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Voice of America, 00-02-15

Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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


CONTENTS

  • [01] U-N-CYPRUS (L ONLY) BY BRECK ARDERY (UNITED NATIONS)
  • [02] U-N / KOSOVO (L ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)
  • [03] ALBRIGHT - CROATIA - ALBANIA (L ONLY) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)
  • [04] SERBIA ON THE BRINK BY PAMELA TAYLOR (WASHINGTON)
  • [05] ALIYEV AND CASPIAN OIL BY ED WARNER (WASHINGTON)
  • [06] CLINTON-AZERBAIJAN (L-ONLY) BY DAVID GOLLUST (WHITE HOUSE)
  • [07] RUSSIA - NATO RELATIONS (L ONLY) BY BILL GASPERINI (MOSCOW)
  • [08] AUSTRIA PART FOUR - EURO REPERCUSSION BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (WASHINGTON)
  • [09] E-U / ENLARGEMENT (L-O) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)
  • [10] U-S / NORTHERN IRELAND (L) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)
  • [11] NY ECON WRAP (S&L) BY ELAINE JOHANSON (NEW YORK)
  • [12] TUESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

  • [01] U-N-CYPRUS (L ONLY) BY BRECK ARDERY (UNITED NATIONS)

    DATE=2/15/2000
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-259185
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: The United Nations Security Council today (Tuesday) issued an encouraging statement regarding talks on the future of Cyprus. VOA Correspondent Breck Ardery reports from the United Nations.

    TEXT: In closed session, the Security Council heard a briefing from the U-N Special Advisor on Cyprus Alvaro de Soto. The second round of U-N sponsored "proximity talks" ended recently in Geneva with Mr. de Soto saying the process is "on track." In the "proximity talks," Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides and Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash do not meet face-to-face but hold separate and confidential meetings with Mr. de Soto. The goal of the talks is to lay the groundwork for eventual negotiations between the two sides on ending the 25- year old Greek-Turkish split in Cyprus. After the Security Council briefing, Council President Arnaldo Listre of Argentina read a statement re- iterating the U-N position that the status quo in Cyprus is unacceptable and expressing encouragement for the talks.

    ///Listre act///

    Council members commend the continuing commitment shown by the parties to the talks process, and welcomed the fact that the talks have been conducted in a positive atmosphere without preconditions. The Council encourages all concerned to continue their efforts towards a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus question.

    ///end act///

    Mr. Listre said the Security Council looks forward to the third round of "proximity talks" which are now scheduled to begin in New York on May 23rd. Eventually, U-N officials hope to achieve an agreement for the reunification of Cyprus with some autonomy for the Greek and Turkish communities. However, Mr. de Soto has conceded that the issues in the Cyprus dispute are very complex and difficult which is why the United Nations is using such a slow and deliberate method to reach a hoped for agreement.(Signed) NEB/UN/BA/LSF/PT 15-Feb-2000 15:19 PM EDT (15-Feb-2000 2019 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [02] U-N / KOSOVO (L ONLY) BY LISA SCHLEIN (GENEVA)

    DATE=2/15/2000
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-259174
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: A United Nations official is calling for pressure on community leaders in Kosovo to end a cycle of ethnic violence and revenge. Lisa Schlein in Geneva reports the U-N official says recent attacks between ethnic Albanians and Serbs in the divided city of Mitrovica do not bode well for the future of the province.

    TEXT: United Nations special envoy Dennis McNamara says Kosovo is operating in a law and order vacuum. He says ethnically motivated attacks and criminal actions continue unabated across the province. Murder rates and serious crime have dropped. But, he says ethnic conflict continues -- with the ethnic Albanian majority targeting Serbs, gypsies, and Turks, and the Serbs making revenge attacks against ethnic Albanians in areas where Albanians are in the minority.

    /// MCNAMARA ACT ///

    That ethnic Albanian minority in the north (part of the city of Mitrovica) has become the target of the same sort of violence, intimidation, revenge. That cycle, as I've said many times, has to be broken if we are to go forward. The revenge of violence cycle leads to a new displacement, refugee cycle. That's what we faced, I'm afraid in recent months in Kosovo.

    /// END ACT ///

    The recent flare-up of ethnic fighting in the divided city of Mitrovica has left a number of people dead, prompting hundreds of people to leave. Before the recent attacks, northern Mitrovica had about 25- hundred ethnic Albanian residents. The United Nations estimates at least half of these people have fled the area and gone to the southern, Albanian-dominated part of the city. Mr. McNamara says more vigorous action is needed to enforce law and order in the province. Unfortunately, he says less than half of the five-thousand international police officers requested by the United Nations have arrived in Kosovo. He criticizes community leaders for failing to stem the violence. And he urges western governments to become tougher on the local Kosovo leaders to enforce law and order.

    /// MCNAMARA ACT ///

    Those who sponsored and fought the war and paid for it have to sponsor, support for and fight for the peace. And that means political intervention, maybe economic linkages, maybe security linkages -- a host of ways that governments can pressure others. It's not enough to have statements from the leadership. That's a good start. But they have to be translated in the community. And, as I say, we don't see that action on the community level.

