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RFE/RL Newsline, Vol. 3, No. 150, 99-08-04Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Newsline Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty <http://www.rferl.org>RFE/RL NEWSLINEVol. 3, No. 150, 4 August 1999CONTENTS[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[C] END NOTE
[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA[01] AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTRY PROTESTS IRAN'S SUPPORT FORDJAVADOVIranian Ambassador Ali Rza Bikdeli was summoned to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on 3 August to hear Minister Tofik Zulfugarov's formal complaint over the continued presence in Iran of former Interior Ministry special forces officer Mahir Djavadov, Turan reported. Djavadov fled Azerbaijan in March 1995 after a standoff between the Interior Ministry special forces and Azerbaijani army troops, in which his brother Rovshan was killed. He traveled to Iran late last year and has repeatedly announced his intention of taking power in Azerbaijan (see "RFE/RL Caucasus Report," Vol. 2, No. 12, 23 March 1999). Zulfugarov said that Tehran'sfailure to curtail Djavadov's "illegal activities" negatively affects relations between the two countries. Also on 3 August, Azerbaijani State Foreign Policy Adviser Vafa Guluzade said that Iran's failure to extradite Djavadov could lead to the postponement of the planned visit to Iran by Azerbaijani President Heidar Aliev (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 3 August 1999). LF [02] AZERBAIJANI POLICE PREVENT PICKET OF U.S. EMBASSYPolice on4 August thwarted an attempt by political parties aligned in the Coordinating Council for Karabakh to demonstrate outside the U.S. embassy in Baku to protest the U.S.'s alleged double standards in its policy toward Azerbaijan and Armenia, Turan reported. A similar attempt the previous day by members of the Liberty Party was also blocked by police. LF [03] GEORGIAN MINISTER OF STATE IN MOSCOWVazha Lortkipanidze metin Moscow on 3 August with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Stepashin, First Deputy Premier Nikolai Aksenenko, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, Russian Security Council Secretary and Federal Security Service Director Vladimir Putin, and Moscow Mayor Yurii Luzhkov. The talks reportedly focused on issues that have increased tensions in bilateral relations, including the Abkhaz conflict and the future of the four Russian military bases in Georgia. Lortkipanidze told journalists on 4 August that he will meet that evening in Moscow with Abkhaz leader Vladislav Ardzinba, Caucasus Press reported. LF [04] ADZHAR LEADER INCRIMINATED IN GEORGIAN MERCHANT FLEETSCANDALGeorgian Prosecutor-General Djamlet Babilashvili told journalists in Tbilisi on 3 August that several leading officials from the Adjar Autonomous Republic are responsible for the near bankruptcy of the Georgian merchant fleet, Caucasus Press and Interfax reported. Babilashvili accused Batumi Mayor Aslan Smirba of misappropriating $120,000 belonging to the fleet, adding that a further $250,000 was illegally transferred from the fleet's London bank account to a fund controlled by Adjar Supreme Council chairman and Georgian presidential candidate Aslan Abashidze. Abashidze's Revival Union is the second largest faction within the Georgian parliament, and observers believe the five party alliance that he heads may pose a serious threat to the ruling Union of Citizens of Georgia in the October parliamentary elections. Smirba has denied the accusations against him. The Georgian merchant fleet owes some $100 million to foreign creditors. LF [05] MORE REPRISALS AGAINST MEDIA IN KAZAKHSTANCourt proceedingsare under way in Almaty against the independent weekly "Nachnem s ponedelnika," RFE/RL correspondents in the former capital reported on 4 August. The newspaper's staff are accused of having published false statements critical of the Almaty City Court. On 3 August, the Committee to Protect Journalists wrote to Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbaev expressing concern at the harassment by Kazakhstan's National Security Committee of Bigeldy Gabdullin, who is editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper "XXI vek." LF [06] MEDICAL PERSONNEL IN KAZAKHSTAN DEMAND BACK WAGESDozens ofdoctors and other medical personnel staged a demonstration in Almaty on 3 August to demand payment of overdue salaries, RFE/RL correspondents in the former capital reported. They also demanded the rescinding of a decision by local authorities to reduce the number of personnel employed in local hospitals and clinics. LF [07] TAJIK OPPOSITION ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF