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OMRI: Daily Digest, Vol. 3, No. 2, 97-01-03
From: Open Media Research Institute <http://www.omri.cz>
Vol. 3, No. 2, 3 January 1997
CONTENTS
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT ON 1996
[02] TURKISH PRESIDENT TO FURTHER SUPPORT AZERBAIJAN
[03] MANUKYAN ON 1996, NEED FOR NATIONAL FRONT
[04] TURKMENBASI TO CONTINUE ECONOMIC REFORMS IN 1997
[05] GEORGE SOROS NAMED "MAN OF THE YEAR" IN KYRGYZSTAN
[06] NEW MUFTI FOR KYRGYZSTAN
[07] NEW RULE ON RAISING PRICES IN KAZAKSTAN
[08] TERRORISM IN TAJIK CAPITAL
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[09] SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH BLASTS MILOSEVIC
[10] SERBIAN WRITERS SAY MILOSEVIC USES "STATE TERRORISM."
[11] NATO TO SEIZE UNREGISTERED BOSNIAN ARMY MUNITIONS
[12] CROATIA INDICTS SOROS FOUNDATION FOR TAX EVASION
[13] CROATIAN RAIL WORKERS END STRIKE
[14] MACEDONIAN INFLATION REMAINS LOW
[15] ROMANIA IS MOST OPTIMISTIC FORMER COMMUNIST COUNTRY
[16] ROMANIA, MOLDOVA GRAPPLE WITH BIG FREEZE
[17] MOLDOVA SUES KAZAKSTAN OVER NON-PAYMENT FOR SERVICES RENDERED
[18] IS BULGARIAN INDEPENDENT TRADE UNION BACKING SOCIALISTS?
[19] WHO WILL BE BULGARIA'S NEXT PREMIER?
[20] GREECE PLEDGES TO LEGALIZE ALBANIAN IMMIGRANTS
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT ON 1996
In his New Year's Day address, Heidar Aliev described 1996 as a year of
peace and stability, RFE/RL reported on 1 January. He highlighted the
effectiveness of the1993 Nagorno- Karabakh ceasefire and termed the OSCE
Lisbon summmit last month as very important to the conflict's ultimate
resolution. He said the country has survived "attempts mounted by internal
and foreign forces" to destabilize it and said much work had been
accomplished in building a democratic, secular, and law-abiding
state. Aliev said the economy grew for the first time since the collapse of
the USSR (albeit by only 1.2%), the decline in the rate of production
slowed, and agricultural output rose by 3%. He also noted that monthly
inflation was less than 1% and foreign investments doubled last year. *
Lowell Bezanis
[02] TURKISH PRESIDENT TO FURTHER SUPPORT AZERBAIJAN
In a televised New Year's Day interview, Suleyman Demirel said Turkey will
stand behind its "brother," Azerbaijan, at all future international
negotiations, Asbarez-on-line reported on 2 January, citing Cumhuriyet and
Turkiye. Demirel claimed that Azerbaijan occupies an "extremely important
and exclusive place" in Turkey's foreign policy. Demirel excluded the
possibility of "forcible" border changes in the disputed Nagorno- Karabakh
region. Demirel praised President Heidar Aliev for managing to "achieve
internal stability" and stop the war in Nagorno-Karabakh. * Emil Danielyan
[03] MANUKYAN ON 1996, NEED FOR NATIONAL FRONT
The leader of Armenia's opposition National Democratic Union, Vazgen
Manukyan, said the "Armenian state" failed a crucial test last year,
pointing to what he termed the undemocratic presidential elections which
took place last September. According to a 30 December Interfax report
monitored by the BBC, Manukyan harshly criticized the governemnt's social
and economic policy while applauding the high political activity of the
Armenian population. He said he is willing to maintain a dialogue with the
authorities only to discuss new presidential elections and a new
constitution; he also called for the establishment of a "national front" of
"political parties and various public forces" to effect change. * Lowell
Bezanis
[04] TURKMENBASI TO CONTINUE ECONOMIC REFORMS IN 1997
In his New Year's Day address, Turkmen President Saparmurad Niyazov said he
his pleased with the accomplishments of 1996, RFE/RL reported on 1
January. He argued that Turkmenistan's ties with neighboring countries have
been consolidated. While acknowledging that Turkmenistan's agricultural
output was below the desired level (the cotton and grain harvests were
disastrous in 1996), he said living standards were starting to improve.
