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RFE/RL Newsline, Vol. 4, No. 74, 00-04-13Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Newsline Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty <http://www.rferl.org>RFE/RL NEWSLINEVol. 4, No. 74, 13 April 2000CONTENTS[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[C] END NOTE
[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA[01] ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS POLITICAL SITUATION STABILIZING...Vartan Oskanian told a press conference in Yerevan on 12 Aprilthat the political situation in the country "is stabilizing day by day" and no longer constitutes an obstacle to the resumption of talks on resolving the Karabakh conflict, RFE/RL's bureau in the Armenian capital reported. One month earlier, Oskanian had said domestic political tensions had brought the mediation process to a standstill (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 9 March 2000). Oskanian said that the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group have not set a date for their next visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan, but he predicted that the peace process will gather momentum in the next few months. He confirmed media speculation that the possibility of a territorial exchange between Armenia and Azerbaijan (the so-called "Goble Plan") was raised during talks between Armenian President Robert Kocharian and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Heidar Aliev, but said the Armenian side did not accept it as a basis for negotiation, Noyan Tapan reported. LF [02] ...DOWNPLAYS AZERBAIJANI STATEMENTSOskanian on 12 Aprildismissed an Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry statement the previous day criticizing as "destabilizing" the recent joint military maneuvers in Armenia by Russian and Armenian troops, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 12 April 2000). He also said that Yerevan "does not take seriously" statements by a group of retired Azerbaijani military officers calling for a new war to return Nagorno-Karabakh to the control of the Azerbaijani central government (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 24 March 2000). Oskanian said such statements do not reflect the official position of the Azerbaijani leadership. LF [03] KARABAKH JOURNALIST SENTENCEDA Stepanakert court on 12 Aprilsentenced journalist Vahram Aghajanian to 12 months in prison following a one-day hearing, RFE/RL's Stepanakert correspondent reported. Aghajanian was accused of slandering Anushavan Danielian, prime minister of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, in an article published in November 1999 in the Karabakh opposition newspaper "Tasnerort nahang." Aghajanian's lawyer said the charge of slander was based on "false facts" presented by prosecutors. He added that the judge refused to question a key witness who could confirm the information contained in the article. LF [04] AZERBAIJANI OPPOSITION REPEATS DEMAND FOR NEW ELECTION LAW...Mais Safarli, chairman of the Democratic Congress, which unites10 opposition parties, told Turan on 12 April that the congress plans to convene a protest action in Baku on 29 April unless the parliament begins discussing a new draft election legislation prepared by the opposition. The Democratic Congress argues that the laws on elections and the Central Election Commission preclude holding democratic and fair elections. OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Director Gerard Stoudmann was quoted by Turan earlier this month as saying that his organization is working with the Azerbaijani authorities on drafting a new law on the election commission, which he hopes will be ready by mid-May. Stoudmann said it is "extremely important" that the new law provide for representation on the commission of opposition political parties, according to Turan. LF [05] ...AS UN SAYS IT CANNOT SUPERVISE AZERBAIJANI POLLThe UN officein Azerbaijan has issued a statement explaining that that organization cannot become directly involved in the organization of the Azerbaijani parliamentary elections due in November 2000, Turan reported on 12 April. Several left-wing opposition parties had called earlier this year for that poll to be held under the aegis of the UN. They argued that doing so is the only way to ensure that the vote is free and fair. The UN statement said that organization is willing to provide electoral assistance only if the Azerbaijani government or election bodies request such help. LF [06] AZERBAIJAN ELECTION OFFICIAL CONDEMNS PLANNED KARABAKH ELECTIONSAzerbaijan's Central Election Commission chairman Djafar Velievhas termed the 18 June parliamentary elections in the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic "a political show" that violates the Azerbaijani Constitution, Turan reported on 12 April (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 11 April 2000). Veliev predicted that no country will recognize the poll as valid. LF [07] KAZAKHSTAN TO ASK RUSSIA TO INCREASE OIL EXPORT QUOTAKazakhstan's Deputy Energy Minister Nurlan Qapparov toldjournalists in Astana on 12 April that Kazakhstan will ask Russia to increase by 1 million tons the amount of oil it may export via Russian pipelines this year, Interfax reported. This would bring the total to 11 million tons. Qapparov said that oil should be exported via the Atyrau-Samara pipeline, which has an annual throughput capacity of 11.5 million tons. He added that a feasibility study is being prepared on reconstruction of the pipeline at an estimated cost of $30 million to increase throughput capacity to 15 million tons. Visiting Astana on 11 April, Russian Deputy Fuel and Energy Minister Vladimir Stanev and Transneft President Semen Vainshtok proposed to Kazakhstan's Premier Qasymzhomart Toqaev that Kazakhstan export up to 3 million tons of oil annually via the newly-completed Chechen bypass pipeline. Doing so would entail shipping the oil by barge across the Caspian to Makhachkala. LF [08] NEW CHARGES BROUGHT AGAINST FORMER KAZAKH PREMIERKazakhstan'stax police have opened another criminal case against former Prime Minister Akezhan Kazhegeldin, Reuters reported on 12 April. Kazhegeldin is accused of abusing his position in 1995 by temporarily granting a sports club exemption from the tax on imported goods. That exemption reportedly deprived the Almaty city budget of "hundreds of millions of tenge," according to Kazakhstan state television. Kazhegeldin, who left Kazakhstan early last year, is also wanted on charges of tax evasion, money- laundering, and illegal weapons possession. LF [09] RUSSIAN EMISSARY DISCUSSES REGIONAL SECURITY IN KYRGYZSTANVisiting Bishkek on 11-12 April, Kremlin Chechnya spokesmanSergei Yastrzhembskii met with President Askar Akaev to discuss joint measures by Russia and the states of Central Asia to combat terrorism, religious extremism, and drug-trafficking. He argued that there is a link between the fighting in Chechnya, the assassination attempts in 1998 and 1999 against the presidents of Georgia and Uzbekistan, and last summer's incursion of Islamic fighters into Kyrgyzstan, attributing those events to "forces...that would like to see new Afghanistans arising in post-Soviet Central Asia," according to Reuters. Yastrzhembskii affirmed that as a "strategic partner" and a signatory to the CIS Collective Security Pact, Russia would "immediately" assist Kyrgyzstan in the event of a new terrorist incursion. He also expressed approval of Kyrgyzstan's treatment of its dwindling ethnic Russian minority, according to ITAR-TASS. LF [10] KYRGYZ GOVERNMENT ASSESSES ELECTIONS AS FREE AND FAIRThegovernment issued a statement on 12 April describing the parliamentary elections on 20 February and 12 March as fair, democratic, and lawful, RFE/RL's Bishkek bureau reported. The statement also deemed as lawful the arrest of opposition Ar-Namys party chairman Feliks Kulov and accused unnamed opposition politicians and parties of using illegal methods in pursuit of their objectives. Also on 12 April, some 100 protesters continued their picket in Bishkek to demand Kulov's release and the annulment of the election results. LF [11] KYRGYZ OPPOSITION ACCUSE GOVERNMENT OF AVOIDING DIALOGUESeveralKyrgyz opposition politicians, human rights activists, and journalists wrote to Jerzy Wienclaw, the OSCE representative in Bishkek, on 11 April to complain that the Kyrgyz authorities are trying to restrict any dialogue with the opposition, RFE/RL's bureau in the Kyrgyz capital reported. They said that the Kyrgyz leadership wants to restrict the talks to a discussion of amendments to the election law, rather than conducting a broad dialogue. The signatories called on the OSCE not to sponsor such a narrow round-table discussion. LF [12] 'RELIGIOUS EXTREMIST' ARRESTED IN TAJIKISTANPolice in Khojandon 12 April arrested and charged with anti-government propaganda a man whom they identified as a member of the banned Hizb-ut- Tahrir Islamic extremist party, Asia Plus-Blitz reported, citing the Tajik Interior Ministry. The man's name is given as Sharifullo Aliev, and he is said to be a resident of Gafurov in Leninabad Oblast. He was detained for disseminating Islamic literature calling for the overthrow of the Tajik government and the founding of an Islamic state. LF [B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE[13] CROATIAN GOVERNMENT SETS TERMS OF COOPERATION WITH HAGUETRIBUNALPrime Minister Ivica Racan said in Zagreb on 13 April that his government has prepared a declaration of cooperation with the Hague-based international war crimes tribunal, AP reported. Racan stressed that his government wants to cooperate with the tribunal, as demanded by the international community, but