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RFE/RL Newsline, Vol. 4, No. 42, 00-02-29Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Newsline Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty <http://www.rferl.org>RFE/RL NEWSLINEVol. 4, No. 42, 29 February 2000CONTENTS[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[C] END NOTE
[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA[01] ARMENIAN PRESIDENT ENDORSE NEW CABINETRobert Kocharian on28 February issued a decree appointing five new cabinet ministers, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported. The new appointees include two Communists, who will be ministers for construction and local government and for social security and public health, while a member of the National Democratic Union who will be minister for state property. The defense, interior, national security, finance and foreign ministers retained their posts in the new cabinet, which will have 17 portfolios instead of the previous 24 (not 16, as was erroneously reported in "RFE/RL Newsline," 24 February 2000). Contrary to earlier reports, Justice Minister Davit Harutiunian also retained his post (see RFE/RL Caucasus Report," Vol. 3, No. 8, 25 February 2000). Presidential spokesman Vahe Gabrielian told journalists that Kocharian hopes that the cabinet changes will contribute to an improvement in Armenia's economic situation, Reuters reported. LF [02] AZERBAIJAN MAKES A PITCH FOR GAS EXPORTS TO TURKEYFollowingTurkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov's rejection of Azerbaijan's claim to 50 percent of the throughput capacity of the proposed Trans-Caspian gas export pipeline, two senior Azerbaijan gas sector officials have held talks in Ankara with the Turkish state pipeline concern Botas on a possible alternative pipeline to export gas from Azerbaijan's Caspian Shah-Deniz field to Turkey, Caucasus Press reported on 28 February. That project would entail rehabilitating an existing pipeline in Azerbaijan and extending it via Georgia to Turkey. Those exports would begin in late 2002 or early 2003 with an initial volume of 5 billion cubic meters, rising to 16 billion cubic meters per year. Turan on 29 February quoted Azerbaijan's President Heidar Aliev as describing Niyazov's rejection of Azerbaijan's claim as "not serious." Aliev was speaking to reporters at Baku airport late on 28 February on his return from a visit to the U.S. LF [03] NORTH OSSETIAN PRESIDENT VISITS GEORGIAAleksandr Dzasokhovheld talks with Georgian Minister of State Vazha Lortkipanidze and with Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze in Tbilisi on 28 February, Caucasus Press and ITAR-TASS reported. Issues discussed included measures to preclude smuggling from Russia to Georgia via the disputed former autonomous oblast of South Ossetia, Moscow's intention to impose a visa requirement for Georgians, which Dzasokhov termed "a step backward," the possible expansion of the proposed TRACECA project to include a highway from Siberia and the Urals to the Caucasus, and South Ossetia's future status within Georgia. LF [04] GEORGIAN PRESIDENT DENIES CONTACTS WITH TALIBANSpeaking ata press conference in Tbilisi on 28 February, President Shevardnadze denied that the Georgian government has any relations with the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Shevardnadze, who was responding to a question from Interfax, said the reason that the Taliban had been discussed at a 25 February session of Georgia's National Security Council was that the Taliban "have a certain influence" on the situation in Central Asia. LF [05] GEORGIAN SUPREME COURT REJECTS ELECTIONS APPEAL BY STALIN'SGRANDSONThe Supreme Court on 28 February rejected the Democratic Union of Georgia's appeal against a ruling by the Central Electoral Commission barring Yevgenii Djughashvili from contesting the 9 April Georgian presidential election, ITAR-TASS reported. That ruling was based on the fact that Djughashvili is a citizen of Russia, not of Georgia (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 21 and 22 February 2000). LF [06] KYRGYZ AUTHORITIES PLEDGE TO PRECLUDE FURTHER POLLVIOLATIONS...Presidential spokesman Osmonakun Ibraimov told journalists in Bishkek on 28 February that Kyrgyz police will deal resolutely with any attempts by candidates to bribe voters during the second round of voting for a new parliament on 12 March, Russian agencies reported. He added that special commissions have been created to investigate reports of serious procedural violations and report their findings to the Central Electoral Commission. Ibraimov also said that President Askar Akaev has no plans at present to meet with the leaders of the six parties that won representation in the new legislature under the party list vote, according to Interfax. LF [07] ...AS U.S. NOTES FIRST-ROUND FLAWSMeanwhile U.S. StateDepartment spokesman James Rubin on 28 February expressed "concern" over violations during the election campaign, including judicial proceedings against some opposition candidates and bias in the