|
|
RFE/RL Newsline, 07-05-10
CONTENTS
[01] PUTIN PRESIDES OVER VICTORY DAY CELEBRATIONS...
[02] ...AND CAUTIONS AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO 'OBLITERATE MEMORY'
[03] RUSSIAN RAILWAYS CANCEL SERVICES BETWEEN ST. PETERSBURG AND
TALLINN
[04] INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS GROUP SAYS KHODORKOVSKY LAWYER HARASSED
[05] RUSSIA DENIES AMNESTY REPORT THAT IT IS SHIPPING ARMS TO DARFUR
[06] INGUSHETIA'S MUFTI CALLS FOR END TO BRIDE-SNATCHING
[07] CHECHEN REPUBLIC HEAD REJECTS ALLEGATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS
[08] ARMENIAN OPPOSITION DEPLORES FORMER MINISTER'S DETENTION
[09] TWO ARRESTED IN GEORGIA IN CONNECTION WITH KILLING OF AZERBAIJANI
JOURNALIST
[10] ESTONIAN PRESIDENT VISITS GEORGIA
[11] SOUTH OSSETIAN LEADER SUSPENDS CONTACTS WITH TBILISI
[12] ABKHAZIA'S DEFENSE MINISTER STEPS DOWN
[13] KAZAKH FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH U.S. OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON
[14] KAZAKHSTAN REPORTS SHARP INCREASE IN FOREIGN DEBT
[15] KAZAKH PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES PLANNED MILITARY BUILDUP
[16] KAZAKH PROSECUTOR LAUNCHES CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO MASS DEATHS
OF SEALS
[17] U.S. PROVIDES TRAINING TO KYRGYZ MILITARY POLICE
[18] TAJIK PRESIDENT MEETS WITH SENIOR IRANIAN LEADERSHIP IN TEHRAN
[19] UZBEK JOURNALIST RELEASED ON APPEAL
[20] BELARUSIAN YOUTH ORGANIZATION PLANS TO REGISTER
[21] PROSPECTS FOR EARLY UKRAINIAN ELECTIONS REMAIN UNCERTAIN
[22] BLAST DAMAGES RUSSIA-EU GAS PIPELINE IN UKRAINE
[23] SERBIA'S PARLIAMENT CHOOSES MILOSEVIC SUPPORTER AS SPEAKER...
[24] ...AND BOOSTS CHANCES OF NATIONALIST GOVERNMENT
[25] EU VOICES ANXIETY OVER SERBIAN NATIONALISTS' STRENGTH...
[26] ...WHILE NIKOLIC URGES TURN TO RUSSIA
[27] COUNCIL OF EUROPE CRITICAL OF SERBIAN RADICALS
[28] RUSSIA, U.S. TO PRESENT RIVAL PLANS FOR KOSOVA
[29] KOSOVA CLAIMS FRESH BACKING FOR UN PLAN
[30] BOSNIA TO FOLLOW EU ON KOSOVA
[31] ALBANIA NETS RECORD AMOUNT OF HEROIN
[32] AFGHAN UPPER HOUSE APPROVES BILL ON OPENING TALKS WITH TALIBAN
[33] U.S. COMMANDER APOLOGIZES FOR CIVILIAN DEATHS IN EASTERN
AFGHANISTAN
[34] ROGUE AFGHAN SOLDIER REPORTEDLY SUFFERED FROM MENTAL ILLNESS
[35] KABUL SAYS IRAN'S REFUGEE POLICY WILL NEGATIVELY AFFECT RELATIONS
[36] IRAN ACCEPTS AGENDA FOR TREATY TALKS
[37] GREAT POWERS DISCUSS FURTHER PRESSURE ON IRAN
[38] IRANIAN DIPLOMAT SUSPECTED OF ESPIONAGE FREED ON BAIL
[39] IRANIAN COURT CONVICTS PARLIAMENTARY SPY
[40] IRANIAN LEGISLATORS REJECT SIMPLE GASOLINE PRICE HIKE
[41] IRAQI VICE PRESIDENT ISSUES ULTIMATUM TO PREMIER
[42] IRAQI LAWMAKERS CONSIDER SHORTENING SUMMER RECESS
[43] IRAQI CLERIC REPORTEDLY BEGINS PURGE OF RENEGADE MEMBERS
[44] TOP U.S. GENERAL IN IRAQ 'TROUBLED' BY ETHICS REPORT
[45] ICRC TO EXPAND OPERATIONS IN IRAQ
[46] SUICIDE ATTACK IN IRAQI HOLY CITY KILLS 16
[47] THERE IS NO END NOTE TODAY.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007 Volume 11 Number 84
Russia
[01] PUTIN PRESIDES OVER VICTORY DAY CELEBRATIONS...
Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 9 presided over a military
parade on Red Square in Moscow and congratulated the people of Russia
on the 62nd anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany, RIA Novosti and
kremlin.ru reported. Putin said Victory Day, celebrated in Russia on
May 9, is the dearest holiday not only for citizens of Russia, but also
for the people of the former Soviet Union, the countries of Europe, and
the entire planet. The BBC commented on its website that May 9 is a
celebration that seems to grow in importance in today's Russia, with
Tsarist and Soviet symbols standing together as part of a resurgent
Russian patriotism. FF
[02] ...AND CAUTIONS AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO 'OBLITERATE MEMORY'
President Putin in his speech on Red Square on May 9 cautioned against
any attempts to "obliterate the memory of those who died in the Great
Patriotic War" and to desecrate monuments to war heroes, RIA Novosti
reported. The lead-up to 9 May has seen increasing unease in Russia's
relations with its neighbors, in particular with countries that were
part of the Soviet Union. Moscow reacted with fury when a Soviet-era
war memorial, the Bronze Soldier, was removed from the center of
Estonia's capital last month. The move was denounced as "blasphemy" and
"sacrilege". The use of religious language indicates that the victory
on Nazi Germany is considered sacred in Russia, and that. questioning
it in any way is seen as an attack on a national faith, the BBC
commented. Growing unease is noticeable also in relations with the
European Union. NATO and the European Union have defended Estonia in
the dispute over the war memorial, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov on May 7 strongly criticized them for their stance, saying they
were supporting countries that show no respect for the memory of Soviet
soldiers and attempt to rewrite history. FF
[03] RUSSIAN RAILWAYS CANCEL SERVICES BETWEEN ST. PETERSBURG AND
TALLINN
Russian Railways announced on May 8 that its train services between St.
