)
NEB/EC/JWH/WTW
26-Mar-99 2:17 PM EST (1917 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[14] U-N / BOSNIA / YUGOSLAVIA (L - ONLY) BY MAX RUSTON (UNITED NATIONS)

INTRO: BOSNIA IS CALLING ON THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS WHAT IT SAYS ARE YUGOSLAV AGGRESSIONS AGAINST ITS TERRITORY. V-O-A'S UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON REPORTS.

TEXT: BOSNIA'S U-N REPRESENTATIVE MUHAMED SACIRBEY DELIVERED A LETTER TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL SAYING THAT THREE MILITARY AIRCRAFT FROM YUGOSLAVIA CROSSED INTO BOSNIAN AIRSPACE FRIDAY WITH THE INTENTION OF COMMITTING MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST HIS COUNTRY. MR. SACIRBEY SAYS HE IS ASKING THE SECURITY COUNCIL TO DISCUSS THE ALLEGED AGGRESSION.

WE HAVE JUST NOW CONFIRMED THAT THREE MILITARY AIRCRAFT -- MIG-29'S -- OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA, SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO, CROSSED INTO THE SOVEREIGN AIR SPACE OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA WITH THE INTENTION OF COMMITTING MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST OUR COUNTRY. TWO OF THESE VIOLATING AIRCRAFT WERE SHOT DOWN. WE ARE REQUESTING AN EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL TO ADDRESS THIS AGGRESSION AGAINST MY COUNTRY.

MR. SACIRBEY SAYS THE YUGOSLAV ACTION WAS, IN HIS WORDS, A CLEAR ATTEMPT TO BROADEN THE WAR AND UNDERMINE THE PEACE IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA.

NATO OFFICIALS ALSO SAY TWO OF THE YUGOSLAV PLANES WERE SHOT DOWN. YUGOSLAV OFFICIALS DENY THAT ANY OF THEIR PLANES WERE SHOT DOWN OVER BOSNIA.

THE BOSNIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS SAID BOSNIA HAS NOT COMMITTED ANY AGGRESSION AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA OR SERVED AS A BASE FOR NATO TROOPS. HE SAID YUGOSLAVIA MAY HAVE BEEN PLANNING WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS TERRORIST ACTIONS AGAINST CIVILIANS IN BOSNIA IN ORDER TO DIVERT ATTENTION FROM TROUBLES CONCERNING KOSOVO. (SIGNED) NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/PT
26-Mar-99 5:07 PM EST (2207 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[15] U-N / KOSOVO (L) BY MAX RUSTON (UNITED NATIONS)

INTRO: RUSSIA ATTEMPTED TO GET UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL SUPPORT TODAY (FRIDAY) FOR ITS DEMAND FOR AN END TO NATO STRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA. THE COUNCIL OVERWHELMINGLY REJECTED THE MOVE, AS WE HEAR FROM OUR U-N CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON.

TEXT: RUSSIA PROPOSED A RESOLUTION TO THE COUNCIL DEMANDING IMMEDIATE END TO NATO STRIKES ON YUGOSLAVIA AND CALLING FOR AN THE RESUMPTION OF POLITICAL NEGOTIATIONS CONCERNING KOSOVO.

THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION WAS REJECTED AFTER RECEIVING SUPPORT FROM ONLY THREE OF THE COUNCIL'S 15 MEMBERS -- RUSSIA, CHINA AND NAMIBIA.

U-S REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS PETER BURLEIGH SAID THE RESOLUTION, IF PASSED, WOULD ONLY ENCOURAGE FURTHER MILITARY REPRESSION AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN YUGOSLAVIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE.

THE RESOLUTION BEFORE US TODAY ALLEGES THAT NATO IS ACTING IN VIOLATION OF THE U-N CHARTER. THIS TURNS THE TRUTH ON ITS HEAD, AND MOST HERE RECOGNIZE THAT. THE U-N CHARTER DOES NOT SANCTION ARMED ASSAULTS UPON ETHNIC GROUPS, OR IMPLY THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SHOULD TURN A BLIND EYE TO A GROWING HUMANITARIAN DISASTER.

IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE A CONCILIATORY MESSAGE TO MOSCOW, MR. BURLEIGH SAID WASHINGTON APPRECIATES WHAT HE CALLED THE ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTION THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION HAS MADE TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF PEACE IN KOSOVO AND IN THE BALKANS. CANADA, THE NETHERLANDS, BRITAIN, ARGENTINA, MALAYSIA AND SLOVENIA ALSO SPOKE IN THE COUNCIL AGAINST THE RESOLUTION. THEY REJECTED RUSSIA'S CHARGE THAT THE NATO STRIKES VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL LAW, SAYING EXISTING COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS ALREADY STATE CLEARLY THAT THE VIOLENCE AGAINST ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO REPRESENTS A THREAT TO INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY.

SLOVENIA REJECTED THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION AS AN INADEQUATE AND FACTUALLY FLAWED ATTEMPT TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION.

CHINA AND RUSSIA SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION. RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR SERGEI LAVROV, SPEAKING THROUGH AN INTERPRETER:

THE ATTEMPTS THAT HAVE BEEN REPEATED TODAY TO JUSTIFY THIS LAWLESSNESS CANNOT BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. THIS JUST CANNOT BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY .. THE STATEMENTS BORDERING ON BLACKMAIL TO THE EFFECT THAT THOSE WHO WILL VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE DRAFT RESOLUTION WILL PLACE THEMSELVES OUT OF THE CONSENSUS. IT IS A DIFFERENT SITUATION, IN THAT THOSE WHO VOTE AGAINST THE DRAFT RESOLUTION WILL PLACE THEMSELVES IN A SITUATION OF LAWLESSNESS.

CHINA SAID THE NATO STRIKES HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS DETERIORATION OF THE SITUATION CONCERNING KOSOVO, VIOLATED THE U-N CHARTER AND CHALLENGED THE AUTHORITY OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL.

DIPLOMATS SAY RUSSIA WAS AWARE ALL ALONG THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION WOULD NOT RECEIVE SECURITY COUNCIL SUPPORT, BUT INSISTED ON CALLING A VOTE TO MAKE ITS OPPOSITION TO THE NATO STRIKES CLEAR IN A PUBLIC FORUM. (SIGNED)
NEB/UN/MPR/LSF
26-Mar-99 12:52 PM EST (1752 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[16] U-N / KOSOVO REFUGEES (L ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (LONDON)

INTRO: THE TOP UNITED NATIONS REFUGEE OFFICIAL, SADAKO OGATA, HAS APPEALED TO COUNTRIES TO KEEP THEIR BORDERS OPEN TO REFUGEES FLEEING THE FIGHTING IN KOSOVO. LISA SCHLEIN IN GENEVA REPORTS U-N AID AGENCIES ARE EXPRESSING ALARM OVER THE DETERIORATING SITUATION OF THE CIVILIAN POPULATION IN YUGOSLAVIA'S SERBIAN PROVINCE.

TEXT: U-N REFUGEE CHIEF SADAKO OGATA HAS ISSUED A STATEMENT APPEALING FOR ALL SIDES TO REFRAIN FROM ATTACKING CIVILIANS IN KOSOVO. SHE SAYS SHE IS GRAVELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF CIVILIANS IN SERBIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE.

THE STATEMENT WARNS THAT THOSE GUILTY OF ATROCITIES WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.

THE U-N HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES URGES ALL GOVERNMENTS IN THE REGION AND ELSEWHERE IN EUROPE TO KEEP THEIR BORDERS OPEN TO KOSOVO REFUGEES FLEEING THE CONFLICT.

U-N-H-C-R SPOKESMAN, KRIS JANOWSKI, SAYS IS IS DIFFICULT TO CONFIRM OR DENY REPORTS OF ATROCITIES IN KOSOVO BECAUSE ONLY A HANDFUL OF INTERNATIONAL AID WORKERS REMAIN THERE. MOST WERE EVACUATED, ALONG WITH 15-HUNDRED INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS, JUST BEFORE THE NATO BOMBING STARTED.

BEFORE WE PULLED OUT FROM KOSOVO, WE HAD A REPORT OF SOME DISPLACED WOMEN FROM SRBICA WHO TOLD US THAT PARA-MILITARY OR MILITARY SERB FORCES, FOR EXAMPLE, TOOK THEIR MEN AWAY FROM THEM. WE COULDN'T CONFIRM THAT REPORT. WE SPOKE ABOUT WHAT THEY TOLD US THROUGH THE MEDIA AT THE TIME. BUT, WE COULDN'T CONFIRM. NONETHELESS, THIS, PLUS THE REPORTS THAT ARE TRICKLING OUT OF KOSOVO, SOUND QUITE OMINOUS.

THE U-N AGENCY ESTIMATES THAT MORE THAN 450-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FORCED FROM THEIR HOMES SINCE THE FIGHTING BEGAN IN KOSOVO MORE THAN A YEAR AGO. MORE THAN HALF OF THEM HAVE BEEN DISPLACED WITHIN KOSOVO.

MR. JANOWSKI SAYS U-N AID WORKERS NOW IN MACEDONIA AND ALBANIA HAVE ONLY SEEN A TRICKLE OF REFUGEES ARRIVING FROM KOSOVO.

ONE BIG REASON MAY BE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE BASICALLY AFRAID TO TRAVEL ON THE ROADS IN KOSOVO. THERE ARE PLENTY OF POLICE AND OTHER CHECKPOINTS ON THE ROAD.

OTHER U-N AID AGENCIES BESIDES U-N-H-C-R ARE ALSO EXPRESSING ALARM AT WHAT THEY CALL KOSOVO'S DETERIORATING HUMANITARIAN SITUATION. THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM SAYS IT HAS PROVIDED A MONTH'S SUPPLY OF FOOD TO KOSOVO'S HOMELESS BUT IT FEARS PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO LEAVE THE FOOD BEHIND IF THEY ARE FORCED TO FLEE AGAIN. (SIGNED)
NEB/LS/LMK/JO
26-Mar-99 12:03 PM EST (1703 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[17] SERB RALLY (L-O) BY MICHAEL LELAND (CHICAGO)

INTRO: THE MIDWEST U-S CITY OF CHICAGO HAS A SUBSTANTIAL SERBIAN POPULATION, MANY OF WHOM SEE THE NATO MILITARY ACTION IN YUGOSLAVIA AS AN UNWARRANTED ATTACK ON THEIR HOMELAND. ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON, ABOUT 15-HUNDRED SERBS AND OTHERS GATHERED IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO TO PROTEST THE BOMBING. V-O-A'S MICHAEL LELAND HAS MORE.

TEXT:

STOP BOMBING SERBIA! STOP BOMBING SERBIA! (FADES)

WAVING THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE FLAGS OF SERBIA AND YUGOSLAVIA, AND CARRYING SIGNS READING, "KOSOVO IS SERBIA," AND "NATO IS THE NORTH ATLANTIC TERRORIST ORGANIZATION," HUNDREDS CHEERED SPEAKERS SUCH AS SLAVKO PANOVIC OF THE SERBIAN NATIONAL DEFENSE COUNCIL IN CHICAGO, WHO SAID NATO ATTACKS WILL NOT STOP HIS NATIVE COUNTRY FROM TRYING TO HOLD ONTO KOSOVO.

