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RFE/RL Newsline, Vol. 3, No. 144, 99-07-27Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Newsline Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty <http://www.rferl.org>RFE/RL NEWSLINEVol. 3, No. 144, 27 July 1999CONTENTS[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[C] END NOTE
[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA[01] ARMENIAN GAS CRISIS EASESGasoline was again available inmost retail stations in Yerevan on 26 July, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reported, but prices were approximately 10 percent higher than a week earlier. Meanwhile, Armenpress reported that Armenian authorities are blaming Romania and Bulgaria for the crisis, noting that Bulgaria is now selling gas to Yugoslavia while Romania's major refinery is undergoing repairs. PG [02] AZERBAIJAN DEFENSE MINISTRY OFFICIAL SACKEDColonel MehmanSalimov, the chief of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry's educational department, has been fired "for serious mistakes in his work," the Turan news agency reported on 26 July. The agency suggested that he was released because of an interview he had given to the press supporting military critics of the current defense minister and opposing improved relations between Baku and NATO. PG [03] MUTALIBOV OPPOSES CONCERNS ON KARABAKHFormer AzerbaijaniPresident Ayaz Mutalibov told Turan on 26 July that he opposes making concessions to Armenia in order to resolve the Karabakh problem. He rejected proposals for confederation or a "common state" combining Azerbaijan and Karabakh, which, he suggested, "in fact would mean independence" for the disputed region. PG [04] GEORGIA SEEKS UN FINDING OF ETHNIC CLEANSING IN ABKHAZIAPresident Eduard Shevardnadze on 26 July said that hisgovernment wants the UN Security Council to issue a statement finding that there has been ethnic cleansing in Abkhazia, Interfax reported. But a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow would oppose any such finding and suggested that the Georgian request would likely be turned down. "We have no arguments in favor of recognizing the fact of ethnic cleansing against the Georgian population in Abkhazia," the unnamed source told ITAR-TASS the same day. Meanwhile, Georgian officials told Caucasus Press that the failure of the UN to issue such a finding would be "a defeat of the UN and a great disappointment for Georgia." At the UN, Secretary-General Kofi Annan recommended that the UN mandate in Georgia be extended. PG [05] GEORGIAN-ADJARIAN TENSIONS INCREASEGeorgian parliamentarydeputies have said that a statement by Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze that the 1921 Kars Treaty should be restored is "treasonous," Prime News reported on 26 July. Abashidze had earlier cited that treaty as justifying his region's right to free trade with Turkey and even to give him the right to stop the collection of customs duties at seaports there. PG [06] TBILISI TO RE-EXAMINE APRIL 1989 EVENTSPresidentShevardnadze has instructed his government to re-examine all documents related to the actions of Soviet forces in dispersing a peaceful demonstration in Tbilisi on 9 April 1989, Caucasus Press reported on 26 July. Shevardnadze said he intends to publish a book on that tragic day, in which 16 people were killed and many more wounded. Meanwhile, former Georgian Communist Party leader Jumbar Patiashvili said he welcomes this new investigation and that if he or anyone else is found to have violated the law, those people should be punished. PG [07] SHEVARDNADZE ACCUSES FIVE PARTIES OF BUYING VOTES...TheGeorgian president told a 26 July news conference that five political parties in his country have sought to bribe voters, Prime News reported. But the deputy chairman of the Central Election Commission, Gia Zesashvili, appeared to limit their legal liability by saying that vote-buying before a poll date is set is not in fact a crime. Shevardnadze told the journalists that he will soon fix a date for the elections. PG [08] ...SAYS HE MET WITH CHECHENS ON HOSTAGESIn other commentsat his 26 July press conference, Shevardnadze announced that he has met with Chechen Vice President Vakha Arsanov, now in Georgia for medical treatment, to discuss the release of Georgian citizens now held captive in Chechnya and the joint fight against kidnapping. PG [09] NAZARBAYEV SAYS KAZAKH MEDIA SHOULD PLAY 'POSITIVE' ROLEKazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev told journalists inhis country on 26 July that further democratization there is out of the question without a free media, "the basic institution of any law-abiding state," Interfax reported. But he suggested that journalists should give more attention to "positive" developments" since "shortcomings are present in any society; positive attitudes must be encouraged." PG [10] LOCUSTS DRIVE OUT KAZAKH AGRICULTURE MINISTERKazakhstan'sMinister of Agriculture Zhanibek Karibzhanov resigned on 26 July after being criticized for failing to prevent the widespread locust infestation in that country, Reuters reported. His resignation was immediately accepted. At present, almost two-thirds of the area under cultivation there is suffering from locusts, the agency noted. PG [11] KAZAKH WOMEN PROTEST LAND PRIVATIZATIONSeven women havedeclared a hunger strike in Almaty to demand that the country's parliament not act to privatize agricultural land, Interfax-Kazakhstan reported on 26 July. The women, ranging in age from 30 to 81, said that "we are not frightened by prison and death. We are only afraid of disgrace before future generations." PG [12] KYRGYZ-UZBEK GAS TALKS CONTINUEAn official from the Kyrgyzstate gas company told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service on 26 July that Bishkek is trying to secure agreement with Tashkent on stable deliveries of gas to Kyrgyzstan from Uzbekistan. Kyrgyzstan owes Uzbekistan some $3.5 million, and gas supplies have been irregular over the last year. PG [13] KYRGYZSTAN TO REMOVE DZERZHINSKY STATUEThe Bishkek cityadministration has decided to remove the statue of Soviet secret police founder Feliks Dzherzhinsky from the center of the city sometime in the near future, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported on 23 July. In its place, the city authorities plan to erect a Statue of Liberty. PG [B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE[14] HAGUE COURT MOVING CLOSER TO INDICTING TUDJMAN?ProsecutorGregory Kehoe told the Hague-based war crimes tribunal on 26 July that Croatian General Tihomir Blaskic, who is on trial for war crimes committed in Bosnia's Lasva valley in 1993, was only an instrument of anti-Muslim policies, for which Croatian President Franjo Tudjman is ultimately responsible. Kehoe argued that the plan that Blaskic carried out was developed "in the halls of power in Zagreb by Franjo Tudjman and his associates, then deployed in [Bosnia] by the political structure there and the military machine" of the Herzegovinian Croats. "Blaskic was the tool. He worked hand in glove with [Tudjman and key Herzegovinian leaders] to achieve their goals--the removal of Muslims and ultimate annexation [of the Lasva valley] to the Republic of Croatia," Reuters quoted the prosecutor as saying. Kehoe's remarks come at a time when Zagreb's relations with the court are strained over Croatia's refusal to extradite two indicted war criminals (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 21 July 1999). PM [15] CROATIAN OPPOSITION FORESEES POLITICAL REPERCUSSIONSOpposition Istrian political leader Damir Kajin told"Jutarnji list" of 27 July that Kehoe's statements could lead to the most serious domestic crisis in Croatia since the country gained independence in 1991. Liberal leader Drazen Budisa said that the latest developments in The Hague do not bode well for Croatia. The Social Democrats' Ivica Racan called the news from the court "disturbing." Tudjman's spokesman, Tihomir Vinkovic, charged the court with meddling in politics. Ivica Ropus, who is the spokesman for Tudjman's governing Croatian Democratic Community, said that he is "not surprised" by the news from The Hague, because the court has a "political agenda" against Croatia. PM [16] EFFECT OF INDICTMENT COULD BE DEVASTATING"Jutarnji list" of27 July noted that the Hague court recently ruled that the 1992-1995 conflict in Bosnia was an international conflict and not a civil war. That decision opened the way to a possible indictment of Belgrade leaders for their role in the bloodletting in Bosnia. Kehoe's remarks suggest that the prosecutors might soon turn their attention to the Zagreb leadership as well. Observers note that the potential effect of any future indictment by the Hague tribunal of Tudjman and other top Croatian leaders could have an immense impact on Croatia. That country depends on tourism and remittances from workers abroad for most of its hard-currency income. Croatia would therefore be much more vulnerable than Serbia if the international community were to apply sanctions as long as indicted war criminals remained in high office. PM [17] SECURITY COUNCIL CONDEMNS KILLINGS IN KOSOVA...The UN'shighest body issued a statement on 26 July, in which it called the recent killing of 14 Serbian farmers in Staro Gracko a "criminal act" and urged that those responsible be brought to justice (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 26 July 1999). The statement also expressed support for KFOR and the UN- sponsored civilian administration "in their efforts to ensure peace and security for all inhabitants" of the province. In Brussels, the EU Presidency condemned the killings in a statement calling on all citizens of Kosova to work for a common future "without violence or atrocities." PM [18] ...AS DOES BERGERPresident Bill Clinton's National SecurityAdviser Sandy Berger said in Washington on 26 July that the U.S. will provide up to $500 million to help Kosovars restore their homes and otherwise prepare for the coming winter. Referring to the Staro Gracko killings, Berger added that "this act of violence is not the same as the massive systematic campaign which was unleashed by [Yugoslav President Slobodan] Milosevic. But it is profoundly wrong and unacceptable and we will work against it. Those in the region who wish to be our partners must work actively against it as well," Reuters reported. PM [19] THACI SAYS GREATER ALBANIA NOT A GOALKosova Liberation Army(UCK) leader Hashim Thaci told the Ljubljana-based weekly "Mladina" that the Kosovars did not fight to establish a greater Albania, RFE/RL's South Slavic Service reported on 26 July. He added that the border between Kosova and Albania will remain in place. Thaci stressed that the UCK will not accept republican status within Yugoslavia. He noted that Kosova's legal tender soon will not be the Yugoslav dinar but rather the German mark. PM [20] SERBIAN OPPOSITION TO FORGE AGREEMENT?Opposition Alliancefor Change leader Vladan Batic told Reuters on 27 July that "we expect a gentleman's agreement between the Alliance for Change and [Vuk Draskovic's] Serbian Renewal Movement very soon." He did not elaborate but suggested that talks are approaching an agreement whereby the two main opposition groupings would not publicly attack each other. PM [21] DJINDJIC CALLS ON GENERAL TO OPPOSE MILOSEVICDemocraticParty leader Zoran Djindjic said in Sabac on 26 July that General Nebojsa Pavkovic, who commands the Third Army, based in southern Serbia, should support the drive to oust Milosevic. Djindjic argued that the president is no longer capable of carrying out his duty to represent Yugoslavia abroad because he is an indicted war criminal. Djindjic stressed that it is Pavkovic's "duty" to help oust a president who cannot carry out his responsibilities. Pavkovic recently criticized the opposition for allegedly seeking the "unlawful" overthrow of a legally elected government (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 26 July 1999). PM [22] SERBIAN PETITION DRIVE CONTINUESOfficials of the Alliancefor Change said in Belgrade on 26 July that volunteer workers have collected 550,000 signatures on a petition calling for Milosevic to resign. Some 70,000 signatures come from Belgrade and 30,000 from Nis. The goal of the petition drive is to collect 2 million signatures, RFE/RL's South Slavic Service reported. PM [23] DANUBE COMMISSION SAYS CLEAN-UP TO COST $90 MILLIONExpertsfrom the international Danube Commission told Yugoslav officials that it will cost $14 million to clear the waterway as a result of damage caused by NATO's air campaign against Yugoslavia. Another $13 million will be needed to build temporary bridges and a further $63 million to rebuild or repair damaged bridges over the Danube. The experts said it will take up to six months to clear the waterway and some three years to rebuild the bridges. PM [24] ROMANIAN OFFICIAL SAYS IMF ACCORD NOT CERTAINGheorgheBanu, state secretary in the Ministry of Finance, told journalists on 26 July that Romania must still fulfill two conditions before the IMF executive board will consider approval of the $500 million stand-by loan agreed on in Bucharest last April. Banu said the two conditions-- securing a $350 million credit from private lenders and completing the transfer of accounts from the near-bankrupt Bancorex to the Romanian Commercial Bank--must be fulfilled by 5 August, when the board is scheduled to discuss the loan, RFE/RL's Bucharest bureau reported. MS [25] ROMANIAN OPPOSITION PARTY CONTINUES 'TRANSYLVANIAOFFENSIVE'Party of Social Democracy in Romania (PDSR) chairman Ion Iliescu on 26 July said Hungary has no right to criticize Romania's minorities policies as long as "it has not set its own house in order" and pursues a policy of assimilation toward its own ethnic minorities. Adrian Nastase, PDSR first deputy chairman, said three days earlier that the setting up of a Hungarian-language state university "makes no sense in a unitary state, where a state university in a language different from the official one is inconceivable." On 25 July, Nastase elaborated that "one cannot accept the existence of two types of nationalism, a good one that is Hungarian, a bad one that is Romanian." He said that Romania must not become the "practice ground for all sorts of revisionist sharp-shooter formulas." MS [26] U.S. TO HELP FINANCING RUSSIAN ARSENAL WITHDRAWAL FROMMOLDOVAThe U.S. will grant Moldova $30 million in aid to help finance the withdrawal of the Russian troops' arsenal from the Transdniester, AP reported on 26 July, citing the Moldpres agency. Ceslav Ciobanu, Moldovan ambassador to Washington, said the decision was adopted last week by the House of Representatives. MS [27] BULGARIAN DEPUTY PREMIER SAYS KOSOVA CRISIS HELPED BALKANS"Every cloud has a silver lining," Deputy Premier EvgeniBakardzhiev commented in a 26 July interview with Reuters on the impact of the Kosova crisis on the Balkans. Bakardzhiev explained that the region "used to be one of divisions" between Islam and Christianity and later between the Warsaw Pact and NATO, but in the wake of the Kosova crisis, the Balkan states have "identified common goals, such as EU membership and cooperation in joint infrastructure projects." He added that "Europe and the world are now paying serious attention to southeastern Europe," and foreign investors could return to the region if they see it as stable and reform-inclined. MS [C] END NOTE[28] ZEMAN'S GOVERNMENT ONE YEAR ON: A DUBIOUS RECORDby Michael ShafirOn 22 July 1998, Czech President Vaclav Havel swore in the minority Social Democratic (CSSD) cabinet of Milos Zeman. One year minus one day later, Zeman dismissed Finance Minister Ivo Svoboda, against whom police had recently brought charges for damaging the