Petersburg and the Estonian capital, Tallinn, will be cancelled as of
May 26 for commercial reasons, Interfax reported. The move, which was
announced and denied several times during the day, was confirmed when
the state railway operator said that the small number of passengers
makes this service unprofitable, Ekho Moskvy radio reported. The report
also quoted the Estonian partner of Russian Railways, Go Rail, as
saying that the commercial reasons for the Russian decision are
unclear. Russia's Economic Development and Trade Ministry meanwhile
said on May 8 that it is not drafting proposals to impose trade
sanctions on Estonia, Interfax reported. The news agency quoted Deputy
Economic Development and Trade Minister Vitaly Savelyov as saying that
the ministry is not working on such proposals and has not received
instructions to do so. FF
[04] INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS GROUP SAYS KHODORKOVSKY LAWYER HARASSED
The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights said on May 8
that the Russian authorities are seeking to disbar lawyer Karina
Moskalenko for filing complaints in the European Court of Human Rights
about alleged violations, AP reported. Moskalenko is one of the lawyers
of jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky. She also defended former
chess champion Garry Kasparov after he was detained during a protest
last month. Russian prosecutors have requested that Moskalenko be
disbarred on the grounds that she allegedly violated the norms of
professional ethics, failed to assist a client adequately, and
obstructed investigations. Moskalenko's Center for International
Protection has brought dozens of rights cases to the European Court of
Human Rights, more than 20 of which have resulted in rulings against
Russia. The International Helsinki Federation said the request to
disbar Moskalenko will be heard by a Moscow City Bar committee later
this month or next month, but no date has been announced. FF
[05] RUSSIA DENIES AMNESTY REPORT THAT IT IS SHIPPING ARMS TO DARFUR
Russia's Foreign Ministry on May 8 denied a report by Amnesty
International that Russia has shipped arms to the Sudanese province of
Darfur, Interfax reported. The ministry said that Russia fully abides
by the provisions of resolutions of the United Nations Security
Council, which ban arms shipments to Darfur. The Amnesty International
report charged that China and Russia violate the embargo and ship arms
to Darfur which are used against civilians. China, the biggest foreign
investor in Sudan, has also denied the Amnesty accusations, Reuters
reported. The Amnesty report said "the bulk" of the arms used in Darfur
and Chad were transferred from China and Russia, with Sudan importing
$83 million in arms from Beijing and $34.7 million in military
equipment from Moscow in 2005, AP reported. It also said Khartoum was
using planes painted white to make them look like UN aircraft to bomb
and carry out surveillance in Darfur. Sudan has rejected the charges.
China and Russia are permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. FF
[06] INGUSHETIA'S MUFTI CALLS FOR END TO BRIDE-SNATCHING
Issa-hadji Khamkhoyev convened a meeting of senior Muslim clergymen on
May 7 to discuss measures to deter young men from forcibly abducting
their hoped-for brides, the website ingushetiya.ru reported. He
advocated extending to other districts of the republic the practice,
introduced with some success in the village of Psedakh, of imposing
heavy fines on young men who abduct girls to force a marriage to which
the bride's parents would otherwise not have consented. Two months ago,
a young man who abducted a girl at her request to prevent her parents
marrying her off to an older man she did not love, but returned her
untouched to her family the same day, was brutally beaten up by the
girl's relatives, who filmed the beating and sent the footage via
mobile phone throughout Ingushetia, according to ingushetiya.ru on
March 14. The young man was reportedly hospitalized with a nervous
breakdown; the girl was married off immediately to her elderly suitor.
The website subsequently claimed to have received "thousands" of
e-mails commenting on the incident, most of which expressed support for
the thwarted bridegroom. LF
[07] CHECHEN REPUBLIC HEAD REJECTS ALLEGATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS
Pro-Moscow Chechen Republic head Ramzan Kadyrov dismissed on May 8 as
untrue the claim made by dozens of prominent British political and
cultural figures in an open letter to Russian President Putin published
in "The Independent" the previous day that egregious human rights
violations continue in Chechnya, the official website chechnya.gov.ru
reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," May 7, 2007). LF
Transcaucasia And Central Asia
[08] ARMENIAN OPPOSITION DEPLORES FORMER MINISTER'S DETENTION
Alexander Arzoumanian, who served as Armenian foreign minister from
late 1996-early 1998, was taken into custody late on May 7, two days
after National Security Service officials confiscated some $55,400 they
found during a search of his apartment, RFE/RL's Armenian Service
reported on May 8 (see "RFE/RL Newsline," May 7, 2007). Arzoumanian and
former Territorial Administration Minister Vahan Shirkhanian have both
been charged with money laundering, reportedly on behalf of a Russian
citizen of Armenian descent whom both men admit to having met with
recently in Moscow. Noyan Tapan on May 7 quoted Shirkhanian as accusing
the Armenian authorities of trying to terrorize the opposition in the
run-up to the May 12 parliamentary election. At a meeting on May 8,
Armenian opposition representatives expressed concern over
Arzoumanian's arrest, which National Democratic Union Chairman Vazgen
Manukian argued creates a dangerous precedent for the present regime,
according to Noyan Tapan. Last fall, Arzoumanian launched a movement
named Civil Disobedience that, according to the weekly "168 zham" on
November 28, is rumored to be financed from Russia. LF
[09] TWO ARRESTED IN GEORGIA IN CONNECTION WITH KILLING OF AZERBAIJANI
JOURNALIST
The Georgian authorities have arrested two ethnic Azerbaijani citizens
of Georgia in Tbilisi in connection with the March 2005 slaying of
Azerbaijani opposition journalist Elmar Huseynov, kavkaz.memo.ru
reported on May 7, citing unnamed police sources. The two men, Tahir
Khubanov and Teymuraz Aliyev, were identified as suspects shortly after
the killing, and international arrest warrants issued for them (see
"RFE/RL Newsline," May 5 and 20, 2005). In July 2006, former Interior
Ministry staffer Haji Mammadov claimed in testimony at his trial that
he masterminded Huseynov's killing at the behest of disgraced former
Economic Development Minister Farxad Aliyev (see "RFE/RL Newsline,"
July 28, 2006). Aliyev's trial on corruption charges is scheduled to
open on May 15. LF
[10] ESTONIAN PRESIDENT VISITS GEORGIA
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili told his visiting Estonian
counterpart Toomas Hendriks Ilves in Tbilisi on May 7 that Georgians
are shocked by the violent response by Russians in Estonia to the
relocation from central Tallin of a Soviet memorial to World War II
dead, Caucasus Press reported. Saakashvili said that "we should all
assist Estonia in creating a strong democratic society and in
preventing undemocratic activities." On May 8, the Georgian parliament
adopted a resolution similarly condemning the backlash to the
relocation of the monument, including protests outside the Estonian
Embassy in Moscow. The resolution expressed support for all measures
taken by the Estonian government to restore order. LF
[11] SOUTH OSSETIAN LEADER SUSPENDS CONTACTS WITH TBILISI
Eduard Kokoity, de facto president of the unrecognized breakaway
republic of South Ossetia, warned on May 7 that his regime will not
resume talks with the central Georgian government until Tbilisi abjures
any further contacts with Dmitry Sanakoyev, Caucasus Press and the
daily "Kommersant" reported on May 7 and 8, respectively. South
Ossetia's Georgian minority elected Sanakoyev its "president" in a
ballot last November that neither the Georgian authorities nor the
international community recognized as legal and valid. The Georgian
parliament passed last month in the first and on May 8 in the second
reading a bill drafted by President Saakashvili creating a
"provisional" administration in South Ossetia that is intended to
legalize Sanakoyev's position (see "RFE/RL Newsline," March 20, 2007
and April 10, 2007 and "RFE/RL Caucasus Report," March 30, 2007).
