Voice of America Digest, 23 October 1995

From: [email protected] (Ioannis Bousnakis)

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] !!! VOA DIGEST - OCTOBER 23, 1995

CLINTON / YELTSIN -- PRESIDENT CLINTON AND RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN MET IN HYDE PARK, NEW YORK, WITH THE CONTENTIOUS ISSUE OF THE COMMAND STRUCTURE OF A POSSIBLE PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA AT THE TOP OF THEIR AGENDA. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT DAVID BORGIDA PREVIEWED THE MEETING. (10/23)

SUMMIT EXPECTATIONS -- NO MATTER WHAT IS SAID DURING THE SUMMIT TUESDAY BETWEEN CHINESE LEADER JIANG ZEMIN AND PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, DIPLOMATS AND PRESIDENTIAL AIDS ARE EXPECTED TO DECLARE THE MEETING A SUCCESS. CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON REPORTS FROM HONG KONG. (10/23)

CLINTON / YELTSIN -- PRESIDENT CLINTON AND RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN WILL HOLD A SUMMIT MEETING MONDAY IN HYDE PARK, NEW YORK, TO DISCUSS KEY ISSUES IN THEIR BILATERAL AGENDA, NOTABLY BOSNIA. THIS WILL BE THEIR FIFTH SUMMIT AND THE THIRD ONE THIS YEAR. US OFFICIALS ARE NOT EXPECTING AGREEMENT ON A MAJOR DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT DAVID BORGIDA REPORTS. (10/22)

CHRISTOPHER / UN -- IN ADVANCE OF PRESIDENT CLINTON'S VISIT TO THE UNITED NATIONS 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER HAS MET WITH ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER YITZAK RABIN AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ANDREI KOZYREV. DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM NEW YORK. (10/21)

UN / CASTRO -- CUBA'S PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO IS PREPARING TO ADDRESS THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY SUNDAY. CORRESPONDENT VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS MR CASTRO'S THIRD VISIT SINCE TAKING POWER IN 1959 WAS MARKED BY TIGHT SECURITY AND PROTESTS FOR AND AGAINST HIS REGIME. (10/21)

UN 50TH / CASTRO -- NEARLY 200 WORLD LEADERS CONVERGED ON NEW YORK CITY (SATURDAY) TO CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS. ONE OF THE MORE CONTROVERSIAL LEADERS ATTENDING THE CEREMONIES IS CUBA'S FIDEL CASTRO. CORRESPONDENT CHRIS SIMKINS REPORTS. (10/21)

UN / 50 / SCENESETTER -- THE UNITED NATIONS IS BRACING FOR THE LARGEST GATHERING OF NATIONAL LEADERS IN HISTORY. ON SUNDAY, KINGS, PRESIDENTS AND PRIME MINISTERS FROM OVER 150 COUNTRIES WILL BEGIN A THREE-DAY MARATHON OF SPEECH-MAKING IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO HONOR THE UN'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY. CORRESPONDENT ELAINE JOHANSON REPORTS. (10/20)

DOLE / BOSNIA TALKS -- SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER BOB DOLE SAYS SERBIA'S PRESIDENT SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED INTO THE UNITED STATES FOR PEACE TALKS ON BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. CORRESPONDENT DAVID SWAN REPORTS THE MEETINGS START IN ABOUT TEN DAYS (OCTOBER 31) AT A MIDWESTERN AIR BASE. (10/20)

CLINTON / SENATE / BOSNIA -- PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS ASSURED CONGRESS HE WILL REQUEST ITS SUPPORT BEFORE COMMITTING US TROOPS TO A PEACEKEEPING OPERATION IN BOSNIA. CORRESPONDENT RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS THE ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO WAIT UNTIL A PEACE AGREEMENT IS REACHED. (10/20)

BOSNIA / KILLINGS -- THERE ARE GROWING INDICATIONS OF MORE MASS KILLINGS IN NORTHERN BOSNIA. REFUGEES EXPELLED FROM THE AREA DURING THE PAST MONTH HAVE TOLD UN AND US OFFICIALS THAT HUNDREDS AND PERHAPS THOUSANDS OF MUSLIMS HAVE BEEN MURDERED BY SERB PARAMILITARY GROUPS. CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS REPORTS FROM GENEVA. (10/20)

BOSNIA / FIGHTING -- FIGHTING HAS BROKEN OUT IN NORTHWESTERN BOSNIA, WHERE REPORTS SAY BOSNIAN SERB FORCES HAVE LAUNCHED AN ATTACK TOWARD THE TOWN OF SANSKI MOST. BUT STRINGER DAVID FOLEY IN SARAJEVO REPORTS UN OFFICIALS SAY REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL SIDES HAVE AGREED TO ISSUE ORDERS TO STOP THE FIGHTING. (10/20)

EGYPT / CROATIA -- A MILITANT ISLAMIC GROUP HAS CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR A CAR BOMB EXPLOSION IN CROATIA FRIDAY. STRINGER PEYMAN PEJMAN HAS MORE ON THE STORY FROM CAIRO. (10/21)

FRANCE / RUSSIA -- RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAS LEFT PARIS AFTER TALKS WITH HIS FRENCH COUNTERPART. THEY AGREED THAT MOSCOW SHOULD HOST A SUMMIT OF LEADERS OF THE BALKAN REPUBLICS. STRINGER JULIAN NUNDY REPORTS FROM PARIS. (10/21)

FRANCE / TERRORISM -- FRANCE IS MOVING MORE THAN TWO THOUSAND SOLDIERS INTO ITS CITIES TO HEAD OFF THE RISK OF NEW TERRORIST ATTACKS, AS FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC PREPARES FOR TALKS WITH ALGERIA'S PRESIDENT. STRINGER JULIAN NUNDY REPORTS. (10/20)

ALGERIA / BOMB -- A BOMB BLAST WEST OF ALGIERS HAS KILLED AT LEAST EIGHT AND INJURED MORE THAN 80. THE TERRORIST ATTACK CAME ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT. THE VOTE WILL BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 16TH. NOBODY HAS CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY BUT THE GOVERNMENT IS BLAMING MUSLIM MILITANTS WHO HAVE THREATENED TO SABOTAGE THE ELECTIONS. CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN HAS MORE FROM CAIRO. (10/22)

LANKA / WAR -- THE SRI LANKAN ARMY IS CONDUCTING ITS BIGGEST OFFENSIVE IN TWELVE YEARS TO TRY TO CAPTURE THE STRATEGIC NORTHERN PENINSULA FROM TAMIL SEPARATIST GUERRILLAS. MILITARY SPOKESMEN CLAIM THE REBELS HAVE SUFFERED 925 CASUALTIES IN THE FIRST DAYS OF FIGHTING, WHILE ARMY CASUALTIES HAVE SURPASSED 350. NEW DELHI CORRESPONDENT MICHAEL DRUDGE RECENTLY VISITED SRI LANKA AND HE REPORTS ABOUT THE PURPOSE AND PROSPECTS OF THE OPERATION. (10/23)

LANKA MASSACRE -- SRI LANKAN MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY TAMIL SEPARATIST GUERRILLAS HAVE MASSACRED AT LEAST 48 VILLAGERS IN ATTACKS IN EASTERN SRI LANKA. THE INCIDENT COMES AS FIREMEN CONTINUE TO BATTLE OIL FIRES SET BY SUSPECTED REBELS IN THE CAPITAL. CORRESPONDENT MICHAEL DRUDGE REPORTS FROM NEW DELHI. (10/21)

BURMA / OPPOSITION -- AUTHORITIES IN BURMA SAID MONDAY THE REAPPOINTMENT OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI TO HER LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THE OPPOSITION NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY IS ILLEGAL. SOUTHEAST ASIA STRINGER DAVID BUTLER REPORTS THE RULING COMES AS OTHER BURMESE OPPOSITION LEADERS MEET IN MANILA TO DRAFT A CONSTITUTION RIVAL TO ONE WRITTEN UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE RULING MILITARY COUNCIL IN RANGOON. (10/23)

NORTH KOREA / DENIAL -- NORTH KOREA ACCUSED THE UNITED STATES AND SOUTH KOREA MONDAY OF FABRICATING AN INCIDENT INVOLVING THE SHOOTING OF AN ALLEGED NORTH KOREAN SPY LAST WEEK. STRINGER SHIN NA REPORTED FROM SEOUL ABOUT THE NORTH'S DENIAL OF THE INFILTRATION ATTEMPT. (10/23)

PAKISTAN / KASHMIR -- PEOPLE IN A SECTION OF PAKISTANI KASHMIR SAY THEY FEAR FOOD SHORTAGES IN THE COMING WINTER, BECAUSE THEIR VALLEY HAS BEEN CUT-OFF FROM TRUCK ROUTES BY INDIAN GUNFIRE. THE NEELUM VALLEY IS ON THE FRONT LINE IN THE KASHMIR DISPUTE BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN. CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN RECENTLY VISITED THE VALLEY AND SPOKE WITH RESIDENTS ABOUT LIVING CONDITIONS. (10/23)

EU / EAST EUROPE -- OFFICIALS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION SAY SOME MAJOR FINANCIAL PROBLEMS COULD BLOCK ANY EARLY ENTRY INTO THE ORGANIZATION BY NATIONS IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE. STRINGER JOHN FRASER REPORTS FROM BRUSSELS, SEVERAL EAST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES HOPE TO JOIN THE EU BY THE END OF THE CENTURY. (10/23)

RUSSIA / POLITICS -- RUSSIA'S POLITICAL PARTIES ARE GEARING UP FOR DECEMBER'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. FORTY-THREE GROUPS HAVE SUBMITTED THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO RUN. CORRESPONDENT ELIZABETH ARROTT IN MOSCOW REPORTED ANALYSTS PREDICT THE ELECTIONS WILL GIVE A CRUCIAL PICTURE OF THE SITUATION IN RUSSIA PRIOR TO NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. (10/23)

RUSSIA / NAVY -- FOUR YEARS AFTER THE END OF THE SOVIET UNION, THE BREAK-UP OF THE SOVIET-ERA MILITARY CONTINUES. CORRESPONDENT ELIZABETH ARROTT IN MOSCOW DETAILED THE LATEST BLOW TO THE CASH-STRAPPED RUSSIAN NAVY. (10/23)

RUSSIA / HELICOPTER FOUND -- SEARCHERS HAVE RESCUED TEN SURVIVORS FROM THE WRECKAGE OF A RUSSIAN MILITARY HELICOPTER THAT CRASHED ON A REMOTE ISLAND INSIDE THE ARCTIC CIRCLE. SIX OTHERS ABOARD THE CRAFT WERE KILLED, AND TWO ARE STILL MISSING. STRINGER PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS FROM MOSCOW. (10/21)

SWISS VOTE -- RESULTS FROM SUNDAY'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN SWITZERLAND SHOW GAINS FOR BOTH SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS OF MEMBERSHIP IN THE EUROPEAN UNION. THE ISSUE DOMINATED THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN. CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS IN GENEVA SAYS THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT IT IS CONTINUING TO POLARIZE THE ELECTORATE. (10/22)

GERMANY / POL -- LEADERS OF GERMANY'S FLOUNDERING SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAVE BEEN MEETING IN BONN, TO ANALYZE THEIR POOR SHOWING IN SUNDAY'S BERLIN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION. AS BONN CORRESPONDENT KYLE KING REPORTS, PARTY LEADERS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MONTHS OF HIGH-LEVEL BICKERING HELPED PRODUCE ONE OF THE PARTY'S WORST ELECTION RESULTS SINCE WORLD WAR II. (10/23)