Niyazov vowed to press on with economic reform and pledged to invest more
than 2 trillion manats (about $400 million) in social programs. * Lowell
Bezanis
[05] GEORGE SOROS NAMED "MAN OF THE YEAR" IN KYRGYZSTAN
The Rukhaniyat organization of Kyrgyzstan has awarded its 1996 Man of the
Year award to philanthropist George Soros, RFE/RL reported on 2 January. In
1996, Soros donated more than $4 million to fund programs helping
educational and cultural programs in Kyrgyzstan. The award's previous
winners are Kazakstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Uzbek President
Islam Karimov, and the head of the UNDP office in Kyrgyzstan, Erjan Murat.
* Bruce Pannier and Naryn Idinov
[06] NEW MUFTI FOR KYRGYZSTAN
The controversial Muslim Congress held in Bishkek on 26 December elected
Absatar-Agy Majitov as the head mufti of Kyrgyzstan, RFE/RL
reported. Majitov replaces Kimsanbai-Agi Abdurakhmanov, who did not take
part in the congress, claiming the schedule agreed to in 1993 stated the
congress would meet every four years. Abdurakhmanov, however, has been
accused of corruption, a possible reason for convening the congress
early. The new mufti named his four top deputies,. representing four
different ethnic groups, on 2 January. They are: Abdylda Aslankulov-Kyrgyz,
Lukmar Agi-Dungan, Abdymajit Kary-Uyghur, and Rakhmatulla Kary-Uzbek. *
Bruce Pannier and Naryn Idinov
[07] NEW RULE ON RAISING PRICES IN KAZAKSTAN
The chairman of Kazakstan's Anti-Monopoly Committee, Nikolai Radostovets,
announced on 1 January that the country's businesses will only be allowed
to raise their prices on a quarterly basis, RFE/RL reported. Prices for
heating and electricity will remain at 1996 rates and in some areas will be
reduced. He also said that the cost of cargo transportation services is
expected to rise in 1997. * Bruce Pannier and Merhat Sharipzhan
[08] TERRORISM IN TAJIK CAPITAL
The ceasefire agreed to by Tajik President Imomali Rakhmonov and United
Tajik Opposition leader Said Abdullo Nuri in Moscow on 23 December appears
to be holding, although the number of terrorist attacks on Russian soldiers
and support personnel in Dushanbe has increased since 23 December,
according to Russian media reports. On 28 December, five soldiers were
wounded when their vehicle was attacked: on 2 or 3 January, a Russian
soldier was shot and killed in Dushanbe's Sakhovat district and the bodies
of a Russian doctor and nurse were found on a Dushanbe street on 3
January. Both the Tajik government and opposition are blaming the attacks
on groups that are trying to derail the peace agreement. * Bruce Pannier
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[09] SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH BLASTS MILOSEVIC
Thousands of Belgrade protesters on 2 January continued their latest tactic
of making noise with pots, whistles, and other implements during Serbian
TV's 7:30 p.m. newscast, CNN reported. Also in the capital, the bishops of
the Serbian Orthodox Church issued a declaration blasting President
Slobodan Milosevic for "pitting Serb against Serb." They noted that, "Force
has been used by the regime with the intention of stifling the freely
expressed will of the people. The blood of the innocent [had flowed because
the regime was] trying to sow discord and provoke bloodshed just so it can
hang on to power. The Holy Synod condemns the authorities who have not only
ignored the wishes of the electorate, but...have crushed underfoot our
glorious and painful history...[and] national and moral values. Only the
respect of democratic principles and human rights, the recognition of the
November 17 elections, can bring hope of a better future" to Serbia, AFP
and Nasa Borba reported. The bishops also accused him of betraying the
cause of the Krajina Serbs. * Patrick Moore
[10] SERBIAN WRITERS SAY MILOSEVIC USES "STATE TERRORISM."