Sanakoyev is to address the Georgian parliament on May 11, at which
juncture he will be formally named head of the new temporary
administration, Caucasus Press reported on May 8. LF
[12] ABKHAZIA'S DEFENSE MINISTER STEPS DOWN
Lieutenant General Sultan Sosnaliyev, a Kabardian who served in the
mid-1990s and then again from 2005 as Abkhaz defense minister, has
resigned at the age of 65, apsny.ru reported on May 8. Abkhaz President
Sergei Bagapsh praised Sosnaliyev as a "legendary figure" and "a great
Caucasian patriot" and thanked him for his work in raising the
professionalism and combat readiness of the unrecognized republic's
armed forces. Bagapsh has not yet named a new defense minister. LF
[13] KAZAKH FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH U.S. OFFICIALS IN WASHINGTON
Kazakh Foreign Minister Marat Tazhin met on May 8 with officials at the
U.S. State Department and members of Congress during an official
three-day visit to Washington, Interfax reported. Tazhin discussed
issues of regional security and reviewed his country's nonproliferation
efforts. Meeting with Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Steven Mann,
Tazhin discussed the implementation of several agreements, concluded
during Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev's September 2006 visit to
Washington, that cover a range of measures from anticorruption efforts
to energy cooperation. In a press release issued in Astana by the
Kazakh Foreign Ministry, Senator Richard Lugar (Republican, Indiana),
was quoted after meeting Tazhin as hailing Kazakhstan as a "responsible
and reliable member of the world community and a consistent supporter
of nuclear nonproliferation." RG
[14] KAZAKHSTAN REPORTS SHARP INCREASE IN FOREIGN DEBT
In a press conference in Almaty, Kazakh Central Bank Deputy chairwoman
Gulbanu Aymanbetova reported on May 8 that Kazakhstan's foreign debt
has risen sharply, from $42.6 billion in 2005 to $73.8 billion at the
end of 2006, according to Interfax. She noted that the sharp increase
in the country's external debt was "mainly due to the banking sector's
borrowing." She added that the foreign debt of the Kazakh banking
sector grew by more than $18 billion in 2006, reaching a total of $33.3
billion at the end of the year. RG
[15] KAZAKH PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES PLANNED MILITARY BUILDUP
Speaking at a ceremony in Astana marking a national military holiday,
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev announced on May 7 that Kazakhstan
plans to implement a major modernization of its armed forces and will
purchase "the world's best" weapons, Interfax and AKIpress reported.
Nazarbaev said the Kazakh Army will "take measures to increase the
quality of the troops' combat readiness as well as their level of
military and mobile readiness." He added that modern weapons systems
and advanced equipment will be procured for the Kazakh armed forces,
including "high-precision weapons, modern radio-electronic warfare
devices," and "air-defense missiles, radar, and modern communication
systems." He acknowledged a need to transfer the technological advances
from the "growing Kazakh role in space exploration" to the military,
and singled out the expansion of naval power in the Caspian Sea as a
priority for the Kazakh Navy. The announcement follows Kazakh Defense
Minister Daniyal Akhmetov's recent formulation of a new military
doctrine (see "RFE/RL Newsline," April 24, 2007). RG
[16] KAZAKH PROSECUTOR LAUNCHES CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO MASS DEATHS
OF SEALS
Kanat Seytkulov, a regional prosecutor in Mangystau district, announced
on May 7 that a criminal investigation has been opened into the mass
deaths of seals along parts of the country's Caspian Sea shoreline,
Interfax reported. According to official figures released the day
before, 885 dead seals have been discovered along the Caspian shore,
with most of the deaths occurring in April. Although the exact cause of
the deaths has not yet been determined, theories range from global
warming to energy-related pollution as the main causes (see: "Caspian
Sea: Seal Deaths Highlight Species' Predicament," April 13, 2007,
rferl.org). RG
[17] U.S. PROVIDES TRAINING TO KYRGYZ MILITARY POLICE
A five-day seminar organized by the U.S. military's Central Command
opened on May 7, providing operational training for Kyrgyz military
police and representatives from the Kyrgyz Emergencies Ministry,
AKIpress reported. The seminar on the role of military police also
includes specialized training on peacekeeping missions. With the U.S.
military utilizing the country's Manas airbase outside of Bishkek for
operations in Afghanistan, U.S. armed forces have also increased the
training provided to the Kyrgyz military in recent years (see "U.S.
Military Commander Visits Kyrgyzstan," July 25, 2006, rferl.org). RG
[18] TAJIK PRESIDENT MEETS WITH SENIOR IRANIAN LEADERSHIP IN TEHRAN
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon on May 8 met with Iranian Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mahmud Ahmadinejad during an
official three-day visit to Iran, ITAR-TASS and Asia-Plus reported.
