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RFE/RL Newsline, 02-11-15
CONTENTS
[01] RUSSIA, FRANCE CONVENE BILATERAL COUNCIL ON STRATEGIC SECURITY
[02] DEFENSE MINISTER DENIES CONNECTION BETWEEN IRAQ AND INTERNATIONAL
[03] RUSSIAN INSPECTOR CONFIRMS LEAKS OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
[04] PUTIN PRESENTS CONCEPTION OF FEDERAL RELATIONS TO DUMA...
[05] ...AS DEPUTIES DISCUSS PROBLEM OF MERGING REGIONS
[06] GOVERNMENT SEEKS FURTHER LIBERALIZATION OF CURRENCY CONTROLS...
[07] ...AND DISCUSSES DEPOSIT INSURANCE
[08] DUMA APPROVES CYRILLIC-ONLY BILL
[09] BASHKIR PARLIAMENT REJECTS DRAFT CONSTITUTION
[10] POLICE NET HUGE HAUL OF PIRATE DISCS
[11] JUSTICE MINISTER PLEASED WITH PROGRESS ON PRISON REFORM
[12] INTERIOR MINISTER TO HEAD UNIFIED RUSSIA?
[13] PLANNED EXTRA SPENDING ON COUNTERTERRORISM SPARKS CONTROVERSY
[14] FSB CONDUCTS SEARCH AT REGIONAL NEWSPAPER
[15] MAJORITY FAVORS CENSORSHIP DURING HOSTAGE CRISES
[16] STUDY FINDS 7 PERCENT OF RUSSIANS BELONG TO MIDDLE CLASS
[17] SUPREME COURT ORDERS DEFENSE MINISTRY TO PAY CONTRACT SOLDIERS
[18] ANOTHER ARMENIAN OPPOSITION PARTY NOMINATES PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
[19] ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT INCREASES PENSIONS...
[20] ...AND PROPOSES TO RAISE HEALTH SPENDING
[21] ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER COMMENTS ON TURKISH ELECTIONS
[22] AZERBAIJANI VILLAGERS RENEW DEMONSTRATIONS OVER POOR LIVING
[23] NEW JOINT AZERBAIJANI-ARMENIAN EFFORT TO PROMOTE DIALOGUE LAUNCHED
[24] RUSSIAN BORDER OFFICIALS DISCUSS JOINT TRAINING WITH AZERBAIJANI
[25] GEORGIAN, RUSSIAN BORDER-GUARD OFFICIALS MEET TO PLAN NEW JOINT
[26] ...WHILE RUSSIAN BORDER-GUARD COMMANDER CRITICIZES GEORGIA
[27] CRISIS MEETING WITH HELD BETWEEN KEY DEPUTIES AND GEORGIAN DEFENSE
[28] KAZAKH GOVERNMENT TURNS DOWN CHECHEN REQUEST FOR REFUGE...
[29] ...BUT REVISITS QUESTION OF CHECHENS ALREADY IN KAZAKHSTAN
[30] KAZAKH DEFENSE CHIEF CONFERS IN WASHINGTON
[31] DEPUTIES CONTINUE DEBATE OVER BY-ELECTION CRISIS
[32] PROTESTORS, POLICE IN NEW STANDOFF OUTSIDE KYRGYZ CAPITAL...
[33] ...WHILE KYRGYZ AUTHORITIES FAIL TO BROKER SOLUTION
[34] ANTI-POPPY PATHOGEN UNVEILED
[35] TURKMEN BANKS TOLD TO CLOSE HARD-CURRENCY ACCOUNTS
[36] TURKMEN BUDGET EMPHASIZES SOCIAL NEEDS
[37] UZBEKISTAN TO RAISE COTTON VALUE BY MORE PROCESSING
[38] BELARUS THREATENS TO CUT DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH CZECHS...
[39] ...AND ACCUSES POLAND OF VIOLATING INTERNATIONAL LAW
[40] UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT TO NOMINATE DONETSK GOVERNOR FOR PREMIERSHIP
[41] ESTONIAN, GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTERS DISCUSS EU MATTERS
[42] NEW LATVIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS BALTIC COUNTERPARTS
[43] LITHUANIAN DRAFT BUDGET RETURNED TO GOVERNMENT FOR REVISION
[44] POLAND WILL RECEIVE STRUCTURAL FUNDS IN FULL, SAYS EU
[45] ...WHILE FARMERS PROTEST TERMS OF POLAND'S EU ENTRY
[46] CZECHS REJECT VISA FOR BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT...
[47] ...AND SAY THEY ARE READY TO 'PAY THE PRICE'
[48] CZECH SENATE APPROVES BILL ON EU REFERENDUM...
[49] ...EXTENDS KUWAIT STAY OF CZECH ANTICHEMICAL-WARFARE UNIT...
[50] ...AND APPROVES NEW MINISTRY
[51] NEW CANDIDATE EMERGES FOR CZECH OPPOSITION PARTY'S LEADERSHIP POST
[52] RIGHT-WING GROUP IN CZECH SENATE CHANGES LABELS
[53] CZECH TELEVISION GENERAL DIRECTOR TO BE DISMISSED?
[54] CUBANS DEFECT FROM CZECH EMBASSY IN PRAGUE
[55] SLOVAK GOVERNMENT WINS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN PARLIAMENT
[56] FORMER SLOVAK OFFICIALS TO STAND TRIAL FOR ALLEGED BRIBES
[57] HUNGARIAN JOINS IRAQ INSPECTION TEAM
[58] HUNGARIAN NOBEL PRIZE WINNER CRITICIZED BY RIGHT-WINGERS
[59] NATO SET TO EXTEND ITS MISSION IN MACEDONIA
[60] MACEDONIAN SUPREME COURT TO DECIDE ABOUT COOPERATION WITH THE
[61] KOSTUNICA TO SEEK SERBIAN PRESIDENCY
[62] SPY CASE AGAINST FORMER SERBIAN GENERAL MIGHT BE DROPPED
[63] BOSNIAN HELICOPTERS GROUNDED FOR FILMING SFOR BASE
[64] CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER DEFENDS HIS 'HUMANITARIAN GESTURE'
[65] ROMANIAN PRESIDENT SAYS PSD MUST POSE BETTER ARGUMENTS FOR EARLY
[66] ...SAYS 1987 BRASOV REVOLT SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED
[67] FORMER ROMANIAN MONARCH SUMS UP EUROPEAN TOUR
[68] MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT TELLS OSCE THAT CUSTOMS UNIFICATION IS KEY TO
[69] MOLDOVAN, RUSSIAN SECURITY OFFICIALS SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT
[70] BULGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER FEARS EXPORT SCANDAL COULD HARM NATO
[71] ...AS PRIME MINISTER, PRESIDENT REMAIN OPTIMISTIC...
[72] ...WHILE MORE QUESTIONS EMERGE
[73] HUMAN RIGHTS WATCHDOG SAYS VIOLENCE AT KABUL UNIVERSITY IS LATEST
[74] ...AS KABUL DAILY BLAMES BOTH STUDENTS AND POLICE
[75] OFFICIAL CONFIRMS NATO WILL HAVE ROLE IN AFGHANISTAN
[76] AFGHAN PRESIDENT ACCEPTS FREEDOM AWARD IN NEW YORK
[77] VIGILANTES DECRY 'IRAN'S SALMAN RUSHDIE'...
[78] ...AS CONDEMNED PROFESSOR APPEALS FOR CALM IN IRAN
[79] STUDENTS CALL FOR JUDICIARY CHIEF'S RESIGNATION...
[80] ...AS JUDICIARY LEAVES SOME WIGGLE ROOM
[81] IRANIAN RESISTANCE FORCE ESTABLISHES YAZD UNIVERSITY UNIT
[82] LEBANESE HIZBALLAH BACKS IRAN ON IRAQ
[83] BELGIAN ARMS TRIAL REVEALS IRANIAN CONNECTION
[84] SMUGGLED IRANIAN GASOLINE BEHIND STRIKE IN PAKISTAN
[85] IRAQI NEWSPAPER HARSHLY CRITICIZES U.S., BRITISH
[86] ...AND ATTACKS U.S. PRESS
[87] IRAQI TV EXPLAINS ACCEPTANCE OF RESOLUTION
[88] UN WEAPONS INSPECTORS ARRIVE IN CYPRUS...
[89] ...AS RUSSIAN UN REPRESENTATIVE COMMENTS ON THEIR ROLE
[90] IRAQI OPPOSITION MEETING REPORTEDLY POSTPONED
[91] PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN LEADER MEETS WITH TURKISH OFFICIALS
[92] There is no End Note today.
