Voice of America, 97-07-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] BOSNIA / SERBS (L-ONLY) BY COLIN SOLOWAY (PALE)

[02] BULGARIA MONEY BY BARRY WOOD (PRAGUE)

[03] EURO STOCKS (S-ONLY) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

[04] FRIDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[05] GERMANY / RUSSIA (L-ONLY) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

[06] WAR CRIMES HEARING (L-ONLY) BY GILLIAN SHARPE (THE HAGUE)

[01] BOSNIA / SERBS (L-ONLY) BY COLIN SOLOWAY (PALE)

INTRO: BOSNIAN SERB LAWMAKERS FRIDAY DEFIED PRESIDENT PRESIDENT BILJANA PLAVSIC'S ORDER TO DISSOLVE THE PARLIAMENT IN WHAT HAS BECOME THE BOSNIAN SERB REPUBLIC'S MOST SERIOUS POLITICAL CRISIS SINCE ITS CREATION IN 1992. COLIN SOLOWAY REPORTS FROM THE TOWN OF PALE.

TEXT: DESPITE MS. PLAVSIC'S ORDER TO DISSOLVE THE PARLIAMENT THURSDAY EVENING, LAWMAKERS LOYAL TO HER RIVALS -- FORMER PRESIDENT RADOVAN KARADZIC AND MOMCILO KRAJISNIK -- THE SERB MEMBER OF BOSNIA'S COLLECTIVE PRESIDENCY WENT AHEAD WITH AN EMERGENCY SESSION FRIDAY AFTERNOON IN THE SERB CAPITAL, PALE.

MR. KRAJISNIK AND THE GOVERNMENT DENOUNCED MS. PLAVSIC'S ACTION AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. AND OFFICIALS OF THE RULING SERB DEMOCRATIC PARTY PREDICTED THAT THE PARLIAMENT WOULD REFER THE QUESTION TO THE SERB ENTITY'S CONSTITUTIONAL COURT, WHICH HAS ALREADY RULED THAT THE PARLIAMENT CAN CONTINUE MEETING UNTIL A FINAL DECISION HAS BEEN REACHED.

FRIDAY EVENING, THE PARLIAMENT DECIDED TO MEET IN PERMANENT SESSION UNTIL THE CRISIS HAS BEEN RESOLVED.

MEANWHILE IN BANJA LUKA, THE BOSNIAN SERB REPUBLIC'S LARGEST CITY, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DEMONSTRATED IN SUPPORT OF MS. PLAVSIC'S STAND AGAINST ALLEGED CORRUPTION IN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE POLICE -- AND THE CONTINUING BEHIND-THE-SCENES (POLITICAL) BY MR. KARADZIC, WHO IS WANTED ON WAR CRIMES CHARGES AND BANNED FROM PUBLIC LIFE BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.

INTERNATIONAL OFFICIALS HAVE CAUTIOUSLY BACKED MS. PLAVSIC SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE CRISIS. ON FRIDAY, THE OFFICE OF BOSNIA'S HIGH REPRESENTATIVE ANNOUNCED THAT MS. PLAVSIC'S DISSOLUTION OF THE PARLIAMENT APPEARED TO BE WITHIN HER CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, AND SAID THAT FRIDAY'S SESSION WAS ILLEGAL.

[02] BULGARIA MONEY BY BARRY WOOD (PRAGUE)

INTRO: BULGARIA THIS WEEK INITIATED RADICAL MONETARY REFORMS BY LINKING ITS CURRENCY AT A FIXED RATE TO THE GERMAN MARK. V-O-A'S BARRY WOOD REPORTS BULGARIA IS USING WHAT IT CALLS A CURRENCY BOARD SYSTEM IN HOPES OF RAPIDLY BRINGING DOWN INFLATION AND RESTORING SHATTERED BUSINESS AND CONSUMER CONFIDENCE.

TEXT: THE SYSTEM HAS GOTTEN OFF TO A SMOOTH START. IN SOFIA BANKS THIS WEEK, MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXCHANGING MARKS FOR LEVA, RATHER THAN THE OTHER WAY AROUND. BULGARIA'S GOVERNMENT HAS RECENTLY ACCUMULATED WELL OVER ONE-BILLION DOLLARS IN RESERVES TO DEFEND ITS CURRENCY AGAINST SPECULATIVE ATTACK.

