Voice of America, 22 April 1996

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

Voice of America Directory

CONTENTS

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

INTRO: A VERY WIDE ARRAY OF TOPICS IS UNDER DISCUSSION IN MONDAY'S U-S PRESS, WITH EDITORIALS ON SUCH THINGS AS THE DEBATE CONCERNING RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE; THE ANNIVERSARY OF EARTH DAY; CONGRESSIONAL ASSAULTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT; THE NAFTA AGREEMENT AND THE PROBLEMS OF MEGACITIES. NOW, HERE WITH A CLOSER LOOK IS ________________ AND TODAY'S U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: SEVERAL PAPERS ARE UPSET WITH EXPECTED REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ROBERT DOLE FOR HIS OPPOSITION TO INCREASING THE NATION'S MINIMUM WAGE. THAT TOPIC LEADS SEVERAL EDITORIAL COLUMNS, INCLUDING "THE SUN" IN BALTIMORE WHICH SAYS, IN PART:

VOICE: "THE REPUBLICAN EFFORT TO BLOCK A RISE IN THE MINIMUM WAGE MAY OR MAY NOT BE SMART ECONOMICS, BUT IT IS DUMB POLITICS. DESPITE THE GOP'S CONTROL OF BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, PRESIDENT CLINTON IS GOING TO PREVAIL ON THIS ISSUE AND THUS SOLIDIFY HIS IMAGE AS A DEMOCRAT WHO HAS REGAINED THE LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE IN WASHINGTON. .... THIS SITUATION ILLUMINATES HOW MUCH THE IDEOLOGICAL MIND-SET OF HOUSE CONSERVATIVES IS A DRAG ON SENATOR DOLE'S PROSPECTS FOR VICTORY IN NOVEMBER."

TEXT: "THE WASHINGTON POST" EXHORTS MR. DOLE TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP ON THE ISSUE IN THE SENATE, SUGGESTING:

VOICE: "THERE OUGHT TO BE A CLEAN VOTE IN CONGRESS ON RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE. STRAIGHT UP OR DOWN [IE. "YES OR NO"] ON AN INCREASE, WITH NO BLURRING OF THE ISSUE OR CLUTTERING-UP OF THE BILL WITH DEFLECTING AMENDMENTS. [OPT] ..... ON AN ISSUE OF THIS IMPORTANCE, BOB DOLE, THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, NEEDS TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING MORE THAN A DEVICE TO CONFOUND THE DEMOCRATS."

TEXT: THIS IS "EARTH DAY" IN THE UNITED STATES, WHEN ENVIRONMENTALISTS TRY TO FOCUS EVERYONE'S ATTENTION ON THE STRESSES HUMANS PLACE ON THE PLANET. "THE MIAMI HERALD" LEADS ITS EDITORIAL COLUMN WITH AN EARTH DAY COMMENTARY, NOTING:

VOICE: "THIS OLD ORB ... WE CALL EARTH HAS BEEN TUNNELED, CHANNELED, ...POISONED, TILLED, FLOODED, PAVED, BLASTED, GASSED ... AND STUDIED ..... WE OUGHT TO CONSIDER - - NOT JUST ON THIS AND EVERY EARTH DAY, BUT CONSTANTLY - - OUR TENUOUS PLACE IN THIS VAST BOARDING HOUSE [PLANET EARTH]. TREAT THE LANDLADY [MOTHER NATURE] WITH MORE RESPECT AND CARE ON A DAILY BASIS ELSE WE MAY FIND OURSELVES TUMBLING IN HER WINDS, WITHERING TO DUST UNDER HER SUN."

TEXT: "THE NEW YORK TIMES" IN ITS EDITORIAL MARKING THE 26TH ANNIVERSARY OF "EARTH DAY," FAULTS THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESS FOR AN ASSAULT ON ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS.

