Voice of America, 18 January 1996

From: "Ioannis V. Bousnakis" <[email protected]>

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

[01] THURSDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THIS THURSDAY, MANY DAILY PAPERS ARE MOURNING THE DEATH OF ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN RECENT YEAR, FORMER TEXAS REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA JORDAN. OTHER TOPICS INCLUDE: THE RUSSIAN ASSAULT ON CHECHEN REBELS; PROFOUND DISCOVERIES IN ASTRONOMY; CHINA'S CRACKDOWN ON FOREIGN NEWS REPORTERS, AND THE GROWING DISCUSSION ABOUT U-S INCOME TAX REFORM PROPOSALS. NOW, _______________ HAS A CLOSER LOOK FOR US IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: FORMER TEXAS CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA JORDAN DIED WEDNESDAY AT THE AGE OF 59, AFTER WAGING A LONG BATTLE AGAINST MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND, MORE RECENTLY, LEUKEMIA. MS. JORDAN BECAME THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN ELECTED TO CONGRESS FROM A SOUTHERN STATE IN MORE THAN 100 YEARS WHEN SHE JOINED THE BODY IN 1972. A DISTINGUISHED ORATOR, WITH A DEEP, BOOMING VOICE, SHE WAS KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT THE 1976 DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING CONVENTION, AND HAD A DISTINGUISHED CAREER AS A LEGISLATOR BEFORE LEAVING THE BODY DUE TO ILL HEALTH. TODAY'S "DENVER POST" PAYS TRIBUTE TO BARBARA JORDAN IN ITS LEAD EDITORIAL, UNDER THE HEADLINE THAT DECLARES HER "A FIVE-FIFTHS [TOTAL] AMERICAN HERO."

VOICE: "IN THE DEPTHS OF THE WATERGATE CRISIS -- WHEN THIS NATION'S RULE OF LAW WAS UNDER ATTACK IN THE HIGHEST RANKS OF THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT -- THE SEARING ELOQUENCE OF BARBARA JORDAN HELPED MILLIONS OF AMERICANS MAINTAIN THEIR FAITH IN THE U-S CONSTITUTION. HER LOVE FOR THE CONSTITUTION WAS EVEN MORE REMARKABLE BECAUSE ... AFRICAN-AMERICANS ... WERE ORIGINALLY EXCLUDED FROM THE PROTECTIONS OF A DOCUMENT THAT IMPLICITLY SANCTIONED SLAVERY..."

TEXT: IN MS. JORDAN'S HOME STATE, TODAY'S "HOUSTON CHRONICLE" SAYS, "TEXAS HAS LOST ONE OF ITS GREATEST DAUGHTERS," ADDING:

VOICE: "SCHOLAR, POLITICIAN AND TEACHER, BARBARA JORDAN LED THE WAY IN MANY THINGS AND ON MANY ISSUES. AND SHE DID IT WITH A VOICE WORTHY OF MOUNT OLYMPUS."

TEXT: "THE WASHINGTON POST", MEANWHILE, REMEMBERS HER ORATORY DURING THE IMPEACHMENT DEBATE REGARDING RICHARD NIXON'S ROLE IN WATERGATE, DURING WHICH SHE SAID:

VOICE: "MY FAITH IN THE CONSTITUTION IS WHOLE, IT IS COMPLETE, IT IS TOTAL.' ... I AM NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND BE AN IDLE SPECTATOR TO THE DIMINUTION, THE SUBVERSION, THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CONSTITUTION."

TEXT: ANOTHER SOUTHERN DAILY, THE "ATLANTA CONSTITUTION" SAYS BARBARA JORDAN "PROJECTED THE STERN DEMEANOR OF AN OLD TESTAMENT PROPHET. AND HER FULL-THROATED ORATORY ... TENDED TO CONFIRM THAT IMPRESSION." FINALLY, "THE MIAMI HERALD" CALLS HER "A SUPERB EXAMPLE OF THE DEPTH AND RICHNESS THAT INCLUSIVENESS BRINGS TO ONCE-EXCLUSIVE ENCLAVES OF ELECTIVE FEDERAL OFFICE."