DEMILITARIZATIONUnited Tajik Opposition leader Said Abdullo Nuri told asession of the Tajik Commission for National Reconciliation on 3 August that the process of disarming opposition fighters and of their enrolment into the Tajik army or Interior Ministry forces has been completed, marking the transformation of the opposition from a military into a political force. A second senior UTO official, Khabib Sanginov, stressed that the disarmament process is irreversible, according to ITAR-TASS. Also on 3 August, the Commission for National Reconciliation issued an appeal to all armed bands not subordinate to the UTO to surrender their arms within three weeks. Under an agreement signed in June by Nuri and Tajik President Imomali Rakhmonov, the Tajik government is obliged to lift the 1993 ban on opposition parties and media within one week of the disbanding of the UTO's military units. Paolo Lembo, who is acting representative in Tajikistan of the UN secretary-general, termed the demilitarization of the opposition a further step toward democratization. He expressed the hope that the upcoming parliamentary elections will be free and fair. LF [B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE[08] TWO MORE SERBS KILLED IN KOSOVAA spokesman for KFOR said inPrishtina on 4 August that peacekeepers have found the bodies of two Serbs whom unknown persons shot the previous night. At least two other Serbs died on 2 August as a result of acts of violence, including a 90 year-old woman. On 3 August, the New York-based Human Rights Watch and the Budapest-based Roma Rights Center issued separate reports in which they blamed the Kosova Liberation Army (UCK) for recent violence against Serbs and Roma. Both reports criticized KFOR for not doing enough to protect members of Kosova's dwindling Serbian and Roma minorities. PM [09] KFOR AT CENTER OF CONTROVERSYBishop Artemije, who isKosova's leading Serbian Orthodox cleric, told Vienna's "Die Presse" of 3 August that KFOR must either protect the province's minorities or leave. He argued that UCK leaders Hashim Thaci and General Agim Ceku have not sufficiently "distanced themselves" from the violent incidents against Serbs. Belgrade's "Danas" on 4 August quoted KFOR commander General Sir Michael Jackson as saying that no one should be surprised that Serbs have been the victims of violence in Kosova. He denied, however, that the violence is systematic or amounts to "ethnic cleansing." PM [10] KFOR ARRESTS FIVE ETHNIC ALBANIAN MURDER SUSPECTSKFORsoldiers arrested five Kosova Albanians in Peja on 3 August. The five are suspected of having taken a Serbian couple hostage and killing the man after releasing his wife the previous day. Meanwhile on 3 August in Mitrovica, French KFOR soldiers arrested 15 Serbs who tried to hinder ethnic Albanians from returning to their homes in the Serb-held part of the city. The soldiers also confiscated a machine gun and a grenade, an RFE/RL correspondent reported. One of those arrested was a member of Serbian paramilitary forces and was suspected of having committed atrocities against ethnic Albanians between March and June. FS [11] RUGOVA PLEDGES PARTICIPATION IN KOSOVA TRANSITIONAL COUNCILKosovar Albanian moderate leader Ibrahim Rugova on 3 Augustpromised that his Democratic League of Kosova (LDK) will participate in the Kosova transitional council along with other political parties, "Bota Sot" reported. He made the pledge at a meeting with UN Special Representative Bernard Kouchner in Prishtina. Rugova urged Kouchner to accelerate the process of installing the international administration in Kosova at "all levels" of government. FS [12] UNHCR COMPLAINS ABOUT MACEDONIAN CUSTOMS FEESUNHCRspokesman Chris Janowski told AP that Macedonian officials demand "exorbitant" customs inspection fees on humanitarian supplies passing through their territory. Janowski said that the UNHCR refused to pay the fees, arguing that "we are a relief agency which is exempt normally from such fees and taxes.... There is no justification whatsoever to charge [$348] for the so-called inspection of a UNHCR truck.... The fee is...totally out of proportion to the service rendered." There are currently 86 trucks with 3,400 tons of aid and 17 rail cars with 850 tons of timber blocked inside Macedonia. Macedonia's authorities imposed the fees in July. The dispute is jeopardizing UN efforts to rush in supplies to Kosova to rebuild destroyed or damaged houses before the onset of the winter. Janowski stressed that the UNHCR would face a monthly bill of $200,000 if it agreed to pay the fees. FS [13] TAIWAN'S PREMIER VISITS MACEDONIAVincent Siew arrived inSkopje on 3 August at the head of a 160-strong business delegation, Reuters reported. Siew