15 November 2002
RUSSIA
[01] RUSSIA, FRANCE CONVENE BILATERAL COUNCIL ON STRATEGIC SECURITY
Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov arrived in Paris on 15 November for the
inaugural meeting of the Russian-French Security Cooperation Council,
Russian and Western news agencies reported. The new body comprises the
foreign and defense ministers of the two countries and is modeled on
the U.S.-Russian Consultative Group for Strategic Security (see "RFE/RL
Newsline," 16 August 2002). Ivanov said the presidents of the two
countries maintain daily contact on security matters, as do the defense
ministers and military-intelligence services. He added that the new
council will expand the quantity and quality of such contacts. VY
[02] DEFENSE MINISTER DENIES CONNECTION BETWEEN IRAQ AND INTERNATIONAL
TERROR
Speaking to journalists in Paris, Sergei Ivanov stressed that Moscow
and Paris hold virtually identical views of the Iraq situation, Russian
and Western news agencies reported. Ivanov added that Russia has no
evidence linking Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's regime to Al-Qaeda or
any other international terrorist organization. "During Russian
antiterrorist operations in Chechnya, we have captured citizens of
30-40 countries, but none of them were Iraqis," Ivanov said. "We have
no information about the participation of any Iraqi citizen in any
terrorist attack." VY
[03] RUSSIAN INSPECTOR CONFIRMS LEAKS OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
Speaking at a Moscow press conference on 14 November, Yurii
Vishnevskii, head of the State Nuclear Inspectorate (GosAtomNadzor),
said his agency has registered cases of leaks of fissile materials from
the country's nuclear facilities over the last decade, newsru.com
reported. Vishnevskii said the disappearance of a few grams of
weapons-grade materials qualifies as a "leak," as does the
disappearance of a few kilograms of low-grade nuclear fuel. Among the
installations where leaks have been registered, Vishnevskii named
nuclear plants in Elektrostal and Novosibirsk. He added that following
the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, Russian
nuclear facilities set up special antiterrorist barriers. VY
[04] PUTIN PRESENTS CONCEPTION OF FEDERAL RELATIONS TO DUMA...
During a Kremlin meeting with Duma faction leaders on 14 November,
President Vladimir Putin announced that the presidential commission
headed by deputy administration chief Dmitrii Kozak studying the
delineation of authority among the federal, regional, and local levels
has prepared two draft bills, RTR and other Russian news agencies
reported. One bill deals with the division of power between federal and
regional authorities, while the second addresses the responsibilities
of regional and local self-government organs. Putin stressed that a key
principle of the two bills is that government bodies will only bear
responsibilities for which they control the requisite funding. He also
said that after the bills are approved, all treaties on power sharing
between the federation and its constituents will be invalidated. VY
[05] ...AS DEPUTIES DISCUSS PROBLEM OF MERGING REGIONS
The Duma Regional Policy Committee on 14 November held a hearing on a
draft bill on altering the administrative borders of Russian regions,
polit.ru reported. Deputies and experts at the hearing expressed two
main schools of thought. Some supported the government's efforts to
merge some regions, while others back the so-called ethnic republics
and urged expanding the independence of federation constituents. Deputy
Boris Nadezhdin (Union of Rightist Forces) argued that the number of
federation subjects -- currently 89 -- must be reduced. He argued that
the criterion for each separate constituent must be its economic
viability. "Small nations cannot be economically self-sufficient,"
Nadezhdin said. Polit.ru, however, commented that it is premature for
the government to discuss implementing a concept for administrative
reform when it has not yet articulated that concept. VY
[06] GOVERNMENT SEEKS FURTHER LIBERALIZATION OF CURRENCY CONTROLS...
Addressing a government meeting on 14 November, Prime Minister Mikhail
Kasyanov said existing currency regulations are hindering the
development of the economy and making Russia less attractive to
investment, abnews.ru reported. He described the regulations as a tall
fence cutting off the Russian economy from foreign economies, saying
that fence remains too high despite recent moves toward liberalization
(see "RFE/RL Newsline," 11 and 15 October 2002). Russia should shift
from permitting hard-currency transactions to simply registering them,
Kasyanov said. First Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Aleksei
Kudrin announced that by 2007 Moscow will renounce all government
mechanisms for regulating the movement of capital into and out of
Russia. VY
[07] ...AND DISCUSSES DEPOSIT INSURANCE
At the same meeting, Prime Minister Kasyanov initiated a discussion of
a proposed bill on state insurance for individual commercial-bank
deposits, polit.ru reported on 14 November. Kasyanov said individual
savings are an important tool for developing the economies of Western
countries. He called on the government to revitalize the weak banking
sector and find ways to turn individual savings into domestic
investment. The bill under discussion stipulates a 100 percent
guarantee for individual accounts up to 20,000 rubles ($625) and 95
percent coverage for deposits up to 95,000 rubles. Individuals with
more savings should distribute their funds among several banks, said
Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref. VY
[08] DUMA APPROVES CYRILLIC-ONLY BILL
The Duma on 15 November passed in its second and third readings an
amendment to the law on the languages of the peoples of the Russian
Federation, newsru.com and other Russian news agencies reported. The
amendment would mandate that the Cyrillic alphabet serve as the basis
for the written languages of all peoples of the federation (see "RFE/RL
Newsline," 27 February and 6 June 2002). The use of any other alphabet
would have to be approved by a special federal law in each case,
Interfax reported. Deputy Fandes Safiullin (Russian Regions), who
represents a district in Tatarstan, spoke out against the bill, saying
that "national alphabets cannot by made uniform" and "there is no
precedent [for such a bill] in the world." Last year, Tatarstan
officially adopted an alphabet based on Latin script (see "RFE/RL
Newsline," 24 September and 19 October 2001). RC
[09] BASHKIR PARLIAMENT REJECTS DRAFT CONSTITUTION
Legislators in Bashkortostan have rejected in its first reading a new
draft constitution that would abolish the post of republican president,
strana.ru reported on 13 November. Although the draft has been endorsed
by Bashkir President Murtaza Rakhimov, deputies reportedly rejected it
because it contains many contradictions with federal legislation and
because of numerous requests from localities in the republic that they
do so. According to strana.ru, the draft under consideration --
although nominally intended to establish a parliamentary system of
government -- actually maintains the presidential system under a new
guise. The republican head of state would be the prime minister, but he
or she would be directly elected by the public. The prime minister
would then have the authority to form a government without taking into
account the makeup of parliament. "In this way, Murtaza Rakhimov could
extend his reign by another eight years without any long debates over
whether he is seeking a third term as president," the website
commented. RC
[10] POLICE NET HUGE HAUL OF PIRATE DISCS
Police in Moscow have confiscated more than 70,000 illegal DVD discs in
a record seizure, lenta.ru reported on 15 November. The discs were
reportedly worth up to $1 million. RIA-Novosti quoted an unnamed source
at the Media Ministry as saying "this is the biggest haul [we've had]
in all the years of combating piracy." AP cited an unidentified
Interior Ministry source as saying the seizure was made on the grounds
of a state research institute called the Scientific Research Institute
for Precise Instruments in a warehouse and workshop leased by a firm
called Miriam XXI. The institute is reportedly part of the Russian
Space Agency (Rosaviakosmos). According to the AP report, the DVDs
contained pornographic movies intended for sale in Russia and the
Baltic states. In August, the United States formally complained to the
Russian government about the alleged production of illegal CDs and DVDs
at state-owned institutions (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 1 August 2002). RC
[11] JUSTICE MINISTER PLEASED WITH PROGRESS ON PRISON REFORM
Speaking to reporters in Novosibirsk on 14 November, Justice Minister
Yurii Chaika said considerable progress has been made in reforming
Russia's prison system since responsibility for it was transferred from
the Interior Ministry to the Justice Ministry, lenta.ru and Interfax
reported. Chaika said there is a new emphasis on defending prisoners'
human rights and noted that special human rights assistants had been
appointed at all incarceration facilities. He also said that European
inspectors have been making quarterly inspections of Russian prisons
and have documented no serious violations of global standards. He said
reforms over the last two years have reduced the number of prisoners
held in pretrial detention by more than 50 percent and that the total
prison population has been reduced by 200,000. RC
[12] INTERIOR MINISTER TO HEAD UNIFIED RUSSIA?
Speaking to reporters in Dushanbe on 15 November, Boris Gryzlov
commented on recent rumors that he will be named chairman of the
Unified Russia party in preparation for the December 2003 State Duma
election campaign, strana.ru and other Russian news agencies reported.
Currently, the party has three co-chairmen: Emergency Situations
Minister Sergei Shoigu, Moscow Mayor Yurii Luzhkov, and Tatarstan
President Mintimer Shaimiev. According to unnamed sources within the
party, a consensus has developed that a single leader is needed to
carry the party through the upcoming campaign, strana.ru reported.
