Voice of America, 8 October 1995

From: [email protected] (Ioannis Bousnakis)

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] BOSNIA FIGHTING (L-UPDATE) BY DAVID FOLEY (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: NATO WARPLANES HAVE ATTEMPTED TO BOMB BOSNIAN SERB HEAVY GUNS NEAR THE NORTHERN BOSNIAN CITY OF TUZLA, BUT THE PLANES WERE UNABLE TO SPOT THE TARGETS DUE TO BAD WEATHER AND DARKNESS. THE MOVE COMES AFTER THE BOSNIAN SERBS LAUNCHED A ROCKET ATTACK ON A REFUGEE CAMP KILLING SIX PEOPLE, INCLUDING FOUR CHILDREN. THE BOSNIAN SERBS ALSO SHELLED THE U-N-CONTROLLED AIRPORT AT TUZLA. FIERCE FIGHTING HAS CONTINUED IN NORTHERN BOSNIA IN THE RUN-UP TO THE START OF A CEASE-FIRE ON TUESDAY MORNING. DAVID FOLEY REPORTS FROM SARAJEVO.

TEXT: THE LARGE ROCKET-PROPELLED CLUSTER BOMB STRUCK THE REFUGEE CAMP NEAR TUZLA WITH DEVASTATING FORCE.

IN ADDITION TO THE DEAD AROUND ANOTHER 30 PEOPLE WERE INJURED. MOST WERE CHILDREN WHO WERE PLAYING OUTSIDE ON A BALMY SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

U-N OFFICIALS SAY THE BOSNIAN SERBS ALSO SHELLED THE U-N CONTROLLED AIRBASE AT TUZLA. WHILE THE CITY OF TUZLA IS A U-N DECLARED SAFE AREA, BOTH THE REFUGEE CAMP AND THE AIRBASE ARE OUTSIDE THE PROTECTED ZONE, BUT ONCE U-N PEACE-KEEPERS WERE ENDANGERED BY THE SHELLING, U-N COMMANDERS CALLED FOR CLOSE AIR SUPPORT FROM NATO. OFFICIALS SAY WARPLANES WERE DISPATCHED TO FIND AND DESTROY THE BOSNIAN SERB GUNS, BUT WERE FORCED TO CANCEL THE ATTACK BECAUSE OF BAD WEATHER AND THE FALL OF DARKNESS. U-N OFFICIALS IN SARAJEVO SAY NO FURTHER NATO AIR RAIDS WILL BE CALLED FOR UNLESS THE BOSNIAN SERBS RENEW THEIR ATTACKS.

WITH ONLY ONE DAY LEFT BEFORE THE SCHEDULED START OF A 60-DAY BOSNIA-WIDE CEASE-FIRE, FIERCE FIGHTING IS CONTINUING BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND BOSNIAN SERB FORCES ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN BOSNIA, AS BOTH SIDES TRY TO GRAB AS MUCH TERRITORY AS POSSIBLE BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF WHAT COULD BECOME A PERMANENT CEASE-FIRE.

BOSNIAN ARMY OFFICIALS CLAIM THEIR FORCES HAVE CAPTURED TERRITORY AROUND THE SERB-HELD TOWN OF DOBOJ IN NORTHEAST BOSNIA, AND THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE SAID DOBOJ IS BEING SHELLED BY GOVERNMENT ARTILLERY.

