SUMMARY A lengthy statement attributed to the imprisoned Shining Path leadership , published recently in a leading opposition newspaper , provides what appears to be a strategic rationale for the peace proposal made by the insurgents last fall . While the newspaper has accepted the document as an authentic call for peace by the Shining Path , the paper has also stressed that the peace called for in the statement is nothing more than a temporary tactical retreat by the Shining Path leaders and is not , as President Alberto Fujimori has contended , an implicit admission of defeat . END SUMMARY Although La Republica , a prominent anti-Fujimori daily , provided little information on the origins of the `` important and unusual '' document that it published in a special 25 January supplement , it assured its readers that the lengthy ideological tract explaining the Shining Path 's `` struggle for a peace agreement '' was a genuine Shining Path statement . The paper claimed that the `` anonymous sources '' who supplied the `` secret '' document provided `` full authentication '' and that `` experts '' consulted by the paper also `` agreed '' that the document was the handiwork of imprisoned Shining Path leader Abimael Guzman -LRB- La Republica , 26 January -RRB- . -LRB- See Note 1 -RRB- -LRB- Note 1 -RRB- La Republica did not assert that the document was actually signed by Guzman . However , the paper did claim that the document was `` approved '' by imprisoned Shining Path Central Committee members Elena Iparraguirre Revoredo , Osman Morote Barrionuevo , Marta Huatay Ruiz , Maria Pantoja Sanchez and Rosa Angelica Salas de la Cruz -LRB- 25 January -RRB- . While the anti-Fujimori daily may have , at least in part , published the document to discredit President Fujimori , it contended that it was motivated by a desire to provide Peruvians with information on the peace proposal that had not been made available by the government . The paper declared that it was `` clearly '' its `` duty '' to publish the document `` given the mantle of silence that the government has cast '' over the peace negotiations -LRB- 26 January -RRB- . La Republica 's publication of the Shining Path strategy statement follows by three months the October 1993 release by the Fujimori government of letters from Guzman calling for peace talks with the government -LRB- Radio Programs del Peru , 1 October 1993 ; Radio and TV , 4 October 1993 ; Global de Television , 10 October 1993 ; Panamericana Television , 30 October 1993 -RRB- . The Shining Path leadership 's sudden willingness to pursue peace talks with the government , just as the 31 October national referendum vote was approaching , raised questions in the media about whether the letters really represented authoritative Shining Path policy -LSB- see box -RSB- . -LRB- See Note 2 -RRB- -LRB- Note 2 -RRB- Among other objectives , the narrowly successful referendum was designed to allow the president to serve a second successive term . Tactical Retreat for Guzman Implicitly rejecting Fujimori 's claim that the Shining Path 's call for a negotiated peace represented an admission of political defeat by the insurgents , La Republica concluded that the movement 's leadership saw its call for peace as nothing more than a `` temporary ceasefire '' -LRB- 25 January -RRB- . -LRB- See Note 3 -RRB- According to the daily 's 26 January editorial , the Shining Path tract `` makes it clear '' that in the eyes of Abimael Guzman a `` peace agreement '' is simply an `` armed truce '' until after the year 2OOO , at which time the Shining Path `` would resume its bloodbath . '' La Republica offered a possible explanation for the insurgents ' tactical retreat in a 3O January interview with a `` military and subversion analyst , '' who suggested-that a temporary withdrawal may offer Guzman an opportunity to preserve his authority as political leader despite the obvious limitations of beings imprisoned . Thee analyst concluded , therefore , that the insurgents ' peace strategy represents `` an ideological reaffirmation of Guzman 's leadership '' and `` recognition that circumstances have changed . '' -LRB- Note 3 -RRB- For example , in his presentation of the video recording of Guzman 's first call for peace talks , Fujimori claimed that the Shining Path `` political '' leadership `` has tacitly admitted that the Peruvian state has totally recovered the initiative in confronting the Shining Path '' -LRB- Lima Radio and TV , 4 October 1993 -RRB- . Outlook La Republica 's assessment of the Shining Path peace strategy document may quiet doubts about whether earlier letters calling for peace talks actually represented the views of top leaders . At the same time , however , by concluding that the published strategy statement is merely the Shining Path 's declaration of temporary retreat , the daily has raised new questions about the credibility of Fujimori 's claim that the call for peace represents a victory for the government . While such doubts are unlikely to seriously affect Fujimori 's prospects for reelection next year , they may have further tarnished the image of the Peruvian president , already damaged by his narrow victory in the constitutional referendum last October . BOX Media Doubts over Earlier Shining Path Peace Letters -- Following the first Guzman letter calling for peace talks , announced by Fujimori at thee United Nations last October -LRB- Radio Programas del Peru , 1 October 1993 -RRB- , the conservative daily El Comercio reported that one seasoned political observer had warned '' that Guzman 's `` reported '' desire `` to reach a peace agreement '' does not mean there is reason `` to claim a victory in the ongoing struggle against terrorism '' since , according to the observer , the imprisoned insurgent leader may no longer control the Shining Path -LRB- 2 October 1993 -RRB- . -- Following the second Guzman letter , which supplemented the call for peace talks with what seemed to be praise for Fujimori 's economic and political program -LRB- Lima Global de Television , 1O October 1993 -RRB- , a commentator for the anti-Fujimori weekly Caretas wrote that the government was using a `` broken '' Guzman `` in the campaign for the ` yes ' vote '' for the upcoming referendum , adding that `` it is no coincidence that the letters ... have come out during the 3O days prior '' to the 31 October vote -LRB- 14 October 1993 -RRB- . -- Responding similarly to the second Guzman letter , an editorial in La Republica wondered whether `` government representatives , '' working to promote the `` yes '' vote on the referendum , had not `` fallen into a trap '' by thinking that Shining Path militants would take seriously such an `` unctuous '' call for peace talks as appeared in the letter -LRB- 14 October 1993 -RRB- . -- Also in response to the second letter , Caretas on 14 October claimed that Fujimori was `` using '' Guzman `` in the campaign '' to win the 31 October referendum , noting that `` with Guzman 's letters '' calling for peace talks , Fujimori 's `` promise '' to wipe out the Shining Path by 1995 `` may gain credibility . '' END BOX -LRB- AUTHOR : ROLLINS . QUESTIONS AND/OR COMMENTS , PLEASE CALL CHIEF ANALYST , EUROPE/LATIN AMERICA GROUP , -LRB- 7O3 -RRB- 733-612O . -RRB- ELAG/GILISON cka 17/0107z mar

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imprisoned shining path leader abimael guzman


