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Voice of America, 26 July 1996

Voice of America Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>


CONTENTS

  • [01] FRIDAY'S EDITORIALS BY GARY EDQUIST (WASHINGTON)
  • [02] FRANCE / TERROR (L ONLY) BY JULIAN NUNDY (PARIS)
  • [03] GERMANY/ATTACKS -UPDATE (S ONLY) BY DAGMAR BREITENBACH (BONN)
  • [04] YUGO LEADER LINKED TO WAR CRIMES BY PAMELA TAYLOR (WASHINGTON)

  • [01] FRIDAY'S EDITORIALS BY GARY EDQUIST (WASHINGTON)

    DATE=07/26/96
    TYPE=U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST
    NUMBER=6-09697
    TELEPHONE=619-3940
    EDITOR=NANCY SMART
    CONTENT=
    // EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS PERISHABLE MATERIAL AND BECOMES DATED AFTER 10 P-M E-D--T ON FRIDAY, JULY 26TH //

    INTRO: ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, THERE ARE NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS ABOUT PRESIDENT CLINTON'S ORDER THURSDAY FOR INCREASED AIR SAFETY. OTHER EDITORIALS EXAMINE U-S RELATIONS WITH CHINA, AND WARN ABOUT CONGRESSIONAL EFFORTS TO CONTROL TRADE. NOW, FOR SOME SELECTED QUOTES ON THESE MATTERS, HERE IS _________________ WITH THE U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

    TEXT: SPEAKING IN NEW YORK [ON THURSDAY, 7/25], PRESIDENT CLINTON ANNOUNCED NEW STEPS TO TIGHTEN AIRLINE SECURITY IN THE UNITED STATES. HE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AFTER MEETING WITH SEVERAL HUNDRED BEREAVED FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE VICTIMS OF THE EXPLOSION AND CRASH OF TWA FLIGHT 800, WHICH KILLED ALL 230 ABOARD [ON JULY 17]. THE LEAD EDITORIAL IN THE LOS ANGELES TIMES IS HEADLINED, "AIR SAFETY CRACKDOWN IS COSTLY BUT CORRECT," AND IT GOES ON TO SAY:

    VOICE: "IN ORDERING TOUGHER SECURITY FOR AMERICA'S AIRLINES, PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS TAKEN A RIGHT AND RESPONSIBLE LINE. EVEN THOUGH THE CAUSE OF THE TWA CRASH... HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED, THERE SHOULD BE NO HESITATION WHEN IT COMES TO THE SAFETY OF AIR TRAVEL."

    TEXT: ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THE NEW YORK TIMES NOTES THAT THE PRESIDENT DECIDED THAT WAITING TO LEARN WHY THE PLANE CRASHED WAS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE COUNTRY:

    VOICE: "THE PRESIDENT PRUDENTLY DECIDED NOT TO WAIT FOR THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD'S CONCLUSION ON THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH. WHATEVER ITS OUTCOME, MR. CLINTON WANTS SPEEDY INSTALLATION OF BOMB-DETECTION SYSTEMS AND THOROUGH SEARCHES OF EVERY AIRLINER LEAVING OR ARRIVING AT AMERICAN AIRPORTS. .... [BEGIN OPT] IN ADDITION TO THE SECURITY REGULATIONS, MR. CLINTON ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT A NEW SAFETY COMMISSION, HEADED BY VICE PRESIDENT GORE, WOULD HAVE 45 DAYS TO PRODUCE A PLAN 'TO DEPLOY NEW HIGH TECHNOLOGY INSPECTION MACHINES THAT CAN DETECT THE MOST SOPHISTICATED EXPLOSIVES.'" [END OPT]

    TEXT: THE NATIONALLY-DISTRIBUTED NEWSPAPER USA TODAY CAUTIONS ITS READERS IN THE HEADLINE TO ITS LEAD EDITORIAL THAT "AIR TRAVEL'S NEW SECURITY RULES [ARE] JUST A BEGINNING."

