Voice of America, 14 February 1996

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

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

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

INTRO: THIS IS VALENTINE'S DAY IN THE UNITED STATES, WHEN LOVERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS SEND EACH OTHER GREETING CARDS AND, VERY OFTEN, FLOWERS AND CANDY TO EXPRESS THEIR AFFECTION FOR EACH OTHER. MORE ABOUT THAT LATER. THE DOMINANT EDITORIAL TOPIC IN VIRTUALLY EVERY MAJOR U-S NEWSPAPER TODAY CONCERNS THE IOWA CAUCUSES AND WHAT THEY MEAN IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION PROCESS. AMONG OTHER TOPICS, THERE IS COMMENT ON THE FORTHCOMING ISRAELI ELECTION; SOME REACTION TO CHINA'S MILITANT POSTURING; MORE COMMENT ON THE WAR CRIMES PROCESS IN THE BALKANS, AND A WORD ABOUT COLOMBIA'S FIGHT AGAINST THE DRUG LORDS. NOW, HERE WITH A CLOSER LOOK IS _________________ AND TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: FOR COMMENT ON THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN SELECTION PROCESS, WE BEGIN IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, WHERE TODAY'S "DENVER POST" SAYS IN ITS EDITORLAI HEADLINE: "MONEY DIDN'T BUY IOWA."

VOICE: "IOWA VOTERS DID THEIR ACCUSTOMED JOB MONDAY, WINNOWING THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PACK TO A MANAGEABLE SIZE. IN THE PROCESS THEY SPURNED AN UNPRECEDENTED ASSAULT OF BIG MONEY BY STEVE FORBES IN FAVOR OF CANDIDATES WHO COURTED THEM FACE-TO-FACE -- BOB DOLE AND LAMAR ALEXANDER -- OR BY IDEOLOGICAL PREFERENCE, PATRICK BUCHANAN."

TEXT: IN FLORIDA, THIS ASSESSMENT FROM "THE MIAMI HERALD."

VOICE: "... THE IOWA CAUCUSES ARE A SOMETIME [OCCASIONAL] BELLWETHER IN PRESIDENTIAL RACES; THEY'RE MERELY A STATEWIDE STRAW POLL OF PREFERENCES, NOT AN ELECTION. THE FIRST, AND HISTORICALLY MOST PREDICTIVE, OF THE MAJOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES COMES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE NEXT TUESDAY... THE BEAUTY OF THE AMERICAN SYSTEM IS THAT, AT ITS BEST, IT ALLOWS THE EXTREMES A VOICE, EVEN ALLOWS THEM TO ALTER THE CENTRIST CORE A BIT -- BUT THEN IT REJECTS THEM."

TEXT: "THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION" WRITES ABOUT THE SURPRISING EARLY SUCCESSES OF CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN TELEVISION COMMENTATOR AND WRITER, PAT BUCHANAN.

VOICE: "WHY DO SOME REPUBLICANS FIND BUCHANAN SO APPEALING? ... HIS ATTENTION TO THE ECONOMIC CONCERNS OF LOWER AND MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES. THOSE CONCERNS ARE LARGELY IGNORED BY MAINSTREAM REPUBLICANS WHO BELIEVE THEY CAN FIX WHATEVER AILS THE ECONOMY SIMPLY BY CUTTING TAXES AND BALANCING THE BUDGET... UNFORTUNATELY, VIRTUALLY ALL OF HIS ANSWERS ARE WRONG-HEADED."

TEXT: IN NEW ENGLAND, "THE BOSTON GLOBE" OBSERVES:

VOICE: "IF THERE WAS A SINGLE MESSAGE FROM THE IOWA CAUCUS GOERS ... AND FROM THE MANY WHO STAYED HOME ... WE DETECT AN URGENT PLEA FOR DIRECTION, FOR A POSITIVE AGENDA FOR THE FUTURE THAT CAN STIMULATE, EVEN INSPIRE.

TEXT: FOUR-THOUSAND KILOMETERS OR MORE AWAY, "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" NOTES THAT IOWA, A FARM STATE WITH RELATIVELY FEW PEOPLE AND HARDLY ANY MINORITIES, IS HARDLY TYPICAL OF THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE.