Rahmon called for the expansion of relations, and identified the areas
of hydroelectricity, transportation, and industry as Tajikistan's
priorities for attracting greater Iranian investment. With the overall
volume of bilateral trade increasing annually and having surpassed $500
million last year, Tajikistan plans to construct a new border trading
terminal to facilitate greater turnover. The Tajik president arrived in
Tehran from Qatar, where he concluded a series of bilateral agreements
focusing on trade and investment in the energy and mining sectors (see
"RFE/RL Newsline," May 7, 2007). RG
[19] UZBEK JOURNALIST RELEASED ON APPEAL
An Uzbek appeals court in Tashkent on May 8 revised an earlier sentence
imposed on independent journalist and rights activist Umida Niyazova,
changing her prison term to a three-year suspended sentence, RFE/RL's
Uzbek Service reported. Another Tashkent court sentenced Niyazova a
week before to a seven-year prison term after she was found guilty of
illegally crossing the Uzbek border, distributing materials that
threaten public order, and smuggling (see "RFE/RL Newsline," April 20
and May 2 and 4, 2007). According to the terms of the appeals court
ruling, Niyazova will be subject to constant police surveillance and
must report regularly to the Uzbek police for the term of her suspended
sentence. RG
Eastern Europe
[20] BELARUSIAN YOUTH ORGANIZATION PLANS TO REGISTER
The Youth Front, an unregistered opposition organization, held a
conference in Minsk on May 7 at which delegates elected Dzmitry
(Zmitser) Fedaruk as the group's leader and Ales Korban as his deputy,
Belapan reported. The conference also adopted a charter saying that the
Youth Front's key tasks include uniting young people on the basis of
Belarusian ideals and Christian values, and building civil society
based on the principles of democracy and a free market. The Youth Front
is planning to apply for official registration. "We've drawn up
registration documents for a second time, because we want to protect
our activists from criminal prosecution for acting on behalf of an
unregistered organization," Youth Front activist Barys Haretski told
Belapan. Fedaruk, Haretski, and three other activists of the Youth
Front -- Aleh Korban, Anastasiya Palazhanka, and Alyaksey Yanusheuski
-- are facing criminal prosecution on charges of acting on behalf of an
unregistered organization under an article of the Criminal Code that
carries a prison sentence of up to two years. Last November, Youth
Front activist Zmitser Dashkevich was sentenced to 18 months in jail on
the same charge. JM
[21] PROSPECTS FOR EARLY UKRAINIAN ELECTIONS REMAIN UNCERTAIN
There have been mixed signals in Ukraine regarding the work of the
anticrisis working group set up after last week's agreement between
President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych to
hold early parliamentary elections (see "RFE/RL Newsline," May 7,
2007), RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reported on May 9. Presidential
Secretariat deputy head Ivan Vasyunyk said on May 8 that the working
group has agreed on a draft parliamentary resolution to hold early
elections, and decided to create a commission to prepare amendments to
the constitution. Meanwhile, Our Ukraine leader Vyacheslav Kyrylenko
said the same day that the Socialist Party and Communist Party have
taken a "destructive" position and are blocking talks on the
preparations for new elections. Both parties consider President
Yushchenko's decrees on the dissolution of the Verkhovna Rada illegal
and reportedly want a change in the constitution that could allow the
legislature to dissolve itself. There is also no agreement between
Yushchenko and the ruling coalition on the date of early polls.
Yushchenko reportedly wants to hold snap elections "as soon as
possible," while the ruling coalition proposes holding them in the
fall. JM
[22] BLAST DAMAGES RUSSIA-EU GAS PIPELINE IN UKRAINE
The Ukrainian Emergency Situations Ministry said on May 7 that an
explosion earlier the same day destroyed a 30-meter section of the
Urengoi-Pomary-Uzhhorod pipeline transporting Russian gas across
Ukraine to Europe, Ukrainian and international media reported. The
cause of the explosion, which occurred near the village of Luka in Kyiv
Oblast, has yet to be determined. The damaged pipeline is one of three
main pipelines carrying Russian natural gas via Ukraine to the European
market, with an estimated capacity of 1 million cubic meters per day.
According to the Ukrainian Emergency Situations Ministry, supplies
through the line were interrupted, but the ministry activated a bypass
pipeline to continue transporting natural gas. Officials in the Czech
Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Romania have reported normal gas flows
following the accident in Ukraine. The European Commission called on
Ukraine on May 8 to upgrade its pipelines. "A similar accident occurred
in the same section of the same pipeline in 2001.... The Commission
considered that additional proof that Ukrainian networks -- or at least
part of the network of pipelines supplying gas to the European Union --
need to be overhauled," Reuters quoted Ferran Tarradellas Espuny, a
spokesman for Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, as saying. JM
Southeastern Europe
[23] SERBIA'S PARLIAMENT CHOOSES MILOSEVIC SUPPORTER AS SPEAKER...
In a tense session stretching overnight from May 7 into 8, the Serbian
parliament elected as its speaker a staunch nationalist, Tomislav
Nikolic, a move that immediately roused concern both at home and
abroad. Local media reported on May 8 that Nikolic won the country's
third most powerful post with the support of his party, the Serbian
Radical Party (SRS), as well as the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS)
founded by Slobodan Milosevic, and the moderate nationalists of the
Democratic Party of Serbia coalition (DSS-NS ), which is led by Prime
Minister Vojislav Kostunica. In all, Nikolic won 142 votes in the
250-member chamber. The SRS vehemently opposes cooperation with the
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and
Nikolic has also said of the EU that "nothing good came from there."
The party's founder and official leader, Vojislav Seselj, is currently
on trial in The Hague for war crimes committed during the Balkan wars
of the 1990s. Nikolic, who served as deputy prime minister in the late
1990s, is the first senior official from the Milosevic regime to gain a
key government post since Milosevic's ouster in October 2000. The
parliamentary debate was marred by insults, with Serbian broadcasters
reporting that the DSS effectively accused President Boris Tadic's
Democrat Party (DS) of treason, that the Radicals claimed the DS robbed
the state, and that the DS attacked the Radicals as murderers. After
the vote, fears were immediately expressed that Nikolic, a onetime
gravedigger, could temporarily bury Serbia's hopes of integration with
the rest of Europe. Tadic, whom Nikolic has called a "traitor" for his
Western leanings, called Nikolic's elevation "very harmful to the
state," local media reported on May 8. Nikolic insisted he is "no
danger to Serbia," concluding: "Trust me that, given my age, 55, I long
ago forgot how to make a mistake." AG
[24] ...AND BOOSTS CHANCES OF NATIONALIST GOVERNMENT
The election of Nikolic also raises the prospect that the same three
parties that supported his election may now form a government.