THEY CAN NOT BOMB US ENOUGH. WE CAN ENDURE ANY KIND OF BOMBING ON THIS PLANET. (CHEERS) ONLY GOD CAN SAYS, WHEN HE SAYS WE WILL CEASE TO EXIST, THEN THERE WILL NOT BE A SERBIA.

ANNA PAVICEVIC OF THE COUNCIL CALLED THE ATTACKS AN ATTEMPT TO DEGRADE AND DESTROY SERBIA. SHE SAYS THE EFFORT WILL NOT SUCCEED.

WE WILL REMEMBER THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM 512 YEARS OF OTTOMAN OPPRESSION. WE WILL NEVER AGAIN ALLOW THE INFIDELS TO USE OUR HOLY MONASTERIES AS STABLES FOR THEIR HORSES AND THEIR PIGS AND THEIR COWS. (CHEERS FADE)

SERBIAN ORTHODOX BISHOP LONGIN CALLED FOR A PEACEFUL END TO THE DISPUTE OVER KOSOVO, BUT SAID IN THE END, KOSOVO SHOULD REMAIN A SERBIAN PROVINCE.

KOSOVO IS THE CRADLE OF OUR CULTURE AND OUR RELIGION. IT IS OUR HOLY LAND. IT IS OUR JERUSALEM.

THE CHICAGO AREA IS HOME TO ABOUT 350-THOUSAND ETHNIC SERBS. MANY ARE U-S CITIZENS AND SAY THEY ARE UPSET TO SEE THEIR ADOPTED COUNTRY ATTACKING THEIR HOMELAND FOR WHAT THEY CONSIDER NO GOOD REASON. (SIGNED)
NEB/MJL/ENE/PT
26-Mar-99 4:43 PM EST (2143 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[18] "WHILE KOSOVO BURNS" BY PAMELA TAYLOR (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: WHILE NATO CONTINUES ITS AIR STRIKES AGAINST SERB TARGETS IN YUGOSLAVIA, SERB FORCES IN THE COUNTRY'S KOSOVO PROVINCE CONTINUE TO BOMB AND BURN ETHNIC ALBANIAN VILLAGES. THE NATO ATTACKS WERE INTENDED TO AVERT A HUMANITARIAN DISASTER, BUT SOME CRITICS NOW SAY THEY MAY BE MAKING THINGS WORSE FOR THOSE ON THE GROUND. V-O-A'S PAMELA TAYLOR HAS MORE IN THIS BACKGROUND REPORT.

TEXT: EVEN BEFORE NATO BOMBS BEGAN TO FALL, WAR WAS ALREADY IN FULL SWING IN THE VILLAGES AND HILLS OF SERBIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE. ALTHOUGH MOST ETHNIC ALBANIANS INITIALLY WELCOMED THE NATO ATTACKS, MANY NOW FEAR POLICE RAIDS WILL BE STEPPED UP, AS WILL REPRISALS BY SERB PARAMILITARY FORCES. BEFORE THE BOMBING BEGAN (WEDNESDAY NIGHT) AN ETHNIC ALBANIAN JOURNALIST WHO ASKED TO BE IDENTIFIED ONLY AS "DITA" SPOKE ABOUT THIS FEAR.

IN PRISTINA, YOU HAVE MANY POLICE PLACED ON THE STREETS LEADING OUT OF TOWN, AND IN THE MEANTIME THERE ARE CITIZENS WHO ARE TRYING TO FIND FOOD AND ELEMENTARY THINGS, BUT THEY ARE AFRAID OF THE [SERB] POLICE FORCES. I JUST CHANGED MY PLACE [MOVED TO A DIFFERENT APARTMENT] BECAUSE I FELT IT IS MORE SAFE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, I AM SIMPLY PREPARING MYSELF PSYCHOLOGICALLY FOR THE NEXT HOURS. LET'S HOPE THAT SOMETHING AT THE LAST MINUTE WILL CHANGE.

BUT LAST-MINUTE NEGOTIATIONS FAILED, AND THE BOMBS WHICH FELL ON KOSOVO THAT FIRST DAY CUT COMMUNICATIONS WITH KOSOVO.

SINCE THEN, NATO OFFICIALS SAY INTELLIGENCE REPORTS INDICATE SERB FORCES HAVE LAUNCHED REPRISALS AGAINST SEVERAL TOWNS IN KOSOVO. THE YUGOSLAV ARMY ALSO HAS SHELLED TWO VILLAGES IN NEIGHBORING ALBANIA. BALKAN ANALYST JOHN FOX, A FORMER U-S DIPLOMAT, HAS BEEN IN CONTACT BY E-MAIL WITH SEVERAL HUMANITARIAN GROUPS THAT STILL HAVE REPRESENTATIVES IN KOSOVO. HE SAYS THE NEWS HE'S GETTING FROM THEM IS ALL BAD:

THERE ARE ROUNDUPS OF MANY CIVILIANS IN MANY PARTS OF KOSOVO. THE SECURITY FORCES WENT TO THE SHOPS IN PRISTINA, WHICH HAD BEEN SERVICING THE O-S-C-E [ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE] MONITORING MISSION, [AND] BURNED THEM OUT, KILLED SHOP OWNERS IN COLD BLOOD. THEY'RE BURNING OUT ALL THE OLD SHOPS IN THE OLD TOWN OF [HISTORIC] DJAKOVA. // OPT // THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF ASSASSINATIONS BY SERBIAN SECURITY OF LEADING ETHNIC-ALBANIAN POLITICAL LEADERS, [AND] CIVIC ACTIVISTS. ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT CITIZENS IS IN HIDING -- VETTON SURROI, THE PUBLISHER OF THE LARGEST NEWSPAPER THERE. HE WAS SIGNATORY TO THE KOSOVO PEACE AGREEMENT IN [RAMBOUILLET NEAR] PARIS. // END OPT //

BUT MR. FOX SAYS HE HAS ALSO RECEIVED REPORTS OF A MORE DISTURBING TACTIC BEING USED BY SERB PARAMILITARY FORCES:

MR. FOX SAYS ALL THIS INFORMATION IS WELL KNOWN TO U-S INTELLIGENCE.

A SERBIAN-AMERICAN ANALYST IN WASHINGTON SAYS NO ONE SHOULD BE SURPRISED SERBS ARE RETALIATING. OBRAD KESIC IS A WASHINGTON-BASED ADVISOR FOR SERBIA'S OPPOSITION MOVEMENT, THE ALLIANCE FOR CHANGE.

THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FRUSTRATION AND ANGER AND ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT THAT HAS BEEN BUILDING; AN ANTI-WESTERN, ANTI-NATO SENTIMENT ... THAT HAS BEEN MANIPULATED BY [PRESIDENT] MILOSEVIC AND HIS GOVERNMENT IN THE STATE[-CONTROLLED] MEDIA. THE ANGER THAT THESE PEOPLE FEEL -- AVERAGE SERBS -- IS GOING TO BE IMMEDIATELY DIRECTED AT THE ALBANIANS, AND THEN IT IS GOING TO BE DIRECTED AT ANY TARGETS THEY CAN REACH.

MR. KESIC SAYS THIS MEANS SHOOTING DOWN NATO PLANES IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, BUT IT COULD ALSO RESULT IN TARGETING NATO PEACEKEEPING TROOPS IN NEIGHBORING BOSNIA. MR. KESIC SAYS THE NATO ATTACKS HAVE GIVEN THE SERBS LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO FIGHT THEIR WAY OUT OF A CORNER NATO HAS PUT THEM INTO. (SIGNED)
NEB/PAM/WTW
26-Mar-99 3:04 PM EST (2004 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[19] EU COMPROMISE BY JONATHAN BRAUDE (BERLIN, GERMANY)

INTRO: AFTER A MARATHON ALL-NIGHT NEGOTIATING SESSION, EUROPEAN UNION LEADERS MEETING IN BERLIN AGREED EARLY FRIDAY ON A PACKAGE OF FARM POLICY AND BUDGETARY REFORMS WHICH SHOULD SEE THE 15 NATION BLOC READY TO ABSORB NEW MEMBERS FROM EASTERN EUROPE IN THE NEW CENTURY. JONATHAN BRAUDE REPORTS FROM THE GERMAN CAPITAL.

TEXT: THE SUN WAS ALREADY UP OVER BERLIN AS THE EUROPEAN UNIONS CURRENT PRESIDENT, GERMAN CHANCELLOR GERHARD SCHROEDER EMERGED TO ANNOUNCE THE COMPROMISE HE AND THE OTHER LEADERS HAD FINALLY AGREED UPON.

IT WAS NOT QUITE THE TOUGH PACKAGE OF FARM REFORMS HE'D HOPED FOR, NOR WAS IT THE START OF A MAJOR REDISTRIBUTION OF COSTS AND BENEFITS BETWEEN THOSE COUNTRIES WHICH GAIN MOST FROM EU SUBISIDIES LIKE FRANCE AND SPAIN AND THOSE WHICH PAY THE MOST INTO THE BUDGET, LIKE GERMANY, BRITAIN OR THE NETHERLANDS.

BUT IT WAS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. FARM COSTS WOULD BE KEPT DOWN BY SHARP CUTS IN PRODUCE PRICES --- ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE CURBS WOULD NOT NOW COME INTO FORCE UNTIL 2004, THANKS TO A TOUGH STAND BY FRANCE.

AND THERE WOULD BE SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENT TO THE BURDEN OF EU FINANCES ON RICHER NATIONS, AS MORE ACCOUNT WOULD BE TAKEN OF THE RELATIVE WEALTH OF EACH COUNTRY. BRITAIN, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS BECOME WEALTHIER SINCE ITS $3 BILLION BUDGET REBATE WAS AGREED TO 15 YEARS AGO --- ALTHOUGH IT WILL STILL RECEIVE ITS REBATE. GERMANY'S ECONOMY, MEANWHILE, HAS BEEN SLOWING DOWN.

DIPLOMATIC SOURCES SAY THE UNION WAS UNDER PRESSURE TO SHOW A UNITED FRONT DURING THE KOSOVO CRISIS, AND THAT MR SCHROEDER USED THE SITUATION TO PUSH HIS PARTNERS INTO AGREEMENT.

BUT MOSTLY, OFFICIALS ARE SAYING, THE AGREEMENT STABILISES SPENDING FOR THE FUTURE. THAT WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO ABSORB NEW MEMBERS FROM AMONG THE EMERGING DEMOCRACIES OF EASTERN EUROPE, WITHOUT THEIR LARGE AND INEFFICIENT FARM SECTORS DRIVING THE EU INTO BANKRUPTCY.

BUT SOME EXPERTS ARGUE THE WEAKNESS OF THE COMPROMISE MAY MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR NEW MEMBERS TO JOIN THE ORGANIZATION. (SIGNED)
NEB/JB/PLM
26-Mar-99 4:17 AM EST (0917 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[20] ISRAEL / E-U (L ONLY) BY DEBORAH TATE (JERUSALEM)

INTRO: ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU HAS CONDEMNED A DECISION BY THE EUROPEAN UNION RECOGNIZING THE PALESTINIANS' RIGHT TO AN INDEPENDENT STATE. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT DEBORAH TATE IN JERUSALEM REPORTS MR. NETANYAHU INVOKED THE MEMORY OF THE NAZI GENOCIDE OF JEWS DURING WORLD WAR TWO AND SAID THE E-U DECLARATION JEOPARDIZES ISRAEL'S EXISTENCE.