VOICE: "JUST WHAT IS IT THAT ACCOUNTS FOR IOWA'S APPARENT POLITICAL IMPORTANCE, COME THE LATE WINTER OF EVERY PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR? ... SIMPLE. THE CANDIDATES AND THEREFORE THE MEDIA TREAT IOWA AS IF IT WERE IMPORTANT, AND SO IT INDEED BECOMES IMPORTANT. IOWA LOOMS LARGE TO THE CANDIDATES BECAUSE IT HOLDS THE NATION'S FIRST FULL-SCALE CAUCUSES, JUST AS NEW HAMPSHIRE, ANOTHER WHOLLY ATYPICAL STATE, LOOMS FAR LARGER THAN ITS MODEST ELECTORAL WEIGHT BECAUSE IT HOLDS THE FIRST PRIMARIES. THE TRUE LESSON OF IOWA IS THAT THERE ARE NO CONSISTENT LESSONS TO BE INFERRED."

TEXT: "THE NEW YORK TIMES" SUGGESTS ANOTHER POSSIBILITY:

VOICE: "THE TRUE MESSAGE OF IOWA MAY BE THAT THE REPUBLICANS PREFERRED WATCHING THE 'CHICAGO HOPE' [A POPULAR TELEVISION MEDICAL DRAMA SHOW ON THE NIGHT OF THE IOWA CAUCUSES] LOBOTOMY EPISODE TO SUPPORTING ANY OF THE OPTIONS [CANDIDATES] OFFERED UP ON THEIR PLATE."

TEXT: TURNING BRIEFLY TO OTHER ISSUES, THERE IS COMMENT FROM "THE NEW YORK TIMES" ON THE FORTHCOMING ISRAELI ELECTIONS, IN MAY, THAT HAVE PLACED THE ISRAEL-SYRIA PEACE TALKS ON TEMPORARY HOLD.

VOICE: "EARLY ELECTIONS MAKE SENSE FOR MR. PERES AND FOR ISRAEL. THEY HONOR DEMOCRATIC TRADITION IN A COUNTRY RECENTLY TRAUMATIZED BY ASSASSINATION. AN EARLY VOTE ALSO REMOVES THE RISK OF INTERRUPTING TALKS WITH SYRIA WHEN THEY REACH A DELICATE STAGE LATER THIS YEAR ... THE CAMPAIGN WILL AFFORD LIKUD A CHANCE TO RESTORE ITS IMAGE BY STRESSING ITS SERIOUS POLICY DIFFERENCES WITH LABOR IN A NONINFLAMMATORY WAY."

TEXT: SPEAKING OF THE LATEST SABER RATTLING FROM BEIJING DIRECTED AT TAIWAN, "THE ORLANDO SENTINEL" SUGGESTS:

VOICE: "THERE IS EVERY REASON FOR THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT CHINA'S RECENT MILITARY THREATS AGAINST TAIWAN. MOST WORRISOME RIGHT NOW ARE WAR GAMES CHINA HAS PLANNED TO SHOWCASE ITS IMPRESSIVE MILITARY MIGHT UNCOMFORTABLY CLOSE TO TAIWAN. THEY ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR JUST BEFORE TAIWAN'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN MARCH -- AN UNVEILED ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME... WHY MAKE AN ISSUE OF TAIWAN NOW? BECAUSE CHINA'S BEHAVIOR TOWARD TAIWAN WILL HELP SET THE TONE FOR ITS FUTURE RELATIONSHIP WITH ITS NEIGHBORS."

TEXT: STILL ON CHINA, TODAY'S "ATLANTA CONSTITUTION" NOTES:

VOICE: "CHINA APPEARS TO BE THUMBING ITS NOSE AT A U-S LAW INTENDED TO MINIMIZE THE SPREAD OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. FOR MONTHS, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS PONDERED WHAT TO DO ABOUT A C-I-A REPORT THAT CHINA SOLD AND DELIVERED FIVE-THOUSAND SPECIAL MAGNETS ... [FOR] THE ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS ... TO PAKISTAN. .... IF [PRESIDENT] CLINTON IS PERSUADED BY THE C-I-A'S CASE, HE MUST INVOKE APPROPRIATE SANCTIONS. THE WORST THING HE COULD DO WOULD BE TO SAY THE UNITED STATES WILL OVERLOOK CHINA'S VIOLATION THIS TIME."