Gryzlov told journalists that he would not resign his government post
if he were named party chairman. The work of party chairman "is not
directly connected with party activity, and therefore I will be able to
do both," Gryzlov said. "I have been helping the party during this
difficult stage in its establishment and will continue to help in the
future." RC
[13] PLANNED EXTRA SPENDING ON COUNTERTERRORISM SPARKS CONTROVERSY
Generals representing the Defense Ministry persuaded members of the
State Duma Budget Committee to reduce additional planned spending on
counterterrorism in the 2003 budget from 3 billion rubles ($97 million)
to 1.5 billion rubles, "Vedomosti" reported on 14 November. Plans to
allocate an extra 3 billion rubles to fight terrorism alarmed Defense
Ministry officials because that spending would require cuts in other
defense-related budget articles (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 13 November
2002). In late October, the Federation Council Budget Committee
recommended the Duma increase expenditures on combating terrorism by 3
billion rubles, but that committee's chairman, Yevgenii Bushmin, told
"Vedomosti" the senators had envisioned reallocating the extra 3
billion rubles from all parts of the budget, not just the defense and
security articles. According to "Vedomosti," the government has so far
not intervened in the dispute. LB
[14] FSB CONDUCTS SEARCH AT REGIONAL NEWSPAPER
Local officers of the Federal Security Service (FSB) in Perm searched
the offices of the regional newspaper "Zvezda" on 12 November, lenta.ru
reported on 15 November, citing the paper's website and the chairman of
the local union of journalists, Vasilii Mosiev. According to Mosiev,
the FSB also questioned "Zvezda" Editor in Chief Sergei Trushnikov for
five hours and forced him to sign a pledge not to discuss the
interrogation. According to the "Zvezda" website, FSB officers
confiscated documents and computer hard disks. They also interrogated
the paper's crime reporter, Konstantin Bakharev. Mosiev said only that
the possible cause for the FSB's interest was a series of recent
publications on local crime. Meanwhile, NTV reported on 15 November
that local tax police in Petrozavodsk searched the offices of the
independent newspaper "Guberniya" on 12 November. The paper's editor in
chief, Larisa Zhdanova, accused local authorities of trying to prevent
the next issue of the paper from appearing because it contains an
investigation into how local bureaucrats are using their state-provided
apartments. RC
[15] MAJORITY FAVORS CENSORSHIP DURING HOSTAGE CRISES
Sixty-one percent of Russian citizens believe it is necessary to impose
censorship during emergency situations involving hostages, according to
a nationwide survey of 1,600 people conducted by the Agency for
Regional and Political Research (ARPI), newsru.com reported on 13
November. About 35 percent of respondents oppose censorship in such
situations. Meanwhile, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia leader and
Deputy Duma Speaker Vladimir Zhirinovskii told reporters in Moscow on
14 November that "the state must control all processes in the country
-- from the weather to the mass media," RosBalt reported. "Terror is a
war in which the front is everywhere. Why in such a war should
journalists have unlimited freedom while the rest of the public faces
rights limitations?" Zhirinovskii was quoted as saying. "The number of
insane people in the country is increasing, violence and debauchery are
on the rise, and all this is the work of journalists." LB/RC
[16] STUDY FINDS 7 PERCENT OF RUSSIANS BELONG TO MIDDLE CLASS
Seven percent of the Russian population can be considered "middle
class," and an additional 12 percent have some middle-class
characteristics, according to economist Yelena Avraamova, who
participated in a nationwide study financed by the Carnegie Foundation.
In an interview published in "Novye izvestiya" on 14 November,
Avraamova explained that she and her colleagues based their analysis
not on the self-reported incomes of survey respondents (members of some
5,000 families), but on a combination of three factors: education level
and profession, material wealth, and self-identification. The ratio of
men to women in the middle class is approximately 60:40. The survey
found that husbands and wives often work in the same business and as a
rule have no more than two children. LB
[17] SUPREME COURT ORDERS DEFENSE MINISTRY TO PAY CONTRACT SOLDIERS
The Supreme Court on 13 November upheld a lower-court ruling in favor
of more than 1,000 contract soldiers who sued the Defense Ministry for
back wages, Moskoviya television reported. The wage arrears have
accumulated over several years, and the ministry must pay the soldiers
some 20 billion rubles ($645 million). The entire Defense Ministry
budget for this year amounts to 284 billion rubles. Newsreader Gleb
Pyanykh suggested the ministry could meet the demands of the Supreme
Court ruling by using 16.5 billion rubles earmarked for military reform
and 3 billion rubles allocated for an experimental program involving
the Pskov Airborne Division. LB
TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA
[18] ANOTHER ARMENIAN OPPOSITION PARTY NOMINATES PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
The opposition National Democratic Union (AZhM) formally nominated its
leader, Vazgen Manukian, as its candidate for the February presidential
elections during its annual party congress on 14 November, according to
"Azg" and RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau. Accepting the nomination, Manukian
asserted his pro-Western stand by promising to lead the country "into
Europe and not follow in Russia's footsteps." With experience as both
prime minister and defense minister, Manukian was also the main
opposition candidate in the September 1996 presidential election, but
he lost to then-President Levon Ter-Petrossian. Manukian never accepted
that defeat, maintaining that the 1996 election was -- as international
observers certified at the time -- "neither free nor fair." The
announcement is the latest nomination of an opposition candidate,
seriously undermining the declared unity of the 16 opposition political
parties (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 7 October 2002). RG
[19] ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT INCREASES PENSIONS...
For the third time this year, the Armenian government announced on 14
November plans to increase monthly pension payments, RFE/RL's Yerevan
bureau and "Azg" reported. The increase will raise pensions by 700
drams ($1.22) to a monthly payment of 6,700 drams and will take
effective at the beginning of 2003. Even with these three increases in
2002, payments for the roughly half a million Armenian pensioners still
remain among the lowest in the Commonwealth of Independent States. RG
[20] ...AND PROPOSES TO RAISE HEALTH SPENDING
In testimony to the Armenian parliament on 14 November, the government
presented its draft 2003 budget increase for health spending to a
planned level of 20.75 billion drams, according to "Azg." The state
budget also proposed a set of smaller funding increases for social
security, education, and nature conservation. RG
[21] ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER COMMENTS ON TURKISH ELECTIONS
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian told reporters on 14 November that it
is too early to determine what implications the recent elections in
Turkey will hold for relations with Armenia, "Azg," and ArmenPress
reported. "We shall have to wait and see what kind of policy toward
Armenia and the region in general the Turkish government adopts,"
Oskanian said. Commenting on the 15 November meeting between Armenian
and Azerbaijani deputy foreign ministers in Vienna, Oskanian stated
that "neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan were expecting something special."
The deputy foreign ministers were appointed by the Armenian and
Azerbaijani presidents in an attempt to maintain a dialogue between the
two countries. RG
[22] AZERBAIJANI VILLAGERS RENEW DEMONSTRATIONS OVER POOR LIVING
CONDITIONS
Residents of Azerbaijan's Nardaran village on 14 November renewed
demonstrations protesting the government's failure to address the
severe socioeconomic conditions of the region, ANS reported. The
situation in Nardaran remains tense despite several meetings with
government officials in the wake of a clash between villagers and
police in early June (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 3 and 4 June 2002).
Village elders condemned the authorities for not fulfilling their
promises of economic aid and energy supplies and called for the release
of all villagers detained after the 3 June clash. The situation in
Nardaran has been simmering for many months, as villagers launched a
series of protests and demonstrations against poor socioeconomic
conditions in early 2002 (see "RFE/RL Caucasus Report," Vol. 5, No. 8,
28 February 2002). RG
[23] NEW JOINT AZERBAIJANI-ARMENIAN EFFORT TO PROMOTE DIALOGUE LAUNCHED
An unprecedented new Internet-based effort to "promote dialogue"
between Azerbaijanis and Armenians was unveiled in Baku and Yerevan on
14 November, Mediamax and RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported. A group of
Azerbaijani and Armenian analysts established two linked websites
(http://www.dialogueazarm.com and http://www.dialoguearmaz.nt.am), one
in each country, featuring joint research and analysis aimed at
resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Materials are available in
Azerbaijani, Armenian, and Russian. The innovative effort, according to
Armenian organizer Harutiun Khachatrian and Azerbaijani academic Ali
Abbasov, "is an attempt to resist the harmful tendency of growing
hostility" in the two countries and will "promote public opinion
favoring reconciliation and mutual concessions." The effort also holds
that "economic cooperation is possible and might facilitate the
conflict's settlement." The project was financed by the British
government and coordinated through the British embassies in both
countries. RG
[24] RUSSIAN BORDER OFFICIALS DISCUSS JOINT TRAINING WITH AZERBAIJANI
COUNTERPARTS
Russian Federal Border Guard official Valerii Putov met with
Azerbaijani Frontier Service Deputy Commander Inayat Khaliov on 14
November to discuss plans for a new joint-training program, ANS
reported. The officials stated that expanded bilateral cooperation
would include the "joint protection of borders" and antiterrorism
measures. RG
[25] GEORGIAN, RUSSIAN BORDER-GUARD OFFICIALS MEET TO PLAN NEW JOINT
MEASURES...
Russian border-guard officials met in Tbilisi on 14 November with their
Georgian counterparts to review plans for new joint patrols and
measures aimed at extending and securing control over the
Russia-Georgia border, Civil Georgia reported. The joint operation will
include sharing intelligence information and stems from the agreement
between the Russian and Georgian presidents reached early last month
(see "RFE/RL Newsline," 7 October 2002). RG
[26] ...WHILE RUSSIAN BORDER-GUARD COMMANDER CRITICIZES GEORGIA
Russian Federal Border Guard Service Commander Colonel General
Konstantin Totskii criticized the Georgian government on 14 November
for continuing to allow Chechen rebels to operate bases and launch
military incursions into Russia from Georgian territory, AP and
ITAR-TASS reported. Totskii also dismissed the planned joint border
operations with the Georgians and stated that he has "little hope" of
real cooperation because "there is no political will" in Georgia. RG
[27] CRISIS MEETING WITH HELD BETWEEN KEY DEPUTIES AND GEORGIAN DEFENSE
MINISTRY LEADERS
For the second time in less than a month, senior officers of the
Georgian Defense Ministry's Military Council met with key
parliamentarians on 14 November to discuss the severe shortfall in
defense spending, Civil Georgia reported. The senior officers urged
parliamentary Chairwoman Nino Burjanadze and Defense and Security
Committee Chairman Irakli Batiashvili to take immediate steps to
correct the roughly 11 million lari ($5 million) budget shortfall for
the first 10 months of 2002. The parliamentary leaders promised to
discuss the situation with Finance Minister Mirian Gogiashvili. RG
[28] KAZAKH GOVERNMENT TURNS DOWN CHECHEN REQUEST FOR REFUGE...