    /// END ACT ///

    An estimated two-thousand Albanians were taken by Yugoslav soldiers when they withdrew from Kosovo. The Kosovo Albanians are still in Serbian prisons. Mr. McNamara says the Yugoslav government should either charge them or release them. He says it is essential that people accused of war crimes be tried so the victims can obtain justice. (Signed)
    NEB/LS/JWH/JP 15-Feb-2000 11:01 AM EDT (15-Feb-2000 1601 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [03] ALBRIGHT - CROATIA - ALBANIA (L ONLY) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)

    DATE=2/15/2000
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-259192
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will attend the inauguration of Croatia's new president on Friday, then make her first visit to Albania. From the State Department, V-O-A's Kyle King reports.

    TEXT: A senior U-S official says Secretary of State Albright wanted to visit Albania during the conflict in Kosovo, but security concerns prevented the trip. During her brief stop in Tirana Saturday she will meet with Albanian officials to thank them for the role Albania played during the crisis. Albanian played host to NATO troops and thousands of Kosovo refugees. Officials say Ms. Albright will also use the visit to emphasize the important part Albania plays in regional stability and prosperity. Ms. Albright's trip to Croatia will be her second this month. On Friday she will head the U-S delegation at the inauguration of President Stjepan Mesic. A statement issued by her spokesman says the Secretary will again congratulate the Croatian people for choosing the path of economic and political reform necessary to re-integrate Croatia into the rest of Europe. Croatia's new reformist government has moved to quickly replace a decade of autocratic policies put in place by the late Franjo Tudjman. In the last week, Croatia has opened talks with the European Union and NATO to discuss possible membership. (Signed) Neb/KBK/gm 15-Feb-2000 16:29 PM EDT (15-Feb-2000 2129 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America


    [04] SERBIA ON THE BRINK BY PAMELA TAYLOR (WASHINGTON)

    DATE=2/15/2000
    TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
    NUMBER=5-45462
    INTERNET=YES CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: The recent assassination of two men close to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has dramatized what seems to be a climate of increasing anarchy and murder in Serbia today. The question is whether the killings are a sign of an even more brutal crackdown on the Serbian people or an indication that Mr. Milosevic is in trouble. V-O-A's Pamela Taylor has a background report from Washington.

    TEXT: The slaying earlier this month of Yugoslav Defense Minister Pavle Bulatovic shocked many people who were not all that surprised by the murder only weeks earlier of a Serb militia leader and war crimes suspect known as Arkan. The difference is that Mr. Bulatovic was a close ally of President Milosevic. Mr. Milosevic's government has accused moderates in Montenegro (Serbia's sister republic in Yugoslavia) and journalists with ties to the West of being behind the assassination. But Belgrade journalist, Stojan Cerovic, who recently arrived in Washington as a visiting fellow with the U-S Institute of Peace, says the only one to benefit from such murders is Slobodan Milosevic:

    /// CEROVIC ACT ///

    I do believe that he will try to exploit these murders and that's why there is some reason to believe that people close to him are really involved in these assassinations. I guess he is now basically trying to create this atmosphere, this climate of insecurity and chaos and anarchy in order to be able to say one day, "OK, now we can't have elections."

    /// END ACT ///

    Mr. Cerovic says recent comments by Serbia's deputy prime minister (Voijslav Seselj) threatening journalists with ties to the West have heightened the climate of fear in Belgrade. A bodyguard to Mr. Seselj, who led the notorious White Eagle paramilitaries during the conflicts with Croatia and Bosnia was recently shot and seriously wounded. Stojan Cerovic says everyone in Belgrade is afraid these days -- ordinary people and those in power:

    /// CEROVIC ACT ///

    Fear is growing more than anger and I'm afraid people are feeling more and more helpless, although you can never tell. We had in Belgrade three years ago huge rallies lasting three months and we had the same desperate atmosphere then. So you can never tell. The Milosevic regime looks very strong, but then it could fall in a very brief period.

    /// END ACT ///

    Other Balkan analysts in the United States agree with Mr. Cerovic's assessment that the recent killings could indicate an internal power struggle inside the Milosevic government. One of them is former State Department official, John Fox, who says threats are often issued by those who are themselves afraid:

    /// FOX ACT ///

    Fear cuts in different directions. We've seen fear in a variety of countries with repressive regimes in recent years and there may be fear within the regime. It's probably true that the more fearful the regime is the more fear they seek to instill in the population. But there's also a lot of anger in Serbia and I think it's a question of how much strength the Serbian people and opposition have and their solidarity in this moment will be crucial. And there are many more signs of that solidarity now and that has to have the regime worried.