TEXT: TODAY'S "WASHINGTON POST" COMMENTS ON THE DIFFICULTY CONFRONTING U-N AND NATO OFFICALS IN FINDING AND DETAINING SUSPECTED WAR CRIMINALS IN THE BALKANS:

VOICE: "IN SOME IDEAL WORLD, ALL OF BOSNIA'S WAR CRIMINALS WOULD BE TRIED AND HELD ACCOUNTABLE... IN THE IMPERFECT WORLD WE LIVE IN, HOWEVER, ARRESTING AND PUTTING ON TRIAL THE RELATIVELY FEW PEOPLE AN OVERLOADED SYSTEM CAN FAIRLY DEAL WITH MAY HAVE TO DO."

TEXT: IN FLORIDA, "THE MIAMI HERALD" IS CONCERNED THE UNITED STATES MIGHT WITHHOLD CERTIFICATION OF TRADE PREFERENCES FOR COLOMBIA BECAUSE OF THE DRUG MONEY SCANDAL SWIRLING AROUND COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT ERNESTO STAMPER. THE PAPER SAYS THAT WOULD NOT BE FAIR TO THE COLOMBIAN PEOPLE:

VOICE: "BEFORE MARCH FIRST, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION MUST DECIDE WHETHER TO PUNISH MILLIONS OF DECENT, HARD-WORKING COLOMBIAN PEOPLE FOR THE SINS OF A HANDFUL OF DOMESTIC CRIMINALS... U-S FAILURE TO 'CERTIFY' COLOMBIA'S ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS WOULD SEND THE WRONG, SELF-DEFEATING SIGNAL. DECERTIFICATION MEANS THAT COLOMBIA NO LONGER WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR U-S TRADE PREFERENCES. AND THE UNITED STATES NO LONGER COULD SUPPORT MULTILATERAL AGENCIES' LOANS TO COLOMBIA."

TEXT: AND FINALLY, ON VALENTINE'S DAY, NATIONALLY SYNDICATED COLUMNIST GEORGIE ANNE GEYER, WRITING IN TODAY'S "DENVER POST", OFFERS THESE THOUGHTS:

VOICE: "IT'S A TOUGH YEAR FOR LOVE. WHAT ON EARTH CAN SAINT VALENTINE'S DAY MEAN IN A CYNICAL AND UTILITARIAN AGE WHERE, ONE) YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE WANTON ABANDONED LOVE JUST AFTER SIGNING A 'TOUGH-LOVE' PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENT SHOWING HOW MUCH YOU ESSENTIALLY DISTRUST EACH OTHER; TWO) THE DEATH OF MANNERS HAS THROWN MANY MEN BACK INTO BARBARISM; THREE) THE PREDOMINANT ADVERSARINESS IN OUR SOCIETY IMMEDIATELY POSITIONS EVERYONE AS SOMEBODY ELSE'S SWORN ENEMY; FOUR) THE MEDICALIZATION AND DEMYSTIFICATION OF SEX HAS MADE IT INTO THE EMOTIONAL EQUIVALENT OF A DAILY 20-MINUTE TREADMILL EXERCISE."

TEXT: AND WITH THAT SOCIAL COMMENTARY ABOUT VALENTINE'S DAY, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF LOOK AT SOME OF TODAY'S U-S PRESS EDITORIALS.

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14-Feb-96 11:11 AM EST (1611 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] BALKAN RECONSTRUCTION: CROATIA BY BARRY WOOD (PRAGUE)

INTRO: OF ALL THE REPUBLICS OF THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA, CROATIA IS THE BEST POSITIONED TO BENEFIT FROM THE END OF THE WAR IN BOSNIA AND THE LAUNCHING OF RECONSTRUCTION FOR THE REGION. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS THAT EXPERTS ARE SAYING CROATIA COULD BECOME THE FASTEST GROWING ECONOMY IN ALL OF EUROPE THIS YEAR.

TEXT: CROATIA BEGINS 1996 IN FAR BETTER POSITION THAN AT ANY TIME SINCE INDEPENDENCE FIVE YEARS AGO.

SIX MONTHS AGO, THE CROATIAN ARMY RECAPTURED VITAL TERRITORY THAT BLOCKED ZAGREB FROM THE MAIN TRANSPORT ROUTE TO THE ADRIATIC SEA. THE RAIL LINE FROM THE CAPITAL TO THE SEAPORT OF SPLIT IS NOW OPEN. OIL IS FLOWING THROUGH THE ADRIA PIPELINE THAT EXTENDS FROM THE SEA NORTH ACROSS CROATIA AND INTO HUNGARY. ONLY THE IMPORTANT SLICE OF TERRITORY ADJACENT TO THE DANUBE RIVER -- EASTERN SLAVONIA -- REMAINS UNDER SERB OCCUPATION.