CLINTON / CZECH / SLOVAK / PRESIDENTS -- PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS JOINED CZECH PRESIDENT VACLAV HAVEL AND SLOVAK PRESIDENT MICHAL KOVAC IN CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA (SATURDAY), TO DEDICATE THE NATIONAL CZECH AND SLOVAK MUSEUM AND LIBRARY. THE THREE LEADERS TOURED THE INSTITUTION, HELD PRIVATE TALKS, AND ADDRESSED A CROWD OF IOWANS, INCLUDING CZECH-AMERICANS AND SLOVAK-AMERICANS. THE CEDAR RAPIDS STOP IS THE FINAL ONE OF MR CLINTON'S BRIEF MIDWEST TRIP. CORRESPONDENT ERIN BRUMMETT REPORTS. (10/21)

ISRAEL / WEST BANK -- PALESTINIANS IN THE WEST BANK TOWN OF JENIN WERE PLANNING CELEBRATIONS FOR AN EXPECTED ISRAELI-TROOP WITHDRAWAL ON WEDNESDAY. BUT CORRESPONDENT AL PESSIN REPORTS FROM JERUSALEM, ISRAELI OFFICIALS SAY THE TROOPS WILL STAY A WHILE LONGER AND WEDNESDAY WILL BE ONLY THE START OF A THREE-WEEK PROCESS. (10/23)

ISRAEL / INTEL -- ISRAEL HAS SIGNED A DEAL WITH THE COMPUTER COMPANY INTEL FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A LARGE FACTORY AND A JOINT ONE-POINT-SIX-BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT. CORRESPONDENT AL PESSIN REPORTS FROM JERUSALEM. (10/20)

WEST BANK / PALESTINIANS -- IN THE WEST BANK, PREPARATIONS ARE NEARLY COMPLETE FOR ISRAEL'S WITHDRAWAL WEDNESDAY FROM THE SMALL CITY OF JENIN, THE FIRST STEP IN THE EXPANSION OF PALESTINIAN AUTONOMY PROVIDED FOR IN THE LATEST PEACE AGREEMENT. CORRESPONDENT AL PESSIN VISITED JENIN FOR THIS ADVANCE LOOK. (10/20)

SAUDI / BOMB -- SAUDI OFFICIALS SAY AN EXPLOSION IN A MOSQUE IN THE KINGDOM FRIDAY WAS THE WORK OF A SINGLE MAN AND THAT HIS ACTION WAS NOT POLITICALLY MOTIVATED. STRINGER PEYMAN PEJMAN HAS MORE ON THE STORY FROM CAIRO. (10/21)

IRAQ REFORMS -- IRAQI LEADER SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS INCREASED RATIONS OF BASIC FOODSTUFFS AS A GESTURE OF THANKS AFTER LAST WEEK'S REFERENDUM GAVE HIM MORE THAN 99% SUPPORT FOR ANOTHER SEVEN YEARS IN POWER. CAIRO CORRESPONDENT LAURI KASSMAN REPORTS THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT ALSO ANNOUNCED IT WOULD HOLD PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS, BUT NO DATE WAS SET. (10/23)

IVORY COAST ELECTION -- PROVISIONAL RESULTS FROM SUNDAY'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN IVORY COAST SHOW INCUMBENT PRESIDENT HENRI KONAN BEDIE HAS AN OVERWHELMING LEAD AGAINST CHALLENGER FRANCIS WODIE. CORRESPONDENT PURNELL MURDOCK REPORTS FROM ABIDJAN. (10/23)

IVORY COAST / ELECTION -- VOTERS IN IVORY COAST HAVE CAST THEIR BALLOTS IN THE COUNTRY'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AMID DISRUPTIONS AND VOTING IRREGULARITIES. AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE WERE REPORTED KILLED AND THREE INJURED IN THE NORTH OF THE COUNTRY. CORRESPONDENT PURNELL MURDOCK REPORTS FROM THE IVORIAN COMMERCIAL CAPITAL, ABIDJAN. (10/22)

IVORY COAST / ELECTIONS -- IVORIAN PRESIDENT HENRI KONAN BEDIE MET WITH OPPOSITION LEADERS SATURDAY IN A LAST-DITCH EFFORT TO DEFUSE THE POLITICAL CRISIS GRIPPING IVORY COAST. MEANWHILE, THE COUNTRY IS BRACING ITSELF AGAINST THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE DURING SUNDAY'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. CORRESPONDENT PURNELL MURDOCK REPORTS FROM ABIDJAN. (10/21)

ZANZIBAR COUNT -- VOTE COUNTING FROM SUNDAY'S MULTI-PARTY ELECTIONS FOR PRESIDENT AND A FIFTY-SEAT PARLIAMENT IN THE INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS OF ZANZIBAR CONTINUED AT A LABORIOUS PACE. EAST AFRICA CORRESPONDENT ALEX BELIDA REPORTS FROM ZANZIBAR TOWN. (10/23)

ZANZIBAR ELECTION -- ZANZIBARIS GO TO THE POLLS SUNDAY TO ELECT A PRESIDENT AND PARLIAMENT, ONE WEEK AHEAD OF VOTING ACROSS THE TANZANIAN MAINLAND FOR A PRESIDENT AND PARLIAMENT FOR THEIR UNITED REPUBLIC. EAST AFRICA CORRESPONDENT ALEX BELIDA IS IN ZANZIBAR TOWN FOR THESE FIRST MULTI-PARTY ELECTIONS IN TANZANIA'S POST-INDEPENDENCE HISTORY. HE HAS THIS ELECTION EVE REPORT. (10/21)

ZAMBIA / KAUNDA -- FORMER ZAMBIAN PRESIDENT KENNETH KAUNDA HAS PLEDGED THAT GOVERNMENT THREATS TO DEPORT HIM WILL NOT DETER HIM FROM CONTINUING A POLITICAL COMEBACK AIMED AT RECAPTURING THE PRESIDENCY IN ELECTIONS NEXT YEAR. HE SPOKE BY PHONE FROM THE ZAMBIAN CAPITAL TO STRINGER LAWRENCE BARTLETT IN HARARE. (10/20)

SAF NUKES -- A BOOK BEING PUBLISHED TODAY SAYS SOUTH AFRICA LIED ABOUT ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND NEVER DESTROYED ALL ITS NUCLEAR DEVICES. CORRESPONDENT MALLORY SALESON REPORTS FROM JOHANNESBURG THE CLAIMS HAVE PROMPTED IMMEDIATE AND UNQUALIFIED REJECTION. (10/20)

SAF ELECTIONS -- SOUTH AFRICA'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS ARE NOW JUST MORE THAN A WEEK AWAY. CORRESPONDENT MALLORY SALESON IN JOHANNESBURG REPORTED FEWER PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO VOTE THAN IN THE NATIONAL ELECTIONS LAST YEAR. (10/23)

BRITAIN / CAMEROON -- CAMEROON IS THE LATEST COUNTRY TO JOIN THE COMMONWEALTH, BUT, A BRITISH HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION, 'ARTICLE 19' QUESTIONS WHETHER CAMEROON'S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD WARRANTS MEMBERSHIP IN THE ORGANIZATION. CORRESPONDENT ANDRE DE NESNERA SPOKE WITH ARTICLE 19'S CATHERINE DRUCKER ABOUT CAMEROON, AND REPORTS FROM LONDON. (10/23)

LOGGING -- CAMBODIA MAY BE ONE OF THE POOREST COUNTRIES IN THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN REGION, BUT IT STILL HAS RESERVES OF RAINFOREST TIMBER WHICH ARE A TARGET FOR REGIONAL LOGGING COMPANIES, WHOSE HOME SUPPLIES HAVE DRIED UP. STRINGER PATRICIA FITZGERALD REPORTS. (10/20)

HONG KONG / CHINA RIGHTS -- A NEW DISPUTE HAS ARISEN IN HONG KONG CONCERNING THE TERRITORY'S 1997 REVERSION TO CHINESE RULE. IT FOLLOWS A RECOMMENDATION BY A COMMITTEE ADVISING CHINA THAT HONG KONG'S BILL OF RIGHTS BE WEAKENED, SO THAT OTHER LAWS CAN SUPERSEDE IT. IN THIS BACKGROUND REPORT FROM THE BRITISH COLONY, CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON LOOKS AT THE CONCERNS THE ISSUE IS RAISING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE TERRITORY. (10/20)

ONLY IN CHINA -- CHINESE FIREFIGHTERS PUT OUT A FIRE THIS WEEK, IT HAD BEEN BURNING FOR A HUNDRED YEARS. IN SHANGHAI DEVELOPERS PLAN TO BUILD A ULTRAMAN AMUSEMENT PARK, THE FIRST OUTSIDE JAPAN, BUT ANOTHER PARK IS BEING BUILT DEDICATED TO MAO ZEDONG'S HISTORIC 1930'S "LONG MARCH" THAT SAVED THE COMMUNIST ARMY FROM EXTINCTION. AND A FARMER IN SOUTHEASTERN CHINA HAS BEEN GIVEN A SUSPENDED JAIL SENTENCE FOR KILLING A SNAKE. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE ITEMS IN THIS EDITION OF BEIJING CORRESPONDENT GIL BUTLER'S SERIES CALLED "ONLY IN CHINA." (10/20)

SOUTH PACIFIC / NUCLEAR FREE ZONE -- THE UNITED STATES, BRITAIN AND FRANCE HAVE AGREED TO RECOGNIZE A NUCLEAR FREE ZONE IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC. CORRESPONDENT RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS TIMED FOR THE END OF FRENCH NUCLEAR TESTING IN THE AREA. (10/20)

CHILE / GENERAL -- IN CHILE, A FORMER GENERAL CONVICTED OF SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE TODAY BEGAN A SEVEN-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE, FIVE MONTHS AFTER HIS CONVICTION WAS UPHELD BY THE SUPREME COURT. GENERAL MANUEL CONTRERAS INITIALLY REFUSED TO COMPLY WITH THE VERDICT AND TOOK REFUGE IN A NAVAL BASE. HE WAS FINALLY TRANSPORTED TO PRISON IN A MILITARY HELICOPTER LAST NIGHT. FROM SANTIAGO, STRINGER REBECCA CARR REPORTS. (10/21)

GUATEMALA / FUNERAL -- THE REMAINS OF A FORMER PRESIDENT OF GUATEMALA WERE LAID TO REST WITH FULL HONORS FRIDAY, FORTY ONE YEARS AFTER HE FLED HIS COUNTRY INTO EXILE. CORRESPONDENT BILL RODGERS REPORTS THE FUNERAL CEREMONY CLOSES A PAINFUL CHAPTER IN GUATEMALAN HISTORY. (10/20)

NICARAGUA / VICE-PRESIDENT -- LEGISLATOR JULIA MENA HAS BEEN CHOSEN AS VICE-PRESIDENT OF NICARAGUA. HER SELECTION MEANS THAT THE COUNTRY'S TOP TWO JOBS ARE NOW HELD BY WOMEN. STRINGER DAN TROTTA REPORTS FROM MANAGUA. (10/22)

HONDURAN / MILITARY -- IN HONDURAS, THE CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE MILITARY ARE INVOLVED IN A LEGAL TUG-OF-WAR OVER THE TRIAL OF TEN MILITARY OFFICERS ACCUSED OF KIDNAPPING AND TORTURE. STRINGER BAIRD STRAUGHAN REPORTS FROM TEGUCIGALPA. (10/20)

