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Voice of America, 99-05-21Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>CONTENTS
[01] KOSOVO WRAP (L-ONLY) BY JIM RANDLE (PENTAGON)DATE=5/21/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249670 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: U-S OFFICIALS SAY NATO SHOULD QUICKLY SEND A 50-THOUSAND MEMBER PEACE-KEEPING FORCE TO MACEDONIA'S BORDER WITH KOSOVO, BUT THEY DENY NATO IS PREPARING AN INVASION OF YUGOSLAVIA. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS FROM THE PENTAGON, WHERE OFFICIALS ARE DOWN-PLAYING REPORTED DOUBTS ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ALLIANCE AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST SERB TARGETS. TEXT: NATO PLANS HAVE CALLED ALL ALONG FOR A 28-THOUSAND-MEMBER INTERNATIONAL FORCE TO PROTECT REFUGEES AS THEY RETURN TO THEIR HOMES IN THE SERB PROVINCE OF KOSOVO. PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS DETERIORATING CONDITIONS IN KOSOVO, AND THE TIME NEEDED TO GET THE REFUGEES INTO PROPER SHELTER BEFORE NEXT WINTER, MEAN NATO MUST MOVE MORE QUICKLY AND FORCEFULLY. MR. BACON SAYS NATO POLITICAL LEADERS MUST STILL APPROVE THE PROPOSAL, AND THAT WASHINGTON WILL NOT DISPATCH TROOPS UNTIL THERE IS A PEACE AGREEMENT TO ENFORCE. THE CALL FOR MORE NATO GROUND TROOPS FOLLOWS REPORTS THAT NATO MILITARY COMMANDER WESLEY CLARK HAS TOLD TOP U-S GENERALS THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT AIR ATTACKS ALONE WILL FORCE BELGRADE TO PULL ITS FORCES OUT OF KOSOVO AND ALLOW AN INTERNATIONAL FORCE TO ENTER YUGOSLAVIA. MR. BACON SAYS THE AIR CAMPAIGN IS GOING WELL, AND THAT GENERAL CLARK IS JUST BEING PRUDENT. /// BACON ACT ///NOBODY CAN GUARANTEE, AT THIS STAGE, THAT THE AIR CAMPAIGN WILL PRODUCE ALL OF THE OBJECTIVES BY THE FALL. WE THINK IT WILL. /// END ACT ///MR. BACON'S REMARKS FOLLOW A WASHINGTON VISIT BY BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK, WHO URGED THE ALLIES TO BEGIN BUILDING UP THEIR FORCES IN THE BALKANS TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE ON PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC. PRESIDENT CLINTON SIGNALED A SOFTENING OF U-S RESISTANCE TOWARD GROUND OPERATIONS IN THE BALKANS TUESDAY, WHEN HE SAID WASHINGTON HAS NOT TAKEN ANY OPTION OFF THE TABLE. BUT GERMAN LEADERS SAY EVEN DISCUSSING A TROOP BUILD-UP NOW MIGHT JEOPARDIZE EFFORTS TO WORK OUT A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION TO THE KOSOVO CONFLICT. PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAID FRIDAY THERE WAS A "HINT" THAT A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT IS CLOSER NOW THAN IT WAS A MONTH AGO. MEANTIME, U-S OFFICIALS ARE APOLOGIZING FOR DAMAGE TO DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS CAUSED BY NATO BOMBS. THURSDAY EVENING, A NEARBY AIR STRIKE FORCED GUESTS AT THE SWISS AMBASSADOR'S RESIDENCE IN BELGRADE TO DODGE FLYING GLASS. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAYS THE DAMAGE WAS AN ACCIDENT. /// REST OPT ////// RUBIN ACT ///WHATEVER DAMAGE MAY HAVE OCCURRED WAS ENTIRELY UNINTENTIONAL. IN OUR VIEW, NATO'S AIR CAMPAIGN REPRESENTS THE MOST ACCURATE AND DISCRIMINATING USE OF AIR POWER IN HISTORY. /// END ACT ///U-S OFFICIALS ADMIT THAT BOMBS HAVE HIT CIVILIAN RATHER THAN
MILITARY TARGETS MORE THAN A DOZEN TIMES IN THE TWO-MONTH-LONG
CAMPAIGN. BUT THEY SAY THE ACCIDENTS ARE A TINY PERCENTAGE OF
THE MORE THAN 14-THOUSAND BOMBS THAT THE ALLIANCE HAS DROPPED ON
SERB TARGETS ACROSS YUGOSLAVIA. (SIGNED)
[02] NATO / KOSOVO (L ONLY) BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)DATE=5/21/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249644 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: NATO INSISTED FRIDAY THAT ITS CAMPAIGN OF AIR STRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA WILL NOT BE HALTED UNTIL YUGOSLAV LEADER SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC ACCEPTS ALL NATO DEMANDS. JOHN FRASER REPORTS FROM BRUSSELS TEXT: NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JAVIER SOLANA ON THURSDAY SAID HE IS INTERESTED IN A PLAN BY THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT FOR A TEMPORARY PAUSE IN NATO'S AIR STRIKES WHILE THE UNITED NATIONS DEBATES A RESOLUTION FOR ENDING THE KOSOVO CRISIS. THIS WAS INTERPRETED BY SOME COMMENTATORS AS A SIGN THAT NATO MIGHT BE MODERATING ITS DEMANDS. BUT ALLIANCE SPOKESMAN JAMIE SHEA WAS DETERMINED FRIDAY TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. IN A BRIEFING WITH JOURNALISTS, MR. SHEA RESTATED NATO'S STANCE THAT THE AIR CAMPAIGN WILL BE ENDED ONLY WHEN PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC HAS ACCEPTED ALL FIVE CONDITIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. THESE INCLUDE AN END TO ETHNIC CLEANSING, THE WITHDRAWAL OF YUGOSLAV FORCES FROM KOSOVO, AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF AN INTERNATIONAL ARMED FORCE IN KOSOVO TO ENSURE THE SAFE RETURN OF THE REFUGEES. MR. SHEA INSISTED REPEATEDLY THAT THE BOMBING WILL CONTINUE UNTIL PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC ACCEPTS ALL FIVE CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT RULE OUT A TEMPORARY PAUSE IN THE CAMPAIGN, WHICH ITALY HAS BEEN ADVOCATING. ALL HE WOULD SAY WAS THE IT IS SPECULATIVE TO TALK ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH THE UNITED NATIONS AND NATO WILL OPERATE ONCE THE DIPLOMATIC PROCESS HAS MOVED ALONG. MR. SHEA WELCOMED WHAT HE CALLED SIGNS OF GROWING DISSENSION INSIDE SERBIA, INCLUDING THE DESERTION OF FRONT LINE FORCES IN KOSOVO. MR. SHEA REPORTED THAT POOR WEATHER HAMPERED NATO'S STRIKES AGAINST YUGOSLAV FORCES IN KOSOVO THURSDAY NIGHT, BUT THERE WERE ATTACKS ON OTHER TARGETS IN THE REST OF SERBIA, INCLUDING PETROLEUM STORAGE FACILITIES. HE ALSO SAID THE WEATHER IS IMPROVING FRIDAY, AND NATO IS AGAIN
