USA: R J REYNOLDS CHAIRMAN TOBACCO DEAL PRESS CONFERENCE (2) скачать в хорошем качестве

USA: R J REYNOLDS CHAIRMAN TOBACCO DEAL PRESS CONFERENCE (2)

(8 Apr 1998) English/Nat Tobacco companies are not only dropping support for comprehensive legislation in Congress but have vowed to start fighting instead. On Wednesday Philip Morris and Lorillard joined R-J Reynolds in actively opposing a 500 (b) billion-dollar bill to regulate tobacco companies' advertising and marketing practices. The tobacco companies say that 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 at the door of 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 an acceptable comprehensive solution this year." SUPER CAPTION: Steven Goldstone, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, R-J Reynolds 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 whilst publicly praising the concept privately dismantled it piece by piece.This resolution cried out for strong bold political leadership - pressure little was forthcoming." SUPER CAPTION: Steven Goldstone, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, R-J Reynolds 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. The Clinton administration is urging Congress to activate even tougher legislation than the that passed by the Senate committee last week. President Clinton commented during a tour of a Chicago school. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I have been working for two years on this and I don't intend to stop now and I think it has an excellent chance of passing a good piece of legislation to dramatically reduce smoking in young people to save lives and I don't think there is much in it for R-J-R or anyone else to walk away." SUPER CAPTION: U-S President Bill Clinton The committee-passed 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) "I don't think anything is dead I think they had to try and make this move to try and bring Washington back into reality because in fact, we need the industry on board to achieve the goals that everybody says they want." SUPER CAPTION: John P. Coale, Attorney for tobacco litigants The settlement with the states would make cigarette makers pay about 370 (b) billion dollars, but give them protection from future lawsuits. Tobacco stocks showed no immediate reaction to Wednesday's statements. 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...