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RFE/RL Newsline, Vol. 4, No. 185, 00-09-25Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Newsline Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty <http://www.rferl.org>RFE/RL NEWSLINEVol. 4, No. 185, 25 September 2000CONTENTS[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[C] END NOTE
[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA[01] ARMENIAN CLERIC CALLS FOR DIALOGUE WITH TURKEYPatriarch Mesrop II of Istanbul expressed concern on 22 September that the endorsement the previous day by a sub-committee of the U.S. House of Representatives of a bill that characterizes the 1915 murder of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians in Ottoman Turkey as genocide could negatively impact on Armenian-Turkish relations, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported. The involvement of parliaments of third countries is "not pleasing" and "no substitute" for a dialogue between Armenia and Turkey on the implications and aftermath of those killings, the patriarch said in a statement. Turkish Minister Bulent Ecevit on 22 September characterized the vote as a "sad and ugly event" precipitated by the acts of "irresponsible politicians." Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer urged the Clinton administration to make more efforts to block the bill's passage. Azerbaijan opposition politicians Ilyas Ismailov and Isa Gambar have both condemned the bill, Turan reported on 23 September. LF[02] CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY DELEGATION VISITS ARMENIAA Chinese Communist Party delegation headed by foreign relations division head Xiai U met in Yerevan on 22 September with Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markarian to discuss bilateral economic cooperation, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported. Particular attention was paid to the planned launch of a Chinese synthetic rubber factory that will draw on the expertise of the Armenian chemical plant Nairit, the largest producer of synthetic rubber in the USSR. The two sides also discussed possible Chinese involvement in the construction of the planned gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia. Both projects are to be discussed in greater detail when Markarian visits Beijing later this year. LF[03] NATO SECRETARY-GENERAL POSTPONES VISITS TO ARMENIA, AZERBAIJANArmenian officials said in Yerevan on 22 September that Lord Robertson has postponed indefinitely a visit to Armenia scheduled for 28-29 September, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported. The reason cited for that decision was the need for Robertson to remain in Brussels for the duration of the Yugoslav presidential elections. But Robertson is scheduled to arrive in Tbilisi on 25 September to attend a conference there, although his planned visit to Baku on 26-27 September has also been postponed, Turan reported on 22 September. Azerbaijani presidential administration official Novruz Mamedov denied that Robertson had cancelled his visit to Azerbaijan because President Heidar Aliev is currently abroad. LF[04] AZERBAIJANI PROSECUTOR CALLS DEMANDS LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR ISLAMIC MILITANT LEADERAzerbaijan prosecutor Halid Tahmazov on 22 September called for a life sentence for Mubariz Aliev, leader of the Jeyshullah (Allah's Army) organization, and for prison terms ranging from four to 15 years for other members of that organization, Interfax and Turan reported. Thirteen Jeyshullah members went on trial last month on charges of murder and committing terrorist acts (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 30 August 2000). LF[05] GEORGIAN PRESIDENT HINTS AT CONCESSIONS TO RUSSIA OVER MILITARY BASEIn his traditional Monday radio address on 25 September, Eduard Shevardnadze said Tbilisi is ready to negotiate with Moscow on designating the Russian military base at Gudauta a facility for use by the CIS peacekeeping forces deployed in Abkhazia, Caucasus Press reported. Under an agreement signed on the sidelines of the OSCE Istanbul summit last November, Moscow undertook to withdraw its equipment and forces from Gudauta by 1 July 2001. But at talks in June on the timetable for the withdrawal of Russian troops from all four Russian bases in Georgia, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov proposed that the Gudauta base be handed over to the CIS peacekeeping force (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 26 June 2000). That force is composed entirely of Russian troops. A Georgian Foreign Ministry spokesman said in July that Tbilisi would not agree to Klebanov's proposal (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 17 July 2000). LF[06] AZERBAIJAN REJECTS OSCE CRITICISM OF ELECTION REGISTRATIONAzerbaijan's Central Electoral Commission on 23 September dismissed a statement by the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights expressing "extreme concern" that seven political parties have been barred from contesting the 5 November parliamentary poll under the proportional system, AP reported. In each case, the commission claimed that the party had submitted fewer than the required minimum 50,000 valid