TEXT: MR. NETANYAHU BLASTED THE E-U DECLARATION, SAYING IT COULD BE A BASE FOR STEPPED-UP TERRORISM AGAINST ISRAEL AND CAN ENDANGER ITS VERY EXISTENCE.

RAISING THE SPECTER OF THE HOLOCAUST, THE PRIME MINISTER SAID -- IN HIS WORDS -- "IT IS REGRETTABLE THAT IT IS EUROPE, WHERE ONE-THIRD OF THE JEWISH NATION PERISHED, THAT DEEMS FIT TO IMPOSE A SOLUTION THAT ENDANGERS THE JEWISH STATE AND CONTRADICTS ITS INTERESTS."

IT WAS A VEILED REFERENCE TO GERMANY, WHICH CURRENTLY HEADS THE E-U AND HOSTED THE SUMMIT THAT PRODUCED THE DECLARATION. THE DECLARATION SUPPORTS A NEGOTIATED PATH TO PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD WITHIN A YEAR, AND SAYS ISRAEL SHOULD NOT VETO ITS CREATION.

MR. NETANYAHU SAID THE E-U REDUCED ITS CHANCE OF EVER BECOMING AN HONEST BROKER IN THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS BY ADVOCATING PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD.

THE PRIME MINISTER'S SPOKESMAN, DAVID BAR-ILAN, TOLD V-O-A THE DECLARATION SEEKS IN ADVANCE WHAT SHOULD RESULT FROM NEGOTIATIONS.

THE PRINCIPLE OF REACHING A SOLUTION THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS IS NOT AN ARBITRARY PRINCIPLE, IT MEANS THAT THE AGREEMENTS WILL BE SATISFACTORY TO BOTH SIDES, BECAUSE OTHERWISE IN SUCH A SMALL COUNTRY, AND UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH WE LIVE HERE, IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO EXPECT ANY OTHER KIND OF SOLUTION TO LAST OR TO HAVE ANY KIND OF VIABILITY.

THE EUROPEAN UNION TOOK ITS ACTION IN AN EFFORT TO DISSUADE PALESTINIAN LEADER YASSER ARAFAT FROM UNILATERALLY DECLARING PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD ON MAY FOURTH, TWO WEEKS BEFORE ISRAELI ELECTIONS.

ALTHOUGH PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY OFFICIALS WELCOME THE E-U MOVE, THEY SAY THE DECISION TO DECLARE STATEHOOD IS THEIRS ALONE.

NABIL ABU IRDEINEH IS MR. ARAFAT'S SENIOR ADVISER:

WHEN THE PALESTINIAN COUNCILS -- THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE PALESTINIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL, AND THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE P-L-O -- AND ALL THE OTHER P-L-O BODIES MEET, MOST PROBABLY A DECISION WILL BE MADE ACCORDING TO THESE CONSULTATIONS AROUND MAY THE FOURTH.

MR. NETANYAHU HAS VOWED TO ANNEX PARTS OF THE WEST BANK AND GAZA STRIP STILL OCCUPIED BY ISRAEL IF MR. ARAFAT MOVES FORWARD WITH A DECLARATION OF STATEHOOD. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAT/JWH/KL
26-Mar-99 8:02 AM EST (1302 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[21] FRANCE / TUNNEL FIRE (L) BY JULIAN NUNDY (PARIS)

INTRO: AT LEAST 30 PEOPLE ARE FEARED DEAD IN A FIRE THAT HAS RAGED FOR TWO DAYS IN THE MONT BLANC ROAD TUNNEL THAT LINKS FRANCE TO ITALY UNDER THE ALPS. JULIAN NUNDY REPORTS FROM PARIS.

TEXT: THE ORIGINAL FIRE STARTED ON A BELGIAN TRUCK LATE WEDNESDAY, FILLING THE MONT BLANC TUNNEL WITH ACRID SMOKE THAT MADE THE WORK OF FIREFIGHTERS DIFFICULT AND HAZARDOUS.

THE DRIVER OF THAT TRUCK, CARRYING SLOW BURNING MARGARINE AND FLOUR, ESCAPED UNHURT FROM HIS CAB. HE TOLD POLICE THAT THE ENGINE OF HIS VEHICLE SUDDENLY CAUGHT FIRE. AT FIRST, THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO INDICATION OF THE EXTENT OF THE TRAGEDY. BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT, ONE FIREFIGHTER WAS REPORTED KILLED. THEN THE DEATH TOLL ROSE TO FOUR. BY LATE THURSDAY, IT WAS UP TO 17.

THE FIRE CREATED TEMPERATURES UP TO ONE-THOUSAND DEGREES, CELSIUS, AND WAS STILL RAGING NEARLY TWO DAYS AFTER THE FIRST ALARM WAS RAISED. OFFICIALS ON THE FRENCH SIDE OF THE TUNNEL SAY THEY SERIOUSLY UNDER-ESTIMATED THE NUMBER OF LIKELY CASUALTIES AT FIRST.

THEY SAY NOW THAT AT LEAST 30 VEHICLES WERE CAUGHT AND DESTROYED IN THE FIRE.

THE TRAGEDY RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT SECURITY IN THE 33-YEAR-OLD TUNNEL. IT HAS BEEN USED BY A TOTAL OF 47-MILLION VEHICLES AND IT HAS NEVER BEFORE BEEN THE SCENE OF A SERIOUS INCIDENT. FIRE-FIGHTING SERVICES IN BOTH FRANCE AND ITALY NOW COMPLAIN THAT SECURITY IS INADEQUATE.

SOME TECHNICAL EXPERTS BLAME THE VENTILATION SYSTEM IN THE 11-KILOMETER TUNNEL. A DAILY NEWSPAPER IN THE FRENCH ALPS SAYS A TECHNICAL REPORT DRAWN UP BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES LAST YEAR SPECIFICALLY PINPOINTED THE HAZARDS OF FIRE IN THE TUNNEL, SAYING IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL.

UNLIKE EUROPE'S MOST FAMOUS TUNNEL, THE CHANNEL RAIL TUNNEL LINKING BRITAIN AND FRANCE, THE MONT BLANC TUNNEL DOES NOT HAVE A SEPARATE SERVICE TUNNEL RUNNING ALONGSIDE IT. WHEN FIRE BROKE OUT IN THE CHANNEL TUNNEL IN 1996, EVERYONE ON A VEHICLE SHUTTLE TRAIN WHERE THE FIRE STARTED WAS EVACUATED SAFELY THROUGH THE SERVICE TUNNEL.

THE MAYOR OF THE FRENCH ALPINE RESORT OF CHAMONIX NOW CALLING FOR AN IMMEDIATE BAN ON ALL TRUCK TRAFFIC THROUGH THE MONT BLANC TUNNEL, RESTRICTING IT TO PASSENGER TRAFFIC. A FRENCH PROSECUTOR MEANWHILE OPENED A CASE FOR MANSLAUGHTER, A FIRST STEP TOWARD ESTABLISHING THE LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES. (SIGNED)
NEB/JWN/JWH/KL
26-Mar-99 10:19 AM EST (1519 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[22] BANANAS / CARIBBEAN BY MICHAEL BOWMAN (MIAMI)

INTRO: TO THE DISMAY AND ANGER OF MANY CARIBBEAN NATIONS, THE UNITED STATES CONTINUES TO PRESS THE EUROPEAN UNION TO END ITS PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT OF BANANAS GROWN BY BRITAIN'S AND FRANCE'S FORMER COLONIES. NATIONS BELONGING TO THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY -- CARICOM -- SAY THE U-S LED EFFORT WILL, IF SUCCESSFUL, DEVASTATE THEIR ECONOMIES, DAMAGE THEIR RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES, AND HAMPER REGIONAL ANTI-NARCOTICS EFFORTS. V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN REPORTS FROM MIAMI.

TEXT: CARICOM MEMBER BELIZE -- LOCATED ON THE CENTRAL AMERICAN ISTHMUS -- HAS WEIGHED IN STRONGLY ON THE FESTERING BANANA DISPUTE THAT, SO FAR, THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RESOLVE. BELIZE'S MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, RALPH FONSECA, SAYS CARICOM NATIONS HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO FIGHT TO PRESERVE THE EUROPEAN UNION'S QUOTA SYSTEM THAT, FOR YEARS, HAS GUARANTEED THEM A LARGE SHARE OF THE E-U MARKET FOR THE FRUIT.

NOBODY IN THE UNITED STATES DEPENDS ON INCOME FROM GROWING BANANAS. IN OUR PART OF THE WORLD, A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE PEOPLE DO -- AND IT'S THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE TO FEED THEIR CHILDREN.

MR. FONSECA SAYS BANANA PRODUCTION ACCOUNTS FOR ROUGHLY EIGHT-PERCENT OF BELIZE'S YEARLY ECONOMIC OUTPUT -- AND UP TO 40-PERCENT OF THAT OF OTHER CARICOM NATIONS.

OFFICIALS IN CARICOM NATIONS SAY A DISRUPTION OF THE E-U'S TRADE WITH CARIBBEAN NATIONS COULD PRODUCE A HOST OF UNINTENDED AND NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES. FOR INSTANCE, THEY SAY ECONOMIC DISLOCATION COULD LEAD SOME OF THEIR CITIZENS TO TAKE PART IN THE DRUG TRADE, FOR WHICH THE CARIBBEAN REGION IS A MAJOR TRANS-SHIPMENT POINT. CARIBBEAN OFFICIALS SAY THE CHOICE IS SIMPLE: BANANAS OR NARCOTICS. BELIZE'S MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, RALPH FONSECA:

WE HAVE VERY FEW ECONOMIC GENERATORS DOWN HERE. PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO SURVIVE, AND PEOPLE DO TEND TO FIND WAYS OF SURVIVING, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEIR GOVERNMENTS ARE ABLE TO KEEP THEM IN LINE OR NOT. ON THE FISCAL SIDE, THIS WHOLE BUSINESS OF (DRUG) INTERDICTION IS A VERY COSTLY ONE. THE BUDGETS THAT WE MUST PUT IN AS OUR CONTRIBUTION FOR DRUG INTERDICTION ARE FAIRLY LARGE.

MR. FONSECA SAYS THE REVENUE LOST FROM BANANA PRODUCTION COULD SEVERELY LIMIT THE ABILITY OF GOVERNMENTS IN THE CARIBBEAN REGION TO FIGHT THE DRUG WAR.

CARIBBEAN OFFICIALS SAY OVERALL RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES ARE SUFFERING AS A RESULT OF THE BANANA DISPUTE. SOME HAVE GONE SO FAR AS TO SUGGEST THEIR COUNTRIES MIGHT PULL OUT OF SO-CALLED 'SHIPRIDER' AGREEMENTS THAT ALLOW U-S VESSELS TO PURSUE DRUG TRAFFICKERS IN THE TERRITORIAL WATERS OF CARIBBEAN NATIONS.