U.S. Air Force war planes participating in Operation Desert Shield are flying again after they were ordered grounded for 24 hours following a rash of crashes . Pentagon and Air Force officials said regular training flight schedules resumed Thursday at noon local time -LRB- 5 a.m. EDT -RRB- . The flights account for a majority of U.S. air missions in the Persian Gulf region . The Air Force `` has not changed anything '' in flight operations as a result of the suspension of flights , Capt. A.C. Roper , a spokesman for U.S. Central Command , said in Saudi Arabia . He said Air Force officials wanted to `` examine potential hazards and to be sure they were doing everything possible to prevent accidents . `` They have not identified any common cause or common contributing factors '' to the recent accidents , he added . At the Pentagon , spokesman Pete Williams said the number of U.S. aircraft accidents in the gulf - including three separate crashes this week - were not out of the ordinary . However , suspension of training flights indicated otherwise . Williams said the Air Force gave its pilots in the gulf `` safety awareness '' briefings during the flight ban in order `` to review what they need to do to fly more safely . '' Aircraft on operational missions were not grounded , said Col. Miguel Monteverde , another Pentagon spokesman . Those included reconnaissance aircraft , refueling tanker planes and F-15 jets patrolling areas near the Kuwait or Iraqi borders . He said pilots of those planes received special safety briefings but their flight schedules were not changed . `` So there was no degradation of our ability to defend ourselves , '' Monteverde said . Desert Shield , the largest U.S. military buildup since the Vietnam War , involves an estimated 700 Air Force combat and support aircraft . Williams said information about the number of flight hours in Desert Shield is classified and will not be disclosed . As a result , he said , he could not compare the accident rate with that of previous deployments . The toll for accidental deaths since Operation Desert Shield began rose to 31 on Wednesday when an Air Force F-111 fighter-bomber crashed on a training mission in Saudi Arabia , killing both crew members . On Monday , two pilots were killed in the crash of an Air Force F-4 Phantom reconnaissance jet in Saudi Arabia , and just hours earlier two Marine Corps UH-1 Huey helicopters , each carrying four crew members , crashed over the Arabian Sea , killing all eight men . Williams said the Air Force was the only service that has taken special measures to review safety in the gulf since this week 's accidents . `` They 're concerned about the accidents , they 're concerned about the number of accidents that happened so quickly over a short period of time , '' he told reporters . He said , however , that the military 's safety record in Desert Shield remained good . `` Given the amount of flying that has to be done , given the extraordinary circumstances and given the higher than ordinary operating tempo in the area , I think our service people are doing very well , but any accident is cause for concern , '' he said . Five U.S. aircraft have been involved in fatal crashes in the gulf area since the start of Desert Shield two months ago : an F-111 , an F-4 Phantom reconnaissance jet , an F-15E and two Marine Corps UH-1 Huey helicopters . Also , a C-5 transport plane crashed in West Germany while ferrying equipment to Saudi Arabia . Also , 20 other aircraft have been involved in non-fatal accidents in the gulf area , Williams said . Fifteen of those were helicopters .

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fatal crashes
operation desert shield
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u.s. air force war planes
u.s. aircraft accidents
u.s. air missions


Language : Serbo-Croatian Article Type : BFN -LSB- Article by Verica Rudar : `` What Is Ljubljana 's Message for Belgrade ? '' -RSB- -LSB- Text -RSB- In the view of Yugoslav diplomats , the normalization of relations between Slovenia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will certainly be a strenuous and long-term project . Although the establishment of communications between Ljubljana and Belgrade would be very important for the situation in the former Yugoslavia in general , the chances that this could happen soon are minimal . A signal that relations between Yugoslavia and Slovenia might be reconsidered came this time from the Slovene capital . According to information published in the Yugoslav newspapers , the Slovene Government could be addressing this issue soon . The establishing of relations between the two states , the exchange of diplomatic representatives , and the abolition of the visa requirement for Yugoslav citizens are some of the topics to be considered . This information has not been denied and , apart from that , it is the logical conclusion to a series of statements issued by Slovene politicians , which pointed to a change in relations toward Belgrade . The announcement about the normalization of relations were also supported by information that an official Slovene delegation had arrived in Belgrade for this purpose , but it was stated that the details can not yet be published since the matter is very delicate . The FRY Ministry of Foreign Affairs is denying that any official Slovene delegation came to Belgrade . It is stated that this is rather a visit of businessmen , since these contacts have not been interrupted . It is assumed in the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Slovene businessmen might even be checking the atmosphere for possible political contacts , but there have been no official statements about it . Commercial contacts The signals from the Slovene side are being received in Yugoslavia with reservations . One could even say with distrust . Yugoslav diplomats point out that Yugoslavia has not been officially recognized by Slovenia . It is also true that Slovenia does not accept Yugoslavia on the international scene . Yugoslav sources claim that Slovenia is becoming increasingly isolated because of its extreme policy toward Yugoslavia , so that this might be one of the reasons why it has decided to `` soften '' its attitudes toward Yugoslavia . Official Belgrade has not forgotten `` the extremist , anti-Serbian statements issued by Milan Kucan in Albania '' or the moves made by Slovene statesmen who `` instead of soothing the passions , stirred them up , always to Serbia 's disadvantage . '' After reporters remarked that this relatively negative attitude might negate the unofficial signal from Ljubljana , a Yugoslav diplomat said : `` We do not think that there is only one opinion in Slovenia about Yugoslavia . Slovenia is the former Yugoslav republic that made the greatest effort to harm the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia . I am now speaking about the official Slovene attitude , not about the attitudes of all the politicians , and especially not about the attitudes of the Slovene people . '' Yugoslav diplomats have the impression that there are differences between Milan Kucan , the president of Slovenia , Lojze Peterle , the minister of foreign affairs , and Janez Drnovsek , the prime minister , the last being `` sober , realistic and trustworthy . '' The first signs of a change in the Slovene attitude toward Yugoslavia were noticed during the visit of Karolos Papoulias , the Greek foreign minister , and Vaclav Havel , the Czech president , to Slovenia , in November 1993 . Diplomatic Pirouettes At that time the press carried statements made by Milan Kucan and Lojze Peterle that unquestionably represented a shift in policy toward Belgrade . Kucan said that `` Slovenia never had any conflict with Serbia , '' and Peterle that `` Slovenia would be happy if the conditions for the removal of the sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro were fulfilled . '' At the beginning of December 1993 , Mr. Peterle , the Slovene minister of foreign affairs , made that attitude concrete in a letter to Warren Christopher , the U.S. secretary of state , in which he wrote : `` A possible removal of the sanctions against Yugoslavia is being fully considered since the aims for which they were introduced have not been achieved ... . The European Union initiative makes us hope that the situation in the Balkans can be solved . '' In the view of Slovene political commentators , the softening of the Slovene attitude toward the FRY is a part of the diplomatic tactics the aim of which is to adapt Slovene policy to the policy of the European Union , with which Slovenia is awaiting negotiations about associate membership . Belgrade diplomats agree with this assessment and claim that the first announcement of possible contacts between Yugoslavia and Slovenia were made by arrangement with Germany and Austria . In the focus of Serbian attention now are relations with Croatia , and as far as Slovenia is concerned , the official proposal for the normalization of relations has to be specified first . Single statements and `` diplomatic pirouettes '' are not enough to overcome the present differences , including the Slovene attitude toward Kosovo , the interruption of economic relations , the way Slovene independence was achieved by force , and diplomatic duels on the international scene . -LSB- Box , p 7 -RSB- Jovanovic : `` Slovenia Must Excuse Itself '' `` In order to enter the process of normalization of relations with Slovenia , certain conditions must be fulfilled first , '' Vladislav Jovanovic , FRY minister of foreign affairs , said in a statement for POLITIKA , and added : `` First it is necessary for Slovenia to excuse itself for the rude and impertinent move it made a year ago in refusing the Yugoslav offer of recognizing Slovenia . It is further necessary that the anti-Serbian campaign that Slovenia has been spreading all over the world is ended and that it acknowledges that those who remained in Yugoslavia have the right to self - determination . Apart from that , Slovenia must stop challenging the continuity of Yugoslavia as a state . Slovenia made a mistake by insisting that the FRY be excluded from all international forums . In addition , Slovenia supports the lifting of the arms embargo on the Bosnia - Herzegovina Muslims . There are many situations that prove that Slovenia has a hostile attitude toward Yugoslavia . We are not bothered that Slovenia is an independent state . On the contrary , while we lived together , we had excellent relations . That is why our surprise was great when the turnaround occurred . Yugoslavia is interested in good relations with all of its neighbors -- old and new alike . Slovenia is no exception . We can not account for the hostility that they have shown toward Yugoslavia and toward the people who are living in this region now . Official Slovenia should find ways and means to end this hostility . We are , of course , interested in normal relations between Slovenia and Yugoslavia , but some prerequisites have to be fulfilled , '' Jovanovic concluded his statement .