TURNING TO INTERNATIONAL MATTERS, "THE BOSTON GLOBE" ATTACKS RUSSIAN LEADERS FOR THEIR HANDLING OF THE REVOLT IN CHECHNYA, COMPARING ITS BRUTALITY TO HITLER'S INTERVENTION IN THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR, OR MUSSOLINI'S INVASION OF ETHIOPIA. "THE GLOBE" SAYS THE WORLD'S FAILURE TO LEARN FROM THOSE HISTORICAL PRECEDENTS MAY HAUNT IT AGAIN IF RUSSIA IS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE ITS PRESENT POLICY.

VOICE: "THAT IS THE LESSON TO BE RECALLED AS RUSSIAN HELICOPTER GUNSHIPS, HEAVY ARTILLERY AND GRAD ROCKETS INCINERATE THE CAUCASIAN VILLAGE OF PERVOMAISKAYE. WHAT IS REVEALED ONCE THE BRAZEN KREMLIN CAMPAIGN OF DISINFORMATION ABOUT THE WAR IN CHECHNYA IS DEMYSTIFIED IS THE BRUTALITY OF BORIS YELTSIN AND THE K-G-B VETERANS RUNNING THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT FROM HIS INNER CIRCLE."

TEXT: "THE NEW YORK TIMES," COMMENTING ON ANOTHER TROUBLE SPOT, SAYS OF THE PLAN TO HAVE SOME NATO PEACEKEEPING TROOPS IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA ASSIST IN THE SEARCH FOR MASS GRAVES OF ALLEGED GENOCIDE VICTIMS:

VOICE: "MR. PERRY (THE U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY) IS RIGHT TO HAVE NATO TAKE ON THIS RESPONSIBILITY ... UNFETTERED INVESTIGATION OF WAR CRIMES CAN ALSO HELP TO HEAL BOSNIA. IF THE GUILTY ARE IDENTIFIED AND PUNISHED, INNOCENT SERBS WILL HAVE LESS REASON TO FEAR INDISCRIMINATE RETRIBUTION..."

TEXT: SOME EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERIES IN OUTER SPACE, ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK AT AN ASTRONOMY CONVENTION IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, HAVE DRAWN THE ATTENTION OF "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES." THE PAPER RECALLS THE CRITICISM OF NASA WHEN THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE WAS FLOWN WITH OUT-OF-FOCUS MIRRORS AND HAD TO BE CORRECTED ON A 629-MILLION-DOLLAR SPACE MISSION. HOWEVER, IT SAYS THE REPAIRED SPACE TELESCOPE IS NOW PRODUCING SPECTACULAR RESULTS.

VOICE: "IT TURNS OUT THAT HUBBLE IS CAPABLE OF REVEALING PERHAPS UNIMAGINABLE SECRETS EVEN WHEN IT'S LOOKING AT A SUPPOSEDLY BLANK SPOT IN SPACE. GIDDY ASTRONOMERS ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THAT IT HAD FOUND A GLITTERING MOSAIC OF GALAXIES NEVER BEFORE SEEN, OBJECTS THAT MAY DATE BACK TO THE EARLIEST TIME OF THE UNIVERSE. THE HUBBLE .... IS PROVIDING A WINDOW ON THE UNKNOWN, AT A COST THAT MUST NOW SEEM QUITE REASONABLE FROM ANY ANGLE."

TEXT: IN AN ADJOINING EDITORIAL, "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" CHIDES THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT FOR A RECENTLY ANNOUNCED CUT-BACK ON THE FREE FLOW OF FINANCIAL NEWS ABOUT THEIR COUNTRY TO WESTERN NEWS AGENCIES THIS:

VOICE: "BEIJING'S NEWLY ANNOUNCED CURB ... SENDS A CHILLING MESSAGE TO FINANCIAL NEWS AGENCIES... BEIJING'S CREDIBILITY WILL SUFFER BECAUSE OF THE ACTION, AND SO WILL ITS CONTINUING EFFORTS TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION. [OPT] ULTIMATELY, CONTROL OF NEWS AND INFORMATION MAY BE BEYOND BEIJING'S REACH... IN FACT, CHINA MAY INADVERTENTLY OPEN A RUSH TO THE INTERNET WITH ITS NEW EDICT."