ST. LUCIA'S PRIME MINISTER, KENNY ANTHONY -- WHO HAS SERVED AS CARICOM CHAIRMAN -- SAYS THE TRUST THAT HAS TRADITIONALLY EXISTED BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CARIBBEAN NATIONS IS BEING ERODED.

OUR DISAPPOINTMENT IS VERY, VERY DEEP. THERE IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, NOW, OF TRUST. WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER WE CAN TRUST THE UNITED STATES ANYMORE. FRANKLY, THE U-S ACTIONS ARE MOST BEWILDERING.

U-S OFFICIALS INSIST THEY WANT TO MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS WITH CARICOM NATIONS. THOMAS MCLARTY -- WHO, UNTIL RECENTLY, SERVED AS PRESIDENT CLINTON'S SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE AMERICAS -- SAYS ANY DISENGAGEMENT BETWEEN CARICOM AND THE UNITED STATES WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE. MR. MCLARTY SPOKE RECENTLY IN MIAMI:

I THINK IT IS NOT IN CARICOM'S BEST INTERESTS TO PULL OUT OF ANY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES. I THINK THAT WOULD BE BAD FOR THEM AND BAD FOR US (THE UNITED STATES).

NEVERTHELESS, MR. MCLARTY SAYS HE BELIEVES THE UNITED STATES IS JUSTIFIED IN SEEKING THE E-U'S LIBERALIZATION OF ITS BANANA IMPORTATION POLICIES. TWICE, THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION HAS RULED THE E-U ARRANGEMENT DOES, IN FACT, VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL TRADE REGULATIONS. SO FAR, THE E-U HAS FAILED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM TO THE SATISFACTION OF U-S OFFICIALS. EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE UNITED STATES RETALIATED, IMPOSING ONE-HUNDRED PERCENT TARIFFS ON E-U LUXURY EXPORTS RANGING FROM GERMAN-MADE COFFEE MAKERS TO SCOTTISH CASHMERE SWEATERS.

IF THE EUROPEAN UNION ULTIMATELY COMPLIES WITH THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION'S RULING, BANANA-PRODUCING NATIONS OUTSIDE THE CARIBBEAN WOULD BENEFIT -- AMONG THEM: COSTA RICA, THE WORLD'S SECOND-LARGEST EXPORTER OF THE FRUIT. FORMER COSTA RICAN PRESIDENT JOSE MARIA FIGUERES -- WHOSE TERM IN OFFICE EXPIRED LAST YEAR -- SAYS CARIBBEAN NATIONS CANNOT GROW BANANAS AS CHEAPLY OR EFFICIENTLY AS HIS COUNTRY CAN. BUT HE SAYS THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR THE E-U'S PROTECTIONIST MEASURES ON BEHALF OF FORMER COLONIES IN THE CARIBBEAN.

THE FACT IS, THEY (CARIBBEAN NATIONS) ARE JUST NOT COMPETITIVE IN THE PRODUCTION OF BANANAS - JUST LIKE COSTA RICA IS NOT COMPETITIVE IN THE PRODUCTION OF WHEAT OR CORN. COUNTRIES SHOULD DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO THEIR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES.

FORMER PRESIDENT FIGUERES SAYS CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES SHOULD FOCUS ON TOURISM AND OTHER SECTORS WHERE THEY CAN COMPETE WITHOUT THE AID OF QUOTAS AND PREFERENTIAL IMPORTATION REGIMES. (SIGNED)
NEB/MCB/ENE
26-Mar-99 4:57 PM EST (2157 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE DOWN TODAY (FRIDAY), WITH MANY TRADERS RELUCTANT TO MAKE NEW COMMITMENTS. V-O-A BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT 98-HUNDRED-22, DOWN 14 POINTS. FOR THE WEEK. THE INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE LOST 81 POINTS. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500 INDEX CLOSED FRIDAY AT 12-HUNDRED-82, DOWN SEVEN POINTS, AND THE NASDAQ INDEX LOST MORE THAN ONE-HALF OF ONE PERCENT.

ANALYSTS SAY THERE WAS NO CLEAR DIRECTION FOR STOCK PRICES, WITH THE MAJOR AVERAGES MOVING UP AND DOWN IN A NARROW RANGE. SOME TRADERS ARE WAITING FOR THE MEETING NEXT WEEK OF U-S CENTRAL BANK GOVERNORS. HOWEVER, THE CONSENSUS ON WALL STREET IS THAT THE CENTRAL BANK WILL LEAVE SHORT-TERM INTEREST RATES UNCHANGED.

WHEN THE MARKET DOES BETTER, THE LEADERSHIP IS ALWAYS THE SAME STOCKS, WITH THE RECENT ADDITION OF THE OILS. THE BREADTH REMAINS RELATIVELY NEGATIVE. THE NEW HIGHS AND NEW LOWS REMAIN RELATIVELY NEGATIVE. THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS, IN ADDITION TO THE CONFLICT IN THE BALKANS, NOT TO OWN STOCKS RIGHT NOW.

THE GENERAL CIGAR COMPANY OF THE UNITED STATES IS SELLING ITS MASS-MARKET BRANDS TO THE SWEDISH MATCH COMPANY FOR 200 MILLION DOLLARS. THE SWEDISH FIRM WILL GAIN INTERNATIONAL OWNERSHIP OF SUCH BRANDS AS "GARCIA Y VEGA" AND "WHITE OWL," WHILE GENERAL WILL CONCENTRATE ON HIGH-PRICED CIGARS SUCH AS THE "MACANUDO" BRAND.

U-S DRUG REGULATORS HAVE APPROVED A NEW ANTI-ASTHMA MEDICINE MADE BY THE SEPRACOR PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY. THE COMPANY SAYS IT EXPECTS FIRST-YEAR SALES OF THE NEW DRUG WILL AMOUNT TO ABOUT 250-MILLION DOLLARS. STEELCASE, THE LARGEST U-S OFFICE FURNITURE MAKER, SAYS ITS QUARTERLY PROFITS FELL BY 12 PERCENT. HOWEVER, THE COMPANY SAYS NEW PRODUCTS AND RECENT ACQUISITIONS SHOULD HELP BOOST EARNINGS IN THE FUTURE.

THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS RECALLING ALMOST ONE-MILLION VEHICLES SOLD IN NORTH AMERICA THIS YEAR AND LAST, TO REPAIR POSSIBLE PROBLEMS IN SPEED-CONTROL CABLES.

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECURITIES DEALERS WILL SOON REQUIRE ITS MEMBER FIRMS TO ISSUE WARNINGS ABOUT THE FINANCIAL DANGERS OF "DAY TRADING." THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS ARE USING THEIR PERSONAL COMPUTERS TO BUY AND SELL STOCKS ON A DAILY, SOMETIMES HOURLY, BASIS, HOPING TO EARN PROFITS BY SLIGHT MOVEMENTS IN STOCK PRICES. UNDER THE RULES, INVESTMENT FIRMS WILL BE REQUIRED TO ISSUE WARNINGS THAT DAY TRADING IS EXTREMELY RISKY, AND SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED WITHOUT A HIGH LEVEL OF SOPHISTICATION ABOUT HOW THE STOCK MARKET REALLY WORKS. (SIGNED) NEB/NY/BA/LSF/WTW
26-Mar-99 5:55 PM EST (2255 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[24] THE NATO ATTACK CONTINUES BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THIS COUNTRY'S NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL COLUMNS ARE FILLED WITH COMMENT ON THE EFFICACY OF NATO'S ATTACK ON YUGOSLAVIA.

WHILE MOST PAPERS ARE SUPPORTIVE, THERE IS A GOOD DEAL OF CONCERN ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. SOME PAPERS POINT OUT NATO IS MOVING INTO AN ENTIRELY NEW ERA, AWAY FROM ITS CHARTER, WITH AN ATTACK AGAINST A NON-AGGRESSOR SOVEREIGN NATION. MANY OTHERS WORRY THAT NEITHER PRESIDENT CLINTON NOR ANY OTHER WESTERN LEADER HAS A COGENT, CLEAR IDEA OF HOW TO PROCEED IF YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC REFUSES TO GIVE IN.

HERE WITH A SAMPLING OF THE LATEST EDITORIALS IS __________________ AND TODAY'S U-S OPINION ROUNDUP.

TEXT: TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, FIRST, WHERE, IN PORTLAND, "THE OREGONIAN'S" HEADLINE READS: "NATO NEEDED TO ACT." THE PAPER CALLS THE ATTACKS "A JUSTIFIED RESPONSE TO SERBIA'S GENOCIDAL ASSAULT ON KOSOVO."

VOICE: NOW THAT THE BOMBING HAS STARTED IT SHOULD CONTINUE ... UNTIL ITS LEGITIMATE OBJECTIVE ... AUTONOMY FOR KOSOVO AND THE ABANDONMENT OF THE CAMPAIGN ... BY SERBIAN FORCES ... HAS BEEN ACHIEVED. ...THE UNITED STATES AND NATO NEED TO BE PREPARED, HOWEVER, FOR THE UNPLEASANT REALITY THAT GAINING THAT OBJECTIVE MAY YET REQUIRE THE USE OF GROUND TROOPS IN COMBAT, UNPOPULAR AS THAT MIGHT BE. /// OPT /// THE WORST MESSAGE WE COULD SEND TO [PRESIDENT] MILOSEVIC IS THAT IF HE DUCKS [HIDES] LONG ENOUGH, NATO WILL FLY AWAY AND LEAVE HIM ALONE TO WORK HIS WILL ON KOSOVO .../// END OPT /// TEXT:

TEXT: IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA, CONGRESS TAKES SOME CRITICISM FROM "THE PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW" FOR ACQUIESCING TO PRESIDENT CLINTON'S REQUEST FOR SUPPORT OF THE NATO ATTACK.

VOICE: THE SENATE ... ENDORSED PRESIDENT CLINTON'S PERILOUS EXTRAVAGANCE IN THE PROJECTION OF AMERICAN POWER. /// OPT /// A CHAMBER ONCE CELEBRATED FOR PROFILES IN COURAGE IS NOW ABETTING AN OVAL OFFICE OUTLAW. /// END OPT /// HOW MANY AMERICANS MUST DIE BEFORE WEAK OR WITLESS SPECIMENS ON THE HILL [CONGRESS] REJECT FURTHER CLAIMS AGAINST THE TREASURY BY GENERALISSIMO CLINTON TO FUND HIS FOREIGN MISADVENTURES? /// OPT /// ... CONGRESS HAS CEDED POWER TO MR. CLINTON THAT THE CONSTITUTION FORBIDS HIM TO WIELD. IT'S THE HILL'S [CONGRESSES'] OBLIGATION TO CONSTRAIN THIS MAN FROM DESPOTIC AND DEADLY ADVENTURES, NOT PLAY MIDWIFE TO THE BIRTH OF CLINTONIAN ABSOLUTISM. /// END OPT ///

TEXT: "THE NEW YORK TIMES" DISCUSSES THE AIMS OF THE AIR WAR AND WHAT IT THINKS THEY SHOULD BE.