PERRY / MEXICO -- US DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM PERRY FLIES TO MEXICO SUNDAY FOR THREE DAYS OF MEETINGS WITH MEXICAN DEFENSE MINISTER ENRIQUE CERVANTES AND OTHER HIGH-RANKING OFFICIALS. IT IS THE FIRST-EVER VISIT TO MEXICO BY A US DEFENSE CHIEF. CORRESPONDENT DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS. (10/20)

ETHIOPIA / US -- A GROUP OF ETHIOPIANS OPPOSED TO THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT MELES ZENAWI IS CALLING ON PRESIDENT CLINTON TO STAND FIRM AGAINST ALLEGED HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN THEIR COUNTRY WHEN HE MEETS WITH MR MELES IN NEW YORK ON SUNDAY. THEY ARE ALSO URGING MR. CLINTON TO SUPPORT THEIR DEMAND FOR A NEW NATIONAL CONSTITUTION. MEMBERS OF AN ETHIOPIAN OPPOSITION GROUP (THE COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF THE ETHIOPIAN OPPOSITION FORCES) MADE ITS POSITION KNOWN DURING A DEMONSTRATION NEAR THE WHITE HOUSE ON FRIDAY. CORRESPONDENT DEBORAH TATE REPORTS. (10/20)

BALKAN HIGHWAY -- THE PRESIDENTS OF TURKEY, BULGARIA, ALBANIA, AND THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF MACEDONIA MET IN NEW YORK SUNDAY TO FIRM UP PLANS FOR A SUPERHIGHWAY IN THE BALKANS. THE LEADERS ARE IN THE UNITED STATES TO ATTEND THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS. CORRESPONDENT ELAINE JOHANSON REPORTS. (10/22)

EUROPE / SPACE -- MINISTERS FROM THE COUNTRIES IN THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY HAVE AGREED THAT EUROPE SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION THAT IS DUE TO COME INTO BEING IN TWO YEARS' TIME. STRINGER JULIAN NUNDY REPORTS FROM PARIS. (10/20)

GALILEO SPACECRAFT MALFUNCTION -- US SPACE AGENCY ENGINEERS ARE TRANSMITTING A SERIES OF COMMANDS TO THE GALILEO SPACECRAFT BOUND FOR JUPITER TO ASSESS THE STATE OF A BALKY TAPE RECORDER WHICH IS FAILING TO RETURN IMAGES TO EARTH. CORRESPONDENT DAVID MCALARY REPORTS THAT THE OUTCOME WILL NOT BE KNOWN UNTIL EARLY NEXT WEEK. (10/20)

CLINTON / OHIO STATE UNIV -- PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS RENEWED HIS THREAT TO VETO THE REPUBLICAN MEDICARE REFORM PLAN, CALLING IT AN ATTEMPT TO MORTGAGE THE FUTURE OF AMERICA'S YOUTH. THE PRESIDENT TOOK HIS CRITICISM OF THE REPUBLICAN INITIATIVE TO THE CAMPUS OF OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY IN COLUMBUS, WHERE HE URGED STUDENTS TO HELP HIM CLAIM THEIR FUTURE. THE ADDRESS IS PART OF MR. CLINTON'S VISIT TO OHIO AND IOWA TO DISCUSS MIDWEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND MEET WITH DEMOCRATIC LEADERS. CORRESPONDENT ERIN BRUMMETT REPORTS. (10/20)

WILL POWELL RUN? -- SPECULATION IS MOUNTING ABOUT WHETHER THE RETIRED CHAIRMAN OF THE US JOINT CHIEFS, GENERAL COLIN POWELL, WILL MAKE A RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY NEXT YEAR. GENERAL POWELL IS EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE HIS DECISION SOON AND POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE REPORTS SOME POLITICAL ANALYSTS BELIEVE GENERAL POWELL IS LEANING TOWARD JOINING THE ALREADY CROWDED REPUBLICAN FIELD. (10/23)

TURNER / TIME-WARNER / FTC -- A PROPOSED MERGER IN THE MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT FIELD BETWEEN TIME-WARNER INCORPORATED AND TURNER BROADCASTING SYSTEM SOON WILL BE REVIEWED BY THE US FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION, OR FTC, ON ANTI-TRUST GROUNDS. REPORTER ANDREW BAIRD SAID THE MERGER COULD FACE BIG HURDLES IN THE QUEST FOR APPROVAL. (10/23)

US BUDGET -- AS THE US CONGRESS PREPARES TO VOTE THIS WEEK ON A REPUBLICAN SPENDING PLAN THAT REDEFINES THE SHAPE OF GOVERNMENT, THE WHITE HOUSE AGAIN IS THREATENING TO REJECT IT. VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS HOWEVER, BOTH SIDES PROFESS A WILLINGNESS TO NEGOTIATE TO TRY TO AVOID A GOVERNMENT DEFAULT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY. (10/22)

AFL / CIO ELECTIONS -- AMERICA'S BIG LABOR FEDERATION, THE AFL/CIO, WILL ELECT A NEW LEADER AT A BIENNIAL CONFERENCE IN NEW YORK CITY NEXT WEEK. CORRESPONDENT LINDA CASHDAN REPORTS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 100 YEARS, THERE IS COMPETITION FOR THE FEDERATION PRESIDENCY. (10/20)

WALL STREET PREVIEW -- WITH ONLY SEVEN TRADING DAYS LEFT IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, FEARS OF A MAJOR STOCK MARKET CORRECTION APPEAR TO BE RECEDING ON WALL STREET. CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS. (10/20)

US / CONSTITUTION -- CURRENT AFFAIRS' FRANK RONALDS EXAMINES THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CHANGES BROUGHT ABOUT BY AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND BY SUPREME COURT DECISIONS APPLYING ITS PRINCIPLES TO CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES. THE PRIMARY TOPIC IS THE ISSUE OF SLAVERY, CIVIL RIGHTS AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, THE LATTER DESCRIBED AS BEING VERY CONTROVERSIAL. (10/13)

JAMES BAKER / DIPLOMATIC HINDSIGHT -- FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE JAMES BAKER COMMENTS ON THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S HANDLING OF THE BOSNIA ISSUE AND ALSO EXPRESSES HIS VIEWS ON THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS, FOREIGN AID REDUCTIONS AND THE US SECURITY PRESENCE IN JAPAN. CURRENT AFFAIRS' STEPHANIE MANN REPORTS. (10/13)

MEDICARE / CRISIS? -- THE NEWS HAS BEEN FULL OF BANNER HEADLINES OUTLINING THE PARTISAN FIGHT OVER CURRENT AND FUTURE MEDICARE FUNDING. CURRENT AFFAIRS' ADAM PHILLIPS TALKS WITH JONATHAN JAVITT MD, A PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY SPECIALIST AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY ABOUT THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE MEDICARE PROGRAM, ITS HISTORY, THE REASONS FOR ITS CURRENT CRISIS, AND HOW MEDICARE CONTRASTS WITH OTHER NATIONAL HEALTH CARE APPROACHES. (10/13)

ACROSS AMERICA / READING TERMINAL MARKET VISIT -- CURRENT AFFAIRS' TED LANDPHAIR DESCRIBES A GREAT GUSTATORY OASIS THAT'S LOCATED IN AN UNLIKELY PLACE, BENEATH WHAT FOR 90 YEARS WAS PHILADELPHIA'S BIG COMMUTER RAILROAD STATION. THE READING TERMINAL MARKET WAS A FIXTURE FOR COMMUTING SHOPPERS, AND STILL IS A RICH ETHNIC BAZAAR OF GREAT EDIBLES. (10/13)

INSIDE USA:

THE UN AT 50 / LOOKING BACK -- STAFFER AMIN FEKRAT REVIEWS THE GENESIS AND THE EVOLUTION OF THE UNITED NATIONS AS IT APPROACHES ITS 50TH BIRTHDAY TUESDAY. (10/13)

UN / 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS -- SPEECHES BY PRESIDENT CLINTON AND PRESIDENT YELTSIN AT THE COMMEMORATIVE MEETING OF THE UNGA ON THE OCCASION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UN WERE BROADCAST (PRESIDENT CLINTON'S SPEECH WAS TRANSLATED INTO RUSSIAN BY AN OFFICIAL UN INTERPRETER). (RUSSIAN 10/22)

UN / 50TH ANNIVERSARY -- PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON BEGAN THE ROUND OF SPEECHES BY HEADS OF STATE TO COMMEMORATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS. PRESIDENT CLINTON'S SPEECH WAS FED LIVE WITH SIMULTANEOUS SPANISH TRANSLATION VIA SATELLITE. ALSO, SPEECHES BY PRESIDENTS OR VICE PRESIDENTS OF CUBA, URUGUAY, BOLIVIA, ECUADOR WERE FED VIA SATELLITE. (SPANISH 10/22)

UN / CLINTON -- STAFFER BULUT MIHMANDARLI REPORTS ON PRESIDENT CLINTON'S SPEECH AND THE CEREMONIES AT THE UN. (AZERI 10/22)

AZERBAIJAN / UN -- STAFFER BULUT MIHMANDARLI INTERVIEWED VAFA QULIZADEH, THE ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT ALIEV, ON THE TRIP OF THE AZERI PRESIDENT TO NEW YORK AND HIS FORTHCOMING MEETING WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON. (AZERI 10/22)

CLINTON / UN -- DIMITRY SIMES, PRESIDENT OF THE NIXON CENTER FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM, VLADIMIR NADEIN, WASHINGTON DC IZVESTIYA BUREAU CHIEF, PROFESSOR THOMAS REMINGTON OF EMORY UNIVERSITY AND STAFFER VLADIMIR MATLIN ANALYZED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PRESIDENT CLINTON'S UN SPEECH, IN WHICH PRESIDENT CLINTON CALLED FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TO FIGHT TERRORISM. (RUSSIAN 10/22)

YELTSIN / UN SPEECH -- ROUNDTABLE ANALYSIS OF PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S SPEECH, IN WHICH HE EMPHASIZED THAT RUSSIA OBJECTS TO NATO UNILATERAL INITIATIVES ON BOSNIA AND NATO EXPANSION, WITH VLADIMIR NADEIN, WASHINGTON DC BUREAU CHIEF, ARIEL COHEN OF THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION AND STAFFER VLADIMIR MATLIN. (RUSSIAN 10/22)

CLINTON / YELTSIN SPEECHES / REACTION -- COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR ROBERT LEGVOLD TOLD STAFFER ALEC BATCHAN THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON'S SPEECH AT THE UN WAS A BALANCED ONE, BUT THAT HE DID NOT SUFFICIENTLY CONVINCE CONGRESS OF THE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PUMP MORE US AID TO THE UN IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CRIME AND TERRORISM. PROFESSOR LEGVOLD FELT THAT PRESIDENT YELTSIN PUT ACROSS HIS POINT WELL ON RUSSIAN DISSATISFACTION WITH THE NATO QUESTION, IN PARTICULAR, NATO EXPANSION AND NATO UNILATERAL ACTIONS WITH REGARD TO BOSNIA. (RUSSIAN 10/22)

YELTSIN SPEECH / REACTION -- FORMER AMBASSADOR TO THE SOVIET UNION JACK MATLOCK, NOW WITH COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SAID THAT PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S SPEECH EMPHASIZING HIS DISSATISFACTION WITH NATO WAS MORE FOR INTERNAL CONSUMPTION, AND IGNORED THE IMPORTANCE OF COOPERATION WITH THE UN. HE DID SAY THAT PRESIDENT YELTSIN WAS QUITE EMPHATIC AND FORCEFUL IN MAKING HIS POINT. (RUSSIAN 10/22)