IN A NATIONALLY TELEVISED SPEECH UNVEILING THE NEW SYSTEM, PRESIDENT PETAR STOYANOV SAID THE CURRENCY BOARD COULD BRING THE DESIRED RESULTS -- BUT THAT IT ALSO COULD BRING ADDITIONAL SUFFERING. PRIME MINISTER VIAN KOSTOV SAID THE CURRENCY BOARD IS A LONG-TERM PROGRAM FOR SPEEDING BULGARIA'S TRANSITION TO A MARKET ECONOMY AND EVENTUAL MEMBERSHIP IN THE EUROPEAN UNION.

BUT OUTSIDE ANALYSTS SEE THE NEW MONETARY POLICY AS A DESPERATE ATTEMPT TO STABILIZE THE ECONOMY AND HALT THE HYPER-INFLATION THAT GRIPPED BULGARIA IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. AMID MASSIVE STREET PROTESTS AND THE THREAT OF CIVIL WAR, THE THEN-SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT WAS FORCED TO RESIGN AND AGREE TO EARLY ELECTIONS, WHICH WERE HELD IN APRIL AND WON BY THE PRO-MARKET CENTER RIGHT. SINCE THE NEW GOVERNMENT TOOK OFFICE IN MAY, MONTHLY INFLATION HAS FALLEN FROM 243 PERCENT IN FEBRUARY TO SIX PERCENT IN MAY.

IN IMPLEMENTING A CURRENCY BOARD, BULGARIA HOPES TO FOLLOW THE SUCCESS OF THE BALTIC STATES OF ESTONIA AND LITHUANIA, WHERE FIXED EXCHANGE RATE SYSTEMS HAVE BOLSTERED CONFIDENCE AND LED TO SUSTAINED ECONOMIC GROWTH. (SIGNED)
NEB/BDW/PCF/RRM
04-Jul-97 12:13 PM EDT (1613 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] EURO STOCKS (S-ONLY) BY PAUL FRANCUCH (LONDON)

INTRO: STOCK MARKETS ENDED THE WEEK MIXED IN WESTERN EUROPE AND GOLD PRICES DROPPED TO THEIR LOWEST LEVEL IN YEARS. PAUL FRANCUCH IN OUR LONDON OFFICE HAS THE FIGURES.

TEXT: A SELL-OFF OF GOLD RESERVES BY AUSTRALIA'S CENTRAL BANK SENT PRICES OF THE PRECIOUS METAL TUMBLING TO A 12-YEAR LOW. AT THE CLOSING FIX HERE IN LONDON, GOLD WAS OFF SEVEN-DOLLARS-FIVE CENTS AN OUNCE, SELLING AT 324-DOLLARS-50 CENTS.

STOCK MARKETS IN WESTERN EUROPE RESPONDED TO DIFFERENT CUES FRIDAY. THE FRANKFURT "DAX 30" INDEX HIT A NEW RECORD, CLOSING UP 55 POINTS. SOME ANALYSTS THINK WALL STREET'S BIG GAINS THURSDAY AFFECTED GERMAN TRADING ON FRIDAY. MEANWHILE, THE LONDON "FINANCIAL TIMES" 100 INDEX CLOSED ALMOST OFF 19 POINTS BELOW THURSDAY'S RECORD POSTING. IN PARIS, THE "CAC 40" WAS OFF TWO-AND-AN-HALF POINTS.

THE POUND KEPT UP ITS ADVANCE AGAINST THE MARK, CLIMBING TO A SIX-YEAR HIGH. HERE IN LONDON, THE DOLLAR CLOSED UP SLIGHTLY HIGHER AGAINST BOTH THE POUND AND THE MARK. (SIGNED)
NEB/PCF/RRM
04-Jul-97 1:40 PM EDT (1740 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] FRIDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: THIS IS THE INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAY IN THE UNITED STATES. WHILE MANY PAPERS DO NOT PUBLISH, SEVERAL OF THOSE THAT DO RUN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AS THEIR EDITORIAL. ASIDE FROM HOLIDAY-RELATED COMMENTARIES, FOURTH OF JULY EDITORIAL READERS ARE FINDING DISCUSSIONS OF THE GROWING POLITICAL CRISIS IN HAITI; A CONTROVERSY OVER A NEW WAR MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON; THE IMPORTANCE OF A FREE PRESS IN RUSSIA; AND A VARIETY OF THOUGHTS ON INDEPENDENCE DAY. NOW HERE IS __________________WITH A CLOSER LOOK AND A QUOTE OR TWO IN THIS HOLIDAY EDITION OF U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: TODAY'S MIAMI HERALD IS CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT IT FEELS IS A GROWING POLITICAL CRISIS IN HAITI, DESPITE U-S AND UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE THESE PAST FEW YEARS.

