Voice of America, 10 September 1995

From: [email protected] (Ioannis Bousnakis)

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] BOSNIA/WEAPONS UPDATE (S ONLY) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: U-N OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE SEEN NO EVIDENCE THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE PULLED THEIR HEAVY WEAPONS OUT OF THE EXCLUSION ZONE AROUND SARAJEVO, DESPITE A BOSNIAN SERB CLAIM THE WEAPONS WERE BEING WITHDRAWN TO COMPLY WITH THE U-N AND NATO DEMANDS. THE U-N ALSO SAYS THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE NOT YET GIVEN PERMISSION FOR U-N MILITARY OBSERVERS TO INVESTIGATE REPORTS THAT A U-N ARTILLERY SHELL HIT A SERB HOSPITAL ON FRIDAY, KILLING TEN PEOPLE. DAVID FOLEY REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO.

TEXT: WHILE A FEW SERB HEAVY GUNS HAVE BEEN MOVED AROUND INSIDE THE 20 KILOMETER EXCLUSION ZONE AROUND SARAJEVO, U-N OFFICIALS SAY NONE OF THE WEAPONS HAS BEEN MOVED OUTSIDE THE ZONE, DESPITE A BOSNIAN SERB STATEMENT SAYING MOST WEAPONS HAD ALREADY BEEN WITHDRAWN.

A RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT SAID AFTER A MEETING IN BELGRADE WITH BOSNIAN SERB ARMY COMMANDER RATKO MLADIC, THAT GENERAL MLADIC HAD REFUSED TO PULL HIS BIG GUNS AWAY FROM SARAJEVO BECAUSE THEY WERE NEEDED TO PROTECT SERB AREAS AROUND THE CITY.

THE DIPLOMAT ALSO SAID GENERAL MLADIC HAD AGREED TO LIFT THE BLOCKADE OF SARAJEVO AND RESTORE UTILITIES, BUT ONLY IF AIRSTRIKES WERE STOPPED. U-N OFFICIALS SAY THE AIRSTRIKES ARE CONTINUING AND U-N AND NATO DEMANDS ARE NOT NEGOTIABLE. MEANWHILE, THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE NOT PROVIDED PERMISSION, PROMISED EARLIER, FOR U-N MILITARY OBSERVERS TO INVESTIGATE REPORTS THAT A SERB HOSPITAL WAS HIT BY A U-N ARTILLERY SHELL ON FRIDAY, KILLING TEN PEOPLE. BUT U-N OFFICIALS SAY THEY HOPE OBSERVERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO VISIT THE SITE ON MONDAY. (SIGNED)

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10-Sep-95 2:23 PM EDT (1823 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] Q & A WITH / NATO SPOKESWOMAN BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON)

THIS IS THE TEXT OF A Q-AND-A BETWEEN VOA'S VICTOR BEATTIE IN WASHINGTON AND NATO SPOKESWOMAN IN NAPLES, LIEUTENANT COLONEL JANICE WITT, ABOUT THE CRUISE MISSILE ATTACK ON BOSNIAN SERB AIR DEFENSES. TAPES OF THE INTERVIEW CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE NEWSROOM BUBBLE.

NATO SPOKESWOMAN (READING FROM A PREPARED STATEMENT ABOUT THE ATTACK): A U-S NAVY SHIP IN THE ADRIATIC TONIGHT LAUNCHED 13 TOMAHAWK LAND ATTACK MISSILES AGAINST BOSNIAN SERB AIR DEFENSE ASSETS IN NORTHWESTERN BOSNIA. QUESTION: CAN YOU TELL ME WHY WERE THEY FIRED AT THIS TIME?

NATO SPOKESWOMAN: THE MAIN REASON WHY THE NATO COMMANDERS, ALONG WITH THE U-N COMMANDERS, DETERMINED THAT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD USE OF THOSE TOMAHAWK MISSILES IS THE FACT THAT THEY ARE DRIVEN BY SATELLITE POSITIONING. THEY ARE QUITE ACCURATE. THEY CANNOT BE SHOT DOWN AND THEREFORE THEY ARE MUCH SAFER TO USE AGAINST THOSE TYPES OF TARGETS THAN USING OUR VERY VALUABLE PILOTS AND AIRCRAFT. QUESTION: DO YOU HAVE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE DAMAGE AND THE ACCURACY OF THE STRIKES IN LIGHT OF THE CRITICISM THAT ARTILLERY FIRED BY THE RAPID REACTION FORCE DAMAGED A BOSNIAN SERB HOSPITAL RECENTLY?