    /// END ACT ///

    Serbia's fragmented opposition parties have come together on a platform for early elections at the legislative level. But so far, the government has not agreed. The United States has said it would push for a lifting of economic sanctions against Yugoslavia only after free and fair elections are held in Serbia. Janusz Bugaiski of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington says the recent assassinations in Belgrade might have a positive side:

    /// BUGAISKI ACT ///

    If indeed the circle is narrowing within (Mr.) Milosevic's immediate sphere, and there are increasing turf battles between politicians, or between Milosevic himself and people he wants bumped off, that indicates to me that the regime may indeed be on its last legs. In that sense, I would say that Serbian politics is beginning to implode. If there are assassinations of their own people, that indicates to me that the end of the regime is probably in sight.

    /// END ACT ///

    Mr. Bugaiski says the affect on Serbia of the recent death of President Franjo Tudjman in neighboring Croatia should not be minimized. He says Slobodan Milosevic was much more comfortable with a fellow nationalist in Zagreb than he will be with the democratic forces voted into power earlier this month. (Signed)
    NEB/PAM/JP 15-Feb-2000 15:14 PM EDT (15-Feb-2000 2014 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [05] ALIYEV AND CASPIAN OIL BY ED WARNER (WASHINGTON)

    DATE=2/15/2000
    TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
    NUMBER=5-45465
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: In a major Washington address (Monday), Azerbaijan President Heydar Aliyev gave a buoyant, optimistic appraisal of his country and its energy prospects. But he made allowance for continuing problems with Russia and Armenia. V-O-A's Ed Warner reports his remarks and a response by a Washington economist.

    TEXT: Azerbaijan President Heydar Aliyev showed unexpected vigor in his hour and a half speech, says Mark Katzman, an economist who was in the audience at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. The 75-year old President, perhaps reflecting his Politburo experience, appeared to be enjoying himself the more he talked:

    /// FIRST KATZMAN ACT ///

    One of the most important factors of the entire speech was its duration. I think that [Mr.] Aliyev was trying to show that following his (heart) bypass operation, he is still a healthy and energetic individual and very much in control of his faculties and of Azerbaijan.

    /// END ACT ///

    In his speech, President Aliyev stressed the importance of Azeri oil. His country has now signed 19 contracts with 30 major oil companies representing 15 different countries. That adds up to close to a 60- billion dollar investment in Azerbaijan oil. And this is just a beginning, said President Aliyev. He added he is often accused of exaggerating:

    /// FIRST ALIYEV ACT WITH TRANSLATION ///

    It is true that since we started this work, press reports from many countries, including the United States, claim we have exaggerated our oil and gas potential. They are wrong. Our critics either do not know the real situation or are deliberately misstating. Some may be our enemies. But we do not need to exaggerate. We have what we have.

    /// END ACT //

    In fact, many oil analysts say Caspian Sea oil does not approach the amount in the Persian Gulf, as was once expected. It is about the equivalent of North Sea reserves. President Aliyev noted Azeri oil has a geopolitical significance. Where it flows is crucial. So he favors the proposed pipeline that will run from the Caspian to Ceyhan on the Turkish Mediterranean coast. This would bypass both Russia and Iran, as the United States wishes:

    /// SECOND ALIYEV ACT WITH TRANSLATION ///

    The main challenge is to construct a Ceyhan export pipeline. We have been engaged in negotiations for the last five years, though a lot of forces would like to stop the pipeline. I would like to emphasize that U-S President Bill Clinton has always been supportive of this project. Without this support, we could not have begun.

    /// END ACT ///

    "This is not just another pipeline," says U-S Energy Secretary Bill Richardson. In his words --"It is a strategic framework that advances America's national security interests and a strategic vision for the future of the Caspian region." Others remain skeptical. Mr. Katzman, who works for PlanEcon, an economic research and consulting firm, doubts there is enough oil to justify the high cost of the pipeline.

    /// SECOND KATZMAN ACT ///

    The Ceyhan line is certainly a darling not only of [Mr.] Aliyev but the U-S Government, which wants to see pipelines moving away from Iran and Russian options. It still remains uncertain whether there is sufficient oil in the time frame that most people see for completing the pipeline. It seems that Azerbaijan production would not be sufficient to allow that pipeline to be viable economically.

    /// END ACT ///

    Mr. Katzman says supporters of the Ceyhan pipeline think additional oil coming from Kazakhstan will make the project viable. We shall see, says Mr. Katzman. There is also the Russian strategic interest in the Caucasus, which can hardly be dismissed. President Putin has emphasized the importance of the pipeline through Chechnya and wants to maintain control of it. That is one of the reasons for the current war there. Moscow is accused of fomenting a rebellion against President Aliyev in the past and could do so again in the future. With military bases in Armenia and Georgia, it remains a threatening presence. Azerbaijan is the prize in a great oil struggle, say observers, who will not predict the outcome in the ever-turbulent Caucasus. (Signed) NEB/ew/gm 15-Feb-2000 17:39 PM EDT (15-Feb-2000 2239 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [06] CLINTON-AZERBAIJAN (L-ONLY) BY DAVID GOLLUST (WHITE HOUSE)

    DATE=2/15/2000
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-259182
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: Azerbaijan's President Geidar Aliyev has met President Clinton at the White House to discuss Caspian-basin energy development. White House Correspondent David Gollust reports they also discussed efforts to resolve the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.