TEXT: RETURNING TO DOMESTIC ISSUES, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL STEVE FORBES AND HIS PROPOSAL FOR A UNIFORM FLAT INCOME TAX TO REPLACE THE COMPLICATED FEDERAL TAX CODE, HAS BEEN DRAWING INCREASED ATTENTION. IT CAUSES TODAY'S "PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER" TO COMMENT IN ITS LEAD EDITORIAL:

VOICE: "'THERE IS ALWAYS AN EASY SOLUTION TO EVERY HUMAN PROBLEM -- NEAT, PLAUSIBLE, AND WRONG,' SAID H-L MENCKEN. THAT'S A FAIR DESCRIPTION OF THE LATEST HOT IDEA: A FLAT TAX... SIMPLICITY ALONE CANNOT JUSTIFY THE DANGER IN GROWING THE GAP BETWEEN THE RICH AND EVERYONE ELSE... THE MAIN CERTAINTY ABOUT THE FLAT TAX IS THAT IT WOULD SHOWER A LOT MORE TAX RELIEF ON AFFLUENT PEOPLE THAN ON ANYONE ELSE... A FLAT TAX MAY BE NEAT ... BUT IT'S MORALLY AND POLITICALLY WRONG."

TEXT: AND LASTLY, FROM TODAY'S "NEW YORK POST" THIS REACTION TO THE CAREFUL RE-EMERGENCE INTO PUBLIC LIFE OF BRITISH AUTHOR SALMAN RUSHDIE, AS THE FUNDAMENTALIST ISLAMIC DEATH THREAT AGAINST HIM FADES.

VOICE: "IT IS AN ENCOURAGING SIGN THAT SALMAN RUSHDIE HAS BEEN ABLE TO INCH BACK INTO THE PUBLIC EYE, APPEARING ON SEVERAL T-V SHOWS; ATTENDING A LARGE DINNER HELD IN HIS HONOR; DROPPING BY AT A MANHATTAN BOOKSTORE TO SIGN BOOKS."

TEXT: AND WITH THAT WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF SOME EDITORIALS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO BE FOUND IN THURSDAYS DAILY PAPERS.

NEB/ANG/PCH
18-Jan-96 11:06 AM EST (1606 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] DEFENSE/BOSNIA (L) BY DAVID GOLLUST (PENTAGON)

INTRO: HERE IN WASHINGTON, DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY THE BOSNIAN PARTIES APPARENTLY WILL MAKE THE MIDNIGHT FRIDAY DEADLINE (EDS: 23 HOURS U-T-C FRIDAY) FOR PULLING BACK FROM CONFRONTATION LINES AROUND THE COUNTRY. NATO'S PEACE IMPLEMENTATION FORCE WILL ENFORCE THE ZONE OF SEPARATION BETWEEN THE FACTIONS. V-O-A'S DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS FROM THE PENTAGON.

TEXT: PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE PARTIES WILL COMPLY WITH THE WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE AND GIVE THE BOSNIAN PEACE PROCESS ITS MOST TANGIBLE ACHIEVEMENT THUS FAR.

SENIOR NATO COMMANDERS MEET IN BOSNIA SATURDAY TO MAKE A FORMAL ASSESSMENT OF THE PULLBACK, WHILE WILL CREATE A FOUR-KILOMETER WIDE ZONE OF SEPARATION BETWEEN THE OPPOSING FORCES. HOWEVER, PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS IT IS ALREADY EVIDENT THE PARTIES ARE HONORING THEIR WITHDRAWAL COMMITMENTS:

THE FORCES HAVE BEEN, ALREADY, MOVING OUT OF THE ZONE OF SEPARATION, ALREADY RE-ESTABLISHING THEMSELVES ON EITHER SIDE. AND THAT'S VERY ENCOURAGING, BECAUSE IT DRIVES HOME WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS AGREEMENT, THAT THE PARTIES WANT PEACE AND THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE DAYTON AGREEMENT.