signatures in its support (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 21 and 22 September 2000). Commission member Gusein Pashaev said that the OSCE statement was based on "non- objective, unconfirmed information distributed by opposition parties." LF[07] TURKISH INTERIOR MINISTER VISITS GEORGIASadetin Tantan and his Georgian counterpart, Kakha Targamadze, signed an agreement in Tbilisi on 22 September on cooperation in combating organized crime, smuggling, and drug-trafficking, Caucasus Press reported. Targamadze endorsed Tantan's proposal to convene a meeting of interior ministers from South Caucasus and Central Asian states to discuss drafting a common strategy in the fight against organized crime. Tantan also met with Georgian President Shevardnadze to discuss regional security and security guarantees for Turkish investments in Georgia. Tantan told journalists that Turkey will provide Georgia with aid to counter the damage inflicted by this summer's severe drought. LF[08] ANOTHER DISPLACED PERSONS' ORGANIZATION ISSUE ULTIMATUM TO GEORGIAN LEADERSHIPA spokesman for the Party for the Liberation of Abkhazia, which was formed in 1999 by Tamaz Nadareishvili, chairman of the Tbilisi-based Abkhaz parliament in exile, said in Tbilisi on 22 September that the party will stage mass protests if the Georgian leadership does not begin the repatriation of Georgian displaced persons to Abkhazia by 15 December, Caucasus Press reported. He accused the Georgian government of failing to take any concrete steps to bring the breakaway Republic of Abkhazia back under its control. On 20 September, the Union of Displaced Persons had similarly called on the Georgian leadership to expedite a settlement of the Abkhaz conflict (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 21 September 2000). LF[09] GEORGIAN SPOKESMAN DENIES AVOIDING DIRECT TALKS WITH ABKHAZ LEADERSHIPForeign Ministry spokesman Avtandil Napetvaridze on 22 September rejected Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov's allegation the previous day at the UN General Assembly in New York that rather than embark on direct talks with the Abkhaz leadership, Tbilisi is relying on international organizations to mediate a solution to the Abkhaz conflict, Caucasus Press reported. A meeting between President Shevardnadze and Abkhaz President Vladislav Ardzinba has been under discussion for almost two years, but Shevardnadze has repeatedly said there is no point in his meeting with Ardzinba, except to sign documents finalizing the repatriation process and on restoring the Abkhaz economy. LF[10] REGISTRATION OF KYRGYZ PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ENDSThe Central Electoral Commission formally registered two further presidential candidates on 22 September, one day before the registration deadline expired, RFE/RL's Bishkek bureau reported. The two are human rights activist Tursunbek Akunov and parliamentary deputy Tursunbai Bakir Uulu. The four remaining candidates in the 29 October poll are incumbent President Askar Akaev, Social-Democratic Party chairman Almaz Atembaev, People's Party leader Melis Eshimkanov, and Omurbek Tekebaev, leader of the Ata-Meken party and deputy speaker of the lower parliamentary chamber. LF[11] RUSSIAN BORDER GUARDS CLOSE CHECK-POINT ON TAJIK-AFGHAN BORDERThe Nizhnii Pyandzh border crossing between Afghanistan and Tajikistan was closed "temporarily" on 24 September after Taliban forces made further territorial gains in northern Afghanistan, taking the towns of Hazarbag and Hojagar, the capital of Tahor province, Interfax reported. Major- General Sergei Zhilkin, who commands the Russian Border Guard force deployed on the Afghan-Tajik frontier, told journalists in Dushanbe on 23 September that no large groups of refugees have yet attempted to cross from Afghanistan into Tajikistan to escape the fighting. Speaking to Western journalists in Dushanbe on 21 September, Tajikistan's Foreign Minister Talbak Nazarov stressed the threat posed to stability in Tajikistan by Afghanistan, Reuters reported. Nazarov again denied that any fighters from the banned Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan are based on Tajik territory. LF[12] OLYMPIC MEDAL COUNT--PART 1 COUNTRIESThrough 24 SEPTEMBER CountryGoldSilverBronzeTotal Russia14141947 Georgia0022 Azerbaijan1001 Kyrgyzstan0011 Armenia0011 Kazakhstan0000 Tajikistan0000 Turkmenistan0000 Uzbekistan0000[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE[13] KOSTUNICA CLAIMS VICTORY IN FIRST ROUND OF YUGOSLAV VOTEVojislav Kostunica, who is the opposition's joint candidate for the Yugoslav presidency, said in Belgrade on 25 September that he won the election the previous day with more than 50 percent of the vote. Unofficial vote tallies confirmed Kostunica's statement, which, if borne out by the final results, will render a second round on 8 October unnecessary. Elsewhere in the Serbian capital, however, Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic said that Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic won re- election. The Federal Election Commission ended its preliminary counting earlier than expected on 24 September and went home for the night. British Balkan expert Tim Judah told the BBC