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RFE/RL Newsline, Vol. 4, No. 32, 00-02-15Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Newsline Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty <http://www.rferl.org>RFE/RL NEWSLINEVol. 4, No. 32, 15 February 2000CONTENTS[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[C] END NOTE
[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA[01] DASHNAKS SAY ECONOMIC CRISIS THREATENS ARMENIA'S SECURITYIna statement adopted last weekend at the end of a two-week congress, members of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation- Dashnaktsutiun warned that the ongoing socio-economic crisis threatens Armenia's security and statehood, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported on 14 February. The 100 or so delegates from Armenia and the diaspora also warned that Armenia should not give way to what they termed "a diplomatic attack by great- power forces" trying to impose unfavorable conditions for a solution to the Karabakh conflict. Elected to the post of party Bureau "representative," or chairman, was Iranian-born Hrant Markarian, one of several party members arrested following the December 1994 ban on the party's activities. Markarian was tried and convicted in 1997 for illegal possession of arms but amnestied the following year following the advent to power of now President Robert Kocharian (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 9 February 1998). LF [02] AZERBAIJAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER SETS RECORD STRAIGHT ONSECURITY PACTVilayet Guliev has denied proposing that Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey should create a military alliance, according to Turan on 12 February and Interfax on 14 February. "Nezavisimaya gazeta" on 2 February had quoted Guliev as advocating such a pact, and Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ara Papyan on 11 February expressed concern that such an alliance would destabilize and polarize the entire southern Caucasus, according to AP. Guliev explained that his original statement about the presidents of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey all supporting the concept of a stability pact for the Caucasus was misinterpreted. Meanwhile on 14 February, Georgian Foreign Minister Irakli Menagharishvili said Tbilisi is considering the possibility of declaring Georgia a neutral state as one possible means of ensuring its security, Caucasus Press reported. LF [03] NEW AZERBAIJANI MEDIA LAW FINALLY MADE PUBLICTheAzerbaijani state press has finally published the full text of the country's controversial new media legislation, which was signed into law by President Heidar Aliev in December, Turan reported on 14 February. The final version of the law does not include amendments that the Council of Europe proposed, arguing that the original draft contained provisions that violate international guarantees of freedom of expression. Both Azerbaijani and international journalists' organizations had criticized the original draft, which empowers local authorities to withdraw publications from sale without first obtaining a court ruling. LF [04] TWO AZERBAIJANI OIL OFFICIALS DETAINEDTofik Akhundov, whoheads the division of Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR responsible for main-stream pipelines, and his deputy, Rizvan Vahabov, were detained late last week on suspicion of the illegal sale of crude oil in 1993-1995, Turan and RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service reported on 14 February. Vahabov played a key role in 1993 in ensuring the return to Baku of then Nakhichevan Supreme Council chairman and current President Heidar Aliev. LF [05] AZERBAIJANI, GEORGIAN PRESIDENTS PLEDGE SUPPORT FOR BAKU-CEYHANSpeaking in Washington on 14 February at the start of an official visit, President Aliev said that Azerbaijan will begin construction of the planned Baku-Ceyhan export pipeline for Caspian oil "very soon," AP reported. To date, it is not clear who will provide the estimated $2.4 billion needed for the project. In Tbilisi, Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze told Georgian national radio the same day that Georgia "will meet all its commitments" with regard to building that pipeline, according to Interfax. Arriving in Baku on 14 February for talks on the pipeline project, Georgian Foreign Minister Menagharishvili played down the unresolved dispute over Georgia's demand that it receive $0.20 in transit fees per barrel for oil pumped through the Georgian stretch of the pipeline. LF [06] TBILISI METRO EXPLOSION NOT A TERORIST ATTACKGeorgianpolice said on 14 February that the explosion at a Tbilisi metro station earlier that day that injured several people was caused by a home-made hand grenade thrown by a teenager, Caucasus Press reported. Police are investigating the incident, but no arrests have yet been made. LF [07] KYRGYZ OPPOSITION PROPOSES POSTPONING PARLIAMENTARY POLLMeeting in Bishkek on 14 February, representatives of theopposition Ar-Namys (Honor) Party, El (Bei-Bechara), the Republican Party, the Labor-Popular Party and a coalition of NGOs appealed to the government to postpone the parliamentary elections scheduled for 20 February, RFE/RL's bureau in the Kyrgyz capital reported. None of the parties to the appeal has been registered to contest the poll, which they suggest should be held concurrently with the presidential election due in December (see "End Note" below). Also