VOICE: "THERE ARE MANY DESTRUCTIVE PROPOSALS ON THE CONGRESSIONAL AGENDA, INCLUDING SEVERAL BILLS THAT WOULD TRANSFER MILLIONS OF ACRES OF PUBLIC LAND TO STATE AND COMMERCIAL JURISDICTION. BUT THE MOST URGENT EXAMPLE OF BAD LEGISLATION IS AN OMNIBUS APPROPRIATIONS [FUNDING] BILL NOW UNDER CONSIDERATION ....... [THAT] SHARPLY REDUCES APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT ......"

TEXT: "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" MARKS THE ANNIVERSARY WITH A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT VIEW.

VOICE: "THE [ENVIRONMENTAL] MOVEMENT'S PROPONENTS ARGUED THAT MARKETS CAUSE ENVIRONMENTAL HARM, SO PREVENTION OF THAT HARM REQUIRES MASSIVE RESTRICTIONS AND INTERVENTIONS ON MARKETS. PRAGMATIC ENVIRONMENTALISTS NO DOUBT EXPECTED THAT REASONABLE PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK OUT HONEST DIFFERENCES, BUT THE MOVEMENT ITSELF SEEMED TO CONCLUDE THAT ITS CONTINUED EXISTENCE AND SUCCESS DEPENDED ON A STEADY FLOW OF OVERSTATED OR ARTIFICIALLY INDUCED HYSTERIA."

TEXT: THE PLIGHT OF A YOUNG AFRICAN WOMAN WHO FLED HER COUNTRY FOR THE UNITED STATES DRAWS COMMENT -- AND A WARNING TO CONGRESS -- FROM "THE NEW YORK TIMES."

VOICE: "THE ORDEAL OF A YOUNG WOMAN FROM TOGO WHO CAME TO AMERICA TO AVOID THE PRACTICE OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION SHOULD GIVE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS PAUSE BEFORE THEY APPROVE ANY FURTHER LIMITATIONS ON THE RIGHTS OF REFUGEES SEEKING SANCTUARY IN THE UNITED STATES. ..... FAUZIYA KASINGA WAS DETAINED FOR MONTHS BEFORE SHE OBTAINED A HEARING ... WAS STRIP-SEARCHED AND HELD WITH CONVICTED CRIMINALS. SHAMEFULLY, THE ANTI-TERRORISM BILL JUST PASSED BY CONGRESS ...... COULD SUBJECT MANY MORE REFUGEES TO SIMILAR TREATMENT."

TEXT: "NEWSDAY" NOTES ANNOYANCE FROM BEIJING ABOUT PRESIDENT CLINTON'S RECENT REAFFIRMATION OF THE U-S SECURITY ALLIANCE WITH JAPAN, SUGGESTING:

VOICE: "[OPT] CHINA GOT ITS BACK UP [BECAME UPSET] BECAUSE IT SENSED ..... THAT U-S AND JAPANESE CONCERNS ABOUT THE SECURITY OF THE REGION WERE HEIGHTENED BY CHINA'S GROWING MILITARY STRENGTH AND ASSERTIVENESS. [END OPT] THAT WAS THE RIGHT MESSAGE FOR WASHINGTON AND TOKYO TO SEND. BUT IT SHOULDN'T PREVENT BEIJING FROM WORKING WITH THEM ON SECURITY ISSUES THAT AFFECT ALL THREE NATIONS...."

TEXT: IN NEW ENGLAND, "THE BOSTON GLOBE," CITING DISAGREEMENTS OVER TRUCKING AND SAFETY THAT HAVE ARISEN WITHIN THE NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT, REMINDS READERS:

VOICE: "..... NAFTA IS FAR FROM A FINISHED DOCUMENT AND IS CERTAINLY NOT ONE-SIDED IN ITS APPLICATIONS TO THE THREE COUNTRIES. ..... CAN INTENSE LOCAL RESISTANCE TO THE GENERAL TERMS OF NAFTA BE OVERCOME THROUGH BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS ON A DISPUTE-BY-DISPUTE BASIS? SUCCESSES SO FAR SUGGEST THAT EVENTUALLY THEY WILL BE, ALTHOUGH LOCAL FEELINGS ..... ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER CAN RUN HIGH. ..... THE KEY CONSIDERATION, IN ANY EVENT, IS THE EXISTENCE OF THE NAFTA FRAMEWORK FOR DEALING WITH DISPUTES OF THIS SORT........"