state-controlled media, dpa reported. He called on the Kyrgyz government to ensure that "all candidates qualifying for the second round are allowed to participate in an unhindered electoral process that is free, fair and transparent." In Bishkek on 28 February, the president of Kyrgyzstan's National Radio and TV Corporation, Amanbek Karypkulov, rejected charges of bias, saying that the more than 500 candidates received a total of 2,456 minutes of free air time, RFE/RL's Bishkek bureau reported. Karypkulov said that opposition El (Bei-Bechara) party leader Daniyar Usenov received the largest allocation of free air time. LF [08] TAJIK RULING PARTY AHEAD IN PARLIAMENTARY POLL...Tajikistan's Central Electoral Commission chairman MirzoaliBoltuev said on 28 February that the preliminary vote count suggests that the People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan, headed by President Imomali Rakhmonov, polled some 70 percent of the vote in the previous day's elections to the lower chamber of the new parliament, Reuters reported. The Communist Party came second and the Islamic Renaissance Party third. LF [09] ...WHILE UN, OSCE CAST DOUBT ON FAIRNESS OF BALLOTAspokesman for the UN-OSCE election observation mission said in Dushanbe on 28 February that high estimates of voter turnout before polling stations closed on 27 February cast doubt on the integrity of the poll outcome, Reuters reported. The mission noted that "in general, political plurality was assured," but it added that "Tajikistan must improve the process in order to meet the minimum democratic standards for equal, fair, free, secret, transparent and accountable elections." Spokesmen for the Communist Party and the Islamic Renaissance Party claimed there was widespread vote rigging and that party representatives were barred from observing the vote at some polling stations. LF [B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE[10] EU BANS VISAS FOR ANOTHER 180 SERBSEU finance and economicsministers decided on 28 February in Brussels to add the names of 180 Serbian officials to the list of 600 persons currently banned from receiving visas for travel to EU countries (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 10 February 2000). Many of the 180 individuals are judges, employees of the state prosecutor's office, or officials of state security bodies. EU officials said that such individuals have played a key role in repression against the opposition and independent media, RFE/RL's South Slavic Service reported. The ministers also gave final approval to lifting the ban on civilian flights to and from Serbia. Yugoslavia's JAT airlines recently resumed flights to Switzerland. Many western European airlines plan to resume flights in approximately one month, when the summer season begins. PM [11] BILDT SAYS BALKAN PEACE AWAITS CHANGE IN BELGRADECarlBildt, who is UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's special envoy to the Balkans, told the Security Council on 28 February that regional peace efforts are at best a "holding operation" as long as Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic remains in power. Bildt stressed that there can be no peace settlement without Serbia but that the international community cannot legally negotiate with a regime headed by indicted war criminals, Reuters reported. "We must actively seek change, we must meet the provocations that are there and will come further, and we must actively try to prevent existing tensions from boiling over into open conflict.... As long as there is no change of regime in Belgrade, [Serbia and Montenegro] are set on a somewhat slow but very steady collision course," Bildt added. PM [12] KFOR COMPLETES FOOTBRIDGE IN MITROVICANATO peacekeepers on28 February finished work on a footbridge linking a mainly ethnic Albanian neighborhood on the southern bank of the Ibar River with three high-rise apartment buildings on the northern, Serbian-held bank. KFOR plans to resettle there an unspecified number of Albanians who have fled their homes in northern Mitrovica. Local Serbs protested the construction of the bridge. Serbian leader Oliver Ivanovic called it a "cosmetic undertaking" and "an indication that NATO is helping the Albanian side and doesn't want to do anything for the Serbs," AP reported. The existing bridge across the Ibar has been the focal point of tensions between Serbs and Albanians. PM [13] NATO PLANS MANEUVERS IN KOSOVAOfficials of the Atlanticalliance said in Brussels on 28 February that some 2,000 troops will take part in exercises named "Dynamic Response 2000" in Kosova from 19 March to 10 April. A spokesman told Reuters that the maneuvers have "been in the planning for many, many months" and are not linked to recent clashes in Mitrovica. Soldiers from Argentina, The Netherlands, Italy, the U.S., Poland, and Romania will take part. PM [14] MONTENEGRIN-ALBANIAN BORDER REMAINS CLOSED"Vesti" reportedon 29 February that the Yugoslav army has closed the border crossing at Bozaj and that "not even a bird" can cross (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 