AT THE JUST COMPLETED WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM IN SWITZERLAND, CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER ZLATKO MATESA REMARKED THAT THE STRATEGIC SITUATION OF CROATIA IS MUCH IMPROVED.

OUR BASIC PRINCIPLES ARE THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DAYTON AGREEMENTS. THEN, EQUALLY IMPORTANT, SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PEACEFUL RE-INTEGRATION OF EASTERN SLAVONIA. AND I MAY ADD THAT THERE ARE GOOD SIGNS IN BOTH.

ON THE ECONOMIC SIDE, THE OUTLOOK IS EQUALLY BRIGHT. DEUTSCHE BANK OF FRANKFURT PREDICTS CROATIAN ECONOMIC GROWTH OF FROM SIX TO EIGHT PERCENT THIS YEAR.

U-B-S BANK OF SWITZERLAND IS EVEN MORE OPTIMISTIC, SAYING THAT THE WAR IS OVER AND THAT CROATIA IS WINNING THE PEACE. THE SWISS BANK SAYS CROATIA WILL RAPIDLY REGAIN ITS HISTORICAL POSITION AS AN EFFICIENT AND SUCCESSFUL CENTRAL EUROPEAN COUNTRY. THE BANK NOTES THAT ZAGREB HAS MET AND EXCEEDED ALL OF THE ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE TARGETS SET BY THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND. INFLATION IS LOW AND THE CURRENCY IS STABLE.

ANTON KOVACEV IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CROATIAN BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION. HE SAYS EARNINGS FROM TOURISM SHOULD DOUBLE IN 1996.

WE ARE EXPECTING A VERY GOOD TOURISTIC SEASON. BECAUSE WE HAD DURING ALL THAT PERIOD (OF WAR) IN PREVIOUS YEARS, WE HAD STILL HAD SOME TOURISTS, ESPECIALLY IN ISTRIA. AND WE HOPE NOW WE WILL HAVE MANY TOURISTS ON THE DALMATIAN COAST BECAUSE THIS AREA IS FREE OF DANGER. I'M SURE THAT DUBROVNIK OR ZADAR ARE SAFER NOW THAN LONDON OR MUNICH.

TOURISM IS CROATIA'S MOST IMPORTANT HARD CURRENCY EARNER. CROATIA IS ALSO BEGINNING TO ATTRACT INTEREST FROM FOREIGN INVESTORS. THE COUNTRY HAS A HIGHLY SKILLED WORK FORCE, BUT WAGES ARE HIGH FOR THE REGION, ABOUT THREE TO FOUR DOLLARS AN HOUR.

WORLD BANK OFFICIALS NOTE THAT CROATIA IS ALREADY A MAJOR BENEFICIARY OF THE AID PROGRAM FOR BOSNIA, SINCE MANY ORGANIZATIONS ARE KEEPING THEIR STAFF IN SPLIT OR ZAGREB WHERE LIFE IS MORE COMFORTABLE AND SAFER THAN IN NEIGHBORING BOSNIA. (SIGNED)

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14-Feb-96 1:05 PM EST (1805 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] BOSNIA SITREP (L) BY WAYNE COREY (VIENNA)

INTRO: BOSNIAN-SERB LEADER RADOVAN KARADZIC HAS JOINED HIS ARMY COMMANDERS IN CONDEMNING THE EXTRADITION OF TWO SERB OFFICERS INTO THE CUSTODY OF THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE. V-O-A'S CENTRAL EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT WAYNE COREY REPORTS MR. KARADZIC, AN INDICTED WAR CRIMINAL, SAYS THE OFFICERS' DETENTION IS COMPLETELY UNJUSTIFIED.

TEXT: ENDING HIS SILENCE ON THE ISSUE, RADOVAN KARADZIC SAYS THE EXTRADITION OF THE SERB GENERAL AND A COLONEL TO THE HAGUE IS AN INTERNATIONAL SCANDAL AND A HOSTILE ACT.