    VOICE: "U-S AIR TRAVELERS HAVE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO FLYING THE SAFEST YET LEAST RESTRICTIVE AVIATION SYSTEM IN THE WORLD. BUT THAT LUXURY MAY SOON FALL VICTIM TO THE TIME. ... [BEGIN OPT] SOME INCONVENIENCED AIR TRAVELERS MIGHT SEE ALL THIS AS AN OVERREACTION TO TWO HIGH PROFILE TRAGEDIES - THE MAY 11 VALUJET CRASH AND THE TWA EXPLOSION. BUT THE PROPOSALS GROW FROM DEEPER ROOTS. [END OPT] ... [IN] MARCH ... CONGRESS' GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE, CITING U-S INTELLIGENCE, REPORTED AN INCREASE AND CHANGE IN THE TERRORIST THREAT. FREE-LANCING, HARD-TO-FIND FUNDAMENTALIST GROUPS ARE SUPPLANTING STATE-SPONSORED, SECULAR TERRORISTS. RETALIATION AGAINST THE NEW GROUPS IS MORE DIFFICULT, AND U-S AVIATION IS A PRIME TARGET SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S SO VULNERABLE."

    TEXT: AMID INCREASING U-S CONCERN OVER TERRORISM, THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS PRESIDENT CLINTON PLANS TO SIGN A BILL TO TIGHTEN SANCTIONS ON TWO ALLEGED SPONSORS OF TERRORISM, IRAN AND LIBYA. A WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN SAYS THE UNITED STATES HAS CLEAR CONCERNS ABOUT THOSE WHO SPONSOR TERRORISM, SUCH AS IRAN AND LIBYA. THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON BELIEVES BRINGING ECONOMIC PRESSURE TO BEAR ON THE TWO COUNTRIES IS VERY MUCH JUSTIFIED. THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, HOWEVER, DISAGREES:

    VOICE: "THE PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL FREE TRADE AND THE UNIVERSAL SOVEREIGNTY OF NATIONS TOOK A DRUBBING [BEATING] AT THE HANDS OF CONGRESS THIS WEEK, AND A PRESIDENT WHO KNOWS BETTER IS SUDDENLY ALL TOO EAGER TO SHARE IN THE BULLYING. IN STRIKING OUT AT FOREIGN TERRORISTS BY PASSING THE IRAN-LIBYA SANCTIONS BILL, CONGRESS AND PRESIDENT CLINTON, WHO HAS VOWED TO SET ASIDE HIS MISGIVINGS AND SIGN IT INTO LAW, HAVE SET THE STAGE FOR A CLASSIC CLASH WITH A HIGHER AND A MORE ENDURING EDICT -- THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. ... AS BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY MALCOLM RIFKIND OBSERVED LAST MONTH, 'HITTING YOUR ALLY DOESN'T HARM YOUR OPPONENT... U-S SANCTION ON EUROPEAN FIRMS WOULD DO DAMAGE, BUT NOT TO... IRAN AND LIBYA.'"

    TEXT: AND FINALLY, THE WASHINGTON POST IN ITS LEAD EDITORIAL FRIDAY WRITES ABOUT "MENDING RELATIONS WITH CHINA." SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER, THE NEWSPAPER ADDS, RECENTLY VISITED CHINA FOR TALKS, AND ADDS THE WASHINGTON POST, "U-S - CHINA RELATIONS ARE SAID TO BE ON THE MEND." IT GOES ON TO WRITE:

    VOICE: A PATTERN OF VISITS AND OFFICIAL EXCHANGES MEANT TO LEAD UP TO A PAIR OF SUMMITS IS IN TRAIN, AND THE TONE IS UPBEAT. A FASCINATION WITH THE RELATIONSHIP SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO OBSCURE WHETHER AMERICAN INTERESTS ARE BEING PROPERLY SERVED, HOWEVER. SMILES CAN TOO EASILY BE BOUGHT BY EVASIONS AND UNRECIPROCATED CONCESSIONS."