TEXT: AND LASTLY,TODAY'S "WASHINGTON POST" WELCOMES THE U-N CONFERENCE ON URBANIZATION THIS JUNE IN TURKEY, NOTING:

VOICE: "SOMETIME AROUND THE END OF THIS CENTURY, MORE THAN HALF .... THE WORLD'S POPULATION WILL LIVE IN CITIES FOR THE FIRST TIME. THIS POSES FORMIDABLE CHALLENGES IN HEALTH CARE AND THE ENVIRONMENT, IN BOTH THE DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING WORLD. ..... THE WORLD MAY BE SUFFERING FROM U-N CONFERENCE FATIGUE. BUT A REPORT PUBLISHED THIS WEEK..... LEAVES NO DOUBT AS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES NOW."

TEXT: AND THAT CONCLUDES THIS BRIEF LOOK AT SOME OF THE DAY'S EDITORIALS IN THE U-S PRESS.

NEB/ANG/NES
22-Apr-96 10:53 AM EDT (1453 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[02] BALKAN NOTEBOOK BY BARRY WOOD (PRAGUE)

INTRO: WITHIN THE FORMER EAST-BLOC, THE NATIONS OF SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE, THE BALKANS, ARE LAGGING BEHIND IN BUILDING MARKET ECONOMIES. V-O-A'S ECONOMICS CORRESPONDENT BARRY WOOD RECENTLY SPENT EIGHT-DAYS IN BULGARIA AND MACEDONIA. IN THIS REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK HE FINDS RATHER STARK DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE TWO NEIGHBORING STATES.

TEXT: LEADING SOUTH AND WEST FROM SOFIA, THE ROAD TO MACEDONIA PASSES THROUGH SPECTACULAR MOUNTAIN SCENERY. IN MID-APRIL THE MOUNTAINS ARE STILL SNOW-COVERED AND THE WHITE PEAKS AGAINST A BLUE SKY ARE A WELCOME CONTRAST TO THE MUDDY BROWNS OF THE BULGARIAN TOWNS AND VILLAGES BELOW.

THE ROAD IS PAVED, BUT POT-HOLED, THE RESULT OF TOO MUCH TRUCK TRAFFIC WHEN FOR MORE THAN A YEAR THIS WAS THE MAJOR ROUTE FOR GOODS REACHING MACEDONIA, THE LAND-LOCKED FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC. SINCE U-N SANCTIONS AGAINST SERBIA AND A GREEK BLOCKADE AGAINST MACEDONIA HAVE BEEN LIFTED, THE ROAD IS NO LONGER CROWDED.

THE TOWNS OF PERNIK AND RADOMIR, NOT FAR FROM THE BULGARIAN CAPITAL, ARE LITTERED WITH THE RUINS OF INDUSTRIAL DINOSAURS. SMOKE RISES FROM ONLY A FEW OF THE TALL CHIMNEYS. THE ANCIENT STEEL WORKS OPERATES AT A FRACTION OF CAPACITY. THERE SEEMS LITTLE HOPE THESE PLANTS CAN BE MODERNIZED OR SAVED.

FARTHER ON, THE LANDSCAPE IS RURAL AND POOR. THIN GOATS AND STRAGGLY LOOKING HORSES ROAM THE RUGGED ILL-KEPT FIELDS. DONKEY CARTS TRANSPORTING BRUSH AND TREE LIMBS FOR HOME HEATING ARE AT THE EDGE OF THE ROADWAY. ALSO THERE ARE POLICEMEN LOOKING FOR STOLEN CARS AND, SO IT IS SAID, CASH FROM THOSE WHO VIOLATE TECHNICALITIES OF LAW.