28 February 2000). There is considerable military activity in the border region and soldiers have set up a checkpoint some 5 kilometers from the frontier on the road leading to Albania, the daily added. The troops have "forbidden" even the local border traffic that was allowed to continue since 1997, when the frontier was officially closed during the anarchy that swept Albania. Army officials say that the military are carrying out only "normal duties," "Vesti" reported. PM [15] TURKEY INCREASES MILITARY AID TO ALBANIATurkish PrimeMinister Bulent Ecevit said in Tirana on 28 February that his country will provide $39 million in aid to the Albanian military through the end of 2004. He told a press conference that "since we know very well the contribution of Albania to Balkan stability, we have paid particular attention to helping strengthen its army," AP reported. Among the projects that Turkey finances are arming the Republican Guard, training special forces, rebuilding the Pashaliman naval base, and modernizing the arms factory at Polican. Turkey has provided $41 million in military aid to Albania since 1991. Ecevit is accompanied by about 60 businessmen and journalists. PM [16] CROATIAN-SLOVENIAN TALKS BEGINMembers of the foreignaffairs committees of the Slovenian and Croatian parliaments began talks in Ljubljana on 28 February aimed at resolving outstanding bilateral problems "in keeping with European norms," RFE/RL's South Slavic Service. Topics on the agenda include delimiting the maritime frontier in the Gulf of Piran, sharing the costs and benefits of the Krsko nuclear facility, and ratifying a proposed agreement on local border traffic. This is the first such meeting since the new Croatian parliament was elected in January. PM [17] CROATIAN EX-MINISTER TO STAY IN JAILThe Pula county courtruled on 28 February that former Tourism Minister Ivan Herak must remain in prison for at least another month while officials prepare charges against him (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 28 January 2000). Police arrested him on 27 January just hours after the new government took office. Charges against him include embezzlement and misuse of office. PM [18] ROMANIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES DRAFT BUDGETThe cabinet on 28February approved the draft budget for 2000, Romanian radio reported the next day. That draft provides for a deficit equal to 3 percent of GDP and foresees 1.3 percent economic growth as well as inflation being halved, to 27 percent. Also on 28 February, the Chamber of Deputies voted by 188 to 86 with three abstentions to reject the opposition Party of Romanian National Unity's motion to debate the situation in the education sector. Education Minister Andrei Marga said the motion no longer has any relevance, since the draft budget allocates 4 percent of GDP to education, as required by law. The previous day, Marga said he is withdrawing his resignation in view of the 4 percent allocation and to comply with Prime Minister Mugur Isarescu's request that he do so. MS [19] MOLDOVAN PREMIER SAYS PREMATURE TO SPEAK OF DEFAULT ONFOREIGN DEBTIn an interview with the Russian daily "Izvestiya" on 28 February, Dumitru Braghis said "it is premature to speak about Moldova defaulting on its foreign debt," Infotag reported. Bragis said that tax collection has improved and that in February "we are expecting 150 million lei (some $12 million) in revenues to the state budget." He acknowledged, however, that Moldova will find it difficult to meet foreign and domestic debt arrears, saying that this month some 126 million lei in budget funds must be disbursed. MS [20] MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT ADDRESSES ISSUE OF DUAL CITIZENSHIPPetruLucinschi told journalists on 25 February that he does not rule out calling a referendum on the issue of dual citizenship if the presidency and the parliament do not reach agreement on this issue, Flux reported. Lucinschi noted that negotiations are under way with Romania and Russia to "identify a solution" to this problem, but he added that "the consequences must be carefully considered." He said Moldova's "statehood" might be endangered if a considerable proportion of its citizens hold citizenship of another country as well. On 23 February, Lucinschi submitted to the parliament a bill that would allow double citizenship only if obtained by birth, marriage, or bilateral agreements with other states. MS [21] LIBYA POSTPONES TRIAL OF BULGARIANSLibya has agreed topostpone until 3 April the trial of the six Bulgarians accused of willfully infecting children with the HIV virus, Reuters reported on 28 February, citing Bulgarian state radio. The defendants' Libyan lawyer requested that postponement so that he can study the 1,600-page indictment. President Petar Stoyanov welcomed the decision, calling it "a move of good will that will help find out the truth." The six Bulgarians will be tried in a special court under laws that include elements of the Muslim Sharia law. According to dpa, the six are also accused