VOICE: "HAITI IS AN ECONOMIC BASKET CASE, AND ITS POLITICAL INFIGHTING ISN'T MAKING IT ANY BETTER. HAITI'S IMPOVERISHED PEOPLE DO NOT DESERVE THIS. [BEGIN OPT] THEY HAVE ENDURED ENOUGH UNDER REPRESSIVE REGIMES AND CONTINUING ECONOMIC RUIN. ..... [HAITIAN PRESIDENT RENE] PREVAL HAS REMAINED CONSPICUOUSLY SILENT AMID THE GROWING POLITICAL CRISIS. HE ASKED FOR THE U-N MISSION TO BE EXTENDED EVEN AS FOREIGN AID PROVIDES HAITI A VITAL LIFELINE. [END OPT] NOW .... THE RHETORIC AND LEADERSHIP VACUUM HAVE PROVOKED NEW QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER THE UNITED NATIONS SHOULD EXTEND ITS MISSION IN HAITI BEYOND ITS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED JULY 31 DEPARTURE. ..... THE CHALLENGES APPEAR OVERWHELMING. [BEGIN OPT] BUT A PRESIDENT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY TAKING A FIRM STAND ON REFORMS AND COMMUNICATING THE HOPED-FOR BENEFITS. .... THE AGENCIES, TOO, MUST BE REASONABLE IF THEY DON'T WANT TO REVERSE EFFORTS ALREADY INVESTED. [END OPT] HAITIANS, AFTER ALL, CAN'T EAT DEMOCRACY."

TEXT: ON THIS HOLIDAY WHEN FREEDOM IS CELEBRATED, THE SUN IN BALTIMORE IS CONCERNED ABOUT ANOTHER FREEDOM, THAT OF THE EMERGING NEWS MEDIA IN POST SOVIET RUSSIA FROM CORPORATE PRESSURE.

VOICE: "[BEGIN OPT] FROM THE DAWN OF SOVIET POWER, LENIN REALIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF NEWSPAPERS. THE PRESS, HE SAID, WAS 'NOT ONLY THE COLLECTIVE PROPAGANDIST AND COLLECTIVE AGITATOR BUT ALSO COLLECTIVE ORGANIZER' AND IT HAD TO ADVOCATE COMMUNIST PARTY GOALS. [END OPT] SIX YEARS AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM, RUSSIA'S MEDIA ARE INCREASINGLY FIGHTING A POWER GRAB. BUT THIS TIME THOSE WANTING TO CONTROL THE MEDIA ARE THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST MONOPOLISTIC COMPANIES, WHICH ARE OFTEN INTERLOCKED WITH PRESIDENT BORIS ...YELTSIN'S POWER STRUCTURE. ..... GAZPROM, THE COLOSSAL NATURAL GAS MONOPOLY ......STILL 40 PERCENT STATE-OWNED AND RUN BY MANY SOVIET-ERA MANAGERS, HAS ACQUIRED STAKES IN TELEVISION STATIONS AND IN 29 REGIONAL NEWSPAPERS, INCLUDING TWO OF THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST ONES, KOMSOMOLSKAYA PRAVDA AND TRUD. AMONG OTHER MEDIA HEAVIES [HERE: LARGE, POWERFUL INVESTORS] ARE THE MOST BANKING AND REAL ESTATE GIANT ..... AND THE LOGOVAZ AUTO AND COMPUTER CONGLOMERATE..... THE MEDIA POWER GRAB BY RUSSIAN MONOPOLIES IS AN UNHEALTHY TREND."

TEXT: REGARDING THE RETURN OF HONG KONG TO COMMUNIST CHINA, A-M ROSENTHAL OF THE NEW YORK TIMES, SAYS ALL THIS SPECULATION ABOUT WHETHER HONG KONG WILL REMODEL CHINA IN ITS IMAGE, OR VICE VERSA, IS NONSENSE.