Yet another prestigious Serbian body, the writers' association, has slammed
the president. Reflecting the same themes as the Synod, the writers told
Milosevic in an open letter that: "By senseless vote stealing, your party
has hit a blow against the state, the constitution and the law, and by your
incomprehensible decisions you have led Serbia to the verge of civil
war. You have deliberately provoked battles in the streets of Belgrade
between peaceful demonstrators and people, led astray, whom you brought
here [on 24 December]," AFP reported on 3 January. Meanwhile, the U.S. has
urged the OSCE to condemn the Serbian authorities if they continue to drag
their feet on accepting an OSCE report upholding the 17 November local
elections results, Nasa Borba wrote. * Patrick Moore
[11] NATO TO SEIZE UNREGISTERED BOSNIAN ARMY MUNITIONS
The NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) said on 2 January it will
confiscate tank ammunition donated to the Bosnian army through a
U.S.-sponsored "Train and Equip" program because the munitions were not
properly registered, Reuters reported. NATO spokesman Maj. Tony White said
the force in Bosnia strictly insists on peace-time rules requiring armies
to fully document all weapons or ammunition stored at designated
depots. SFOR troops have confiscated 474 unregistered tank rounds out of a
total of 11,000 shipped to the Bosnian federation under the U.S.-sponsored
aid program. In other news, NATO announced the same day that at least a
dozen houses formerly inhabited by Bosnian Muslims and Serbs were destroyed
over the past week in a Croat-held area near Mostar. The attacks are aimed
at discouraging non-Croatian refugees from returning to their homes south
of Mostar, Reuters reported. * Daria Sito Sucic
[12] CROATIA INDICTS SOROS FOUNDATION FOR TAX EVASION
Zagreb's public prosecutor is pressing charges against three senior
officials at the local branch of the Open Society Institute for alleged
financial malpractice and tax evasion, international agencies reported on 2
January. After storming the foundation's premises in Zagreb, Croatian
police said they had found evidence of "illegal financial transactions."
The prosecutor charged that since December 1995, employees at the OSI's
Zagreb office have been receiving two salaries: one in Croatian kuna and
another in U.S. dollars. The latter, he said, was not reported to the
Croatian tax authorities. Unpaid taxes are said to total 2.7 million kuna
($490,000). But the Soros Foundation in New York implicitly denies the
charges, saying there was every reason to believe that its Croatian
affiliate complied with local laws. The foundation has spent some $15
million in Croatia since 1992 on humanitarian and cultural projects. *
Daria Sito Sucic
[13] CROATIAN RAIL WORKERS END STRIKE
The Croatian State Railroads (HZ) and the rail workers' union have reached
a deal on wages, ending an almost month-long strike, international media
reported on 2 January. The HZ management agreed to sign the first part of a
collective agreement to guarantee higher wages. In return, the union agreed
to halt the protest action. The government has said it wants to lower
subsidies to the railway company, which totaled 1 billion kuna ($200
million) in 1996. Croatian TV said parliament will soon discuss a
long-term solution for the company. Meanwhile, the HZ has increased rail
fares by up to 52% as of 1 January, the Croatian press reported. * Daria
Sito Sucic
[14] MACEDONIAN INFLATION REMAINS LOW
According to year-end figures published by the Macedonian Statistical
Institute, inflation reached 3.0% in 1996, Nova Makedonija reported on 3
January. Consumer prices were up 2.3% compared with 1995. Services
increased by 6.8%, industrial foodstuff 2.4%, other industrial products
1.8%, and beverages by 1.1%. The price of agricultural products, however,
fell by 8.2%. Vecer reported that the Macedonian telecommunications company
has halved the price of a new phone line from the equivalent of $650 to
$325. * Stefan Krause
[15] ROMANIA IS MOST OPTIMISTIC FORMER COMMUNIST COUNTRY
According to a recent Gallup poll, 61% of Romanians believe that 1997 will