Deputy Interior Minister Ivan Otto acknowledged on 14 November that the
government has received a letter from some 300 Chechen families in
Russia appealing for temporary refuge in Kazakhstan (see "RFE/RL
Newsline," 13 and 14 November 2002) but said their request could not be
granted, Interfax reported. He explained that giving them refugee
status would oblige the authorities to provide them with food, housing,
and work. "We cannot afford this. Our budget is simply insufficient,"
Otto told the news agency. The obligations of host states toward
refugees, to which Otto referred, are codified in the 1951
International Convention on Refugees. AA
[29] ...BUT REVISITS QUESTION OF CHECHENS ALREADY IN KAZAKHSTAN
Also on 14 November, Foreign Minister Qasymzhomart Toqaev told
parliamentary deputies in Astana that there are already 12,000 Chechens
in the country "who are essentially refugees" although they do not have
that legal status, Interfax-Kazakhstan reported. Toqaev complained that
the Justice Ministry has not still approved a protocol setting out
Kazakhstan's relations to Chechens who have fled from Russia since 1999
and asked Justice Minister Georgii Kim to speed up the process. Tokaev
said these people should be given rights and opportunities, although
they will not receive the full state benefits they would be entitled to
as bona-fide refugees because Kazakhstan has not yet ratified the
International Convention on Refugees, according to Toqaev. Kazakhstan
joined the convention in January 1999. AA
[30] KAZAKH DEFENSE CHIEF CONFERS IN WASHINGTON
Visiting the Pentagon on 14 November, Kazakh Defense Minister Mukhtar
Altynbaev met U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to discuss the war
on terrorism and ways to expand bilateral military ties, RFE/RL
reported. Rumsfeld thanked Kazakhstan for its support of the
antiterrorism coalition and assured his counterpart of Washington's
commitment to a long-term relationship with the Central Asia countries.
Altynbaev noted the importance of military training in the United
States for Kazakh officers and of joint exercises conducted with
American service personnel. Kyrgyzstan Defense Minister Colonel General
Esen Topoev met Rumsfeld in Washington last week, also to discuss
military cooperation and regional-security issues (see "RFE/RL
Newsline," 13 November 2002). AA
[31] DEPUTIES CONTINUE DEBATE OVER BY-ELECTION CRISIS
For the third time this week, Kyrgyzstan's Legislative Assembly (the
lower parliament chamber) on 14 November discussed but took no decision
on the political situation created by the decision to bar former Deputy
Prime Minister Usen Sydykov from a runoff local by-election in
Kara-Kuldja, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported. Deputies examined two
draft resolutions -- one calling on the president and the government to
resolve the situation and the other tasking a special commission to
make recommendations -- and passed neither of them. Some deputies have
argued the dispute does not lie within the parliament's competence and
should be dealt with by the Central Election Commission (see "RFE/RL
Newsline," 13 November 2002). AA
[32] PROTESTORS, POLICE IN NEW STANDOFF OUTSIDE KYRGYZ CAPITAL...
Some 600-1,000 antigovernment protestors launched a march on Bishkek
from a town 20 kilometers away on 14 November, only to be halted 1
kilometer from the city limits on the Bishkek-Sokuluk highway by a
roadblock and hundreds of police officers, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service and
Interfax reported. The marchers, most of whom hailed from the south of
the country, were calling for the impeachment of President Askar Akaev,
the release of former Vice President Feliks Kulov, and the
reinstatement of Sydykov as a candidate in a Kara-Kuldja by-election.
Unable to proceed further, the protestors started a sit-down strike,
blocking the road. The march was triggered by the government's alleged
failure to respect an agreement made two months ago with protestors
outside town of Toktogul, when it promised to punish three top
officials for their roles in the shooting deaths of five demonstrators
in Aksy in March (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 16 September and 11 November
2002). Protestors also expressed anger at parliament's indecisiveness
over the Sydykov issue. AA
[33] ...WHILE KYRGYZ AUTHORITIES FAIL TO BROKER SOLUTION
Justice Minister Daniyar Narynbaev, presidential press chief Botol
Zhanuzakov, the mayor of Bishkek, and other government officials met on
14 November with representatives of the protesters, including
opposition lawmaker Azimbek Beknazarov, human rights activist Tursunbek
Akunov, and Usen Sydykov, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service and Kyrgyz Radio
reported. The representatives told RFE/RL they turned down the
government's offer of talks aimed at finding a compromise. Meanwhile,
the Kyrgyz government held an emergency meeting to discuss how to deal
with the protesters and their demands. Prime Minister Nikolai Tanaev
told the meeting the authorities "will try to resolve this situation
exclusively through negotiations, without using any force," Interfax
reported.
[34] ANTI-POPPY PATHOGEN UNVEILED
Researchers at the Tajik Academy of Sciences announced they have
developed a biological pathogen that effectively destroys opium poppies
without affecting humans or any other kind of plant or animal,
Asia-Plus reported on 14 November. The pathogen kills 90 percent of
poppy ovaries at an early stage of the flower's growth, and about 60
percent if the pathogen is unleashed after the bolls have ripened. The
practical application of the pathogen as a weapon in the war against
drugs, especially in Afghanistan, will be discussed in December at an
international drug-control conference in Tashkent. AA
[35] TURKMEN BANKS TOLD TO CLOSE HARD-CURRENCY ACCOUNTS
On 14 November in Ashgabat, President Saparmurat Niyazov told a group
of senior banking and finance officials that in the near future only
the Central Bank will be permitted to conduct foreign currency
transactions in the country, Turkmen TV reported. He said he will soon
issue a decree ordering all other local banks to close their
hard-currency accounts. Centralizing control of Turkmenistan's
hard-currency reserves is the only way to keep track of them, the
president said. A scandal erupted in Turkmenistan in September when it
was discovered that $41.5 million of state hard-currency funds had gone
missing (see "RFE/RL Central Asia Report," 26 September 2002). AA
[36] TURKMEN BUDGET EMPHASIZES SOCIAL NEEDS
Turkmenistan's draft budget for 2003, due to be passed by the
parliament in two weeks, amounts to 52 trillion manats ($10 billion),
of which 70 percent is earmarked for social welfare, Interfax reported
on 14 November. This includes a plan to double salaries in the country
in February. Next year's projected revenue of 51.5 trillion manats
derives primarily from oil and gas earnings. In order to save money,
the government recently decided to employ 65,000 soldiers in various
spheres of the economy, especially construction, health care, and
agriculture. AA
[37] UZBEKISTAN TO RAISE COTTON VALUE BY MORE PROCESSING
Addressing a forum on the cotton industry on 14 November in Tashkent,
Deputy Prime Minister Elyor Ganiev announced that Uzbekistan plans to
double the amount of cotton fiber it processes domestically by 2005,
thus raising its value as an export commodity, Uzbek TV reported.
Currently Uzbekistan processes only about 25 percent of the fiber it
grows and exports the rest of the crop as cheaper raw cotton. This
year, the country harvested some 3.2 tons of raw cotton. Typically
one-third of a crop's total weight is fiber. AA
CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
[38] BELARUS THREATENS TO CUT DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH CZECHS...
