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RFE/RL Newsline, 08-01-28
CONTENTS
[01] RUSSIA'S NEW NATO ENVOY GIVES WARNINGS ON KOSOVA, KALASHNIKOVS
[02] PATRIARCH REJECTS VATICAN INVITATION
[03] RUSSIA KEEPS OPTIONS OPEN ON ENVIRONMENTAL PACT
[04] ZYUGANOV INCREASES PRESSURE ON MEDVEDEV TO DEBATE
[05] BOGDANOV REGISTERED AS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
[06] ANALYSTS DISCUSS SITUATION SURROUNDING KASYANOV CANDIDACY
[07] KUDRIN TO HEAD ANTI-INFLATION TASK FORCE
[08] INTERNET ACCESS RESTRICTED ON EVE OF MASS DEMONSTRATION IN
INGUSHETIA
[09] DAGHESTAN'S PARLIAMENT BLAMES CITY AUTHORITIES FOR ENERGY CRISIS
[10] FORMER PRESIDENT IMPLICATES ARMENIAN LEADERS IN PARLIAMENT
SHOOTINGS
[11] AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT HOLDS TALKS IN DAVOS
[12] GEORGIAN PRESIDENT ADDRESSES PACE
[13] NEW GEORGIAN CABINET UNVEILED
[14] KAZAKH PARLIAMENT SPEAKER VISITS CHINA
[15] KAZAKH PRESIDENT MEETS WITH BUSINESS LEADERS
[16] KAZAKH AND FRENCH OFFICIALS DISCUSS MILITARY COOPERATION
[17] KYRGYZ OPPOSITION SETS UP 'REVOLUTIONARY BODY' TO DEMAND
PRESIDENT'S RESIGNATION
[18] KYRGYZ PROSECUTOR-GENERAL UPHOLDS BAN ON PUBLIC RALLIES
[19] TAJIK OFFICIALS REVIEW WTO APPLICATION
[20] UZBEKISTAN CUTS GAS SUPPLIES TO TAJIKISTAN
[21] UZBEK PRESIDENT MEETS WITH SENIOR U.S. MILITARY COMMANDER
[22] BELARUSIAN YOUTH LEADER SAYS HIS RELEASE IS GOVERNMENT'S 'GAME
WITH WEST'
[23] PRESIDENT SAYS UKRAINE READY TO DISCUSS SECURITY ISSUES WITH
MOSCOW
[24] UKRAINIAN SPEAKER SAYS 'NO GROUNDS' FOR REFERENDUM OVER NATO
[25] EU KEEPS MUM ON DATE FOR KOSOVAR INDEPENDENCE...
[26] ...AS U.S. AGAIN CALLS FOR SPEED
[27] SIGNALS ON KOSOVA INDEPENDENCE DATE DIFFER...
[28] ...AMID CONTINUED DISSONANCE WITHIN EU
[29] RUSSIA WARNS KOSOVAR STATEHOOD COULD AFFECT 200 REGIONS
[30] KFOR REINFORCED, RUSSIA RULES OUT ROLE
[31] LEADING SANDZAK POLITICIAN UNDER PRESSURE TO RESIGN
[32] NATO TELLS MACEDONIA TO PRESS ON WITH REFORM
[33] U.S. COMMANDER QUESTIONS TALIBAN CAPACITY FOR SPRING OFFENSIVE
[34] AFGHAN POLICEMEN, CIVILIANS KILLED IN U.S.-LED OPERATIONS
[35] AFGHAN PRESIDENT WARNS AGAINST SPREAD OF REGIONAL TERRORISM
[36] AFGHAN GOVERNMENT APPEALS FOR AID TO EASE FOOD SHORTAGE
[37] UNITED STATES SAYS IRAN FACES TOUGHER SANCTIONS
[38] RUSSIA CONTINUES FUEL DELIVERIES TO IRANIAN POWER PLANT
[39] IRAN MAY BAN ELECTION POSTERS
[40] IRANIAN PRESIDENT DEFENDS DISQUALIFICATIONS FROM ELECTIONS
[41] IRAQI PREMIER SAYS ADDITIONAL FORCES MOVED TO MOSUL
[42] AIDE TO IRAQ'S SENIOR AYATOLLAH WOUNDED IN BOMB ATTACK
[43] IRAQI OIL MINISTER SAYS OUTPUT COULD INCREASE DRAMATICALLY THIS
YEAR...