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slovene attitude


US CITIES along the Gulf of Mexico from Alabama to eastern Texas were on storm watch last night as Hurricane Andrew headed west after sweeping across southern Florida , causing at least eight deaths and severe property damage . The hurricane was one of the fiercest in the US in decades and the first to hit Miami directly in a quarter of a century . In the Bahamas , government spokesman Mr Jimmy Curry said four deaths had been reported on outlying eastern islands . Mr Justin Balcombe , of UK-based insurance adjuster Balcombe Group , said total losses could exceed Dollars 15bn if business interruption claims were taken into account . That compares with the Dollars 4bn-Dollars 6n -LRB- Pounds 2.1bn-Pounds 3.1 bn -RRB- of insurance industry losses caused by the last big US hurricane , Hugo , which hit South Carolina in 1989 . The brunt of the losses are likely to be concentrated among US insurers , industry analysts said yesterday . Mr George Lloyd-Roberts , chairman of Lloyd 's Underwriters ' Non-Marine Association , said that , unless damage claims exceeded Pounds 3bn , the Lloyd 's insurance market would feel little impact . Because the reinsurance of reinsurance risk - known as the retrocession market - has shrunk considerably in recent years , US insurers have placed far fewer of their risks through Lloyd 's . Mr Roger Hill , insurance analyst at Warburg Securities , said he estimated that mainline UK insurers faced no more than Pounds 75m in damage claims so far . ` At the moment we are relaxed about it , ' he said . The real question , he added , is the level of reinsurance available to the UK underwriters . Royal Insurance estimated the company 's losses at no more than Pounds 20m . Among other UK insurers , Mr Hill estimated that General Accident may face losses of up to Pounds 30m , while Guardian Royal Exchange faced Pounds 5m and Sun Alliance and Commercial Union Pounds 10m each . However , Hurricane Andrew gathered fresh strength as it moved across the Gulf of Mexico and there was concern last night that it might head towards New Orleans , which is especially low lying and could suffer severe flood damage . Scientists said the storm could make landfall anywhere between the Alabama port of Mobile and the Louisiana-Texas border , probably tomorrow night or early Thursday . It could threaten the large concentration of offshore oil production facilities in the Gulf of Mexico . Shell Oil was evacuating most of the 900 workers on its offshore platforms as a precaution . A substantial part of America 's oil refining industry is concentrated on the Gulf coast , in Louisiana and Texas , and officials there were reviewing emergency plans to curtail or shut down plant operations . Andrew , the first Caribbean hurricane of the season , hit the eastern coast of Florida early yesterday , gusting up to 165mph . It ripped roofs off houses , smashed cars and trucks , snapped power lines and uprooted trees before heading out over the Gulf . A million people had been ordered to flee their homes in southern Florida as the hurricane moved in from the Bahamas on Sunday . The Florida Power and Light company said that about 1.2 m of its customers , or 32 per cent , were without power . Some of the strongest winds were in the affluent suburb of Coral Gables , just south of Miami , where the National Hurricane Center is located . Its radar and satellite antennae were blown away . President Bush authorised federal disaster assistance for the affected areas and made plans for an inspection tour of the state . Picture , Page 14

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O B I O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

hurricane andrew
southern florida
new orleans
severe property damage
damage claims
insurance industry losses
florida


THE World Bank will link loan volume to the strength of a country 's efforts to fight poverty , according to an operational directive to staff issued today by Mr Lewis Preston , the bank 's president . The link between loans and poverty relief forms part of a new drive to make poverty alleviation the bank 's central mission in the 1990s . The shift in priorities is also reflected in a commitment to make comprehensive assessments of the nature and extent of poverty in the third world , allowing the bank to design more effective policies to fight poverty . In the directive , Mr Preston says poverty reduction is ` the benchmark by which our performance as a development institution will be measured ' . He adds that the new instructions to staff are intended to ` ensure that these policies are fully reflected in the bank 's operations ' . The bank is also publishing a handbook containing examples of past best practice on poverty reduction . The bank says poverty assessments should be available for most developing countries within two years . These would form the basis for a ` collaborative approach to poverty reduction by country officials and the bank ' . The directive signals an attempt to impose a form of ` social conditionality ' on borrowing countries . ` Stronger government commitment to poverty reduction warrants greater support ; conversely , weaker commitment to poverty reduction warrants less support , ' it says . Mr Preston 's emphasis on poverty is a reaction to bank policies in the 1980s , when the aim was to improve economic efficiency in developing countries . The new directive says structural adjustment lending in the past decade ` overshadowed the bank 's poverty reduction objectives ' . The bank is also reacting to new evidence suggesting that the number of poor in developing countries will rise during the 1990s , rather than stabilise as had been expected . Poverty his judge , Page 34

O B I O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

third world
world bank
loan volume
poverty relief
poverty alleviation
poverty assessments
bank policies
poverty reduction objectives


BFN -LSB- Text -RSB- Tokyo -- An F-15 fighter of the U.S. Forces on Okinawa crashed near Kadena Air Base on 4 April . Commenting on the crash , Akira Takeshita , deputy director general of the Defense Facilities Administration Agency -LSB- DFAA -RSB- , said , `` Such a crash should not have occurred and it is very regrettable that the crash actually occurred . '' He also made it clear that shortly after the crash , the DFAA asked the command of the U.S. Forces in Japan -LSB- USFJ -RSB- to take thorough measures for safe management of the U.S. military bases on Okinawa and conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash . The Kadena Air Base public affairs office gave a briefing on the crash and the DFAA released the briefing . The briefing said : An F-15 fighter taking off from Kadena Air Base on a routine training crashed near the air base at 0924 on 4 April . The crashed aircraft belonged to the 44th Fighter Squadron of the 18th Wing and the pilot safely ejected from the aircraft without injuries . A team will begin investigating the cause of the crash and details of the accident will be made public once the investigation is completed . The U.S. military aircraft crashed about 800 meters northeast of a Kadena Air Base runway and the crash site is within the air base 's facilities . Mr. Takeshita said : `` As for the safe management of the U.S. military bases on Okinawa , we have long asked the U.S. side for it . The DFAA immediately expressed regret to the command of the U.S. Forces in Yokota over the crash and the Naha DFAA Bureau expressed regret to the commander of the U.S. Forces on Okinawa . We will continue to ask them to work for the safe management of the U.S. military bases in Japan . ''

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

crash
okinawa
investigation
routine training

f-15 fighter
u.s. forces
u.s. military bases


Cloudy weather Saturday threatened to mar the show for thousands of Finnish and foreign skygazers hoping to glimpse a total solar eclipse in this land of the midnight sun . The weather forecast took a turn for the worse in the evening , when the Finnish Meteorological Services predicted cloudy weather with a chance of showers for eastern Finland on Sunday . In the eastern town of Joensuu , a television news broadcast late Saturday showed it was already cloudy there with a light drizzle falling . The solar eclipse in Finland starts at 4:03 a.m. Sunday -LRB- 9:03 p.m. EDT Saturday -RRB- . At that time , the moon will begin gradually moving between the Earth and the sun . The total eclipse begins at 4:52 a.m. in Helsinki and will last 83 seconds . After the total phase of the eclipse , the moon will move away , uncovering more and more of the sun . The eclipse ends at 5:45 a.m. in Helsinki . About 10,000 people _ including 3,000 foreigners _ have converged on Joensuu , about 50 miles from the Soviet border . There conditions there are considered especially good for viewing the eclipse _ weather permitting . In Helsinki , the total eclipse phase will occur 16 minutes after sunrise , when the sun is only 1 degree above the horizon . At Joensuu , 310 miles northeast of Helsinki , the sun will be 5 degrees above the horizon in the total phase at a better angle for watchers . The sun rises unusually early during summer in the extreme northern latitudes where Finland is located . The sun comes up unusually late during winter . Ten months ago , Joensuu hired an `` eclipse secretary '' to handle arrangements for the expected influx of visitors . But that official , Marjut Cadia , said she had underestimated the interest in the event . `` We completely sold out the 10,000 special eyeglasses we made for this event , and our extra stock is finished too , '' she said in a television interview Saturday . During the past week , newspapers , television and radio have been full of information about solar eclipses , as well as advice for spectators not to stare directly into the sun . Some eclipse viewers wo n't have to worry about the clouds , because they will be above them . Finnair , the national airline , has arranged a dozen special flights for eclipse watchers , and private companies with small planes will provide more . The eclipse will be total in an arc about 125 miles wide from the northern Baltic Sea and southeast Finland , across the Kola Peninsula and northeast Soviet Union , to the Aleutian Islands near Alaska . Scientists will conduct several experiments during the eclipse , including gravity test measurements of the radius of the sun . However , scientific interest in this eclipse has been less than in longer eclipses , such as the seven-minute eclipse seen from northern Kenya on June 30 , 1973 . Seppo Linnaluoto of the Ursa Astronomical Association said the best place for observations of this eclipse will be the northeast Soviet Union . The last total eclipse to be seen in Finland occurred in 1945 .

