Voice of America, 99-05-22

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

CONTENTS

[01] NATO/KOSOVO (L) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

[02] U-S / KOSOVO (L) BY JIM MALONE (WASHINGTON)

[03] RED CROSS / KOSOVO (L-ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)

[04] KOSOVO / REFUGEE RETURN (S/L) BY NICK SIMEONE (TIRANA)

[05] KOSOVO / WESTERNERS IN MOSCOW BY CHALLISS MCDONOUGH (MOSCOW)

[01] NATO/KOSOVO (L) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: NATO HAS TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF GOOD WEATHER TO CARRY OUT THE MOST AIR MISSIONS OVER YUGOSLAVIA SINCE THE AIR STRIKES BEGAN ON MARCH 24TH. V-O-A'S RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM NATO HEADQUARTERS THAT NATO IS APOLOGIZING FOR ONE STRIKE IN KOSOVO BUT NOT FOR ANOTHER, ON A PRISON.

TEXT: IN WHAT COULD BE ANOTHER INTELLIGENCE ERROR, NATO HAS ACKNOWLEDGED BOMBING A BORDER COMMAND POST BETWEEN ALBANIA AND KOSOVO THAT IS HELD BY THE KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY. AT LEAST SEVEN KOSOVO REBELS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THE AIR STRIKE

NATO SPOKESMAN JAMIE SHEA TELLS REPORTERS NATO ASSUMED IT WAS BOMBING A SERBIAN COMMAND POST.

IT WAS UNTIL VERY RECENTLY IN THE HANDS OF THE YUGOSLAV ARMY, BUT IT APPEARS THAT IT WAS THEN SUBSEQUENTLY TAKEN OVER BY THE U-C-K (KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY). I HAVE SEEN REPORTS, BUT I CAN'T CONFIRM ANY NUMBER OF CASUALTIES. BUT LET ME BE CLEAR, IF WE HAD KNOWN IN A VERY DYNAMIC SITUATION, PARTICULARLY WHERE THE U-C-K IS EXTREMELY ACTIVE IN THAT PART, BEEN CAPTURED BY THE U-C-K, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN OFF THE TARGET LIST.

THE KOSOVO LIBERATION ARMY HAS APPARENTLY HELD THE BORDER COMMAND POST FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, BUT MR. SHEA COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY IT REMAINED ON NATO'S TARGET LIST.

IN FRIDAY'S HEAVY AIR STRIKES ON YUGOSLAVIA, NATO AIRCRAFT AGAIN ATTACKED WHAT IT SAYS IS A SERBIAN MILITARY COMPLEX AT ISTOK IN KOSOVO. THIS IS THE SAME SITE WHEN SERB REPORTS SAY 19 PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY AN EARLIER NATO AIR STRIKE ON A PRISON BUILDING.

NATO IS STILL INVESTIGATING ITS DAMAGE REPORTS FROM ISTOK, WHERE 20 AIRCRAFT BOMBED WHAT IT CALLS AN UNUSED PRISON SURROUNDED BY AN AIRFIELD AND AN ASSEMBLY AREA FOR THE YUGOSLAV MILITARY POLICE.

SPOKESMAN SHEA SAYS THIS WAS NO MISTAKE BY NATO--IT MEANT TO HIT THE PRISON AS WELL AS THE MILITARY ELEMENTS AT ISTOK.

IT WAS A SIZABLE MILITARY COMPOUND. IT HAS BEEN USED BY THE V-J (YUGOSLAV ARMY) AND THE M-U-P (INTERIOR MINISTER POLICE) AS STAGING POST, AS A HEADQUARTERS AREA SINCE LAST OCTOBER AND THAT'S WHAT WE WERE STRIKING, THAT MILITARY INSTALLATION. I DON'T THINK MANY KOSOVAR ALBANIANS WILL SHED A TEAR IF THAT PRISON IS NOT BEING USED, BECAUSE MANY OF THEM HAVE SUFFERED VERY BADLY FROM THEIR DETENTION.

