Voice of America, 98-06-02

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

CONTENTS

[01] YUGOSLAV WAR CRIMES (L-ONLY) BY GILLIAN SHARPE (THE HAGUE)

[02] TUESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

[03] N-Y ECON WRAP (S & L) BY BRECK ARDERY (NEW YORK)

[04] MONTENEGRO VICTORY BY PAMELA TAYLOR (PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO)

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

[06] AIR FRANCE STRIKE (L) BY JULIAN NUNDY (PARIS)

[01] YUGOSLAV WAR CRIMES (L-ONLY) BY GILLIAN SHARPE (THE HAGUE)

INTRO: AT THE YUGOSLAV WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS, A BOSNIAN SERB WAR CRIMES SUSPECT ARRESTED BY NATO TROOPS LAST WEEK PLEADED NOT GUILTY ON TUESDAY TO THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM. MILOJICA KOS IS ACCUSED OF BEING A COMMANDER AT A PRISON CAMP, WHERE MUSLIM AND CROAT PRISONERS WERE KILLED AND TORTURED. FROM THE HAGUE, GILLIAN SHARPE REPORTS.

TEXT: PROSECUTORS AT THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL SAY 35-YEAR-OLD MILOJICA KOS WAS A SHIFT COMMANDER AT THE OMARSKA DETENTION CAMP, WHERE PRISONERS WERE HELD IN CONSTANT FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES. BECAUSE OF HIS POSITION OF AUTHORITY, MR. KOS IS BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRIMES OF THOSE UNDER HIS COMMAND.

THE INDICTMENT SAYS PRISONERS WERE KILLED, RAPED AND TORTURED.

IT TOOK MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR TO READ THE CHARGES AGAINST MR KOS. THROUGH A TRANSLATOR, HE ANSWERED NOT GUILTY TO EACH ONE, HAVING ONLY THIS TO ADD.

I HAVE FAITH IN GOD AND JUSTICE, NOTHING MORE.

MR. KOS WAS ARRESTED BY BRITISH NATO TROOPS IN BANJA LUKA LAST WEEK. JUST OVER A YEAR AGO, NATO HAD MADE NO ARRESTS AT ALL. THIS LATEST IS THE EIGHTH. THREE OTHER MEN CHARGED IN THE SAME INDICTMENT HAVE ALREADY PLEADED NOT GUILTY. THE TRIBUNAL NOW HAS 27 SUSPECTED OR CONVICTED WAR CRIMINALS IN ITS PRISON.

DESPITE THE OPENING OF A SECOND COURTROOM LAST MONTH, SPACE AND STAFF TO PROCESS THOSE MEN IS STILL A PROBLEM. CHARGES AGAINST 14 MEN WERE DROPPED AFTER PROSECUTORS SAID THEY COULD JUST AS WELL BE TRIED IN NATIONAL COURTS. BUT MORE THAN 30 SUSPECTS -- INCLUDING THE MOST WANTED MAN, FORMER BOSNIAN SERB LEADER, RADOVAN KARADZIC -- REMAIN FREE. (SIGNED)
NEB/GS/PCF/KL
02-Jun-98 1:04 PM EDT (1704 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[02] TUESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW N. GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON'S FORTHCOMING TRIP TO CHINA AND THE PRESIDENT'S CONTINUING TROUBLES HERE AT HOME REGARDING THE INVESTIGATION'S INTO HIS PRIVATE LIFE ARE BOTH POPULAR EDITORIAL TOPICS IN TUESDAY'S NEWSPAPERS.

OTHER SUBJECTS TO BE FOUND IN THE DAY'S EDITORIAL COLUMNS INCLUDE THE RUSSIAN FINANCIAL CRISIS AND POSSIBLE RESPONSES TO IT; THE POST SUHARTO ERA IN INDONESIA AND THE PAKISTAN NUCLEAR TESTS, /// OPT /// AS WELL AS THE DEBATE IN CONGRESS OVER RESTORING FOOD AID TO LEGAL IMMIGRANTS. /// END OPT /// ______________________ JOINS US NOW WITH A CLOSER LOOK AT SOME OF THESE COMMENTARIES IN TODAY'S EDITORIAL DIGEST.