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total solar eclipse
solar eclipses
finland
watchers
total phase
observations
special eyeglasses


MR HARRY Oppenheimer , whose family effectively controls the Anglo American Corporation of South Africa and De Beers , is to visit Russia next week at a time when the republic is considering a big shake-up in its diamond industry . His visit also comes at a time when the beleaguered diamond industry is rife with rumours about unofficial exports from Russia contributing to the present market turmoil which might force De Beers to cut its dividend payment this year . Some industry observers suggest that the presence in Russia of Mr Oppenheimer , who will be 84 in October , will be timely . ` It appears to be another sign that the former De Beers ' chairman is taking a more active role in guiding the company through its current difficulties , ' says the Diamantaire newsletter today . De Beers said yesterday that the visit by Mr Oppenheimer , accompanied by his son Nicholas , was a private one originally arranged for August last year but postponed because of the coup d'etat in the former Soviet Union . However , it admitted that Mr Oppenheimer would be meeting senior officials from the Russian diamond industry during his stay because he would be going to some of the big mines in Siberia and would be present when De Beers held the formal opening of its Moscow office on September 8 . De Beers ' London-based Central Selling Organisation , which controls about 80 per cent of world trade in rough -LRB- uncut -RRB- diamonds , in 1990 signed a Dollars 5bn , five-year sales contract with the former Soviet Union and at the same time advanced a loan of Dollars 1bn . Diamond stocks were moved from Moscow to London as collateral for the loan . After the break-up of the Soviet Union the contract was continued with Rosalmazzoloto , the Russian gold and diamond organisation , and an exclusive sales agreement was later signed with Yukutia , the area in eastern Siberia where most Russian diamonds are mined and which is now an autonomous republic in the Russian Federation . A CSO spokesman said yesterday : ` The Russian contract is working . Everything is normal . ' Diamantaire points out that the Russian parliament is to consider next month a plan to set up a state diamond centre under the control of the finance ministry and Komdragmet , formerly know as Gokhran , the Moscow depository of diamonds . Reports suggest that the diamond centre would have exclusive rights to buy all rough diamonds mined in the Russian Federation and it would also have a monopoly of sorting gem diamonds . These proposals are being opposed by the Yakut government , which is backing a joint-stock company , Almazy Rossli -LRB- Diamonds of Russia -RRB- , being set up with Mr Valery Rudakov , formerly in charge of Rosalmazzoloto , at its head . Rosalmazzoloto is to be broken up . Almazy Rossli proposes to bring all the diamond industry 's operations under one roof , says Diamantaire . Observers expect Mr Oppenheimer to bring his formidable negotiating skills to bear to ensure that De Beers grip on the diamond market is in no way weakened by any changes in Russia . Meanwhile , the newsletter , which is available only to subscribers to Diamond International magazine , also says that reports in Antwerp suggest that two of the Belgian diamond trading organisations with which the CSO has a special relationship have been punished by temporarily being excluded from the CSO 's ` sights ' or diamond sales . The CSO invites only about 160 privileged merchants to its ten ` sights ' a year in London , Lucerne and Kimberley . Diamantaire says that one of the Belgian organisations has had dealings with Russia for more than 20 years . Diamond International and Diamantaire , from CRU Publishing , 31 Mount Pleasant , London WC1X 0AD , UK .

O B I O O O O O O O O O O B I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

harry oppenheimer
south africa
beleaguered diamond industry
unofficial exports
russian diamond industry
yakut government
rough diamonds
russian diamonds
exclusive sales agreement
de beers
state diamond centre
russian federation

london-based central selling organisation


The 1990 Atlantic hurricane season begins today amid dire warnings that killer storms on the East and Gulf coasts in the last two years may have been harbingers of a new era of destructive storms . The hurricane season runs until Nov. 30 and was ushered in by a tropical depression last week in the Caribbean that brought heavy rain to Cuba and south Florida but did not intensify into a hurricane . Many coastal communities , with swelling populations , are ill-prepared to handle a hurricane emergency , said Robert Sheets , director of the National Hurricane Center . A recent National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report predicts the number of people in seaside counties from Maine to Texas will grow 60 percent , counting from 1960 until 2010 . Some states such as Florida and Texas will experience near 200 percent growth during the period , the report said . `` What we 're looking at is the possibility of greater destruction and greater loss of life , '' Sheets said Thursday . `` We ca n't stop the hurricanes . The only thing we can do is work on better preparedness and emergency planning . '' The aftermath from Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 and Hugo last year taught officials what improvements are needed to better evacuate and protect the estimated 45 million coastal residents from Maine to Texas , Sheets said . `` If the long-term trends are any indication of what 's to come , we are in for more frequent and stronger hurricanes , '' said Sheets . Gilbert killed more than 300 people and caused heavy damage from the Lesser Antilles to Mexico . Hugo killed 28 people in the eastern Caribbean and 29 more in South Carolina and caused a record $ 10 billion in damage . Sheets said the predictions of increased hurricane activity are based on studies of past decades , atmospheric low-pressure waves and increased rainfall trends in West Africa , near the breeding waters for most hurricanes . Hurricane activity started dropping after drought conditions began in the early 1960s in Africa 's Sahel region , he said . Between 1940 and 1969 , the United States was hit by 22 hurricanes with minimum winds of 110 mph . From 1970 to 1989 , there were only eight such storms , including Hugo , Sheets said . `` I hope we do n't catch up this year with the decade of the '40s , '' he said . There are five categories of hurricanes , ranging from Category 1 , which has top sustained winds of 74 mph to 95 mph , to Category 5 , with top winds greater then 155 mph . Both Gilbert and Hugo reached category 5 , according to meteorologist Barry Fatchwell of the National Hurricane Center . Sheets praised most South Carolina officials ' response to Hugo , but said some leaders `` did n't have their proverbial act together '' and lives may have been saved . Also , he said Hugo showed inadequacies in the Emergency Broadcast System and some communities used emergency shelters ill-suited to withstand a powerful hurricane . In the Caribbean , officials have worked to improve communications systems after links were cut by Gilbert .