VOICE: PRESIDENT CLINTON AND OTHER NATO LEADERS SAY THEY ARE PREPARED TO CONTINUE THE ATTACKS UNTIL PRESIDENT ... MILOSEVIC OF YUGOSLAVIA ACCEPTS THE ... PEACE PLAN FOR KOSOVO. MR. MILOSEVIC SAYS HE WILL DO NO SUCH THING. BUT EVEN IF HE CONTINUES TO REJECT A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION, MR. MILOSEVIC'S MILITARY ABILITY TO REPRESS KOSOVO'S ETHNIC ALBANIAN MAJORITY IS LIKELY TO BE STEADILY ERODED. ... IN AMERICA, MOST OF CONGRESS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC WARILY SUPPORT CONTINUED BOMBING, BUT STRONGLY OPPOSE MORE RISKY STEPS LIKE THE INTRODUCTION OF NATO COMBAT TROOPS. THAT DEFINES THE RIGHT POLICY FOR NOW.

TEXT: A PAPER LONG CRITICAL OF PRESIDENT CLINTON, "THE DAILY OKLAHOMAN," REPRINTS IN FRIDAY'S [23/26] EDITORIAL COLUMN, A LETTER FROM THEN STUDENT BILL CLINTON TO A RESERVE MILITARY OFFICER WHILE MR. CLINTON WAS A GRADUATE STUDENT, ATTEMPTING IN 1969, TO AVOID MILITARY SERVICE IN VIETNAM. IT READS IN PART:

VOICE: NO GOVERNMENT REALLY ROOTED IN LIMITED, PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY SHOULD HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE ITS CITIZENS FIGHT AND KILL AND DIE IN A WAR THEY MAY OPPOSE, A WAR WHICH EVEN POSSIBLY MAY BE WRONG ... A WAR WHICH ... DOES NOT INVOLVE IMMEDIATELY THE PEACE AND FREEDOM OF THE NATION.

TEXT: "THE DAILY OKLAHOMA" /// OPT /// IN OKLAHOMA CITY, THE CAPITAL, /// END OPT /// HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT THE NATO ATTACK, AND THE ROLE OF RELIGION.

VOICE: BILL CLINTON DIDN'T WANT TO BOMB IRAQIS 'DURING THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN' - - BUT HE'S RAINING BOMBS DURING THE GREAT AND HOLY LENT, A SACRED TIME FOR THE ORTHODOX WHO COMPRISE MUCH OF THE SERBIAN POPULATION. ... [THE] POINT HITS BOTH U-S POLICY AND [PRESIDENT] CLINTON'S LACK OF DISCERNIBLE PRINCIPLES. ... COMMUNIST CHINA HAS CRUSHED HUMAN RIGHTS FOR DECADES - - AND STILL PERSECUTES FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS OF ALL DENOMINATIONS, NOT TO MENTION TIBETAN BUDDHISTS. IN THE SUDAN, CHRISTIANS - - AND ANIMIST(S) ... FACE MURDER, PILLAGE AND CRUCIFIXIONS FROM MILITANT ISLAMISTS ... UNDER [MR.] CLINTON'S RATIONALE, SOME COULD JUSTIFY INTERVENTION IN EACH OF THE FOREGOING. ... THE ROOTS OF THIS CIVIL WAR ARE BOTH ANCIENT AND MODERN. JUSTICE IMPOSED FROM AFAR MAY PROVE ELUSIVE.

TEXT: BACK IN NEW YORK, "THE DAILY NEWS" SOLIDLY SUPPORTS THE PRESIDENT AND NATO, SUGGESTING THAT ONE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ABLE TO FIND KOSOVO ON THE MAP TO KNOW WHAT IS MORALLY RIGHT.

VOICE: HOW MANY AMERICANS, EVEN TODAY, COULD FIND GUADALCANAL [ONE OF CRITICAL BATTLES INVOLVING U-S FORCES AGAINST THE JAPANESE IN THE PACIFIC DURING WORLD WAR TWO] ON A MAP. OR DACHAU? [ONE OF NAZI GERMANY'S CONCENTRATION CAMPS] DOES THAT MEAN WHAT HAPPENED IN THOSE PLACES HAD NO MEANING? ... EVERY DAY THAT PASSES WITH AMERICANS ON COMBAT DUTY IS A REMINDER TO US THAT THE UNITED STATES IS ACTING NOW TO PREVENT THE WIDER WAR.

TEXT: SUMMING UP "USA TODAY'S" POSITION, IS THIS HEADLINE: "AIRSTRIKES ARE A RISKY CHOICE, BUT ALSO AN UNAVOIDABLE ONE." THE NATIONAL DAILY, PUBLISHED IN A SUBURB OF WASHINGTON, D-C, GOES ON:

VOICE: .NO ONE SHOULD MISTAKE THE RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES OF THE BOMBING CAMPAIGN. IT BEARS MANY EARMARKS OF PAST MILITARY EFFORTS THAT FAILED FOR LACK OF AN ALL-OUT COMMITMENT.

TEXT: LASTLY FROM OUR LARGEST STATE, ALASKA, WHERE THE [PULITZER PRIZE WINNING] "ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS" SAYS: :

VOICE: THE NATO MISSION HAS BEEN POORLY EXPLAINED AND LITTLE DEBATED IN THIS COUNTRY. AMERICANS' MINDS ARE ELSEWHERE, AND PRESIDENT CLINTON HASN'T LED THEM TO FOCUS ON THE HEART OF THE MATTER: THIS IS WAR. SERBIAN LEADER SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC LEFT THE WESTERN POWERS NO CHOICE. .... MR. MILOSEVIC HAS LET IT BE KNOWN TO THE WORLD THAT HE WOULD RATHER FIGHT THAN FIND AN ACCOMMODATION IN KOSOVO. HE HAS REJECTED EVERY REASONABLE OFFER TO MAINTAIN THE PEACE. ... THE UNITED STATES AND NATO ARE NOT TRYING TO RIGHT HISTORY'S WRONG. ... THEY ARE TRYING TO STOP MR. MILOSEVIC'S MURDEROUS ESCAPADES IN KOSOVO ... A MODEST GOAL ... LET THE CONFLICT END SOON. LET THE NUMBER OF DEATHS BE MINIMAL. BUT THE WORLD CANNOT LET SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC HAVE HIS WAY WITH KOSOVO.

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT FROM THE U-S PRESS ABOUT THE NATO ATTACKS ON YUGOSLAVIA.
NEB/ANG/KL
26-Mar-99 3:51 PM EST (2051 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[25] NATO ATTACKS YUGOSLOVIA TO SAVE KOSOVARS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE U-S-LED NATO ATTACKS ON YUGOSLAVIA IN AN ATTEMPT TO FORCE PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO STOP ATTACKING THE ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO PROVINCE, DOMINATES THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS THIS WEEK.

WE GET A SAMPLING OF REACTION TO THE NATO EFFORT NOW FROM _____________ IN THIS WEEK'S WORLD OPINION ROUNDUP.

TEXT: THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF EDITORS IN EUROPE EXPRESSED REGRET AT THE NEED TO USE MILITARY FORCE, BUT CONCLUDED THAT GIVEN THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN KOSOVO, THERE WAS LITTLE CHOICE. HOWEVER SEVERAL COMMENTATORS WARNED THAT THE ALLIANCE HAS UNDERTAKEN A "DEADLY GAMBLE" AND SOME PREDICTED THAT "THERE WILL BE NO CLEAN OR BLOODLESS VICTORY."

IN EAST AND SOUTH ASIA, THERE WERE MIXED VIEWS WITH PRO-BEIJING CHINESE MEDIA IN HONG KONG SUGGESTING THE AIR STRIKES WERE "AN OVERT, BRUTAL INFRACTION OF THE U-N CHARTER." INDEPENDENT MEDIA IN HONG KONG JOINED PAPERS IN AUSTRALIA, SOUTH KOREA AND PAKISTAN SUGGESTING THAT THE NATO ACTION WAS "JUSTIFIED."

WE BEGIN OUR SAMPLING AS CLOSE TO THE ACTION AS WE CAN GET, IN BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA, WHICH FACED A DEVASTATING CIVIL THIS DECADE. SARAJEVO'S "DNEVNI AVAZ" WRITES:

VOICE: NATO STRIKES WILL DESTROY THE COMBAT POTENTIAL OF THE YUGOSLAV ARMY, BUT THEY WILL NOT RUFFLE [MR.[ MILOSEVIC'S POLITICAL POSITION. ON THE CONTRARY. NEVERTHELESS, THE ACTION ... WILL STOP, AT LEAST FOR NOW, THE KILLING OF ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO ... THE KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF [PRESIDENT] MILOSEVIC'S RULE ARE IDENTICAL TO THOSE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN.

TEXT: IN MACEDONIA, SKOPJE'S "MAKEDONIJA DENSE" WRITES:

VOICE: WHEN WE ADD ALL THE AYES AND SUBTRACT ALL NAYS, THERE IS THE INEVITABLE CONCLUSION THAT WE DO HAVE A WAR AROUND US, A WAR WITH A LOT OF UNCLEAR PRINCIPLES, AND A CONFUSED EXIT STRATEGY. IF SENSE DOES NOT PREVAIL, AND IT MIGHT BE TOO LATE FOR THAT ... THE WORLD HAS INDEED GOTTEN INTO A NEW CATACLYSMIC CHALLENGE ...

TEXT: IN SLOVENIA, A FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC UNTIL THE BREAKUP, LJUBLJANA'S "DELO" SUGGESTED, AS DID MANY U-S DAILIES, NATO DIDN'T REALLY HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE.

VOICE: AFTER NUMEROUS THREATS ... [THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY] HAD NO ALTERNATIVE. BUT IT IS NECESSARY TO DEFINE WHAT THE 'INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY' MEANS IN PRACTICE: IT STANDS FOR THE UNITED STATES AND ITS ALLIES AND FRIENDS ... MORE FRIGHTENING THAN THE FACT THAT THE STRONGEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD ACTS ILLEGALLY AND WITHOUT U-N CONSENT IS THE FACT THAT LEGAL ACTIVITY IS EVIDENTLY NOT POSSIBLE AT ALL.

TEXT: TURNING TO WESTERN EUROPE, BRITAIN'S "INDEPENDENT" IN LONDON, COMMENTED THURSDAY (3/25)

VOICE: WAR IS NEVER EASY, AND ALL THE HIGH TECHNOLOGY IN THE WORLD WILL NEVER MAKE IT SO. NATO'S NEW MILITARY TOUGHNESS IN YUGOSLAVIA CONSTITUTES A DEADLY GAMBLE WITH MANY LIVES, AND MAY BECOME PAINFUL AND UNPOPULAR. BUT IT REMAINS NECESSARY, IN SPITE OF ALL THE FINAL RESERVATIONS THAT ACCOMPANY THE FATEFUL STEP OF ATTACKING A FELLOW SOVEREIGN STATE IN EUROPE ... THIS CENTURY HAS WITNESSED TOO MANY BETRAYALS OF SMALL AND DEFENSELESS PEOPLES IN EUROPE ...