    TEXT: THAT COMMENT FROM THE WASHINGTON POST CONCLUDES THIS SAMPLING OF EDITORIAL COMMENT FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THIS FINAL FRIDAY IN JULY.
    NEB/GE/NES
    26-Jul-96 11:19 AM EDT (1519 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [02] FRANCE / TERROR (L ONLY) BY JULIAN NUNDY (PARIS)

    DATE=7/26/96
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-200782
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: FRANCE HAS OBSERVED THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF A SERIES OF TERRORIST BOMBINGS BLMAED ON ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS. JULIAN NUNDY REPORTS FROM PARIS FRANCE IS PREPARING TO BE THE HOST FOR AN INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM CONFERENCE.

    TEXT: AS THE USUAL SUMMER CROWDS OF FOREIGN TOURISTS MILLED AROUND ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS TOURIST SITES, THE BELLS OF NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL TOLLED FOR 30 MINUTES.

    // NOTRE DAME BELLS - ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER //

    THEY STARTED TO CHIME EXACTLY ONE YEAR TO THE MINUTE AFTER THE FIRST BOMB PLACED BY ALGERIAN ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS HIT A PARIS SUBWAY TRAIN. EIGHT PEOPLE DIED IN THE ATTACK. AND DOZENS MORE WERE INJURED IN THAT AND OTHER BOMBINGS DURING THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

    THE FIRST OF THOSE BOMBS, BLAMED ON THE BANNED ALGERIAN ARMED ISLAMIC GROUP, OR G-I-A, EXPLODED AT THE SAINT MICHEL NOTRE DAME STATION. SHORTLY BEFORE THE CATHEDRAL PAID ITS TRIBUTE ONE YEAR LATER, RELATIVES OF THE EIGHT DEAD, MANY OF THEM WEEPING, LAID FLOWERS NEAR THE CAFE THAT WAS USED AS A MAKESHIFT FIELD HOSPITAL JUST AFTER THE BOMB STRUCK.

    AFTER THE CEREMONY, THE FRENCH AND SPANISH INTERIOR MINISTERS PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO AN AGREEMENT TO COMBAT THE BASQUE SEPARATIST ETA ORGANIZATION. ETA HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR SEVERAL RECENT ATTACKS ON TOURIST SITES IN SPAIN THIS MONTH AND A NUMBER OF ETA LEADERS HAVE BEEN ROUNDED UP, SOME OF THEM IN FRANCE.

    AS THE FRENCH AUTHORITIES SAY THEY FEAR THAT THE ISLAMIC CAMPAIGN AGAINST FRENCH INTERESTS MAY SOON RESUME, PARIS IS TO BE THE HOST CITY FOR A CONFERENCE ON TERRORISM THIS COMING TUESDAY. THE CONFERENCE, BRINGING TOGETHER THE GROUP OF SEVEN WORLD'S RICHEST NATIONS AND RUSSIA, PROMISES WHAT A FRENCH SPOKESMAN SAYS WILL BE NEW "CONCRETE" MEASURES TO COMBAT TERRORISM. THE CONFERENCE WAS ORDERED BY THE GROUP OF SEVEN SUMMIT IN FRANCE A MONTH AGO JUST AFTER THE ISLAMIC BOMBING OF THE U-S AIR FORCE BARRACKS IN DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA.

    SINCE THEN, THE EXPLOSION OF THE T-W-A AIRLINER FLYING FROM NEW YORK TO PARIS ON THE EVE OF THE OPENING OF THE ATLANTA OLYMPIC GAMES AND THE ETA BOMBINGS HAVE ADDED TO FEARS THAT TERRORISM IS ON THE INCREASE.

    ALTHOUGH OFFICIALS WILL NOT SAY PRECISELY WHAT NEW MEASURES ARE PLANNED AGAINST TERRORISM, SOME DIPLOMATS SAY THEY WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY INCLUDE STRICTER SURVEILLANCE OF POLITICAL DISSIDENTS SEEKING REFUGE ABROAD. FRANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS ANGRY THAT ALGERIAN EXTREMISTS WHO ARE FIGHTING THE ALGERIAN GOVERNMENT, WERE ABLE TO LIVE IN BRITAIN AND EVEN SET UP BANK ACCOUNTS THAT WERE USED TO FINANCE THE ALGERIAN BOMBING CAMPAIGN IN FRANCE LAST YEAR. NOW, ACCORDING TO A FRENCH TERRORISM EXPERT, ALGERIAN ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS HAVE BEEN IN TALKS WITH THE BASQUE ETA, ASKING THE BASQUES TO HELP TRAIN ISLAMIC BOMBING TEAMS. IT IS SUCH DEVELOPMENTS THAT NOW PROMPT THE G-7 COUNTRIES TO DECLARE THAT THEY PLAN TO MAKE THE FIGHT AGAINST ALL TERRORISM WHAT THEY CALL THEIR "ABSOLUTE PRIORITY." (SIGNED)
    NEB/JWN/JWH/CF
    26-Jul-96 11:00 AM EDT (1500 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [03] GERMANY/ATTACKS -UPDATE (S ONLY) BY DAGMAR BREITENBACH (BONN)