O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

atlantic hurricane season
destructive storms
hurricane emergency
coastal residents
predictions
hurricane activity
caribbean
hurricane gilbert
hugo


Article Type : BFN -LSB- Editorial Report -RSB- The following is a compilation of reactions to the assassination of Luis Donaldo Colosio Murrieta , presidential candidate for the Mexican Institutional Revolutionary Party , PRI , on 23 March in Tijuana , Baja California . The Colombian Government and several presidential candidates today rejected the assassination of PRI presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio . It has been disclosed that President Cesar Gaviria spoke with his Mexican counterpart Salinas de Gortari by telephone to express his condolences and to support the Mexican Government and people . Dissident liberal candidate Enrique Parejo said the assassination proves once again the serious threat politicians face when they appear at public rallies . Liberal Party candidate Ernesto Samper , who met with Colosio a few weeks ago , regretted the assassination and said that such violence is the result of `` savage capitalism . '' Conservative Party candidate Andres Pastrana also regretted Colosio 's death . -LRB- Hamburg DPA in Spanish 1636 GMT 24 Mar 94 -RRB- Lorenzo Menendez , an expert in Mexican affairs at the Cuban Foreign Ministry , today told PRENSA LATINA that Colosio 's assassination caused shock on the island . He extended his sympathy to the Mexican Government and people and to the Colosio family as well . Such an objectionable action fills us with indignation , Menendez said . The news media widely covered the tragic event . -LRB- Havana PRENSA LATINA 1813 GMT 24 Mar 94 -RRB- The Nationalist Republican Alliance , Arena , the ruling party in El Salvador , today released a communique condemning Colosio 's assassination and expressing solidarity with Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari . Arena repudiated the `` cowardly assassination perpetrated by antidemocratic forces . '' Meanwhile , Ruben Zamora , presidential candidate of the left-wing Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front , National Revolutionary Movement , and Democratic Convergence coalition , at a news conference expressed condolences to the Colosio family and the Mexican Government and people . -LRB- Panama City ACAN in Spanish 1706 GMT 24 Mar 94 -RRB- Venezuelan Foreign Minister Miguel Burelli Rivas today deplored Colosio 's assassination and disclosed that he had officially contacted his Mexican counterpart to express sadness over the incident . Colosio 's assassination was widely covered by Venezuelan news media today . -LRB- Hamburg DPA in Spanish 1639 GMT 24 Mar 94 -RRB-

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O B O B B I I I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B I I I O O O O O O O O B O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

presidential candidate luis donaldo colosio


Nine reservists helping in the U.S. military buildup in the Persian Gulf were among the 13 people killed in the crash of U.S. military cargo plane in West Germany , military authorities said Wednesday . The crash early Wednesday of the huge C-5A transport was the first major accident in the nearly 3-week-old , round-the-clock deployment of U.S. personnel and equipment to the gulf . `` I do n't want to speculate on the cause of this mishap , '' said Brig. Gen. Richard Swope of the 316th Air Division . `` We do n't have any indication as to what the cause of the accident was . '' Four of the 17 people aboard the cargo plane were injured when the massive aircraft tumbled into a field early Wednesday after taking off from Ramstein Air Base , a stopover for many U.S. military flights bound for the gulf region . The plane was bound for Frankfurt carrying medical supplies , food and aircraft maintenance equipment for U.S. troops sent to Saudi Arabia following the Aug. 2 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait , U.S. Air Force officials said . Late Wednesday , the Air Force released the names of the victims . No hometowns were listed . Nine of those killed and one of those injured were reservists with the 433rd Military Airlift Wing from Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio . The four others were stationed at Ramstein or at nearby Hahn Air Base . Listed as dead from the 433rd were Maj. John M. Gordon , pilot ; Maj. Richard W. Chase , pilot ; Sgt. Rosendo Herrera , flight engineer ; Sgt. Carpio Villarreal , flight engineer ; Sgt. Daniel G. Perez , loadmaster ; Sgt. Edward E. Sheffield , loadmaster ; Maj. Richard M. Price , first pilot ; Sgt. Lonty A. Knutson , crew chief ; and Sgt. Daniel Garza , crew chief . Also killed were Capt. Bradley Schuldt and Sgt. Rande Hulec of Ramstein and sergeants Samuel Gardner and Marc Cleyman of Hahn . Listed as injured were Lt. Col. Frederick Arzt and Sgt. Dwight Pettit , both of McChord Air Base in Washington state ; Capt. Cynthia Borecky of England Air Base , Louisiana , and Sgt. Lorenzo Galvan Jr. of the 433rd . The four were hospitalized and reported in satisfactory condition , said Sgt. Rourk Sheehan , spokesman for the Landstuhl Army hospital nearby . The 433rd had not been called to active duty , but some reservists with the wing were voluntarily participating in Operation Desert Shield after arranging time off from their civilian jobs . The plane was from the 60th Military Airlift Squadron from Travis Air Force Base in California and was en route to Rhein-Mein Air Base near Frankfurt , authorities said . It left the Ramstein air base at about 12:30 a.m. and clipped the tops of trees before crashing and breaking apart . Twisted chunks of wings , landing gear , fuselage and other debris were scattered over a wide area . Firefighters were still dousing smoldering sections of wreckage 12 hours after the crash . The weather was hazy but visibility was about one mile , said Swope . He said the aircraft was just over 20 years old , which he said is not uncommon for the C-5 . The accident occurred about six miles from Miesau , where U.S. military authorities have been removing a cache of chemical weapons under an agreement with the West German government . The West German Defense Ministry said in a statement Wednesday the crash posed no danger to the operation . Ramstein , the largest U.S. Air Force base in Europe , is 90 miles west of Frankfurt . The C-5 is the largest transport plane in the Air Force fleet and costs about $ 148 million . It was the first crash of a C-5 in 15 years . On April 4 , 1975 , a C-5B carrying Vietnamese orphans crashed shortly after takeoff near Saigon , killing 172 people . The crash Wednesday occurred a day after the second anniversary of a collision during an air show at Ramstein which killed 70 people .

O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

crash
west germany
massive aircraft
ramstein air base
reservists
major accident
victims

u.s. military cargo plane
c-5a transport


Mexico , where sun worship has passed from ancient civilizations to modern beachgoers , is gearing up early for the day next year when the sun will be blotted out . President Carlos Salinas de Gortari has appointed a Cabinet-level commission to prepare for what astronomers bill as `` the slar eclipse of the century '' on July 11 . Posters have been placed in Mexico City subways promoting the event , and resorts along the eclipse 's path are scrambling to accommodate the expected rush of tourists . `` It 's the most important eclipse in history , '' says Miguel Gil Guzman , secretary-general of the Mexican Astronomical Society . This one will cut a swath across one of the most populous regions of the globe , turning day to night for an estimated 50 million residents in 14 of Mexico 's 31 states . The eclipse path reaches from Hawaii through Mexico to Brazil . The 165-mile-wide path will go dark for almost seven minutes , the maximum length for a total solar eclipse . On July 11 , the moon will pass between the planet and the sun , abruptly swallowing midday 's light , except for a weird glow on the horizon . People from British Columbia to Buenos Aires will experience at least a partial eclipse . Viewing conditions may be poor because of the Latin American rainy season . But the special government commission , Eclipse 1991 , is banking on the clouds to roll in the country 's financial favor . The commission bills the northwestern state of Baja California Sur as the best place to watch because the state has an average of 300 cloudless days a year . Baja California Sur alone plans to spend $ 26.5 million for public safety for eclipse enthusiasts but banks on raking in millions more from tourism . For three years , scientists and astronomy buffs have been staking out turf in Mexico . It will be the last chance to see a total solar eclipse this century . Most hotels along the eclipse route are full for July 11 . Tourism officials are seeking private homes and campgrounds , schools and auditoriums to house the influx . Baja California Sur 's tourist facilities can only handle 120,000 visitors , and 90 percent of that capacity is booked , tourism director Rodolfo Palacios says . The state says at least four ships will pressed into service as floating hotels . Some 13,500 amateur and professional astronomers from the United States , Japan , Soviet Union , China , Canada , England , France and Germany have confirmed reservations . Some tourists have been booked into one hotel even before it is completed . The Pacific coast region of Nayarit is bracing for about 1 million visitors , about double the population . Cuernavaca , 35 miles south of Mexico City , is hosting a geophysicists ' congress during the week of the eclipse . At least one expedition plans to view the show from the 17,887-foot Popocapetl volcano , the country 's second-highest peak . Others plan to see it from boats at sea . An eclipse is an astronomical coincidence . The moon is 400 times smaller than the sun , but because it is 400 times closer to the earth , the smaller body appears to cover the larger one . Rosy rays of light will shoot out around the moon 's edges , forming what astronomers call a corona , or crown . Temperatures will drop at least 5 -LCB- degrees . The stars will come out ; the planets Mercury , Venus , Mars and Jupiter will shine . Streetlights will be triggered on . The National University is developing six half-hour documentaries on eclipses and 10 TV spots on the dangers of looking at the sun , astronomy professor Jesus Galindo says . Since September , the university newspaper has been publishing installments of a book called `` Eclipse '' that will be translated into Indian languages . The government plans to supervise the production of special lenses for viewing an eclipse .