    TEXT: Though fighting in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict ended with a cease-fire five-years ago, the two governments have failed to make much headway in efforts to resolve their dispute over the Armenian enclave located inside Azerbaijan. And in his round of meetings with administration officials capped by the session with President Clinton Mr. Aliyev has been seeking more active help from the United States, which along with France and Russia, has been trying to mediate. In a talk with reporters outside the White House, Mr. Aliyev said he had a detailed discussion with the President about Nagorno-Karabakh. While he did not elaborate, he said the meeting was fruitful and will give "additional impetus" to settlement efforts. The United States and Azerbaijan have growing trade relations. But U-S aid to that country has been barred by a provision of a 1992 U-S law penalizing Azerbaijan for efforts to impose an economic blockade against Armenia. Mr. Aliyev said he raised the issue with President Clinton, calling the law unjust and the work of the "Armenian lobby" in the United States. Heard through an interpreter, he said that with Armenian forces controlling a large section of Azerbaijan's territory, the notion of a blockade of Armenia is "baseless:"

    /// ALIYEV-TRANSLATOR ACT ///

    Armenia's armed formations have occupied 20- percent of Azerbaijan's lands, and they continue to keep those lands under their occupation. Over one-million citizens of Azerbaijan have been ousted forcefully from the occupied lands and have been living under very hard circumstances in tents. In this given situation, the idea of Azerbaijan blockading Armenia has no grounds at all.

    /// END ACT ///

    Despite the criticism, Mr. Aliyev has promised to continue a dialogue on Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenian President Robert Kocharian, whom he last met in January in Switzerland. In a Washington address Monday, he said both leaders have indicated a willingness to compromise, but have been unable to reach a comprehensive settlement. Mr. Aliyev said he and President Clinton discussed efforts to implement plans - strongly backed by the United States -- for construction of a pipeline to carry Caspian sea oil from Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, westward to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. He said they also covered a proposed trans-Caspian natural gas pipeline that would carry gas from Turkmenistan across Azerbaijan to Western markets via Turkey. (SIGNED)
    NEB/DAG/ENE/RAE 15-Feb-2000 13:54 PM EDT (15-Feb-2000 1854 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [07] RUSSIA - NATO RELATIONS (L ONLY) BY BILL GASPERINI (MOSCOW)

    DATE=2/15/2000
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-259188
    INTERNET=YES CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: NATO Secretary General George Robertson is coming to Moscow to meet Russian leaders on Wednesday in an attempt to mend relations that were severely strained last year. Russia angrily denounced the NATO intervention against Yugoslavia over Kosovo,.but things are improving now, as we hear from reporter Bill Gasperini in Moscow.

    TEXT: The visit of the NATO Secretary General represents the highest level of contact between the military alliance and Russia since the Kosovo crisis. And before leaving for Moscow, Secretary-General Robertson said he was looking to put that divisive issue behind. Speaking in Brussels, Lord Robertson said he hopes to restart a process of cooperation with Russia that was formalized in a 1997 agreement. The NATO chief is due to meet with Russia's defense and foreign ministers, and possibly with Acting President Vladimir Putin. Russia has not confirmed that a meeting with Mr. Putin will in fact occur; it may depend on how things go at the preliminary meetings. The visit has been under discussion for two months, as the two sides negotiated an agenda. A leading official with the Defense Ministry says Russia wants to talk about European security issues and fighting terrorism. General Leonid Ivashov says Russia also wants to see if NATO is serious about taking Moscow's position fully into account. Russia angrily froze relations with NATO last year after denouncing what it called the "aggression" against Yugoslavia. Moscow still maintains the bombing campaign was illegal, and that Western nations simply ignored Russia and its concerns about security. The bombing was especially galling to Russia because it came just weeks after former Soviet bloc allies Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic formally joined NATO. To many, this symbolized just how weak Russia had become after the collapse of Communism. It took until late last year for both Russia and NATO to express a willingness to move on. Analysts say Lord Robertson's visit is unlikely to dispel all of the mistrust Russia still has for the alliance. But at least both sides say it is time to make a new start. (Signed) NEB/bg/gm 15-Feb-2000 15:42 PM EDT (15-Feb-2000 2042 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America


    [08] AUSTRIA PART FOUR - EURO REPERCUSSION BY ANDRE DE NESNERA (WASHINGTON)

    DATE=2/15/2000
    TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
    NUMBER=5-45460
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:
    /// EDS: This is the last in a four part series on Austria's Freedom Party and its leader Joerg Haider. The first was issued on 2-10 as 5-45424; the second on 2-11 as 5-45438 and the third on 2-14 as 5- 45448. ///

    INTRO: The inclusion of the far-right Freedom Party in Austria's new coalition government has experts wondering about the possible repercussions on other extreme right-wing parties in Europe. In the last of four reports on Austrian politics, correspondent Andre de Nesnera looks at whether the Freedom Party's strong showing will give a boost to other European parties holding similar extremist views.