TEXT: TURNING TO FRANCE, "LE FIGARO" IN PARIS WROTE:

VOICE: FOR OVER FORTY YEARS, WITHOUT EVER STRIKING, THE NATO ALLIANCE PROTECTED EUROPE FROM A SOVIET INVASION. TODAY, IN ORDER TO SAVE A MUCH COMPROMISED PEACE IN THE BALKANS, NATO IS CONVINCED IT MUST GO TO WAR AGAINST A SOVEREIGN NATION ... THE CHALLENGE IS ENORMOUS. THE RISK IMMENSE.

TEXT: AGREEING THAT THIS WAS A WATERSHED MOMENT, ACROSS PARIS, "LE MONDE" EXPRESSED ITS VIEW (THURSDAY [3/25] ) THIS WAY:

VOICE: THIS CRISIS WILL DETERMINE EUROPE'S PROFILE FOR THE NEXT CENTURY, HOW CONFLICTS WILL BE DEALT WITH, NATO'S ROLE AND THE NATURE OF ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH RUSSIA. EUROPE HAS TAKEN ON A MAJOR RESPONSIBILITY. ... THE EVENT IS EXCEPTIONAL AND EXCEPTIONALLY SERIOUS. BUT NATO - - IN ESSENCE EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES - - HAS VERY GOOD REASONS TO TAKE ON SUCH RISKS. IN KOSOVO, THE HUMANITARIAN TRAGEDY IS IMMENSE ...

TEXT: IN ROME, THERE IS SKEPTICISM IN ITALY'S IMPORTANT DAILY " LE REPUBBLICA" WHICH WRITES:

VOICE: MILITARY MIGHT IS IMPORTANT, BUT IF ONE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT GOALS IT SHOULD PURSUE, IT CAN BECOME AN OBSTACLE RATHER THAN A RESOURCE. ... NATO IS INTERVENING FOR THE FIRST TIME AGAINST A SOVEREIGN NATION. ... THIS IS THE 'GLOBAL NATO' THAT SPOILS THE DREAMS OF ITS POTENTIAL ENEMIES BUT ALSO OF SEVERAL OF ITS MEMBERS.

TEXT: TURNING TO RUSSIA, WHICH SHARES THE ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FAITH WITH THE SERBIANS, AND WHERE THERE IS GREAT CONSTERNATION OVER THE NATO ATTACK, IN MOSCOW, "NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA" WRITES:

VOICE: THE SAME DAY AND HOUR AS THE U-S - NATO ARMED FORCE DELIVER A ROCKET STRIKE AT YUGOSLAVIA, THE WORLD WILL ENTER A NEW HISTORIC EPOCH, THE EPOCH OF THE COLLAPSE OF THE U-S GLOBAL EMPIRE AND, EVIDENTLY, THE EPOCH OF EUROPE'S FINAL ECLIPSE ... MORE LIKELY THAN NOT, EUROPE WILL BE THE FIRST TO TUMBLE DOWN. AFTER IT, THE NOW ONE-LEGGED AMERICAN COLOSSUS WILL FALL INTO PIECES UNDER ... ITS OWN WEIGHT. ...[ALSO] RUSSIA MUST NOT LET ITSELF BE EMBROILED IN THE CONFLICT. THERE MUST BE N O OFFICIAL MILITARY AID TO YUGOSLAVIA. IT [RUSSIA] OUGHT TO JUST SIT ON THE FENCE, SAYING ALL THE NECESSARY WORDS AND WATCHING NATO DESTROY ITSELF.

TEXT: ACROSS TOWN, "NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA" WRITES:

VOICE: IT IS ADMITTED THAT THE U-S NEEDS THE MILITARY OPERATION TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO EUROPEANS IN THE HEAT OF THE TRADE AND ECONOMIC TENSIONS WITH THE COUNTRIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION WHO REALLY IS THE BOSS IN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS. EUROPE MAY HAVE TO PAY A VERY BIG PRICE FOR GLOBAL COOPERATION WITH AMERICA ... RUSSIA, WHICH IS A EUROPEAN COUNTRY ... LOSES MUCH FROM THE CURRENT TURN OF EVENTS. THE EFFECTIVE GESTURE OF RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV, WHO, TURNED HIS AIRPLANE BACK INSTEAD OF LANDING IN THE U-S, ALLOWED MOSCOW TO SAVE FACE, THOUGH IT WORSENS ITS ECONOMIC SITUATION.

TEXT: AT LEAST SOME JOURNALISTS IN IRELAND WERE N O T HAPPY WITH THE WAY THINGS WORKED OUT, JUDGING FROM THIS EDITORIAL IN DUBLIN'S "IRISH TIMES:"

VOICE: THE ATTACKS ARE BEING UNDERTAKEN WITHOUT EXPRESS APPROVAL BY THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL AND THUS ARE NOT LEGALLY JUSTIFIED. THIS IS DEEPLY REGRETTABLE.

TEXT: TURNING BRIEFLY TO ASIA, CHINA'S "PEOPLE'S DAILY (RENMIN RIBAO)" WAS ON THE SAME FREQUENCY AS THE IRISH DAILY, AS IT WRITES:

VOICE: WITHOUT U-N AUTHORIZATION, NATO SET A PRECEDENT BY AGGRESSIVELY LAUNCHING A MILITARY ATTACK ON THE SOVEREIGN STATE OF YUGOSLAVIA. NATO'S ACTION IS AN OVERT, BRUTAL INFRACTION OF THE U-N CHARTER AND THE CURRENT PRINCIPLES GOVERNING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ...

TEXT: BUT IN CHINA'S SPECIAL REGION OF HONG KONG, WHERE THE PRESS IS RELATIVELY FREE, "THE APPLE DAILY NEWS" WROTE IN CHINESE:

VOICE: WE FEEL PAIN AND REGRET TO SEE NATO USE AIR STRIKES TO SAVE INNOCENT [EDITORS: WE ALWAYS CLARIFY BY SAYING: "ETHNIC"] ALBANIANS [EDITORS: REMEMBER "THEY ARE YUGOSLAV CITIZENS"] CIVILIANS ... NO MATTER HOW ACCURATE THE BOMBINGS WILL BE, YUGOSLAV CIVILIANS WILL INEVITABLY GET HURT ... DESPITE THIS ... WE STILL SUPPORT THE ... AIR STRIKES. THEY ARE THE LAST RESORT. THERE IS EVIDENCE ... THE YUGOSLAV ARMY MASSACRED CIVILIANS ... THIS IS WHAT THE WORLD CANNOT BEAR...

TEXT: AND IN THE FAR SOUTH PACIFIC, AUSTRALIA NATIONAL DAILY, "THE AUSTRALIAN" FROM SYDNEY, IS SYMPATHETIC, BUT NOT ENCOURAGED, AS IT WRITES:

VOICE: THE TRAGEDY OF KOSOVO WILL NOT BE ENDED BY NATO'S MISSILES AND GUIDED BOMBS. ... NEVER THE LESS, MILITARY INTERVENTION NOW IS JUSTIFIED AND NECESSARY, IF ONLY TO HALT THE HORROR ... THE ALTERNATIVE IS FOR THE WEST TO BE A MUTE WITNESS TO ATTEMPTED GENOCIDE.

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT FROM AROUND THE WORLD ON THE NATO ATTACK AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA.
NEB/ANG/PT
25-Mar-99 7:28 PM EST (0028 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[26] MORE REACTION TO NATO / YUGOSLAVIA BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: AS IN THE UNITED STATES, A VIRTUAL AVALANCHE OF EDITORIAL COMMENT CONTINUES TO FILL THE WORLD'S NEWSPAPERS ABOUT THE NATO ATTACK ON YUGOSLAVIA. WE CALL ON _______________ NOW FOR THIS WORLD OPINION ROUNDUP.

TEXT: FROM PRAGUE, THE CAPITAL OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC, ONE OF THE THREE NEWEST NATO NATIONS, "LIDOVE NOVINY" WRITES:

VOICE: NO ONE DARES TO GUESS HOW EXTENSIVE A CONFLICT EUROPE IS FALLING INTO. LET US BE CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE NOT ON THE THRESHOLD OF A LONG-LASTING WAR. THE ALLIANCE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO SEND ITS BOMBERS OVER MILOSEVIC'S HEAD. IF IT BACKED DOWN FROM ITS STANCE, IT WOULD BE A LAUGHING STOCK. THE ATTACK WAS A SHEER NECESSITY. BUT IT IS NOT JUST LIKE GOING TO A CINEMA AND WE ARE NOT JUST THE AUDIENCE.

TEXT: "PRAVO," ANOTHER PRAGUE NEWSPAPER, HAS THIS COMMENT.

VOICE: THE PROBLEM IS NOT KOSOVO, THE PROBLEM IS MILOSEVIC ... THE ALLIANCE IS NOW TRYING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF A SQUARE CIRCLE: HOW TO COMBINE KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE (THE LOCAL ALBANIANS WILL EVENTUALLY ACCEPT NOTHING LESS) WITH THE PRINCIPLE OF UNCHANGEABILITY OF BORDERS. ... THE NATO ALLIANCE, OF WHICH THE CZECH REPUBLIC IS NOW ALSO A MEMBER, IS THUS REAPING THE FRUIT OF ITS CARELESSNESS OF THE EARLY 1990S WHEN IT ALLOWED A SPONTANEOUS DISINTEGRATION OF YUGOSLAVIA, WITH A LIGHT HEART AND ACTUALLY WITHOUT ANY INTEREST.

TEXT: TO ENGLAND NOW, AND THIS VIEW FROM LONDON'S "DAILY MAIL."

VOICE: FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE HITLER, WAR HAS COME TO EUROPE. THE AIR STRIKES AGAINST PRISTINA LAST NIGHT [3/25] WERE JUST THE OPENING SALVO IN WHAT PROMISES TO BE A DEVASTATING DEMONSTRATION OF WESTERN MILITARY POWER. WHAT THE NEXT DAYS OR EVEN WEEKS OF FIGHTING WILL BRING NOBODY CAN PREDICT. .... FAR FROM BRINGING PEACE, IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT WESTERN ATTACKS WILL ACTUALLY WORSEN THE CONFLICT. ... INDEED IN THEIR DESPERATION TO HIT BACK, THE SERBS MAY TRY TO RETALIATE AGAINST NATO GROUND TROOPS NOW BASED IN BOSNIA AND MACEDONIA. THE DREADFUL IRONY IS THAT THE CONFLICT COULD SPREAD BEYOND KOSOVO'S BORDERS -- THE VERY OUTCOME NATO IS SO ANXIOUS TO PREVENT.

TEXT: NOW TO LATIN AMERICA, AND ONE OF THE LARGEST DAILIES IN THE HEMISPHERE, "BRAZIL'S JORNAL DO BRASIL" IN RIO DE JANEIRO.

VOICE: THE WESTERN MILITARY ALLIANCE IN FACT HAS NO LONG-RANGE STRATEGY TO FORCE YUGOSLAVIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO GRANT AUTONOMY TO THE SEPARATIST PROVINCE OF KOSOVO, AND PROBABLY DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IT WILL DO AFTER THE BOMBING. .... GREATER SERBIA HAS BECOME INCREDIBLY SMALL UNDER THE BOMBING OF THE NATO PLANES, BUT WAR IS THE LAST RESORT OF MODERN NATIONALISTS WHEN MAGIC SOLUTIONS FOR SURVIVAL FAIL.