of prostitution, consuming alcohol and drug trafficking, and committing adultery. MS [C] END NOTE[22] UKRAINE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSED REFERENDUM DRAWS CRITICISMBy Lily HydeUkrainians might have an unprecedented chance in April to express both their lack of faith in a split parliament and their confidence in the newly re-elected president. A national referendum, called by President Leonid Kuchma last month, is due to ask voters if they agree to express no confidence in the parliament. If approved by the public, six major changes to the constitution would strip parliamentary deputies of their immunity from prosecution and create a second chamber of the parliament. Those amendments would also allow the president to dismiss the legislature if a majority is not formed within one month of elections or if a budget is not passed within three months. Recent opinion polls indicate Ukrainians will approve all six points if the referendum goes ahead. Kuchma has said he hopes the proposed changes will end the years-long stalemate between the parliament and the presidency. But opponents say he is trying to impose rule by Ukraine's oligarchs--a small group of extremely wealthy individuals who are said to use their seats in the parliament and stakes in the media to further their own ends. Opponents also say that the referendum would violate the constitution and would allow the quick passage of far-reaching legislation ostensibly endorsed by the electorate. Those arguing that the referendum is unconstitutional say that, under the law, the president can call a direct popular vote on constitutional changes only after the parliament has approved the proposals. The only relevant law, dating back to 1991, says a referendum can be called only by parliament. Those concerns have been echoed in a letter sent to Kuchma by the president of the council's Parliamentary Assembly, Russell Johnston, and in the comments of two assembly rapporteurs who visited Ukraine two weeks ago. At the time, rapporteur Hanne Severinsen told journalists in Kyiv that Kuchma had not been very sympathetic to their concerns. "We are very concerned in the Council of Europe what influence this referendum will have for the democracy of Ukraine, " she said. "The president of our assembly launched an appeal two weeks ago to your president not to continue with the referendum if it is not in accordance with the ruling of the Venice Commission [the council's chief legal consultative body]. Unfortunately we have got no promise. On the contrary, Kuchma said he would not follow this advice." The Council of Europe's Venice Commission is due to issue a report on the referendum at the beginning of April, only two weeks before the vote is scheduled. At the same time, more than 100 Ukrainian deputies have appealed to the country's Constitutional Court to rule on the referendum's legality. Kuchma has said that he will respect the court's ruling. The proposed referendum has prompted comparison with Belarus, where President Alyaksandr Lukashenka used a direct popular vote to disband the parliament and extend his term in office. Belarus was then an associate member of the 41-nation Council of Europe, which asked Minsk not to carry out the referendum after the Venice Commission had found it undemocratic. Lukashenka refused, and Belarus lost its associative status. By contrast, Moldova--a Council of Europe member--sought to carry out a similar referendum but later heeded the council's advice and cancelled the vote. Severinsen said she does not want Ukraine to go down the same path as Belarus, which under Lukashenka has one of the poorest human-rights records in Europe: "We don't like to compare the situations, but there are some similarities [to Belarus] and we think therefore it's very important for [Ukraine] that what the Venice Commission is saying about legality is also followed, so we don't run the risk of having a referendum that is unconstitutional." The Council of Europe has some leverage if Kuchma refuses to heed a Venice Commission ruling against the referendum. Since Ukraine joined the organization in 1995, the council has threatened to suspend Ukraine's membership several times because Kyiv has not fulfilled many of its obligations as a member. This time, it could carry out the suspension threat. One of Kuchma's arguments for holding the referendum is that the long-standing conflict between the president and the parliament--where leftist deputies have blocked all government-sponsored draft laws--has to be resolved. But the mere proposal of the referendum, which Kuchma characterized as "an axe hanging over the head" of lawmakers, may have already broken the deadlock in parliament. After Kuchma called for the referendum, the parliament formed a pro-government majority. Some lawmakers have already dubbed that breakthrough Ukraine's "velvet revolution." The author is an RFE/RL correspondent based in Kyiv. 29-02-00 Reprinted with permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
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