STEPPING UP THE PACE OF ITS AIR ATTACKS. (SIGNED)
[03] KOSOVO / WAR CRIMES (L-ONLY) BY NICK SIMEONE (KUKES, ALBANIA)DATE=5/21/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249650 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: REFUGEES WHO HAVE FLED KOSOVO TO ALBANIA IN RECENT DAYS SAY THEY HAVE SEEN WHAT COULD AMOUNT TO WAR CRIMES BEING CARRIED OUT BY SERB FORCES, INCLUDING THE USE OF CIVILIANS AS HUMAN SHIELDS. V-O-A'S NICK SIMEONE IN THE ALBANIAN TOWN OF KUKES REPORTS THAT IF TRUE, THE ACCOUNTS WOULD SEEM TO CORROBORATE CLAIMS BEING MADE BY NATO. TEXT: SOME OF THE LATEST ETHNIC ALBANIANS TO ARRIVE HERE TALK OF THE YUGOSLAV MILITARY ROUNDING UP KOSOVAR CIVILIANS AND HOLDING THEM AT SITES THAT BELGRADE BELIEVES MAY BE TARGETS FOR NATO BOMBS. IF TRUE, THIS COULD EXPLAIN WHY A GROUP OF KOSOVAR CIVILIANS WERE KILLED IN A NATO ATTACK LAST WEEK AT WHAT THE ALLIANCE SAYS WAS A LEGITIMATE MILITARY TARGET IN THE TOWN OF KORISA. THIS REFUGEE ARRIVED IN KUKES ONE WEEK AGO AFTER LOSING HER BROTHER TO SERB SHELLING. SHE SAYS SHE BELIEVES HER OTHER RELATIVES ARE ALIVE BUT HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM THE TOWN OF PRIZREN TO BE USED AS HUMAN SHIELDS BY THE SERB MILITARY. /// REFUGEE ACT ONE - AND TRANSLATOR ///I'M SURE BECAUSE I HAVE SEVERAL OF MY RELATIVES, MY UNCLE AND HIS SON AND DAUGHTER, TAKEN BY SERB FORCES FOR THIS PURPOSE. /// END ACT ///WHILE NATO WARPLANES DROP LEAFLETS OVER SERBIA WARNING THE MILITARY IT HAS NOWHERE TO HIDE, REFUGEES ARRIVING HERE SAY THEY HAVE SEEN NO INDICATION THAT SERB FORCES ARE WEAKENING OR ANY SIGN THAT SOLDIERS ARE DESERTING THE MILITARY, AS NATO SAYS HAS BEEN THE CASE. THIS REFUGEE AND OTHERS ARE PROVIDING ACCOUNTS SUGGESTING YUGOSLAVIA WILL CONTINUE FIGHTING AND WILL USE ITS OWN CIVILIANS IF IT HAS TO, TO INCREASE THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE CAUSED BY NATO ATTACKS. /// REFUGEE ACT TWO - AND TRANSLATOR ///THIS IS DONE THIS WAY: THEY PUT CIVILIANS INSIDE FACTORIES AND THEY PUT TANKS OR SOME ARMED VEHICLES AROUND FACTORIES SO THE NATO AIRSTRIKES WILL BE DIRECTED TO WHAT THEY SEE AS ARMED VEHICLES WHILE INSIDE THE BUILDING OR PREMISES ARE CIVILIANS. /// END ACT ////// FATMIR ACT ///I HEAR FROM THE REFUGEES THAT ARE COMING STILL FROM MY AREA AND FROM PRIZREN AND THEY ARE TELLING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE BEING KEPT BY THE MILITARY. AND ALSO, WE ARE AFRAID THAT THEY ARE USING (THEM) LIKE HOSTAGES, THEY ARE PUTTING THEM IN FRONT OF TANKS OR SOMETHING. MAYBE THEY ARE (DRESSING THEM UP IN) YUGOSLAV MILITARY UNIFORMS. /// END ACT ///THE TOP U-S OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT ALLEGED WAR CRIMES, DAVID SCHEFFER, ESTIMATES THAT AT LEAST FIVE-THOUSAND PEOPLE MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN KILLED IN MASS EXECUTIONS IN KOSOVO. AND, HE SAYS, AN INCREASING NUMBER OF KOSOVO CIVILIANS -- PERHAPS AS MANY AS ONE-QUARTER-MILLION -- REMAIN UNACCOUNTED FOR. NATO SAYS SERB FORCES HAVE BEEN TRYING TO EXUME MASS GRAVES IN
APPARENT ANTICIPATION THAT ONCE THE KOSOVO CONFLICT ENDS, THE
ALLEGED WAR CRIMES WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE YUGOSLAV WAR CRIMES
TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE. (SIGNED)
[04] KUKES REFUGEES (L-ONLY) BY NICK SIMEONE (KUKES, ALBANIA)DATE=5/21/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249657 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: NATO SAYS IT HOPES TO HELP MOVE MORE THAN 30-THOUSAND KOSOVAR REFUGEES OUT OF CAMPS ALONG THE ALBANIAN BORDER BY THE END OF THE MONTH. TENS OF THOUSANDS ARE IN TENTS THERE AND SOME DON'T WANT TO BE LOCATED TO OTHER CAMPS FURTHER INSIDE ALBANIA, FURTHER AWAY FROM THEIR HOMELAND. CORRESPONDENT NICK SIMEONE HAS BEEN VISITING THE CAMPS IN THE BORDER TOWN OF KUKES. TEXT: NO LONGER ARE HUGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE POURING ACROSS THE KOSOVO BORDER INTO ALBANIA, ALTHOUGH THAT COULD CHANGE. WITH FOOD, WATER AND AT LEAST A MINIMUM OF SHELTER NOW PROVIDED FOR THEM, THE PEOPLE IN THESE CAMPS SEEM TO WANT TO SETTLE HERE UNTIL IT'S SAFE FOR THEM TO RETURN TO HOME. BUT IF MORE REFUGEES DO ARRIVE, IT WILL BECOME EVEN MORE URGENT THAT PEOPLE HERE MOVE ON. U-N-H-C-R SPOKESMAN RAY WILKINSON SAYS THE UNITED NATIONS HAS BEEN ABLE TO CONVINCE SOME 300-THOUSAND PEOPLE TO MOVE FURTHER INTO THE COUNTRY. // WILKINSON ACT //// END ACT //THE SITUATION HERE IS IN SHARP CONTRAST TO JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN THERE WAS NO INFRASTRUCTURE TO DEAL WITH REFUGEES. THOUSANDS WERE ARRIVING FROM KOSOVO EVERY DAY WITH NOTHING AND ABSOLUTELY NO WHERE TO GO. NOW, MOST APPEAR TO BE IN RELATIVELY GOOD SHAPE, UNLIKE THE REFUGEES THIS REPORTER SAW FLEEING TO A COLD PATCH OF LAND IN MACEDONIA LAST MONTH, WHERE TENS OF THOUSANDS HAD NO FOOD, SHELTER OR WATER FOR DAYS. BUT KUKES STILL NEEDS MORE MEDICAL PERSONNEL. DOCTOR RUSHDI ABDULCADER WAS SENT TO KUKES BY THE LOS ANGELES-BASED INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS AND HAS BEEN TREATING CHILDREN, SOME OF WHOM HAVE BEEN LEFT ORPHANS. // ABDULCADER ACT //IF YOU JUST SIT AND WATCH THE CHILDREN IT'S VERY VERY INTERESTING. YOU SEE THEM PLAYING. YOU SEE THE BIG RED EARTH TRACKS FROM THESE HEAVY VEHICLES THAT ARE GOING THROUGH AND ON IT YOU SEE THESE CHILDREN PLAYING, BUILDING CASTLES, WITH ALL THEIR CREATIVITY, WITH ALL THEIR HAPPINESS, LAUGHING AND PLAYING. YOU SEE SOME CHILDREN, IN FACT I'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF CHILDREN THAT ARE SOMEWHAT DEVASTATED BY WHAT'S HAPPENED. WHEN YOU EXAMINE THEM, THERE'S A BLANK STARE ON THEIR FACE. THEY DON'T RESPOND TO YOU THE WAY A NORMAL CHILD WOULD RESPOND TO YOU, SOME OF THE CHILDREN WHO'VE LOST A PARENT. // END ACT //SCATTERED AROUND ALBANIA ARE MORE THAN 20 REFUGEE CAMPS. SOME
300-THOUSAND KOSOVARS ARE BEING CARED FOR BY ALBANIAN FAMILIES.