Belarus's foreign minister suggested on 14 November that Minsk will
break off diplomatic ties with Prague if the Czechs deny an entry visa
to Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka ahead of the 21-22
November NATO summit, Reuters reported. Czech Foreign Minister Cyril
Svoboda on 15 November announced that Prague is rejecting Lukashenka's
visa request (see Czech item below and "RFE/RL Newsline," 12, 13, and
14 November 2002). "Belarus sees a refusal of a visa as a serious step.
We will respond strongly," Reuters quoted Belarusian Foreign Minister
Mikhail Khvastou as saying one day prior to the Czech announcement. "In
diplomacy, there are numerous examples when diplomatic ties have been
broken." Khvastou added: "The Czech Republic is [faring] better from of
our trade relations.... Czech exports to Belarus are greater than
Belarusian exports to the Czech Republic.... We will look for other
partners." Lukashenka applied for the Czech visa last month. AM
[39] ...AND ACCUSES POLAND OF VIOLATING INTERNATIONAL LAW
Khvastou also accused neighboring Poland on 14 November of violating
international law by preventing ethnic Chechens from entering its
territory, Belapan news agency reported. "[These] Russian citizens have
valid documents, and we view as unacceptable a ban on the movement of
people based on nationality, especially if it is imposed on a category
of persons 70 percent of whom are women and children," Belapan quoted
him as saying. The lack of a response from the OSCE's Bureau for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in Warsaw constitutes "an
apparent breach of OSCE regulations and the International Covenant on
Civil and Human Rights, which asserts citizens' freedom to travel," he
added. Chechens forced to stay in Belarus due to Poland's actions will
receive accommodation and medical aid from the Belarusian government,
Khvastou added (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 14 November 2002). AM
[40] UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT TO NOMINATE DONETSK GOVERNOR FOR PREMIERSHIP
Leonid Kuchma intends to nominate Donetsk Governor Viktor Yanukovych as
a candidate for prime minister, a source close to the presidential
administration told Interfax on 14 November. The source indicated the
president will hold final consultations with caucus leaders and the
parliamentary majority groups on 15 November. A measure to dismiss the
current government has already been prepared, and Kuchma will announce
his decision on 15 November, the source suggested, adding that Kuchma
intends to submit Yanukovych's candidacy to the legislature soon to
allow for a vote on 21 November. Ukraine's parliamentary majority has
proposed four candidates for prime minister, including Yanukovych,
current Prime Minister Anatoliy Kinakh, First Deputy Prime Minister
Oleh Dubyna, and State Tax Administration chief Mykola Azarov (see
"RFE/RL Newsline," 29 October and 5 November 2002). AM
[41] ESTONIAN, GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTERS DISCUSS EU MATTERS
In talks in Berlin on 14 November, Estonian Foreign Minister Kristiina
Ojuland informed her German counterpart Joschka Fischer on the current
state of her country's EU-membership negotiations, ETA reported. She
said Estonia wants to see an efficient and equitable EU and supports
reforms that will make its institutions more efficient, transparent,
and democratic, also noting that the eventual implementation must be
taken into account in planning related reforms. The ministers also
discussed the work of the Future of Europe Convention, cooperation
between Baltic Sea states, and the recent agreement between the EU and
Russia on transit between the Kaliningrad Oblast and the rest of
Russia. Fischer stressed that Germany strongly supports Estonia's
membership in NATO. SG
[42] NEW LATVIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS BALTIC COUNTERPARTS
Less than a week after assuming her new post, Sandra Kalniete made her
first official visits abroad to Parnu and Panevezys to hold talks with
her Estonian and Lithuanian counterparts on 13 and 14 November,
respectively, BNS reported. The talks in Parnu with Estonian Foreign
Minister Ojuland focused mainly on the need for close cooperation in
concluding EU membership negotiations and the anticipated invitations
to join NATO at the Prague summit on 21-22 November. Kalniete discussed
these issues with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis as well
as the question of transit to and from Kaliningrad through Lithuania in
light of the recent EU-Russia agreement. The ministers also discussed
the planned visit to Vilnius on 22 and 23 November by U.S. President
Bush and his expected meeting with the three Baltic presidents. SG
[43] LITHUANIAN DRAFT BUDGET RETURNED TO GOVERNMENT FOR REVISION
Parliamentary debate of the government's proposed 2003 budget resulted
in the draft being sent back to the cabinet for revision on 14
November, ELTA reported. The draft envisages revenues of 10.98 billion
litas ($3.15 billion) and expenditures of 12.28 billion litas. A number
of changes in committee or proposed by individual deputies would
increase expenditures by 1.6 billion litas. Budget and Finance
Committee Chairman Algirdas Butkevicius called most of the requests
"impracticable," and his committee proposed increasing spending by 83.6
million litas of additional funding for education, health care, social
security, and completing objects under construction. The government has
15 days for revision before parliament debates it a second time. SG
[44] POLAND WILL RECEIVE STRUCTURAL FUNDS IN FULL, SAYS EU
COMMISSIONER...
EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen assured on 14
November that Poland will not have to pay in full its expected
contribution to the EU budget if its entry comes after 1 January 2004,
PAP reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline", 14 November 2002). Poland also
would not get the full amount of direct subsidies but would receive
structural funds in full, he added. Verheugen was in Warsaw attending
14 November debates of the Party of European Socialists (PES) of the
European Parliament. Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller at the PES
session stressed that the EU's new members should not be net
contributors, PAP reported. Genuine unification is only possible
through the elimination of disparities in development within Europe and
within some countries, Miller added. AM
[45] ...WHILE FARMERS PROTEST TERMS OF POLAND'S EU ENTRY
Hundreds of Polish farmers demonstrated on 14 November in front of the
European Union's mission in Warsaw, protesting the proposed terms of
Poland's admission to the EU as unfair and ruinous for the country's 6
million farmers, AP reported. In the first year of membership, the EU
is offering just one-quarter of the subsidies available to current
member states' farmers, with the figure gradually increasing to parity
in 2013. "I know that nobody is going to give us money for nothing, but
there must be some balance, some justice," AP quoted 37 year-old farmer
Tomasz Jaron as saying. Polish farmers are demanding subsidies equal to
those offered to the 8 million farmers in current EU states. EU
Commissioner Verheugen said on 14 November in Warsaw that full
subsidies would kill farmers' initiative to adjust to new circumstances
and create a feeling of injustice within other professions, according
to AP. AM
[46] CZECHS REJECT VISA FOR BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT...
The Czech Republic on 15 November denied a visa request by Alyaksandr
Lukashenka, CTK reported the same day, seemingly dashing the Belarusian
leader's hopes of turning up uninvited at the 21-22 November NATO
summit and virtually ensuring a diplomatic rift with Minsk in the
process. Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda was quoted as saying the
visa was denied due to Belarus's lack of respect for human rights, the
news agency reported. Svoboda said Czech officials do not wish to allow
Lukashenka to use such a visit to "legitimize his position" in Belarus,
and added that Minsk requested special protection the host country
could not afford. "Our instructions to the Czech charge d'affaires in
Minsk are to not grant a visa," Svoboda said, according to CTK. The
news agency added that the Belarusian Foreign Ministry has not yet
received official word of the decision. AH
[47] ...AND SAY THEY ARE READY TO 'PAY THE PRICE'
Svoboda said there will be "a price to pay" for the decision, CTK
reported on 15 November, "but all those who value the basic human
rights and liberties must be ready to face some repercussion." Czech
officials acted without any pressure from either NATO or the European
Union, he said. "This is our decision. But any support in this matter
is welcome, as there are values that are worth protecting." Belarusian
officials have repeatedly threatened retribution if the visa request is
not granted (see Belarus item above and "RFE/RL Newsline," 12, 13, and
14 November 2002) AH
[48] CZECH SENATE APPROVES BILL ON EU REFERENDUM...
The Senate on 14 November approved a government-sponsored bill
requiring the country to hold a national referendum on joining the
European Union, international news agencies reported. All 67 senators
present voted in favor of the bill, which still requires President
Vaclav Havel's signature. The bill requires the plebiscite to be held
within 30 days after the Czech Republic signs an accession treaty with
the EU. It stipulates that if voters reject joining the union, a new
plebiscite cannot be called for at least two years. MS
[49] ...EXTENDS KUWAIT STAY OF CZECH ANTICHEMICAL-WARFARE UNIT...
The upper chamber on 14 November also extended the stay in Kuwait of
the Czech antichemical-warfare unit, AP and CTK reported. The unit is
likely to stay in that country through 2003. Before the vote, Defense
Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik told senators that the government decided to
accept a Kuwaiti offer to finance the stay and to have members of the
unit train a similar Kuwaiti unit in exchange. In related news, on 15
November the daily "Pravo" cited Tvrdik as saying that the Czech Army
is building a 200-strong elite police unit to operate abroad as part of
the joint NATO forces. The daily says the unit could be used in the
search for war criminals in the Balkans. MS
[50] ...AND APPROVES NEW MINISTRY
Also on 14 November, the Senate approved a government-sponsored bill to
set up a Ministry of Informatics. The Chamber of Deputies has already
approved the bill, which has been expected since the July coalition
agreement established the portfolio and named Vladimir Mlynar (Freedom
Union-Democratic Union) to the cabinet-level post of minister of
informatics. MS
[51] NEW CANDIDATE EMERGES FOR CZECH OPPOSITION PARTY'S LEADERSHIP POST
Civic Democratic Party (ODS) Deputy Chairman Jan Zahradil will run for
the post of ODS chairman at the party's national conference in
December, CTK reported on 14 November, citing the dailies "Pravo" and
"Mlada fronta Dnes." Zahradil is the first candidate to emerge for the
position after Moravia-Silesia Commissioner Evzen Tosenovsky withdrew
on 8 November. Zahradil, generally regarded as having strong loyalties
to current Chairman Vaclav Klaus, told "Pravo" that he is conditioning
his candidacy on strong support and a limited two-year mandate. He also
said that if he decides to run for the position, "it would have to be
after an exchange of views with Klaus," adding that he does not want to
find himself in a position similar to that of Tosenovsky, who was
opposed by Klaus after announcing his candidacy. The only chairman in
the right-wing party's 11-year history, Klaus has said he will not seek
re-election as he weighs a bid for the Czech presidency. MS
[52] RIGHT-WING GROUP IN CZECH SENATE CHANGES LABELS
The Freedom Union-Civic Democratic Alliance (US-ODA) senators' group on
14 November announced it will call itself the Open Democracy group, CTK
reported. The change in denomination is aimed at encouraging
independent senators to join the group. But for now, one independent
senator, Jitka Seitlova, has announced her exit from the former US-ODA
faction. Senate Deputy Chairman Jan Ruml of the Freedom
Union-Democratic Union (US-DEU) said some senators are still
considering joining the new group, which comprises 15 members. MS
[53] CZECH TELEVISION GENERAL DIRECTOR TO BE DISMISSED?