    DATE=7/26/96
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-200775
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    // RERUNNING TO CORRECT FIGURE IN INTRO -- 6 NOT 7 //

    INTRO: THERE WERE MORE FIREBOMBING ATTACKS REPORTED FRIDAY ON TURKISH BUSINESSES IN GERMANY. V-O-A'S DAGMAR BREITENBACH REPORTS FROM BONN, POLICE -- AND EVEN A TOP MINISTER -- SUSPECT A LINK TO A PRISON HUNGER STRIKE IN TURKEY, WHERE SIX INMATES HAVE DIED IN RECENT DAYS IN PROTEST OVER PRISON CONDITIONS.

    TEXT: GERMAN INTERIOR MINISTER MANFRED KANTHER CONDEMNED THE ATTACKS ON TURKISH BUSINESSES, SAYING THEY SHOW HOW DOMESTIC SITUATIONS IN TURKEY TURN INTO VIOLENCE IN GERMANY. HE APPEALED TO TURKEY TO INTENSIVELY IMPROVE THE HUMANITARIAN CONDITIONS IN THE COUNTRY.

    EARLY FRIDAY, ATTACKERS FIREBOMBED SEVERAL TURKISH PROPERTIES AROUND GERMANY -- INCLUDING TWO GROCERY STORES, A FAST-FOOD STAND AND A CULTURAL CENTER. POLICE SAY NO ONE WAS INJURED.

    INVESTIGATORS SUSPECT THE ATTACKS WERE CARRIED OUT BY LEFT-WING TURKS IN SUPPORT OF A HUNGER STRIKE BY PRISONERS IN TURKEY, WHO HAVE BEEN PROTESTING CONDITIONS IN TURKISH JAILS. MANY EXTREME LEFTISTS ARE REPORTED TO BE AMONG THE PRISON HUNGER STRIKERS.

    FRIDAY'S ARSON REPORTS ARE ONLY THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF FIREBOMBINGS OF TURKISH BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT GERMANY, WHICH HAS A TURKISH POPULATION OF ABOUT TWO-MILLION. AUTHORITIES REPORT 159 FIREBOMBINGS OF TURKISH BUSINESSES FROM APRIL, 1995, THROUGH MAY, 1996. POLICE BELIEVE KURDISH SEPARATISTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY OF THEM. (SIGNED)
    NEB/DB/PCF/CF
    26-Jul-96 8:51 AM EDT (1251 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [04] YUGO LEADER LINKED TO WAR CRIMES BY PAMELA TAYLOR (WASHINGTON)

    DATE=7/26/96
    TYPE=CLOSEUP
    NUMBER=4-09303
    TELEPHONE=619-1101
    EDITOR=NANCY SMART
    CONTENT= // TAPE INSERTS AVAILABLE FROM AUDIO SERVICES //

    INTRO: THE WASHINGTON-BASED BALKAN INSTITUTE HAS RELEASED A STUDY (7/24) WHICH MAKES THE CASE THAT THERE IS SUFFICIENT EXISTING EVIDENCE TO INDICT SERBIAN PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC FOR WAR CRIMES. THE STUDY IS BASED ON PUBLIC INFORMATION AND LEGAL PRECEDENTS ESTABLISHED BY THE U-N WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE (NETHERLANDS). VOA'S PAMELA TAYLOR, ALONG WITH IVANA KUHAR, CHIEF OF VOA'S CROATIAN SERVICE AND BRANKO MIKASINOVICH OF THE SERBIAN SERVICE, TALKED WITH ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF THE STUDY, PAUL WILLIAMS, CURRENTLY A LEGAL RESEARCHER AT CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY IN ENGLAND. MR. WILLIAMS WAS ASKED TO EXPLAIN WHAT IT MEANS IN LEGAL TERMS, TO ESTABLISH A 'PRIMA FACIE' CASE:

    PW: BEFORE THE COURT WILL ISSUE AN INDICTMENT AGAINST ANY INDIVIDUAL, THE PROSECUTOR MUST FIRST ESTABLISH FOR HIMSELF AND THEN ESTABLISH TO ONE OF THE JUDGES ON THE COURT THAT A 'PRIMA FACIE' CASE EXISTS FOR THE INDICTMENT. NOW A 'PRIMA FACIE' CASE IS MET WHEN THERE IS REASONABLE EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT AN INDIVIDUAL IS POTENTIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR A WAR CRIME. SO 'PRIMA FACIE' ROUGHLY TRANSLATES AS A 'SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE TO CREATE A REASONABLE BELIEF THAT SOMEONE IS RESPONSIBLE' FOR A WAR CRIME.

    PT: CAN YOU GIVE US SOME IDEA OF WHAT KIND OF EVIDENCE YOU NEEDED TO AMASS IN ORDER TO MAKE A 'PRIMA FACIE' CASE?

    PW: YES, WELL, WHAT WE DID IS TO LOOK ONLY AT EVIDENCE THAT WOULD BE ADMISSIBLE TO THE TRIBUNAL. WHAT WE TRIED TO DO, NORMAN CIGAR AND I, IN THE STUDY WAS TO PUT OURSELVES IN THE SHOES OF THE TRIBUNAL. SO WE LOOKED AT EVIDENCE WHICH WOULD BE SUFFICIENTLY ADMISSIBLE BEFORE THE TRIBUNAL WHICH WOULD INCLUDE HEARSAY, CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE AND PRESS REPORTS. WE TRIED TO CONFINE THAT SPECIFICALLY TO PRESS REPORTS RELATING TO STATEMENTS THAT INDIVIDUALS HAD MADE WHICH COULD BE ADMITTED AS EVIDENCE, INFORMATION PROVIDED BY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, DOCUMENTING THE COMMISSION OF WAR CRIMES, TO ESTABLISH THE FACT THAT A WAR CRIME HAD OCCURRED. AS WELL AS INFORMATION PROVIDED, PUBLIC INFORMATION WHICH IS AVAILABLE FROM VARIOUS GOVERNMENTS. AND FINALLY, INFORMATION FROM THE TRIBUNAL ITSELF. THE TRIBUNAL HAS BEEN CREATING BOTH A LEGAL TRACK AS WELL AS A FACTUAL TRACK RECORD. IN THE 'RULE 61 HEARING' FOR EXAMPLE WHICH THEY JUST HAD ON (BOSNIAN SERB LEADERS RADOVAN) KARADZIC AND (GENERAL RATKO) MLADIC. THEY PRESENTED EVIDENCE AND WE RELIED ON SOME OF THIS EVIDENCE AS WELL AS EVIDENCE PRESENTED DURING PREVIOUS INDICTMENTS.

    BM: ARE SIMILAR DOCUMENTS BEING PREPARED FOR BOSNIA'S MUSLIM LEADER (PRESIDENT ALIJA) IZETBEGOVIC AND CROATIAN LEADER (PRESIDENT FRANJO) TUDJMAN) WHO ALSO MIGHT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SIMILAR ACTIVITIES?