[44] ...AS DEPUTY PREMIER SAYS SECURE, DEMOCRATIC IRAQ WITHIN REACH
[45] U.S. ANNOUNCES KEY ROUTE OPENED BETWEEN IRAQI CAPITAL AND POINTS
NORTH
[46] THERE IS NO END NOTE TODAY.
Friday, January 25, 2008 Volume 12 Number 17
Russia
[01] RUSSIA'S NEW NATO ENVOY GIVES WARNINGS ON KOSOVA, KALASHNIKOVS
Outspoken nationalist politician Dmitry Rogozin, who is Russia's new
ambassador to NATO, said at a Moscow news conference on January 24 that
the concessions the Western countries are offering to Serbia in
conjunction with Kosova's expected declaration of independence are
"shameful and defective," Russian media reported (see "RFE/RL
Newsline," January 10 and 11, 2008). He compared Serbia's current
situation with the restrictions imposed on Germany by the punitive 1919
Versailles Peace Treaty. Rogozin stressed that Russia will not send any
peacekeepers to Kosova, but did not indicate who, if anyone, might have
asked it to do so. He argued that Russian policy is not directed at
protecting Serbia, but rather at preserving "the rules of decent
behavior and the architecture of international relations." Rogozin said
that the plans of Georgian and Ukrainian leaders to join NATO amount to
"ritual and politicized dances." Referring to the 1990 Conventional
Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty, compliance with which Russia recently
"suspended," Rogozin argued that any new agreement should include a
naval component that would reflect NATO's preponderance over Russia at
sea. He accused NATO of turning a blind eye to factories in unnamed new
member states that continue to make Kalashnikov rifles as they did
during the Cold War, but without a current license from Russia. Rogozin
suggested that Russia might seek compensation for its presumed losses
in profits as a result of the sale of "illegal" Kalashnikovs. He added
that "if we find out that Russia needs to be compensated, then this
subject will be discussed." The daily "Trud" wrote on January 25 that
Rogozin's press conference confirmed his reputation as a hard-liner.
The paper noted that, asked why he was posted to NATO, he responded
with the "laconic" comment that "it is a job for either a traitor or a
patriot." PM
[02] PATRIARCH REJECTS VATICAN INVITATION
Officials responsible for the foreign relations of the Russian Orthodox
Church said in Moscow on January 24 that Patriarch Aleksy II has
rejected an invitation from the Vatican for him to meet with Pope
Benedict XVI in Rome, Interfax reported. The officials said that such a
meeting would be "premature" and would require "extensive discussions"
to prepare it. The German-born Pope Benedict, who took office in April
2005, clearly hopes to obtain the meeting with Aleksy that eluded his
Polish-born predecessor, Pope John-Paul II. Despite repeated overtures
from Rome, the Russian Orthodox Church remains wary. PM
[03] RUSSIA KEEPS OPTIONS OPEN ON ENVIRONMENTAL PACT
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Moscow on January 25 that Russia
has not decided whether to sign any international agreement to replace
the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012, Interfax reported. He said
that Russia ratified Kyoto only for the period of its validity. He
added that "we will decide what happens after this depending on how we
advance socially and economically, what our economic needs are, and
what the positions of other emitters are. This has been clear to
everybody from the very beginning." PM
[04] ZYUGANOV INCREASES PRESSURE ON MEDVEDEV TO DEBATE
Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov on January 24 announced that he
has written to First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev urging him
to participate in televised presidential-campaign debates, "Vremya
novostei" and other Russian media reported on January 25. Zyuganov told
journalists that if Medvedev ignores the appeal or refuses to debate,
he will ask the Communist Party to consider withdrawing his candidacy
(see "RFE/RL Newsline," January 23 and 24, 2008). Many analysts
continue to believe it is unlikely that the party, which is one of just
two non-Kremlin parties with seats in the Duma, would place itself in
such direct opposition to the Kremlin. RC
[05] BOGDANOV REGISTERED AS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
Democratic Party of Russia leader Andrei Bogdanov was officially
registered as a candidate in the March 2 presidential election on
January 24, Russian media reported. Bogdanov is widely viewed as a
Kremlin-backed pseudo-opposition figure. "Vremya novostei" reported on
January 25 that Bogdanov has a long record of supporting the Kremlin's
ideology of so-called sovereign democracy (see "The Soft-Power
Foundations Of Putin's Russia," rferl.org, November 9, 2007). In the
1990s, he worked in two political organizations supported by
businessman Sergei Mavrodi, infamous as the instigator of the MMM
pyramid scheme. In 2002-03, he was a senior official in Unified Russia.