and his Macedonian counterpart, Ljubco Georgievski, are scheduled to inaugurate a tax-free economic zone in Petrovac, near Skopje airport. Siew told "Nova Makedonija" that "in the long term, our plan is that Macedonia becomes Taiwan's gateway to southeastern Europe, even to other European regions.... After the zone is completed, Taiwanese companies will be the first to invest in it, and we also expect foreign and local companies to do so." He stressed that the creation of similar free economic zones has greatly contributed to Taiwan's economic development. Macedonia is the only European country that recognizes Taiwan, apart from the Vatican. FS [14] PETRITSCH SAYS MILOSEVIC REGIME 'BEYOND HOPE'Austriandiplomat and Balkan expert Wolfgang Petritsch said in Belgrade on 3 August that he has "given up hope that the regime [of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic] will be ready to reform itself and become a partner in the democratization and stabilization of this region." Petritsch stressed that Serbia must follow Montenegro's example and embrace democratization. He urged the international community not to deny humanitarian aid to the "Serbian people," Reuters reported. The Frankfurt-based Serbian daily "Vesti" quoted Petritsch as saying that the Milosevic regime could have prevented NATO bombing had it been more willing to compromise at the Rambouillet peace talks in February. Petritsch said that Serbian delegates at one point offered to admit foreign troops to Kosova but then withdrew that key concession the following day. Petritsch ended his mission as Austrian ambassador to Belgrade and will soon succeed the international community's Carlos Westendorp in Sarajevo. PM [15] SERBIAN PROTESTS CONTINUESome 3,000 people attended ananti-Milosevic rally in Vrsac on 3 August, RFE/RL's South Slavic Service reported. Several hundred people attended separate rallies in Kragujevac, Valjevo, and Leskovac. In Belgrade, Serbian Renewal Movement leader Vuk Draskovic said that he accepts the invitation from a group of independent economists to attend an opposition rally in Belgrade on 19 August (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 3 August 1999). Democratic Party leader Zoran Djindjic previously accepted the invitation. PM [16] SERBIAN AUTHORITIES THREATEN OPPONENTS WITH LAWSUITSTheopposition Vojvodina Coalition said in a 3 August statement that the authorities have threatened to launch legal action against several farmers. The farmers recently told RFE/RL's South Slavic Service that the minister of agriculture should resign (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 3 August 1999). In Belgrade, Aleksandar Nikacevic, who is the new, pro-Milosevic head of Radio B-92, said he will launch legal proceedings against Draskovic's Studio B Television. That station recently gave one of its frequencies to Radio B2-92, which is run by the independent journalists who formerly staffed B-92 before the authorities took it over in March. Nikacevic charged that the creation of B2-92 has led to unspecified financial losses for his station, Reuters reported. Elsewhere, several senior Serbian officials and state-run media said that the U.S. is "trying to conquer Serbia" by placing Milosevic's opponents in power, AP reported. PM [17] NEW ELECTION LAW FOR BOSNIARepresentatives of the OSCE saidin Sarajevo on 3 August that a draft election law for Bosnia is ready. The law aims at breaking the grip of Serbian, Muslim, and Croatian nationalist parties on the electorate. The provisions require candidates to win at least some of their votes both in the Republika Srpska and in the mainly Croatian and Muslim federation. In addition, voters will no longer be able to vote for party lists but will have to mark the names of each candidate individually. PM [18] BOSNIAN PRIME MINISTERS AGREE ON DEBTRepublika Srpska PrimeMinister Milorad Dodik and Edhem Bicakcic, who is his counterpart from the federation, agreed in Banja Luka on 3 August to divide between their respective governments Bosnia's outstanding debts to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The agreement paves the way for the release of $170 million in new loans from the bank to Bosnia, RFE/RL's South Slavic Service reported. PM [19] CONTROVERSY CONTINUES OVER BOSNIAN BORDER AGREEMENTRepublika Srpska Vice President Mirko Sarovic said in BanjaLuka on 3 August that the recent Bosnian-Croatian border agreement violates the Republika Srpska constitution. He called for the resignation of the two top ethnic Serbian officials who approved the agreement (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 3 August 1999). In Sarajevo, a spokesman for Westendorp's office said that the agreement changes nothing