U-N OFFICIALS SAY HEAVY FIGHTING IS ALSO CONTINUING IN NORTHWEST BOSNIA, WHERE THE BOSNIAN SERBS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO RETAKE THE TOWNS OF KLJUC AND BOSANSKA KRUPA, BOTH LOST TO A GOVERNMENT AND CROAT OFFENSIVE LAST MONTH. THE BOSNIAN ARMY, BACKED BY 400 CROATIAN ARMY REGULAR TROOPS, APPEARS TO HAVE STOPPED THE BOSNIAN SERB ADVANCES, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN CONFLICTING CLAIMS OF SUCCESSES BY BOTH SIDES. BOSNIAN SERB OFFICIALS HAVE SAID THE INVOLVEMENT OF CROATIAN ARMY TROOPS IN THE FIGHTING COULD JEOPARDIZE THE CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT. MEANWHILE, FRANTIC EFFORTS TO RESTORE UTILITIES TO SARAJEVO ARE CONTINUING BEFORE THE SCHEDULED START OF THE CEASE-FIRE AT ONE MINUTE PAST MIDNIGHT (LOCAL TIME) ON TUESDAY MORNING. THE BOSNIAN PRESIDENT, ALIA IZETBEGOVIC, HAS SAID WHILE THE LATEST FIGHTING WILL NOT JEOPARDIZE THE CEASE-FIRE, THERE IS ONLY A SMALL CHANCE THE UTILITIES WILL BE RESTORED IN TIME, AND HE SAID HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THE CEASE-FIRE WILL BEGIN AS SCHEDULED BECAUSE THE RESTORATION OF UTILITIES IS A KEY PRE-CONDITION FOR THE CEASE-FIRE. BUT THE BOSNIAN PRIME MINISTER, HARIS SILAJDZIC, HAS SAID THE CEASE-FIRE SHOULD NOT BE DELAYED FOR MERELY TECHNICAL REASONS.

U-N OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE OPTIMISTIC ELECTRICITY SUPPLIES WILL BE RESTORED TO THE CITY IN TIME, BUT IT IS NOT CLEAR WHEN GAS WILL ARRIVE. THE GAS PIPELINE FROM RUSSIA PASSES THROUGH HUNGARY, SERBIA AND BOSNIAN SERB TERRITORY. U-N OFFICIALS SAID EARLIER THAT GAS SHOULD ARRIVE ON MONDAY, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS ABOUT HOW FAR THE GAS SUPPLY HAS REACHED. (SIGNED)

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08-Oct-95 7:16 PM EDT (2316 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] PANETTA - BOSNIA (S ONLY) BY JANE BERGER (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF LEON PANETTA SAYS PRESIDENT CLINTON COULD SEND U-S TROOPS TO BOSNIA AS PART OF A NATO PEACEKEEPING FORCE WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION FROM CONGRESS. CORRESPONDENT JANE BERGER REPORTS MR. PANETTA WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT THE SITUATION IN BOSNIA (SUNDAY) IN A U-S TELEVISION INTERVIEW (N-B-C MEET THE PRESS).

TEXT: WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF LEON PANETTA SAYS IF A PEACE AGREEMENT IS REACHED IN BOSNIA, THE U-S CONGRESS SHOULD LEND ITS SUPPORT TO A NATO PEACEKEEPING FORCE. BUT SOME MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE QUESTIONED PRESIDENT CLINTON'S PROMISE TO SEND IN UP TO 25 THOUSAND U-S TROOPS.

MR. PANETTA SAID THE PRESIDENT HAS THE CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF TO SEND IN THE TROOPS WITH OR WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL.

THE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF SAID THAT SOME DIFFICULTIES MUST YET BE OVERCOME BEFORE A PEACE AGREEMENT IN BOSNIA IS CONCLUDED.

WHILE WE HAVE ACHIEVED SOME GREAT PROGRESS HERE IN TERMS OF THE RECOGNITION OF THE STATE, RECOGNITION THAT THEY'RE PREPARED TO GO INTO A CEASEFIRE, THERE STILL ARE A LOT OF BARRIERS HERE TO ARRIVING AT A FINAL AGREEMENT. THE PARTIES DO HAVE TO COME TOGETHER. WE HOPE THEY WILL. WE'RE CERTAINLY MAKING GOOD PROGRESS, BUT I THINK WE OUGHT TO KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED (KEEP HOPING) AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

MR. PANETTA ALSO SAID THAT ANY DECISION ON PROVIDING ARMS TO BOSNIAN MUSLIMS HAS TO BE PART OF THE PEACE ACCORD. (SIGNED)

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08-Oct-95 11:33 AM EDT (1533 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] U-S/RUSSIA/BOSNIA (L) BY DOUGLAS ROBERTS (GENEVA)

INTRO: THE UNITED STATES AND RUSSIA HAVE MOVED CLOSER TO AGREEMENT ON A PLANNED PEACEKEEPING OPERATION FOR BOSNIA THAT WOULD INCLUDE RUSSIAN AS WELL AS NATO FORCES. BUT AFTER A DAY OF TALKS IN GENEVA, U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY AND HIS RUSSIAN COUNTERPART PAVEL GRACHEV ACKNOWEDGED THAT DIFFERENCES REMAIN ON THE COMMAND AND CONTROL OF THE FORCE THAT WOULD BE DEPLOYED IN BOSNIA ONCE THE WARRING FACTIONS REACH A PEACE SETTLEMENT. FROM GENEVA, VOA'S DOUGLAS ROBERTS REPORTS.