on 14 February, an unnamed member of the Ar-Namys leadership told RFE/RL's Bishkek bureau that Kyrgyz government officials and members of the presidential administration will be sent to rural areas to help ensure the election victory of pro-government candidates. LF [08] NEW UZBEK DEFENSE MINISTER NAMEDPresident Islam Karimov on14 February appointed Lieutenant General Yurii Agzamov to the post of defense minister, Interfax reported. Agzamov, who is 50, previously served as deputy defense minister and commander of the south-western special military district. He replaces Khikmatulla Tursunov, who failed to retain his post when Karimov named his new cabinet last week (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 14 February 2000). Also on 14 February, the U.S. delivered to Tashkent 12 military transport vehicles worth $2.65 million, the first such U.S. government-funded sale of U.S. military equipment to Uzbekistan, Reuters reported. LF [B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE[09] EU SUSPENDS BAN ON FLIGHTS TO SERBIAEU foreign ministersagreed in Brussels on 14 February to suspend for six months the ban on flights to and from Serbia. The ministers also approved a series of measures aimed at making it more difficult for the Serbian elite to travel abroad and "visit their bank accounts," London's "The Independent" reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 10 February 2000). The moves come in response to long-standing requests from the Serbian opposition to lift the flight ban and other sanctions. The opposition argued that ordinary Serbs will be harder hit by the ban than will the regime. The opposition also said that a relaxation of the sanctions would show Serbian voters that the opposition is able to bring benefits to Serbia from Brussels. In Belgrade on 14 February, several opposition spokesmen greeted the decision to suspend the flight ban. PM [10] BELGRADE AIRPORT SET TO RESUME FLIGHTSOfficials at Belgradeairport said on 14 February that flights can resume within 10 days. The first routes to reopen will be those to Amsterdam, Zurich, Frankfurt, and Rome, RFE/RL's South Slavic Service reported. Observers note that Belgrade-bound air travelers in recent months have had to fly via Montenegro or Banja Luka or else come by bus from Hungary or other neighboring countries. PM [11] SERBIAN AUTHORITIES CLOSE MONTENEGRIN AIRPORTThe Yugoslavstate Tanjug news agency reported on 15 February that Montenegro's small Tivat airport has been temporarily closed "for technical reasons." Reuters quoted Montenegrin media as saying that federal air traffic authorities ordered the closure after monitoring the presence of NATO aircraft in the area. The airport will reopen on 16 February. In the meantime, Montenegro airlines must reroute its civilian flights to Rome, Frankfurt, Zurich, and Ljubljana. PM [12] YUGOSLAV ARMY DENIES HAVING PARAMILITARIES IN MONTENEGROTheGeneral Staff said in a statement in Belgrade on 14 February that the army has no paramilitary forces in Montenegro (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 24 January and 2 February 2000). The document called recent charges to that effect made by several Montenegrin politicians and former army officers "inaccurate and malicious," RFE/RL's South Slavic Service reported. The statement added that all formations controlled by the army, including the military police, have been set up "completely according to the rules." PM [13] SERBIAN INDEPENDENT MEDIA TO BOYCOTT SESELJRepresentativesof Serbia's leading independent and private media announced in Belgrade on 14 February that they will no longer report remarks by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Vojislav Seselj and officials of his Radical Party. The move comes in the wake of statements by Seselj that independent journalists should be careful lest they be "liquidated" (see "RFE/RL Balkan Report," 15 February 2000). PM [14] FRENCH PEACEKEEPERS STOP AMBULANCE FULL OF ARMSGeneralPierre de Saqui de Sannes said in Kosovska Mitrovica on 15 February that French KFOR troops stopped an ambulance full of arms and ammunition at a checkpoint. The driver escaped. Reuters reported that the peacekeepers found "10 RPG-7 rocket- propelled grenades, 183 hand grenades, and thousands of rounds of 7.62 millimeter bullets for rifles or machineguns" in the vehicle. NATO is investigating where the ambulance might have come from and where it might have been heading. Elsewhere, French Captain Cedric Dujardin said that his troops "flushed out" two snipers who had been firing at them. One sniper was Albanian, the other Serbian, he added. PM [15] NATO WARNS KOSOVARSSpeaking in Brussels on 14 February,NATO Secretary-General Lord Robertson said in the wake of recent violence in Mitrovica: "Let there be no doubt: KFOR will not tolerate attacks on its forces by anyone. The robust response of KFOR soldiers is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our determination to protect our forces and stop the perpetrators of violence," Reuters reported. He added: "I would remind all parties...that it was NATO that put an end to organized ethnic cleansing and has worked to restore peace and stability for all ethnic groups in the province," AP reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 14 February 2000). Near Mitrovica, local ethnic Albanian leader Halit Barani said at the funeral of a former Kosova Liberation Army fighter killed by KFOR that the French troops are "the same as the Serbian