The Czech Television Council will vote on 18 November on the possible
dismissal of the state broadcaster's general director, Jiri Balvin,
Czech Radio reported on 14 November. The council said in a statement
that Balvin, who took over the post in the wake of a divisive political
power struggle in 2001, has proven to be a "disappointment" and has
failed to implement restructuring at the station. The council also said
he has failed to stem a ballooning budget deficit. Although some
council members demanded Balvin's immediate dismissal, the council
voted to wait for the vote until he returns from a business trip in
Asia. MS
[54] CUBANS DEFECT FROM CZECH EMBASSY IN PRAGUE
Two employees of the Cuban Embassy in Prague have requested political
asylum in the Czech Republic, CTK reported on 15 November, citing the
daily "Lidove noviny." The two are the driver of Cuban Ambassador David
Paulovich and the driver's wife. Paulovich confirmed the defection, but
denied that the two had diplomatic status. The ambassador said the two
defectors disappeared with the embassy's car and that he has asked
Czech police to track down and return the car. The couple is now in the
Vysni Lahota refugee camp in northern Moravia. MS
[55] SLOVAK GOVERNMENT WINS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN PARLIAMENT
The Slovak parliament on 14 November approved the government's
four-year program in a vote of confidence in Mikulas Dzurinda's
cabinet, TASR and international news agencies reported. The vote was 78
in favor and 63 against. Prime Minister Dzurinda told the chamber that
the vote is important not only because it is required by constitutional
provision, but also because Slovakia expects to receive an invitation
to join NATO at next week's Prague summit and the invitation to
complete accession negotiations with the EU at the European Council
meeting in Copenhagen in December. "To use this chance, Slovakia needs
to have a firm and stable government, and it is therefore important
that the premier go to Prague and Copenhagen with the parliament's
mandate," CTK cited Dzurinda as saying. MS
[56] FORMER SLOVAK OFFICIALS TO STAND TRIAL FOR ALLEGED BRIBES
The Bratislava regional court on 14 November ruled that former
Privatization Minister Peter Bisak and former Privatization Agency
Chairman Stefan Gavornik are to stand trial for allegedly accepting
bribes during their 1994-98 tenures in the government headed by former
Premier Vladimir Meciar, TASR reported. The court thus overturned a
decision by a district court to return the case to the prosecution for
further investigation. Gavornik is alleged to have accepted a 15
million crown ($362,468 at the current exchange rate) bribe in
connection with the privatization of the magnesium-processing plant
Slovenske Magnetizove Zavody Hacava. The defendants are also alleged to
have taken a 2 million crown bribe each for the privatization of the
Elektrosystemy Bratislava company. Bisak is also charged with abuse of
office. MS
[57] HUNGARIAN JOINS IRAQ INSPECTION TEAM
Major Laszlo Foldi, a 35-year-old chemist and environmental-protection
engineer, has been invited to join the UN team of weapons inspectors
led by Hans Blix to monitor disarmament compliance in Iraq,
"Nepszabadsag" reported. The first team of experts is due to arrive in
Iraq on 25 November. Foldi completed a UN course on environmental
management and protection in Austria. MSZ
[58] HUNGARIAN NOBEL PRIZE WINNER CRITICIZED BY RIGHT-WINGERS
Imre Kertesz, a Holocaust survivor who won this year's Nobel Prize for
Literature, on 14 November came under fire from the extremist Hungarian
Justice and Life Party (MIEP) after the Budapest City Council voted
overwhelmingly to make Kertesz an honorary citizen of the city, AP
reported. Laszlo Zsinka, leader of the MIEP faction on the City
Council, told the news agency that Kertesz could not say a good word
about the Hungarian capital and did not deserve the award. Kertesz has
consistently criticized his native Hungary for failing to confront its
role in the Holocaust. Around 600,000 Hungarian Jews were deported to
concentration camps and murdered in the last few months of World War
II. "Whenever he makes a statement, he only does damage to Budapest's
reputation," Zsinka said. "He says he does not belong to the Hungarian
nation and that this nation and Budapest mean nothing to him, so why
should we give him an award?" MSZ
SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[59] NATO SET TO EXTEND ITS MISSION IN MACEDONIA
An unnamed senior NATO official told Reuters in Brussels on 14 November
that the Atlantic alliance will most likely extend its Amber Fox
mission in Macedonia for a further six months once the current mandate
expires on 15 December because the EU is not ready to replace it. The
EU's project has been held up for months by bickering between Greece
and Turkey over what is known as Berlin Plus, which is a plan to
guarantee the EU access to NATO planning, intelligence, and logistics
(see "RFE/RL Newsline," 15 and 16 October 2002 and "RFE/RL Balkan
Report," 15 February, 8 March, 3 May, 16 August, and 15 November 2002).
France is reportedly ready to go ahead with the EU project even without
Berlin Plus. But an unnamed senior NATO official told London's
"Financial Times" of 15 November that "the U.S., Britain, and some
others did not want France to create a precedent of going in without
NATO." PM
[60] MACEDONIAN SUPREME COURT TO DECIDE ABOUT COOPERATION WITH THE
HAGUE
A Skopje city court has asked the Supreme Court to rule on cooperation
between Macedonian courts and the international war crimes tribunal in
The Hague, "Dnevnik" reported on 15 November. The issue is whether
cases of war crimes that are already being heard before Macedonian
courts can be transferred to the tribunal. The city court's president,
Bojan Eftimov, said The Hague has already asked Macedonia to transfer a
case that is before a domestic court. Eftimov wants the government and
the judiciary to have a common position on the issue, adding that the
courts will decide on each case individually if the Supreme Court rules
in favor of cooperation. UB
[61] KOSTUNICA TO SEEK SERBIAN PRESIDENCY
Vojislav Kostunica announced in Belgrade on 14 November that he will
run for the Serbian presidency in the 8 December contest, international
and regional media reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 14 November 2002).
"I decided to run for the Serbian presidency in the repeat election. I
am not giving up, I will keep fighting for my political program, and,
what is more important, for the building of institutions," he said in a
statement. Yugoslav parliament speaker Dragoljub Micunovic called
Kostunica's candidacy "the only viable solution" for Serbia, AP
reported. He urged "all democratic forces to support Kostunica."
Micunovic is an ally of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic and had
been considered a possible candidate of Djindjic's Democratic
Opposition of Serbia (DOS) for the presidency. It is not clear what
stand DOS will officially take in the elections, RFE/RL's South Slavic
and Albanian Languages Service reported. The only other declared
candidate besides Kostunica is far-right Radical Party leader Vojislav
Seselj. The position of Yugoslav president may well not exist once
Belgrade and Podgorica agree on the terms of their new joint state. PM
[62] SPY CASE AGAINST FORMER SERBIAN GENERAL MIGHT BE DROPPED
The Yugoslav parliament confirmed on 14 November that former General
Momcilo Perisic and three additional deputies continue to enjoy
parliamentary immunity from judicial proceedings, Deutsche Welle's
Bosnian Service reported from Belgrade. Chief prosecutor Nikola
Petkovic said the legislature's ruling means the case against Perisic
for allegedly spying for the United States is dead. Perisic, an ally of
Djindjic and a former army chief, insists the charges are politically
motivated (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 3 July 2002). PM
[63] BOSNIAN HELICOPTERS GROUNDED FOR FILMING SFOR BASE
NATO officials said in Sarajevo on 14 November that they have banned
further helicopter flights by the Muslim-Croat military because one of
their helicopters hovered over an SFOR base and filmed it, AP reported.
Local movie director Zijad Mehic told the news agency that the
Muslim-Croat military had allowed his crew to use the helicopter in
conjunction with filming a movie by local director Srdjan Vuletic
called "Summer in the Golden Valley." Mehic added: "We are shocked. We
had no clue it would produce such a problem." A NATO spokesman said,
"The commander of SFOR, Lieutenant General William Ward, has no choice
but to take immediate action pending the completion of a more thorough
investigation." PM
[64] CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER DEFENDS HIS 'HUMANITARIAN GESTURE'
Ivica Racan told parliament on 15 November that his government's
decision not to extradite former General Janko Bobetko while he
undergoes hospitalization was not an attempt to undermine the authority
of the war crimes tribunal, RFE/RL's South Slavic and Albanian
Languages Service reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 14 November 2002).
Racan stressed that the government's action should be seen as a
"humanitarian gesture." PM
[65] ROMANIAN PRESIDENT SAYS PSD MUST POSE BETTER ARGUMENTS FOR EARLY
ELECTIONS...
Speaking on Romanian Television on 14 November, President Ion Iliescu
said the arguments he has heard from the leadership of the Social
Democratic Party (PSD) in favor of early elections are "not
sufficiently convincing," RFE/RL's Bucharest bureau reported. Iliescu
said the PSD must more thoroughly analyze the pros and cons of an early
ballot. He did not rule out that the situation could change following
the European Council meeting in Copenhagen in December, when the
government will have a clearer picture of its tasks ahead. Iliescu also
warned the PSD that the "psychological effect" of early elections could
be different than the party expects. "Those who provoke early elections
usually lose them," he said. MS
[66] ...SAYS 1987 BRASOV REVOLT SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED
Iliescu also said on Romanian Television that the 1987 Brasov workers'
uprising against the communist regime should be thoroughly investigated
to "give satisfaction to those who suffered" as a result of the
regime's harsh response, Mediafax reported. Asked to comment on the
recent dispute concerning PSD deputy Ristea Priboi's alleged
participation in quashing the revolt as a Securitate member, Iliescu
said: "It should not be complicated to elucidate it. Only 15 years have
passed since then. Everything can still be verified on a concrete,
factual basis." MS
[67] FORMER ROMANIAN MONARCH SUMS UP EUROPEAN TOUR
Former King Michael I said on 14 November that his recent tour of
European countries ruled by monarchs was not a "propaganda exercise"
and that in every country he visited he tried to present an accurate
account of Romania's realities, "with all their drawbacks," Romanian
Radio reported. The former monarch made the comments regarding his tour
for enlisting support for Romania's NATO and EU bids during a reception
at his official residence in Bucharest. King Michael was to present the
conclusions of his tour at the NATO House in Bucharest on 15 November.
