November 16, 1999 – BBC World Service – News Hour – BBC Radio –
November 16, 1999 – News of conflict this day. From Chechnya came word that Russian forces were continuing their bombardment of the Capitol Grozny and surrounding towns and villages. Russian troops encircling Grozny still made no move toward their threatened ground attack. Meanwhile, thousands of refugees had been arriving in overcrowded camps in the Russian republic of Ingushetia. Reports of overwhelmed foreign aid workers and appeals for humanitarian aid were being sent to the United Nations. At last count, there were two foreign aid workers for some 200,000 refugees.
Over to Indonesia where President Abdurrahman Wahid said a referendum on the future of the troubled province of Aceh could be held as early as seven months time, but rebel leaders rejected the delay and military leaders were against the idea in the first place.
Taiwan expressed a desire to join the World Trade Organization and was stepping up efforts on the heels of Beijing’s admission to the organization. Under the deal reached between Washington and Beijing, China will allow foreign firms to enter several markets that were previously closed, including Telecommunications
And a mood of cooperation and reconciliation between Northern Ireland’s main Protestant party. The Ulster Unionist Party, which wanted to stay within the United Kingdom recognized the right of those who wanted a united Ireland to work for it through democratic channels. It was hopeful sign of a break in the dealock over the peace process.
And that’s a very small slice of what happened in the world as reported on the BBC World Service program, News Hour for November 16, 1999.
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