NATO SPOKESWOMAN: RIGHT NOW, WE ARE PREFORMING RECONNAISSANCE. WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE, HOWEVER, THAT THESE TOMAHAWK MISSILES WERE EXTREMELY ACCURATE AND HIT ONLY THEIR TARGET WHICH WAS, AS I SAID, THE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM LOCATED NEAR BANJA LUKA (IN NORTHWESTERN BOSNIA). BEATTIE: THESE MISSILES CAME FROM WHERE PLEASE?

NATO SPOKESWOMAN: THE MISSILES, THEMSELVES, WERE LAUNCHED FROM THE U-S-S NORMANDY WHICH IS A GUIDED MISSILE CRUISER ON STATION IN THE ADRIATIC AS PART OF THE NATO OPERATION "DELIBERATE FORCE." BEATTIE: IS THIS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE BEEN USED IN A COMBAT SITUATION SINCE THE GULF WAR?

NATO SPOKESWOMAN: TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, YES. IT IS CERTAINLY THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE BEEN USED DURING THE OPERATION "DENY FLIGHT" (NATO FLIGHTS OVER BOSNIA) WHICH STARTED IN APRIL, 1993. BEATTIE: WERE THEY USED THIS TIME BECAUSE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER FOR THE PILOTS?

NATO SPOKESWOMAN: WELL, ONE REASON THAT THEY ARE QUITE ACCURATE IS THAT THEY ARE ALL-WEATHER. THEY USE SATELLITE POSITIONING IN ORDER TO HIT THEIR TARGET. BEATTIE: COLONEL, I KNOW THAT THEY ARE QUITE EXPENSIVE. I HEARD ONE REPORT SAY THEY ARE ONE MILLION DOLLARS APIECE. WILL THEY BE USED OFTEN OR SPARINGLY?

NATO SPOKESWOMAN: WELL, WE ARE NOT COMMENTING ON ANY FUTURE OPERATION, BUT, AGAIN, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE USE THEM TONIGHT IS SIMPLY TO BECAUSE THEY ARE SO ACCURATE AND THEY ARE SAFE TO USE IN THE FACT THAT WE DO NOT HAVE TO EXPOSE OUR PILOTS TO MORE DANGER THAN NECESSARY. BEATTIE: AS FAR AS THE AIR CAMPAIGN IS GOING, OVERALL, CAN YOU GIVE ME AN ASSESSMENT OF WHERE THINGS STAND RIGHT NOW?

NATO SPOKESWOMAN: WE ARE CONTINUING OUR OPERATION "DELIBERATE FORCE" IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS. WE HAVE NO INDICATION AT THIS TIME THAT THE U-N CONDITIONS (FOR STOPPING THE AIR STRIKES, LIKE PULLING BACK BOSNIAN SERB HEAVY WEAPONS FROM SARAJEVO) ARE BEING MET. BEATTIE: SO, IT WILL CONTINUE FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE?

NATO SPOKESWOMAN: YES, IT WILL.

[03] RUSSIA/BOSNIA (S ONLY) BY PETER COLLINS (MOSCOW)

INTRO: BOSNIAN SERB COMMANDER RATKO MLADIC SAYS HE IS READY TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO SARAJEVO. BUT AS VOA'S PETER COLLINS REPORTS FROM MOSCOW, THE GENERAL ALSO TOLD A SENIOR RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT IN BELGRADE HE WILL NOT REMOVE SERB HEAVY WEAPONS FROM AROUND THE BOSNIAN CAPITAL.

TEXT: RUSSIA'S FIRST DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV MET WITH GENERAL MLADIC FOR THREE HOURS SATURDAY IN BELGRADE, AS NATO CONTINUED ITS AIR STRIKES AGAINST THE BOSNIAN SERBS.