He became head of the Democratic Party in 2005 after a scandalous
leadership battle against former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov.
Reports at the time indicated that the Kremlin helped Bogdanov organize
a hasty party congress of his supporters that elected him party leader
(see "RFE/RL Newsline," December 19, 2005). Bogdanov has never
participated in any of the March of Dissent political events and has
never publicly criticized the Kremlin or President Putin. RC
[06] ANALYSTS DISCUSS SITUATION SURROUNDING KASYANOV CANDIDACY
Politicians and analysts continue speculating about why the Central
Election Commission seems bent on denying former Prime Minister
Kasyanov registration as a candidate in the March presidential election
(see "RFE/RL Newsline," January 23 and 24, 2008), Russian media
reported on January 25. Communist Party Deputy Chairman Ivan Melnikov
told "Vremya novostei" that the Kremlin has decided to "show [Kasyanov]
his place" by not allowing him to run. Both Melnikov and A Just Russia
Duma Deputy Ivan Grachyov called the move to bar Kasyanov "a political
decision." "It is clear that collecting 2 million signatures in a month
and a half is not possible," Grachyov said. "Even Unified Russia can't
do it without the use of administrative resources. This means that
allowing [economist Sergei] Glazev and [Irina] Khakamada to run in the
last election or, in this one, barring Kasyanov while admitting
[Democratic Party leader] Bogdanov are purely political decisions."
Political analyst Dmitry Badovsky told the daily that allowing Kasyanov
to run would turn the Kremlin's effort to use the campaign to present
First Deputy Prime Minister Medvedev's social program into an unwanted
ideological battle. He added that even if he is not allowed to run,
Kasyanov has a real opportunity to solidify his standing as the leader
of Russia's "radical opposition." Analyst Mikhail Vinogradov agreed
that the task of gathering 2 million signatures is impossible for "an
outside candidate." "That is why the requirement was introduced," he
told "Vremya novostei." RC
[07] KUDRIN TO HEAD ANTI-INFLATION TASK FORCE
Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov on January 24 set up a special
governmental working group to deal with inflation to be headed by
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Aleksei Kudrin, Russian
media reported on January 25. The group has been tasked with
presenting, by January 31, a coordinated plan for dealing with recent
increases in prices of foodstuffs and other basic consumer goods. In
late 2007, following a major series of price hikes, the government
agreed with producers on a voluntary price freeze, but that agreement
is due to expire on February 1. "The Moscow Times" reported on January
25 that the consumer price index rose 1.8 percent in the first three
weeks of this year. RC
[08] INTERNET ACCESS RESTRICTED ON EVE OF MASS DEMONSTRATION IN
INGUSHETIA
Ingushetia's two main Internet providers have blocked access to the
independent website ingushetiya.ru in the run-up to the mass
demonstration in Nazran scheduled for January 26, ingushetiya.ru
reported on January 24. The website predicted on January 23 that
"virtually the entire population" of the republic (some 480,000 people)
plans to attend that meeting, but the organizers have informed the
Interior Ministry that they will seek to limit participation to 10,000
people and requested that police not resort to violence against the
participants. The official rationale for the meeting is to express
support for President Putin's antiterrorism policy, but participants
also intend to register their anger at corruption within the current
Ingushetian leadership and its failure to prevent ongoing abductions of
and reprisals against the civilian population. Ingushetia's Cossack
community has announced that it will send representatives, according to
ingushetiya.ru on January 23, and the organizers have also invited
Ingushetia's representatives in the State Duma (Belan Khamchiyev) and
Federation Council (Issa Kostoyev and Vasily Likhachev). The office of
Ingushetia's prosecutor alleged on January 24 that preparations for the
demonstration are being conducted in violation of the law and that the
organizers have not informed either the republic's government or the
Nazran municipal authorities where precisely it will take place,
kavkaz-uzel.ru reported on January 24. Meanwhile, police in Ingushetia
have identified the man killed when a car packed with some 20 kilograms
of explosive detonated in Nazran late on January 22 as Khamzat
Dachiyev, who lived in the North Ossetian village of Arkhonskaya,
ingushetiya.ru reported on January 24 (see "RFE/RL Newsline," January
23, 2008). Senior Ingushetian Interior Ministry official Bagaudin
Yevloyev said a search of Gachiyev's home yielded ammunition and other
materials that could be used in preparation for an act of terrorism.