NOBEL / ROBERT LUCAS -- DUKE UNIVERSITY ECONOMICS PROFESSOR VLADIMIR TREML TALKS ABOUT THE WORK OF NOBEL PRIZE WINNER, ECONOMIST ROBERT LUCAS, FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO. (RUSSIAN 10/22)

LABOR UNIONS -- STRINGER CONSTANTINE SIMIS TALKS ABOUT THE NEW JOB TRAINING BILL, PASSED BY CONGRESS. (RUSSIAN 10/21)

RUSSIAN JOURNALISTS / INTERNET -- DR. ROBERT MANOFF, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR NEWS MEDIA AT NYU TALKS TO STAFFER ALEC BATCHAN ABOUT THE CENTER'S WORKSHOP FOR RUSSIAN JOURNALISTS ON THE INTERNET AND ON-LINE USE. (RUSSIAN 10/20)

URBAN CULTURE / HALL OF FAME -- STAFFER ALEC BATCHAN INTERVIEWS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK CENTER FOR URBAN CULTURE STEVE ZEITLIN AND NY AVANT GARDE COMPOSER LIZ SWADOS ON THE NY CENTER'S HALL OF FAME. (RUSSIAN 10/21)

JIANG / CLINTON SUMMIT -- STAFFER YANG GUANG COVERS A BRIEFING BY KENT WIEDMAN, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC AFFAIRS. WIEDMAN SAID PRESIDENT CLINTON WILL EMPHASIZE THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE US-CHINA RELATIONS IN HIS SUMMIT MEETING WITH CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN IN NEW YORK, BUT CLINTON WILL ALSO DISCUSS HUMAN RIGHTS, TRADE AND NON-PROLIFERATION ISSUES. KENT WIEDMAN SAID THAT THE SUMMIT WILL BE ANOTHER STEP IN THE CONSOLIDATION OF BILATERAL RELATIONS. (MANDARIN 10/20)

EYE AILMENTS -- CORRESPONDENT DAVID BORGIDA JOINS 'TALK TO AMERICA' AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR WITH BREAKING NEWS ON TODAY'S SUMMIT MEETING WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN AND PRESIDENT CLINTON. AS TALK TO AMERICA RETURNS TO IT'S SCHEDULED PROGRAM, OPHTHALMOLOGIST, DR. WALTER STARK JOINS THE HOSTS TO DISCUSS ADVANCES IN TREATMENT OF COMMON EYE DISORDERS, AND TALKS TO LISTENERS WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT EYE CARE AND VISION PROBLEMS. (ENGLISH 10/23)

CAN THE AMERICAN IDEAL SURVIVE INTO THE 21ST CENTURY? -- POLISH ESSAYIST AND CRITIC KRZYSZTOF KLOPOTOWSKI TALKED WITH STAFFER WITOLD SULKOWSKI ON THE MEANING OF THE AMERICAN IDEAL THROUGH HISTORY AND ITS PRESENT PERMUTATIONS. MR KLOPOTOWSKI HOLDS THAT THE OLD AMERICAN IDEALS, SUCH AS INDIVIDUALISM AND SELF-RELIANCE, ARE GRADUALLY ERODED OR REPLACED WITH CONTENDING IDEALS OF MULTICULTURALISM AND GROUP SOLIDARITY. (POLISH 10/20)

POLISH AMERICAN EXCHANGE -- POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER WLADYSLAW BARTOSZEWSKI PARTICIPATED IN THE INAUGURATION OF A NEW FULBRIGHT PROGRAM FOR POLISH SCHOLARS IN WARSAW. HE SPOKE TO CORRESPONDENT WOJCIECH MINICZ ABOUT THE NEW AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH THE FULBRIGHT FOUNDATION AND THE CONTINUED NEED FOR THIS AND OTHER EXCHANGE PROGRAMS. (POLISH 10/20)

PAKISTAN / BROWN -- SENATOR HANK BROWN (R COLO) WAS HONORED AT A DINNER BY THE PAKISTAN CHAPTER OF CHINA AMERICA FOUNDATION FOR HIS WORK TO PROMOTE BETTER RELATIONS BETWEEN US AND PAKISTAN. IN HIS ADDRESS SENATOR BROWN SPOKE OF HIS AMENDMENT WHICH COULD RELEASE BLOCKED MILITARY HARDWARE TO PAKISTAN. HE SAID THAT THE SENATE-HOUSE CONFERENCE IS TO VOTE ON THE FOREIGN OPERATIONS BILL NEXT WEEK. STAFFER AKMAL ALEEMI REPORTS. (URDU 10/20)

INSIDE AFRICA:

UN / AFRICA -- AS THE UNITED NATIONS CELEBRATES ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY WORLD LEADERS ARE IN NEW YORK TO TAKE PART IN THE CEREMONIES. REPORTER JOE DECAPUA REPORTS FROM SOME OF THE AFRICAN LEADERS WHO ADDRESSED THE SESSION. AMONG THEM: UGANDAN PRESIDENT YOWERI MUSEVENI, BOTSWANAN PRESIDENT KETUMILE MASIRE, SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA, AND SIERRA LEONE'S MILITARY RULER, CAPTAIN VALENTINE STRASSER. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/23)

ZANZIBAR / POLITICS -- REPORTER ABDUSHAKUR ABOUD DISCUSSES ZANZIBAR'S FIRST MULTI-PARTY ELECTIONS WITH DR. HAROUB OTHMAN, A PROFESSOR OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AT TANZANIA'S DAR-ES-SALAM UNIVERSITY. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/22)

MALAWI / BANDA TRIAL -- A STATE WITNESS MAKES STARTLING REVELATIONS AT THE ON-GOING TRIAL OF FORMER PRESIDENT KAMUZU BANDA IN BLANTYRE. REPORTER JULIUS KALIYA HAS DETAILS FROM BLANTYRE. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/22)

MULUZI / KAUNDA -- MALAWI'S PRESIDENT BAKILI MULUZI RESPONDS TO EFFORTS BY THE ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT TO DEPORT FORMER PRESIDENT KENNETH KAUNDA BECAUSE HIS PARENTS WERE BORN IN MALAWI. AT A WASHINGTON NEWS CONFERENCE, REPORTER SCOTT STEARNS ASKED PRESIDENT MULUZI ABOUT THE SITUATION. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/20)

SOUTHERN AFRICA / DROUGHT -- THE WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE SAYS GLOBAL WARMING IS GOING TO INCREASE DROUGHTS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA. REPORTER RODRICK MURRAY SPOKE WITH RICHARD MOTT, THE WWF VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/24)

SUDAN / LOCUST -- SWARMS OF LOCUST ARE MOVING FROM SUDAN AND ERITREA TO YEMEN. REPORTER RODRICK MURRAY TALKED TO UNITED NATIONS FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANZATION LOCUST FORECAST OFFICER KEITH CRESSMAN. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/20)

UN / BOUTROS-GHALI SPEECH -- IN A SPEECH TO HEADS OF STATE FROM AROUND THE WORLD, UN SECRETARY GENERAL BOUTROS BOUTROS-GHALI SAYS PEOPLE SHOULD CONSIDER THE UNITED NATIONS AS THE ONLY TRUE UNIVERSAL ORGANIZATION IN HUMANITY'S HISTORY. REPORTER RODRICK MURRAY HAS DETAILS. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/24)

NIGERIA / JOURNALISTS PROTEST -- NIGERIAN JOURNALISTS ARE PROTESTING PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE COUNTRY'S PRESS LAWS. THEY SAY THE AMENDMENTS WILL RESTRICT CRITICISM OF THE GOVERNMENT. REPORTER CHINEDU OFFOR HAS DETAILS FROM LAGOS. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/23)

SUDAN CONFLICT / BACKGROUNDER -- AMHARIC SERVICE CHIEF NEGUSSIE MENGESHA WHO WAS IN SUDAN LAST WEEK INTERVIEWED A NUMBER OF SUDANESE OFFICIALS ON KHARTOUM'S POLICY REGARDING SOUTHERN SUDAN, ISLAMIC LAW AND THE COUNTRY'S RELATIONS WITH ITS NEIGHBORS. NEGUSSIE INTERVIEWED THE STATE MINISTER IN CHARGE OF SOUTHERN SUDAN. (AMHARIC 10/23)

UN / ANNIVERSARY -- THE CELEBRATIONS OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE UNITED NATIONS IS REPORTED FROM NEW YORK BY STAFFER MIMI SEBHATU. MIMI ALSO COVERED THE VARIOUS PROTESTS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES WHICH WERE TAKING PLACE AT DAG HAMMARSJOLD PLAZA IN NEW YORK. FROM WASHINGTON, FOUR BUSLOADS OF PROTESTERS AGAINST THE ETHIOPIAN REGIME WERE JOINED BY OTHER PROTESTERS WHO CAME FROM OTHER CITIES INCLUDING BOSTON, TORONTO AND NEW YORK. MIMI REPORTS ON BOTH EVENTS. (AMHARIC 10/23)

ETHIOPIAN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP / SWISS -- THE SWISS EMBASSY IN ETHIOPIA SAYS IT DID NOT DEMAND THE RETURN OF THE MONEY IT DONATED TO THE ETHIOPIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL FOR PUBLISHING A BOOK. THE COUNCIL RETURNED THE DONATION LAST WEEK TO THE EMBASSY AFTER THE IT COMPLAINED THAT THE BOOK DID NOT REFLECT THE EMBASSY'S WISHES. STRINGER TAFESSE KIFLE REPORTS. (AMHARIC 10/23)

UN / SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE SESSION -- A SPECIAL THREE-DAY UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION IS BEING HELD IN NEW YORK TO CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS. MORE THAN 170 WORLD LEADERS, HEADS OF STATE, ROYALTY AND MINISTERS ARE PRESENT AND WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO ADDRESS THE WORLD BODY. UN SECRETARY GENERAL BOUTROS BOUTROS-GHALI TOLD THE MEMBERS THE UN FINANCIAL CRISIS NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED AS SOME THREE BILLION DOLLARS IS OWED TO THE ORGANIZATION. AMADOU MOKHTAR GUEYE OF UN RADIO DESCRIBED THE EVENTS. (FRENCH 10/23)

CARTER / CENTRAL AFRICA -- SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN INSTITUTE IN NEW YORK, FORMER US PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER, ALONG WITH ZAIREAN PRESIDENT MOBUTU AND UGANDAN PRESIDENT MUSEVENI ANNOUNCED A REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON CENTRAL AFRICA WILL BE HELD IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE CONFERENCE WILL FOCUS ON WAYS TO BRING LASTING PEACE AND STABILITY TO THE REGION. REPORT BY FRENCH TO AFRICA INTERN GAEDIG BONABESSE. (FRENCH 10/23)

IVORY COAST / ELECTIONS -- IVORIAN OPPOSITION LEADER LAURENT GBAGBO TOLD STAFFER ROGER-GUY FOLLY THE OPPOSITION IS DETERMINED TO DERAIL SUNDAY'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND PREDICTED MORE VIOLENCE. STRINGER MOHAMED ELBOU REPORTS FROM YAMOUSSOUKRO WHERE IVORIAN PRESIDENT KONAN BEDIE WAS SPEAKING ON THE LAST DAY OF HIS ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN. HE CALLED FOR CALM AND URGED EVERY IVORIAN TO GO TO THE POLLS SUNDAY WITHOUT FEAR. (FRENCH 10/20)