and simply "reaffirms the legal border." He charged that unnamed Bosnian Serb leaders are trying to use the issue for their own political ends. PM [20] DODIK BLASTS BOSNIAN TELEVISION LAWDodik said in Banja Lukaon 3 August that the new law establishing a public broadcasting service for all of Bosnia is "not acceptable" to the Republika Srpska (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 2 August 1999). In Sarajevo, Westendorp's spokesman defended the law, which he said "is not about politics [but] is about joining the real world," Reuters reported. PM [21] CROATIA MARKS ANNIVERSARY OF 'OPERATION STORM'Croatia on 5August celebrates a national holiday marking the anniversary of the 1995 Operation Storm, during which Croatian forces completed their conquest of the Serbian-held Krajina region. Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic said that any persons who committed war crimes against Serbian civilians during the offensive are now behind bars, "Vecernji list" reported on 4 August. He added, however, that the government must protect its "security interests" and will not give the Hague-based war crimes tribunal the documents about Operation Storm that it has requested. In Knin, local police officials denied recent charges by a human rights group that the rights of returning Serbs are being systematically abused, "Vjesnik" reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 3 August 1999). Some 200,000 Serbs fled Krajina in the wake of Operation Storm, Belgrade's "Danas" reported. PM [22] ROMANIAN STATISTICS SHOW CONTINUED ECONOMIC SLOWDOWNIndustrial production from January-May 1999 dropped by 9.4percent, compared with the same period last year, Rompres reported on 3 August, citing the National Statistics Commission. The sharpest drop (13 percent) was registered in the energy and mining sectors. The foreign trade deficit stood at $831.6 million, compared with $1.1 billion in 1998. That decrease is mostly due to a drop in imports (18.6 percent), although exports also dropped (8.6 percent). The inflation rate was 30.8 percent in the first six months of 1999 and 48.2 percent for the past 12 months. Experts on the commission said that the government's intention to keep inflation this year at 32-35 percent (recently revised to 40 percent) is unlikely to be met. Unemployment in June 1999 reached 11.3, up 2.4 percent on the level in June 1998. MS [23] ROMANIAN OPPOSITION TO COORDINATE POLICIESRepresentativesof five opposition parties on 3 August agreed to set up a Consultative Coordination Group, which will examine draft laws presented in the parliament by the ruling coalition and will strive to adopt a common stand on those legislative proposals, RFE/RL's Bucharest bureau reported. Each party will be represented on the new body by one deputy and one senator. The formations included in the group are the Party of Social Democracy in Romania, the Greater Romania Party, the Party of Romanian National Unity, the Alliance for Romania, and the Romanian National Party, whose chairman, Viorel Catarama, initiated the setting up of the group. The Union of Right Forces and the National Christian Democratic Alliance declined to take part in the new forum. MS [24] MOLDOVAN COMMISSION RELEASES CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE PROPOSALSThe presidential commission on amending the constitution on 2August published its proposals. In addition to the proposals made public last week (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 30 July 1999), the commission recommends that the president, rather than the parliament, have the prerogative of appointing and dismissing the premier and other ministers, Reuters and RFE/RL's Chisinau bureau reported. The president would head the Supreme Council on National Security and appoint the prosecutor-general and judges. And the head of state would also have the right to dissolve the parliament if deputies block a draft law for longer than 60 days. Deputies will be elected from constituencies under a single-mandate representation system that will replace that of single- constituency proportional representation on the basis of party lists. MS [C] END NOTE[25] DJUKANOVIC'S MOSCOW VISIT SEEN AS 'TURNING POINT'by Floriana FossatoDespite the lack of public comment from top Russian officials following their talks with Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic in Moscow on 2 August, most Russian media are describing the visit as a "turning point" in the country's foreign policy. Djukanovic's official visit was the first time that a leader who has challenged Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was warmly received at the top levels in Moscow. Ahead of the Moscow trip, Djukanovic had repeated