without damaging the legacy of the 1991-1995 war against Serbian rebels and the Yugoslav army. Racan added: "We cannot allow our independence war to be sullied by hiding certain war crimes and their perpetrators." Officials of the Hague tribunal recently began excavations in several caves in Gospic, where Croatian forces or paramilitaries are believed to have dumped bodies of Serbian civilians after killing them in late 1991. Milorad Pupovac, who is a leader of Croatia's Serbian minority, said that probably more than 100 Serbs died in the killings, "Jutarnji list" reported on 13 April. Commanders Tihomir Oreskovic, Mirko Norac, and Tomislav Mercep may have played key roles in the killings, "Globus" reported on 7 April. PM [14] NO INDICTMENTS AGAINST TOP CROATIAN BRASS?Justice MinisterStjepan Ivanisevic said that on her recent visit to Zagreb, the tribunal's chief prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte, denied press reports that there are secret indictments against top Croatian officers, RFE/RL'S South Slavic Service reported on 12 April. During Del Ponte's visit, government spokesmen would neither confirm nor deny reports that she was looking for specific documents about wartime Generals Ante Gotovina, Ivan Cermak, Ivan Korade, and Mirko Norac (see "RFRE/RL Newsline" 5 April 2000). PM [15] NATO OPTIMISTIC ON KOSOVA REFUGEE RETURNS...An unnamed officialof the Atlantic alliance told Reuters in Brussels on 12 April that NATO expects some 25,000 Serbs to return to Kosova "in the coming months." He noted that many Serbian refugees who fled to Serbia are less than happy with their treatment there. Many such individuals now prefer to "put their faith in the international community and the economic lift-off that will eventually happen" in Kosova," the official added. He admitted that security will be a problem in some areas where interethnic relations are particularly tense, but he added that "we can't delay this forever or until everything's perfect. We have got to start somewhere." NATO will closely monitor the refugees to ensure that they are, in fact, Serbs from Kosova. Alliance officials will also try to keep out "people controlled by Belgrade," the official added. He noted that NATO expects some 18,000 ethnic Albanians to return to Kosova "in the coming months." PM [16] ...WHILE KOUCHNER IS LEARYBernard Kouchner, who heads the UN'scivilian administration in Kosova, said in Prishtina on 12 April that the governments of Australia and unnamed Western European countries should not force refugees from Kosova to go home "too early," RFE/RL's South Slavic Service reported. Kouchner warned that there is no purpose in sending refugees back to Kosova before the infrastructure to support them is in place. PM [17] BELGRADE WEEKLY WILL NOT PAY FINEDragoljub Zarkovic, who is oneof the three directors of the independent weekly "Vreme," told a press conference on 12 April that his publication does not have the money to pay the several fines imposed by the government, "Danas" reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 12 April 2000). In a related development, "Danas" noted that a court case against the newspaper will open on 10 May. The state-run Tanjug news agency and its director, Dusan Djordjevic, are suing the independent daily for "misuse of free, public information" and several other offenses. The Milosevic regime has long sought to hound the independent media out of existence by bringing court cases against them and imposing stiff fines for violating Serbia's draconian media laws. PM [18] DJINDJIC BLAMES SERBIAN SOCIETY FOR ITS PROBLEMSSerbianDemocratic Party leader Zoran Djindjic told Vienna's "Die Presse" of 13 April that Serbia's main problem is that its society has neither grown nor developed during the 10 years that President Slobodan Milosevic has been in power. The authorities have had no trouble in politically manipulating such a society, he added. Djindjic stressed that observers place too much blame for Serbia's problems on divisions within the opposition. No opposition can do much if "millions of people do not know whether they want to fight for their rights or not." He called for less talk about divisions within the opposition and more attention by the opposition to the social and economic problems of ordinary people. The main single obstacle to opposition success is not Serbian Renewal Movement leader Vuk Draskovic or any other opposition figure but rather Milosevic, Djindjic added. PM [19] MILOSEVIC'S MONTENEGRIN ALLIES ABOUT TO SPLIT?The Podgoricadaily "Vijesti" reported on 12 April that two top officials of the Socialist People's Party (SNP) will soon quit that organization, which is the most important Montenegrin political party loyal to Milosevic. Predrag Bulatovic and Zoran Zizic are unhappy about a decision by party leaders to contest upcoming elections in Herceg Novi together with