HE SAYS IT SERIOUSLY AFFECTS THE FREE MOVEMENT OF SERBS, GUARANTEED BY THE BOSNIAN PEACE AGREEMENT AND IMPLIES THE WAR IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA HAS NOT ENDED. HE ADDS, UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES THE SERBS CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO ENGAGE IN CONSTRUCTIVE NEGOTIATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE PEACE TREATY.

THE SERBS ARE BOYCOTTING ARMS CONTROL NEGOTIATIONS AND TALKS ABOUT POST-WAR ELECTIONS, DUE TO BE HELD IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA LATER THIS YEAR.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE SERB ARMY MAY BE PREPARING TO CUT CONTACT WITH THE NATO-LED INTERNATIONAL PEACE FORCE IN BOSNIA. ONE NATO OFFICIAL IN SARAJEVO SAYS SERB LIAISON OFFICERS ARE PACKING THEIR BAGS AND MAY WITHDRAW FROM SOME LOCATIONS.

NATO HAS CLOSED ITS LIAISON OFFICE IN THE SERB STRONGHOLD OF PALE, NEAR SARAJEVO, IN FEAR OF MORE SERB RETALIATION FOR THE EXTRADITION OF THE SERB GENERAL AND COLONEL.

WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE BOTH MEN WERE INVOLVED IN THE FORCED LABOR OF MUSLIM PRISONERS WHO DUG TRENCHES FOR SERB SOLDIERS AND REPAIRED HEAVY WEAPONS THAT SHELLED SARAJEVO.

THE GENERAL, DJORDGE DJUKIC, WAS A CLOSE AIDE OF SERB ARMY COMMANDER GENERAL RATKO MLADIC, WHO, LIKE THE SERB POLITICAL LEADER, HAS BEEN INDICTED FOR WAR CRIMES.

INVESTIGATORS ALSO BELIEVE GENERAL DJUKIC KNOWS ABOUT SECRET YUGOSLAV ARMS DELIVERIES TO THE BOSNIAN SERBS IN VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS AGAINST BELGRADE.

BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE TOLD REPORTERS GENERAL DJUKIC COULD LINK SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO WAR CRIMES OR TO SECRET MILITARY AID TO BOSNIAN SERBS.

IT IS NOT YET KNOWN IF THE GENERAL WILL COOPERATE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL AND ANSWER INVESTIGATORS' QUESTIONS. HE AND THE DETAINED SERB COLONEL HAVE BOTH ASKED A PROMINENT YUGOSLAV LAWYER TO DEFEND THEM AGAINST POSSIBLE WAR CRIMES CHARGES. (SIGNED)

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14-Feb-96 10:20 AM EST (1520 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] GERMANY / CROATIA (L ONLY) BY KYLE KING (BONN )

INTRO: GERMANY SAYS CROATIA WILL RISK LOSING WESTERN FINANCIAL AID UNLESS THE ZAGREB GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS EUROPEAN UNION (EU) PLANS FOR THE REUNIFICATION OF MOSTAR, THE SOUTHERN BOSNIAN CITY DIVIDED INTO MUSLIM AND CROAT SECTIONS. VOA'S KYLE KING REPORTS.

TEXT: FOREIGN MINISTER KLAUS KINKEL SAYS GERMANY IS COUNTING ON CROATIAN PRESIDENT FRANJO TUDJMAN TO HELP PERSUADE THE BOSNIAN CROATS TO ACCEPT E-U PLANS TO REUNITE MOSTAR.

BOSNIAN CROATS IN MOSTAR STONED AND SHOT AT THE E-U ADMINISTRATOR OF THE CITY LAST WEEK AFTER HE ANNOUNCED A COMPROMISE REUNIFICATION PLAN THAT CROATS SAY FAVORS THE MUSLIMS.

MR. KINKEL, WHO HELD TALKS WITH PRESIDENT TUDJMAN EARLIER THIS WEEK, SAYS CROATIA RISKS LOSING WESTERN FINANCIAL AID AND CLOSER TIES WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY, IF IT FAILS TO SUPPORT THE E-U PLAN. MR. KINKEL ALSO REJECTED CRITICISM THAT GERMANY HAS LOST ITS INFLUENCE WITH THE CROATIAN GOVERNMENT.

THE GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER ACKNOWLEDGED GERMANY HAD LIMITED INFLUENCE, BUT HE SAID CROATIA NEEDS EUROPEAN SUPPORT IF IT WANTS TO TAKE PART IN E-U RECONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS AND BECOME A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE.

