USA: TOBACCO COMPANIES VOW TO FIGHT TROUBLED TOBACCO DEAL (2) скачать в хорошем качестве

USA: TOBACCO COMPANIES VOW TO FIGHT TROUBLED TOBACCO DEAL (2)

(9 Apr 1998) English/Nat Tobacco companies are not only dropping support for comprehensive legislation in the United States Congress, but have vowed to start fighting instead. Philip Morris and Lorillard are joining R-J Reynolds in actively opposing a 500 (b) billion dollar bill to regulate tobacco companies' advertising and marketing practices. The tobacco companies say Washington is turning a settlement with the states into a cash cow. U-S President Clinton and congressional leaders said they would press forward to pass a law to discourage youngsters from smoking - by raising the costs. The man who controls the fate of R-J Reynolds' share of the multi-billion dollar tobacco industry made it clear on Wednesday just where his company stands on the troubled tobacco deal. After days of speculation that R-J Reynold's was having second thoughts, Chairman Goldstone said the deal is indeed off. He laid the blame squarely with the White House, for seeking to undermine the deal reached on June 20th last year. SOUNDBITE: (English) "The extraordinary settlement reached on June 20th last year that could have set the nation on a dramatically new and constructive direction is dead, and there is no process which is even remotely likely to lead to a acceptable comprehensive solution this year." SUPER CAPTION: Steven Goldstone, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, R-J-R Nabisco Congress is also to blame, says Goldstone, for what he called a "taxing frenzy." The hikes in cigarette taxes sought by lawmakers, he says, unfairly target tobacco makers. SOUNDBITE: (English) "The comprehensive settlement failed because the administration, while publicly praising the concept, privately dismantled it piece by piece." SUPER CAPTION: Steven Goldstone, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, R-J-R Nabisco On a trip to Chicago, President Clinton pointed toward concerns about teenage smokers as a reason to keep pressing for a tobacco deal. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I think it's a big mistake. I think they ought to reconsider this. I'm not trying to put them out of business, but I am trying to put them out of the business of selling tobacco to children, and I think that if I were them I would reconsider, and I 'd be a part of this. I think this is a huge mistake." SUPER CAPTION: Bill Clinton, U-S President Other tobacco companies are now thought to be poised to follow R-J-R's lead and would no longer work towards a comprehensive deal with Congress. But R-J-R's Goldstone has credited Arizona Senator John McCain for at least trying to shepherd a tobacco package through his Senate Commerce Committee. McCain said on Wednesday that Congress could still take action to reduce teenage smoking without industry support. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I'm not surprised at all. The tobacco companies complained bitterly all the time we were developing this package. We will move forward. The American people expect us to, and because one tobacco company has decided that they can't go along, then we cannot be even slightly affected by that, otherwise the tobacco companies then dictate the terms of the agreement." SUPER CAPTION: Senator John McCain, Republican, Arizona The committee bill would force tobacco companies to pay 506 (b) billion dollars over 25 years and curb advertising that critics say helps lure teens to smoke. With momentum gathering behind harsher terms, tobacco companies have repeatedly threatened to walk away from any deal. Experts say that could be bad news. SOUNDBITE: (English) SUPER CAPTION: John Coale, Attorney for tobacco litigants Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...