Security officials believe Gachiyev intended to detonate the car bomb
during the planned January 26 demonstration in Nazran, according to
kavkaz-uzel.ru on January 23. LF
[09] DAGHESTAN'S PARLIAMENT BLAMES CITY AUTHORITIES FOR ENERGY CRISIS
Daghestan's President Mukhu Aliyev, Prime Minister Shamil Zainalov, and
Deputy Prime Minister Rizvan Gazimagomedov participated on January 24
in a 90-minute parliament discussion of the ongoing power shortages in
Makhachkala and other cities that have triggered repeated protest
demonstrations in recent weeks, regnum.ru and riadagestan.ru reported
on January 24 and 25, respectively (see "RFE/RL Newsline," January 2,
8, 10, 14, and 17, 2008). Both Aliyev and Zainalov argued that
responsibility for the disruptions lies with the city authorities;
Aliyev set a deadline of January 28 for the restoration of normal
supplies, and said the persons directly responsible should answer
before the law for the chaos and misery caused. That argument raises
questions about the political future of Makhachkala's legendary mayor
Said Amirov, whose resignation the protesters have called for. Amirov,
who has survived several assassination attempts, is the last prominent
Dargin in a leadership otherwise dominated by Avars. The Avars account
for the 29.4 of Daghestan's population; the Dargins are the second
largest ethnic group (16.5 percent). LF
Transcaucasia And Central Asia
[10] FORMER PRESIDENT IMPLICATES ARMENIAN LEADERS IN PARLIAMENT
SHOOTINGS
Opposition candidate Levon Ter-Petrossian continued campaigning in
central Armenia on January 24 for the February 19 presidential
election, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reported. Speaking in the town of
Charentsavan, Ter-Petrossian implicitly accused incumbent President
Robert Kocharian and the frontrunner in the presidential race, Prime
Minister Serzh Sarkisian, of being behind the Armenian parliament
killings in October 1999, which he described as "the greatest state
disgrace in the entire history of the Armenian people." Among the eight
victims were parliament speaker Karen Demirchian and Prime Minister
Vazgen Sargsian; Demirchian's son Stepan and Sargsian's brother Aram,
also a former premier, both support Ter-Petrossian's presidential bid
and accompanied him to Charentsavan. Ter-Petrossian further criticized
Prime Minister Sarkisian's imputed addiction to gambling, telling
voters that if elected president, he would gamble away the entire
country in the casinos at Monte Carlo. LF
[11] AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT HOLDS TALKS IN DAVOS
Ilham Aliyev met on January 24 on the sidelines of the World Economic
Forum in Davos with the prime ministers of Hungary and Albania, Ferenc
Gyurcsany and Sali Berisha, and the foreign ministers of Iran and
Israel, Manuchehr Mottaki and Tzipi Livni, Azerbaijani media reported.