soldiers." PM [16] EU HAILS CROATIAN GOVERNMENT PROGRAMAfter meeting withCroatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan in Brussels on 14 February, EU foreign ministers hailed his government's program. The ministers also called on EU experts to prepare studies that could lead to talks between Zagreb and Brussels on "bringing Croatia closer to the EU." EU Commission President Romano Prodi said that it is "too soon" to set a time table for talks between the EU and Croatia but that he will formulate one at the earliest possible opportunity, AP reported. Racan told a press conference that all refugees are welcome to return home regardless of their ethnic background. He stressed that the government represents all citizens. The EU's Javier Solana said to Racan: "We are going to help your country.... But I would also like to underline that this change in Croatia...is a signal for the region as a whole," Reuters reported. PM [17] ROWDY CELEBRATION IN ZAGREBThousands of boisterous fanscelebrated the return of the name "Dinamo" to Zagreb's leading soccer team on 14 February. Some 10 years ago, the late President Franjo Tudjman forced the club to change its name to "Croatia," despite energetic protests from the fans. Observers note that the return of the old name is but one more example of how Croats have quickly turned their back on Tudjman's legacy (see "RFE/RL Balkan Report," 28 January 2000). PM [18] IZETBEGOVIC HEADS BOSNIAN PRESIDENCYMuslim leader AlijaIzetbegovic assumed the rotating chair of Bosnia's joint presidency on 14 February. He replaces the Croat Ante Jelavic. Elsewhere in Sarajevo, the international community's Wolfgang Petritsch told a conference that corruption is the biggest obstacle to the successful implementation of the Dayton peace agreement. PM [19] ROMANIAN GOVERNMENT SETS LOCAL ELECTION DATEPrime MinisterMugur Isarescu, speaking on television on 13 February, said the government has set 4 June as the date for local elections. The runoffs are to be held on 18 June. The parliament has yet to pass the necessary legislation for the ballot. Isarescu also announced he plans to reduce personnel in several ministries in a bid to save some $200 million, which will be channeled primarily to the Education Ministry. Also on 13 February, the government said it has managed to divert 0.5 percent of GDP to that ministry's budget and thus meet the 4 percent of GDP required by the law and demanded by striking teachers. But the teachers said their strike will continue until they receive "credible proof" that the transfer has taken place. MS [20] HUNGARIAN ENVIRONMENT MINISTER IN ROMANIAPal Pepo on 14February visited the Aurul gold mines in Baia Mare, from where cyanide spilled into a tributary of the Tisa (Tizsa in Hungarian) River (see above), affecting also the River Danube, RFE/RL's Bucharest bureau reported. He said it may take as long as 10 years to re-establish the ecological balance in the area. Foreign Minister Petre Roman said the incident has "gravely affected Romania's image" abroad and that Romania will ask for international aid to deal with the disaster and prevent similar occurrences in the future. EU Commissioner for the Environment Margot Wallstrom is visiting the affected area on 15 February. MS [21] MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT SAYS 'INTER-STATE UNION' WITH ROMANIA NOTLEADING TO EU...Petru Lucinschi believes that the National Liberal Party's (PNL) recent initiative to set up an "inter- state union" with Romania modeled on the Russia-Belarus union will not promote EU membership. The PNL said such a union might assist in Moldova's bid to become a member of the EU once Romania is admitted into the organization. Presidential spokesman Anatol Golea on 14 February said Lucinschi is ready to consider any measure that would advance that goal, but he noted that for the time being Moldova cannot meet EU membership criteria. Golea said the lowest per capita GDP among EU members is that of Greece, at $2,000, while Moldova's per capita GDP last year was less than $300. MS [22] ...ASKS ROMANIA TO BE STRICTER IN GRANTING CITIZENSHIPIn aninterview on Moldovan Television, Lucinschi said on 14 February that he has asked the Romanian authorities to be "more strict" when granting citizenship to Moldovan nationals. Lucinschi said Foreign Minister Nicolae Tabacaru, acting on his behalf, drew the attention of Bucharest's ambassador to Chisinau to the fact that the Moldovan Constitution does not allow double citizenship. Lucinschi said "solutions will be sought" to this problem in the future, Romanian Radio reported. Unofficial figures put the number of Moldovans with Romanian citizenship at some 300,000. MS [C] END NOTE[23] BACKTRACKING IN BISHKEKby Liz FullerOn 20 February, Kyrgyzstan will hold parliamentary elections that look set to demolish the myth that the country is a small oasis of democracy in authoritarian Central Asia. True, Kyrgyzstan's President Askar Akaev has pledged repeatedly that the poll will be free and fair. But on the basis of dubious court rulings, the Central Electoral Committee has barred two major opposition parties from participating. Kyrgyz NGOs, for their part, have gathered extensive evidence of restrictions on opposition access to the state-run media and of harassment by local officials of individual opposition candidates. The National Democratic Institute and the OSCE last week both issued statements expressing concern at what they termed unfair and unjustified