MS
[68] MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT TELLS OSCE THAT CUSTOMS UNIFICATION IS KEY TO
RESOLVING TRANSDNIESTER CONFLICT
President Vladimir Voronin told an OSCE delegation on 14 November that
the "creation of unified customs [procedures] is a task of utmost
importance for resolving the Transdniester conflict," Infotag reported.
The delegation visited several border-crossing points on the
Moldovan-Ukrainian border -- particularly those located in
Transdniester -- that Moldova claims are used for smuggling purposes.
On 13 November, the Transdniester separatists prevented members of the
delegation from reaching the Ukrainian side via the separatist region,
ITAR-TASS reported. The separatists said the decision was prompted by
the fact that Moldovan officials accompanied the delegation. The
visiting delegation is to make a report to the OSCE Standing Committee
in Vienna. MS
[69] MOLDOVAN, RUSSIAN SECURITY OFFICIALS SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT
Visiting Russian Security Council Secretary Vladimir Rushailo and his
Moldovan counterpart Valeriu Grubulea on 14 November signed in Chisinau
an agreement on cooperation in combating international terrorism and on
other security issues, RFE/RL's Chisinau bureau reported. MS
[70] BULGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTER FEARS EXPORT SCANDAL COULD HARM NATO
BID...
Foreign Minister Solomon Pasi said on 14 November that Bulgaria's NATO
bid is in jeopardy following revelations that a Bulgarian company
attempted to ship dual-use goods to Syria, BTA reported (see "RFE/RL
Newsline," 12, 13, and 14 November 2002). "The situation is by no means
rosy. We are in trouble and I will personally insist that those
responsible for this bear the brunt of the law in its full severity,"
Pasi said. Syria is on a list of countries the U.S. State Department
has accused of sponsoring terrorism, as is Iraq, which some Bulgarian
media has claimed was the intended recipient of equipment from the
state arms-export company TEREM that was intercepted. Bulgaria was
expected to receive a NATO invitation at the alliance's 21-22 November
Prague summit, but Pasi noted that ratification of Bulgaria's
membership by the United States will now be very difficult even if it
does receive an invitation. He also expressed regret that Bulgaria's
bid was negatively affected by "a handful of irresponsible persons."
Pasi was the first Bulgarian legislator to propose in 1990 that
Bulgaria should leave the Warsaw Pact and seek NATO membership. UB
[71] ...AS PRIME MINISTER, PRESIDENT REMAIN OPTIMISTIC...
Speaking before his departure for a visit to France, Prime Minister
Simeon Saxecoburggotski said on 14 November that he expects Bulgaria to
receive an invitation to join NATO despite the scandal, BTA reported.
Saxecoburggotski declined to comment on speculation that the scandal
was orchestrated as a political attack. Meanwhile, President Georgi
Parvanov said that while the "criminal act" is unfortunate, "the
government acted promptly and resolutely, which proves our capability
of being a good and honest ally." "I cannot but congratulate almost all
services, competent authorities, and the government on their prompt,
timely and appropriate reaction to the situation," Parvanov added.
However, he noted that some intelligence services had to be informed
about the case by the presidential administration. UB
[72] ...WHILE MORE QUESTIONS EMERGE
In the wake of the scandal involving the export of spare parts that
could be used for armored personnel carriers, the daily "Sega" reported
on 14 November that the Interior Ministry knew for months about other
cases of illegal exports of arms and dual-use goods by TEREM. Asked
whether the Interior Ministry had knowledge of any other such deals,
Deputy Interior Minister Rumen Stoilov said, "I want to say that there
was a similar case." According to the daily, Defense Minister Nikolay
Svinarov confirmed on 14 November that this earlier deal was the reason
the government replaced members of TEREM's management earlier this
year. Meanwhile, Bulgarian media has said the deal involving the goods
bound for Syria was initiated by "Rodeos Investment," a company
reportedly registered in Washington, D.C. However, the Bulgarian
Defense Ministry has said it cannot verify the name of the company
because it does not have the English spelling, Reuters reported on 14
November. UB
SOUTHWESTERN ASIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
[73] HUMAN RIGHTS WATCHDOG SAYS VIOLENCE AT KABUL UNIVERSITY IS LATEST
IN TREND...
Steve Crawshaw, director of the London office of Human Rights Watch,
told RFE/RL on 14 November that the violence at Kabul University this
week (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 11, 12, 13, and 14 November 2002) is the
latest incident in a pattern of factional violence that is threatening
stability throughout the country. "It is, to put it mildly, a worrying
sign. What we have here is a growing sense of anarchy and a lack of
accountability [on the part of the Interior Ministry]," Crawshaw said.
"Human Rights Watch has repeatedly documented it in different parts of
the country -- most recently, from the west, from Herat, and what
[Herat Province Governor] Muhammad Ismail Khan is doing there. But even
in Kabul, we can see that people who fundamentally have no interest in
stability and democracy are gaining the upper hand [through this] kind
of lawlessness and this violent imposition of their own will," he said.
The investigation into the university shootings will be a vital test
for the Afghan Human Rights Commission, according to Crawshaw, as it
will reveal whether it has the independence and freedom to investigate
alleged human rights abuses on the part of various factions whose
leaders are either in the Afghan cabinet or who have representatives in
the central government. AT
[74] ...AS KABUL DAILY BLAMES BOTH STUDENTS AND POLICE
In an editorial published on 13 November, the Kabul daily "Anis"
"condemned" protesting students for "staging a violent action" and
police for "opening fire on students, which is an illegal and wrong
approach." The 11-12 November demonstrations that were "apparently
staged to protest the indifference shown toward the well-being of
students residing in the [university] dormitory...ended with violence
and the murders of some students. This is a sad and tragic event for
every Afghan individual," the paper commented. The editorial noted that
the right to protest is fundamental to democratic societies and said
Afghanistan's government is still experimenting with the idea of
granting freedoms. The paper expressed its regret that the students
chose a violent way of expressing their views when the country "is
moving from a period of violence to an era of peace." AT
[75] OFFICIAL CONFIRMS NATO WILL HAVE ROLE IN AFGHANISTAN
An unidentified NATO diplomat in Brussels has confirmed reports that
NATO will provide logistical and communications support to the
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan (see
"RFE/RL Newsline," 12 November 2002), AP reported on 14 November. The
alliance will be given a formal role in Afghanistan for the first time
during NATO's Prague summit on 21-22 November, AP cited the diplomat as
saying. However, there are "no plans to extend the force's role beyond
Kabul when the Germans and Dutch take over the lead role" in the ISAF
beginning in February 2003, AP quoted the diplomat as saying. President
Hamid Karzai's administration has been calling on ISAF to expand its
peacekeeping operations beyond Kabul and has received support from the
United Nations and most European countries. The United States has
recently expressed its support for changing the ISAF's mandate beyond
Kabul, a policy it initially opposed. AT
[76] AFGHAN PRESIDENT ACCEPTS FREEDOM AWARD IN NEW YORK
In New York on 13 November, Afghan President Karzai received the
Freedom Award from the International Rescue Committee, a
nongovernmental aid group active in Afghanistan and more than 30 other
countries, RFE/RL reported on 14 November. In a speech during the award
ceremonies, Karzai paid tribute to Afghanistan's people for their
efforts in rebuilding the country during its first year of independence
following the fall of the Taliban and thanked many countries, including
the United States, Japan, and Muslim states, for their assistance.
However, he also appealed to other countries in the region to desist
from interfering in Afghan affairs. "Having said this, I hope our
neighbors will leave us alone. And I hope Osama [bin Laden] will leave
us alone. I heard he's alive," RFE/RL quoted Karzai as saying. After
the 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union, many Afghans have
accused Pakistan and Iran of interfering in their country's affairs. AT
[77] VIGILANTES DECRY 'IRAN'S SALMAN RUSHDIE'...
Following the Tehran Friday prayers on 15 November, a group of people
marched from Tehran University to Palestine Square chanting in support
of the death sentence against Mujahedin of the Islamic Revolution
Organization member and university Professor Hashem Aghajari (see
"RFE/RL Newsline," 11, 12, 13, and 14 November 2002), the Iranian
Students News Agency (ISNA) reported the same day. They also called for
the prosecution of those responsible for recent strikes and
demonstrations at the country's universities. Hussein Allah-Karam,
leader of the hard-line Ansar-i Hizbullah vigilante group, read out a
resolution at this event, and then people chanted, "Iran's Salman
Rushdie must be hanged." BS
[78] ...AS CONDEMNED PROFESSOR APPEALS FOR CALM IN IRAN
Aghajari's wife Zahra Behnudi said on 14 November that her husband has
appealed to demonstrating students to stay calm, according to the
Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). Aghajari was sentenced to death on
6 November for blasphemy during a speech in June, and students
throughout Iran have been demonstrating on his behalf since 9 November.
Behnudi quoted her husband as asking the students to make their demands
known via legal means, and he warned that some people want to inflame
the situation. BS
[79] STUDENTS CALL FOR JUDICIARY CHIEF'S RESIGNATION...