ALTHOUGH GERMANY WAS THE LEADING EUROPEAN SUPPORTER OF CROATIA'S BID FOR INDEPENDENCE WHEN YUGOSLAVIA BROKE UP IN 1991, SOME COMMENTATORS SAY GERMANY SHOULD NOW CONSIDER ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST ZAGREB. CRITICS SAY THE ZAGREB GOVERNMENT'S FAILURE TO USE ITS INFLUENCE TO GET THE BOSNIAN CROATS TO ACCEPT THE MOSTAR PLAN, SHOWS GERMAN ADVICE IS NOW BEING IGNORED.

MR. KINKEL SAYS IT IS UP TO THE CROATIAN PRESIDENT TO MAKE SURE THAT BOSNIAN CROAT OPPONENTS OF THE E-U PLAN IN MOSTAR ARE REMOVED FROM THE POLITICAL STAGE, SOMETHING, HE SAYS, THAT COULD TAKE TIME. (SIGNED)

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14-Feb-96 10:00 AM EST (1500 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] U-S/ EUROPE/ BUSINESS BY ANDREW BAIRD (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: REPRESENTATIVES OF A U-S-EUROPE TRADE LIBERALIZATION GROUP SAY THE PROCESS OF SEEKING LOWER TARIFFS AND ABOLISHING REGULATORY AND OTHER BARRIERS TO TRANSATLANTIC TRADE IS ON TRACK. V-O-A'S ANDREW BAIRD HAS THIS REPORT.

TEXT: REPRESENTATIVES TO THE U-S / EUROPE TRANSATLANTIC BUSINESS DIALOGUE HAVE CONCLUDED TWO DAYS OF MEETINGS TO WORK ON ISSUES RAISED AT A MEETING IN SEVILLE, SPAIN LAST NOVEMBER. THE DIALOGUE IS THE "BRAINCHILD" (THE IDEA OF) U-S COMMERCE SECRETARY RON BROWN WHO CONVENED THE MEETING IN SEVILLE. IN A NEWS CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY, MICHAEL FARREN, VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE XEROX CORPORATION, SAID THE LATEST TALKS HAD BEEN PRODUCTIVE. HE ADDED THAT THE GROUP'S RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OUT OF THE SEVILLE TALKS HAD BEEN TAKEN UP AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.

THE FIRST STOP OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS AT THE PRESIDENTIAL SUMMIT IN MADRID, BETWEEN PRESIDENT CLINTON AND THE EUROPEAN PRESIDENCY, AND FULLY SIXTY PERCENT OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE INCLUDED IN THE ACTION PLAN WHICH THE TWO PRESIDENTS PUT FORWARD.

THE REPRESENTATIVES SAID THAT THE 100 U-S AND EUROPEAN BUSINESS LEADERS BELONGING TO THE DIALOGUE WOULD NOW BE FORMING 15 DIFFERENT "ISSUES" GROUPS TO MOVE LIBERALIZATION FORWARD.

MIKE FARREN, OF XEROX CORPORATION, MENTIONED WHAT HE FELT WERE THE ISSUES GETTING TOP ATTENTION BY DIALOGUE MEMBERS.

PERHAPS SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT HAVE RECEIVED SOME OF GREATEST CONSIDERATION RELATE TO STANDARDS AND REGULATION, EFFORTS TO DE-REGULATE THE MARKETS, MOVE GOVERNMENT IMPEDIMENTS TO TRADE OUT OF THE WAY, TO COME UP WITH SOME JOINT APPROACHES AND PROCEDURES FOR PRODUCT STANDARDS, FOR TESTING AND CERTIFICATION, SO ONCE IT'S TESTED IN EITHER MARKET, IT'S AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN BOTH THE U-S AND EUROPEAN MARKET.

MR. FARREN SAID THERE WAS ALSO A PUSH TO ACCELERATE TARIFF REDUCTIONS CALLED FOR UNDER THE RECENT URUGUAY ROUND OF TRADE TALKS. THIS WEEK'S MEETINGS IN WASHINGTON PREPARE THE WAY FOR YET ANOTHER FOLLOW-UP SESSION IN MAY, TO BE FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER MAJOR DIALOGUE SIMILAR TO THAT IN SEVILLE WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE THIS FALL. (SIGNED)

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14-Feb-96 6:04 PM EST (2304 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] U-S BOSNIA (L) BY RON PEMSTEIN (STATE DEPARTMENT)

INTRO: THE PRESIDENTS OF BOSNIA, CROATIA AND SERBIA WILL MEET IN ROME THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WITH CONTACT GROUP NEGOTIATORS. RON PEMSTEIN REPORTS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT, THE UNITED STATES ORGANIZED THE MEETING TO KEEP THE BOSNIA PEACE AGREEMENT FROM FALLING APART.