THE ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT EXPECTS TO BEGIN GIVING AN ALLOWANCE TO
HOST FAMILIES TO HELP OFFSET THE COSTS OF SUPPORTING THEM. BUT
THIS IS EUROPE'S POOREST COUNTRY AND THE MONEY FOR THAT WILL
LIKELY DEPEND ON CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ABROAD. (SIGNED)
[05] U-N-H-C-R / KOSOVO (L-ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)DATE=5/21/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249653 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE U-N REFUGEE AGENCY, U-N-H-C-R, SAYS THE NUMBER OF KOSOVAR REFUGEES ARRIVING IN MACEDONIA THURSDAY WAS THE LARGEST IN SEVERAL WEEKS. LISA SCHLEIN IN GENEVA REPORTS THE AGENCY ESTIMATES 27-HUNDRED REFUGEES CROSSED INTO MACEDONIA, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF KOSOVAR REFUGEES IN THE COUNTRY TO MORE THAN 226-THOUSAND. TEXT: THE U-N REFUGEE AGENCY SAYS A MAJORITY OF REFUGEES, AROUND 23-HUNDRED, ARRIVED BY TRAIN FROM THE KOSOVO CAPITAL, PRISTINA, AND THREE NEARBY AREAS. IT SAYS THE REST ARRIVED BY ROAD. IN CONTRAST TO THIS RENEWED FLOOD OF REFUGEES INTO MACEDONIA, THE AGENCY SAYS THE EXODUS INTO ALBANIA HAS ALMOST COMPLETELY DRIED UP. U-N-H-C-R SPOKESMAN, KRIS JANOWSKI, SAYS ONLY 63 PEOPLE ARRIVED IN NORTHERN ALBANIA IN THE PAST EIGHT DAYS. /// JANOWSKI ACT ONE ///THE REASONS ARE NOT CLEAR. ONE POSSIBLE REASON IS THAT CIVILIANS ARE BEING HELD BACK IN THOSE AREAS WITH HEAVY MILITARY PRESENCE BY THE SERB FORCES WHILE THERE'S A MOPPING-UP OPERATION GOING ON AROUND PRISTINA, AROUND UROSEVAC, AROUND LIPLJAN. PEOPLE ARE BEING ROUNDED UP, DIRECTED TOWARDS TOWNS AND VILLAGES AND THEN PUSHED OUT. /// END ACT ///MR. JANOWSKI SAYS REFUGEES ARRIVING IN MACEDONIA TELL STORIES OF TORTURE, BEATINGS, EXTORTION, AND SHORTAGES OF FOOD. HE SAYS MANY OF THOSE WHO ARRIVED BY TRAIN TOLD AID WORKERS THEY HAD BEEN LIVING AS INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE INSIDE KOSOVO FOR WEEKS, SOMETIMES LONGER. /// JANOWSKI ACT TWO ///WE HEARD REPEATED REPORTS, MIRRORING ALSO THE REPORTS BY THE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH IN ALBANIA, THAT KOSOVO MEN HAD TO PAY MILITARY AND PARAMILITARY TROOPS TO ESCAPE WITH THEIR LIVES. THEY MENTIONED THE SUM OF 15-HUNDRED DEUTSCHE MARKS. THERE WERE ALSO NUMEROUS REPORTS OF BEATINGS AND TORTURE. THE REFUGEES SAID THAT AREAS AROUND PRISTINA HAD BEEN CLEANED UP OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS. /// END ACT ///THE U-N REFUGEE AGENCY SAYS THE SITUATION IN MONTENEGRO REMAINS
TENSE. MR. JANOWSKI SAYS MORE FEDERAL YUGOSLAV SOLDIERS ARE
GOING TO MONTENEGRO. HE SAYS THEY ARE MONITORING BORDERS AND
SEALING OFF SOME BORDERS TO KOSOVAR REFUGEES AND HUMANITARIAN
AGENCIES. (SIGNED)
[06] CLINTON / KOSOVO / FUNDING (L-ONLY) BY DEBORAH TATE (WHITE HOUSE)DATE=5/21/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249668 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS SIGNED A 15-BILLION-DOLLAR EMERGENCY PACKAGE TO HELP PAY FOR THE AIR WAR IN YUGOSLAVIA, PROVIDE AID TO HURRICANE-RAVAGED CENTRAL AMERICA, AND FUND OTHER PROGRAMS. CORRESPONDENT DEBORAH TATE REPORTS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE. TEXT: MOST OF THE FUNDING -- 12 BILLION DOLLARS -- WILL GO TOWARD THE NATO BOMBING CAMPAIGN, HUMANITARIAN RELIEF FOR REFUGEES FROM KOSOVO AND ASSISTING NATIONS BORDERING YUGOSLAVIA, WHICH ARE BEING OVERWHELMED BY AN INFLUX OF REFUGEES. (IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT,) MR. CLINTON SAID THE FUNDING PACKAGE SENDS A CLEAR SIGNAL TO THE GOVERNMENT OF YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC THAT THE U-S CONGRESS AND THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES ARE COMMITTED TO THE NATO OPERATION. THE PACKAGE ALSO INCLUDES MORE THAN 900-MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP PAY FOR RELIEF AND RECONSTRUCTION IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, IN THE WAKE OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY HURRICANES MITCH AND GEORGES LAST YEAR. IN ADDITION, IT CONTAINS 100-MILLION DOLLARS FOR JORDAN, TO SUPPORT ECONOMIC REFORMS THERE. THE PRESIDENT SIGNED THE BILL EVEN THOUGH HE OPPOSED A NUMBER OF EXTRANEOUS ITEMS ADDED BY LAWMAKERS. SUCH PROVISIONS, WHICH HE SAYS ARE UN-NECESSARY AND REWARD SPECIAL INTERESTS, INCLUDE PROTECTIONS FOR MINING INTERESTS AND AID TO REINDEER RANCHERS. STILL, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN JOE LOCKHART SAYS MR. CLINTON SIGNED THE BILL BECAUSE IT WAS URGENTLY NEEDED: /// LOCKHART ACT ///WE HAVE A REAL EMERGENCY HERE. WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY FUNDING NEED FOR KOSOVO AND THE OPERATIONS THAT ARE THERE. WE HAVE HAD AN EMERGENCY NOW FOR MANY MONTHS IN CENTRAL AMERICA. /// END ACT ///THE SENATE APPROVED THE FUNDING PACKAGE THURSDAY, TWO DAYS AFTER
THE HOUSE PASSED IT. (SIGNED)