THE BULGARIAN-MACEDONIAN BORDER CROSSING IS PERCHED ATOP ONE OF THE HIGHEST MOUNTAINS. THE AIR IS FRESH, THE FORMALITIES RELATIVELY EFFICIENT.

ON THE MACEDONIAN SIDE, THE ROAD IS BETTER AND PROGRESSIVELY MORE SO AS IT WINDS DOWN AND THROUGH A VALLEY TO THE MINING TOWN OF KRIVA POLANKA. WHILE MACEDONIA WAS A POOR REGION OF THE OLD YUGOSLAVIA, IT IS MORE PROSPEROUS THAN BULGARIA, WITH WHOM IT SHARES A LANGUAGE AND A HISTORY.

THE FIRST CAFE WE STOP AT HAS A FADED PORTRAIT OF MARSHALL TITO ON THE WALL, A COMMONPLACE SIGHT. SEEING THE IMPRESSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE OF HIGHWAYS, WATER LINES, AND URBAN TRANSPORT, IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE TITO WOULD BE VIEWED WITH FONDNESS. MACEDONIA, AGAINST ALL ODDS, IS DOING WELL AT REFORM. DESPITE HIGH UN-EMPLOYMENT AND A WRENCHING TRANSITION, THIS COUNTRY OF TWO-MILLION IS SUCCEEDING AS AN INDEPENDENT STATE. IT HAS MANAGED TO AVOID CONFLICT. THE ECONOMY IS GROWING. HUNDREDS OF ENTERPRISES ARE BEING PRIVATIZED. SKOPJE IS A BUSTLING, MODERN CITY THAT IS ATTRACTING INTEREST FROM INVESTORS. SOFIA, A MUCH BIGGER CITY, IS BY CONTRAST STRUGGLING. THE GOVERNMENT IS DIVIDED, THE PRESIDENT FAVORING MORE RAPID REFORM WHILE THE EX-COMMUNIST PRIME MINISTER IS TENTATIVE AND RELUCTANT TO SPEED THE DRIVE TO A MARKET ECONOMY.

BULGARIA'S BANKING SYSTEM LACKS REGULATION AND HAS ATTRACTED SEVERAL DISREPUTABLE CHARACTERS. FOREIGN INVESTMENT, WHILE OUTWARDLY COURTED, FINDS THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS A STRONG DISINCENTIVE. BRITAIN'S ROVER CAR COMPANY THIS MONTH PULLED OOUT OF A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR OPERATION IT STARTED ONLY SIX-MONTHS AGO.

RETURNING TO BULGARIA ALONG THE ROAD FROM MACEDONIA THERE IS A SENSE OF FRUSTRATION. HOW CAN SUCH FINE PEOPLE WITH SUCH A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY FIND THEMSELVES IN SUCH A MESS? WHAT SHOULD OTHERS BE DOING TO HELP? IT IS SAID BULGARIA IN THE 70'S AND 80'S HAD BECOME A BACKWATER OF COMMUNISM. THE DANGER IS THAT WITHOUT A RE-NEWED COMMITMENT, IT COULD BECOME A BACKWATER OF REFORM AMONG THE NEW POST-COMMUNIST ECONOMIES. (SIGNED)

NEB/BDW/JWH/RAE
22-Apr-96 1:43 PM EDT (1743 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: NATO'S TOP CIVILIAN AND MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY THE FORMER WARRING FORCES IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA ARE REASONABLY COMPLYING WITH THE MILITARY PROVISIONS OF THE BOSNIAN PEACE AGREEMENT. BUT AS V-O-A CENTRAL EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT WAYNE COREY REPORTS THE NATO OFFICIALS DO _NOT_ CLEARLY RULE OUT A POSSIBLE EXTENSION OF THE NATO-LED INTERNATIONAL PEACE FORCE'S YEAR-LONG MISSION IN BOSNIA.