two-pro Milosevic parties based in Serbia. Bulatovic and Zizic feel that the SNP does not need to work with the United Yugoslav Left (JUL) of Mira Markovic or Vojislav Seselj's Radicals. Meanwhile in Niksic, Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic said he believes that reports of a split in the SNP are greatly exaggerated, RFE/RL's South Slavic Service reported. PM [20] NATIONALIST SWEEP IN BOSNIA CONTINUESPreliminary unofficialreturns from 128 out of 145 municipalities in the 8 April local elections give Radovan Karadzic's Serbian Democratic Party the lead in 51 areas. The Croatian Democratic Community is ahead in 24 localities, the Muslim Party of Democratic Action in 21, and the Social Democrats in 17, RFE/RL's South Slavic Service reported on 12 April. PM [21] ROMANIAN PARLIAMENT BEGINS BUDGET DEBATEPrime Minister MugurIsarescu told the two chambers of the legislature on 12 April that the 2000 budget is geared toward halving inflation to 27 percent and at promoting 1.3 percent growth, while keeping the deficit at 3 percent of GDP, RFE/RL's Bucharest bureau reported. Isarescu warned against increasing expenditures beyond the envisaged 3 percent deficit, saying this may affect Romania's ability to service its foreign debt. He added that by staying within those limits, Romania will demonstrate that the credibility of the international Standard & Poor's rating agency is questionable (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 10 April 2000). In related news, Mediafax reported that in its semi-annual "World Economic Outlook" released on 12 April, the IMF predicts 1.5 percent growth in the Romanian economy in 2000 but notes that the country's economy as a whole continues to be "fragile." MS [22] ROMANIAN PRESIDENT WARNS AGAINST ECOLOGICAL NEGLECTEmilConstantinescu told a 12 April meeting of the National Defense Supreme Council that if ecological accidents become a regular recurrence, Romania's chances of integration into the EU will be negatively affected, RFE/RL's Bucharest bureau reported. The council approved a number of "urgent measures" for the prevention and combating of ecological disasters. Constantinescu said Romania must continue bringing its ecology legislation into line with European standards but added that implementation of existing laws, rather than new legislation, is the main problem for Romania to cope with. MS [23] JOINT ROMANIA-HUNGARIAN PEACE KEEPING UNIT ENDS EXERCISETherecently-established Romanian-Hungarian peace-keeping battalion has ended its first military exercises, which took place in the Arad county, Mediafax reported on 12 April. The battalion simulated freeing hostages and "negotiating with mercenary troops." The exercise was conducted under the auspices of the OSCE. The battalion is to become operative in the fall. MS [24] RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR WANTS CLOSER ECONOMIC TIES WITH MOLDOVARussia's Ambassador to Moldova Pavel Petrovskii said on 12 Aprilthat Russia wants to increase its economic ties with Moldova, Infotag reported. He said there are many "unused reserves" in those ties and praised a recent agreement to reschedule Moldova's debt to Russia as well as a proposal to introduce contract prices for Russian gas. Petrovsky said he did not discuss with any Moldovan officials the possibility of establishing a Russian military base in Transdniester (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 7 April 2000). He said Moscow respects Moldova's Constitution, which states that it is a neutral country. VG [25] BULGARIAN MINISTER ENCOURAGED AFTER MEETING NATO AMBASSADORSBulgarian Foreign Minister Nadezhda Mihailova said on 12 Aprilthat NATO's assessment of Bulgaria's progress in its efforts to gain membership in the alliance is "encouraging," BTA reported. Mihailova was speaking after a meeting with NATO ambassadors in Sofia. She said the assessment stresses Bulgaria's policy in the Balkans, the country's support for NATO's bombing campaign in Yugoslavia last year, and the country's political and economic stability. Defense Minister Boyko Noev, who also attended the meeting, said Bulgaria does not need any funding from NATO's accession programs to reform its army. On 14 April, the North Atlantic Council is scheduled to discuss Bulgaria's progress in Brussels. VG [C] END NOTE[26] WHAT FUTURE FOR CROATIA'S HDZ?By Christian BuricThings are changing quickly in Croatian politics. Perhaps the biggest question is: where will the once-mighty Croatian Democratic Community (HDZ) find itself when the dust settles? Most Croats welcomed the recent change of government and the end of an authoritarian political culture. After the coalition of six parties came to power in January, scandals and revelations about old intrigues involving the HDZ elite began to appear almost daily in the press. The HDZ itself has begun to split, and it is unclear