Nikolic's election as speaker was preceded by the breakdown of talks
between Serbia's pro-democracy parties after 3 1/2 months of
intermittent efforts to forge a coalition. The stark divisions revealed
by the parliamentary debate on Nikolic's candidacy appear to reduce the
chances of any last-minute reconciliation, as does the decision by the
G17+ bloc to boycott talks with the DSS-NS to protest its support for
Nikolic. The bloc's leader, Mladjan Dinkic, said it will not enter
talks as long as Nikolic remains parliamentary speaker,
Radio-Television Serbia reported on May 8. The length of Nikolic's
tenure depends on whether a government is formed by May 14, at which
point the constitution requires new elections to be called. The DSS's
coalition partner, New Serbia (NS), has on several occasions said it
would support a minority SRS government (see "RFE/RL Newsline," April
27 and May 7, 2007). However, the SRS has denied holding talks and,
according to a FoNet wire report on May 8, Nikolic said after his
election that "we are not going to form a government without elections,
we will not serve in someone else's government, we will not support
anyone's minority government, and we will not seek anyone's support for
a minority government of ours." Early elections could take several
months to arrange, during which time it is quite possible either that
the UN will grant Kosova independence or Kosova will declare
independence unilaterally. That raises the specter of violence in
Kosova and a simultaneous power vacuum in Belgrade, both of which,
local analysts believe, could boost nationalists' electoral hopes.
However, Nikolic's election also underlines that nationalists already
command a majority in parliament, and a preference for early elections
would therefore raise questions about the nationalists' motives. The
SRS itself has 81 seats, well short of the 126 needed for an outright
majority. Together, the SRS and the SPS control 97 votes. AG
[25] EU VOICES ANXIETY OVER SERBIAN NATIONALISTS' STRENGTH...
The EU's commissioner for enlargement, Olli Rehn, on May 8 described
the Serbian radicals' new power as "worrying," adding, in comments to
international media on May 8, that "Serbia has to choose between the
nationalist past and a European future." Rehn urged the DS, the G17+,
and the DSS-NS to "make one final effort in order to form a government
and respect the will of the Serbian voters." He also stressed Serbia's
importance to the region as a whole, saying that the fragility of
Serbia's democratic development is endangering the Western Balkans'
integration with the EU. The EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana,
on May 7 appeared to back Serbian President Tadic on the issue on which
coalition talks foundered on May 6, control over security and
law-enforcement agencies (see "RFE/RL Newsline," May 7, 2007).
According to an AFP report from May 7, Solana told a European
Parliament committee that Tadic is "determined" to cooperate with the
ICTY, which has been demanding the capture of the Bosnian Serbs'
wartime military commander, Ratko Mladic. "For this he needs to have
the cooperation of the nation's security services... (and) intelligence
services," Solana said. In the debate that preceded Nikolic's election
as parliamentary speaker, a leading figure in the DSS, Milos Aligrudic,
quoted Solana's statement to corroborate claims that Tadic's Democrat
Party is taking its orders from abroad. AG
[26] ...WHILE NIKOLIC URGES TURN TO RUSSIA
During his first session as chair of the Serbian parliament, on May 8,
Nikolic said that Serbia should seek closer ties with Russia rather
than the West, AP reported the same day. "Russia will find a way to
bring together nations that will stand up against the hegemony of
America and of the European Union," Nikolic said. He continued, "I hope
that a majority in Serbia will strive for membership of such an
organization, not of the European Union." Nationalists have long
resented the EU and the United States, but Russia's support for
Serbia's position on the future of Kosova has caused otherwise
pro-Western leaders to forge closer ties with Russia as well. Russian
Ambassador Aleksandr Alekseyev on May 8 met with Nikolic to let him
know that Russia is "always ready to cooperate with Serbia and
strengthen ties on all levels," AP reported, though, in comments
carried by the Serbian broadcaster B92, he emphasized that Nikolic's
appointment is an internal matter for Serbia. AG
[27] COUNCIL OF EUROPE CRITICAL OF SERBIAN RADICALS
The Council of Europe on May 8 voiced concern at the choice of Nikolic
as Serbia's parliamentary speaker in a statement that highlights the
most immediate international challenge posed by the new power enjoyed
by Serbian nationalists. Serbia is due on May 11 to take over the chair
of the Council of Europe, Europe's top human rights organization.