DEFENSE OFFICIALS ALSO SAY MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE FOREIGN TROOPS WHO FOUGHT IN BOSNIA -- INCLUDING ISLAMIC VOLUNTEERS -- WILL HAVE DEPARTED BY FRIDAY AS REQUIRED UNDER TERMS OF THE DAYTON ACCORDS.

BUT THEY SAY A PROMISED PRISONER EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE BOSNIAN SERBS AND THE MUSLIM-LED GOVERNMENT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY TO OCCUR ON TIME. THE SARAJEVO GOVERNMENT HAS RESISTED FREEING PRISONERS UNTIL THE SERBS DISCLOSE THE FATE OF SOME 20-THOUSAND MISSING PERSONS.

THE CHIEF NEGOTIATOR OF THE PEACE ACCORDS, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE RICHARD HOLBROOKE, IS IN THE BALKANS TO EXAMINE COMPLIANCE ON THE DEADLINE, WHICH MARKS THE ONE-MONTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HANDOVER OF PEACEKEEPING AUTHORITY IN BOSNIA FROM THE U-N TO NATO.

OFFICIALS HERE SAY THAT MORE THAN HALF OF THE 20-THOUSAND U-S TROOPS COMMITTED TO BOSNIA ARE NOW IN THE COUNTRY. THEY SAY THE TROOPS ARE BEING SUPPORTED BY A COMBINED MILITARY AND CIVILIAN INTELLIGENCE OPERATION INCLUDING C-I-A AGENTS TO HELP GUARD AGAINST TERRORIST AND OTHER THREATS TO U-S FORCES. (SIGNED)

NEB/DAG/AC/PT
18-Jan-96 4:38 PM EST (2138 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] E-U / CHINA (L ONLY) BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HAS CALLED ON THE EUROPEAN UNION TO INVESTIGATE CHARGES ORPHANS IN CHINA ARE BEING SYSTEMATICALLY STARVED TO DEATH. AS JOHN FRASER REPORTS FROM BRUSSELS, THE CHARGES WERE MADE BY THE GROUP HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH IN A REPORT PUBLISHED EARLIER THIS MONTH.

TEXT: THE REPORT IS ENTITLED "DEATH BY DEFAULT," AND HIGHLIGHTS AN ORPHANAGE IN SHANGHAI, WHERE IT IS CLAIMED CHILDREN WERE DELIBERATELY DENIED FOOD AND MEDICAL TREATMENT -- SO THEY WILL DIE. A CHINESE DOCTOR, ZHANG SHUYUN, WHO WORKED IN THE ORPHANAGE, HELPED COMPILE THE REPORT, AND HAS PRESENTED IT TO MANY MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT.

THE ASSEMBLY HAS PASSED AN EMERGENCY MOTION, EXPRESSING SHOCK AND OUTRAGE AT WHAT ARE TERMED THE APPALLING CONDITIONS IN THE SHANGHAI ORPHANAGE, AND THE DELIBERATE AND CRUEL DEATHS WHICH ARE INFLICTED ON ORPHANS, A HIGH PROPORTION OF WHOM ARE FEMALE OR DISABLED.

THE STATEMENT ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT REPORTS DR. ZHANG'S BROTHER HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN CHINA.

THE MOTION EXPRESSES CONCERN THERE MAY BE A DELIBERATE POLICY TO MINIMIZE CHINA'S POPULATION THROUGH INTENTIONAL STARVATION AND NEGLECT OF THE ORPHANS.

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT URGED THE EUROPEAN UNION TO RAISE THE MATTER WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, AND DEMANDED A THOROUGH INSPECTION OF THE COUNTRY'S ORPHANAGES BY INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS.

