Voice of America, 11 March 1996

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

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

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

INTRO: AMERICAN NEWSPAPER READERS ARE BEING TREATED TO WIDE VARIETY OF COMMENTARIES THIS MONDAY DURING "THE IDES OF MARCH". SOME OF THE MORE PROMINENT TOPICS INCLUDE CHINA'S INTIMIDATION OF TAIWAN; THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN; THE POLITICAL REORDERING UNDER WAY IN THE U-S AND, POSSIBLY, IN ISRAEL, AND A TRIBUTE TO THE AGELESS COMEDIAN GEORGE BURNS, WHO DIED OVER THE WEEKEND. NOW, HERE IS ___________________ WITH A CLOSER LOOK IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: CHINA'S MILITARY EXERCISES NEAR TAIWAN, AS THAT ISLAND APPROACHES ITS FIRST DIRECT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, HAS CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF SEVERAL EDITORS, INCLUDING THOSE AT "NEWSDAY" ON LONG ISLAND.

VOICE: "BY FIRING TEST MISSILES INTO THE TAIWAN STRAIT, CHINA HAS RAISED TENSIONS DANGEROUSLY IN EAST ASIA, DISRUPTING THE REGION'S TRADE AND FINANCIAL MARKETS AND SETTING BEIJING ON A POSSIBLE COLLISION COURSE WITH WASHINGTON. PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON ... MUST RETHINK HIS CHINA POLICY. [MR.] CLINTON NEEDS TO SHOW UNMISTAKABLE RESOLVE TO DEFEND U-S INTERESTS IN EAST ASIA WITHOUT PROVOKING BEIJING INTO A MILITARY ESCALATION WITH TAIWAN... THE PRESENT POLICY ISN'T WORKING. IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE." TEXT' "THE BALTIMORE SUN" ALSO HAS A COMMENT ON WHAT IT CALLS "CHINA'S DANGEROUS GAME", CITING A POSSIBLE MOTIVE FOR THE EXERCISES BEYOND INTIMIDATING TAIWAN DURING THIS MONTH'S ELECTIONS.

VOICE: "THERE IS A SECOND POLITICAL EDGE TO CHINA'S MISSILE SHOTS. THEY COINCIDE WITH THE ANNUAL NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, OR RUBBER-STAMP PARLIAMENT IN BEIJING. AT THESE MEETINGS, PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN'S FIRMNESS AND CONTROL ARE ON DISPLAY, WAVING CHINA'S SOVEREIGNTY AND NATIONALISM. [OPT] ... THIS BULLYING BY THE WORLD'S MOST POPULOUS, MOST ECONOMICALLY DYNAMIC AND THIRD-STRONGEST NUCLEAR POWER CALLS FOR A PRESIDENTIAL -- NOT POLITICAL -- APPROACH THAT IS TOO-OFTEN SACRIFICED IN ELECTION YEARS."[END OPT]

TEXT: TURNING TO DOMESTIC POLITICS, "THE NEW YORK TIMES" IS CALLING ON LEADING REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE BOB DOLE SOME CLARIFICATION OF HIS VISION FOR AMERICA.

VOICE: "NOW THAT HE HAS WON 12 PRIMARIES AND THE PRESSURE IS OFF, WE DEMAND THAT BOB DOLE TELL US WHAT IT'S 'REALLY' [ITALICS FOR EMPHASIS] ALL ABOUT. SURELY, 'IT' -- BY WHICH HE SEEMS TO MEAN THE CAMPAIGN OR THE FUTURE OF AMERICA OR THE EXISTENTIAL PLIGHT OF MAN AS A CREATURE OF FINITE MIND IN AN INFINITE UNIVERSE -- CANNOT BE ALL ABOUT ALL THE THINGS HE HAS SAID 'IT' IS ALL ABOUT. THE MAN IS TOYING [TO TREAT SOMETHING CASUALLY OR WITHOUT SERIOUSNESS] WITH US, AND IT -- THE TOYING, THAT IS -- HAS TO STOP!