B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O B I O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

total solar eclipse
partial eclipse
slar eclipse
moon
eclipse path
mexico
tourists


CSO -LSB- Article by Anda Mikelsone : `` Number of Tuberculosis Cases in Latvia Increases '' -RSB- -LSB- Text -RSB- Riga , Feb. 4 . There has been an increase in tuberculosis morbidity and mortality during the past year . In comparison with 1992 , tuberculosis morbidity has increased by 14.8 % , and mortality -- by 44 % . The total number of tuberculosis cases in 1993 was 868 , while in the 1992 -- it was 771 . Inta Pavlovska , director of the data processing and registry division of the State Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Center informed DIENA that the increase in tuberculosis morbidity could be related to the poor socioeconomic conditions in the nation , as well as shortcomings in the legislative process . At the present time , there are no laws in Latvia that would require infectious cases of tuberculosis to undergo mandatory treatment . In November of the past year , the Department of Health of the Ministry of Welfare submitted a medical legislative proposal to the Cabinet of Ministers , which would require infectious cases of tuberculosis to undergo mandatory treatment , explained I. Pavlovska . To this day , the proposal to the Cabinet of Ministers has still not been reviewed . At present , Latvia has 11 state tuberculosis hospitals , providing treatment for tuberculosis cases free of charge . The newest of these -- Ceplisi -LRB- in Ogre rayon -RRB- , only started operations in January of this year . Most of the patients there , however , are chronic alcoholics who suffer from tuberculosis .

O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O B O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

tuberculosis cases
tuberculosis morbidity
mortality
mandatory treatment
tuberculosis hospitals