VOICE: "THE MEN OF THE [BEIJING] POLITBURO KNOW ALL THESE HEAVY-DUTY [U-S] THINKERS STILL HAVE NOT GRASPED THE NEW HISTORIC REALITY THAT BEIJING HAS BROUGHT ABOUT: CHINA IS REMODELING AMERICA. BEIJING HAS CHANGED THE THINKING AND BEHAVIOR OF AMERICA'S PRESIDENT, POLITICAL PARTIES, TOP BUSINESS EXECUTIVES, JOURNALISTIC AND ACADEMIC SEERS, EVEN OF THE GUARDIANS OF ITS [U-S] SECURITY. [BEGIN OPT] ..... ABOUT HONG KONG'S OWN LIBERTIES - - CHINA MADE ITS INTENTIONS CLEAR BEFORE ITS FLAG WENT UP. BEIJING WIPED OUT THE ELECTED LEGISLATURE, BULLIED THE LOCAL PRESS INTO SELF-CENSORSHIP AND ANNOUNCED THAT 4-THOUSAND TROOPS WOULD BE ARRIVING, FOR STARTERS. FOREIGN AND HONG KONG INVESTORS DANCED AND FEASTED. AMERICA MEWED. [END OPT] .....THE NEW CLINTON LINE WAS THAT IF THE U-S WAS MORE 'UNDERSTANDING' ABOUT BEIJING, CHINA WOULD BE LESS DISRUPTIVE INTERNATIONALLY. ....AMERICA'S NEW-THINK IS DANGEROUS TO ITS IDEALS AND SECURITY. BUT AT LEAST IT IS GOOD FOR LAUGHS IN BEIJING."

TEXT: [BEGIN OPT] ELSEWHERE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, THERE IS CONCERN THAT THE MALL IN WASHINGTON D.C., THE FAMOUS, LONG, GRASSY AREA BETWEEN THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL AND THE CAPITOL BUILDING, SHOULD NOT BE BURDENED WITH ONE MORE, RATHER LARGE, WAR MEMORIAL TO WORLD WAR TWO.

VOICE: "THE IDEA SURELY HAS MERIT. BY ANY MEASURE, WORLD WAR TWO WAS THE MATRIX OF THIS AMERICAN CENTURY. [HOWEVER] GOING FORWARD WITH THIS 100 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT RISKS THRUSTING THE TURBULENCE OF THIS CENTURY INTO TWO REMARKABLE MEMORIALS THAT COMPEL MEDITATION AND THE FOUNDING, TESTING AND REGENERATION OF THE AMERICAN UNION. ON THAT GROUND ALONG, THE WORLD WAR TWO PROJECT SHOULD BE WEIGHED, DELAYED AND IN OUR VIEW GIVEN A DIFFERENT SETTING." [END OPT]

TEXT: AND NOW ON TO THE SUBJECT OF TODAY'S HOLIDAY, THE INDEPENDENCE FROM BRITAIN, AND HOW THE 13 COLONIES CAME TO MAKE THE MOMENTOUS DECISION AND WHERE. THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER DEVOTES ITS ENTIRE EDITORIAL SPACE TO THIS HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT, WITH A DETAILED ACCOUNT, INCLUDING THESE THOUGHTS.

VOICE: "ON JULY 3, AS REDCOATS [BRITISH SOLDIERS] LANDED ON STATEN ISLAND, THE DELEGATES [AT THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS] HAD AT [I.E. BEGAN EDITING] HIS [THOMAS JEFFERSON'S] DRAFT. [MR.] JEFFERSON SAT AT THE BACK OF THE SWELTERING ROOM, GRIMLY RECORDING ON HIS MASTER COPY THE CUTS AND REWORDINGS HE WOULD BROOD ABOUT FOR MUCH OF A LONG LIFE. BY THE NEXT DAY, JULY 4, THE GROUP EDIT WAS DONE (AND, JEFFERSON'S WOUNDED PRIDE ASIDE, A RARE MIRACLE OF IMPROVEMENT BY COMMITTEE IT WAS). THE CONGRESS ADOPTED THE DOCUMENT, CONCLUDING IN JEFFERSON'S FAR-FROM-IDLE VOW: 'WE MUTUALLY PLEDGE TO EACH OTHER OUR LIVES, OUR FORTUNES, AND OUR SACRED HONOR.' THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAD BEGUN ITS JOURNEY TO ITS NICHE AS THE NATION'S MOST REVERED DOCUMENT."

TEXT: WITH THAT HISTORICAL NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS BRIEF SAMPLING OF INDEPENDENCE DAY HOLIDAY EDITORIALS FROM THE U-S PRESS.
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04-Jul-97 11:32 AM EDT (1532 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[05] GERMANY / RUSSIA (L-ONLY) BY KYLE KING (BONN)

INTRO: IN A VISIT TO GERMANY FRIDAY, RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER VIKTOR CHERNOMYRDIN SAYS HIS COUNTRY REMAINS OPPOSED TO THE EASTWARD EXPANSION OF NATO. BUT HE SAYS POTENTIAL NEW NATO MEMBERS WILL HAVE TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHETHER TO JOIN THE ALLIANCE, AS V-O-A'S KYLE KING REPORTS.