[07] KOSOVO / U-S DEMOCRATS BY JIM MALONE (WASHINGTON)DATE=5/21/99TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-43468 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: MOST OF THE CONGRESSIONAL OPPOSITION TO PRESIDENT CLINTON'S POLICY ON KOSOVO COMES FROM THE REPUBLICAN (PARTY) MAJORITIES IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE. BUT THERE ARE MEMBERS OF PRESIDENT CLINTON'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY WHO QUESTION THE WISDOM OF THE NATO BOMBING CAMPAIGN AND WHO WOULD STRONGLY OPPOSE THE INTRODUCTION OF U-S GROUND TROOPS INTO THE CONFLICT. V-O-A NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT JIM MALONE REPORTS THAT A LENGTHY MILITARY CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA COULD PROVE DIVISIVE TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. TEXT: POLITICALLY, CONGRESSMAN DENNIS KUCINICH OF OHIO AND CONGRESSMAN SAM GEJDENSON OF CONNECTICUT HAVE A LOT IN COMMON. BOTH COULD BE LOOSELY DESCRIBED AS LIBERAL DEMOCRATS AND ARE GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF PRESIDENT CLINTON, ESPECIALLY ON DOMESTIC ISSUES. BUT ON KOSOVO, CONGRESSMEN KUCINICH AND GEJDENSON PART WAYS. DENNIS KUCINICH IS A FORMER MAYOR OF CLEVELAND, OHIO. HE IS OF CROATIAN AND IRISH ANCESTRY AND HIS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT INCLUDES A LARGE CONSTITUENCY OF SERBIAN-AMERICANS. CONGRESSMAN KUCINICH OPPOSES THE NATO AIR CAMPAIGN WITH YUGOSLAVIA. HE WANTS TO PROCEED IMMEDIATELY TO A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT WITH YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC. AND HE SAYS HE WILL FIGHT ANY EFFORT BY PRESIDENT AND FELLOW DEMOCRAT BILL CLINTON TO SEND U-S GROUND FORCES INTO KOSOVO. /// KUCINICH ACT. ///THERE MAY BE A BATTLE OVER IN KOSOVO ON THE GROUND. BUT NOT BEFORE THERE IS A TREMENDOUS BATTLE IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES OVER WHETHER OR NOT OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN SHOULD HAVE TO GO OVER THERE TO DIE. /// END ACT. ///DEMOCRAT SAM GEJDENSON OF CONNECTICUT ALSO OPPOSES THE USE OF U-S GROUND TROOPS IN KOSOVO. BUT HE IS A STRONG SUPPORTER OF THE NATO AIR CAMPAIGN TO COUNTER WHAT HE BELIEVES IS THE WORST OUTBREAK OF MASS MURDER IN EUROPE SINCE THE HOLOCAUST. CONGRESSMAN GEJDENSON IS OF JEWISH ANCESTRY. HE WAS BORN IN A REFUGEE CAMP IN GERMANY IN 1948 AND IS THE FIRST CHILD OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS TO WIN ELECTION TO THE U-S HOUSE. HE WAS INTERVIEWED ON V-O-A'S "PRESS CONFERENCE U-S-A" PROGRAM. /// GEJDENSON ACT. ///WE HAVE A WRONG THAT IS CLEARLY IN THE LEAGUE OF MASS MURDER AND EXTERMINATION JUST BASED ON ETHNICITY. IT IS NOT A WAR. IT IS EXTERMINATION, IT IS MURDER, IT IS NOT EVEN ETHNIC CLEANSING. IT IS KILLING PEOPLE AND I THINK THAT FOR ALL THE DEBATE ABOUT TACTICS AND ACTIONS, IT SEEMS TO ME THERE HAS TO BE ONE AGREEMENT AND THAT IS THAT WE HAVE TO STOP MR. MILOSEVIC. /// END ACT. ///MOST DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE REMAIN GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE NATO AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA. BUT POLITICAL ANALYSTS LIKE FRED BARNES, A COMMENTATOR FOR THE WEEKLY STANDARD MAGAZINE (AND GUEST ON V-O-A'S "ISSUES IN THE NEWS" PROGRAM), WARN THAT AN EXTENDED CONFLICT OVER KOSOVO COULD WORSEN THE DIVISIONS WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. /// BARNES ACT. ///PARTICULARLY IN URBAN AREAS WHERE THERE IS A SERBIAN VOTE, THAT MEANS PENNSYLVANIA, THAT MEANS OHIO, THAT MEANS CLEVELAND IN PARTICULAR. SOME DEMOCRATS WILL START FALLING OFF AND NOT BACKING PRESIDENT CLINTON ANYMORE. /// END ACT. ////// OPT ////// BARNES ACT. ///BUT HAVING THIS WAR GOING ON (DURING NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN) MIGHT STILL HAPPEN AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD REALLY ERODE HIS (GORE'S) SUPPORT, PARTICULARLY IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES. IF YOU GOT A SIGNIFICANT SPLIT AMONG DEMOCRATS AND BILL BRADLEY COULD GRAB THE ANTI-WAR DEMOCRATS, IT COULD GIVE HIM A REAL SPRINGBOARD TO WIN THE (DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL) NOMINATION AGAINST AL GORE. /// END ACT. ////// END OPT ///LAST MONTH, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DEFEATED A RESOLUTION
OFFERING SUPPORT FOR THE NATO AIR CAMPAIGN. THE MEASURE LOST ON
A TIE VOTE OF 213 TO 213, WITH 26 DEMOCRATS JOINING MOST HOUSE
REPUBLICANS IN OPPOSING THE BOMBING. POLITICAL ANALYSTS SAY THE
NUMBER OF DEMOCRATIC DEFECTIONS ON THE PRESIDENT'S KOSOVO POLICY
COULD GROW UNLESS THE AIR CAMPAIGN BRINGS PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC TO
THE NEGOTIATING TABLE SOON. (SIGNED)