IT

IS

ironic

that

there

is

an

unprecedented

greedy

rush

for

diamonds

by

miners

in

Angola

and

Canada

precisely

at

a

time

when

the

diamond

business

is

in

turmoil

and

questions

are

inevitably

being

asked

about

the

ability

of

the

world

's

most

successful

cartel

to

keep

its

tight

grip

on

the

market

In

Canada

's

Northwest

Territories

the

discovery

of

small

diamonds

some

of

gem

quality

has

sparked

the

biggest

rush

to

stake

mining

claims

in

the

history

of

the

North

American

industry

Stakers

are

using

helicopters

because

each

claim

area

is

so

large

and

prospectors

have

claimed

every

piece

of

land

within

km

-LRB-

miles

-RRB-

of

the

discovery

In

spite

of

all

this

hectic

activity

it

is

very

unlikely

that

anyone

will

find

enough

big

diamonds

to

make

the

development

of

Canada

's

first

diamond

mine

worthwhile

The

odds

in

favour

of

making

a

fortune

are

much

better

for

the

diamond

hunters

in

Angola

More

than

Dollars

of

gem

diamonds

a

day

are

being

smuggled

out

of

that

country

for

sale

in

Antwerp

An

estimated

private-enterprise

diggers

are

at

work

already

and

their

numbers

are

being

swelled

by

a

day

This

rise

of

illegal

mining

particularly

in

the

Cuango

region

which

produces

per

cent

of

Angola

's

diamonds

and

some

of

its

highest-quality

gem

stones

started

in

May

after

the

peace

accord

which

allowed

freedom

of

movement

for

the

first

time

in

years

As

well

as

experienced

miners

many

soldiers

who

could

not

find

civilian

jobs

have

made

their

way

to

the

diamond

areas

The

onset

of

the

dry

season

and

the

fall

in

river

levels

from

the

end

of

May

this

year

has

encouraged

what

De

Beers

the

South

African

group

that

dominates

the

world

diamond

business

describes

as

a

sudden

and

unprecedented

explosion

in

the

supply

of

illicit

Angolan

diamonds

reaching

the

market

Even

though

there

are

so

many

diggers

at

work

questions

are

being

asked

about

whether

there

might

be

more

to

this

explosion

Did

Unita

Angola

's

rebel

movement

build

up

a

stockpile

which

is

now

being

released

Is

Endiama

Angola

's

state-owned

diamond

company

implicated

in

some

way

In

the

murky

world

of

diamond

dealing

such

rumours

abound

De

Beers

probably

knows

the

answers

because

its

intelligence

network

is

remarkable

What

is

also

remarkable

is

that

all

those

scrambling

for

diamonds

in

Angola

or

dropping

out

of

the

skies

to

stake

expensive

claims

in

Canada

take

it

for

granted

that

the

diamond

cartel

will

be

able

to

continue

to

keep

prices

up

and

make

all

their

efforts

worthwhile

The

cartel

has

survived

partly

because

nobody

needs

diamonds

They

are

composed

of

very

hard

carbon

so

they

can

be

useful

for

drilling

holes

in

tough

material

but

there

are

substitutes

for

this

use

Gem

diamonds

are

solely

for

decoration

and

serve

no

useful

purpose

But

the

cartel

has

ensured

that

rough

-LRB-

uncut

-RRB-

diamond

prices

have

risen

steadily

since

the

even

when

in

the

depths

of

the

recession

the

price

of

a

top-quality

one

carat

gem

diamond

slumped

in

the

retail

market

from

Dollars

to

Dollars

The

cartel

is

organised

by

De

Beers

London-based

Central

Selling

Organisation

which

markets

about

per

cent

of

the

world

's

rough

diamonds

Apart

from

De

Beers

own

production

from

Namibia

and

South

Africa

the

CSO

handles

rough

gem

diamonds

from

Angola

Australia

Botswana

Russia

Tanzania

and

Zaire

The

CSO

has

been

mopping

up

as

many

of

the

smuggled

Angolan

diamonds

as

possible

to

stop

havoc

being

created

in

a

business

already

suffering

severely

from

soggy

demand

in

the

US

and

Japan

the

two

biggest

markets

which

share

about

two-thirds

of

demand

between

them

De

Beers

says

that

because

times

are

tough

it

will

probably

have

to

cut

its

annual

dividend

payment

for

the

first

time

since

It

has

also

told

the

producers

to

cut

deliveries

by

per

cent

something

the

CSO

contracts

permit

at

times

of

stress

De

Beers

releases

a

controlled

stream

of

rough

diamonds

to

the

market

through

sights

offered

by

the

CSO

ten

times

a

year

to

about

selected

buyers

They

are

offered

boxes

of

diamonds

each

worth

between

Dollars

and

Dollars

The

contents

are

judged

by

the

CSO

to

balance

the

requirements

of

the

buyers

with

market

demand

Buyers

have

either

to

accept

all

the

diamonds

or

reject

the

box

Mr

Harry

Oppenheimer

whose

family

effectively

controls

both

De

Beers

and

its

sister

group

the

Anglo

American

Corporation

of

South

Africa

was

defending

the

cartel

again

last

week

at

the

formal

opening

of

the

bn

Venetia

diamond

mine

in

the

Transvaal

The

CSO

does

not

and

could

not

run

a

monopolistic

system

he

said

In

bad

times

like

this

I

sometimes

wish

that

we

could

The

fact

is

that

the

level

of

world

diamond

production

which

is

carried

on

in

many

countries

can

not

be

controlled

Diamond

prices

can

not

be

fixed

artificially

but

have

to

be

set

at

a

level

which

allows

production

and

consumption

to

be

equated

What

the

CSO

for

many

years

has

done

successfully

is

to

operate

a

buffer

pool

stocking

diamonds

in

bad

times

and

liquidating

its

stocks

when

demand

is

in

excess

of

the

level

of

supply

In

this

way

it

has

been

able

to

preserve

an

essential

degree

of

stability

in

the

price

of

this

ultimate

luxury

of

gem

diamonds

to

the

common

advantage

of

producers

processors

and

consumers

of

this

unique

natural

product

All

very

altruistic

But

De

Beers

makes

huge

profits

from

its

diamond

business

a

record

Dollars

bn

in

and

more

than

Dollars

last

year

The

cartel

nearly

lost

control

of

the

market

in

the

early

It

was

a

time

of

galloping

inflation

a

weak

dollar

and

low

interest

rates

Merchants

particularly

in

Israel

stockpiled

diamonds

on

borrowed

money

as

a

hedge

against

inflation

and

when

recession

hit

they

had

to

dump

diamonds

faster

than

the

Central

Selling

Organisation

could

mop

them

up

The

CSO

's

diamond

stocks

worth

under

Dollars

in

rose

to

Dollars

bn

by

Hundreds

of

diamond

investment

trusts

and

traders

were

bankrupted

at

that

time

and

Australia

and

Zaire

challenged

De

Beers

near-monopoly

De

Beers

has

taken

good

care

that

merchant

stocks

have

never

again

been

built

for

speculative

reasons

frequently

going

to

the

banks

the

potential

financiers

of

stockpiling

operations

to

educate

them

about

the

way

the

diamond

market

works

After

the

bust

came

boom

Diamond

sales

in

value

terms

jumped

by

per

cent

in

and

another

per

cent

the

following

year

To

cool

the

market

the

CSO

imposed

swingeing

price

increases

per

cent

in

May

and

per

cent

in

March

Underlying

the

boom

was

phenomenal

growth

in

demand

for

diamonds

in

Japan

where

lack

of

living

space

encourages

people

to

display

their

wealth

by

buying

small

but

expensive

items

The

CSO

boosted

the

trend

with

clever

promotion

so

that

today

diamond

engagement

rings

are

regularly

exchanged

in

Japan

whereas

forthcoming

marriages

traditionally

were

celebrated

over

a

cup

of

rice

wine

It

must

be

open

to

question

whether

another

Japan

can

be

found

to

lift

the

diamond

market

as

the

present

recession

ends

But

in

the

meantime

Mr

Julian

Ogilvie

Thompson

De

Beers

chairman

insists

that

the

CSO

's

control

of

the

diamond

market

is

not

slipping

By

mopping

up

Angolan

supplies

we

can

say

that

more

of

the

world

's

rough

diamonds

are

passing

through

the

CSO

than

ever

before

he

says

By

applying

the

deferred

purchases

clauses

in

our

contracts

with

producers

we

are

applying

the

right

medicine

to

ensure

that

demand

matches

supply

and

that

the

diamond

market

will

remain

stable

The

future

of

De

Beers

diamond

operations

in

Namibia

were

discussed

with

the

government

there

yesterday

In

the

past

there

have

been

suggestions

that

CDM

De

Beers

wholly-owned

subsidiary

might

be

at

least

partly

nationalised

CDM

has

diamond

mining

operations

over

a

coastal

area

extending

km

north

of

the

Orange

River

and

recently

brought

the

Auchas

and

Elizabeth

Bay

mines

into

production

Last

year

Namibian

output

reached

m

carats

up

from

ROUGH

DIAMOND

PRODUCTION

-LRB-

MILLION

CARATS

-RRB-

Australia

Zaire

Botswana

CIS

South

Africa

South

America

Angola

Others

Source

Metals

Minerals

Annual

Review

O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

world diamond business
rough diamond production
diamond market
diamond sales
diamond prices
diamond cartel
canada
greedy rush
first diamond mine
diamond hunters


SLOVENES always had at least as much in common with their Alpine neighbours as with their Balkan partners in the former Yugoslavia . Since Slovenia 's declaration of independence in June 1991 , the gap between the peaceful , ethnically homogeneous new republic of 2m people and the war-impoverished rest of former Yugoslavia has widened inexorably . ` We have been very lucky , ' says President Milan Kucan , the wily former communist who led Slovenia 's drive for independence from the Serb - dominated federation . But he , like Mr Janez Drnovsek , the prime minister of Slovenia 's three-pronged coalition government , makes clear that Slovenia suffers economically from the disintegration of Yugoslavia and would be one of the principal gainers from a resolution of the bloody Balkan imbroglio . ` Slovenia 's southern border with Croatia has become the border between peace and war in Europe , ' Mr Kucan declares . A glance at the map shows what he means . At its narrowest point , only a 46 km - long strip of Slovenian coast - line separates Italy from the rest of former Yugoslavia . Austria is insulated from the war-torn regions of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina , both once ruled by the Austrian Habs - burgs , thanks to its own 324 km-long border with Slovenia . But Slovenia would hate to be perceived merely as a convenient cordon sanitaire . The new Karavanke road tunnel beneath the Alps , completed just before the 10-day war between Slovenia and the Yugoslav army which immediately followed indep - endence , has underlined Slovenia 's traditional importance as a transit route . The railways and the motorway leading south through the capital Ljubljana to the Slovenian port of Koper and its Italian neighbour Trieste carry freight and travellers heading to and from central Europe and the Adriatic sea . The highway is also thick with aid trucks and an ever-decreasing volume of ` normal ' cargoes moving south-east towards Croatia . Independence has , above all , brought peace to Slovenia and left it free to implement the kind of rational market reforms and privatisation policies which remain blocked in the republics absorbed and impoverished by war further south . Economists , however , are quick to point out that independence has its costs . Slovenia , with its self - contained infrastructure and proximity to western markets , was always by far the richest republic of the former federation . Its per capita GDP of around Dollars 6,000 was three times higher than that of Serbia and five times that of Kosovo , the poorest region of the former Yugoslavia . Slovenia has always had a strong tourism industry of its own . But it also benefited from the overnight stays of foreign tourists heading further south to Croatia 's Dalmatian coast . Now the once-thriving seaside hotels are filled with discons - olate refugees and Croatia 's main source of hard currency income has disappeared . So have the transit tourists through Slovenia . Above all , Slovene enterprises were able to build up exports to the rest of Europe , thanks to the volume of sales they were able to make in Yugoslavia which virtually gave them a 22m strong domestic market . The UN embargo on trade with Serbia means both the loss of the largest of the former Yugoslav markets and an end to cheap Serbian raw materials and other inputs . These helped restrain costs and improve competitiveness in more demanding hard currency markets . Now Slovenia has to lower real wages and increase productivity in order to compensate . On the positive side of the balance sheet , however , the end of the federal state means that Slovenia no longer has to contribute over Dollars 1bn a year to finance the bloated Yugoslav army or see its hard currency deposits ` frozen ' by the National Bank of Yugoslavia , as happened before independence . Relations with Croatia , Slovenia 's southern neighbour , are generally good but they are complicated by three contentious issues . The first of these is the border itself , which is disputed in parts . The second issue contains Croatia 's share of the running costs of the Krsko nuclear plant on Slovenian territory . The plant was built and financed jointly to supply electricity to both republics but financially hard-pressed Croatia is now reluctant to pay its share of the running costs . The third outstanding issue concerns compensation for the assets of Ljubljanska Banka in Croatia . There is no nostalgia for the old Yugoslavia , which Slovenes tried without success to trans - form into a looser confederal structure . But a mixture of compassion for the suffering of their fellow southern Slavs and economic loss ensures that the Slovene authorities , while categorically ruling out any possibility of resuming old political ties with former Yugoslavia , pray , without much hope , for a quick and lasting solution to the conflict and the resumption of normal economic ties . The war , with its violent and deliberate displacement of millions of people , has and is taking place in the ethnically mixed border lands of Croatia and Bosnia relatively distant from the Slovene border . Both Mr Kucan and Mr Drnovsek , who headed the old revolving Yugoslav state presidency for a year before negotiating the exodus of the federal army from Slovenia in July 1991 , criticise the failure of the west to intervene more forcibly to stop at an early stage what Mr Kucan calls ` the war of aggression waged by Serbia . ' The president is particularly scathing against what he calls the west 's definition of the war in Bosnia as a civil or ethnic war . ` Of course the people who are dying do not care how it is defined . But for the inter - national community it is essential to define it as a war of aggression against a UN - recognised state and draw the appropriate conclusions . It is a tragedy that Bosnia 's elected leader has now been reduced by the international com - munity to merely one of sev - eral ethnic leaders , ' he adds . Preventing the war in parts of former Yugoslavia destabilising Slovenia and scaring off tourists remains a top priority for the new republic . The border with Croatia is now in effect sealed against further immigation after 70,000 refugees , equivalent to 3.5 per cent of the local population , were taken in . Refugees are housed and cared for by local authorities around the country , often in former Yugoslav army barracks , at an annual cost of around Dollars 250m . Many are expected to stay even after the war ends . Meanwhile , the coalition government which emerged from last December 's elections to the national parliament and parallel presidential elections , is determined to use its four-year mandate to complete the transformation of the country into a fully-fledged , market-orientated , multi-party parliamentary democracy . At the core of the government is an alliance between the Liberal Democrats , headed by Mr Drnovsek , which emerged as the largest single party with 25 per cent of seats in parliament , and the Christian Democrats led by Mr Lojze Peterle , the foreign minister . But the coalition also includes the four party ` associated list ' , made up principally of reformed communists . This helps to give the coalition a wider parliamentary base . The inclusion of the ` left - wing ' parties , with their traditional links to workers and the trade unions showed its value last month when they twice gave their assent to a new wages pact designed to reduce real incomes . Independent economists calculate that average real incomes have to fall around 10 per cent from current levels of around DM650 a month if the Slovenian economy is to compete effectively for new markets in the west and attract foreign investment . Both are needed to reverse the rise in unemployment and build on the structural reforms to the banking system and privatisation which are currently under way . The next four years will be crucial . But much has been achieved in the first 20 months of independence - including the establishment of a parliamentary democracy and a virtually convertible independent currency , the Slovene tolar , backed by strong reserves . The new republic is peaceful , internationally recognised and a member of the most important inter - national institutions . By the end of the century it wants to be eligible for full membership of an enlarged European Community . As elsewhere in the region , privatisation and other structural reforms are seen as laying the basis for the development of a self-confident middle class capable of ensuring that the democratic and economic reforms under way in Slovenia become irreversible .