    TEXT: The fact that Joerg Haider's far-right Freedom Party is a full-fledged member of Austria's new coalition government has set alarm bells ringing in the capitals of the 14 other European Union members. Even before Mr. Haider's party was included in the coalition, E-U member states said they would downgrade their political contacts and resist efforts by Austrian officials to get positions in international organizations. The E-U's effort to blacklist Austria politically is directly linked to Joerg Haider's inflammatory rhetoric regarding the Nazi past -- and his strong anti-European, anti-foreigner, anti-immigration statements. His party struck a chord with more than a quarter of Austrian voters when it received 27 percent of the votes cast in last October's election. That propelled the Freedom Party into becoming the junior member of Austria's coalition government, though Mr. Haider was not given a ministerial post. He remains governor of the southern province of Carinthia. Experts in Europe and the United States are wondering whether the Freedom Party's strong showing represents an isolated case. Or will its electoral strength cross Austria's borders - so to speak - and boost the fortunes of other far right-wing parties in Europe such as Jean-Marie Le Pen's Front National in France, the National Alliance in Italy and Belgium's Flanders Bloc. Holocaust survivor Abraham Foxman is director of the (New York-based) Anti-Defamation League, an organization fighting anti-Semitism and prejudice worldwide. He believes the Freedom Party's presence in government can only help other European far right- wing parties.

    /// FOXMAN ACT ///

    I think it gives them strength. It gives them legitimacy. It gives them hope for the future, and I think that is what's dangerous. So I can understand that the European Union and many other countries are looking at this with alarm.

    /// END ACT ///

    The United States and Israel have taken stronger steps than members of the E-U. Washington and Tel Aviv have recalled their ambassadors from Vienna -- at least temporarily. Charles Kupchan, director of European studies at the (New York-based) Council on Foreign Relations, does not believe the success of the Freedom Party will have a spillover effect on other European extreme right-wing parties.

    /// KUPCHAN ACT ///

    But I do think in general, there is a quiet backlash of globalization that stems from increasing income inequality among industrialized societies, concern - especially among the lower classes and the unemployed - about the influx of immigrants, especially with Shengen, the (1995) agreement that the E-U is trying to put in about the freedom of borders. And so one should not assume that this is something that will be replicated elsewhere. On the other hand, I think it is quite worrisome that an extreme right-wing party has entered the European mainstream in Austria.

    /// END ACT ///

    For his part, Dominique Moisi, deputy-director of the (Paris-based) French Institute of Foreign Relations, agrees with those who say the Freedom Party's inclusion in the Austrian government could stimulate hope among other European extreme right-wing parties to return - or to come - to power.

    /// MOISI ACT ///

    But at the same time, I think we have a multiplicity of national cases. What happened in Austria was much less the triumph of (Joerg) Haider as the absolute defeat of the political system in power. And to have new Haiders somewhere else in Europe, you need to have a collapse of the old political system within those respective European countries.

    /// END ACT ///

    Mr. Moisi does not see that happening anytime soon. Simon Serfaty is director of European Studies at the (Washington-based) Center for Strategic and International Studies. For him, the Freedom Party's strong showing will have absolutely no effect on similar extreme right-wing parties. But Professor Serfaty says what may have an effect, is what he calls the European Union's "disturbing" response to the Haider phenomenon.

    /// SERFATY ACT ///

    What may happen, is that the E-U reaction and the attempt on the part of the E-U to teach other states how to select good governments might have an impact, to the extent that it would set in motion some fears of institutional intrusion into France, Germany, Italy and so forth. And that might help build further nationalist movements on the right of the political spectrum in those countries. But I would not view Haider's inclusion in the Austrian government -- following democratic elections there -- as the catalyst for the resurgence of the extreme-right in Europe. I might view the E-U's reaction to that phenomenon as a potential catalyst for this very development.

    /// END ACT ///

    So for Professor Serfaty and others, the E-U's strong reaction to Joerg Haider and his Freedom Party may, ironically, foster more anti-E-U sentiment and boost the strength of those European parties advocating less E-U interference -- certainly the opposite of what European Union officials had intended as they embarked on a policy meant to isolate Austria politically. (Signed)
    NEB/ADEN/JP 15-Feb-2000 14:09 PM EDT (15-Feb-2000 1909 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [09] E-U / ENLARGEMENT (L-O) BY RON PEMSTEIN (BRUSSELS)

    DATE=2/15/2000
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-259181
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: The European Union has opened formal negotiations with six more countries that want to become members in the next decade. Correspondent Ron Pemstein in Brussels reports the new candidates came with hopes -- and fears.

    TEXT: Malta and Latvia say they hope to be ready to become members of the European Union at the same time the Union expects to be ready to receive them, January First, 2003. Lithuania and Slovakia are a little more cautious. They told the European Union (Tuesday) they will be ready a year later, by 2004. As for Bulgaria, its target date is 2006. And Romania says it will be ready to join by 2007. To all of this, the European Union takes the same approach as it does with the first six countries that want to join by 2003. It says it hopes so.