TEXT: TODAY'S "CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR" DISCUSSES THE POLITICAL SCENE IN A MUCH BROADER CONTEXT, WHAT THE PAPER SEES AS A BASIC RESTRUCTURING OF REALIGNMENT OF THE BODY POLITIC.

VOICE: "THE UNITED STATES APPEARS TO BE FINALLY REACHING THE LAST PHASE OF A LONG-TERM, SLOW-MOTION POLITICAL REALIGNMENT OF ECONOMIC, REGIONAL, AND ETHNIC GROUPS. IT'S A RE-ORDERING WITH PROFUND IMPLICATIONS FOR HOW POLITICAL BUSINESS IS CONDUCTED. IT'S DRIVEN BY ECONOMICS AND DEMOGRAPHICS AS MUCH AS BY IDEOLOGY."

TEXT: OVERSEAS AGAIN, AND IN A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT CONTEXT, TODAY'S "LOS ANGELES TIMES" LOOKS AT THE POTENTIAL RE-ORDERING OF POLITICS IN ISRAEL AND AMONG THE PALESTINIANS.

VOICE: "THE HURRIEDLY ARRANGED 'SUMMIT OF THE PEACEMAKERS' SCHEDULED ... THIS WEDNESDAY HAS THE WORTHY AIM OF DEMONSTRATING BROAD INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE NOW CLEARLY IMPERILED ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN PEACE PROCESS, WHILE EXPRESSING UNAMBIGUOUS INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION OF EFFORTS BY PALESTINIAN EXTREMISTS TO SUBVERT IT... IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT TWO POLITICAL CAREERS MAY WELL DEPEND ON HOW PERSUASIVE THE IMPLICIT MESSAGES THE CONFERENCE HOPES TO SEND TO ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS PROVE TO BE... IF FEAR REMAINS HIGH, [PRIME MINISTER] PERES AND [PALESTINIAN LEADER] ARAFAT COULD BE ON [THE] WAY OUT."

TEXT: FLORIDA'S "ORLANDO "SENTINEL" SEES THE CONVENING OF WEDNESDAY'S SUMMIT IN EGYPT AS "A BOLD STEP" BY PRESIDENT CLINTON "TO RESCUE THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS:

VOICE: "PEACE IN THAT TUMULTUOUS REGION RANKS AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT FOREIGN-POLICY ISSUES OF THE UNITED STATES. THE CHALLENGE FOR MR. CLINTON AND LEADERS FROM KEY COUNTRIES IS TO COBBLE TOGETHER A CONSENSUS FOR MOVING BEYOND HORRIFYING BOMBINGS IN ISRAEL THIS MONTH AND KEEPING THE PROMISE OF PEACE WITHIN SIGHT... THE ENEMY IS RELENTLESS. THE CONVERENCE IN EGYPT ... SHOULD HELP DEVELOP A RESPONSE THAT IS EQUALLY FOCUSED."

TEXT: ALSO DEALING WITH THE MIDDLE EAST, "THE NEW YORK POST" WARNS ISRAEL THIS IS "NO TIME TO PLAY POLITICS", BUT AT THE SAME TIME REAFFIRMS ITS STEADFAST SUPPORT FOR THE JEWISH STATE.

VOICE: "... WE'VE INDICATED THAT DEPICTIONS OF OPPOSITION LEADER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AS AN ENEMY OF PEACE STRIKE US AS PERNICIOUS NONSENSE. IN THIS LIGHT, WE WERE DISMAYED TO SEE THE PRIME MINISTER ENDORSE THE CLAIM -- ADVANCED BY A CONFESSED HAMAS TERRORIST -- THAT THE RECENT SUICIDE BOMBINGS HAD BEEN UNDERTAKEN IN ORDER TO BENEFIT LIKUD POLITICALLY. THE ATTEMPT TO SUGGEST A LINK BETWEEN HAMAS AND ISRAEL'S OFFICIAL OPPOSITION IS NOTHING SHORT OF REPUGNANT..."