GABON / MINISTERS -- STAFFER MAIMOUNA MILLS INTERVIEWED ZACHARIE MYBOTO, GABONESE MINISTER OF EQUIPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION WHO IS IN WASHINGTON WITH A DELEGATION OF OTHER GABONESE MINISTERS AND OPPOSITION LEADERS. MR. MYBOTO SAID THE DELEGATION IS MEETING WITH WHITE HOUSE AND STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS AND EXPLAINED THE GOALS OF THIS VISIT. (FRENCH 10/20)

ANGOLA / NEGOTIATIONS -- THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF UNITA GENERAL PAOLO LUKAMBA GATO TOLD STAFFER IDRISSA FALL TALKS BETWEEN THE ANGOLAN GOVERNMENT AND UNITA LEADERS ON THE FUTURE TRAINING OF THE ANGOLAN ARMED FORCES ARE CONTINUING. HE DENIED REPORTS THAT THE TALKS HAD BEEN SUSPENDED. (FRENCH 10/20)

AFRICARE DINNER -- IN A DIALOGUE WITH STAFFER CLAUDE PORSELLA, STAFFER MAIMOUNA MILLS REPORTED ON THE 1995 AFRICARE BISHOP JOHN T. WALKER MEMORIAL DINNER THAT SHE ATTENDED. SIX AFRICAN HEADS OF STATE, INCLUDING THE PRESIDENTS OF RWANDA AND THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC WERE PRESENT AT THIS DINNER WHOSE THEME WAS CELEBRATION OF DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA. PRESIDENT CLINTON MADE A SHORT APPEARANCE DURING THE PRE-DINNER RECEPTION. (FRENCH 10/20)

AFRICA / WOMEN -- STAFFER MAIMOUNA MILLS INTERVIEWED NDEYE SEYNABOU TALL WADE, PRESIDENT OF THE SENEGALESE WOMEN, CHILDREN, ENVIRONMENT NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION. MS. WADE'S NGO SEEKS TO HELP RURAL WOMEN AND CHILDREN BY PROVIDING EDUCATION AND SERVICES SUCH AS IMMUNIZATION, LITERACY, ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION, TRAINING AND INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES. (FRENCH 10/20)

BENIN / BANKS -- THE LIBERALIZATION AND RESTRUCTURING OF THE BANKING SYSTEM IN BENIN HAS LED TO THE CREATION OF FIVE NEW BANKS. THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BENIN'S BANK OF AFRICA. PAUL DERREUMAUX TOLDSTAFFER JEAN-CLAUDE ANDRE HOW HIS BANK HAS BECOME THE NUMBER-ONE BANK IN BENIN. (FRENCH 10/20)

ZANZIBAR / ELECTIONS -- ELECTIONS IN ZANZIBAR AND PEMBA WENT SMOOTHLY AND CALMLY, DESPITE FEARS THAT VIOLENCE MIGHT ERUPT. ALL CANDIDATES DECLARED THAT THEY WILL ACCEPT THE ELECTION RESULTS TO BE FAIR AS ANNOUNCED BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION. REPORT BY EVEREST MWITUMBA FROM DAR ES SALAAM. (SWAHILI 10/23)

ZANZIBAR / POLLING RESULTS -- STAFFER MWAMOYO HAMZA TALKED TO IDRISSA JECHA, A JOURNALIST WITH RADIO ZANZIBAR WHO STATED THAT EARLY RESULTS ARE IN FROM 18 ELECTORAL DISTRICTS AND THE RACE LOOKS CLOSE. (SWAHILI 10/23)

KENYA / UGANDA CONFLICT -- RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES ARE DETERIORATING. HOWEVER THE UGANDAN AMBASSADOR IN NAIROBI DENIED THAT SOUTH AFRICAN MERCENARIES ARE TRAINING IN UGANDA AS PRESIDENT MOI HAD CLAIMED. REPORT BY M G JOEL IN NAIROBI. (SWAHILI 10/23)

UGANDA / REACTION -- UGANDA INVITED KENYA TO SEND OFFICIALS TO INVESTIGATE THE CLAIMS MADE BY PRESIDENT MOI. UGANDA ALSO SAID THAT THE OFFICIALS WILL BE PERMITTED TO INVESTIGATE IN ANY PART OF THE COUNTRY. REPORT BY STRINGER MICHAEL ARERENG FROM KAMPALA. (SWAHILI 10/23)

UN 50TH ANNIVERSARY -- STAFFER ABDUSHAKUR ABOUD REPORTS ON THE OPENING CEREMONIES AT THE UN, SPECIFICALLY ON THE SPEECHES MADE BY PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO, UN SECRETARY GENERAL BOUTROS BOUTROS GHALI AND TWO AFRICAN HEADS OF STATE, MR. NUJOMA OF NAMBIA AND MR. CHILLUBA OF ZAMBIA. ABDUSHAKUR ABOUD'S REPORT BEGAN WITH THE ACTUALITIES OF THE DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST THE PARTICIPATION OF FIDEL CASTRO OF CUBA AND MOBUTU SESE SEKO OF ZAIRE. MR. ABOUD ALSO REPORTS ON PRESIDENT YOWERI MUSEVENI'S SPEECH. THE REPORT ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE SPEECH OF PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA WHEREBY HE STATED THE UN MUST REASSESS ITS ROLE IN THE WORLD AND RESHAPE ITS STRUCTURE TO PROVIDE EQUALITY IN PARTICIPATION, ESPECIALLY TO THE THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES. (SWAHILI 10/23)

EMERGING DISEASES -- STAFFER ELIZABETH MONNAC REPORTS ON THE PROBLEM OF NEW AND RE-EMERGING DISEASES; THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION HAS RECENTLY ESTABLISHED A NEW DEPARTMENT TO EXAMINE WAYS TO COUNTERACT NEW DISEASES. INTERVIEWED WERE DR. DAVID HEYMAN AND DR. LINDSEY MARTINEZ, RESPECTIVELY CHIEF AND MEMBER OF THE NEW WHO CREATED DIVISION. THEY SPOKE OF ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT INFECTIONS, THE SPREAD OF AIDS, HEPATITIS AND TUBERCULOSIS. (FRENCH 10/20)

RWANDA / FEEDING REFUGEES -- THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM IS GETTING READY TO HELP FEED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF RWANDAN REFUGEES, AFTER THEY RETURN FROM CAMPS IN ZAIRE. REPORTER JOE DECAPUA SPOKE TO RWANDA WFP HEAD TECHESTE ZERGABER, WHO'S IN KIGALI. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/20)

EUROPE / AFRICAN FOOTBALLERS -- AFRICAN PLAYERS ARE MAKING A HUGE IMPRESSION ON EUROPEAN FOOTBALL THIS SEASON. REPORTER BARRY MAUGHAN TAKES A LOOK AT MOST OF THE LEADING AFRICAN PLAYERS THERE THANKS TO THE EXPERT EYE OF FOOT MAGAZINE'S MANAGING EDITOR BRUNO GOVERS. (ENGLISH TO AFRICA 10/23)

INSIDE MIDEAST:

ZEROUAL / CHIRAC -- ALGERIAN PRESIDENT LIAMINE ZEROUAL HAS DECIDED TO CANCEL HIS MEETING WITH FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUE CHIRAC. CORRESPONDENT IBRAHIM ABDIN REPORTED FROM CAIRO, AND STAFFER MOHAMED ATTIA SAAD FROM NEW YORK. (ARABIC 10/22)

UN / 50TH ANNIVERSARY -- PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS URGED WORLD LEADERS TO JOIN IN AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO COMBAT ORGANIZED CRIME, DRUG SMUGGLING, NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION AND TERRORISM. KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN PRAISED THE ISRAELI-JORDANIAN ACCORD, WHILE CHAIRMAN YASSER ARAFAT CALLED ON THE UN TO HELP THE PALESTINIANS IN BUILDING THEIR STATE. STAFFER MOHAMED ATTIA SAAD REPORTS FROM NEW YORK. (ARABIC 10/22)

EGYPT / BROTHERHOOD -- EGYPTIAN SECURITY FORCES ARRESTED SEVEN MORE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD MEMBERS. CORRESPONDENT IBRAHIM ABDIN REPORTS FROM CAIRO. (ARABIC 10/22)

SAUDI ARABIA / BOMBING -- SAUDI ARABIA ANNOUNCED THE IDENTITY OF THOSE SUSPECTED OF BOMBING A CROWDED MOSQUE FRIDAY THAT LEFT SIX PEOPLE DEAD AND MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED INJURED. STAFFER JUMANA TAMIMI REPORTS FROM AMMAN. (ARABIC 10/22)

IRAQ / SANCTIONS -- THE UAE RENEWED ITS CALL FOR LIFTING SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ, BUT KUWAIT REJECTED THE CALL. STRINGER SULEIMAN KHAIRALLAH REPORTS FROM AMMAN. (ARABIC 10/21)

IRAQ / UN -- IRAQI OIL,MINISTER AMER AL-RASHEED SAYS HIS COUNTRY EXPECT TO SETTLE ALL OUTSTANDING ISSUES WITH THE UN IN A FEW WEEKS. STAFFER JUMANA TAMIMI REPORTS. (ARABIC 10/20)

GCC / IRAQ -- DIFFERENCES AMONG GCC COUNTRIES ON A UNIFIED POLICY TOWARD IRAQ WERE DISCUSSED BY D OBEID MARAYATI, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT TOLEDO UNIVERSITY, IN AN INTERVIEW BY STAFFER MOHAMED EL-SETOUHI. (ARABIC 10/20)

YEMEN / ISRAEL / SINGER -- YEMENI NEWSPAPERS HAVE DENOUNCED THEIR GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO HOST AN ISRAELI SINGER OF YEMENI ORIGIN. STAFFER JUMANA TAMIMI REPORTS. (ARABIC 10/20)

ISRAEL / SHIN BET / TORTURE -- STRINGER KHALIL ASSALI IN JERUSALEM TALKS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENTS OF EXPENDING THE AUTHORITY OF ISRAELI SHIN BET POLICE TO USE VIOLENT SHAKING TO EXTRACT INFORMATION FROM TERRORIST SUSPECTS. (ARABIC 10/20)

US / ETHIOPIA / SUDAN -- DR IGLAL RA'FAT, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT CAIRO UNIVERSITY IS INTERVIEWED BY STAFFER AMINA EL-BISHLAWY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE UPCOMING TALKS BETWEEN PRESIDEN CLINTON AND ETHIOPIA'S PRIME MINISTER MELES ZENAWI. (ARABIC 10/20)

US CONGRESS / JERUSALEM -- NAAA ISSUED A STATEMENT IN WASHINGTON OPPOSING US HOUSE AND SENATE ENDORSEMENT TO MOVE THE AMERICAN EMBASSY FROM TEL AVIV TO JERUSALEM. STAFFER MOHAMED EL-SETOUHI INTERVIEWS NAAA PRESIDENT KHALIL ASSALI. (ARABIC 10/20)

LEBANON / HRAWI -- THE LEBANESE PARLIAMENT VOTED TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION TO ALLOW THE EXTENSION OF PRESIDENT HRAWI'S TERM BY THREE YEARS. MOST OF THE PARLIAMENT 128 DEPUTIES VOTED FOR THE CHANGE. STRINGER SULEIMAN KHAIRALLAH REPORTS. (ARABIC 10/20)