    /// OPT ///

    Actually, for Malta, which started negotiations in 1993 and then suspended them when a new government took power, the European Union is a little less cautious this time. Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen says that for Malta, the year 2003 is little ambitious, but is realistic.

    /// END OPT //

    The European Union is negotiating with 12-countries that want to become members. Portuguese Foreign Minister Jamie Gama sat in on the six new negotiations and he says the formal speeches should be replaced by more open political discussions. He says talks with 12 countries are no more difficult than with six.

    /// GAMA ACT ///

    My impression is that although we have a bigger number of candidates negotiating, the fact that we have trained with previous ones is facilitating the task because it is just adding the same to the same. It is not a different problem.

    /// END ACT ///

    One different problem for the six new candidates is the European Union's action against its fellow member, Austria. E-U relations with Vienna have been downgraded because the rightwing Freedom Party entered the Austrian government. Romanian foreign Minister Petre Roman says the lesson for his country about the action against Austria is that extremist elements should learn the European Union's democratic values.

    /// ROMAN ACT ///

    We also wish that the political spectrum in Romania would not include populist, extremist tendencies because they are really a problem for democracy and our democracy is not yet completely stabilized.

    /// END ACT ///

    /// OPT ///

    Enlargement Commissioner Verheugen says the European Union has to deal with what he calls the "justified fears" of many people who supported Freedom Party leader Joerg Haider in Austria and who worry about the effects of E-U enlargement on their standard of living.

    /// OPT // VERHEUGEN ACT ///

    I am quite sure that we can deal with the absolutely justified concerns of people, and do not allow that populist leaders like Haider [to] exploit and politically misuse justified fears and concerns.

    /// END ACT // END OPT ///

    All six new foreign ministers emphasize the historic importance of their countries opening negotiations to enter the European Union. The Slovak foreign minister says his country should have already been negotiating, like its neighbors, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary. The European Union refused to accept Slovakia under its previous leader, Vladimir Meciar, because of political considerations. (SIGNED) NEB/RDP/JWH/ENE/RAE 15-Feb-2000 13:36 PM EDT (15-Feb-2000 1836 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [10] U-S / NORTHERN IRELAND (L) BY KYLE KING (STATE DEPARTMENT)

    DATE=2/15/2000
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-259187
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: The United States is urging a resumption of disarmament talks in Northern Ireland, following a breakdown in the negotiations Tuesday. From the State Department, V-O-A's Kyle King reports.

    TEXT: The political crisis in Northern Ireland took a turn for the worse on Tuesday when the Irish Republican Army broke off disarmament talks with the pro-British Ulster Unionists. An I-R-A statement accused the British government and the Protestant Unionists of ignoring I-R-A disarmament proposals. Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson expressed disappointment at the I-R-A decision to halt talks. State Department spokesman James Rubin says the United States will continue to hold discussions with all the parties.

    /// RUBIN ACT ///

    We will urge all of them to build on the progress made last week. To remain engaged and to carry through on their responsibilities to work together to achieve full implementation of the Good Friday accords.

    /// END ACT ///

    The 1998 Good Friday peace accord calls for paramilitary groups on both sides to complete disarmament by the end of May. British officials say they expect planned meetings with Irish Prime minister Bertie Ahern and Northern Ireland's political leaders will go ahead on Wednesday to discuss ways to restore self-government to Northern Ireland. Britain suspended Northern Ireland's new power-sharing government last week after Protestant leaders threatened to quit over the I-R-A's failure to give up weapons.

    /// REST OPT ///

    Britain ended 28 years of direct rule in Northern Ireland in December when the province's now-suspended power sharing government was formed. (signed)
    NEB/KBK/JO 15-Feb-2000 15:57 PM EDT (15-Feb-2000 2057 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [11] NY ECON WRAP (S&L) BY ELAINE JOHANSON (NEW YORK)

    DATE=2/15/2000
    TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
    NUMBER=2-259193
    CONTENT=
    VOICED AT:

    INTRO: U-S stock prices were higher today (Tuesday), with some profit-taking and volatility in the technology sector. V-O-A correspondent Elaine Johanson reports from New York:

    TEXT: The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 198 points, under two percent, closing at 10-thousand-718. The Standard and Poor's 500 index was up 12 points. The technology-weighted Nasdaq composite was sharply lower through most of the day, but finally closed up less than two points for a fractional gain. Investors showed a preference for some of the traditional stocks that have under-performed lately. The blue chips outpaced the technology sector for a second straight session. Even the laggard financial stocks rallied a bit.

    /// BEGIN OPT ///

    However, many analysts predict trading will stay choppy for the next several weeks. Investment strategist Al Kugel says Federal Reserve monetary policy and interest rates are a key factor:

    /// KUGEL ACT ///

    Well I think we're really going to continue to fluctuate for the next month or so. There's really no strong catalyst that seems likely to send it in either direction. People pretty much assume the "Fed" is going to raise rates again next month. So I think that's priced in. And I think the real question is do we get a broadening out of the market sometime this spring?

    /// END ACT ///

    Federal Reserve Board chairman Alan Greenspan makes a monetary policy report to the U-S Congress Thursday.