that this was a sign that the regime realizes it has lost the election by a large margin. It is not clear when partial or full official returns will be available. PM[14] EU WARNS MILOSEVIC NOT TO STEAL YUGOSLAV VOTEThe EU said in a statement in Brussels on 25 September that Kostunica appears to be the winner. It added that "it is clear that any attempt by Milosevic to declare himself the victor would be fraudulent," Reuters reported. In London, Foreign Minister Robin Cook congratulated Kostunica and "the people of Serbia," the BBC reported. Cook noted that Milosevic did not carry even a single precinct in his native Pozarevac, adding that the magnitude of Milosevic's defeat nationwide is "too great for him to hide." The British minister stressed that Milosevic should leave office peacefully. In Vienna, OSCE Chairwoman and Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner said in a statement that "claims of victory by pro- Milosevic forces are not credible. These elections were far from democratic, but despite reports of widespread fraud and intimidation, the will of the people for change has been overwhelming," Reuters reported. PM[15] SERBIAN, YUGOSLAV VOTE MARRED BY IRREGULARITIESInternational media reported on 25 September that it is difficult to obtain a complete picture of the previous day's election because the authorities limited the number of election monitors and journalists admitted to Serbia to observe the voting, especially outside Belgrade. Observers agree that there was a large turnout. The two main problems were a lack of privacy and a lack of supervision of the voting and the tallying. In some state-owned enterprises, workers marked and cast their votes under the eyes of their bosses. At some polling places, voters handed their ballots to election workers, who placed them in the ballot boxes only later. Reports from Kosova suggested that many precincts received ballots that were already marked or voting lists containing names of fictitious or dead people. Some precincts reported turnouts of nearly 100 percent. Some reports from regions outside Belgrade suggested that some individuals voted up to 10 times, VOA reported. PM[16] DID SERBIAN OPPOSITION PREVENT MASS VOTE-RIGGING IN KOSOVA?Opposition spokesman Dragisa Djokovic told AP in Mitrovica on 24 September that "the elections were not conducted in an atmosphere of tolerance" or in keeping with standard rules and procedures. He stressed, however, that opposition monitors nonetheless "prevented" the massive vote fraud that many opposition supporters had feared. He mentioned specifically that monitors prevented the authorities from entering thousands of votes for the regime in the name of ethnic Albanians, who boycotted the poll. In Prishtina, Bernard Kouchner, who heads the UN civilian administration in the province, said that only 45,000 out of 100,000 Serbian potential voters cast their ballots. PM[17] LESS THAN 25 PERCENT TURNOUT IN MONTENEGROOnly 24.44 percent of the registered voters cast their ballots in Montenegro, where the reform-minded government had urged a boycott of the elections, which it regards as "illegal and unconstitutional," Montena-fax reported on 25 September. The highest turnout was in Andrijevica, where just over 60 percent of those eligible cast their vote. Low figures came from Cetinje (4.06 percent), Rozaje (5.23 percent), and Ulcinj (6.70 percent). Podgorica's turnout came very close to the national average, with 25.04 percent. In Berane, where Milosevic recently made his first public appearance in Montenegro since 1997, only 33.29 percent of the registered voters cast a ballot. PM[18] MONTENEGRIN LEADER SAYS 'TENSIONS REDUCED'Deputy Prime Minister Dragisa Burzan said in Podgorica on 25 September that the majority of the Montenegrin population heeded the government's call for a boycott. He added that Kostunica nonetheless won "an absolute victory" and that Milosevic will be gone from power within a month, Reuters reported. "What his reaction will be is [nonetheless] totally unpredictable, " Burzan added. But whatever Milosevic decides to do, he will be too preoccupied with Serbia for the immediate future "to undertake anything in Montenegro," the minister argued. PM[19] TRAVEL WARNINGS FOR YUGOSLAVIAIn a statement on 25 September, the Croatian Foreign Ministry advised its nationals to avoid travel to Serbia and Montenegro "unless absolutely necessary," AP reported. The statement added that Yugoslav border police have recently informed persons crossing the border not to stay for more than 24 hours. On 22 September, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry urged its citizens not to travel to Yugoslavia: "We strongly advise everyone who will be in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during elections to avoid border areas and army facilities. If travelling to Yugoslavia is not necessary, we advise citizens to postpone it," Reuters reported. PM[20] POLITICAL PURGES IN THE SLOVENIAN MILITARY?In recent months, Defense Minister Janez Jansa has replaced some 200 officers, including three top-ranking generals, "Dnevnik" reported on 25 September. Military spokesmen said that the changes are routine. The Ljubljana daily suggests, however, that Jansa is