TEXT: TO THE ORIENT NOW, AND HONG KONG, WHERE "THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST" ANNOUNCED EMPHATICALLY IN ITS EDITORIAL HEADLINE: "IT HAD TO BE DONE."

VOICE: AFTER SO MANY EMPTY THREATS, THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION ALLIES WERE LEFT WITH LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO TRY TO USE FORCE TO STOP THE SERBIAN ONSLAUGHT ON THE KOSOVO ALBANIANS, AND TO DRIVE THE SERBIAN FORCES BACK TO THEIR BARRACKS. NATO'S CREDIBILITY HAD COME TO DEPEND ON ITS ABILITY TO STOP MR. MILOSEVIC, AND, FROM A MORAL POINT OF VIEW, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE TO REGARD BELGRADE'S POLICIES AS AN INTERNAL YUGOSLAV MATTER. BUT THE RISKS ... MAY TURN OUT TO BE AS GREAT - - IF DIFFERENT - - AS ... STAYING ON THE SIDELINES.

TEXT: ACROSS THE CITY, "THE CHINA DAILY" ALSO WRITING IN ENGLISH, SEES THE SITUATION VERY DIFFERENTLY.

VOICE: N O EXCUSES JUSTIFY THE NATO'S AIR STRIKES AGAINST THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA. IT IS A BLATANT AGGRESSION AND ACT OF VANDALISM. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF AN INDEPENDENT NATION IS BEING RAPED IN THE NAME OF PEACE AND HUMANISM. THE KOSOVO ISSUE IS AN INTERNAL AFFAIR WHICH FALLS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF ... YUGOSLAVIA. THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF A SOVEREIGN STATE BROOK NO INTERFERENCE FROM OUTSIDE FORCES, HOWEVER STRONG THEY ARE.

TEXT: NOW TO THE MIDDLE EAST, WHERE ISRAEL'S "JERUSALEM POST" TRIED TO PUT THIS ACTION IN A HISTORICAL CONTEXT.

VOICE: THE NATO AIR STRIKES AGAINST SERBIA MARK ANOTHER LANDMARK IN THE DEFINITION OF THE POST-COLD WAR WORLD ORDER. THE ORDER IS DEFINED NOT BY DESIGN, BUT BY DEFAULT; THE WEST DID NOT TOLERATE IRAQ'S INVASION OF KUWAIT IN 1991, BUT IT DID STAND ASIDE DURING THE 1994 SLAUGHTER OF 800-THOUSAND PEOPLE IN RWANDA. IT IS LATE IN THE DAY, BUT BY ACTING NOW WITH SUFFICIENT CONVICTION, NATO MAY SUCCEED IN PREVENTING UNTOLD BLOODSHED IN THE BALKANS. /// THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION, AFTER BEING LESS THAN STEADFAST IN ITS CONFRONTATIONS WITH OTHER DICTATORS, WILL HAVE TO WORK THAT MUCH HARDER TO CONVINCE [MR.] MILOSEVIC THAT, THIS TIME, IT IS WILLING TO GO THE DISTANCE [SLANG FOR "PERSEVERE"].

TEXT: FARTHER EAST, INDIA'S "PIONEER," FROM NEW DELHI, IS NOT PLEASED WITH THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

VOICE: THE BLOODTHIRSTY AMERICAN WAR MACHINE ... NEEDED AN OUTLET. AND IT HAS PREDICTABLY PICKED ON YUGOSLAVIA ... ON THE OSTENSIBVLE PLEA OF SAVING THE ETHNIC PEOPLE OF THE MINUSCULE PROVINCE OF KOSOVO ... IF THIS KIND OF CROSS-BORDER, STATE-SPONSORED TERRORISM IS NOT FIRMLY REBUFFED BY THE COMBINED MIGHT OF INTERNATIONAL OPINION, THE DAY IS NOT FAR OFF WHEN AMERICAN MILITARY MEGALOMANIACS WILL SIMPLY SELECT COUNTRIES BY A PROCESS OF EENIE-MEANIE-MYNIE-MO (SELECT COUNTRIES RANDOMLY) ....

TEXT: IN KARACHI, THE MASS-CIRCULATION URDU-LANGUAGE DAILY "JANG" SEES IT VERY DIFFERENTLY.

VOICE: SERBIA'S PUNISHMENT SHOULD BE MAXIMUM AND NOT JUST SYMBOLIC. THUS IT [THE NATO ATTACK] COULD STRONGLY DETER FURTHER ACTS OF HEINOUS CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY.

TEXT: AND IN AFRICA, ZIMBABWE'S "DAILY HERALD" FROM HARARE SEEMS TO BE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE, AS IT SUGGESTS:

VOICE: ARMED INTERVENTION CANNOT, BY ITSELF, PROVIDE ANY SOLUTION OR AGREEMENT. BUT WHAT IT CAN ... AND SHOULD DO, IS MAKE IT VERY CLEAR TO EVERYONE THAT NO ONE IS GOING TO WIN WHAT THEY WANT THROUGH THE BARREL OF A GUN.

TEXT: AND LASTLY FROM SENEGAL, DAKAR'S "LE MATIN" SAYS IN PART:

VOICE: NATO HAS IGNORED U-N DEMOCRATIC PROCEDURE IN VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LEGALITY ... THIS VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW IS NOT ONLY UNFORTUNATE, IT IS ALSO DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF ITS CONSEQUENCES. TXT: ON THAT NOTE WE CONCLUDE THIS ADDITIONAL SAMPLING OF WORLD OPINION ON THE NATO ATTACK AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA.
NEB/ANG/KL
26-Mar-99 5:11 PM EST (2211 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[27] FRIDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THE NATO ATTACKS ON YUGOSLAVIA CONTINUE TO RIVET THE ATTENTION OF THE NATION'S EDITORIAL WRITERS.

THERE IS ALSO DISCUSSION OF THE PINOCHET VERDICT IN LONDON AND CONCERN ABOUT POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEMS WITH ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST FLOWN AIRLINERS.

VOICE: THE VAST MAJORITY OF EDITORIALS IN PAPERS ACROSS THE NATION THIS FRIDAY ARE CONCENTRATING ON THE NATO ATTACKS ON SERBIA. IN TEXAS, FRIDAY'S "DALLAS MORNING NEWS" TALKS ABOUT THE PRECEDENT OF NATO ATTACKING A SOVEREIGN NATION.

VOICE: NO INDIVIDUAL WHO PURPORTS TO BE SENSITIVE TO HUMAN SUFFERING CAN BE INDIFFERENT TO THE PLIGHT OF ETHNIC ALBANIANS IN KOSOVO ... BUT THE HUMANITARIAN AND STRATEGIC MOTIVATIONS THAT SPAWNED NATO AIRSTRIKES ... DO NOT ABSOLVE NATO MEMBER STATES FROM WEIGHING THE PRECEDENTS THEY MAY BE SETTING. ... IRONICALLY, NATO HAS FOR THE FIRST TIME SET OUT TO FORGE PEACE BY BOMBING A SOVEREIGN NATION THAT HAS N O T ATTACKED NATO. THE POINT IS CRITICAL. ... THE AMERICAN PEOPLE NEED TO THINK VERY SERIOUSLY -- SOONER RATHER LATER -- ABOUT WHERE THAT POLICY CHANGE IS TAKING US.

TEXT: "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" LEAD EDITORIAL HEADLINE READS "KOSOVO: PRESS ON," WITH THIS JUSTIFICATION BELOW:

VOICE: WAR IN THE HEART OF EUROPE NOW RATTLES GOVERNMENTS GROWN CONFIDENT AND PROSPEROUS SINCE THE FLAMES OF WORLD WAR TWO SWEPT ...THEIR CONTINENT. ... IN MOSCOW, DRAWN CLOSER TO NATO BY YEARS OF CAREFUL DIPLOMACY, FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR ... IVANOV SAID, 'FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE WORLD WAR TWO AN ACT OF AGGRESSION AGAINST A SOVEREIGN STATE TOOK PLACE IN EUROPE,' CONVENIENTLY OMITTING HUNGARY AND CZECHOSLOVAKIA, WHERE INCIPIENT INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENTS WERE CRUSHED BY SOVIET INVASIONS. ... ALL THIS NOISE WILL NOT AND SHOULD NOT DENT THE IMMEDIATE NATO EFFORT TO CRUSH THE YUGOSLAV CENTRAL GOVERNMENT'S REPRESSION IN KOSOVO AND DAMAGE ITS MILITARY POWER.

TEXT: BOSTON'S "CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR" IS ALREADY TRYING TO LOOK "BEYOND THE BOMBS" AS ITS COMMENTARY HEADLINE READS.

VOICE: THE POINT OF THIS MILITARY ACTION IS NOT TO DEFEAT OR HUMILIATE SERBIA, BUT TO SHOW ITS HARD-LINE LEADER -- WHO HAS DEMONSTRATED BEFORE THAT HE UNDERSTANDS FORCE BEST -- THAT THE NATO ALLIES ARE DEADLY SERIOUS. /// OPT /// ... THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPEAN NATIONS ARE NOT ENTERING THIS CONFLICT ON THE SIDE OF THE ALBANIAN SEPARATISTS. /// END OPT /// THE GOAL ..... IS N O T KOSOVAR INDEPENDENCE FROM SERBIA, BUT ASSURED AUTONOMY WITHIN THE YUGOSLAV FEDERATION, WHICH SERBIA DOMINATES.

TEXT: THE [BALTIMORE] "SUN'S" LEAD EDITORIAL HEADLINE SAYS: "THE ENEMY IS A POLICY, N O T THE SERBIAN PEOPLE."

VOICE: THE ENEMY IS NOT EVEN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC'S DESPOTIC REGIME. THE ENEMY -- AND THE TARGET -- IS MR. MILOSEVIC'S BRUTAL ** POLICY ** [ITALICS FOR EMPHASIS] OF GENOCIDE AGAINST [EDITORS: WE ALWAYS ADD "ETHNIC" BECAUSE THEY A R E YUGOSLAV CITIZENS, N O T ALBANIAN CITIZENS] ALBANIAN PEOPLE LIVING IN KOSOVO.

TEXT: "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" USES THE NATO ATTACK TO COMMENT ON WHAT IT CONSIDERS A DOUBLE STANDARD OF PUNISHMENT FOR SEXUAL TRANSGRESSIONS IN THE MILITARY, COMPARED TO THE PRESIDENT'S TREATMENT FOR HIS OWN SEXUAL TRANSGRESSION.

VOICE: IT IS HUGELY IRONIC ... THAT BILL CLINTON IS TYING HIS PERSONAL AND POLITICAL FORTUNES TO THE SUCCESS OF THE AMERICAN MILITARY, IN WHICH HE EVADED SERVICE ... AND IN PARTICULAR TO NAVAL AVIATORS, SUPPOSEDLY TARNISHED BY THE INFAMOUS TAILHOOK CONTROVERSY [EDITORS: OF ALLEGED SEXUAL IMPROPRIETY AT AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER FLYERS CONVENTION IN LAS VEGAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO] ... IT SEEMS THAT EFFORTS TO EXCULPATE [EXCUSE] THE PRESIDENT MAY INDEED BE ERODING ...VALUES LONG THOUGHT ESSENTIAL TO MILITARY LOYALTY, PRIDE AND SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE IN BATTLE.