TEXT: SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER CALLED FOR THE ROME MEETING TO REVIEW THE BOSNIA PEACE AGREEMENT THAT CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE PROBLEMS. THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT HAS REFUSED TO RELEASE FOUR BOSNIAN SERB PRISONERS DESPITE A DIRECT APPEAL FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

INDICTED BOSNIAN SERB PRESIDENT RADOVAN KARADZIC APPEARS TO HAVE TRAVELED PAST NATO CHECKPOINTS WHILE ANOTHER ACCUSED WAR CRIMINAL GIVES ORDERS TO CUT OFF CONTACTS WITH NATO FORCES. BOSNIAN CROATS RESIST THE AGREEMENT'S DIRECTION TO UNIFY THE CITY OF MOSTAR. SERBIA REFUSES TO EXTRADITE ACCUSED WAR CRIMINALS.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAYS THE MEETING IS AGREED AS A MEANS TO UNDERSCORE THE COMMITMENT OF ALL PARTIES TO FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE DAYTON PEACE AGREEMENT. HE SAYS THERE WILL BE A REVIEW OF ALL ASPECTS OF IMPLEMENTATION TO DATE AND A DISCUSSION OF HOW THE REMAINING ISSUES CAN BE RESOLVED.

THE PRESIDENTS OF BOSNIA, CROATIA AND SERBIA WILL MEET WITH U-S ASSISTANT SECRETARY RICHARD HOLBROOKE WHO NEGOTIATED THE DAYTON ACCORDS. EUROPEAN UNION REPRESENTATIVE CARL BILDT WILL BE AT THE ROME MEETING ALONG WITH POLITICAL DIRECTORS FROM CONTACT GROUP MEMBERS, RUSSIA, BRITAIN, FRANCE, GERMANY AND ITALY.

STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN NICHOLAS BURNS SAYS THE MEDIATORS WILL EMPHASIZE THAT THE PRESIDENTS CANNOT DECIDE WHAT PART OF THE AGREEMENT THEY WILL CARRY OUT.

IT'S DIFFICULT AND THERE ARE ISSUES AND PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS AND WE ARE DETERMINED THAT, AS DICK HOLBROOKE SAID OVER THE WEEKEND, NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE ON IMPLEMENTATION. NO BREAKS ARE GOING TO BE GIVEN TO ANY OF THESE PARTIES WHO JUST DECIDE THEY DON'T LIKE AN ASPECT OF THE DAYTON ACCORDS. THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS VERY HEAVY EMPHASIS ON IMPLEMENTATION.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAYS MR. KARADZIC AND GENERAL RATKO MLADIC WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TRAVEL AROUND BOSNIA AT WILL AND HE URGED SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC TO ARREST THEM AT THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF HUMAN RIGHT, JOHN SHATTUCK, SAYS HE HAS SEEN CROATIAN LEGISLATION THAT WILL PERMIT THE EXTRADITION OF ACCUSED CROAT WAR CRIMINALS TO THE INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE. HOWEVER, MR. SHATTUCK SAYS PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC REFUSES TO TAKE THOSE STEPS AND OBJECTED TO THE EXTRADITION OF TWO BOSNIAN SERB MILITARY OFFICERS ON MONDAY.

MR. SHATTUCK VISITED THE BOSNIAN SERB CONCENTRATION CAMP AT OMARSKA AND THE MINE SHAFT AT LJUBIJA ON HIS LAST TRIP TO BOSNIA. HE SAYS THE OMARSKA VISIT CONFIRMED THE TESTIMONY OF FORMER PRISONERS ABOUT WAR CRIMES BUT HEAVY SNOW PREVENTED HIM FROM SEEING ANY CORPSES OR BONES AT THE MINE. REPORTS FROM THE SCENE SAY THOUSANDS OF BODIES WERE THROWN INTO THE MINE TO COVER UP EARLIER MASSACRES OF MUSLIMS AND CROATS. (SIGNED)

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14-Feb-96 6:52 PM EST (2352 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America