KURDS / DUBLIN TALKS -- STAFFER SERBEST MIRAN INTERVIEWS ROBERT DEUTSCH, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF NEAR EASTERN AFFAIRS AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT, A PARTICIPANT AT THE DUBLIN TALKS BETWEEN THE FEUDING POLITICAL PARTIES IN NORTHERN IRAQ, THE KDP AND THE PUK. HE SAID THE TALKS WERE A STEP IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING BOTH SIDES TOGETHER. WE HAVE NO DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH IRAN, SO WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT WENT ON IN THE RECENT TEHRAN MEETING. NEITHER PARTY HAS MADE ANY CONCESSIONS AT THIS TIME. (KURDISH 10/20)

KURDS / NORTHERN IRAQ -- STAFFER IRFAN JAFF TALKED WITH HAMED AL BEYATI, A SHIITE LEADER IN IRAQ. THE SHIITES HAD ALLEGEDLY AGREED WITH THE PUK TO COME TO NORTHERN IRAQ FROM THE SOUTH TO FIGHT SADDAM HUSSEIN, IF NECESSARY. AL BEYATI THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE IF THEY STAYED IN THE SOUTH. THE PUK DID NOT WISH TO COMMENT. (KURDISH 10/21)

KURDS / LITERATURE -- STAFFER OMAR DIZEYEE INTERVIEWED DR. FERYAD F. OMAR, PROFESSOR. OF KURDISH LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND HISTORY AT THE FREE UNIVERSITY OF BERLIN, AND HEAD OF THE KURDISH INSTITUTE IN BERLIN. THE UNIVERSITY HELPS TO PRINT AND PUBLISH KURDISH MATERIALS, INCLUDING A KURDISH-GERMAN DICTIONARY IN THE KURMANJI DIALECT, TO BE FOLLOWED BY OTHER DICTIONARIES. DR. OMAR TRANSLATED THE KURDISH EPIC MEM U ZIN INTO GERMAN. MANY PROFESSORS AT DR. OMAR'S FORMER SCHOOL, SULAIMANIYAH UNIVERSITY IN IRAQ, HAVE LEFT BECAUSE OF THE UNSTABLE POLITICAL SITUATION AND LACK OF BASIC EQUIPMENT, BUT THE UNIVERSITY IS STILL FUNCTIONING. (KURDISH 10/20, 21 & 22)

KURDS / DEMONSTRATIONS -- STAFFER KHALAF ZEBARI INTERVIEWED HUSSAIN OSE, OF THE KURDISH DEMOCRATIC UNION OF KURDS IN SYRIA, ABOUT A DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE THE SYRIAN EMBASSY IN BONN ON OCTOBER 21 TO PROTEST THE IMPRISONMENT OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN SYRIA, TO ENCOURAGE THE RETURN OF SYRIAN CITIZENSHIP TO SYRIAN KURDS WHO WERE STRIPPED OF IT IN 1962, TO PROTEST THE FORCED ARABIZATION OF THE KURDISH JEZIRAH REGION, WHERE 42 NEW VILLAGES HAVE BEEN SET UP ON KURDISH LAND, TO ENCOURAGE THE RECOGNITION OF KURDS AS A SECOND NATIONALITY IN SYRIA, AND THE GUARANTEE OF NATIONAL RIGHTS FOR SYRIAN KURDS. (KURDISH 10/23)

KURDS / DEMONSTRATIONS -- STAFFER KHALAF ZEBARI INTERVIEWED SALAH BEDREDDIN, GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE KURDISH UNION PARTY IN SYRIA (NOW BASED IN GERMANY), ON A THREE-PARTY PROTEST IN BONN, GERMANY TO PROTEST SETTLING PALESTINIAN REFUGEES IN KURDISH AREAS, TO PROTEST RACIST CHAUVINISTIC POLICIES ALLEGEDLY PRACTICED IN KURDISH AREAS. ACCORDING TO BEDREDDIN, TROOPS HAVE BEEN SENT TO SOME KURDISH REGIONS, ARRESTS ARE CONSTANT, AND IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS, KURDS HAVE BEEN KILLED UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. KDP SYRIA IS THE THIRD PARTY THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE DEMONSTRATIONS. (KURDISH 10/23)

KABUL / BOMBING -- A SPOKESMAN OF TALEBAN HAS CONFIRMED THE REPORTS THAT TALEBAN AIRFORCE HAS BOMBED TWO TARGETS IN KABUL YESTERDAY AND TODAY. THE SPOKESMAN WAKIL AHMAD MOTAWAKEL TOLD STRINGER EKRAM SHINWARAI THAT THE TV MOUNTAIN AND A GOVERNMENT MILITARY FACILITY IN QARGHA WERE BOMBED. HE ADMITTED THAT DURING THE BOMBING A HOUSE WAS ACCIDENTALLY HIT AND ADDED THAT CIVILIANS HAD BEEN WARNED TO STAY AWAY FROM THE VICINITY OF MILITARY TARGETS. (PASHTO, DARI 10/23)

AFGHAN / POLITICAL -- THE AFGHAN DELEGATION PRESIDENT BURHANUDDIN RABBANI SENT TO JALALABAD HAS CONFERRED WITH MAWLAWI KHALES, THE LEADER OF HEZBE-ISLAMI, ABOUT THE PEACE PROPOSAL OFFERED BY RABBANI. STRINGER EKRAM SHINWARAI REPORTS THAT THE DETAILS OF THE TALKS OR THE PROPOSAL ARE NOT KNOWN BUT HEZBE-ISLAMI OFFICIALS SAY THAT MAWLAWI KHALES HAS ASKED PRESIDENT RABBANI TO STEP DOWN, ANNOUNCE HIS RESIGNATION, AND TURN POWER EITHER TO A JOINT COMMISSION OR A SELECTED INDIVIDUAL. (PASHTO, DARI 10/23)

UN / ANNIVERSARY -- A FORMER AFGHAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UN, ABDUL HAKIM TABIBI SAYS THE MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT OF THE UN DURING THE PAST 50 YEARS IS ITS HELP AND CONTRIBUTION TOWARD GAINING THE INDEPENDENCE OF A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES FROM COLONIAL POWERS. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH STAFFER AKBAR AYAZI, TABIBI SAID OTHER MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT INCLUDE UN EFFORTS IN IMPROVING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IN THE THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES AND ITS WORK TOWARD IMPROVEMENT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS CONDITIONS AROUND THE WORLD. A MAJOR SETBACK ACCORDING TO TABIBI IS THE YALTA AGREEMENT WHICH GAVE THE POWER OF VETO AND THEREFORE SPECIAL STATUS TO FIVE COUNTRIES. TABIBI PRAISED THE UN FOR SUPPORTING THE AFGHANS AGAINST THE SOVIET INVASION AND BELIEVES THE UN CAN ALSO PLAY AN EFFECTIVE ROLE NOW IN FINDING A SOLUTION TO THE CIVIL WAR IN AFGHANISTAN. (PASHTO 10/22)

AFGHAN / EDUCATION -- FORMER KABUL UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR MOHAMMAD RAHIM ELHAM SAYS THE AFGHAN REFUGEES IN PAKISTAN FACE TWO MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION: THE NUMBER OF AFGHAN REFUGEE SCHOOLS HAS BEEN REDUCED, AND SECONDARY AND HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION IS NOT AVAILABLE AT ALL. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH STAFFER HABIBULLAH TEGEY, ELHAM SAID REFUGEE STUDENTS CAN GO TO PAKISTANI SCHOOLS ONLY IF THEY HAVE CERTIFICATES OF GRADUATION FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EQUIVALENT TO THAT OF PAKISTANI SCHOOLS AND PASS A SPECIAL TEST, THUS MOST OF THEM ARE DEPRIVED OF SECONDARY AND HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION. (PASHTO 10/23)

INSIDE CENTRAL ASIA:

AZERBAIJAN / UN -- PRESIDENT HAYDER ALIEV OF AZERBAIJAN SPOKE AT THE 50TH SESSION OF THE UN. STAFFER BULUT MIHMANDARLI COVERED THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH AND REPORTED ABOUT THE AZERBAIJANI DELEGATION TO THE UN. PRESIDENT ALIEV TALKED ABOUT THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT AND THE NECESSITY OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UN RESOLUTIONS. (AZERI 10/23)

OSCE / UZBEKISTAN -- IN A FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEW WITH STAFFER ABDUL MANAN KAISKEN, WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR DR. PHILIP MICKLIN, WHO IS A WELL KNOWN EXPERT ON WATER MANAGEMENT ISSUES, SAYS THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS OF CENTRAL ASIAN REPUBLICS ARE COLOSSAL AND FOREIGN AID AS WELL AS EXPERTISE ARE NEEDED TO SOLVE THEM. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE OSCE SPONSORED SEMINAR IN WHICH APPROXIMATELY ONE HUNDRED EXPERTS FROM OSCE MEMBER COUNTRIES AND FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS MET IN TASHKENT, AND URGANJ, WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND USEFUL IN EXCHANGING IDEAS. (UZBEK 10/21)

KYRGYZSTAN / ECOLOGY -- PROFESSOR EMIL SHUKUROV, THE HEAD OF THE KYRGYZ ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION "AYLAR", TOLD UZBEK STAFFER RANO HABIB THAT, THE GROUP'S NEARLY FOUR HUNDRED MEMBERS ARE EDUCATING THEIR COUNTRYMEN PEOPLE ABOUT ECOLOGY. (UZBEK 10/21)

INSIDE SOUTH ASIA:

UN ANNIVERSARY / BANGLA PRIME MINISTER -- BANGLADESH PRIME MINISTER,BEGUM KHALEDA ZIA IS IN NEW YORK ATTENDING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS. THE BANGLADESH LEADER, ALONG WITH THE LEADERS OF SRI LANKA, THE NETHERLANDS, MONGOLIA, AND NEPAL ATTENDED A RECEPTION HOSTED BY PRESIDENT CLINTON. AT THE RECEPTION, PRESIDENT CLINTON MET WITH BEGUM ZIA AND THE LEADERS OF THOSE FOUR COUNTRIES SEPARATELY. THE FIRST LADY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, WHO RECENTLY VISITED THESE COUNTRIES, WAS PRESENT AT THE MEETINGS. STAFFER IQBAL BAHAR CHOUDHURY REPORTS FROM THE UNITED NATIONS, IN NEW YORK. (BANGLA 10/22)

INDIAN PM / UN -- INDIAN PRIME MINISTER RAO, WHO IS IN NEW YORK TO ATTEND 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF THE UN, MEETS PRESIDENTS OF RUSSIA, CHINA AND FRANCE. ADDRESSING THE INDIAN COMMUNITY, MR RAO TALKED ABOUT WARMTH IN INDO-US TIES AND GROWING TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. INDIAN FOREIGN SECRETARY SALMAN HAIDER HELD PRESS CONFERENCE ON RAO'S ACTIVITIES OF THE DAY. RAO ADDRRESSES UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY TUESDAY. STRINGER REPORT. (HINDI 10/22)

KARACHI VIOLENCE -- STRINGER QAISER MAHMOOD REPORTS FROM KARACHI THAT AT LEAST FOUR UNIDENTIFIED MEN OPENED FIRE ON A BUILDING HOUSING THE OFFICES OF THE ENGLISH DAILY, THE NEWS. NO ONE WAS HURT BUT PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS EXTENSIVE. (URDU 10/22)