[08] RUSSIA / KOSOVO DIPLOMACY (L-ONLY) BY EVE CONANT (MOSCOW)DATE=5/21/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249652 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: RUSSIAN AND WESTERN DIPLOMATS ARE CONDUCTING HIGH-LEVEL TALKS ON RESOLVING THE KOSOVO CRISIS. BUT NO BREAKTHROUGHS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED. AND V-O-A CORRESPONDENT EVE CONANT IN MOSCOW REPORTS, RUSSIA'S SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE BALKANS, VIKTOR CHERNOMYRDIN, HAS CANCELLED ALL MEETINGS WITH FOREIGN OFFICIALS. TEXT: MR. CHERNOMRYDIN UNEXPECTEDLY CANCELLED MEETINGS FRIDAY WITH GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER GEORGE PAPANDREOU AND U-N KOSOVO ENVOY CARL BILDT. NO REASON WAS GIVEN FOR THE CANCELLATION. MR. CHERNOMYRDIN HELD LATE-NIGHT TALKS THURSDAY WITH U-S DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT AND FINNISH PRESIDENT MARTTI AHTISAARI. DESPITE THE LONG HOURS, THE MEETING OF THE THREE ENVOYS DID NOT LEAD TO ANY BREAKTHROUGHS. BUT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE TALKS, MR. CHERNOMYRDIN SOUNDED DETERMINED TO CONTINUE WITH THE PEACE PROCESS. /// CHERNOMYRDIN ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER ///HE SAYS DIPLOMATS ARE LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS AND WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS -- AND WILL FIND THEM. THE FINNISH PRESIDENT WAS LESS HOPEFUL. UPON HIS RETURN TO HELSINKI, MR. AHTISAARI SAID IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO JUDGE IF YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC WILL SOFTEN HIS STANCE ON A PEACE DEAL. BUT DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE TALBOTT SAYS THE TALKS WERE -- IN HIS WORDS -- "SUFFICIENTLY CONSTRUCTIVE" TO JUSTIFY A RETURN TO MOSCOW NEXT WEEK. THE FINNISH PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO JOIN HIM. RUSSIA IS AT ODDS WITH NATO ON SEVERAL POINTS, INCLUDING THE
COMPOSITION OF AN INTERNATIONAL FORCE IN KOSOVO TO AID THE RETURN
OF REFUGEES. RUSSIA ALSO STRONGLY OPPOSES THE NATO ATTACKS AND
HAS CALLED FOR AN IMMEDIATE HALT TO THE BOMBING. (SIGNED)
[09] RUSSIA / YELTSIN (L) BY EVE CONANT (MOSCOW)DATE=5/21/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249645 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN DEPARTED MOSCOW FRIDAY FOR A TWO-WEEK VACATION IN SOUTHERN RUSSIA. V-O-A'S EVE CONANT IN MOSCOW REPORTS THE TRIP FOLLOWS A TENSE PERIOD IN WHICH THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT WON A POLITICAL VICTORY OVER HIS OPPOSITION IN PARLIAMENT AND APPROVAL FOR HIS NEW PRIME MINISTER. TEXT: PRESIDENT YELTSIN WILL SPEND THE NEXT TWO WEEKS ON VACATION IN THE BLACK SEA RESORT OF SOCHI. THE KREMLIN ANNOUNCED THE TRIP ON FRIDAY, JUST BEFORE THE PRESIDENT DEPARTED. THE 68-YEAR-OLD RUSSIAN LEADER HAS COMPLETED A BUSY TWO WEEKS IN MOSCOW IN WHICH HE DISMISSED HIS ENTIRE CABINET, SURVIVED AN IMPEACHMENT BID, AND WON PARLIAMENT'S APPROVAL FOR HIS NEW PRIME MINISTER. MR. YELTSIN LEFT MOSCOW WITHOUT A FORMAL GOVERNMENT IN PLACE. BUT NEW PRIME MINISTER SERGEI STEPASHIN IS WORKING ON FORMING A NEW CABINET AND APPOINTMENTS MIGHT BE ANNOUNCED IN THE COMING DAYS. MR. YELTSIN'S TRIP HAS ONCE AGAIN SPARKED CURIOSITY ABOUT THE STATE OF HIS HEALTH. EARLIER THIS WEEK, PRESIDENT YELTSIN FAILED TO MEET SPAIN'S VISITING PRIME MINISTER. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT SAID THEY HAD BEEN INFORMED PRESIDENT YELTSIN HAD BRONCHITIS. ALTHOUGH MR. YELTSIN HAS SUFFERED SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS IN RECENT MONTHS AND YEARS, AIDES TO MR. YELTSIN SAY HE IS PRESENTLY IN GOOD HEALTH. THE RIA NEWS AGENCY SAYS PRESIDENT YELTSIN MIGHT HOLD SOME MEETINGS WHILE ON VACATION, INCLUDING A MEETING WITH SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT KIM DAE-JUNG. THE RUSSIAN LEADER ALSO HAD VACATIONED IN SOCHI IN NOVEMBER, RECOVERING FROM WHAT AIDES HAD DESCRIBED AS "FATIGUE AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE." /// REST OPT ///PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE, PRESIDENT YELTSIN SIGNED A DECREE TO KEEP
THE AGING SPACE STATION MIR IN ORBIT. A KREMLIN STATEMENT SAYS
MR. YELTSIN ALSO ASKED SPACE EXPERTS TO RESEARCH NATO'S USE OF
SPACE TECHNOLOGY IN ITS AIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA AND
WHETHER RUSSIA MIGHT BE ABLE TO DEVELOP SIMILAR WEAPONRY.
(SIGNED)
[10] RUSSIA / YELTSIN (S UPDATE) BY EVE CONANT (MOSCOW)DATE=5/21/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249659 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN LEFT MOSCOW FRIDAY FOR A WEEK-LONG VACATION IN SOUTHERN RUSSIA. V-O-A'S EVE CONANT IN MOSCOW REPORTS THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT ALSO APPOINTED SOME KEY MEMBERS OF HIS CABINET BEFORE HE LEFT. TEXT: PRESIDENT YELTSIN WILL SPEND THE NEXT WEEK ON HOLIDAY IN THE BLACK SEA RESORT OF SOCHI. THE KREMLIN ANNOUNCED THE VACATION ON FRIDAY, JUST BEFORE THE PRESIDENT DEPARTED. INITIAL REPORTS SAID THE PRESIDENT WOULD REST FOR TWO WEEKS. THE 68-YEAR-OLD RUSSIAN LEADER HAS COMPLETED A BUSY TWO WEEKS IN MOSCOW IN WHICH HE OUSTED HIS ENTIRE CABINET, SURVIVED AN IMPEACHMENT BID, AND WON PARLIAMENT'S APPROVAL FOR HIS NEW PRIME MINISTER. THE KREMLIN PRESS SERVICE SAYS THAT BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE, MR. YELTSIN SIGNED DECREES REAPPOINTING DEFENSE MINISTER IGOR SERGEYEV, FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV, AND SEVERAL OTHER TOP MINISTERS TO THEIR POSTS. A PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN SAYS MR. YELTSIN WILL RETURN TO MOSCOW
NEXT WEEK TO MEET WITH SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT KIM DAE-JUNG.