TEXT: TODAY'S "ATLANTA CONSTITUTION" PONDERS THE TRIP AND DEMANDS FROM SOME IN CONGRESS THAT IT BE POSTPONED AS A RESULT OF ALLEGATIONS OF IMPROPER ACTIONS BY THE WHITE HOUSE INVOLVING THE CHINESE.

VOICE: SHOULD PRESIDENT CLINTON GO AHEAD WITH HIS PLANS TO VISIT CHINA THIS MONTH AND DISREGARD HOUSE SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH'S URGING TO PUT THE TRIP OFF? OF COURSE HE SHOULD. ONLY A FOOL OR A RABID CLINTOPHOBE WOULD ARGUE OTHERWISE. TRUE, THE PRESIDENT WILL TRAVEL TO BEIJING WITH UNSEEMLY BAGGAGE - - THE RESULT OF HIS LEAVING HIMSELF OPEN TO ALLEGATIONS THAT HE MAY HAVE OK'D [APPROVED] THE TRANSFER OF SENSITIVE ROCKET TECHNOLOGY TO THE CHINESE IN EXCHANGE FOR DONATIONS TO HIS 1996 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. BUT THAT SUSPICION PALES IN COMPARISON WITH A PREDICAMENT THAT CRIES OUT FOR IMMEDIATE HIGH-LEVEL ATTENTION. ASIA'S SUDDEN DESTABILIZATION SINCE INDIA AND PAKISTAN BULLIED THEIR WAY INTO THE NUCLEAR CLUB. /// OPT /// RATHER THAN TAKE CHEAP SHOTS [UNWARRANTED CRITICISM] AT [MR.] CLINTON DURING HIS MID-JUNE VISIT TO CHINA, [MR.] GINGRICH COULD DO THE NATION A FAR GREATER SERVICE IF HE WOULD FINALLY MAKE GOOD ON HIS WORD AND PERMIT A STRAIGHT UP-AND-DOWN VOTE ON GENUINE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM ...../// END OPT ///

TEXT: TO NEW ENGLAND NOW, WHERE MAINE'S "PORTLAND PRESS HERALD" ALSO LAMENTS THAT THE TRIP HAS BECOME SO ENMESHED IN DOMESTIC POLITICS AND THE FUND RAISING ALLEGATIONS.

VOICE: PRESIDENT CLINTON'S TRIP .... IS RAPIDLY BECOMING ENTANGLED IN A WEB OF HIGHLY SERIOUS DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL CONTROVERSIES. ON THE FOREIGN FRONT, THE NUCLEAR DUEL BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAS EXPOSED THE FAILURE OF DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO PREVENT THOSE NATIONS FROM ACQUIRING NUCLEAR BOMBS ..... IN ADDITION, [MR.] CLINTON'S AGREEMENT TO A FORMAL WELCOME IN TIANANMEN SQUARE .... SITE OF A MASSACRE OF PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATORS IN 1989, HAS BEEN STRONGLY CRITICIZED. ..... AT HOME .....[PRESIDENT] CLINTON IS FACING A LIKELY PROBE ... OVER ALLEGATIONS THAT MONEY FROM CHINESE SOURCES ..... WAS FUNNELED TO THE .... 1996 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. ..... NONE OF THIS MEANS THAT [MR.] CLINTON SHOULDN'T GO. HOWEVER, A SPEECH SUPPORTING HUMAN RIGHTS DELIVERED IN TIANANMEN SQUARE WOULD RESONATE AROUND THE WORLD.

TEXT: REACTION TO THE NEWS THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS DROPPED HIS CLAIM TO EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE IN EFFORTS TO PROTECT TWO KEY WHITE HOUSE AIDES FROM TESTIFYING ABOUT WHAT THEY KNOW OF HIS ALLEGED ROMANTIC AFFAIR WITH FORMER WHITE HOUSE INTERN MONICA LEWINSKY DRAWS THESE COMMENTS FROM "THE NEW YORK TIMES." THE PAPER CRITICIZES WHAT IT CONSIDERS ANOTHER EVASION BY THE PRESIDENT.

