Voice of America, 30 December 1995

From: [email protected] (Ioannis Bousnakis)

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] BOSNIA / NASH (S-ONLY) BY VICTOR BEATTIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: ONE OF NATO'S SENIOR COMMANDERS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA SAYS DEPLOYMENT OF NATO FORCES IN NORTHEASTERN BOSNIA WILL LIKELY BE COMPLETE IN ONE MONTH. V-O-A'S VICTOR BEATTIE REPORTS U-S ARMY MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM NASH SAYS THE WEATHER AND LANDMINES CONTINUE TO POSE THE BIGGEST THREATS TO NATO TROOPS SENT THERE TO ENFORCE THE DAYTON PEACE ACCORD:

TEXT: GENERAL NASH SAYS A 500-METER FLOATING BRIDGE OVER THE SAVA RIVER, BEING CONSTRUCTED BY AMERICAN FORCES DESPITE DAYS OF BAD WEATHER, WILL BE VITAL TO THE NATO TROOP DEPLOYMENT. HE SAYS THE BRIDGE IS EXPECTED TO BE OPERATIONAL SATURDAY AND WILL PROVIDE THE SAFEST ROUTE FOR TROOPS AND EQUIPMENT TO REACH POSITIONS AROUND THE U-S HEADQUARTERS AT TUZLA.

GENERAL NASH SAYS COMPLETION OF THE BRIDGE MEANS THAT TROOPS CAN BE DEPLOYED IN NORTHEASTERN BOSNIA ON SCHEDULE, BY THE END OF JANUARY.

WHEN I SAY OUR FULL DEPLOYMENT, THAT INCLUDES ALL THE ALLIED FORCES THAT ARE JOINING US IN THE MULTINATIONAL DIVISION, NORTH INCLUDING THE NORDIC CONTINGENT, AS WELL AS THE RUSSIANS.

HE EXPECTS THE 20-THOUSAND U-S TROOPS TO BE IN PLACE BY THE THIRD WEEK OF JANUARY.

GENERAL NASH SAYS MEETINGS WITH COMMANDERS OF THE THREE WARRING PARTIES HAVE BEEN POLITE AND PROFESSIONAL:

I'VE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE PEACE TREATY, THEIR COMMITMENT BOTH IN WORD AND DEED TO ABIDE BY THAT TREATY.

AS FOR POTENTIAL DANGERS, GENERAL NASH SAYS NATO TROOPS ARE COPING WITH THE WEATHER AND THE WARRING PARTIES HAVE PROVIDED IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE LOCATION OF LANDMINES. SO FAR, HE SAYS, ROGUE ELEMENTS OPPOSED TO THE PEACE TREATY HAVE NOT SURFACED. BUT HE SAYS TROOPS REMAIN ALERT REGARDLESS. (SIGNED)

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29-Dec-95 10:14 PM EST (0314 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] BOSNIA / NATO BY KYLE KING (SARAJEVO)

INTRO: THE COMMANDER OF NATO FORCES IN BOSNIA SAYS HE DOES NOT PLAN TO DELAY THE TRANSFER OF SERB HELD AREAS OF SARAJEVO, WHICH ARE DUE TO COME UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT. SERB LEADERS WHO SAY THEIR PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE UNDER WHAT THEY CALL --MUSLIM RULE-- HAVE APPEALED TO ADMIRAL SMITH TO DELAY THE TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY. V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS.

TEXT: NATO MILITARY OFFICERS, WHO HELD THEIR FIRST REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING IN THE SERB STRONGHOLD OF PALE, SAY ADMIRAL SMITH HAS INFORMED THE PARTIES IN WRITING THAT HE IS NOT EMPOWERED TO CHANGE THE TIMING OF THE TRANSFER OF LAND.

THE NATO STATEMENT SAID THE ADMIRAL DOES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO THE DAY BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT TROOPS CAN ENTER THE AREAS, BUT IT IS TOO EARLY TO CONSIDER THAT OPTION.

THE DATE AND AGREEMENT REQUIRES BOSNIAN SERB TROOPS TO LEAVE SERB HELD SECTIONS OF SARAJEVO BY FEBRUARY THIRD AND NATO HAS ALREADY BEGUN MARKING OUT THE ZONES THAT WILL HAVE TO BE DEMILITARIZED.

NATO OFFICIALS SAY THEY'RE TRYING TO REASSURE THE RESIDENTS OF THE SERB DISTRICTS, WHERE SOME PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN MOVING OUT.

ASKED ABOUT REPORTS, THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN PREPARING LISTS OF PEOPLE WHO MAY BE CHARGED WITH WAR CRIMES, NATO OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGED SOME MESSAGES BEING PUT OUT ARE NOT HELPFUL.

FOR NOW NATO OFFICIALS SAY THE ONLY THING THEY CAN DO IS WORK WITH THE PARTIES AND TRY TO BE EVEN-HANDED IN THEIR APPROACH. (SIGNED)

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30-Dec-95 8:25 AM EST (1325 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] CLINTON / BOSNIA (S ONLY) BY DEBORAH TATE (WHITE HOUSE)

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON SAYS HE IS SORRY TO HEAR THAT A U-S SOLDIER HAS BEEN HURT IN A LAND MINE ACCIDENT IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA. IT IS THE FIRST AMERICAN CASUALTY IN THE NATO PEACEKEEPING MISSION THAT INVOLVES SOME 20-THOUSAND U-S TROOPS. V-O-A WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT DEBORAH TATE REPORTS.

TEXT: AS PRESIDENT CLINTON PREPARED TO RESUME BUDGET TALKS WITH REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS AT THE WHITE HOUSE, HE WAS ASKED ABOUT SATURDAY'S LAND MINE ACCIDENT THAT INJURED THE AMERICAN SOLDIER.

WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THERE WERE TWO VEHICLES AND FOUR SOLDIERS INVOLVED. ONLY ONE WAS SERIOUSLY HURT. HE HAS BEEN MEDIVACED TO CROATIA TO A HOSPITAL THERE, AND WE UNDERSTAND HE IS IN STABLE CONDITION. THE MINES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OUR BIGGEST CONCERN

MR. CLINTON SAYS DESPITE THE ACCIDENT, THERE HAS BEEN PROGRESS IN REMOVING LAND MINES FROM BOSNIA, ALTHOUGH HE SAYS IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO GET RID OF THEM ALL.

U-S OFFICIALS SAY THE PRESIDENT IS MONITORING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE REGION, AND IS GETTING FREQUENT UPDATES ON THE SITUATION THERE. (SIGNED)

NEB/DAT/SD
30-Dec-95 12:54 PM EST (1754 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America