(SIGNED)
[11] BALKAN RECONSTRUCTION BY BARRY WOOD (WASHINGTON)DATE=5/21/99TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-43472 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THE KOSOVO WAR IS WREAKING HAVOC ON THE ECONOMIES OF YUGOSLAVIA AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. THE DAMAGE FROM NATO'S BOMBING CAMPAIGN HAS GIVEN RISE TO CALLS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE, WESTERN AID PROGRAM TO REBUILD THE REGION ONCE THE CONFLICT IS OVER. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD HAS MORE. TEXT: THE DANUBE RIVER IS BLOCKED -- AND LIKELY TO REMAIN SO FOR PERHAPS A YEAR. FOR BULGARIA AND ROMANIA, THAT MEANS A VITAL SHIPPING ROUTE TO WESTERN EUROPE IS LOST. IN ADDITION, BULGARIA IS NO LONGER ABLE TO USE ITS MAIN RAIL LINE WEST, WHICH PASSES THROUGH SERBIA. THE EUROPEAN UNION IS TALKING ABOUT A REGIONAL RECONSTRUCTION EFFORT THAT WOULD INVOLVE DONOR COUNTRIES AND INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. THE STILL-DEVELOPING PLAN WILL BE DISCUSSED AT NEXT MONTH'S ECONOMIC (G-EIGHT) SUMMIT OF THE MAJOR INDUSTRIAL COUNTRIES (ON JUNE 17TH). // OPT //NIKOLA TCHOLAKOV, BULGARIA'S DEPUTY AMBASSADOR IN WASHINGTON, SAYS HE IS WORRIED ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE WAR. /// FIRST TCHOLAKOV ACT ///THE INDIRECT IMPACT IS TREMENDOUS BECAUSE THE CRISIS IN YUGOSLAVIA CUT OFF OUR TRANSPORTATION LINKS WITH WESTERN EUROPE, AND TWO-THIRDS OF OUR TRADE IS WITH WEST EUROPE. /// END ACT ///BULGARIAN SHIPPERS NOW HAVE TO RELY ON MORE COSTLY AND SLOWER ROUTES THROUGH THE BLACK SEA AND MEDITERRANEAN -- OR ON OVERLAND ROUTES AROUND SERBIA. MR. TCHOLAKOV SAYS THE RUPTURED TRANSPORT LINKS ARE MORE DAMAGING TO BULGARIA THAN WERE EARLIER U-N ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA. /// SECOND TCHOLAKOV ACT ///WORSE. DEFINITELY WORSE. OUR BALANCE OF PAYMENTS GAP CURRENTLY IS ABOUT 300-MILLION DOLLARS. AND IT IS ESTIMATED THAT BY THE END OF THE YEAR, THIS MIGHT REACH HALF A BILLION DOLLARS. /// END ACT ///ECONOMIC FORECASTERS SAY THE WAR IS SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWING GROWTH IN THE REGION. SOME ANALYSTS ARE CALLING FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION TO GIVE SPECIAL
TREATMENT TO THE BALKANS -- TARIFF REDUCTIONS AND ASSOCIATE
MEMBERSHIP STATUS. EUROPEAN FOREIGN MINISTERS WILL DISCUSS
BALKAN AID WHEN THEY MEET IN COLOGNE, GERMANY, NEXT THURSDAY
[5/27]. (SIGNED)
[12] EDITORIAL: TURKEY: PRESS FREEDOM SUFFERS SETBACKDATE= 05/23/99TYPE= EDITORIAL NUMBER= 0-08306 CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST 05/23/99. ANNCR: THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE VARIETY OF ISSUES. NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. VOICE: PRESS FREEDOM HAS SUFFERED A SETBACK IN TURKEY WITH THE IMPRISONMENT OF ORAL CALISLAR, SENIOR REPORTER FOR THE RESPECTED DAILY CUMHURIYET. HE WAS SENTENCED TO THIRTEEN MONTHS FOR PRODUCING WRITTEN PROPAGANDA AIMED AT UNDERMINING TURKEY'S UNITY. IN FACT, MR. CALISLAR WAS TRIED FOR CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS WITH KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY LEADER ABDULLAH OCALAN AND A KURDISH ACTIVIST LIVING ABROAD IN 1993. THE INTERVIEWS WERE LATER COMPILED IN A BOOK. THE BOOK WAS BANNED AND COPIES WERE SEIZED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE KURDISTAN WORKERS PARTY, OR P-K-K, WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE 1970S WITH THE GOAL OF CARVING OUT AN INDEPENDENT KURDISH STATE IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY. IN RECENT YEARS, THE P-K-K HAS MOVED BEYOND RURAL INSURGENT ACTIVITIES TO URBAN TERRORISM, NOT ONLY IN TURKEY BUT IN A NUMBER OF OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. NEVERTHELESS, THERE ARE MANY IN TURKEY WHO DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE THREAT POSED BY THE P-K-K JUSTIFIES VIOLATING FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. IN FACT, TURKEY'S ACTING PRIME MINISTER, BULENT ECEVIT, SAID HE HOPED THE JAIL TERM IMPOSED ON MR. CALISLAR WOULD BE REPEALED BY THE SUPREME COURT. "I WAS DEEPLY SADDENED, HE IS A JOURNALIST I HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM," SAID MR. ECEVIT. THERE IS REASON TO HOPE THAT TURKEY'S HIGH COURT MAY INDEED OVERTURN MR. CALISLAR'S SENTENCE. TURKEY'S TOP JUDGE RECENTLY CALLED ON THE NEW GOVERNMENT MR. ECEVIT IS TRYING TO FORGE TO REFORM LAWS INCOMPATIBLE WITH FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. THESE LAWS HAVE BEEN STRINGENTLY ENFORCED IN CASES OF COMMENTING OR REPORTING ON THE FIGHT AGAINST THE P-K-K. MOST OF THE TIME, THE PRESS IN TURKEY IS FREE TO ENGAGE IN LIVELY AND CRITICAL DEBATE ON THE ISSUES OF THE DAY. BUT A BROADENING OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IS TO BE ENCOURAGED. THAT MEANS RELAXING RESTRICTIONS THAT HAVE LED TO THE IMPRISONMENT OF JOURNALISTS. ANNCR: THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT. IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS,
V-O-A, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. YOU MAY ALSO COMMENT AT
WWW-DOT-VOA-DOT-GOV-SLASH-EDITORIALS, OR FAX US AT (202)
619-1043.