TEXT: THE U-S AND RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTERS MET FOR SEVEN HOURS HERE SUNDAY, SEEKING WAYS TO OVERCOME MOSCOW'S REFUSAL TO PLACE ITS FORCES UNDER NATO COMMAND FOR THE PLANNED PEACEKEEPING OPERATION IN BOSNIA.

DEFENSE MINISTER GRACHEV REPEATED RUSSIA'S PROPOSAL FOR A JOINT COMMAND STRUCTURE. BUT THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN RULED OUT BY NATO, DETERMINED TO AVOID THE SO-CALLED DUAL KEY APPROACH, WHERE OPERATIONAL DECISIONS MUST BE APPROVED BY BOTH PARTIES.

MR. PERRY TOLD REPORTERS SEVERAL OTHER OPTIONS WERE DISCUSSED SUNDAY. AND HE SAID SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS WAS MADE. HE PROVIDED NO DETAILS, BUT HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT OBSTACLES REMAIN.

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN US ON THE COMMAND AND CONTROL OF THE FORCES ARE DIFFICULT. I DO NOT WANT TO UNDERESTIMATE THEM. BUT THE ADVANTAGE OF RUSSIAN AND NATO TROOPS PARTICIPATING IS VERY GREAT. AND THEREFORE WE WILL WORK HARD TO OVERCOME THESE DIFFICULTIES.

RUSSIA WILL DISPATCH A TEAM OF SENIOR MILITARY OFFICERS TO NATO'S SUPREME HEADQUARTERS IN BELGIUM NEXT WEEK FOR FURTHER TALKS ON THE ISSUE. IT WILL ALSO BE DISCUSSED AT AN UPCOMING MEETING OF THE BIG POWER CONTACT GROUP ON BOSNIA.

NATO IS PREPARED TO DEPLOY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TROOPS IN BOSNIA AS SOON AS THE WARRING FACTIONS SIGN A PEACE SETTLEMENT.

DEFENSE MINISTER GRACHEV SAID RUSSIAN PARTICIPATION WOULD INCLUDE TWO BATTALIONS ALREADY STATIONED IN BOSNIA AS PART OF THE U-N FORCE AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL TROOPS. BUT HE INDICATED THAT THE EXACT SIZE OF THE RUSSIAN CONTINGENT HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED.

THE RUSSIAN OFFICIAL ALSO LEFT NO DOUBT THAT MOSCOW'S DIFFERENCES WITH NATO INVOLVE MORE THAN JUST BOSNIA. SPEAKING THROUGH AN INTERPRETER, THE DEFENSE MINISTER REITERATED RUSSIA'S STRONG OPPOSITION TO NATO'S PLANNED EXPANSION TO INCLUDE MEMBERS OF THE FORMER WARSAW PACT ALLIANCE.

WE HAVE CONFIRMED THE RUSSIAN POSITION THAT FOR US IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT NATO SHOULD EXPAND TO THE EAST. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE READY TO CONTINUE OUR COOPERATION WITH THE ALLIANCE. BUT THIS BY NO MEANS WILL SHOW THAT WE AGREE TO NATO ENLARGEMENT.

MR. PERRY SAID NATO'S PLANNED EXPANSION WILL CONTINUE, AT WHAT HE CALLED A DELIBERATE PACE. AND HE AGAIN URGED FULL RUSSIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE ALLIANCE PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE PROGRAM. HE ALSO SUGGESTED CREATION OF A SPECIAL CONSULTATIVE COMMISSION THAT WOULD ALLOW NATO AND RUSSIAN OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS OTHER SECURITY ISSUES.(SIGNED)

NEB/DBR/CB/SD
08-Oct-95 3:30 PM EDT (1930 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America