NATO HAS NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW MANY CASUALTIES RESULTED FROM THE PRISON BOMBING BUT APPARENTLY HAS DECIDED THE LOSS OF ANY ALBANIAN PRISONERS THERE WAS JUSTIFIED BY THE NEED TO DAMAGE THE YUGOSLAV ARMY.

IN THE RAIDS ON FRIDAY, NATO STRUCK 12 TANKS, 11 ARMORED VEHICLES AND NINE ARTILLERY POSITIONS IN KOSOVO. ELSEWHERE IN YUGOSLAVIA, NATO ONCE AGAIN USED ITS SPECIAL CARBON PARTICLE BOMBS TO SHORT CIRCUIT POWER TRANSFORMERS IN BELGRADE AND SIX OTHER LOCATIONS. (SIGNED)
NEB/RP/ALW/GE
22-May-99 12:06 PM EDT (1606 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] U-S / KOSOVO (L) BY JIM MALONE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: U-S DEFENSE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAY GOOD WEATHER OVER YUGOSLAVIA IS MAKING IT EASIER FOR NATO PILOTS TO INTENSIFY THEIR AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAV FORCES IN BOTH SERBIA AND KOSOVO. BUT U-S OFFICIALS ARE ALSO TRYING TO DOWNPLAY NATO'S PREPARATIONS FOR A PEACEKEEPING FORCE ON THE GROUND IN KOSOVO. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE HAS A REPORT.

TEXT: U-S OFFICIALS SAY NATO PILOTS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE BEST WEATHER SO FAR DURING THE AIR CAMPAIGN.

THE LATEST STRIKES PUT MUCH OF SERBIA INTO THE DARK AS NATO USED SPECIAL PARTICLE BOMBS TO DISABLE A NUMBER OF ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMERS.

NATO FORCES WERE ALSO BUSY HITTING YUGOSLAV FORCES INSIDE KOSOVO. U-S AIR FORCE GENERAL CHARLES WALD SAYS THE GOOD WEATHER IS HELPING NATO PILOTS ZERO-IN ON INDIVIDUAL YUGOSLAV UNITS.

CONSERVATIVELY, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF ABOUT 28 ARTILLERY PIECES AND TANKS COMBINED WITH ANOTHER 19 A-P-C'S (ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS) AND TRUCKS. AND THEN, CONTINUING TO GO AFTER SOME OF THEIR AIR DEFENSE IN A SMALLER WAY THROUGH THE COMMAND AND CONTROL ELEMENT.

U-S DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS THE LATEST ROUND OF STRIKES SHOWS THE NATO AIR CAMPAIGN IS WORKING AND IS INCREASING THE PAIN ON THE MILOSEVIC REGIME. BUT YUGOSLAVIA'S STATE-RUN NEWS AGENCY REPORTED THE STRIKES KILLED AT LEAST 20 CIVILIANS AND WOUNDED ANOTHER 50.

U-S OFFICIALS ARE ALSO TRYING TO DOWNPLAY REPORTS THAT NATO IS PREPARING FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF GROUND TROOPS FOR KOSOVO. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS THE GROUND TROOPS WOULD ONLY GO IN AS PEACEKEEPERS ONCE A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED.

NATO IS PREPARED TO SEND IN A FORCE THAT WILL HELP MAINTAIN A PEACE AGREEMENT, AN INTERNATIONAL FORCE WITH NATO AT IS CORE. AND THAT IS WHAT NATO IS NOW CONSIDERING, WHETHER THAT FORCE SHOULD BE ENHANCED AND HOW IT SHOULD BE DEPLOYED AND HOW QUICKLY IT SHOULD BE DEPLOYED. THERE HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE IN NATO'S THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS AND THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE UNITED STATES' THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS EITHER. ALL THE SUPPORT IS FOR A PEACEKEEPING FORCE AND THERE IS NO INTENTION OF ANY OTHER TYPE OF FORCE NOW.