PAKISTAN / POLITICS -- KARACHI JOURNALIST KHALID RANA TOLD STAFFER ANWAR KHAN THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS INVOLVED IN THE KARACHI TURMOIL. BUT HE SAID NEITHER THE GOVERNMENT NOR THE PARTY INVOLVED ARE SINCERE.IN SOLVING EVEN THE BASIC PROBLEMS. (URDU 10/22)

SOLAR ECLIPSE -- SOUTH ASIA IS GETTING READY FOR MONDAY'S TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN. RENOWNED INDIAN ASTROLOGER K N RAO TALKS ABOUT THE POSSIBLE IMPACT OF THE ECLIPSE AS INDIA IS AMONG THE COUNTRIES WHERE POLITICIANS ARE OFTEN CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST SUPERSTITIOUS. STAFFER BHAGWAN PRAKASH REPORTS. (HINDI 10/22)

INDIA / NAM -- INDIAN PRIME MINISTER RAO LASHED OUT AT PAKISTAN'S PRIME MINISTER BENAZIR BHUTTO AFTER SHE RAISED KASHMIR ISSUE AT A SUMMIT OF NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT NATIONS IN COLOMBIA. AS A RULE, BILATERAL ISSUES ARE NOT RAISED IN NAM SUMMITS. INDIAN NEWSPAPERS COVERED RAO SPEECH WIDELY. STRINGER REPORT. (HINDI 10/20)

INSIDE EAST ASIA:

TAIWAN / FRANCE ARMS SALES -- TAIWAN'S MEDIA REVEALED THAT FRANCE AND TAIWAN SIGNED AN ARMS SALES AGREEMENT LAST SEPTEMBER. IT IS CONSIDERED A SIGNIFICANT STEP. BI YUNHAO, EDITOR OF "JIANDUAN"(THE ADVANCED WEAPONRY) JOURNAL TOLD STRINGER ZHANG YONGTAI IN TAIPEI THAT FRANCE IS TRYING TO REPLACE THE US AS THE NUMBER ONE ARMS SUPPLIER IN THE TAIWAN MARKET. BI YUNHAO SAID THE URGENT NEED FOR FRENCH ARMS INDUSTRIES TO INCREASE ITS MARKET SHARE OVERSHADOWS FRANCE'S DESIRE TO MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS WITH BEIJING. (MANDARIN 10/23)

JIANG ZEMIN / US -- SINCE CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN ARRIVED IN THE US, HE HAS APPARENTLY BEEN TRYING TO SHOW GRACE UNDER PRESSURE. HOWEVER, EXPERTS SUGGEST THE PRESSURE OF THE TAIWAN ISSUE MIGHT BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO HANDLE GRACEFULLY. EXPERTS ALSO POINT OUT THAT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHINA AND THE US ON SUCH BASIC VALUES AS HUMAN RIGHTS MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THE TWO COUNTRIES TO DEVELOP CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS. STAFFER QI FENG INTERVIEWS WILLY LAM, SENIOR EDITOR, SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, AND LI YI, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, NINETIES MONTHLY. (MANDARIN 10/23)

US / CHINA RELATIONS -- US STATE DEPARTMENT REJECTED ACCUSATIONS BY CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN THAT WASHINGTON DOUBLE-CROSSED HIM BY ALLOWING LEE TENG-HUI TO VISIT THE US. A STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE US WAS TOTALLY AND CONSISTENTLY DIRECT AND UPRIGHT WITH CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON THIS ISSUE. STAFFER CHIEN WEI INTERVIEWS CHEN YOUWEI, FORMER POLITICAL COUNCILOR, CHINESE EMBASSY, WASHINGTON, AND PROFESSOR JUNE DREYER, MIAMI UNIVERSITY. (MANDARIN 10/20)

SUMMIT / BREAKTHROUGH UNLIKELY -- PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON IN NEW YORK ON TUESDAY IS UNLIKELY TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS, ACCORDING TO OBSERVERS IN HONG KONG. THEY SAY THE TWO SIDES ARE STILL FAR APART ON VITAL ISSUES AND NEITHER SIDE, UNDER DOMESTIC PRESSURE, IS IN A POSITION TO MAKE MAJOR CONCESSIONS. LAWRENCE NG INTERVIEWS TIMOTHY WONG, RESEARCH COORDINATOR, CHINESE UNIVERSITY; OWEN WONG, SENIOR LECTURER, HONG KONG UNIVERSITY.; LAU YUI SIU, COMMENTATOR. (CANTONESE 10/23)

CHINA / YOUNG GENERATION OFFICIALS -- THE RECENT CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY PLENUM CALLED FOR THE PROMOTION OF YOUNG OFFICIALS TO IMPORTANT GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS POSTS. IT IS WIDELY BELIEVED THAT THE AIM OF THE PROMOTION WAS TO SECURE THE COMMUNIST PARTY'S POWER INTO NEXT CENTURY. STRINGER SHI LEI IN HONG KONG INTERVIEWS ZHANG QICHENG, FORMER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, SHANGHAI WENHUI DAILY, GAO JIAN, GENERAL MANAGER OF A GUANGZHOU COMPANY, ZHOU PO, MANAGER OF A SHANGHAI COMPANY, AND ZHOU GUANGFU, SCHOLAR, ZHONGSHAN UNIVERSITY. (MANDARIN 10/23)

NUKE-FREE PACT -- FRANCE, BRITAIN AND THE US ARE EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE NEXT WEEK CONCURRENTLY THAT THEY WILL RECOGNIZE THE SOUTH PACIFIC NUCLEAR FREE ZONE TREATY. THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS BELIEVED TO BE TIMED FOR THE NON-ALIGNED NATIONS SUMMIT TAKING PLACE IN COLOMBIA. THE SUMMIT WILL DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF DISARMAMENT. STAFFER CHOU YUNTING INTERVIEWS TANG, SENIOR RESEARCHER, CLAREMONT INSTITUTE, WHO COMMENTS ON THE TREATY'S IMPACT ON CHINA. (MANDARIN 10/20)

CHINA / WTO -- CHINA POSTPONED ITS TALKS WITH WESTERN COUNTRIES ON CHINA'S BID TO JOIN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, WHICH WERE TO BEGIN ON OCTOBER 23RD UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE WTO. IT IS BELIEVED THAT CHINA MADE THE DECISION TO GIVE ITS LEADERSHIP MORE TIME TO PONDER ON SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS. STAFFER QI FENG INTERVIEWS LIN CHANGSHENG OF THE CLAREMONT INSTITUTE. (MANDARIN 10/20)

HONG KONG / BILL OF RIGHTS DEBATE -- THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS THREATENED TO ABOLISH HONG KONG'S CURRENT BILL OF RIGHTS, CITING IT OVERRIDES OTHER LAWS IN HK. THE HK GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THAT CURRENT LAWS DO NOT CONTRAVENE THE BASIC LAW SET UP BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. STAFFER HE PING IN HONG KONG INTERVIEWS TSANG-YOK SING, PRO-CHINA PARTY CHAIRMAN, HO JUN-REN, HK DEMOCRATIC PARTY SPOKESMAN, ZHANG JIAN-LI, HK LAWYER AND EXCO MEMBER, AND PROF. MICHAEL DAVIS, HK CHINESE UNIV., LAW DEPT. (MANDARIN 10/20)

BROWN / CHINA -- US COMMERCE SECRETARY BROWN WRAPPED UP A THREE-DAY VISIT TO CHINA. BROWN MET WITH JIANG ZEMIN AND OTHER TOP CHINESE OFFICIALS. BROWN MENTIONED HUMAN RIGHTS, THE TAIWAN ISSUE, UNFAIR LAWS PROTECTING CHINESE FIRMS AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AS OBSTACLES IN SINO-US BUSINESS RELATIONS, BUT ONE CHINESE EXPERT SAID THAT BUSINESS RELATIONS ARE HEALTHY DESPITE THESE ISSUES. STAFFER FANG YUAN INTERVIEWS PROFESSOR WANG YIJIANG, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA. (MANDARIN 10/20)

MAINLAND / TAIWAN RELATIONS -- JIANG ZEMIN'S COMMENTS TO NEWSWEEK AND US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT ON MAINLAND-TAIWAN TALKS HAVE PROMPTED ANALYSIS BY EXPERTS. SOME SUGGEST THAT THE INTER-CHINA TALKS SHOULD BE HELD ONLY WHEN CHINA RENOUNCES THE USE OF FORCE IN REUNIFICATION, WHILE OTHERS INSIST THAT ANY TALKS SHOULD WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN TAIWAN NEXT YEAR. STAFFER ZHANG NAN INTERVIEWS JIN YAORU, FORMER EDITOR OF WEN WEI PAO, AND RUAN MING, FORMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF THEORETICAL STUDY, CENTRAL PARTY SCHOOL. (MANDARIN 10/21)

TAIWAN / PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN -- TAIWAN'S INDEPENDENT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE CHEN LU'AN ANNOUNCED THAT HIS VICE PRESIDENTIAL RUNNING MATE WILL BE MS. WANG QINGFENG, A LAWYER FROM TAINAN, WHO IS KNOWN FOR HER PERSISTENT SOCIAL WORK ON BEHALF OF THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED. CHEN'S ANNOUNCEMENT SHATTERED THE NEW PARTY'S DREAM OF CONSOLIDATING INDEPENDENT FORCES IN TAIWAN'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. CORRESPONDENT TIEN KANGLIN COVERS SPEECHES BY CHEN LU'AN AND WANG QINGFENG. (MANDARIN 10/21)

UN / CHINA / HUMAN RIGHTS -- A US BASED HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP CALLED ON THE UN TO TACKLE SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHT ABUSES IN CHINA. ONE EXPERT BELIEVES THAT AT THE MOMENT, THE UN IS NOT FOCUSING ON THE CAUSES OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN CHINA. THE BODY FAILS TO REALIZE THE ROOT PROBLEM IS CHINA'S POLITICAL SYSTEM, AND THE UN EMPHASIZES ISSUES LIKE BIRTH RIGHT AND FORCED LABOR INSTEAD, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO TAKE ANY EFFECTIVE MEASURE TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION IN CHINA. STAFFER CHIEN WEI INTERVIEWS DR. WU GUOGUANG, HARVARD UNIVERSITY. (MANDARIN 10/21)

NEW YORK / SWEATSHOPS -- STAFFER BAO SHEN REPORTS ON THE WORKING CONDITIONS IN THE SWEATSHOPS IN NEW YORK CITY AND THE PLIGHT OF THE GARMENT WORKERS, ESPECIALLY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. BAO SHEN INTERVIEWS MR. LIN JUN, AN IMMIGRANT FROM CHINA'S FUZHOU CITY, MS. L (WHO DOES NOT WANT TO GIVE HER FULL NAME), MR. LIN SONG, NYC CHINESE WORKERS' ASSOCIATION, MS. LU JINGHUA, INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S GARMENT WORKERS' UNION LOCAL 10, AND MR. OTERO, US LABOR DEPT. THE REPORT LOOKS AT WHY PEOPLE IN FUJIAN AND GUANGZHONG IMMIGRATE TO THE US, WHY THEY DO NOT WANT TO GO BACK DESPITE TERRIBLE WORKING AND LIVING CONDITIONS HERE, WHY NEW YORK CHINA TOWN HAS BECOME A "NATION WITHIN A NATION," AND WHY GARMENT WORKERS ARE AFRAID TO JOIN THE UNION. (MANDARIN 10/22)