TEXT: NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL JAVIER SOLANA AND NATO'S SUPREME MILITARY COMMANDER, GENERAL GEORGE JOULWAN, SAY THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE FORCE HAS ACHIEVED ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF ITS MILITARY OBJECTIVES IN BOSNIA SO FAR.

SPEAKING AT A NEWS CONFERENCE WITH GENERAL JOULWAN IN BRUSSELS, MR. SOLANA SAYS BOSNIA IS NOW IN THE TRANSITION TO PEACE 120 DAYS AFTER THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE FORCE BEGAN TO BE DEPLOYED THERE.

MR. SOLANA ALSO SAYS HE BELIEVES THE FORMER WARRING FORCES WILL COMPLETELY COMPLY WITH THE NATO-LED MISSION WITHIN THE ONE YEAR SET FOR THE PEACE FORCE TO BE IN THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC.

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL APPEARS TO LEAVE OPEN THE POSSIBILITY, THOUGH, THAT THE NATO-LED MISSION COULD BE EXTENDED. PRIVATELY, NATO AND BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN SARAJEVO HAVE SAID ONE YEAR WILL _NOT_ BE ENOUGH TIME TO ENSURE PEACE AND STABILITY IN BOSNIA.

A NATO SPOKESMAN IN SARAJEVO SAYS HE IS CONCERNED THAT SERB AND MUSLIM LEADERS SEEM TO BE CYNICALLY MANIPULATING THE DESIRES OF REFUGEES TO GO BACK TO THEIR HOMES.

OVER THE WEEKEND, NATO FORCES DISPERSED A LARGE CROWD OF SERBS WHO ATTACKED MUSLIM CIVILIANS TRYING TO ENTER THE SERB-HELD TOWN OF DOBOJ. THE MUSLIMS WANTED TO RECLAIM THEIR FORMER HOMES THERE.

BUT IN WHAT IS CONSIDERED A MAJOR STEP FORWARD IN THE PEACE PROCESS, RULES HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR INTERNATIONALLY-ORGANIZED DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IN BOSNIA. ALTHOUGH _NO_ DATE IS SET FOR THE ELECTIONS, TWO-AND-A-HALF-MILLION REFUGEES AND DISPLACED PEOPLE WILL HAVE VOTING RIGHTS, AS WILL BOSNIAN CITIZENS STILL IN THEIR HOME TOWNS. MEANWHILE, IN THE HAGUE, THE INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IS DELAYING A DECISION ON WHETHER TO FREE ITS MOST IMPORTANT PRISONER FOR HEALTH REASONS.

THE PRISONER, GENERAL DJORDJE DJUKIC, WAS THE BOSNIAN SERB ARMY'S SENIOR LOGISTICS OFFICER WHEN HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AND INDICTED FOR SUPPORTING SERB ATTACKS ON CIVILIANS IN SARAJEVO.

GENERAL DJUKIC IS SUFFERING FROM PANCREATIC CANCER. THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL'S CHIEF PROSECUTOR SAYS THE GENERAL COULD _NOT_ PROPERLY PARTICIPATE IN HIS OWN DEFENSE. (SIGNED)

NEB/WC/JWH/ART
22-Apr-96 2:21 PM EDT (1821 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[04] E-U / BEEF (S & L) BY JOHN FRASER (BRUSSELS)

INTRO: BRITAIN SAYS IT IS CONSIDERING A BAN ON BEEF IMPORTS FROM THE REST OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, UNLESS THE E-U ENDS ITS WORLDWIDE BAN ON EXPORTS OF ALL BRITISH BEEF AND BEEF PRODUCTS. AS JOHN FRASER REPORTS FROM BRUSSELS, THE E-U BAN WAS IMPOSED AFTER EVIDENCE SUGGESTED THAT MAD COW DISEASE, ALSO KNOWN AS B-S-E, MAY BE TRANSMITTED TO HUMANS.