restrictions on the election process. The Kyrgyz authorities' reluctance to risk a free poll derives less from the perceived need to contain a pernicious rival political ideology than from the desire to retain power. By contrast, for the overwhelming majority of the country's 4.8 million inhabitants, the sole issue at stake is survival in conditions of increasing economic hardship. According to a UN Development Program study released last month, 55 percent of Kyrgyzstan's population live below the poverty level. Local observers calculate that up to 1 million people have no fixed employment and live from shuttle trade. Some 3,000 young people congregate each morning in a Bishkek street known as "the slave market" in the hope of finding casual work. Even those fortunate enough to have jobs find it difficult to make ends meet. The minimum monthly salary is about 100 soms ($2.2), while the monthly minimum subsistence level is 10 times higher. Social benefits are symbolic--the basic pension is also about 100 soms but is rarely paid promptly--and as of December 1999, the Kyrgyz government owed some $2.5 million in unpaid pensions. Nor is there any prospect of a swift improvement in the economic situation. Kyrgyzstan's foreign debt now stands at $1.4 billion, the equivalent of annual GDP, of which $87 million must be repaid this year (that sum is equal to 44 percent of projected budget expenditure). The top priority for increased budget spending is not the social sector but the military, in the hope of precluding a repeat of last summer's humiliating incursions and abductions by Islamic guerrillas based in Tajikistan. Given the dimensions of the economic crisis and its impact on the population, it is hardly surprising that the authorities sought to preclude the participation in the parliamentary elections of those parties giving priority to social justice. In December, a Bishkek district court ruled that the El (Bei Bechara) Party (the Party of the Oppressed), which is the country's second-largest after the Communist Party, cannot participate in the elections, as its original statutes did not mention that objective. The party's appeals against that ruling were rejected, several of its leading members were offered lucrative diplomatic or government posts, and a court case was brought against its leader, Daniyar Usenov. The Central Electoral Commission initially registered the opposition Party of the Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan, but that registration is in doubt since a Bishkek court ruled that the party's January congress, which drew up the list of the party's candidates to contend the 15 seats in the 60-strong lower house of the new legislature, was illegal. Heading the party's list was one of the country's most influential and popular opposition politicians, former Bishkek Mayor Feliks Kulov. Kulov resigned from that post in April 1999 to protest what he termed President Akaev's tolerance of illegal and anti-democratic activities by unnamed members of his entourage, and he founded his own political party, Ar-Namys (Honor), which is already the third-largest in Kyrgyzstan. Under the existing electoral law, however, Ar-Namys does not qualify to participate in the polls as it was formally registered with the Justice Ministry less than 12 months before the elections. Kulov's campaign to have Russian designated a state language in Kyrgyzstan would have guaranteed him the support of much of the country's estimated 700,000 ethnic Russians. Nine political parties and two blocs remain registered to contend the poll. Of those, four parties are in opposition to the government and three are moderate, while two parties and both blocs are unequivocally pro-government. In addition, 239 candidates registered to contend 45 seats in single- mandate constituencies in the lower house and another 216 to compete for 45 seats in the upper house. But of those 455, 37 have been struck off the list for failing either to provide income declarations or to meet the minimum residence requirement in the district where they intended to run. The use of the courts to bar opposition candidates and parties on the basis of either fabricated evidence or minor technical infringements is convenient insofar as it is adduced by government representatives as evidence of the independence of the three branches of power. In late January, presidential press secretary Osmonakun Ibraimov told RFE/RL that the administration has refrained from "interfering" in the work of the Central Electoral Commission precisely in order to preclude charges of undemocratic meddling in the election process. But that approach ultimately reflects poorly on Kyrgyzstan's image. It also raises the question, touched on by Kulov last year, of whether President Akaev is in control of the situation, or whether, as some Russian journalists have suggested, he is being manipulated by members of his entourage and immediate family, including his Kazakh son-in- law. Even if, as seems likely, the majority of parliamentary deputies elected on 20 February support the present leadership's policies, Akaev will face a second test of his popularity in the presidential poll later this year. Potential challengers include Kulov and Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan leader Absamat Masaliev--that is, if they are not barred from running. 15-02-00 Reprinted with permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
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