US / CHINA / FUJIAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS -- IN THREE COUNTIES IN FUJIAN PROVINCE, IT SEEMS THAT NOTHING WILL DETER PEOPLE FROM THE GOAL OF EMIGRATING TO AMERICA. THE PEOPLE WHO BRAVE THE DANGER AND UNCERTAINTY OF A TRIP TO AMERICA ARE TYPICALLY MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE FAMILIES CAREFULLY PLAN THE TRIPS. ONE EXPERT SAID THAT SOMETIMES SECURITY PEOPLE HELP THEM IN THEIR UNDERTAKING, BUT NOT ALL PEOPLE IN THE AREA HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO FUND THE VOYAGE. STAFFERS CHIEN WEI AND XIA QING INTERVIEW CRIMINOLOGY PROFESSOR COLIN CHEN, NYU. (MANDARIN 10/21)

CHINA / ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS FACE MARKET CHALLENGE -- AS CHINA BECOMES MORE MARKET-ORIENTED, RESEARCHERS IN CHINA'S SCIENTIFIC OR STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES HAVE BEGUN TO MOONLIGHT OR WORK FULL TIME FOR OTHER COMPANIES OR SETTING UP COMPANIES OF THEIR OWN. SOME PEOPLE ARE WORRIED THAT THE TREND OF TOP-NOTCH RESEARCHERS LEAVING RESEARCH UNITS TO DO BUSINESS INDICATES THAT ACADEMICS MIGHT BE COMPROMISED OR UNDERMINED. STAFFER HE PING INTERVIEWS YANG JIANWEN, CHIEF EDITOR, SHANGHAI ECONOMIC RESEARCH MAGAZINE, PROFESSOR FENG XIANG, HK UNIVERSITY, AND PROFESSOR ZHENG DAOGEN, SHANGHAI SOCIAL SCIENCE ACADEMY. (MANDARIN 10/21)

TAIWAN / SHI JIQING / FEMALE PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDER -- AMONG TAIWAN'S SEVEN INDEPENDENT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES, SHI JIQING IS THE ONLY FEMALE CANDIDATE. CORRESPONDENT TIEN KANGLIN INTERVIEWED THE CANDIDATE. SHE BELIEVES THAT WOMEN, WHO ARE MORE FLEXIBLE AND LESS IDEOLOGICAL THAN MEN, SHOULD HAVE MORE POLITICAL POWER. SHE SAID A FEMALE PRESIDENT WOULD BE GOOD FOR TAIWAN AND TAIWAN'S RELATIONS WITH THE MAINLAND CHINA. (MANDARIN 10/22)

CHINA / ECONOMY -- AT THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE FIFTH PLENARY OF THE 14TH CHINESE CENTRAL COMMITTEE, PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN STRESSED HOW TO DEAL WITH THE RELATIONS BETWEEN SPEED AND EFFICIENCY IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE RELATIONS BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND POPULATION, NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT. STAFFER YANG YANG INTERVIEWED PROFESSOR XU DIANQING, UNIVESRTIY OF WESTERN ONTARIO, CANADA, DR. LUO XIAOPENG, AND PROFESSOR ZHANG CHUN, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, EXPERTS ON THE CHINESE ECONOMY. (MANDARIN 10/22)

CHINA / DEMOCRACY -- PROFESSOR TU WEI-MING, HARVARD UNIVERSITY, AND DR. CHEN KUIDE, CHIEF EDITORIAL WRITER, DEMOCRATIC CHINA MAGAZINE AND COORDINATOR OF HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT, CENTER FOR MODERN CHINA, CONTINUE THEIR DISCUSSION ON TRADITIONAL CULTURE AND THE DEMOCRATIZATION PROCESS IN TAIWAN, SINGAPORE AND CHINA. STAFFER RUOSI WU COVERS THE DISCUSSION. (MANDARIN 10/22)

LIMITING PRIVATE BILLS IN HONG KONG LEGISLATURE -- PRO-BEIJING LEGISLATOR CHU NGO LANG PROPOSED THAT THE HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BAR ITSELF FROM ADOPTING PRIVATE BILLS THAT RUN COUNTER TO SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENTS. THE LEGISLATURE REJECTED THE MOTION WITH ONLY ONE VOTE IN FAVOR. A COUNTER-PROPOSAL BY DEMOCRATIC MEMBER LEE CHEK YAN FOR REVISING THE BASIC LAW TO REAFFIRM THE RIGHT TO PASS PRIVATE BILLS WAS ALSO DEFEATED BY A TWO-VOTE MARGIN. LAWRENCE NG INTERVIEWED DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATOR LEE CHEK YAN, LIBERAL LEGISLATOR LEE PANG FEI, AND PRO-BEIJING LEGISLATOR CHIM PEI CHUNG. (CANTONESE 10/20)

MEDIA / EXIT POLLS DENOUNCED -- THE HONG KONG ELECTIONS COMMISSION CENSURED THREE TV STATIONS FOR ANNOUNCING THE RESULTS OF THEIR EXIT POLLS ON THE EVENING OF THE ELECTION DAY BEFORE VOTING STATIONS CLOSED. STAFFER SHEILA TANG AND LAWRENCE NG DISCUSS THE POSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMISSION, REACTION AMONG THE MEDIA AND LEGISLATORS. INTERVIEW WITH LAU CHIN SHEK, DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATOR; CHAN YU SIU, DIRECTOR, CONTEMPORARY CHINA CENTER, CITY UNIVERSITY. (CANTONESE 10/20)

SOUTH KOREA / UN -- STAFFER PIL SIK BAN COVERED PRESIDENT KIM YOUNG SAM'S UN SPEECH. MR. KIM CALLED FOR A SPECIAL SESSION TO EXCLUSIVELY DISCUSS CHANGE AND REFORM IN THE WORLD BODY. HE EXPRESSED HOPE THAT SOUTH KOREA BECOME A NON-PERMANENT MEMBER OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL, DECLARING THAT HIS COUNTRY IS PREPARED TO PLAY A LEADING ROLE IN OPENING ANOTHER HALF-CENTURY FOR THE UN. (KOREAN 10/22)

FORMER SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT / SECRET ACCOUNTS -- A CHIEF BODY GUARD FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT ROH TAE WOO TOLD PROSECUTORS THAT ON MR ROH'S INSTRUCTION, HE MANAGED A SECRET FUND OF 48.5 BILLION WON ($63 MILLION) IN FOUR DIFFERENT BANK ACCOUNTS. HOWEVER, PROSECUTORS SAY THAT HE DID NOT KNOW THE SOURCE NOR USAGE OF THE MONEY. PRESIDENT KIM YOUNG SAM, WHO IS IN NEW YORK ATTENDING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS, ORDERED A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION. CORRESPONDENT YONG KYUN LIM REPORTS FROM SEOUL. (KOREAN 10/23)

LAWYERS' GROUP / KWANGJU INCIDENT -- CORRESPONDENT YONG KYUN LIM INTERVIEWED MR. LEE SUCK TAE, SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE LAWYERS' GROUP FOR DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY IN KOREA. MR LEE SAID HIS GROUP IS CONDUCTING A CAMPAIGN FOR ENACTMENT OF A SPECIAL LAW THAT WILL ALLOW AN INVESTIGATION AND INDICTMENT OF THOSE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN BLOODY CRACKDOWN OF THE KWANGJU DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT 15 YEARS AGO. (KOREAN 10/20)

INDONESIA / UNITED NATIONS -- INDONESIAN PRESIDENT SUHARTO IS IN THE UNITED STATES FOR EVENTS COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS. STAFFER IRNA SINULINGGA REPORTS ON THE INDONESIAN LEADER'S WEEKEND ACTIVITIES. (INDONESIAN 10/23)

OVERSEAS CHINESE / CHEN ZIMING -- ON THE EVE OF THE NEW YORK SUMMIT BETWEEN PRESIDENT CLINTON AND CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN, OVERSEAS CHINESE DEMOCRATIC GROUPS APPEAL TO LEADERS OF THE TWO NATIONS TO PROMPT THE RELEASE OF JAILED CHINESE DISSIDENT CHEN ZIMING. STAFFER KUO-FU SHU REPORTS FROM LOS ANGELES. THE GROUPS ISSUED AN OPEN LETTER TO JIANG PROTESTING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN CHINA AND CALLING FOR POLITICAL REFORMS. INTERVIEWS WITH XU BANGTAI, PRES, ALLIANCE FOR DEMOCRATIC CHINA. (MANDARIN 10/21)

US / CHINA / SENATORS' LETTER TO CLINTON -- IN A LETTER TO PRESIDENT CLINTON, A NUMBER OF SENATORS ASKED THE PRESIDENT NOT TO GIVE IN TO CHINA'S PRESSURE AND NOT TO ALTER US POLICIES ON TAIWAN IN HIS SUMMIT MEETING WITH CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN NEXT WEEK IN NEW YORK. ACCORDING TO EXPERTS ON US-CHINA-TAIWAN RELATIONS, THE US IS UNLIKELY TO GIVE IN TO PRESSURE FROM CHINA ON ISSUES CONCERNING TAIWAN. STAFFER YANG GUANG INTERVIEWS RICHARD CHU, ROCHESTER UNIV. (MANDARIN 10/21)

INSIDE EUROPE:

PRESIDENTS CLINTON / HAVEL / KOVAC / CEDAR RAPIDS -- CORRESPONDENT ZENNY SADLON REPORTS ON THE DEDICATION OF THE NATIONAL CZECH AND SLOVAK MUSEUM AND LIBRARY IN CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, ATTENDED BY PRESIDENTS VACLAV HAVEL, MICHAL KOVAC AND BILL CLINTON. PRESIDENT CLINTON PRAISED THE PRESIDENTS OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA AS PIONEERS AND PATRIOTS WHO LED TRANSFORMATIONS OF THEIR COUNTRIES. HE RECOGNIZED PROGRESS IN THE TWO DEMOCRACIES AND SAID THAT THE US MUST CONTINUE TO STAND BY THEM. THE PRESIDENTS LATER MET FOR BILATERAL TALKS. (CZECH 10/21)

THREE PRESIDENTS IN IOWA -- PRESIDENT CLINTON, SLOVAK PRESIDENT KOVAC, AND CZECH PRESIDENT HAVEL MEET IN CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, TO DISCUSS THE PROCESS OF INTEGRATION CENTRAL EUROPE'S DEMOCRACIES AND THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINING DEMOCRATIC AND MARKET ECONOMY REFORMS. THEY WILL ALSO ATTEND THE DEDICATION OF THE NATIONAL CZECH AND SLOVAK MUSEUM AND LIBRARY BUILD FOR $2.5 MILLION FROM DONATIONS BY AMERICANS OF CZECH AND SLOVAK ORIGIN. STAFFER ERIC STRAZAN REPORTS FROM IOWA. (SLOVAK 10/21)

BOSNIA / ARMY -- THE COMMANDER OF THE FIFTH BOSNIAN ARMY CORPS, GENERAL ATIF DUDAKOVIC SAYS BANJA LUKA AND PRIJEDOR WILL BE RETURNED WITHIN THE BORDERS OF BOSNIA. IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW HE SAID THAT EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT COMMIT CRIMES MAY PEACEFULLY LIVE IN THE COUNTRY. STRINGER LINDA MILISA REPORTS FROM BIHAC. (CROATIAN 10/20)

CROATIA / WAR CRIMES -- WHILE SANSKI MOST'S MUSLIMS AND CROATS LINDA MILISA REPORTS. (CROATIAN 10/20)