TEXT: THE BRITISH WARNING WAS DELIVERED BY FOREIGN SECRETARY MALCOLM RIFKIND, AS HE ARRIVED FOR A MEETING OF EUROPEAN UNION FOREIGN MINISTERS.

MR. RIFKIND HAS USED THIS MEETING TO REMIND HIS COLLEAGUES THAT BRITAIN CONSIDERS THAT THE E-U BAN TO BE ILLEGAL AND _NOT_ JUSTIFIED. HE WARNED THAT IF IT IS _NOT_ LIFTED SOON, OTHER OPTIONS WOULD HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED.

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING IMPOSING A BAN ON IMPORTS OF BEEF -- AND POSSIBLY OTHER FOOD PRODUCTS -- FROM THE REST OF EUROPE, UNLESS BRITISH BEEF EXPORTS CAN BE SWIFTLY RESUMED. HOWEVER, AN E-U SPOKESMAN HAS WARNED THAT SUCH A BAN WOULD BE ILLEGAL. // OPT // HE SAYS THAT THE EUROPEAN UNION'S BAN WAS IMPOSED WITHIN THE RULES, BUT A BRITISH BAN ON IMPORTS FROM THE REST OF THE UNION WOULD _NOT_ BE LEGAL.

BRITISH AGRICULTURE MINISTER DOUGLAS HOGG ARRIVES IN BRUSSELS FOR TALKS TUESDAY WITH EUROPE'S AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER FRANZ FISCHLER. HE WILL BE TRYING TO PERSUADE MR. FISCHLER THAT BRITAIN HAS NOW TAKEN ALL THE NECESSARY ACTION TO GUARANTEE THE SAFETY OF ITS BEEF, AND THEREFORE EXPORT TRADE MUST RESUMED.

NEB/JF/JWH/ART
22-Apr-96 12:26 PM EDT (1626 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America

[05] POLAND SPY (S ONLY) BY BARRY WOOD (PRAGUE)

INTRO: THE STATE PROSECUTOR IN POLAND SAYS HE WILL NOT PROCEED WITH SPY CHARGES AGAINST FORMER PRIME MINISTER JOZEF OLEKSY, WHO WAS FORCED OUT OF OFFICE LAST JANUARY. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS FROM PRAGUE.

TEXT: AFTER FOUR MONTHS OF INVESTIGATION, POLAND'S MILITARY PROSECUTOR SAYS THERE IS NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO CHARGE MR. OLEKSY.

LAST DECEMBER THE THEN POLISH INTERIOR MINISTER SAID THE STATE SECURITY SERVICE HAD EVIDENCE MR. OLEKSY HAD SPIED FOR MOSCOW FOR NEARLY A DECADE UNTIL EARLY 1995.

MR. OLEKSY, A FORMER COMMUNIST, VEHEMENTLY DENIED THE ALLEGATION, CONCEDING ONLY THAT HE HAD BEEN FRIENDS WITH A SOVIET DIPLOMAT IN WARSAW WHO IT WAS LATER LEARNED WAS AN INTELLIGENCE OFFICER. THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER BLAMED OUTGOING PRESIDENT LECH WALESA FOR THE SENSATIONAL CHARGES, WHICH HE SAID WERE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED.

MR. OLEKSY, WHO WAS PRIME MINISTER FOR NEARLY ONE YEAR, IS STILL LEADER OF THE BIGGEST PARTY IN THE RULING DEMOCRATIC LEFT ALLIANCE.

FORMER PRESIDENT WALESA SAYS HE IS NOT SURPRISED THAT POLAND'S LEFT WING GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED NOT TO PROCEED WITH CHARGES. HE SAYS THE MATTER WILL BE SETTLED BY VOTERS IN NEXT YEAR'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. (SIGNED)

NEB/BDW/JWH/MMK
22-Apr-96 11:12 AM EDT (1512 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America