TEXT: TURNING TO AN ECONOMIC MATTER OF GROWING CONCERN IN THE U-S, "THE WASHINGTON POST" COMMENTS ON WHAT IT CALLS "THE POLITICS OF LAYOFFS" IN ITS LEAD EDITORIAL THIS MONDAY.

VOICE: "'WHEN LEADING CORPORATIONS RAKE IN MASSIVE PROFITS BUT SHED PRODUCTIVE EMPLOYEES, THE ONLY PROPER RESPONSE IS MORAL OUTRAGE... AND IF WE ALLOW WALL STREET ALONE TO DICTATE THE BEHAVIOR OF CORPORATIONS ... WE CAN'T BE SURPRISED WHEN THEY PUT SHORT-TERM PROFITS AHEAD OF PEOPLE EVERY TIME' THAT WAS HOUSE MINORITY LEADER RICHARD GEPHARDT IN A SPEECH LAST MONTH. HE HAS NOT BEEN ALONE. UNLIKELY AS IT SEEMS, THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES HAVE HELPED SET OFF A ROUND OF CORPORATION BASHING."

TEXT: AND FINALLY, THIS TRIBUTE BY "THE MIAMI HERALD" TO BELOVED AMERICAN COMEDIAN GEORGE BURNS WHO DIED OVER THE WEEKEND AT THE AGE OF 100:

VOICE: "GEORGE BURNS, AMERICA'S CENTENARIAN OF COMEDY AND A SHOW-BUSINESS ICON, MADE AMERICA LAUGH. HE HAD A GENIUS FOR MAKING US FEEL GOOD AS HE PROVED, AGAIN AND AGAIN, THAT VITALITY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AGE. HE DIED ON SATURDAY, 100 YEARS YOUNG. HE WILL BE SORELY MISSED. [OPT] AT EVERY AGE HE WAS A NATURAL. WITH CIGAR IN HAND, HE HAD A PRECISE SENSE OF TIMING, WHICH -- CHARACTERISTICALLY -- HE EXPLAINED TOO SIMPLY: 'WHEN THEY'RE LAUGHING, I SMOKE; WHEN THEY STOP, I TALK. [END OPT] ... AS THEY SAY IN SHOW BUSINESS, GEORGE BURNS HAD A REALLY GOOD RUN [THE LENGTH OF A PLAY OR OTHER PRODUCTION IS CALLED "A RUN]."

TEXT: AND WITH THAT WARM MEMORIAL SALUTE TO CENTENARIAN GEORGE BURNS, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE EDITORIALS IN TODAY'S U-S DAILY NEWSPAPERS.

NEB/ANG/PCH
11-Mar-96 10:38 AM EST (1538 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[02] BOSNIA/SARAJEVO (L) BY DAVID FOLEY (ILIDZA, BOSNIA)

INTRO: BOSNIAN SERBS CONTINUE TO BURN HOMES AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN A SERB-HELD SUBURB NEAR SARAJEVO ONLY HOURS BEFORE THE AREA COMES UNDER BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT CONTROL. FROM THE SCENE DAVID FOLEY REPORTS THAT DESPITE A HEAVY PRESENCE OF NATO TROOPS ON THE GROUND, HOUSES AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS CONTINUE TO GO UP IN FLAMES.