SPEAKING TO THE RUSSIAN NEWS AGENCY ITAR-TASS, MR. IVANOV REPORTED THAT GENERAL MLADIC SAYS THE HEAVY WEAPONS AROUND SARAJEVO ARE NEEDED TO DEFEND THE SERB POPULATION. THEIR REMOVAL HAS BEEN A UNITED NATIONS AND NATO DEMAND. OTHERWISE, MR. IVANOV REPORTED, THE TOUGH SERBIAN GENERAL IS READY TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO SARAJEVO, ENSURE PASSAGE OF U-N CONVOYS, AND GUARANTEE SUPPLIES OF POWER AND GAS TO THE CITY.

THE RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT ALSO SAYS GENERAL MLADIC IS READY TO OPEN TRUCE TALKS WITH MOSLEM AND CROATIAN COMMANDERS IF NATO STOPS ITS STRIKES.

MR. IVANOV TOLD ITAR-TASS HE BELIEVES NATO HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR A WAY TO STOP THE BOMBING, AND THAT GENERAL MLADIC'S COMMENTS CREATE SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY. (SIGNED)

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10-Sep-95 10:28 AM EDT (1428 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] U-S / BOSNIA O'NITER (S & L UPDATES) BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: ASSISTANT U-S SECRETARY OF STATE RICHARD HOLBROOKE RETURNS TO EUROPE THIS WEEK TO CONTINUE SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY AIMED AT REACHING A POLITICAL SETTLEMENT TO THE FOUR-YEAR BOSNIAN WAR. V-O-A'S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS THE SENATE WILL PUT OFF FOR NOW A VOTE ON LIFTING THE ARMS EMBARGO AGAINST BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA TO AWAIT THE LATEST DIPLOMATIC DEVELOPMENTS:

TEXT: MR. HOLBROOKE, FRESH FROM GENEVA WHERE HE BROKERED A POLITICAL FRAMEWORK FOR PEACE AMONG THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE WARRING PARTIES IN BOSNIA, IS EXPECTED TO BRIEF PRESIDENT CLINTON ON HIS TRAVELS MONDAY. MR. HOLBROOKE IS SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO EUROPE THIS WEEK FOR TALKS IN GENEVA WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SO-CALLED BOSNIA CONTACT GROUP -- FRANCE, BRITAIN, GERMANY AND RUSSIA.

LATER -- HE PLANS TO RETURN TO THE BALKANS. THE BIGGEST HURDLE REMAINS -- NAMELY -- A MAP OF BOSNIA THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO ALL THE PARTIES.

MR. HOLBROOKE HAS JOINED PRESIDENT CLINTON IN OPPOSING CONGRESSIONAL EFFORTS TO OVERRIDE MR. CLINTON'S VETO OF A BILL LIFTING THE ARMS EMBARGO ON SARAJEVO. THE ENVOY SAYS SUCH UNILATERAL ACTION COULD UNDERMINE THE PEACE PROCESS.

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER ROBERT DOLE SUGGESTS THE OVERRIDE VOTE EFFORT WILL LIKELY BE DELAYED. HOW LONG?

WELL, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. IF THEY'RE MAKING PROGRESS AND THE BOSNIANS THINK THEY'RE MAKING PROGRESS, THEN OKAY (WE'LL DELAY THE VOTE).

MR. DOLE SAYS HE DOUBTS HE HAS THE 67 VOTES WHICH WOULD BE NEEDED TO OVERRIDE MR. CLINTON'S VETO BECAUSE OF THE RECENT DIPLOMATIC PROGRESS.

HUNDREDS OF SERB-AMERICANS CONVERGED ON WASHINGTON (SATURDAY) FROM ALL OVER THE EASTERN UNITED STATES TO PROTEST THE NATO BOMBING OF BOSNIAN SERB TARGETS.

ONE PARTICIPANT -- MILAN PAVLOVIC -- SAYS THE SERBS ARE PORTRAYED UNFAIRLY BY THE MEDIA AND HE WANTS TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.

THE BOSNIAN SERBS ARE NOT AGGRESSORS. THE BOSNIAN SERBS DID NOT COME FROM SERBIA. THEY HAVE LIVED IN BOSNIA FOR SEVERAL CENTURIES AND IT IS THEIR LAND.