whether Franjo Tudjman's party will be in a position to play any kind of constructive opposition role in the near future. If open feuding between leading figures of the party continues, the HDZ will be hard-pressed to create a new political strategy and a readily identifiable image. In that case, there will be no clear political alternative to the governing coalition. Should Croatia lack a robust opposition, its transition to a truly Western-style democracy will be delayed. Former Foreign Minister Mate Granic founded a new party, the Croatian Democratic Center (HDC), in March. Granic, formerly known as the leader of the so-called liberal wing in the HDZ, wanted to distance himself from the HDZ's right wing, which is lead by Ivic Pasalic. Pasalic is of Herzegovinian origin and was Tudjman's most influential adviser in his final years. Vladimir Seks and Branimir Glavas from Slavonia play key roles in the HDZ, too. In 1989 they founded the party, together with Franjo Tudjman, and are now two top hard-liners. Significantly, even the right wing of the HDZ is no longer united. Pasalic told "Vecernji list" of 30 March that the political alliance between Glavas and Seks is shaky. As for Pasalic and Seks, they have long been feuding in public. But the birth of the HDC and mistrust within the right wing of the HDZ are not the only problems for the party. There is also a faction that calls itself the "Club of the Founding Fathers." Pasalic mentioned that the existence of this faction is not in line with party regulations. He even fears that old-timers like Josip Manolic or Hrvoje Sarinic could take control of the faction and try to destroy the party from within. Both me were once very prominent in HDZ affairs. Manolic left the party in 1994, together with Stipe Mesic, who is now president of the country and until recently was a member of the People's Party. The main reasons for their departure were Tudjman's policies against the Muslims in Bosnia and his tendency to act as if the Croatian state were his personal property. Sarinic left the HDZ in 1998. He was opposed to the power of the hard-liners, Zagreb's growing international isolationism, and the misuse of the secret service for political ends. Since Tudjman's death in December, a fight has become public between some of the hard-liners--who are often dubbed the Herzegovinian lobby-- and the moderate "technocrats." The feud is being played out in a press dispute over the so-called "white book" about INA, Croatia's biggest oil company. The white book is really a pamphlet, the authors of which are unknown. It alleges the existence of a Russian-Jewish conspiracy against the Croatian oil sector. Davor Stern, who was once director-general of INA and is of Jewish origin, belongs to the technocratic faction of the HDZ. He interprets the white book as an attempt by the HDZ's right wing to destroy the party's more moderate elements. In a recent interview with "Globus," Stern said that the goal of the white book is to show that not only the hard-liners are prone to scandals and corruption. The white book affair reflects the internal situation of the party and the difficulties it will encounter rising above its past and developing a new, modern image. A party congress at the end of this month is expected to deal with such questions and decide on a new leadership. If the process of self-destruction goes on, it seems unlikely that HDZ will be able to deal with these key issues and mount an effective opposition to the coalition. And the government has already shown itself to be in need of a serious opposition. The Istrian Democratic League (IDS), which belongs to the governing coalition, wants the government to support the troubled Istarska Banka, though the National Bank found "significant irregularities" in its activities. When Prime Minister Racan was still in opposition to Tudjman, he often criticized the HDZ for its "political meddling" in the banking sector. Now he has to prove to what extent he can stay true to his principles, despite pressures from the IDS. And if he does not, then at least some of the parties in the coalition should call him and the IDS to account. Pointing out governmental hypocrisy is also part of the role of a healthy opposition--in this case, the HDZ. President Mesic is another possible check on shady dealings by the government. He and Racan are currently locked in a dispute over how many of Tudjman's sweeping presidential powers should be transferred to the government or parliament. This discussion, too, clouds the political landscape. Parliamentary speaker and head of the Peasants' Party Zlatko Tomcic recently told "Globus: "These are no easy questions." The author is a free-lance writer based in Munich (christian.buric@gmx.de) 13-04-00 Reprinted with permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
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