earlier warnings that Montenegro might declare its independence unless Serbia--its larger partner in the Yugoslav Federation--introduces substantial reforms leading to democracy and a market economy. The Russian daily "Kommersant-Daily" wrote on 3 August that Djukanovic's visit showed that Russia "intends to forge links with democratic forces opposing Slobodan Milosevic." It added that "even more important, [the visit indicates that] Moscow intends to sever ties with the questionable friends it inherited from its [Soviet] past." Djukanovic's talks with Russian Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, and Moscow Mayor Yurii Luzhkov focused on boosting political and economic ties between Russia and Montenegro. Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that both sides agreed "on the need to solve problems in Yugoslavia through dialogue and the existing constitutional order." Luzhkov--a leading presidential candidate in Russia--was the only Russian politician to comment publicly on Djukanovic's visit. He spoke in support of Montenegro, saying that "we must not allow Milosevic's arbitrariness toward Montenegro. This is the most important thing. It could lead to a new worsening of the situation." At the same time, the Moscow major stressed that that he still considers NATO's bombing campaign against Yugoslavia "an act of aggression." Stepashin, in footage broadcast by Russian television networks, only repeated his view that humanitarian aid should be provided to all Yugoslavia, not just the province of Kosova and Montenegro. Western countries, including the U.S., say Serbia should be excluded from receiving such aid as long as Milosevic remains in power. "I think that the position of Russia and of its president has played an important role in putting an end to military operations," Stepashin commented. "This is something that everybody acknowledges and was confirmed also in Sarajevo [at the 29-30 July Balkans reconstruction summit]. Those who, as a result of the military operations, are now in a difficult situation, independently of the place where they live, need the support of international organizations and also of Russia." During the Balkan reconstruction summit, however, Stepashin did acknowledge that "the sufferings of the Yugoslav population were caused not only by the [NATO] bombings but chiefly by Milosevic's regime." Djukanovic, for his part, told "Kommersant-Daily" in an interview published on 3 August that "it is very important that Moscow recognized Milosevic's responsibility for Yugoslavia's tragedy. This shattered the illusions of many Yugoslavs whom Belgrade had convinced that Russia supported Milosevic and would defend him." During NATO's 11-week bombing campaign, Russia clearly supported Milosevic. Most analysts in Moscow say the new pragmatism in Moscow shows an understanding of changed circumstances. Andrei Piantkovskii, director of the Moscow Center for Strategic Studies, told RFE/RL that "this is not the first time Russia changed position on an issue. Simply, Russian officials have finally understood that support for Milosevic leads nowhere and it is time for a change." Sergei Rogov, director of the U.S. and Canada Studies Institute, told "The Moscow Times" that Russia now is "interested in participating in the Balkan settlement and not in being associated with anti-Western regimes." Russian news agencies reported that in the talks with Djukanovic, emphasis was given to the issue of reconstructing war-torn Yugoslavia. Russia has promised some $150 million from its budget to finance fuel and food supplies this year and to promote Russian companies' efforts to win contracts for reconstruction in Yugoslavia. Much of the country's energy infrastructure was built with Soviet and Russian assistance. Economy Minister Andrei Shapovalyants said recently that his ministry will be in charge of controlling the funds and that a special commission focusing on Russia's participation in the reconstruction of Yugoslavia will have only a "consultative character." "Kommersant-Daily" on 3 August reported that the work of the special commission--chaired by Stepashin--will likely be aimed at facilitating the participation of Russian companies in the rebuilding works. It also quoted controversial businessman Vladimir Potanin, appointed as Stepashin's deputy on the commission, as saying that in order to be able to join the group of Western donor countries, Russia "will have to convince the West that [by] rebuilding Yugoslavia, it does not aim at strengthening Milosevic." The author is an RFE/RL correspondent based in Moscow. 04-08-99 Reprinted with permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
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