VOICE: THE LATEST MANEUVERING BY THE WHITE HOUSE TO AVOID ACCELERATED SUPREME COURT REVIEW OF ITS FLIMSY PRIVILEGE CLAIMS SHOULD NOT DETER THE JUSTICES FROM GRABBING THE CASE. THIS IS AN INSTANCE WHERE THE COURT, IN ITS CONSTITUTIONAL ROLE, SHOULD SEE THE NEED TO INTERVENE IN THE INTEREST OF ORDERLY GOVERNMENT AND THE RULE OF LAW. THE NATION NEEDS A DEFINITIVE RESOLUTION OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED BY THE WHITE HOUSE TO IMPEDE THE INVESTIGATION BY INDEPENDENT COUNSEL KENNETH STARR.

TEXT: TODAY'S "WALL STREET JOURNAL," LONG CRITICAL OF THE PRESIDENT'S CONDUCT, SCOFFS AT THE LATEST REBUFF, NOTING:

VOICE: IT IS HARDLY SURPRISING THAT THE WHITE HOUSE WOULD PREFER TO MAKE ARGUMENTS TO THE BELTWAY SYSTEM [AN ALLUSION TO WASHINGTON INSIDERS], WHERE IT OFTEN WINS. YESTERDAY, HOWEVER, THIS WHITE HOUSE BRUSHED UP AGAINST THE HIGHEST COURT IN THE LAND - - AND IT BLINKED. IN THE ARENA OF THE FEDERAL COURTS, THE CLINTON TEAM HAS REPEATEDLY STRUCK OUT. [LOST]

TEXT: TURNING BACK OVERSEAS, TO THE SERIOUS FINANCIAL SITUATION IN RUSSIA, WHERE THE VALUE OF THE RUBLE HAS BEEN PLUMMETING, AND ADDITIONAL INTERNATIONAL MONETARY AID IS BEING DISCUSSED, "THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR" SEES A POSSIBLE HOPEFUL OUTCOME., NOT ONLY FOR RUSSIA, BUT ALSO FOR FINANCIALLY TROUBLED INDONESIA.

VOICE: /// OPT /// IN AN IRONIC REVERSE OF COLD-WAR IMAGERY, RUSSIA ITSELF HAS RECENTLY COME TO BE VIEWED AS A DOMINO - - POSSIBLY THE NEXT TO TUMBLE IN THE WAKE OF ASIA'S ECONOMIC TURBULENCE. BUT .... THE METAPHOR OBSCURES MORE THAN IT REVEALS. RUSSIA'S FINANCIAL TROUBLES HAVE INTENSIFIED IN APPARENT TANDEM WITH DEEPENING ECONOMIC STRESS IN INDONESIA, THE WORST OFF OF THE FORMER ASIAN 'TIGERS.' ....... /// END OPT /// THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM IN RUSSIA IS A GOVERNMENT PINCHED FOR RESOURCES. THE CENTRAL BANK IS SPENDING HEAVILY TO PROP UP THE RUBLE, THUS DEPLETING CASH RESERVES. THE GOVERNMENT HAS HIKED .... INTEREST ON BONDS TO BE AUCTIONED THIS WEEK TO 150 PERCENT IN HOPES OF WINNING BACK INVESTORS. GRAFT AND CORRUPTION PLAGUE GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL DEALINGS. SO [,] WHEN DIRE ECONOMIC WINDS BLOW FROM INDONESIA OR OTHER PARTS OF ASIA .... PRESIDENT YELTSIN AND TEAM HAVE SPARSE MEANS OF FENDING THEM OFF.

..... [BUT] BOTH INDONESIA AND RUSSIA ARE MUCH TOO BIG TO BE ALLOWED TO 'FAIL.' THEY MAY YET BE PILLARS OF A NEW, MORE DEMOCRATIC WORLD ORDER - - NOT DOMINOES, OR VICTIMS OF FINANCIAL 'CONTAGION.' EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS IN THESE COUNTRIES WILL HAVE THEIR OWN MULTIPLYING EFFECT.

TEXT: TAKING A MUCH HARDER LINE, AT LEAST REGARDING RUSSIA, IS "THE NEW YORK POST" WHICH EXCLAIMS:

VOICE: SURE, THE RUSSIAN CURRENCY SEEMS .... ABOUT TO GO INTO FREE FALL, BUT POURING GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD WILL ONLY DELAY THE INEVITABLE - - AND MAKE THE WORLD'S FINANCIAL SYSTEM EVEN MORE VULNERABLE. .... THE PROBLEM IS ONE OF 'MORAL HAZARD.' .... IF EVERY ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED COUNTRY ASSUMES THAT IT WILL BE BAILED OUT BY INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS WORRIED ABOUT A WORLDWIDE DOMINO EFFECT, THEN IT WILL CONTINUE TO BEHAVE IRRESPONSIBLY.