    SB: YOU HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCE IN THE BOSNIAN CASE IN THAT THERE'S AN AGGRESSOR VERSUS A VICTIM AND THE EVIDENCE THAT THE TRIBUNAL HAS PRESENTED SO FAR INDICATES THAT FROM SERBIA AND THE REPUBLIKA SRPSKA, THERE HAS BEEN AN ORGANIZED AND SYSTEMATIC COMMISSION OF ATROCITIES. SO WHAT OUR STUDY SHOWS IS THAT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC, BECAUSE IT WAS ORGANIZED, BECAUSE IT WAS SYSTEMATIC, THAT'S THE CRITERIA OF ATTACHING RESPONSIBILITY TO A CENTRAL FIGURE, TO A PRESIDENT, TO A POLITICAL INDIVIDUAL. NOW, IN THE CASE OF BOSNIA, YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD THE COMMISSION OF WAR CRIMES AND THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT WAR CRIMES WERE COMMITTED BUT IT IS NOT OF THE SYSTEMATIC OR PLANNED NATURE THAT WOULD THERE WAS ANY ORGANIZATION FROM THE TOP.

    IK: MR. WILLIAMS, COULD YOU ELABORATE ON WHAT IS REALLY THE NEXT STEP TO BE TAKEN AND BY WHOM?

    SB: THE NEXT STEP THAT WOULD BE TAKEN WOULD BE TAKEN BY THE TRIBUNAL ITSELF. AND YOU HAVE IN A SENSE A HALF OF A STEP THAT'S OCCURRED ALREADY. JUDGE CLAUDE JORDA, IN THE 'RULE 61 HEARING' ON KARADZIC AND MLADIC INDICATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PROSECUTOR INVESTIGATE WHETHER OTHER INDIVIDUALS OF EQUAL OR HIGHER RANK, WHICH IN A SENSE MILOSEVIC IS THE ONLY ONE OF HIGHER RANK, MIGHT ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMMISSION OF WAR CRIMES. NOW THE NEXT STEP (AFTER THAT) WOULD BE FOR THE PROSECUTOR TO SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR AN INDICTMENT TO THE TRIBUNAL. SO IN A SENSE WHAT WE HAVE DONE, WE'RE OUTSIDE THE PROCESS, WE HAVE SAID 'IF THE PROSECUTOR WANTS TO TAKE THAT NEXT STEP AND SEEK AN INDICTMENT, THE INFORMATION IN OUR STUDY COULD FORM A BASIS FOR THAT INDICTMENT.' HE OBVIOUSLY HAS OTHER INFORMATION AND ADDITIONAL LEGAL ARGUMENTS, I'M SURE, AT HIS DISPOSAL, BUT OUR STUDY FORMS THE BASIS FOR THAT NEXT STEP.

    IK: BUT MR. WILLIAMS, YOU SAID 'IF HE WANTS TO' BUT IS ANYONE OBLIGED OR IS ANYONE GOING TO BE OBLIGED TO PUT THE CASE ON TRIAL?

    SB: THE PROSECUTOR HAS A GENERAL OBLIGATION TO INDICT AND SEEK THE CONVICTION OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR WAR CRIMES. NOW HIS LIMITING CIRCUMSTANCE IS THAT HE HAS TO CONVINCE HIMSELF FIRST THAT THERE IS SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE. NOW THERE IS THE QUESTION OF POLITICAL WILL. WHETHER THE UNITED STATES, THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL APPLY POLITICAL PRESSURE TO ISSUE OR TO NOT ISSUE AN INDICTMENT AND I'M NOT QUALIFIED TO COMMENT ON WHAT THE UNITED STATES OR EUROPEAN UNION WILL BE DOING. BUT THE PROSECUTOR TO DATE HAS ACTED VERY INDEPENDENTLY. AND I BELIEVE THAT IF HE COMES TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THERE IS SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO SEEK AN INDICTMENT OF SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC, THAT HE WILL PROCEED WITH THAT. AN INDICTMENT CAN BE TURNED OUT BY THE TRIBUNAL IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS. THE PROSECUTOR WILL NEED TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE, PRESENT THIS TO A JUDGE TO ISSUE AN INDICTMENT. AND THIS CAN BE DONE WITHIN A MONTH.

    HOST: THAT WAS PAUL WILLIAMS, A LEGAL RESEARCHER AT BRITAIN'S CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY SPEAKING WITH VOA'S PAMELA TAYLOR, IVANA KUHAR, CHIEF OF VOA'S CROATIAN SERVICE AND BRANKO MIKASINOVICH OF THE SERBIAN SERVICE.
    NEB/PAM/NES
    26-Jul-96 11:59 AM EDT (1559 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America


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