U-S OFFICIALS WANT A PEACEKEEPING FORCE READY TO GO ON THE GROUND SOON IN ORDER TO HELP RESETTLE KOSOVAR REFUGEES BEFORE WINTER WEATHER SETS IN NEXT OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER. (SIGNED)
NEB/JBM/GE
22-May-99 12:49 PM EDT (1649 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] RED CROSS / KOSOVO (L-ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)

INTRO: THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS SAYS IT IS GOING BACK TO PRISTINA -- THE CAPITAL OF KOSOVO -- MONDAY TO SET UP RELIEF OPERATIONS IN THE SERBIAN PROVINCE. LISA SCHLEIN IN GENEVA REPORTS THE RED CROSS DECIDED IT WAS POSSIBLE TO RESUME HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS AFTER TWO OF ITS DELEGATES COMPLETED A WEEK-LONG MISSION IN KOSOVO.

TEXT: SIX RED CROSS DELEGATES -- MAINLY LOGISTIC AND TECHNICAL EXPERTS -- WILL GO TO PRISTINA MONDAY TO SET UP THE BASE AND COMMUNICATION LINES TO GET THE OPERATION STARTED.

THEY WILL BE FOLLOWED, THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, BY OTHER DELEGATES BRINGING IN TRUCKS, CARS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO CARRY OUT THE OPERATION. THE DELEGATES WILL ALSO ARRIVE WITH TRUCKLOADS OF RELIEF SUPPLIES FOR CIVILIAN VICTIMS OF THE WAR.

RED CROSS INFORMATION OFFICER JETTA SOERENSEN SAYS THE ORGANIZATION HAS GUARANTEES FROM YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC IT CAN WORK SAFELY AND MOVE AROUND FREELY.

NOW WE HAVE, OF COURSE, TO SEE THAT IN PRACTICE, SEE HOW IT WORKS, AND THAT'S WHY WE SET UP LITTLE BY LITTLE. WE'RE NOT MOVING IN WITH HUNDREDS OF TRUCKS AND HUNDREDS OF DELEGATIONS, JUST LIKE THAT. WE HAVE TO DO IT IN A REASONABLE WAY SO THAT WE EVERY TIME CAN SEE THAT EVERYTHING WENT FINE.

MS. SORENSON SAYS THE SITUATION IN KOSOVO IS STILL VERY UNSTABLE AND THE RED CROSS HAS TO BE CAREFUL. SHE SAYS, IF THINGS GO WELL, THE RED CROSS WILL EXPAND ITS OPERATIONS AND SET UP OFFICES IN PRIZREN AND PEC. SHE SAYS NATO WILL BE INFORMED OF ALL RED CROSS MOVEMENTS, SO THAT IT WILL NOT BOMB AREAS WHERE THE DELEGATES ARE WORKING. SHE SAYS THE ORGANIZATION'S PRIORITY IS TO RESPOND TO THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE.

THE SICK AND WOUNDED, THEY NEED THE MEDICINES. THEY NEED THE MEDICAL SUPPLIES. THE PEOPLE NEED FOOD. SOME OF THEM MIGHT NEED BLANKETS, CLOTHES, PLASTIC SHEETING, IF THEIR HOUSES ARE DESTROYED. REALLY THE FIRST PRIORITY WILL BE TO GIVE ALL THE BASIC NECESSITIES.

MS. SOERENSEN SAYS, AFTER THE RED CROSS HAS TAKEN CARE OF THE EMERGENCY NEEDS, IT WILL EXPAND ITS ACTIVITIES TO INCLUDE PROTECTION AND TRACING OF MISSING PERSONS. SHE SAYS RED CROSS DELEGATES WILL TRY TO LOCATE MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PROBABLY HIDING IN THE WOODS AND HAVE BEEN WITHOUT ASSISTANCE FOR WEEKS. (SIGNED)
NEB / LS / ALW / WD
22-May-99 7:29 AM EDT (1129 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] KOSOVO / REFUGEE RETURN (S/L) BY NICK SIMEONE (TIRANA)

INTRO: NATO SAYS IT MAY TAKE AS LONG AS TWO YEARS BEFORE ALL KOSOVAR REFUGEES CAN RETURN TO THEIR HOMES. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT NICK SIMEONE REPORTS FROM TIRANA, WHERE THE BULK OF THE REFUGEES WAITING FOR THE WAR TO END ARE NOW CAMPED.