TEXT: IN ANOTHER COMMENT ON INDONESIA, WHERE NEW PRESIDENT HABIBIE CONTINUES TO MAKE CONCESSIONS TO THE PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATORS, "THE SUN" IN BALTIMORE WORRIES THAT THINGS MAY RUN OUT OF CONTROL AGAIN.

VOICE: IN POLITICAL TERMS, INDONESIA IS IN A REVOLUTIONARY CONDITION. THIS DOES NOT MEAN VIOLENCE, NECESSARILY, BUT FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE WITH NO END IN SIGHT. EACH HALF-CONCESSION, MEANT TO QUIET THE MOB, WHETS THE POPULAR APPETITE FOR MORE.

TEXT: RETURNING, BRIEFLY, TO THE WORRY OVER THE NEWLY EMERGED NUCLEAR DUEL IN THE SUBCONTINENT, "THE WASHINGTON TIMES" OPINES:

VOICE: POLITICIANS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE REACTED WITH ALARM. SENATOR DANIEL PATRICK MOYNIHAN, WHO ONCE SERVED AS AMBASSADOR TO INDIA, ARTICULATED THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO, PRONOUNCING ... THE WORLD ... ON THE EDGE OF NUCLEAR WAR. THIS MAY BE A TAD OVERWROUGHT, BUT IT IS NOT COMPLETELY GROUNDLESS. ...... GIVEN THAT NEITHER INDIA NOR PAKISTAN SHOWED ANY INCLINATION TO LISTEN TO THE PLEAS OF PRESIDENT CLINTON NOT TO GO AHEAD WITH TESTING, IT MAY BE TOO MUCH TO HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO PERSUADE THEM TO FIND A WAY TO SETTLE THEIR DIFFERENCES. BUT WITH THE STAKES RAISED, WE HAVE TO TRY.

TEXT: LASTLY, THIS PLEA TO CONGRESS FROM "THE MIAMI HERALD" TO RESTORE QUICKLY THE RIGHT OF LEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN THIS COUNTRY TO FEDERAL FOOD ASSISTANCE,

VIA FOOD STAMPS.

VOICE: THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS SAID ... IT WILL VETO THIS BILL [STRIPPING THESE IMMIGRANTS OF THE RESTORED AID WITHOUT THE FOOD-STAMP PROVISIONS, WHICH RESTORE AID PRINCIPALLY TO CHILDREN, ELDERLY, AND DISABLED IMMIGRANTS ** ALREADY ** [ITALICS FOR EMPHASIS] IN THE UNITED STATES. ..... MESSAGE TO SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH: DROP THE TRICKS. PUT THE CONFERENCE BILL TO THE HOUSE FOR A CLEAN VOTE, ** PRONTO ** ["FAST."]

TEXT: ON THAT NOTE WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT FROM THE EDITORIAL COLUMNS OF TODAY'S U-S NEWSPAPERS.
NEB/ANG/KL
02-Jun-98 10:56 AM EDT (1456 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[03] N-Y ECON WRAP (S & L) BY BRECK ARDERY (NEW YORK)

INTRO: STOCK PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES WERE MIXED TODAY (TUESDAY) IN ANOTHER VOLATILE SESSION. VOA CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.

TEXT: THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE CLOSED AT 88 HUNDRED 91, DOWN 31 POINTS. THE STANDARD AND POOR'S 500 INDEX CLOSED AT ONE THOUSAND 93, UP TWO POINTS.

TRADING WAS ERRATIC, WITH PRICES UP EARLY, DOWN IN MID-DAY, RECOVERING AGAIN AND THEN FALLING IN A LATE SESSION SELL-OFF. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A STRONG REBOUND IN MANY TECHNOLOGY STOCKS WHICH HAD FALLEN SHARPLY ON MONDAY.