TEXT: MR. CHERNOMYRDIN MADE THE COMMENTS AT A NEWS CONFERENCE IN BERLIN WHERE HE IS TAKING PART IN A PRIVATELY SPONSORED CONFERENCE ON RUSSIA'S FUTURE.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS WITH GERMAN CHANCELLOR HELMUT KOHL, MR. CHERNOMYRDIN SAID NATO EXPANSION COULD LEAD TO NEW DIVISIONS IN EUROPE. BUT DESPITE WHAT HE CALLED THE DANGERS OF EXPANSION, HE SAID EACH COUNTRY WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE FOR ITSELF IF IT WANTED TO JOIN THE ALLIANCE.

DURING A NATO SUMMIT MEETING IN MADRID NEXT WEEK, THE ALLIANCE IS EXPECTED TO FORMALLY INVITE POLAND, HUNGARY AND THE CZECH REPUBLIC TO BE NEW MEMBERS.

RUSSIA HAS BITTERLY OPPOSED THE IDEA OF NATO EXPANSION, BUT IN MAY, PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN SIGNED AN AGREEMENT (WITH NATO) DESIGNED TO ADDRESS SOME OF MOSCOW'S CONCERNS.

AT HIS JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE IN BERLIN, MR. CHERNOMYRDIN CALLED FOR CLOSER ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND A NEW STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN RUSSIA AND GERMANY. HE SAID RUSSIA STILL FACES SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS STEMMING FROM THE COUNTRY'S TRANSFORMATION TO A MARKET ECONOMY. (SIGNED)
NEB/KBK/PCF/RRM
04-Jul-97 10:14 AM EDT (1414 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] WAR CRIMES HEARING (L-ONLY) BY GILLIAN SHARPE (THE HAGUE)

INTRO: A FORMER SERB MAYOR OF THE CROATIAN TOWN OF VUKOVAR PLEADED NOT GUILTY FRIDAY TO TAKING PART IN THE MASSACRE OF AT LEAST 260 MEN -- MOSTLY CROATS. SLATKO DOKMANOVIC'S INITIAL APPEARANCE AT THE UNITED NATIONS' YUGOSLAV WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL CAME JUST ONE WEEK AFTER HIS ARREST IN EASTERN SLAVONIA BY TRIBUNAL INVESTIGATORS. GILLIAN SHARPE HAS MORE.

TEXT: FORTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD SLATKO DOKMANOVIC LOOKED SLIGHTLY DAZED AS HE WAS LED INTO COURT BY TWO U-N GUARDS. THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM HAD BEEN KEPT SECRET TO ENABLE AUTHORITIES TO MAKE A SURPRISE ARREST. IN FACT, MR. DOKMANOVIC HAD NO IDEA HE HAD BEEN CHARGED WITH WAR CRIMES, UNTIL HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.

PROSECUTORS SAY HE TOOK PART IN THE BRUTAL BEATING AND KILLING OF AT LEAST 260 MEN TAKEN FROM VUKOVAR HOSPITAL. THEIR BODIES WERE BULLDOZED INTO A MASS GRAVE.

PRESIDING JUDGE, GABRIEL KIRK MCDONALD:

MR. DOKMANOVIC HOW DO YOU PLEAD TO COUNT ONE IN THE INDICTMENT?

DOKMANOVIC: NOT GUILTY.

HE GAVE THE SAME ANSWER TO ALL OF THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM.

THE TRIBUNAL HAS GIVEN NO DETAILS OF THE EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING HIS ARREST, BUT HIS BELGRADE-BASED LAWYER, TOMA FILA, SAYS HE WAS KIDNAPPED.

MR. FILA COMPARES THE ARREST OF HIS CLIENT TO SOMETHING OUT OF AN ALFRED HITCHCOCK (BIZARRE MYSTERY) MOVIE. HE SAYS MR. DOKMANOVIC WAS LURED INTO EASTERN SLAVONIA WITH PROMISES OF SAFE PASSAGE FROM THE UNITED NATIONS, THEN SNATCHED BY A GROUP OF MASKED MEN, HIS HEAD COVERED WITH A HOOD, AND BEFORE HE KNEW IT, HE WAS IN THE U-N DETENTION CENTER IN THE HAGUE.

THE DEFENSE IS EXPECTED TO FILE A PROTEST ABOUT THE ARREST. THE TRIBUNAL SAYS IT WAS ACTING WELL WITHIN ITS RIGHTS. (SIGNED)
NEB/GS/PCF/RRM
04-Jul-97 8:19 AM EDT (1219 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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