    /// END OPT ///

    Oil stocks continue to benefit from rising oil prices, which are at their highest level since the 1991 Gulf War. However, shares of B-P Amoco traded lower. A positive earnings report was undercut, in part, by B-P Amoco's stalled acquisition of rival Atlantic Richfield.

    /// REST OPT ///

    The latest on the U-S economy shows industrial production rose one percent in January -- its highest level in 18 months. Experts say this indicates a U-S manufacturing comeback. C-B-S, the U-S broadcaster, reported its profits increased six-fold, fueled by higher advertising sales at its T-V and radio stations. C-B-S is in the process of being bought by entertainment giant Viacom. The 37-billion dollar merger deal will be closed as soon as it gets regulatory approval. Wal-Mart, the world's leading retailer, reports higher earnings by over 20 percent. The quarterly report covers the surge in Christmas holiday shopping. And, Toronto-based Thomson Corporation says it plans to sell all of its newspapers, except one - the Globe and Mail - to focus more on the business of technology-driven information services. There is no word yet on potential buyers. But Thomson says a deal will be done in the second half of this year. Thomson newspapers include 50 dailies in the United States, five in Canada and over 75 non-daily papers. (signed) NEB/NY/EJ/LSF/JP 15-Feb-2000 16:43 PM EDT (15-Feb-2000 2143 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America

    [12] TUESDAY'S EDITORIALS BY ANDREW GUTHRIE (WASHINGTON)

    DATE=2/15/2000
    TYPE=U-S EDITORIAL DIGEST
    NUMBER=6-11682
    EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
    TELEPHONE=619-3335
    CONTENT=

    INTRO: The nation continues in mourning this Tuesday for Charles Schulz, creator of the Peanuts comic strip, who died over the weekend, just hours before his farewell comic strip appeared in hundreds of U-S and foreign newspapers. He is eulogized in dozens of editorials and many, many editorial cartoons are also bidding him, and his characters, farewell. The day's other editorials deal with such diverse topics as new information about political murders in Chile, the debate over additional Colombian aid, the splintering of the U-S Reform party, the peace process unraveling in Northern Ireland, the Palestinians and Israelis miss an important deadline in their peace process, and more thoughts about the rise of far-right sentiment in Austria. Now, here is_______ with a closer look in today's Editorial Digest.

    TEXT: There is only one overwhelming topic in the nation's large and small newspapers today -- the passing of an artist and philosopher many are calling a genius for his portrayal of a small group of children led by Charlie Brown and his dog, Snoopy. Charles Schulz died Sunday [2/13] of colon cancer at the age of 77. The Orlando Sentinel of Florida summed up the reaction:

    VOICE: If Charlie Brown and his loveable band of buddies embodies a bit of everyman, then a collective part of the nation's soul died Sunday with the passing of Charles Schulz.

    TEXT: In lamenting the loss, The Boston Globe remembers:

    VOICE: The theme of [Mr.] Schulz's half-century of graphic theater was the pursuit of grace through perseverance. That was the theme of his own craftsmanship, as well. ... He honed a drawing style that looked naive but hid a keen sense of balance, design, and economy of expression.

    TEXT: While The Dallas Morning News reminds readers:

    VOICE: ... Charles Schulz ... let millions of readers know they weren't alone on those days when they felt like their kites had been caught in the tree limbs. He told us it was O-K to believe in things, even if it brought laughter from our peers. ... Charlie Brown and his pals made us laugh and cry because their daily foibles were all so true to life.

    /// OPT ///

    TEXT: The Philadelphia Inquirer laments the loss of "our security blanket," while in Georgia, The Atlanta Journal says:

    VOICE: No one could - - and we'll never forget [Mr.] Schulz, and the debt we owe him for making them (his cartoon characters) an essential part of American culture, and a treasured part of the world's experience.

    TEXT: New Hampshire's Manchester Union Leader calls Mr. Schulz "a national treasure," while

    /// END OPT ///

    in Ohio, The Akron Beacon Journal muses on his worldwide success.

    VOICE: What Mr. Schulz did create with his life was an industry. **Peanuts** [italics for a title] appeared in 26-hundred papers in 75 countries. Snoopy [the dog] spoke 21 languages. The tragicomic Charlie Brown and friends found their places on television and the stage, in books and on merchandise. Mr. Schulz died a rich man - - and left all of us a little richer and brokenhearted.

    TEXT: Turning to international affairs, there is considerable anger in some editorials about the latest revelations about the deaths of two American men in Chile during the Pinochet dictatorship, and the possible implication of the U-S government. Says The New York Times, the paper that first reported the story:

    VOICE: The picture painted by newly disclosed passages from State Department papers is profoundly disturbing. It is now clear that the American government knew far more about the disappearance and murder of two American citizens [Charles Horman and Frank Teruggi] in Chile than it acknowledged at the time. ... It is now time for the Central Intelligence Agency and the Pentagon to follow Mr. Clinton's order, and the example of openness set by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

    /// OPT ///

    TEXT: Adds The Boston Globe:

    VOICE: President Clinton did the right thing when he ordered the files declassified after [General] Pinochet was indicted in Spain for crimes against humanity. The next step should be an effort to identify the Chilean who gave the order for [Mr.] Horman's murder and any Americans who knew about it.