placing his own loyalists in important positions in the armed forces. In the 1980s, the controversial Jansa was the only leading Yugoslav dissident to become actively involved in military and security affairs. He subsequently played a major role in the development of Slovenia's intelligence service and armed forces. PM[21] CROATIAN PRESIDENT CALLS FOR HELP OVER MISSING SERBIAN LEADERStipe Mesic said in Zagreb on 23 September that he will seek unspecified "international assistance" to help clarify the whereabouts of former Serbian leader Ivan Stambolic, RFE/RL's South Slavic Service reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 29 August 2000). Stambolic disappeared in August while jogging near his Belgrade home. He is widely believed to have been kidnapped by agents of the regime. PM[22] BOTH SIDES CLAIM VICTORY IN MACEDONIAN RUNOFF VOTEOfficials from both the governing and opposition coalitions claimed victory for their respective sides in the 24 September local runoff and repeat elections, AP and Reuters reported from Skopje (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 20 September 2000). Runoffs took place in 54 districts, while voting from the 10 September elections was repeated in 27 districts. At least 25 violent incidents took place in various towns and villages, including a shootout between government and opposition supporters in Strumica and clashes between groups wielding baseball bats. Several cases of voting irregularities were also reported from various localities. At one polling place in Skopje, a man stole the voting lists. In one other neighborhood in the capital, local ethnic Albanians boycotted the vote to protest violence. Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski said, however, that "so far I have reports that mention only minor incidents, which cannot be compared to what happened in the first round." PM[23] ROMANIA CRITICIZES 'PRIMAKOV PLAN' FOR TRANSDNIESTERThe Foreign Ministry on 22 September said the so-called "Primakov Plan" for the settlement of the Transdniester conflict violates "some basic principles of international law." The ministry said the plan, which was drawn up by former Russian Premier Yevgenii Primakov in his capacity as head of the state commission for the settlement of the Transdniester conflict, deprives Moldova "de jure" of sovereignty over that region by recognizing the region as a separate entity. It said the "self- determination principle" as interpreted in the plan is not in line with the "internationally recognized interpretation of that principle" and paves the way for "secession." The ministry said the conflict must be settled in line with the "obligations assumed by the parties at the OSCE [December 1999] Istanbul summit." MS[24] MOLDOVAN COURT DECISION ON MEDIA THREATENS RELATIONS WITH MOSCOWPresident Petru Lucinschi on 22 September said the parliament must amend a 20 September ruling by a Moldovan court that the licenses of eight Russian- language radio and television stations be withdrawn. The court accepted the argument of a Moldovan organization called the Club of Graduates of Romanian and West European Universities that the stations violate a legal requirement to broadcast at least 65 percent of all programming in the "state language." The government said it is examining a draft law to change that regulation. The court's ruling was also criticized by the OSCE mission chief in Moldova, William Hill, while Russian Media Minister Mikhail Lesin called on Premier Mikhail Kasyanov to cancel a visit planned for this week by Molodovan Prime Minister Dumitru Bragis or at least raise the issue during that visit. MS[25] MOLDOVAN PARLIAMENT PASSES LAW ON PRESIDENT'S ELECTIONBy a vote of 64 to 29, the parliament on 22 September approved in its second and final reading the bill on the procedure of the president's election by the legislature (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 22 September 2000). An amendment proposed by the opposition Party of Democratic Forces to rule out candidates who collaborated with the KGB was not accepted by the house. MS[26] IMF OPPOSES BULGARIA PEGGING CURRENCY TO U.S. DOLLARPeter Keller, assistant director of the IMF Baltic division, told an RFE/RL corespondent in Prague on 22 September that the fund will advise the Bulgarian government against switching the lev peg from the German mark to the U.S. dollar. The switch was earlier proposed by Professor Steven Hanke of the Johns Hopkins University, who is an adviser to President Petar Stoyanov. Hanke said the switch to the dollar peg would protect the lev from the impact of the depreciating euro currency. But Keller said that "a country aspiring to EU membership will at one point have to peg to the euro," adding that "to go from a euro peg to another peg and then back again does not seem to be the straightest way of proceeding." MS[27] OLYMPIC MEDAL COUNT--PART 2 COUNTRIESThrough 24 SEPTEMBER CountryGoldSilverBronzeTotal Romania104519 Ukraine36514 Belarus11810 Poland4419 Bulgaria4329 Czech Rep.2136 Slovakia1315 Hungary2114 Lithuania2013 Slovenia2002 Croatia1012 Latvia1012 Estonia0022 Moldova0101 Yugoslavia0101 Albania0000 Bosnia-Herzeg.0000 Macedonia0000[C] END NOTE[28] ALTAI REPUBLIC SEEKS TO PRESERVE