be better than 1996, Radio Bucharest reported on 2 January. Romania took
first place in the poll, which was conducted in several former communist
countries. Georgians are the second most optimistic nation, while
Hungarians are the most pessimistic. A majority of Bulgarians and Slovaks
also expect 1997 to be worse than last year. * Michael Shafir
[16] ROMANIA, MOLDOVA GRAPPLE WITH BIG FREEZE
Forty-three people, most of them homeless, have so far frozen to death in
Romania, as temperatures plunged to around minus 25 degrees Celsius,
Reuters reported on 2 January. Citing Rompres, the agency said that traffic
has nonetheless returned to normal in the eastern and southern parts of the
country, which were the most affected by last week's blizzards. Thick ice
is still preventing traffic on parts of the Danube, and flights between
Bucharest and six provincial towns have been halted due to fog or icy
runways. Otopeni, Bucharest's international airport, is operating,
however. In neighboring Moldova, 29 people have died as a result of fires
caused by the faulty use of electrical devices in attempts to alleviate
freezing conditions, BASA-press reported on 2 January. * Michael Shafir
[17] MOLDOVA SUES KAZAKSTAN OVER NON-PAYMENT FOR SERVICES RENDERED
Moldova has begun legal proceedings against Kazakstan for the non-payment
of cereal transportation costs in 1993, Moldpres reported on 2 January. The
agency said Kazakstan owes Moldova 17 million tons of cereals or their
equivalent in cash. The case is to be heard by the Minsk-based Economic
Court of the CIS on 6 February. * Michael Shafir
[18] IS BULGARIAN INDEPENDENT TRADE UNION BACKING SOCIALISTS?
Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) Chairman Georgi Parvanov has met with
Krastyo Petkov, leader of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in
Bulgaria (KNSB), to discuss the formation of a new BSP-led government, the
Bulgarian press reported on 3 January. Petkov noted that the next prime
minister and cabinet must enjoy the confidence of international financial
institutions. He proposed that a coalition government be formed, saying
that four ministers in the last cabinet-Interior Minister Nikolay Dobrev,
Defense Minister Dimitar Pavlov, Agriculture Minister Krastyo Trendafilov,
and Trade Minister Atanas Paparizov-were "worthy to stay on." Parvanov said
the meeting reflected the BSP's new, "more open" policy. According to Duma,
both leaders agreed that over the next few months, the KNSB would ensure
that civil peace is maintained in order to allow the cabinet to carry out
its duties. * Maria Koinova in Sofia
[19] WHO WILL BE BULGARIA'S NEXT PREMIER?
With consultations on the formation of a new government under way,
Bulgarian media are speculating who will head the new cabinet. According to
Standart on 3 January, KNSB leader Petkov favors parliamentary speaker
Blagovest Sendov or First Deputy Foreign Minister Irina Bokova. Interior
Minister Nikolay Dobrev and former Foreign Minister Georgi Pirinski have
also been frequently named as possible successors to Zhan Videnov, who
resigned last week. Trud reports that Sofia-based foreign diplomats have
made it clear that Dobrev would enjoy little, if any, support abroad. 24
chasa says that Dobrev is disinclined to become prime minister and would
prefer to keep his present post and become deputy premier. Meanwhile, the
newly elected BSP Supreme Council convenes today to elect a new Executive
Bureau, the party's highest decision-making body. * Stefan Krause
[20] GREECE PLEDGES TO LEGALIZE ALBANIAN IMMIGRANTS
The Greek government has said it will issue work permits to illegal
Albanian immigrants this month, Deutsche Welle's Albanian-language service
reported on 2 January. Immigrants will be given a time-frame in which to
register. Those who fail to report to the authorities will risk
expulsion. * Fabian Schmidt
This material was reprinted with permission of the Open Media
Research Institute, a nonprofit organization with research offices in
Prague, Czech Republic.
For more information on OMRI publications please write to info@omri.cz.
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