interests of creditors of a baby-stroller factory that he co-managed before becoming a minister. Worse still, the anniversary was heavily shadowed by the findings of a public opinion poll conducted by the STEM institute showing that the CSSD has been pushed to third place in party preferences, trailing not only its rival-and- ally, the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), but also the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM). Given what prompted the Czech electorate in June 1998 to return the CSSD as the strongest party in the Chamber of Deputies (32.3 percent, 74 seats), the record of the Czech cabinet is dubious. Following a series of corruption scandals, former Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus was forced to resign in 1997 and his party was decimated by dissidents who broke away to set up the Freedom Union. Apparently aware that the CSSD owed its plurality in the parliament more to Klaus's failures than to its alternative electoral program, Zeman pledged from the outset to launch a "clean hands" campaign and extirpate corruption from public administration. Ironically, it was one more corruption scandal that marred the anniversary of his one year in power. Like the ODS in its time, the CSSD has been eager not only to make arguably justifiable political appointments at the head of government departments, but also (and this can no longer be justified in any way) to appoint its cronies to leading positions in state-owned companies. And owing to the "opposition agreement" with the ODS--which allowed the formation of a minority government in exchange for leading positions in the parliament--this amounted to little else than reaching a modus vivendi (albeit sometimes a tense one) with Klaus's party over the division of the spoils. In July 1998, Zeman promised that his ministers would receive a "performance review" after one year and that those found to be lacking the necessary skills will be fired. That promise was apparently not kept. At the very least, Zeman might have been expected to part company with Jaroslav Basta, the minister in charge of the anti-corruption campaign. Not that other cabinet members were immune to criticism: the daily "Lidove noviny" on 21 July called Deputy Premier Egon Lansky "the non-coordinating coordinator" of foreign policy, while Development Minister Jaromil Cisar, Health Minister Ivan David, and Agriculture Minister Jan Fencl were all heavily criticized by the media, the opposition, and interest groups for their performance. In fact, Zeman himself had acknowledged on 16 July that the performance of at least four members of his cabinet (whom he did not name) was "unsatisfactory." The reluctance to subject his cabinet to more radical consequences raises the question of whether Svoboda has been pushed away for reasons other than his implication in the Liberta baby-stroller affair. The former minister is known to belong to the so-called "[Stanislav] Gross faction," headed by the CSSD parliamentary group chairman, who reportedly is a Zeman rival within the party. Be that as it may, after one year in power Zeman's ratings in opinion polls have plunged by 20 percent, and the CSSD's performance accounted for most of the upsurge in the support for the KSCM, with 20 percent of CSSD voters in 1998 now backing the Communists. A STEM poll published on 21 July indicated that nearly three in four Czechs (74 percent) are dissatisfied with the government's performance and that even those who are still CSSD supporters tend toward the same dissatisfaction (43 percent). The minority cabinet's handling of foreign policy has been just as bad, and possibly even worse. Perhaps no one outmatched Lansky, who as foreign policy coordinator should have known better than to contradict Foreign Minister Jan Kavan during the Kosova crisis. Criticism of the NATO air strikes in Yugoslavia emanating from different ministers as the crisis peaked, a "Czech-Greek initiative" for settling the conflict launched without consulting the other NATO members, and criticism of Havel's visit to Kosova after the war by Zeman himself and other ministers--all these factors led (according to NATO sources that desire anonymity) to the questioning of the wisdom of expanding the alliance. Add to this the failure to promote legislation bringing Czech legislation into line with that of the EU (which has prompted union officials to wonder whether Prague will forfeit its membership in the "fast-track group") and one is left with a rather poor overall record. Is Zeman, as a columnist in "Zemske noviny" claimed on 21 July, the "worst and the most untrustworthy head of government the independent Czech Republic has ever had?" He has at least one rival for that spot. The premier has repeatedly said that he intends to leave politics at the end of his cabinet's term. Those inclined to prophesize are already saying that Zeman will blame his failures on that same competitor, by whose grace the CSSD cabinet rules under the "opposition agreement." Should that prophecy come true, what started as "operation clean hands" would end up as "operation wash hands." 27-07-99 Reprinted with permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
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