TEXT: THE ESTIMATE THAT MANY KOSOVARS COULD STILL BE REFUGEES FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS COMES JUST AS THE NATO ALLIANCE BEGINS TO PLAN FOR WHAT WILL COME AFTER THE WAR, INCLUDING HOW QUICKLY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF KOSOVAR REFUGEES COULD RETURN HOME.

NATO GENERAL, JOHN REITH, SAYS BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE IN BOSNIA, IT MAY TAKE TWO YEARS BEFORE ALL KOSOVAR REFUGEES CAN BE BACK IN REBUILT HOMES. WHAT NATO IS SAYING IS THAT EVEN IF THE WAR ENDS BEFORE COLD WEATHER ARRIVES, LIVING CONDITIONS ON THIS SIDE OF THE BORDER MAY STILL BE BETTER THAN IN KOSOVO FOR SOME TIME. SO PLANS ARE NOW BEING MADE TO WINTERIZE CAMPS HERE IN ALBANIA.

REBUILDING HOMES FOR REFUGEES AS WELL AS DE-MINING THE KOSOVO BORDER WILL TAKE TIME -- AND MORE TROOPS.

AMONG THOSE IN ALBANIA ASSESSING WHAT WILL BE NEEDED IS DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN DAVID BONIOR.

THERE'S NO QUESTION WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THESE PEOPLE UNTIL THEY CAN GO HOME. AND THE SOONER THAT CAN HAPPEN, THE BETTER IT IS. AND I THINK WE NEED TO USE EVERYTHING, EVERY FORCE AT OUR DISPOSAL TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

NATO IS CONSIDERING INCREASING THE NUMBER OF SOLDIERS IN THE REGION FROM 28-THOUSAND UP TO 50-THOUSAND, EITHER TO ASSIST REFUGEES IN RETURNING SAFELY OR, IF THE ALLIANCE DECIDES, TO FORM THE VANGUARD OF AN INVASION FORCE. (SIGNED)
NEB/NJS/GE
22-May-99 3:21 PM EDT (1921 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] KOSOVO / WESTERNERS IN MOSCOW BY CHALLISS MCDONOUGH (MOSCOW)

INTRO: WHEN NATO BEGAN ITS AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA, ANTI-NATO PROTESTS ERUPTED IN DOWNTOWN MOSCOW ALMOST AS QUICKLY AS THEY DID IN BELGRADE. MANY WESTERNERS LIVING IN THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL INITIALLY FEARED THEY COULD BECOME TARGETS OF THEIR NEIGHBORS' ANGER OVER THE BOMBINGS. BUT AS V-O-A'S CHALLISS MCDONOUGH REPORTS FROM MOSCOW, THOSE EARLY FEARS HAVE TURNED OUT TO BE LARGELY BASELESS.

TEXT: RUSSIA'S LEADERS AND PEOPLE ALIKE HAVE CONDEMNED THE NATO BOMBINGS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA FROM THE START. IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE AIR WAR, ANTI-WESTERN SENTIMENT IN MOSCOW REACHED LEVELS NOT SEEN SINCE THE END OF THE COLD WAR.

DEMONSTRATORS HURLED PAINT AND EGGS AT THE U-S EMBASSY. THE CHAOS ALMOST SPUN OUT OF CONTROL WHEN A MAN JUMPED OUT OF A CAR AND AIMED A GRENADE LAUNCHER AT THE EMBASSY. HE DROPPED THE WEAPON AND RAN AFTER IT WOULD NOT FIRE -- APPARENTLY, HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO TAKE THE SAFETY OFF.

BUT WESTERNERS IN MOSCOW WERE UNDERSTANDABLY ALARMED. THE U-S EMBASSY WARNED AMERICANS LIVING HERE TO TRY NOT TO LOOK AMERICAN STOP WEARING T-SHIRTS WITH U-S EMBLEMS ON THEM, AND AVOID SPEAKING ENGLISH IN PUBLIC.

MATT BIVENS IS EDITOR OF THE MOSCOW TIMES NEWSPAPER, THE MAJOR ENGLISH-LANGUAGE DAILY IN THE CAPITAL. HE SAYS ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF HIS READERS ARE EXPATRIATES FROM THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA AND GREAT BRITAIN.

THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN AT THAT TIME ABOUT, "WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? IS THIS ANGER AGAINST AMERICA GOING TO TRANSLATE INTO ANGER AGAINST THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY?"

MR. BIVENS SAYS HIS STAFF STARTED HEARING FRIGHTENING RUMORS IN THE EARLY DAYS -- STORIES THAT CARS BEARING U-S LICENSE PLATES WERE BEING FORCED OFF THE ROAD, OR THAT PEOPLE WERE BEING PHYSICALLY ATTACKED JUST FOR READING HIS ENGLISH-LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER.

YOU JUST KEPT HEARING ALL THESE RUMORS -- IS IT SAFE TO SPEAK ENGLISH? NO, IT'S NOT, I JUST HEARD SOMEBODY AT TROIKADIOLOG (BANK) GOT BEATEN UP FOR SPEAKING ENGLISH, OR SOMEBODY GOT BEATEN UP ON THE SUBWAY FOR READING THE MOSCOW TIMES, OR SOMEBODY GOT ATTACKED FOR BEING AN AMERICAN AT MCDONALDS. WE WERE HEARING ALL THESE THINGS.

MR. BIVENS SAYS HIS REPORTERS STARTED CHECKING OUT THE STORIES, AND NONE OF THEM TURNED OUT TO BE TRUE. HE SAYS AS FAR AS THE TIMES COULD TELL, NOBODY HAD REALLY BEEN ATTACKED FOR BEING WESTERN.

WE WOULD GET BACK TO THE PERSON WHO WAS SUPPOSEDLY BEATEN UP, AND HE WOULD SAY, "DON'T PUT MY NAME IN THE PAPER AND SAY I WAS BEATEN UP! ALL THAT HAPPENED WAS I GOT YELLED AT, AND IT WASN'T EVEN REALLY THAT -- I HAD A YELLING ARGUMENT WITH SOMEBODY ABOUT KOSOVO," WHICH TO ME SEEMS QUITE HEALTHY.

SOME WESTERNERS LIVING IN RUSSIA SUPPORT NATO'S ACTION IN YUGOSLAVIA. MANY OTHERS CONDEMN THE AIRSTRIKES AS STRONGLY AS THEIR RUSSIAN NEIGHBORS.

MOSCOW RESIDENTS WHO COME FROM NATO COUNTRIES HAVE OFTEN FOUND THEMSELVES CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE -- NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY BELIEVE ABOUT THE WAR, BUT BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY COME FROM.

AMERICAN TEACHER STEVE MALCOLM HAS LIVED IN RUSSIA FOR TWO YEARS. HE SAYS SOME OF HIS RUSSIAN FRIENDS HAVE DECIDED TO STOP ASSOCIATING WITH AMERICANS. BUT HE SAYS THOSE FRIENDS ARE WILLING TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR HIM.

MR. MALCOLM SAYS MOST OF THE RUSSIANS HE KNOWS ARE HOSTILE TOWARD THE U-S GOVERNMENT, BUT NOT TOWARD INDIVIDUAL AMERICANS.

I FEEL SAFE ON THE STREETS. I LIKE THE PEOPLE, I LIKE LIVING HERE, AND I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS. BUT THEY ARE HOSTILE TOWARD AMERICAN ACTION, TOWARD NATO ACTION IN YUGOSLAVIA.

THE ECONOMIC CRISIS AFFECTS THE WAY PEOPLE THINK ABOUT YUGOSLAVIA BECAUSE THINGS ARE VERY BAD ECONOMICALLY, AND THERE HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF VENT TO THEIR DISSATISFACTION AND CONCERN. I THINK YUGOSLAVIA HAS BEEN THAT TO SOME EXTENT.

THE CONFLICT IN YUGOSLAVIA IS LIKELY TO AFFECT THE LIVES OF WESTERNERS IN MOSCOW -- ONE WAY OR ANOTHER -- FOR AS LONG AS IT CONTINUES, AND MAYBE FOR A LONG TIME AFTERWARD. (SIGNED)
NEB/CM/ALW/GE
22-May-99 9:55 AM EDT (1355 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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