ANOTHER PROTESTOR CALLED THE NATO BOMBING BARBARIC. SENATOR DOLE AND PRESIDENT CLINTON WERE OBJECTS OF DERISION ON SIGNS CARRIED BY MANY PROTESTERS IN LAFAYETTE SQUARE -- A PARK ACROSS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE. ONE SIGN READ "HEY BILL, FIX AMERICA, NOT SERBIA" WHILE ANOTHER READ "SENATOR DOLE IS A WARMONGER." (SIGNED)

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09-Sep-95 11:24 PM EDT (0324 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] YUGO SITREP (L) BY WAYNE COREY (VIENNA)

INTRO: AMERICAN CRUISE MISSILES HAVE BEEN FIRED AT BOSNIAN SERB AIR DEFENSES IN NORTHWESTERN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. NATO INTENSIFIED ITS AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE SERBS DESPITE A MEETING OF THE SERB AND UNITED NATIONS MILITARY COMMANDERS. V-O-A'S CENTRAL EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT, WAYNE COREY, REPORTS.

TEXT: AN AMERICAN GUIDED MISSILE CRUISER IN THE ADRIATIC SEA FIRED 13 TOMAHAWK MISSILES AT SERB AIR DEFENSES AROUND THE TOWN OF BANJA LUKA. IT IS THE FIRST TIME NATO FORCES HAVE USED THESE MISSILES IN THEIR AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE SERBS. BANJA LUKA IS THE LARGEST TOWN IN SERB-HELD TERRITORY. SERB ANTI-AIRCRAFT WEAPONS DEPLOYED THERE POSE A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO NATO WARPLANES. TOMAHAWK MISSILES ARE EXTREMELY ACCURATE. THE UNITED STATES USED THEM TO ATTACK IRAQI POSITIONS DURING THE PERSIAN GULF WAR. NATO HAS MADE IT CLEAR IT WILL INTENSIFY ITS ATTACKS ON THE BOSNIAN SERBS UNTIL THEY COMPLY WITH UNITED NATIONS AND NATO DEMANDS TO EFFECTIVELY LIFT THE SIEGE OF SARAJEVO. A SECOND AMERICAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER IN THE ADRIATIC SEA HAS REINFORCED NATO'S AIR POWER. THE AMERICAN CRUISER THAT LAUNCHED THE TOMAHAWK MISSILES WAS ONE OF THE OTHER WARSHIPS THAT ADDED MUSCLE TO THE NATO FORCES. NATO CONTINUED TO ATTACK SERB MILITARY TARGETS DESPITE A MEETING BETWEEN THE SERB ARMY COMMANDER, GENERAL RATKO MLADIC, AND U-N COMMANDER, FRENCH GENERAL BERNARD JANVIER. FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC HAD ANNOUNCED THERE WOULD BE A NATO BOMBING PAUSE DURING THE MILITARY TALKS. HE SAID THE PURPOSE OF THE TALKS WAS TO FIND WAYS TO ENABLE THE SERBS TO PULL THEIR HEAVY WEAPONS BACK FROM SARAJEVO. GENERAL MLADIC HAS SAID THE WEAPONS ARE NEEDED TO PROTECT SERBS IN SARAJEVO FROM ATTACKS BY THE BOSNIAN ARMY. IF HE WAS LOOKING FOR AN ASSURANCE OF BOSNIAN ARMY RESTRAINT, ONE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN OFFERED. BOSNIA'S MUSLIM PRESIDENT, ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC, IS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THE ARMY WOULD NOT ATTACK THE SERBS IN SARAJEVO WHILE NEGOTIATIONS ON THE BOSNIAN CAPITAL'S FUTURE ARE BEING HELD. THE C-N-N TELEVISION NETWORK QUOTES SERB SOURCES AS SAYING AN AGREEMENT ON SERB COMPLIANCE WITH U-N AND NATO DEMANDS WAS WORKED OUT AT THE MEETING BETWEEN THE SERB AND U-N MILITARY COMMANDERS. BUT, NEITHER THE UNITED NATIONS NOR NATO CONFIRMS THAT, AND NATO OFFICIALS TOLD V-O-A THE ATTACKS ON THE SERBS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE U-N AND NATO DEMANDS ARE MET. (SIGNED) NEB/WC/SKH 10-Sep-95 7:08 PM EDT (2308 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America