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

USA: R J REYNOLDS CHAIRMAN TOBACCO DEAL PRESS CONFERENCE

(8 Apr 1998) English/Nat The 300-(b) billion dollar tobacco deal is dead. That's the view on Wednesday of Steven Goldstone, Chairman of R J Reynolds, the U-S company that shares a stake in the 50 (b) billion dollar tobacco industry. Goldstone says that demands for more money by the Clinton administration and Congress are the reason his firm is backing out of the settlement hammered out last June. 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. SOUNDBITE: (English) "The comprehensive settlement failed because the administration whilst publically 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 The blame lies squarely with the White House, says Goldstone, 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) "Three hundred and sixty eight (b)billion dollars that was in the June 20th agreement is apparently not enough to satisfy all the wishes of the Federal Government. The amount has to be doubled or even tripled to pay for all sorts of programmes having nothing to do with kids smoking." SUPER CAPTION: Steven Goldstone, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, R-J Reynolds. And Goldstone says higher cigarette taxes would also punish adult consumers and do more than just cripple the tobacco industry. SOUNDBITE: "Those price increases will destroy the domestic tobacco business and I don't just mean my own company. They are going to put the growers out of business and destroy many communities where those growers live. They are going to hurt badly the thousands of small retailers across the country and they are unfairly going to burden adults who chose to smoke and who can least afford that kind of taxation. SUPER CAPTION: Steven Goldstone, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, R-J Reynolds. CNN reported that other tobacco companies were poised to follow R-J-R's lead and would no longer work towards a comprehensive deal with Congress. The other companies could not be reached for comment. The Clinton administration is urging Congress to enact even tougher legislation than the legislation passed by the Senate committee last week. 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. 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...