TEXT: /// OPT SOUNDS OF BURNING HOUSE, THEN FADE UNDER VOICE /// THE FLAMES FROM ANOTHER BURNING HOME SHOOT INTO THE EVENING SKY IN ILIDZA, WHICH WAS THE MOST POPULOUS SERB-HELD SUBURB OF SARAJEVO. ON TUESDAY, POLICE FROM THE MUSLIM-CROAT FEDERATION WILL MOVE INTO ILIDZA AND TAKE CONTROL, BUT AT THE MOMENT THERE IS NO LAW OR ORDER HERE. ON ONE STREET, A FEW FIREMEN AND A LONE VINTAGE FIRETRUCK FROM SARAJEVO ARE TRYING TO PUT OUT A FIRE THAT HAS MOSTLY GUTTED THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR TO THE INTERNATIONAL POLICE HEADQUARTERS. NATO IS PROVIDING HEAVY SECURITY FOR THESE FEW FIREMEN WHO HAVE AGREED TO COME TO ILIDZA FROM GOVERNMENT-HELD SARAJEVO TO TRY TO FIGHT THE FIRES, BUT THE FIREMEN KNOW THIS IS STILL SERB TERRITORY AND THEY ARE AFRAID OF SNIPERS AND BOOBY TRAPS. INSIDE THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL POLICE FORCE THERE IS A BUSTLE OF ACTIVITY AS THE POLICE MONITORS ARE TRYING TO RESPOND TO ALL THE INCOMING REPORTS OF FIRES. ANNE EILGAARD, THE DANISH OPERATIONS OFFICER FOR THE ILIDZA FORCE SAYS SHE IS HAPPY TO HAVE A FEW FIRE-FIGHTERS.

DURING THE NIGHT WE RECEIVED ONE FIRE BRIGADE FROM SARAJEVO, WHICH CAME OUT HERE AND PUT OUT THE FIRE IN THE HOUSES, BUT I THINK WE ONLY HAD ONE FIRE BRIGADE SO THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.

OFFICER EILGAARD SAYS THE SITUATION IS VERY TENSE AND THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT ABOUT WHAT THIS NIGHT WILL BRING.

A LOT OF HOUSES BURNING AND THERE MIGHT BE SOME PEOPLE IN TOWN TRYING TO MAKE SOME TROUBLES, BEFORE THEY LEAVE.

NATO TROOPS ARE MAKING AN EFFORT TO LIMIT THE VIOLENCE IN ILIDZA. DOZENS OF NATO ARMORED VEHICLES ARE PATROLLING THE STREETS HERE, BUT NATO SOLDIERS SAY THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO DETAIN SERBS ARSONISTS UNLESS THERE IS A THREAT TO LIFE. THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT A POLICE FORCE AND CANNOT ARREST PEOPLE FOR BURNING DOWN EMPTY BUILDINGS. ON SUNDAY NIGHT, NATO SOLDIERS DID HELP TO EVACUATE ELDERLY RESIDENTS FROM A BURNING APARTMENT BUILDING, AND THEY HAVE TRIED TO PUT OUT A FEW SMALL FIRES WITH HAND-HELD FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. IN THE LAST FEW DAYS THERE HAVE BEEN NO SNIPING INCIDENTS IN ILIDZA, BUT SERB AND FEDERATION POLICE EXCHANGED GUNFIRE ON MONDAY JUST OUTSIDE ILIDZA, THOUGH THERE SO FAR NO REPORTS ANYONE WAS INJURED. IN ANOTHER INCIDENT FOUR SERBS IN A SPEEDING CAR THREW A GRENADE NEAR FRENCH NATO TROOPS. NO ONE WAS HURT IN THE EXPLOSION AND WITNESSES SAID THE GRENADE APPEARED TO BE CAREFULLY AIMED TO AVOID INJURING THE NATO SOLDIERS, BUT IT WAS A CLEAR WARNING TO NATO NOT TO INTERFERE WITH THE SERBS. (SIGNED)

NEB/DF/SKH
11-Mar-96 6:22 PM EST (2322 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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[03] GERMANY / IMMIGRANTS (L ONLY) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

INTRO: THREE IMPORTANT STATE ELECTIONS ARE SCHEDULED THIS MONTH IN GERMANY. ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES TO EMERGE IN THE CAMPAIGN IS THE NUMBER OF IMMIGRANTS ENTERING THE COUNTRY. V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS MUCH OF THE ATTENTION IS FOCUSED ON ETHNIC GERMANS FROM EASTERN EUROPE, WHO MANY PEOPLE SAY SHOULD STAY WHERE THEY ARE.