[13] U-S HEGEMONY BY ED WARNER (WASHINGTON)DATE=5/21/99TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-43473 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: UNILATERALISM OR MULTILATERALISM? SHOULD THE UNITED STATES ACT ALONE OR IN CONCERT WITH OTHER NATIONS? IS THE UNITED STATES RISKING ISOLATION IN ITS CONTINUED BOMBING OF SERBIA? THESE QUESTIONS WERE DEBATED AT A RECENT WASHINGTON CONFERENCE (5/21), WHERE SPEAKERS PONDERED THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ONLY REMAINING SUPERPOWER. V-O-A'S ED WARNER REPORTS ON THE DISCUSSION. TEXT: THE UNITED STATES, IT IS SAID, EXERCISES HEGEMONY OVER MUCH OF THE WORLD. BUT IS THAT GOOD OR BAD? PARTICIPANTS IN A RECENT CONFERENCE AT THE CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE OFFERED SHARPLY DIFFERENT ANSWERS. ROBERT KAGAN, WHO WRITES EXTENSIVELY ON FOREIGN POLICY, SAID THE UNITED STATES MUST IGNORE INTERNATIONAL OPINION WHEN THE OCCASION CALLS FOR IT. HE BELIEVES THAT IS THE CASE WITH THE BOMBING OF SERBIA: /// KAGAN ACT ///AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE BEST HOPE FOR ADVANCING A LIBERAL INTERNATIONAL ORDER RESTS ON THE POWER THAT IS MOST DEVOTED TO IT, WHICH REQUIRES, I AM AFRAID, FOR THOSE WHO FIND THIS PROBLEMATIC, MORE EXERCISE OF AMERICAN POWER, NOT LESS. AND THAT IS MY CASE FOR AMERICAN HEGEMONY -- THE FACT OF BEING THE MOST INFLUENTIAL POWER IN THE WORLD. /// END ACT ///MR. KAGAN SAYS A HEGEMONIC POWER INEVITABLY DRAWS CRITICISM, NO MATTER HOW COOPERATIVE IT IS, AND THE UNITED STATES MUST BEAR THE BURDEN OF LEADERSHIP. DANIEL FISK, A FORMER COUNSEL OF THE U-S SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE, SAID THE UNITED STATES DID NOT SEEK HEGEMONY OR EVEN WANT IT. CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE LED TO AMERICAN PRIMACY: /// FISK ACT ///WITHOUT AMERICAN LEADERSHIP, THERE WOULD BE A VOID. OTHER STATES WITH SIGNIFICANT CAPABILITIES -- BE THEY MILITARY, ECONOMIC, DIPLOMATIC OR POLITICAL -- TOO FREQUENTLY ARE UNWILLING OR TOO IRRESPONSIBLE TO ENGAGE OR LEAD ON ISSUES BEYOND SIMPLY THE PURSUIT OF THEIR OWN NATIONAL INTERESTS. /// END ACT ///BUT U-S HEGEMONY RECOGNIZES NO LIMITS, ARGUED CHARLES WILLIAM MAYNES, PRESIDENT OF THE EURASIA FOUNDATION, WHICH PROMOTES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN THE FORMER SOVIET UNION. HE SAYS PROPONENTS OF UNILATERAL ACTION, WHETHER OF THE POLITICAL RIGHT OR LEFT, WANT TO USE MILITARY FORCE REGARDLESS OF OTHER NATIONS' OBJECTIONS. FROM HIS OWN TRAVELS, MR. MAYNES CITED GROWING GRASS-ROOTS ANIMOSITY TOWARD AMERICA, IN RUSSIA AND ELSEWHERE. YET HE NOTES THAT NATO, UNDER U-S DIRECTION, EVEN TALKS ABOUT INTERVENING IN THE CAUCASUS, ON RUSSIA'S DOORSTEP: /// MAYNES ACT ///THE REST OF THE WORLD WANTS AMERICAN ENGAGEMENT, AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP AND EVEN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP. IT DOES NOT WANT AMERICAN DIRECTION. WE HAVE TO FACE THE FACT THAT NO NATION IN HISTORY HAS BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN A HEGEMONIC POSITION WITHOUT A DEGREE OF RUTHLESSNESS IN ITS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THAT IS TOTALLY ALIEN TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY. /// END ACT ///MR. MAYNES SAYS AMERICA IS A COUNTRY WITH IMPERIAL CAPABILITIES,
(BUT) WITHOUT AN IMPERIAL MIND. IN HIS VIEW, AMERICANS WILL DRAW
THE LINE AT OVERSEAS MILITARY INVOLVEMENT, EVEN IF THEIR LEADERS
DO NOT. (SIGNED)
[14] N-Y ECON WRAP (S&L) BY BRECK ARDERY (NEW YORK)DATE=5/21/99TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249666 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE DOWN TODAY (FRIDAY), AS TRADERS CONTINUED TO WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF INTEREST RATES. V-O-A BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK. TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT 10-THOUSAND-829, DOWN 37 POINTS. FOR THE WEEK, THE INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE LOST 84 POINTS, LESS THAN ONE PERCENT. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500-STOCK INDEX CLOSED FRIDAY AT 13-HUNDRED-30, DOWN NINE POINTS. THE NASDAQ INDEX LOST ALMOST ONE PERCENT. THERE WAS NO MAJOR NEWS TO MOVE STOCK PRICES, BUT ANALYSTS SAY TRADERS CONTINUED TO WORRY THAT THE U-S CENTRAL BANK MAY SOON RAISE INTEREST RATES IN AN EFFORT TO WARD OFF INFLATIONARY PRESSURES. // OPT ///// WEISBERG ACT ///EVERYBODY IS REALLY LOOKING FOR A CORRECTION. A CORRECTION WILL PROBABLY MEAN CHOPPY MARKETS, DIRECTIONLESS MARKETS, NOT-VERY-INTERESTING MARKETS, WHICH GET A LITTLE DIFFICULT WITH THE VOLUME DRYING UP, AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SEEING. /// END ACT ////// END OPT ///THE A-K STEEL HOLDING COMPANY WILL ACQUIRE THE ARMCO STEEL CORPORATION, IN A STOCK TRANSACTION VALUED AT ABOUT ONE-BILLION DOLLARS. THE COMBINED COMPANY WOULD BE ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST SUPPLIERS OF STEEL USED IN AUTOMOBILES. /// REST OPT ///U-S DRUG REGULATORS HAVE GIVEN FINAL APPROVAL FOR VIOXX, A NEW ARTHRITIS PAIN TREATMENT MADE BY THE MERCK CORPORATION. VIOXX WILL DIRECTLY COMPETE WITH CELEBREX, A DRUG MADE BY THE MONSANTO COMPANY. BOTH DRUGS RELIEVE PAIN WITHOUT CAUSING INTERNAL BLEEDING. BURLINGTON NORTHERN-SANTA FE, THE SECOND-LARGEST RAILROAD IN THE UNITED STATES, SAYS IT PLANS A MAJOR RESTRUCTURING WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE ELIMINATION OF 400 JOBS, SEVEN PERCENT OF ITS WORK FORCE. PROCTER AND GAMBLE, THE U-S-BASED CONSUMER PRODUCTS COMPANY, WILL PAY 113-MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD PAPER PRODUCTS DIVISION OF THE LONG CHEN PAPER COMPANY OF TAIWAN. KEEBLER, THE SECOND-LARGEST COOKIE AND CRACKER MAKER IN THE UNITED STATES, REPORTS ITS QUARTERLY PROFITS MORE THAN DOUBLED AS RECENT ACQUISITIONS BOOSTED ITS REVENUES. THE STOCK OF TEN-FOLD, A SPECIALTY COMPUTER SOFTWARE MAKER,
GAINED MORE THAN 50 PERCENT IN ITS FIRST DAY OF TRADING.