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

former yugoslavia
independence
rational market reforms
privatisation policies
slovene enterprises
normal economic ties
slovenian economy
former federation
slovene border


SQUADS of workers fanned out across storm-battered Louisiana yesterday to begin a massive rebuilding effort after Hurricane Andrew had flattened whole districts , killing two people and injuring dozens more , agencies report from Florida and New Orleans . However , local officials in Florida , hit earlier in the week by the hurricane , were critical of what they called a delay in supplying food , drinking water and other supplies for thousands of people in need . Federal emergency officials acknowledged distribution problems , Transportation Secretary Andrew Card yesterday promised ` dramatic ' improvements within 24 hours and President George Bush last night ordered troops to Florida , without specifying a number . The government estimated it would cost Dollars 20bn-Dollars 30bn to tidy and rebuild in Florida , and to care for residents displaced by the storm . Louisiana state officials said they had no overall count of storm-related injuries but initial estimates reckoned fewer than 100 . The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it was setting aside Dollars 77m to help Louisiana recover . Most of the storm 's fury was spent against sparsely populated farming communities and swampland in the state , sparing it the widespread destruction caused in Florida , where 15 people died . Official estimates in Miami reported that the hurricane had wiped out the homes of one Dade County resident in eight - a quarter of a million people . Andrew had become little more than a strong rainstorm early yesterday , moving across Mississippi state and heading for the north-eastern US . Several of Louisiana 's main industries were affected , including those of oysters and alligators . Wildlife and fisheries secretary Joe Herring estimated a 50 per cent decline in the alligator industry . The cotton and sugar-cane crops were threatened , the state agriculture department said . Most Louisiana oil refineries , however , were barely affected and deliveries of crude oil were expected to resume yesterday .

O O O O O O O B O O O O B I I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

hurricane andrew
florida
louisiana
widespread destruction
massive rebuilding effort
federal emergency


SLOVENIA 'S economic prospects would improve significantly if it could settle its relations with the former National Bank of Yugoslavia -LRB- NBY -RRB- , or central bank , establish new relations with foreign creditors as rapidly as possible , and join the International Monetary Fund and World Bank . Relations with the NBY are complicated . Before Slovenia declared independence , any foreign exchange deposits which Slovene citizens deposited in banks in Slovenia were transferred to the NBY . These deposits amount to Dollars 1.2 bn . In addition , Croatian citizens in neighbouring Croatia also deposited Dollars 465m into Slovene banks in Croatia . Since independence , these accounts have been frozen . Officials at the the Ljubljanska Bank , Slovenia 's largest bank into which the majority of the foreign exchange accounts were originally deposited , are hoping that the the government of Slovenia will guarantee these debts and open up negotiations with the NBY for the eventual return of the deposits . Mr Marko Kranjec , vice-governor of the Bank of Slovenia , or central bank , reckons Slovenes will have to wait years before they can obtain their foreign exchange savings . He says much depends on the negotiations and political atmosphere between Ljubljana and Belgrade . Slovene officials are also anxious to start negotiations on the unallocated Yugoslav federal debt . The federal debt totals Dollars 14.6 bn . Of this amount , Slovenia accepts that its allocated share of that debt is Dollars 1.8 bn . ` We will not renege on repaying this debt , ' said Mr Andrej Klemencic , adviser to Slovenia 's Ministry of Finance . The debt-service ratio is about 40 per cent of Slovenia 's GDP . Last year 's GDP amounted to Dollars 13.5 bn . Mr Jose Mencinger , a member of the board of Slovenia 's central bank , said servicing that debt should not be a problem . ` Last year , our exports totalled Dollars 3.8 bn . That is a decline of only 5 per cent compared to the year before . So , we are not in such a bad position with regard to servicing the debt , ' he said . However , negotiating what share of the unallocated federal debt Slovenia should assume is already proving difficult . The unallocated federal debt - which consists of loans to the NBY , or the federal government which had not been specifically earmarked for projects in any of the six republics of the former Yugoslavia - amounts to Dollars 3.5 bn . Slovene officials say they are committed to repaying its share of the unallocated federal debt . Mr Kranjec says that the Bank of Slovenia has already proposed negotiations on this issue , as well as trying to discuss the status of the NBY 'S foreign exchange reserves , the clearing balances with the countries of the former CMEA socialist trading organisation , and operations of banks . ` This is going to take a long time to settle , ' said Mr Kranjec . He and other Slovene economists now believe that the European Community-sponsored peace conference on Yugoslavia could play a role in negotiating issues related to the debt . Resolution of these issues , and recognition by the US of Slovenia , would speed the republic 's admission to the International Monetary Fund and other financial institutions .

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I I O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B I I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

national bank of yugoslavia
foreign creditors
independence
foreign exchange deposits
slovene banks
slovene citizens
federal government
yugoslavia
unallocated federal debt
negotiations