THE INDEX OF LEADING INDICATORS WAS UP IN APRIL FOR THE 12TH CONSECUTIVE MONTH. THE INDEX IS DESIGNED TO FORECAST FUTURE U-S ECONOMIC ACTIVITY. AND SALES OF NEW HOMES ROSE TO A RECORD LEVEL IN APRIL.

THE SPRINT TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY HAS ANNOUNCED DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW NETWORK WHICH WILL ALLOW CUSTOMERS TO MAKE PHONE CALLS, SEND FAXES AND ACCESS THE COMPUTER INTERNET ALL AT THE SAME TIME AND ALL ON A SINGLE PHONE LINE.

SPRINT CHAIRMAN WILLIAM ESREY TOLD REPORTERS CURRENT TELEPHONE SYSTEMS WHICH REQUIRE MULTIPLE LINES ARE OUTDATED.

INSUFFICIENT BANDWIDTH, INFLEXIBLE SERVICES AND OUTDATED TECHNOLOGIES ARE COSTING PEOPLE TIME AND MONEY, NOT TO MENTION PATIENCE. TO OVER SIMPLIFY, IT MEANS THERE IS A RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC JAM ON THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY.

SPRINT HAS ALREADY PAID AN ESTIMATED TWO BILLION DOLLARS TO DEVELOP ITS INTEGRATED NETWORK AND THE COMPANY SAYS IT WILL SPEND ANOTHER 400 MILLION TO MARKET AND DEPLOY THE NETWORK.

IN OTHER BUSINESS NEWS, A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS RULED THAT FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS OF T-W-A FLIGHT 800 MAY SUE FOR NON-MONETARY DAMAGES SUCH AS MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL SUFFERING. THAT MEANS THE AIRLINE AND BOEING, THE MANUFACTURER OF THE 747 JETLINER, MAY BE EXPOSED TO HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CLAIMS. T-W-A FLIGHT 800 EXPLODED IN MID-AIR NEAR NEW YORK TWO YEARS AGO, KILLING ALL 230 PEOPLE ABOARD. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE EXPLOSION WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

THE LONG JOHN SILVER'S SEA FOOD RESTAURANT CHAIN HAS FILED FOR U-S BANKRUPTCY LAW PROTECTION, SAYING IT IS NO LONGER ABLE TO PAY ITS DEBTS. HOWEVER, THE COMPANY SAYS IT PLANS TO CONTINUE NORMAL OPERATIONS WHILE IT DEVELOPS A REORGANIZATION PLAN.

DESPITE THE STRONG U-S ECONOMY, THE NUMBER OF PERSONAL BANKRUPTCIES IN THE UNITED STATES CONTINUES TO RISE, UP SIX PERCENT IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR. MANY COMPANIES WHICH GRANT CREDIT TO CONSUMERS ARE URGING CONGRESS TO CHANGE THE LAW TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR INDIVIDUALS TO ERASE THEIR DEBTS. (SIGNED)
NEB/NY/BA/LSF
02-Jun-98 4:58 PM EDT (2058 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[04] MONTENEGRO VICTORY BY PAMELA TAYLOR (PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO)

INTRO: THE FINAL, BUT STILL UNOFFICIAL, RESULTS FROM LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS (SUNDAY) IN THE YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO CONFIRM REFORMIST CANDIDATES WERE CLEAR WINNERS. V-O-A'S PAMELA TAYLOR WAS IN MONTENEGRO'S LARGEST CITY, PODGORICA, AS THE WINNERS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS CELEBRATED.

TEXT:

MANY MONTENEGRINS CELEBRATED THE VICTORY OF CANDIDATES BACKED BY PRESIDENT MILO DJUKANOVIC BY FIRING GUNS INTO THE AIR AND DANCING DOWN THE STREETS OF PODGORICA WAVING BANNERS AND SHOUTING SLOGANS.

JUBILANT VOTERS ECHOED THE WORDS OF MR. DJUKANOVIC WHO TOLD THEM, IN HIS VICTORY SPEECH, THE FIRST BATTLE HAS BEEN WON IN THE FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY IN YUGOSLAVIA. HIS SUPPORTERS SAY THE ELECTION REPRESENTS THE BEGINNING OF REAL CHANGE, NOT ONLY FOR THEIR REPUBLIC, BUT FOR ALL YUGOSLAVIA.

SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO ARE THE TWO REPUBLICS LEFT IN YUGOSLAVIA, AND A POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN LEADERS OF THE REPUBLICS HAS THREATENED YET ANOTHER DIVISION IN THE BALKANS.

BUT THE VOTE SUNDAY INDICATES A DECISIVE VICTORY FOR MONTENEGRO'S REFORMIST PRESIDENT MILO DJUKANOVIC OVER SUPPORTERS OF YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC. WITH NEARLY 50-PERCENT OF THE VOTES GOING TO DJUKANOVIC CANDIDATES, HE WILL HAVE A LEGISLATIVE MAJORITY IN MONTENEGRO AND WILL BE IN A POSITION TO SEAT MORE OF HIS SUPPORTERS IN THE FEDERAL PARLIAMENT, WHICH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC HAS CONTROLLED.

WITH THE POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN MR. DJUKANOVIC AND PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC EXPECTED TO DEEPEN, SOME ANALYSTS SAY IT MAY EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TWO REMAINING REPUBLICS OF YUGOSLAVIA.

BUT A FORMER MEMBER OF THE MONTENEGRIN PARLIAMENT AND DJUKANOVIC SUPPORTER, SRDJAN DARMANOVIC, SAYS SEPARATION IS NOT PART OF MR. DJUKANOVIC'S AGENDA:

HE WILL MAKE A POLITICAL BATTLE WITH MILOSEVIC, HE WILL NOT SECEDE UNLESS THERE IS A SITUATION WE CANNOT TOLERATE ANY LONGER. DJUKANOVIC IS VERY PRAGMATIC. IF THE PREVAILING ATTITUDE IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS THAT SEPARATION IS NOT AN OPTION, HE WILL NOT UNDERTAKE IT.

A STATE OF EMERGENCY IS NOT POSSIBLE. I THINK THE ARMY IS NEUTRAL AND WILL NOT BE INVOLVED IN POLITICAL MATTERS, (BECAUSE) THE ARMY DOES NOT WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN A NEW VENTURE LIKE IN SLOVENIA AND CROATIA.

MR. DARMANOVIC WAS CAREFUL TO STRESS MONTENEGRO CANNOT REALLY CHANGE THINGS IN FEDERAL YUGOSLAVIA WITHOUT THE COOPERATION OF SERBIA. AND WITH SERBIA'S OPPOSITION FRAGMENTED AND DEMORALIZED, THE ONLY EFFECTIVE OPPOSITION LEADER IN YUGOSLAVIA APPEARS TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF MONTENEGRO.

ANALYSTS NOTED A HIGH NUMBER OF MINORITIES IN MONTENEGRO VOTED FOR DJUKANOVIC CANDIDATES RATHER THAN MEMBERS OF THEIR OWN NATIONAL PARTIES. A POLITICAL ANALYST WITH THE BELGRADE WEEKLY 'VREME,' NENAD STEFANOVIC, SAID THIS IS THE MOST POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN THE BALKANS IN RECENT TIMES.

IN ALL PREVIOUS ELECTIONS, MUSLIMS, ALBANIANS, THE SERBS, OR MONTENEGRINS VOTED ON A NATIONAL BASIS, THEY VOTED FOR NATIONALISTIC PROGRAMS. THIS TIME WE HAVE SOME NATIONAL MINORITIES IN MONTENEGRO VOTING FOR THE (DJUKANOVIC) POLITICAL PROGRAM. THAT IS MAYBE THE MOST POSITIVE CONSEQUENCE OF THIS ELECTION.

MR. STEFNOVIC CALLS HIMSELF A PESSIMIST, BUT SAYS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME, HE HAS SOME HOPE SERBIA'S DEMORALIZED OPPOSITION MAY BE REVITALIZED BY THE ELECTIONS IN MONTENEGRO. (SIGNED)
NEB/PAM/JWH/RAE
02-Jun-98 8:01 AM EDT (1201 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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

INTRO: MAJOR STOCK MARKETS OF WESTERN EUROPE ALL CLOSED THE TRADING DAY HIGHER. FOR THE CLOSING NUMBERS, HERE IS V-O-A'S PAUL FRANCUCH IN LONDON.

