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 The BBC's Rob Watson"For the last 60 years, Vieques has been one of the Navy's most important training facilities"  real 28k |
US Navy to leave Puerto Rico island
Protesters have been awaiting President Clinton's decision |
United States President Bill Clinton has ordered the gradual withdrawal of US forces from a key bombing range on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, following widespread protests by local residents.
Relations between Washington and Puerto Rico have been strained since a stray Navy bomb killed a civilian during a training exercise earlier this year.
The incident forced the Navy to suspend training on the island and to review its operations there. The result is a series of recommendations from the Pentagon, which have been endorsed by President Clinton.
The president said in a statement: "I understand the long-standing concerns of residents of the island. At the same time, as commander-in-chief, I cannot send our servicemen and women into harm's way if they have not been adequately trained."
US forces have been on the island for decades |
Officials said live-fire training on the island would be stopped immediately. Training would resume on the island next spring but with inert weapons instead of live ammunition unless residents of the island agreed to the resumption of live-fire exercises.
According to Mr Cohen's plan, military training would be reduced to 90 days a year from the current 180 days, and with all training ceasing after the five-year period.
Development incentives
President Clinton has offered to fund a $40m development package for the island if its 9,000 residents agreed to a resumption of live-fire exercises.
Demonstrators have set up camp on the bombing range |
But the Governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro Rossello, who has led calls for the Navy's immediate withdrawal, rejected the offer as "unacceptable for the people of Puerto Rico and the people of Vieques".
He objected to the plan because it meant there was still the prospect that live bombing of Vieques could continue.
 If this is true, then it's a triumph of the people  |
| Ismael Guadelupe, protest leader |
But when a civilian security guard was killed last April by a Marine Corps jet that accidentally bombed his observation post., Puerto Ricans were outraged.
A group of local demonstrators who have been camped out on the bombing range broke into cheers after hearing the news of the phased withdrawal on a battery powered radio.
Ismael Guadelupe, a local fisherman and one of the protest leaders, said: "If this is true, then it's a triumph of the people.
"But the triumph will be complete when they turn over all the lands, clean up the contamination and compensate the people of Vieques for all their years of suffering.
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20 Oct 99 | Americas |
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Puerto Rico stands up to US |
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17 Sep 99 | Americas |
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Puerto Ricans in beach battle with US |
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03 Aug 99 | Americas |
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US navy takes blame for killing |
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12 Nov 98 | Crossing continents |
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Feature: Muddying the waters |
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Presidential Inquiry Report on Military Operations on Vieques |
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Office of the Governor of Puerto Rico |
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The Vieques Times |
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