ITS ECOLOGICAL PURITYBy Lily HydeAltaians like to call their mountainous republic a second Switzerland. But in terms of untouched wilderness, it clearly surpasses Swiss standards. The Altai republic is one of the Russian Federation's most unspoiled and beautiful environments--a haven for lovers of nature and adventure. Ecologists and economists, government ministers, and villagers all want to use the natural environment to attract tourists and revive the republic's stagnant economy. But at the same time, Altaians want to preserve the area's natural beauty. Vasilii Manyshev, head of the republic's ecology committee, told RFE/RL that the republic is itself "a commodity." "We don't have any other commodities, nothing that can be competitive and keep up with demand," he continued. "It's a commodity we need to use wisely. People have understood that tourism is a business they can do and have to do." During Soviet times, the Altai mountains were a popular tourist destination, with well-organized climbing and horse-riding routes. But the USSR's collapse nine years ago destroyed much of the tourist infrastructure. There are now almost no decent hotels or campsites, while roads are few and far between, and there is no fuel available for helicopters. Still, Altai remains popular with tourists from Russia and the CIS, and there are even a few organized tours from Western Europe. According to the republic's tourism committee, some 80,000 people were registered as visitors to the region last year. The real number was probably closer to 400,000. But the republic itself benefits little from these visitors. All organized tourist groups pay for their trips in their home country, and the profits rarely reach the Altai people. Meanwhile, independent visitors often cause environmental havoc by irresponsible behavior. Last New Year's Eve, some 1, 000 tourists ascended Altai's highest mountain, Belukha, to greet the new millennium. The peak is thought to be sacred by many Altaians and others. The visitors left huge piles of rubbish that still have not been cleaned up. According to Aleksandr Chekonov, head of the republic's tourism committee, such disrespect for nature is anathema to the Altai national character. The Altaian shamanist religion holds that every mountain and river has its own spirit, which must be respected. "The local mentality, the Altai population's, is a caring attitude to nature," Chekonov told RFE/RL. "People don't have to learn ecology, they are already mentally geared up for it. There's a cult of worship at mountain passes--you must have seen the ribbons tied there--or springs' worship, you can't spit in the water there, it's not [even] allowed to drive a knife in the ground, and so on." "Undoubtedly, a tourist invasion leads to conflict on the spiritual level," he continued. "A tourist doesn't understand local ways and doesn't take care of nature. Local opinion of tourism isn't entirely positive, because tourists have come, polluted the [river] bank, and left. So we are suggesting this system of national parks, which will represent the interests of [both]tourists and local people." Under that proposal, tourists will be allowed to stay only in certain areas of designated national parks, which will be provided with all necessary facilities, and will have to follow marked routes with guides trained in eco- tourism. Chekonov looks to national parks in the U.S. and Africa as models. But for the time being, neither the Russian nor the Altaian government has the money to implement such plans. The Altai budget received $1.2 million rubles (some $43,000) last year from tourism, a pitiful sum from what Chekonov calls the republic's most promising source of income. About 22 percent of the republic's territory is already a UNESCO-recognized reserve, and some advocate turning the entire republic into a nature reserve. Another idea, floated at a 1998 inter-regional conference, is to create an international reserve that would include parts of China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Russia. That would help control cross-border tourism: Altai staff at the Katun reserve on the Kazakh border say tours from Kazakhstan have trespassed on the reserve without paying fees or observing the reserve's rules. Until Altai tourism does take off, the inhabitants of the republic's villages, where unemployment is as high as 70 percent, are using the environment in more harmful ways. They make their living from a flourishing trade in rare plants and animals. Bear's gall bladders and maral deer horns go to China and Korea for medicinal use. The musk deer is hunted for its glands, which are used in perfumes. According to staff at the Katun reserve, a rare breed of falcon can fetch up to $50,000 in the United Arab Emirates, and the endangered snow leopard's fur is in high demand. One of the biggest problems faced by ecologists in the Republic of Altai and in neighboring Kazakhstan is protecting these rare species from commercial exploitation. The fear is that uncontrolled commerce could wipe them out. The author is an RFE/RL correspondent based in Kyiv. 25-09-00 Reprinted with permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
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