However, according to a May 8 report by AP, the council decided on May
8 that "given the current political circumstances" it will not hold
celebrations in Belgrade on May 12 to mark Europe's Flag Day. "We are
not going to interfere in a domestic political situation, but... the
person elected as speaker of parliament comes from a party run by an
indicted war criminal and whose values are not in line with the Council
of Europe's values," spokesman Matjaz Gruden said. Serbia's foreign
minister, Vuk Draskovic, on May 7 described Serbia's chairmanship of
the Council of Europe as "crucial," the Serbian broadcaster B92
reported the same day. In comments made to the Tanjug news agency on
May 7, Draskovic emphasized the need for Serbia to cooperate with the
ICTY and stressed Serbia's historical credentials, saying that "Europe
is the historic and civilizational home of Serbia and of the Serbian
people and this is why the symbolic slogan of our six-month presidency
will be One Europe, Our Europe." However, he also said "we support the
Europeanization of Serbia but are firmly against any partition," a
reference to the possibility of independence for Kosova. AG
[28] RUSSIA, U.S. TO PRESENT RIVAL PLANS FOR KOSOVA
Details of the possible issues that could be included in the UN
Security Council's resolution on the future of Kosova are beginning to
emerge and among them, Reuters reported on May 8, is a Russian clause
on "the necessity to continue negotiations." That position underscores
the continuing gap between Russian, U.S., and European views on
Kosova's final status. Reuters said that a draft proposal drawn up by
the United States and European members of the Security Council includes
13 "possible elements of a new UN Security Council resolution on
Kosovo." These include an endorsement of recommendations made by the UN
envoy to Kosova, Martti Ahtisaari, that Kosova should be granted
independence under EU supervision, and a call for "urgent" progress to
facilitate the return of refugees. Russia's alternative draft stresses
"the necessity to continue negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina
with balanced international mediation primarily focused on protection
of minority rights." An unnamed senior British official quoted by the
British "Financial Times" on May 7 said that he expects a UN resolution
not to declare Kosova independent but to give it a "platform" for
independence, by giving it the right to join international
organizations. That would free Russia both to refuse to recognize
Kosova and to avoid taking the "quite...big step" of blocking a
resolution on "what is fundamentally a European issue." AG
[29] KOSOVA CLAIMS FRESH BACKING FOR UN PLAN
A leading Kosovar diplomat, Veton Surroi, said that Kosova has secured
the backing of another UN Security Council member for the UN blueprint
granting independence to Kosova, the news service KosovaLive reported
on May 5. After meeting with Peruvian Deputy Foreign Minister Hugo de
Zela on May 5, Surroi claimed that Peru will support the plan drawn up
by Ahtisaari as it is the only proposal that enjoys support as the
basis for a new resolution. He added that a recent fact-finding mission
to Kosova by UN ambassadors has convinced Peru "of the progress made
since the conflict [in 1998-99] and of its European context." Surroi
was speaking at the end of a tour of Latin America, during which he
also claimed to have secured the support of Panama, another Security
Council member (see "RFE/RL Newsline," May 7, 2007). To pass, the plan
requires Russia and China not to veto the plan, and a total of nine
votes. The extent of support for the proposal is unclear, and Surroi's
claims about Peru's and Panama's support do not appear to have been
corroborated yet. With the votes of the United States, EU states,
Panama, and Peru, the plan drawn up by Ahtisaari would have the backing
of eight of the council's members. An unnamed senior British official
quoted by the British "Financial Times" on May 7 said that the
Ahtisaari plan has the support of 11 or 12 of the 15 countries on the
council. AG
[30] BOSNIA TO FOLLOW EU ON KOSOVA
The Croat member of Bosnia-Herzegovina's three-member Presidency,
Zeljko Komsic, on May 4 said that Bosnia will follow the position of
the EU on the future of Kosova, the news agency SRNA reported the same
day. The EU and its permanent members of the UN Security Council,
Britain and France, have made clear that they support supervised
independence for Kosova, as outlined in a settlement proposed by UN
envoy to Kosova Ahtisaari (see "RFE/RL Newsline," February 5 and March
8, 2007). The statement by Komsic, made during a visit to Serbia,
throws a spotlight on the position of the Republika Srpska, the Bosnian
Serb-dominated autonomous region. Leaders of the Republika Srpska have
in the past threatened to hold a referendum on independence and accused
the international community of double standards over Kosova. However,
its prime minister, Milorad Dodik, has in recent months said his
government will do "everything to preserve peace and stability in the
Republika Srpska's territory, no matter what decision on Kosovo is
made" (see "RFE/RL Newsline," September 19 and 20, 2006, and January 5
and 26, and April 12, 2007). Serbian Foreign Minister Draskovic on
April 26 questioned how the West can support independence for Kosova
while rejecting independence for the Republika Srpska (see "RFE/RL
Newsline," April 30, 2007). AG
[31] ALBANIA NETS RECORD AMOUNT OF HEROIN
Albanian law enforcement agencies have seized 428 kilograms of heroin,
the Balkan website Balkan Insight reported on May 5, describing this as
Albania's single largest haul of heroin. It is unclear when the drugs
were seized or the source of the drugs. However, 90 percent of drugs
passing through Albania are said to come from Southeast Asia. In other
operations reported by the Albanian media this year, police have netted
at least another 85 kilograms of heroin. The chief homegrown drug is
cannabis. The news agency ATA reported Interior Minister Bujar Nishani
as saying on April 20 that the Albanian authorities have succeeded in
reducing cannabis cultivation "substantially" this year. AG
Southwestern Asia And The Middle East
[32] AFGHAN UPPER HOUSE APPROVES BILL ON OPENING TALKS WITH TALIBAN
The Afghan National Assembly's Meshrano Jirga (Council of Elders) on
May 8 approved the "National Reconciliation Bill," which calls for
negotiations with the Afghan Taliban and other opposition groups,
Kabul-based Tolo Television reported. According to Aminullah Mozafari,
first secretary of the Wolesi Jirga (People's Council), the "Afghan
Taliban only fight the government, but the so-called Pakistani Taliban
and Al-Qaeda fighters fight the government and are also the enemies of
our people and our country." The bill now goes to the Wolesi Jirga for
debate. The 14-article bill also calls for a ceasefire in the country,
and makes reference to Pakistani "interference" in Afghanistan's
internal affairs. It proposes a ban on broadcasts of movies and TV
programs considered, "immoral," un-Islamic, or contrary to Afghan
beliefs and cultural values. The inclusion of a restriction on media in
the reconciliation bill is apparently an attempt to respond to Taliban
accusations of growing immorality in Afghanistan. Earlier this year,
the National Assembly passed a bill granting blanket amnesty for human
rights violations to all sides in more than two decades of fighting in
Afghanistan. The bill offered the same amnesty to Taliban fighters if
they stopped opposing the Afghan government (see "RFE/RL Afghanistan
Report," March 16, 2007). AT
[33] U.S. COMMANDER APOLOGIZES FOR CIVILIAN DEATHS IN EASTERN
AFGHANISTAN
Colonel John Nicholson, the commander of a U.S. military unit deployed
in eastern Afghanistan, has apologized to the families of more than a
dozen civilians killed in a gun battle on a road in Nangarhar Province
on March 4, AP reported on May 8. Speaking to reporters in Washington
via video conference from Afghanistan, Nicholson read a statement
addressed to the families of victims, calling the incident a "terrible,
terrible mistake," and asking for Afghans' forgiveness. "I stand before
you today, deeply, deeply ashamed and terribly sorry that Americans
have killed and wounded innocent Afghan people," Nicholson said. The
incident has incurred the wrath of the public as well as condemnations
from Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the Afghan National Assembly
(see "RFE/RL Newsline," March 5 and 6, 2007). Nicholson said that
families of victims were given $2000 for each death, "not [as] a legal
claim per se," but as a symbol of sympathy. Abdul Hadi, a man who lost
two relatives and whose car was badly damaged, said on May 8 that the
compensation he received did not even cover the cost of repairing his
car, Mashhad-based Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran reported. AT
[34] ROGUE AFGHAN SOLDIER REPORTEDLY SUFFERED FROM MENTAL ILLNESS
The Afghan Defense Ministry announced on May 7 that an Afghan National
Army (ANA) soldier who killed two U.S. servicemen had suffered from a
psychological condition for which he had been hospitalized twice,
state-run Afghanistan National Television reported. The shooting on May
7, in which two other U.S. servicemen were wounded, occurred outside
the top-security Pol-e Charkhi prison on the outskirts of Kabul. The
prison is being refurbished to house Afghans currently held at the U.S.
detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The U.S. servicemen were
working as mentors to ANA forces who provide security at the prison.