"CHARLIE THE TUNA" IS COMING OUT OF RETIREMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN 10 YEARS. STARKIST SEAFOODS, A DIVISION OF THE H-J HEINZ
COMPANY, SAYS IT WILL REINTRODUCE THE CARTOON TUNA CHARACTER IN A
U-S TELEVISION ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN. "CHARLIE" GAINED FAME FOR
HIS MISGUIDED EFFORTS TO BECOME A STARKIST TUNA, WHICH ALWAYS
ENDED WITH AN ANNOUNCER SAYING: "SORRY, CHARLIE. WE WANT GOOD
TASTING TUNA, NOT TUNA WITH GOOD TASTE." (SIGNED)
NEB/NY/BA/LSF/WTW
[15] FRIDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ROBERT MACKAY (WASHINGTON)DATE=5/21/99TYPE=U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST NUMBER=6-11302 CONTENT= VOICED AT: // EDS: MATERIAL DATED AFTER 10 P-M EDT //INTRO: EDITORIALS IN AMERICA'S DAILY NEWSPAPERS (TODAY / FRIDAY) COVER A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS, FROM THE NATO AIR WAR AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA AND THE ELECTION OF ISRAEL'S NEW PRIME MINISTER TO PAKISTAN'S CRACKDOWN ON JOURNALISTS AND THE FUTURE OF THE PANAMA CANAL. NOW, HERE IS _________________WITH A CLOSER LOOK. TEXT: U-S DAILY NEWSPAPERS ARE SUGGESTING A TOUGHER, MORE UNITED STAND BY NATO AGAINST YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC. THE "BALTIMORE (MARYLAND) SUN" SAYS: VOICE: REPORTS OF TROOP MUTINIES IN SERBIA AND THE QUICKENED DIPLOMACY OVER KOSOVO SUGGEST THAT NATO BOMBING IS PRODUCING RESULTS. ... WHILE NATO'S UNITY BEHIND THE BOMBING CAMPAIGN ... REMAINS STRONG, SOME OF ITS MEMBERS DILUTE THE CAUSE BY MAKING UNILATERAL NOISES FOR HOME CONSUMPTION. BUT BECAUSE MR. MILOSEVIC'S AIM ALWAYS IS TO DRIVE WEDGES BETWEEN HIS OPPONENTS, ANYTHING SUGGESTING HE HAS SUCCEEDED ENCOURAGES HIM TO DIG HIS HEELS IN LONGER. THAT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA. ... THE SERBS NEED TO HEAR AGAIN AND AGAIN THAT NATO IS UNITED ON WHAT IT IS DOING. THE SOONER THE MILOSEVIC REGIME ACCEPTS THAT, THE SOONER NATO CAN STOP THE BOMBING. TEXT: THE "PHILADELPHIA (PENNSYLVANIA) INQUIRER," MEANWHILE, THINKS RAISING THE SPECTER OF A GROUND INVASION MIGHT FORCE YUGOSLAVIA TO ACCEPT NATO'S CONDITIONS FOR PEACE. VOICE: THE WAY TO SHOW MR. MILOSEVIC NATO'S ULTIMATE SERIOUSNESS WOULD BE TO START MOBILIZING AN INVASION FORCE. IF IT HAD DONE THAT WHEN THE AIR WAR BEGAN, THE FORCE WOULD BE READY OR NEARLY READY NOW. IF THE ALLIANCE DELAYS MUCH LONGER, THE GROUND-WAR OPTION WILL BE DEGRADED BY FREEZING WEATHER THAT ARRIVES MID-FALL. ADMITTEDLY, NATO IS DIVIDED OVER THIS OPTION ... BUT AS NATO'S LEADER, THE UNITED STATES OUGHT TO BE PRESSING ITS ALLIES TO TAKE A TOUGHER STANCE. ...A JUST DIPLOMATIC SETTLEMENT WILL BE MORE LIKELY IF MR. MILOSEVIC UNDERSTANDS THAT NATO WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO SAFELY REPATRIATE THE KOSOVARS. TEXT: THE ELECTION OF EHUD BARAK AS ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER CONTINUES TO BE SEEN IN U-S DAILIES AS A POSITIVE STEP FOR THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS. THE "LOS ANGELES (CALIFORNIA) TIMES" SUGGESTS WHAT MR. BARAK SHOULD DO TO SPEED THE PROCESS. VOICE: A QUICK START ON CARRYING OUT ISRAEL'S EARLIER COMMITMENT TO TURN MORE OF THE WEST BANK OVER TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITIES WOULD SEND A WELCOME SIGNAL OF THE BARAK GOVERNMENT'S GOOD FAITH. ...ISRAELIS THIS WEEK VOTED IN COMPELLING NUMBERS TO SUPPORT THE PEACE PROCESS, KNOWING THAT AT ITS END A PALESTINIAN STATE IN CONTROL OF MUCH OF THE WEST BANK IS CERTAIN TO EMERGE. IF (MR.) BARAK CAN FORGE THE KIND OF COALITION HE WANTS, AND IF THE PALESTINIANS AND SYRIA SHOW THEY ARE READY FOR RESPONSIBLE BARGAINING, THE PEACE PROCESS IS SURE TO ADVANCE. TEXT: ON ANOTHER SUBJECT, THE "PROVIDENCE (RHODE ISLAND) JOURNAL" SAYS PAKISTAN'S LATEST CRACKDOWN ON JOURNALISTS AND PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF'S ATTEMPTS TO SUPPRESS PUBLIC CRITICISM HAS ADDED TO THE COUNTRY'S POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND VIOLENT CRIME WAVES IN KARACHI. VOICE: PAKISTAN HAS STRUGGLED WITH THE CHALLENGES OF A PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY SINCE INDEPENDENCE ON AUG. 14, 1947. THE POLITICAL CRISIS FACED BY THE SHARIF GOVERNMENT MAY BE JUST THE LAST STAGES OF ANOTHER UNDEMOCRATIC REGIME. OR IT COULD BE THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING WORSE: FURTHER FRAGMENTATION OF THE COUNTRY AND CIVIL WAR, WHICH COULD AFFECT THE SECURITY INTERESTS OF AMERICA, BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, LETTING NUCLEAR WEAPONRY FALL INTO THE HANDS OF ROGUE FORCES. TEXT: THE "PROVIDENCE JOURNAL" ALSO ADDRESSED THE RECENT ELECTION IN PANAMA OF MIREYA ELISA MOSCOSO AS PRESIDENT, AND NOTED SHE WILL PRESIDE OVER THE TURNOVER OF THE U.S.-BUILT CANAL AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. VOICE: IN ANY CASE, MS. MOSCOSO WON AND WILL LAUNCH HER FIVE-YEAR TERM IN SEPTEMBER. IT WILL BE HER TASK TO BEGIN CLEANING OUT THE NEPOTISM AND CORRUPTION THAT HAVE BEEN SO WIDESPREAD IN PANAMANIAN POLITICS, BOLSTERING THE FIGHT AGAINST THE INTERNATIONAL DRUG TRADE THAT HAS BEEN A CRITICAL ASPECT OF U.S.-PANAMANIAN RELATIONS IN RECENT YEARS ... THESE TASKS WILL NOT BE EASY. SINCE THE CANAL RETAINS CONSIDERABLE IMPORTANCE TO THE UNITED STATES, WE WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE RETURNING TO THE TOPIC OF PANAMA IN THE MONTHS AND YEARS AHEAD. INDEED, THE UNITED STATES MUST BE PREPARED TO STEP IN, WHETHER ASKED BY THE PANAMANIAN GOVERNMENT OR NOT, TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE CANAL AND ITS EFFICIENT FUNCTIONING. TEXT: THAT CONCLUDES THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT FROM THE EDITORIAL
COLUMNS OF TODAY'S U-S DAILY NEWSPAPERS.
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