TEXT: EVERY YEAR ABOUT 200-THOUSAND ETHNIC GERMANS FROM THE FORMER SOVIET UNION AND EASTERN EUROPE COME TO GERMANY. SINCE 1990 AND THE FALL OF COMMUNISM, ABOUT ONE-AND-ONE-HALF-MILLION OF THESE PEOPLE (KNOWN AS AUSSIEDLERS) HAVE RETURNED TO THE LAND OF THEIR ANCESTORS.

UNLIKE OTHER IMMIGRANTS WHO MUST GO THROUGH A LENGTHY BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS TO BECOME CITIZENS, ETHNIC GERMAN IMMIGRANTS ALREADY ENJOY THAT LEGAL STATUS AND ARE ENTITLED TO A WIDE RANGE OF GENEROUS SOCIAL BENEFITS.

BUT WITH UN-EMPLOYMENT IN GERMANY AT A POST-WAR RECORD AND MANY GERMANS CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR ECONOMIC FUTURE, THERE IS GROWING SENTIMENT IN FAVOR OF REDUCING THE NUMBER OF IMMIGRANTS.

THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, OSCAR LAFONTAINE, SAYS GERMANY'S CITIZENSHIP LAWS ARE OUT OF DATE. AND HE SAYS IT IS NOT FAIR TO PUT ETHNIC GERMANS WHO DO NOT EVEN SPEAK THE LANGUAGE AHEAD OF OTHER IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE LIVING IN GERMANY.

A HISTORY PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LEIPZIG, GUNTHER HYDEMANN, SAYS THERE IS NO DOUBT GERMAN CITIZENSHIP LAWS ARE IN NEED OF REVISION. BUT HE SAYS THAT MAY NOT BE MR. LAFONTAINE'S MAIN CONCERN.

I THINK HE IS MORE RESPONDING TO THE ACTUAL ECONOMIC PROBLEMS WE HAVE IN GERMANY.

OTHER POLITICAL LEADERS AGREE. FOREIGN MINISTER KLAUS KINKEL HAS ACCUSED MR. LAFONTAINE OF USING THE ISSUE SIMPLY TO GET VOTES.

THE FOREIGN MINISTER, WHOSE SMALL FREE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS STRUGGLING FOR SURVIVAL, SAYS IT IS NOT FAIR TO SLAM THE DOOR ON ETHNIC GERMANS WHO HAVE OFTEN BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN THE COUNTRIES WHERE THEY LIVE.

PROFESSOR HYDEMANN SAYS IT IS IRONIC MR. LAFONTAINE HAS ADOPTED A CONSERVATIVE POSITION ON THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE, BECAUSE IN THE PAST HE HAS HAD A QUITE DIFFERENT POSITION.

IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE THAT HE TRIES TO WIN ELECTIONS WITH THIS, AND HE IS SEEN STILL IN HIS PARTY AS A MAN COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE, SO I SEE A LOT OF TACTICS IN THIS DISCUSSION.

ANALYSTS SAY IT IS INEVITABLE THAT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION WILL AGREE WITH HIS POSITION, ESPECIALLY IN ECONOMIC HARD TIMES. INDEED, A RECENT PUBLIC OPINION POLL FOUND TWO-THIRDS OF THOSE POLLED WERE IN FAVOR OF LIMITING THE NUMBER OF GERMAN IMMIGRANTS.

BUT IF LOCAL ELECTIONS DURING THE WEEKEND IN THE SOUTHERN STATE OF BAVARIA ARE A GUIDE, THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS MAY NEED MORE THAN THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE TO BOOST THEIR NATIONAL STANDING.

THE WEEKEND LOCAL ELECTIONS SAW GAINS BY THE CHRISTIAN SOCIAL UNION, THE CONSERVATIVE COALITION PARTNERS OF CHANCELLOR HELMUT KOHL. VOTING IN THREE OTHER KEY GERMAN STATES IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 24TH. (SIGNED)

NEB/KBK/JWH/RAE
11-Mar-96 2:06 PM EST (1906 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America