Other ANA troops killed the shooter (see "RFE/RL Newsline," May 7,
2007). AT
[35] KABUL SAYS IRAN'S REFUGEE POLICY WILL NEGATIVELY AFFECT RELATIONS
At a news conference in Kabul on May 8, Afghan Foreign Minister Dadfar
Rangin Spanta said President Karzai has sent a letter to his Iranian
counterpart, Mahmud Ahmadinejad, about Iran's forced repatriation of
Afghan refugees, Ariana TV reported. "In view of Afghanistan's
vulnerability in terms of security, for several reasons, economic,
social, diplomatic, and political, I want to stress that ... [Iran's
policy of forced repatriation of Afghan refugees] will definitely have
a negative impact" on Kabul-Tehran relations, Spanta said. Since April,
Iran has stepped up its policy of forced repatriation of what it claims
are illegal refugees, Herat-based Radio Sahar reported on May 8.
Shamsuddin Hamed, head of the Herat Refugee Department, said that out
of approximately 17,000 Afghans expelled from Iran in recent weeks,
more than 2,500 were holding legal documents for their stay in Iran.
Hamed claimed that on occasion, Iranian officials have torn up
refugees' valid documents before deporting them. AT
[36] IRAN ACCEPTS AGENDA FOR TREATY TALKS
Iran on May 8 accepted an addition to the agenda of a UN
nonproliferation conference, dropping its objections to the agenda's
wording, news agencies reported. Iran's earlier objections had blocked
multilateral talks designed to eventually tighten international
nonproliferation rules (see "RFE/RL Newsline," May 7, 2007). The
conference in Vienna from April 30 to May 11, attended by 130 state
signatories of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), is setting
the agenda for more detailed annual discussions up until 2010, when the
NPT will be formally reviewed. Iran had objected to wording in the
agenda that focused on NPT nonproliferation obligations more than on
the treaty's calls on nuclear powers to disarm; that focus, officials
argued, potentially opened the way for legal pressures on Iran over its
alleged violation of the nonproliferation regime. Iran accepted the
inclusion of a footnote to the agenda, proposed by South Africa, which
called for attention to all NPT provisions, effectively including the
disarmament of current nuclear powers, AFP reported. Iran's envoy to
the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Ali Asghar Soltanieh,
said Iran accepted the footnote to show "goodwill and flexibility," AFP
reported. The agency cited an unnamed Western diplomat as saying in
Vienna on May 8 that Iran was pressured to accept the agenda by allies
in the nonaligned movement. VS
[37] GREAT POWERS DISCUSS FURTHER PRESSURE ON IRAN
The Group of Eight leading industrial powers may favor more pressures
on Iran from June if it does not meet UN demands to curb sensitive
nuclear activities such as uranium enrichment, Reuters reported on May
8, quoting unnamed diplomats in Berlin. The diplomats said the G8
countries may approve a draft statement on nonproliferation at the next
G8 summit, to be held in June 6-8 in Heiligendamm, Germany. The draft
statement calls for "further pressures" on Iran if it refuses to comply
with two UN Security Council resolutions, passed last December and
March, demanding that it halt uranium enrichment and related
activities, Reuters reported. Negotiators from the five permanent
members of the UN Security Council and Germany -- the 5+1 powers, which
are also G8 members -- may also discuss the wording of a new Security
Council resolution against Iran on the sidelines of the June summit,
Reuters reported. VS
[38] IRANIAN DIPLOMAT SUSPECTED OF ESPIONAGE FREED ON BAIL
Hussein Musavian, a former Iranian nuclear negotiator suspected of
espionage, was freed on bail in Tehran on May 8, while investigations
continue, the Mehr agency reported. Radio Farda and news agencies
separately cited Iran's Intelligence Minister Gholamhussein
Mohseni-Ejei as saying in Tehran on May 8 that Musavian's case is
"security-related," and investigations are at a preliminary stage. He
said two other unnamed people have been summoned to the ministry for
questioning. Some observers in Tehran have speculated that the case may
be political and an attempt to pressure Musavian's political ally and
patron, Expediency Council chief Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani. Musavian
recently worked in the Expediency Council's Strategic Research Center
with another key former nuclear negotiator, Hasan Rohani. All three are
considered moderate conservatives and are veteran members of the
post-1979 political establishment. Rafsanjani on May 7 said "the truth
will soon be clarified" regarding Musavian's case, Radio Farda
reported. VS
[39] IRANIAN COURT CONVICTS PARLIAMENTARY SPY
An unnamed researcher who worked, and allegedly spied, in the
parliamentary research center in Tehran was jailed for three years and
fined by a Tehran court on May 6, "Aftab-i Yazd" reported on May 7,
quoting an "informed source." The convicted researcher has appealed the
sentence, and the case is to be referred to a review court. The head of
the parliamentary research center, Ahmad Tavakkoli, said the researcher
was arrested "last winter," the daily added. He said then that the
researcher had started working in the research center in 2001-02 and
allegedly passed information to "hypocrites," the term often used in
Iran to refer to a militant leftist opposition group, the Mujahedin
Khalq Organization (MKO). The MKO has members in Iraq and some European
states, and is designated as a terrorist group by Iran and the U.S.
State Department. VS
[40] IRANIAN LEGISLATORS REJECT SIMPLE GASOLINE PRICE HIKE
Iranian parliamentarians rejected a motion presented on May 8 for a
simple increase in gasoline prices, amid uncertainty about the
feasibility of a two-tier pricing plan for gasoline due to take effect
on May 22, ILNA reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," April 26, 2007). One
hundred and eight legislators voted against the motion and 66 for it.