TEXT: THE GAINS HELPED REVERSE SOME OF THE LOSSES REGISTERED LAST WEEK IN EUROPE. BUT THE TURNAROUND WAS TEPID, AT BEST. IN LONDON, THE "FINANCIAL TIMES" 100 INDEX OF STOCKS ENDED TRADE UP A SCANT FOUR POINTS. GERMANY'S "DAX" INDEX IN FRANKFURT WAS A BIT MORE ROBUST WITH A 27-POINT ADVANCE AT THE CLOSE -- A VALUE GAIN OF ABOUT ONE-HALF-OF-ONE-PERCENT. THE BEST POSTING CAME FROM THE PARIS "CAC 40" INDEX, WHICH CLOSED UP 46-POINTS -- A GAIN FOR THE DAY OF MORE THAN ONE-PERCENT.

ON THE CURRENCY MARKETS IN EUROPE, THE U-S DOLLAR WAS DOWN SLIGHTLY AGAINST THE GERMAN MARK AND HELD STEADY AGAINST THE BRITISH POUND.

GOLD IN LONDON GAINED TWO-DOLLARS AND WAS SELLING AT AROUND 290-DOLLARS AN OUNCE. (SIGNED)
NEB/PCF/RAE
02-Jun-98 2:55 PM EDT (1855 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

[06] AIR FRANCE STRIKE (L) BY JULIAN NUNDY (PARIS)

INTRO: THERE ARE HOPES TODAY (TUESDAY) FOR AN END TO THE AIR FRANCE PILOTS' STRIKE, WHICH THREATENS THE SOCCER WORLD CUP, STARTING IN FRANCE NEXT WEEK. JULIAN NUNDY IN PARIS REPORTS UNIONS AND MANAGEMENT HAVE SCHEDULED NEW TALKS.

TEXT: WITH AROUND 80 PERCENT OF ITS FLIGHTS STILL GROUNDED, AIR FRANCE -- THE OFFICIAL CARRIER FOR THE WORLD CUP SOCCER TOURNAMENT -- IS PLAINLY ANXIOUS TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THE STRIKE.

THE PILOTS' UNIONS SAY THEY ARE BEING ASKED TO TAKE A PAY CUT, BY EXCHANGING SOME OF THEIR SALARY FOR AIR FRANCE STOCK. FOR THEM THE ISSUE IS SIMPLE. THEY WANT AIR FRANCE TO ABANDON THE PLAN, AND SCRAP A TWO-TIER SALARY STRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS THE AIRLINE TO PAY LOWER WAGES TO NEW EMPLOYEES.

SEVERAL FRENCH POLITICIANS HAVE ACCUSED THE PILOTS OF BLACKMAILING AIR FRANCE, AT A TIME WHEN ANY DISRUPTION COULD DAMAGE NOT ONLY THE IMAGE OF THE AIRLINE BUT OF FRANCE IN GENERAL.

THE UNIONS AGREED TO MEET WITH MANAGEMENT TUESDAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FIVE DAYS, RAISING HOPES THAT A SOLUTION MAY NOW BE FOUND.

THE PILOTS STARTED WHAT WAS OFFICIALLY A 15-DAY STRIKE MONDAY. THIS WOULD TAKE IT WELL PAST THE OPENING DATE FOR THE WORLD CUP, ON JUNE 10TH. AFTER THAT, THE STRIKE NOTICE IS RENEWABLE, MEANING IT COULD THEORETICALLY CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE FIVE-WEEK TOURNAMENT.

AIR FRANCE HAS CANCELED MANY OF ITS FLIGHTS THROUGH THURSDAY. IT IS PROMISING TO CHARTER PLANES FROM OTHER AIRLINES, TO BEGIN RESUMING SERVICE. ALREADY, HOWEVER, THIS HAS PROMPTED OTHER PILOTS TO DECLARE THEIR SOLIDARITY. PILOTS FROM DELTA AIRLINES OF THE UNITED STATES, FOR EXAMPLE, SAY THEY WILL NOT FLY PLANES CHARTERED TO BREAK THE AIR FRANCE STRIKE.

THE STOPPAGE HAS ALREADY CAUSED DISRUPTION, UPSETTING THE TRAVEL PLANS OF THOUSANDS OF WORLD CUP FANS, AND OF THE SOCCER TEAMS HEADING TO FRANCE. (SIGNED)
NEB/JWN/JWH/WTW
02-Jun-98 11:50 AM EDT (1550 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America

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