Demonstrators in Tehran have chanted for the resignation of Judiciary
chief Ayatollah Mahmud Hashemi-Shahrudi, and the Office for
Strengthening Unity student organization at Yazd's Shahid Saduqi
Medical Science University has submitted an open letter calling for his
resignation. Reproduced by the ISNA on 14 November, the letter said
that the Judiciary has gone from bad to worse since Hashemi-Shahrudi
took it over in summer 1999, and it advised him to leave before the
actions of his subordinates discredit his religious rank. BS
[80] ...AS JUDICIARY LEAVES SOME WIGGLE ROOM
Hamedan's Judge Ramazani, who issued the 6 November verdict against
Professor Aghajari, said in a 13 November interview with Iranian state
television that one has 20 days to appeal a judgment. Moreover, the
court could reduce the sentence if the accused makes an official
apology. Aghajari has not apologized officially, Ramazani said. He
added, "Obviously the verdict is not final. There can be a review. I
said this clearly in my ruling." BS
[81] IRANIAN RESISTANCE FORCE ESTABLISHES YAZD UNIVERSITY UNIT
A Basij unit was inaugurated at Yazd University on 14 November,
according to ISNA. The Basij Resistance Force is a sort of reserve for
the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and a number of local IRGC
commanders attended the inauguration ceremony. The inauguration of the
unit is significant because in an 11 November speech Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of a possible reliance on "popular
forces" -- often a reference to the Basij and the IRGC -- if the
current political situation gets out of hand. University chancellor Dr.
Vahdat said, "This active and faithful force must continue to remain
for all the people, and, God forbid, it should not be placed at the
service of factional aims and political motives of certain groups or
political parties." BS
[82] LEBANESE HIZBALLAH BACKS IRAN ON IRAQ
Lebanon's Hizballah organization backs the Iranian attitude toward Iraq
regardless of Baghdad's effort to gain Hizballah's support, according
to a 14 November report in London's Arabic-language "Al-Hayat." Iraqi
Foreign Minister Naji Sabri made a surprise visit to Beirut earlier
this month, but he only got to meet with Iraqi Embassy staff and to
visit a commercial center. Lebanese officials confirmed that Sabri did
not meet with Hizballah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, and the
Hizballah leadership previously refused to meet with Iraqi Vice
President Taha Yassin Ramadan when he visited Beirut a few weeks ago.
Anonymous but well-placed sources told "Al-Hayat" that Hizballah feels
solidarity with the Iraqi people but does not want to take any actions
that could be misinterpreted as support for the Iraqi regime. Moreover,
the sources added, Hizballah refuses to forgive the Iraqi regime for
waging war against Iran or for its persecution of leading figures in
the holy Shia city of Najaf. BS
[83] BELGIAN ARMS TRIAL REVEALS IRANIAN CONNECTION
Belgian arms trafficker Jacques Monsieur appeared in a Brussels court
on 12 November, Brussels' "Le Soir" reported two days later. A
long-time supplier of Iran's who held an Iranian diplomatic passport,
he was arrested in Tehran in November 2000 (see "RFE/RL Iran Report,"
27 September 1999 and 14 May 2001). The hearing in Brussels confirmed
Tehran's provision to Croatia and Bosnia of artillery shells, white
phosphorous, and other military goods via Monsieur, and he supplied
Iranian 7.62 mm ammunition to Ecuador, although it was labeled for "use
in the petrochemical industry." Jacques Monsieur said, according to "Le
Soir," "I received no commission on arms sales to or from Iran, it was
not profitable." In the current hearings, Monsieur is appealing a
prison sentence for illegal import/export, forgery and use of forged
documents, embezzlement, and money laundering. BS
[84] SMUGGLED IRANIAN GASOLINE BEHIND STRIKE IN PAKISTAN
Gas stations in Pakistan's southwestern Baluchistan Province on 14
November entered into the third day of a strike against the smuggling
of Iranian gasoline, according to AFP. The secretary-general of the
Baluchistan Petrol Dealers Association, Afzal Awan, said about 300
stations have shut down over the smuggling issue, almost 100,000 liters
of Iran gasoline and diesel fuel -- which sell for some 30 percent less
than their Pakistani counterparts -- are sold every day, and this is
about double the amount of legal sales. Moreover, the Lahore-based
newspaper "The Daily Times" reported that the Iranian gasoline is no
longer confined to Baluchistan Province, and it is available in the
central Pakistani state of Punjab, according to a report in the 13
November "Iran Daily." The Pakistani fuel is more expensive due to
taxes and various duties. Gasoline, as well as drugs and other goods,
are smuggled by residents of southwestern Iran's Sistan va Baluchistan
Province. That province has the country's highest unemployment rate and
is badly affected by a drought, and residents say smuggling is one of
the only ways they can earn a living. BS
[85] IRAQI NEWSPAPER HARSHLY CRITICIZES U.S., BRITISH
ADMINISTRATIONS...
The Iraqi Bath Party newspaper "Al-Thawra" criticized the
administrations of British Prime Minister Tony Blair and U.S. President
George W. Bush on 14 November, saying they had issued a "booby-trapped"
resolution on Iraq. "Bush, [U.S. Defense Secretary Donald] Rumsfeld,
[U.S. Secretary of State Colin] Powell, and [U.S. national security
adviser Condoleezza] Rice, together with Blair and [British Defense
Secretary Geoffrey] Hoon...dance like cheerful clowns on the
international scene and repeat what was dictated by the Zionist
prompter [Israel]." The Bush administration behaves "as if the UN
Security Council is the U.S. National Security Council, and also as if
the Security Council's resolutions -- regardless of their theme,
wording, and tendency -- ultimately serve U.S. ambitions," according to
the paper. "Al-Thawra" also accused the United States of disregarding
other Security Council resolutions, such as those pertaining to the
Palestine question. In addition, the daily claimed the Bush
administration is using the issue of weapons of mass destruction as an
excuse to gain access to Iraq's oil and that administration officials
have a personal interest in doing so. KR
[86] ...AND ATTACKS U.S. PRESS
"Al-Thawra" on 14 November also criticized "The New York Times" and the
"Washington Post" for singing "the same tune of threats and
aggressiveness" as the administration. "They have also published
scenarios, plans, preparations, and whatever their tendentious minds
can imagine," "Al-Thawra" said, referring to reports of war plans and
troop movements the papers have published in recent months. KR
[87] IRAQI TV EXPLAINS ACCEPTANCE OF RESOLUTION
Iraqi Satellite TV broadcast a commentary on 14 November that addressed
Iraq's acceptance of UN Security Council Resolution 1441. The
commentary said Iraq has "never failed to implement what it says and
has never failed to fulfill its promises. This is the Iraqi people's
nature." "These evil ones are lying in wait for Iraq and are harboring
evil against it, as demonstrated by the claims and allegations in
the...resolution." The commentary also said the American people have
"denounced Bush's behavior [regarding Iraq and] realize they are being
driven to the furnace of this war in order to serve the ambitions" of
the White House and big business. As for the issue of weapons
inspections, the commentary said: "In 1995, these committees [UNSCOM]
admitted that Iraq was free of these weapons after the international
inspectors themselves supervised the destruction of what they had
claimed to constitute banned weapons. Had Washington not withdrawn
these inspections [in preparation for] its large-scale aggression in
1998, Iraq's truthfulness would have been vindicated." KR
[88] UN WEAPONS INSPECTORS ARRIVE IN CYPRUS...
Eight members of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and
Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) arrived in Cyprus on 14 November en
route to Baghdad, Cyprus News Agency (CAN) reported. Chief UN inspector
Hans Blix and 20 inspectors are scheduled to arrive in Cyprus on 17
November. UNMOVIC will set up a regional office on the island to
facilitate travel for weapons inspectors, CNA reported. KR
[89] ...AS RUSSIAN UN REPRESENTATIVE COMMENTS ON THEIR ROLE
Russia's UN representative Sergei Lavrov told RTR on 14 November he
hopes weapons inspectors will conduct themselves in a professional
manner in Iraq, Interfax reported. "Hopefully, the inspectors have
drawn the proper conclusions from the harsh experience of the previous
special commission, which pursued irrelevant matters and was used for
tasks that had nothing to do with the need to eliminate Iraq's weapons
of mass destruction," Lavrov said. He also said that previous weapons
inspectors used "crude and arrogant methods...that ignored the
sovereignty and dignity of Iraq and its people." He added that the
current inspectors were chosen on a "genuinely international basis...so
that one or two countries will not be able to dominate." KR
[90] IRAQI OPPOSITION MEETING REPORTEDLY POSTPONED
"The Washington Times" reported on 15 November that a representative
from the Iraqi National Congress (INC) has confirmed that a meeting of
Iraqi opposition groups planned for 22-25 November in Brussels (see
"RFE/RL Newsline," 14 November 2002) has been postponed. The daily
reported that Iraqi opposition groups gave conflicting reasons for the
meeting's cancellation, including disputes between organizers and
difficulties in obtaining visas for participants. Hamid al-Bayati, the
London-based representative of the Supreme Council for Islamic
Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), told AFP that the meeting will not take
place for at least two weeks. KR
[91] PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN LEADER MEETS WITH TURKISH OFFICIALS
Jalal Talabani tried to allay Turkish fears of a future Kurdish state
when the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader met with Turkish
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal on 14 November, the "Turkish
Daily News" reported. Talabani told the press following the meeting
that the Kurdish draft constitution is open for discussion both by the
Iraqi opposition groups and Turkish authorities. "It is not the Koran
-- something that remains forever. There are some proposals. It can be
changed, it can be amended, it can be postponed to the next regime,"
Talabani said. Talabani also indicated that the PUK is on very good
terms with the Turkomen in northern Iraq, the daily reported. KR
END NOTE
[92] There is no End Note today.
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