    /// END OPT ///

    TEXT: Still with Latin American affairs, today's Los Angeles Times is cautiously supportive of an additional one-billion-300-million dollars in military and other aid to Colombia to help fight a 30-year guerrilla insurgency with deep ties to narcotics production and sales. The newspaper suggests:

    VOICE: President Clinton must make precisely clear the American objectives and risks in bolstering [President] Pastrana's forces. Expanded fighting in Colombia could easily spill over to Venezuela, a major oil producer under the erratic hand of President Hugo Chavez. There should be a commitment from the White House that no U-S military forces will be drawn into a civil war ...

    TEXT: Domestically, several papers are commenting on the serious split that has developed in the Reform Party, the largest U-S political party besides Democrats and Republicans. Founded by Ross Perot a decade ago, it has now splintered into factions led by Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura and Mr. Perot, a Texas millionaire. The Tulsa [Oklahoma] World notes:

    VOICE: Uncivil war within the ranks of the Reform Party would not be that noteworthy except that the party's eventual presidential nominee will qualify for about 12-million dollars in federal election campaign funds. That's enough of a nest egg (campaign funds) to keep things boiling.

    TEXT: Connecticut's Hartford Courant also is upset:

    VOICE: To the extent that third parties have the potential to offer different choices and new faces to an electorate weary of politics as usual, the disintegration of the Reform Party into a three-ring circus is regrettable.

    /// OPT ///

    TEXT: Still with U-S politics, The State, a newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, today endorses Texas Governor George Bush in that state's critical Republican presidential primary this Saturday.

    VOICE: This has not been an easy decision. Our admiration for Senator [John] McCain is virtually boundless. One cannot think of this man without remembering that he put his life on the line for all of us. ... But we still choose George W. Bush in the upcoming primary. Why? The principal reason is that he possesses the necessary executive leadership skills. ... [and] a fundamental understanding of how to get things done as the leader of a large and complex organization.

    /// END OPT ///

    TEXT: The Honolulu Star-Bulletin of Hawaii is concerned with the threatened collapse of the peace process in Northern Ireland. "Having come so far toward a peace settlement," says the newspaper, "the Irish must find a way to surmount this final hurdle." In Maine, The Portland Press Herald is upset at the Irish Republican Army's reluctance to begin disarming.

    VOICE: The I-R-A simply has to do better if peace is to come to Northern Ireland. That doesn't mean the British government and Ulster Unionists should do anything rash or lose patience. It does mean, however, that [Republic of Ireland Prime Minister Bertie] Ahern and Irish-Catholic organizations within Northern Ireland should avoid creating the impression that the I-R-A can finesse this issue. It can't, and it's up to the Catholic community to say so.

    TEXT: Regarding another peace process that appears to be faltering - the one between Israel and the Palestinians - the Post and Courier of Charleston, South Carolina laments that Israel's prime minister, Ehud Barak, has fallen into a trap in broadly retaliating for the latest deadly Hezbollah attacks on Israeli troops.

    VOICE: Instead of retaliating solely against Hezbollah, Prime Minister Ehud Barak fell into a trap by launching air strikes on Lebanese targets. His action has provided Syria and its Arab allies with a reason to justify freezing the peace process. Mr. Barak should counter this ploy by advancing the July deadline he has set for withdrawing all Israeli troops from Lebanese territory.

    TEXT: Both the Chicago Tribune and The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette also point out that Israel has also missed a Sunday deadline for the first major milestone of its agreement with the Palestinians, the drafting of a framework agreement that could be turned into a peace treaty. Adds The Tribune:

    VOICE: That means the ambitious timetable [Mr.] Barak set is just as likely to slide in the fall as well. That's a pity, but not an end to peacemaking.

    TEXT: Lastly, more reaction to the inclusion in Austria's new coalition government of a far-right party reportedly sympathetic with some ideals of the Nazis. The Atlanta Constitution runs this Cox Newspaper editorial by Tom Teepen, who cautions against over-reaction.

    VOICE: O-K, we're all on record as thinking it thoroughly appalling and a bit scary that the minority party in Austria's new governing coalition is a right- wing hard case led by a man who is the next thing to a neo-Nazi and maybe even the real deal. With the point made, we'd probably do best now to wait, before making any more moves against Austria, to see if the resulting government in fact misbehaves intolerably. ... There's a painful conundrum here. Democratic values presume respect for democratic outcomes, even unwelcome ones. But how do you handle politicians who use democratic means to potentially fascist ends?

    TEXT: With that question, we conclude this sampling of comment from some of Tuesday's U-S newspaper editorials.
    NEB/ANG/JP 15-Feb-2000 12:15 PM EDT (15-Feb-2000 1715 UTC)
    NNNN
    Source: Voice of America


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