The two-tier pricing system is designed to curb excessive gasoline
consumption that has forced Iran's government to spend billions of
dollars every year on gasoline imports. It was approved earlier as part
of the state budget for the Persian year to March 20, 2008, and the May
8 motion was presented as a budget amendment. The two-tier system would
measure drivers' consumption through "smart cards," and would charge
them higher prices after a monthly maximum for purchasing subsidized
gasoline has been exceeded. The cards are still being distributed. The
head of the parliamentary Energy Committee, Kamal Daneshyar, told ISNA
on May 8 that the new system would probably be delayed, as the plan has
"flaws," and requires more "tests" and the distribution of smart cards
has not been completed. VS
[41] IRAQI VICE PRESIDENT ISSUES ULTIMATUM TO PREMIER
In an interview with CNN on May 7, Iraqi Vice President Tariq
al-Hashimi said that unless Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government
implements key amendments to the Iraqi Constitution by May 15, he will
resign and call on the Iraqi Accordance Front, the largest Sunni
political bloc in parliament, to suspend all political activity. "If
the constitution is not subject to major changes, definitely, I will
tell my constituency frankly that I made the mistake of my life when I
put my endorsement to that national accord," al-Hashimi warned.
Specifically, he called for constitutional guarantees that Iraq not be
split into Kurdish, Shi'a, and Sunni federal states, which he believes
would leave the Sunni Arab population at a great disadvantage. Many
Sunni Arabs were persuaded to vote in the 2005 election with promises
that the constitution would be amended. The Iraqi Accordance Front has
44 seats in parliament, and its withdrawal would be seen as a major
blow to al-Maliki's efforts to ease Shi'a-Sunni tensions and foster
greater Sunni participation in the political process. SS
[42] IRAQI LAWMAKERS CONSIDER SHORTENING SUMMER RECESS
Iraqi lawmakers announced on May 6 that they were debating whether to
shorten their two-month summer recess in an attempt to pass important
legislation that could ease sectarian tensions, "Gulf Times" reported
on May 7. U.S. officials have expressed hope that Iraqi lawmakers will
not go into recess without passing legislation such as a bill intended
to equitably divide Iraq's oil wealth, and another reversing the
de-Ba'athification process. In response, several Iraqi lawmakers
bristled at what they perceived as blatant U.S. interference in Iraq's
internal affairs. "If there is a need... parliament should cancel the
holiday or reduce it," said Mahmud Uthman, a member of the Kurdish
Alliance. "As for the American intervention, I reject this. It is
unreasonable and unacceptable." Nasr al-Rubay'i, the head of Muqtada
al-Sadr's political bloc in parliament, said the bloc has agreed that
recess should be either shortened or cancelled. "For the interests of
the Iraqi people, I think we should cancel it, but not as a response to
the American Congress," said al-Rubay'i. Abbas al-Bayati, a member of
the United Iraqi Alliance, warned that hastily passing laws without
adequate time for discussion could create problems in the future. SS
[43] IRAQI CLERIC REPORTEDLY BEGINS PURGE OF RENEGADE MEMBERS
Radical Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has reportedly begun purging
from his militia, the Imam Al-Mahdi Army, renegade members who have
been involved in sectarian attacks, "Al-Hayat" reported May 8. Sheikh
Abu-Ja'far al-Ibadi, a militia leader, said, "the process aims to
isolate the harmful elements -- leaders and individuals who sought to
exploit their position inside the [Al-Sadr] Trend." Another militia
leader, Haj Abu Kirar, said that al-Sadr has become increasingly
concerned with some of the rogue elements and in certain instances
ordered Imam Al-Mahdi Army units to confront them. "The groups that do
not act on al-Sadr's orders have become strong, possess many weapons
and funds, and are capable of engaging in armed clashes with any party
that seeks to confront them," Kirar said. He noted that al-Sadr is
trying to persuade the leaders of the rogue groups to pledge full
allegiance to him or be expelled. SS
[44] TOP U.S. GENERAL IN IRAQ 'TROUBLED' BY ETHICS REPORT
The top U.S. commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, said on May 7
that he is very concerned that a recent army report found many U.S.
soldiers would not report a member of their unit for killing or
wounding Iraqi civilians, AP reported the same day. He stressed that
the U.S. military will redouble its efforts to identify potential for
abuse among soldiers and anticipate problems related to combat stress.
"We can never sink to the level of the enemy. We have done that at
times in theater and it has cost us enormously," Petraeus said,
apparently referring to the torture and abuse of detainees at the Abu
Ghraib prison. Petraeus also said he is drafting a memo that would
examine issues of battlefield ethics more closely. He said the military
must ensure that its members have "a moral compass," adding, "Anything
we do that violates that is done at considerable peril." The report
also found that 10 percent of those surveyed acknowledged that they had
mistreated Iraqi civilians (see "RFE/RL Newsline," May 7, 2007). SS
[45] ICRC TO EXPAND OPERATIONS IN IRAQ
The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) announced on May 7
that it will substantially increase its operations in Iraq,
international media reported the same day. The organization's director
of operations for the Middle East and North Africa, Beatrice
Megevand-Roggo, said at a news conference in Geneva that the agency
will increase its efforts to assist some 660,000 internally displaced
persons in Iraq. "People directly affected by the crisis are finding it
increasingly difficult to cope. The ICRC is therefore stepping up its
work to be able to better respond to needs throughout the country,"
said Megevand-Roggo. The ICRC will "focus on improving health care, the
water supply, and sanitation services," she added. Megevand-Roggo said
the organization will ask for an increase in funding from international
donors to $75 million, nearly three times as much as the agency
requested last year for Iraq. In addition, she noted the ICRC plans to
open new offices in the Al-Najaf and Al-Anbar Governorates, and
increase its number of expatriate staff to 69. SS
[46] SUICIDE ATTACK IN IRAQI HOLY CITY KILLS 16
A suicide car bomb struck a busy market in the holy city of Al-Kufah on
May 8, killing 16 and wounding more than 70, international media
reported. In response, local officials sealed off Al-Kufah and the
nearby holy city of Al-Najaf, as well as imposing a vehicle ban near
all religious shrines. Al-Kufah is a major religious center for Shi'ite
pilgrims, and a power base for radical Shi'ite cleric al-Sadr.
Meanwhile, on May 7, Iraqi security forces foiled an attempt to
sabotage an oil pipeline in northern Iraq, international media
reported. Colonel Muhammad Ahmad, a spokesman for the 3rd Iraqi Army
division, said Iraqi forces discovered 350 kilograms of dynamite under
a section of pipeline in the Al-Kasak area in the northwestern Ninawa
Governorate. He added that four suspects were later arrested. SS
End Note
[47] THERE IS NO END NOTE TODAY.
|