TEXT: IN ANOTHER CRITICAL COMMENT ABOUT BOTH THE PRESIDENT AND THE CURRENT NATO ACTION, PENNSYLVANIA'S "GREENSBURG TRIBUNE-REVIEW" SAYS:

VOICE: BILL CLINTON HAS UNLEASHED A BALLISTIC BOMBARDMENT AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA, EXPOSING AMERICAN WARRIORS TO THE LETHAL CONSEQUENCES OF MEDDLING IN A DISTANT CIVIL WAR. THE PUBLIC SHOULD DISMISS YAMMERING [INCONSEQUENTIAL TALKING] ABOUT VITAL U-S INTERESTS AT STAKE IN A NEEDLESS CONFRONTATION WITH BELGRADE OVER THE POLITICAL STATUS OF A REBEL PROVINCE. IF THE DEBAUCHER-IN-CHIEF KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT NATIONAL INTERESTS -- OR CARED -- HE LONG AGO WOULD HAVE ENDORSED DEPLOYMENT OF A CREDIBLE MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM. .... THE PUBLIC ALSO SHOULD DISCOUNT HIS TWADDLE [WEAK ARGUMENT] ABOUT AMERICA'S MORAL OBLIGATION OF LEADERSHIP IN FIGHTS AGAINST EXTRAORDINARILY EVIL REGIMES. EXTRAORDINARILY EVIL AS DEFINED BY WHOM? BILL CLINTON? YUGOSLAV RULER SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC IS A REPTILE. BUT THERE ARE WORSE GOVERNMENTS WITH WHICH WE'RE NOT AT WAR. FURTHERMORE, MR. CLINTON LACKS ANY STANDING TO LECTURE THE UNITED STATES ON ITS MARTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN HE DUCKED [AVOIDED] HIS DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.

TEXT: ONE LAST COMMENT ON THE NATO ATTACKS, THIS FROM "THE NEW YORK POST" WHICH WARNS RUSSIA TO KEEP OUT OF THIS BUSINESS.

VOICE: MISERY LOVES COMPANY, AND RIGHT NOW WE CAN'T THINK OF TWO WORLD LEADERS WE'RE MORE CONTENT TO SEE MISERABLE THAN ONCE-STALINIST [SLOBODAN] MILOSEVIC AND HIS ONCE-STALINIST SUPPORTER IN MOSCOW ... RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV. ... IT IS TRUE THAT RUSSIA STANDS TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY EMBARRASSED BY THE ATTACKS ... IT IS AN HISTORIC PROTECTOR OF SERBIAN ETHNIC INTERESTS -- AND ITS INABILITY TO MITIGATE NATO'S ACTIONS IN ANY WAY MUST BE PARTICULARLY GALLING. ON THE OTHER HAND, HAD MOSCOW BEEN WILLING (OR ABLE) TO TEMPER [MR.] MILOSEVIC'S MURDEROUS ASSAULTS ON KOSOVO THIS CRISIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

TEXT: TURNING TO OTHER TOPICS, THERE IS CONTINUING REACTION TO THE BRITISH HOUSE OF LORDS DECISION THIS WEEK THAT FORMER CHILEAN DICTATOR AUGUSTO PINOCHET MUST FACE EXTRADITION TO SPAIN FOR ALLEGED CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY THAT OCCURRED WHEN HE RULED THE NATION. IN A LEAD EDITORIAL, "THE WASHINGTON POST" SAYS OF THE ENTIRE QUESTION OF MR. PINOCHET'S DETENTION:

VOICE: WE HAVE INCLINED TO THE VIEW THAT THE ARREST - - HE THOUGHT IT A KIDNAPPING - - OF THE VISITING GENERAL PINOCHET IN LONDON COULD BE A MODEL FOR EXTENDING ACCOUNTABILITY INTERNATIONALLY, AND THEREFORE A POWERFUL DETERRENT TO FURTHER GROSS ABUSES OF POWER. BUT THE CLAIMS OF THOSE - - INCLUDING CHILE - - WHO WOULD RESERVE THE HANDLING OF CRIMINAL FORMER LEADERS TO THEIR NOW-DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED, LAW-RULED GOVERNMENTS HAVE THEIR OWN LOGIC AND APPEAL.

TEXT: "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" TAKES A DIFFERENT VIEW, SUGGESTING:

VOICE: IT IS THE HEIGHT OF HYPOCRISY FOR BRITAIN, WHICH IS CURRENTLY RELEASING HUNDREDS OF BONA FIDE TERRORISTS FROM PRISON IN THE HOPES IT WILL HELP A POLITICAL SETTLEMENT IN NORTHERN IRELAND, TO DENY CHILE THE EQUAL RIGHT TO CONCLUDE THAT THERE ARE SOMETIMES CONSIDERATIONS MORE IMPORTANT THAN 'JUSTICE.'

TEXT: DOMESTICALLY, THERE IS SOME ALARM THAT ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR CIVILIAN JETLINERS, THE BOEING SEVEN-THIRTY-SEVEN, USED IN THE UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD FOR YEARS, MAY HAVE A RUDDER DEFECT THAT IS BEING BLAMED FOR A CRASH NEAR PITTSBURGH IN 1994. A GOVERNMENT REPORT, RELEASED THIS WEEK, DRAWS THIS RESPONSE FROM "THE NEW YORK TIMES."

VOICE: IN A UNANIMOUS DECISION, THE FEDERAL SAFETY PANEL FOUND THAT THE DESIGN 'IS NOT RELIABLY REDUNDANT' - - MEANING, ESSENTIALLY, THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT CAPACITY TO COMPENSATE FOR ITS OWN FAILURE. ... REDUNDANCY IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY TENETS OF AVIATION DESIGN. IF ONE ENGINE FAILS, THE OTHER ENGINE OR ENGINES ALLOW THE CRAFT TO OPERATE SAFELY. ... BOEING CONSIDERS ITS SYSTEM RELIABLE AND NOTES THAT THE PROBLEM OF RUDDER REVERSAL HAS OCCURRED RARELY IN 77-MILLION FLIGHTS. THAT IS CERTAINLY TRUE. BUT THE STANDARD SHOULD BE AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE FOR THE 737, AN AIRCRAFT THAT, AS BOEING LIKES TO CROW [BRAG], FLIES ONE MILLION PEOPLE A DAY ...

TEXT: ON TO THE REBIRTH OF A MODIFIED "STAR WARS" MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM, WHICH WAS PASSED RECENTLY IN CONGRESS, AND WHICH TODAY'S "THE BOSTON GLOBE" CALLS "MISGUIDED."

VOICE: THE TROUBLE WITH THE MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM THAT RONALD REAGAN PROPOSED ... WAS THAT N O DEFENSE SYSTEM COULD GUARD AGAINST THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WARHEADS THAT THE SOVIET UNION, NOW RUSSIA, COULD POUR DOWN UPON THE UNITED STATES. BUT WITH ROGUE NATIONS ENTERING THE MISSILE AGE, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SEES SOME JUSTIFICATION IN BUILDING A DEFENSE THAT WOULD PROTECT THE UNITED STATES FROM JUST ONE OR TWO INCOMING WARHEADS - - A FAR SIMPLER LAND-OR-SEA-BASED SYSTEM THAN THE SPACE-BASED IDEA OF THE REAGAN ERA. ... THE TECHNOLOGY TO BUILD AN EFFECTIVE ANTIMISSILE DEFENSE IS STILL FAR IN THE FUTURE, AND IT MAY BE THAT ONE DAY THE UNITED STATES WILL CALCULATE THAT SUCH A SYSTEM IS MORE IN OUR INTERESTS THAN STICKING TO THE AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH RUSSIA. BUT WASHINGTON SHOULD TREAD CAREFULLY ALONG THIS PATH.

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT FROM THE FRIDAY EDITORIAL PAGES OF SOME AMERICAN DAILY PAPERS.
NEB/ANG/KL
26-Mar-99 11:50 AM EST (1650 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[28] BRITAIN / PINOCHET (L ONLY) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (LONDON)

INTRO: THE SPANISH JUDGE DEMANDING THE EXTRADITION FROM BRITAIN OF FORMER CHILEAN LEADER AUGUSTO PINOCHET SAYS HE HAS PRESENTED NEW CASES OF TORTURE AND ASSASSINATION WHICH OCCURRED AFTER 1988. AS V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS FROM LONDON, BRITAIN'S HOUSE OF LORDS HAS RULED THAT MR. PINOCHET CAN BE EXTRADITED ONLY FOR ALLEGED CRIMES COMMITTED AFTER 1988, WHEN BRITAIN RATIFIED A TREATY ON TORTURE..

TEXT: THE SPANISH JUDGE, BALTASAR GARZON, HAS CRITICIZED THE LAW LORDS' RULING WHICH LIMITS THE PERIOD OF MR. PINOCHET'S ALLEGED CRIMES. BUT HE SAYS HE HAS AT LEAST 30 CASES THAT FALL WITHIN THAT RESTRICTION, WHICH WERE NOT PRESENTED IN HIS FIRST DEMAND FOR EXTRADITION. THE CASES INVOLVE ALLEGATIONS OF TORTURE AND MURDER.

ON WEDNESDAY, BRITAIN'S HOUSE OF LORDS RULED THE FORMER CHILEAN GENERAL COULD BE EXTRADITED, BUT ONLY FOR CRIMES COMMITTED AFTER SEPTEMBER, 1988 -- WHEN BRITAIN SIGNED THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON TORTURE.

THE RULING IRONICALLY HAS BEEN WELCOMED BY BOTH MR. PINOCHET'S SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS. CHILEAN EXILES ARE SATISFIED HE CAN STILL BE PROSECUTED FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. BUT HIS SUPPORTERS SAY THE REDUCED NUMBER OF CASES AGAINST HIM INCREASE HIS CHANCES TO RETURN HOME. ON FRIDAY, FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER VISITED MR. PINOCHET AT HIS TEMPORARY HOME IN A LONDON SUBURB TO SHOW HER SUPPORT. MRS THATCHER HAS BEEN AN OUTSPOKEN CRITIC OF BRITAIN'S ARREST AND DETENTION OF THE FORMER CHILEAN RULER.

SHE USED THE VISIT -- TELEVISED LIVE BY ONE BRITISH T-V STATION TO THANK HIM FOR HIS SUPPORT DURING BRITAIN'S WAR WITH ARGENTINA OVER THE FALKLAND ISLANDS. SHE LATER TOLD REPORTERS THE FORMER CHILEAN RULER SHOULD BE FREED AND ALLOWED TO RETURN HOME.

MR. PINOCHET WAS ARRESTED LAST OCTOBER WHILE RECOVERING FROM BACK SURGERY IN A LONDON CLINIC. SPAIN IS REQUESTING HIS EXTRADITION ON CHARGES OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY COMMITTED DURING HIS 17-YEAR RULE.

THE LAW LORDS' RULING THAT HE DOES NOT ENJOY DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY FROM PROSECUTION OPENS THE WAY FOR THE EXTRADITION CASE AGAINST HIM TO PROCEED. (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/JWH
26-Mar-99 12:51 PM EST (1751 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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