THE PARLIAMENT ALSO CALLED FOR THE SWIFT COMPLETION AND PUBLICATION OF THE FINDINGS OF AN E-U INVESTIGATION INTO CHINA'S ORPHANAGES. IT CALLED ON CHINA TO ADOPT STRICT RULES ON THE OPERATION OF ORPHANAGES TO PREVENT SIMILAR OCCURRENCES TO THOSE ALLEGED TO HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE SHANGHAI ORPHANAGE.

IT ALSO SUGGESTS FUTURE E-U AID TO CHINA SHOULD BE LINKED TO IMPROVEMENTS IN HUMAN RIGHTS. (SIGNED)

NEB/JF/JWH/RAE
18-Jan-96 1:27 PM EST (1827 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] TURKEY / HIJACK (L) BY LAURIE KASSMAN (ISTANBUL)

INTRO: A RUSSIAN FERRY HIJACKED BY PRO-CHECHEN TURKISH REBELS IS HEADING TOWARD ISTANBUL. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN IN ISTANBUL REPORTS THE HIJACKERS SAID (LATE WEDNESDAY) THEY ARE WILLING TO RELEASE THE 200 HOSTAGES AND SURRENDER AFTER GIVING A NEWS CONFERENCE TO PUBLICIZE THEIR GRIEVANCES AGAINST RUSSIAN ACTIONS IN CHECHNYA.

TEXT: THE FERRY IS MAKING ITS WAY TOWARD ISTANBUL IN ROUGH SEAS AND STORMY WEATHER. IF THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS IT WOULD ARRIVE HERE SOMETIME EARLY FRIDAY, LOCAL TIME.

IT IS STILL NOT CLEAR IF AUTHORITIES WILL ALLOW THE SHIP, APPARENTLY RIGGED WITH EXPLOSIVES, TO ENTER THE BUSY SHIPPING LANES OF THE BOSPHORUS TO REACH ISTANBUL. PATROL BOATS ARE FOLLOWING THE FERRY AS IT MOVES TOWARD ITS DESTINATION.

FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN OMER AKBEL TOLD V-O-A NEWS THE PRIORITY FOR TURKEY IS THE SAFE RELEASE OF THE PASSENGERS.

SECURITY OFFICIALS HAVE MAINTAINED CONTACT WITH THE HOSTAGE TAKERS. THE MAIN PRIORITY IS TO ENABLE THE SAFE RELEASE IN A PEACEFUL MANNER OF THE HOSTAGES AND THIS IS WHAT THE SECURITY PEOPLE ARE AIMING AT THROUGH PERSUASION.

THE HIJACKERS SEIZED THE FERRY TUESDAY NIGHT IN THE TURKISH PORT OF TRABZON AND THREATENED TO BLOW IT UP ON A SUICIDE MISSION IF RUSSIA DID NOT STOP ITS ASSAULT TO FREE HOSTAGES BEING HELD BY CHECHEN REBELS IN DAGASTAN.

THE HIJACKERS SAY THEY HAVE RIGGED EXPLOSIVES TO CARS AND TRUCKS ON THE FERRY. CREW MEMBERS SAY THE HOSTAGES ARE ALL HUDDLED IN THE SHIP'S RESTAURANT WHILE ABOUT EIGHT HIJACKERS PATROL THE DECKS.

MR AKBEL SAYS EVEN IF THE HIJACKERS SURRENDER PEACEFULLY, THEY ARE NOT LIKELY TO ESCAPE JUSTICE.

ONE WOULD EXPECT THAT THE DUE PROCESS OF LAW WOULD TAKE OVER ONCE THE HOSTAGES ARE RELEASED AND THE HOSTAGE-TAKERS ARE DETAINED.

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAS OFFERED THE HELP OF SPECIAL ASSAULT TEAMS TO FREE THE HOSTAGES. BUT TURKISH OFFICIALS ARE SOUNDING CONFIDENT THEY CAN RESOLVE THE CRISIS THROUGH PEACEFUL NEGOTIATIONS. (SIGNED)

NEB/LK/JWH/CF
18-Jan-96 9:38 AM EST (1438 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America