Aliyev also discussed on January 24 with his Ukrainian counterpart
Viktor Yushchenko the proposed extension to the Polish port of Gdansk
of the Odessa-Brody oil export pipeline, and the planned creation of a
single energy transit space encompassing Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Turkey, Romania,
and Bulgaria. LF
[12] GEORGIAN PRESIDENT ADDRESSES PACE
Mikheil Saakashvili told the spring session of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg on January 24
that the January 5 preterm presidential election, in which according to
official returns he won 53.47 percent of the vote, was "successful" and
demonstrates the existence of democracy in Georgia, Caucasus Press
reported. Opposition parties, including the nine aligned in the
National Council, claim the outcome was rigged to preclude a runoff
between Saakashvili and National Council candidate Levan Gachechiladze,
and refuse to acknowledge Saakashvili as Georgia's legitimate president
(see "RFE/RL Caucasus Report," January 25, 2008). Saakashvili also said
that despite the ban imposed by Russia on imports of Georgian produce,
Georgia registered 12 percent GDP growth in 2007. He reaffirmed
Georgia's commitment to further Euro-Atlantic integration, noting that
in a plebiscite held concurrently with the presidential ballot, 77
percent of those who cast ballots registered approval of Georgia
joining NATO. As during his inauguration speech on January 20,
Saakashvili again affirmed his hopes for an improvement in strained
relations with Russia, saying he is "always ready" to travel to Moscow
for talks with the Russian leadership. LF
[13] NEW GEORGIAN CABINET UNVEILED
Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze on January 24 unveiled the composition
of his new government, Caucasus Press reported. The powerful interior
and defense ministers, Vano Merabishvili and David Kezerashvili, both
retain their posts. In the most significant changes, Gela Bezhuashvili
relinquished the foreign-policy portfolio to return to private
business; he is succeeded by Minister for Conflict Resolution David
Bakradze, who headed Saakashvili's presidential-election campaign and
accompanied him to the January 21-25 PACE session in Strasbourg.
Bakradze's former ministry has been renamed the State Ministry for
Reintegration, and Temur Yakobashvili, executive vice president of the
Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, has been
selected to head it. Deputy Prosecutor-General Nika Gvaramia was named
justice minister in place of Eka Tkeshelashvili, who has been appointed
prosecutor general. State Minister for Economic Reforms Kakha
Bendukidze will take over as head of the government chancellery; the
ministry will be abolished. Political scientist Ghia Nodia was named
education minister. Gurgenidze explained that ministers were chosen for
their professional qualities rather than their political affiliation.
President Saakashvili on January 24 termed the new government the most
professional Georgia has ever had, according to Caucasus Press. In
February 2004, Saakashvili similarly described the new cabinet, most of
whose members had never previously held a ministerial post, as "unique
in terms of its...professional experience" (see "RFE/RL Caucasus
Report," February 24, 2004). LF
[14] KAZAKH PARLIAMENT SPEAKER VISITS CHINA
During a visit to Beijing, the speaker of the upper house of the Kazakh
parliament, Kasymzhomart Tokaev, on January 24 welcomed the two
countries' expanding trade and economic cooperation, which he hailed as
the "core of bilateral cooperation," according to Interfax-Kazakhstan.
Tokaev stated that "mutual trade between our countries is increasing
dynamically," and pointed to the expansion of bilateral trade to over
$11 billion for the first ten months of 2007, an increase of roughly 65
percent compared with the same period of 2006. He further noted that
trade between Kazakhstan and China has posted growth of over 96
percent, and that the volume of Chinese investment in Kazakhstan has
surpassed $8 billion. Since 2007, China has become Kazakhstan's fourth
largest trading partner. Tokaev also highlighted the significance for
Kazakhstan of the "Chinese experience of social and economic reforms,"
including China's "obvious achievements" in economic development and
the "rapid development of science, innovative technology, and
education." RG
[15] KAZAKH PRESIDENT MEETS WITH BUSINESS LEADERS
Meeting with leading businessmen in Astana, Kazakh President Nursultan
Nazarbaev on January 23 announced the continuation of a program of
small business loans, Kazakh Television reported. He also called on the
business sector to support the government's fight against corruption by
reporting officials seeking bribes. The head of the Atameken Union of
businessmen, Azat Peruashev, called for greater "financial support from
the state." Peruashev said the "high interest rates of bank loans
impede the development of the manufacturing sector," and stressed the
need for "small preferential loans" aimed at bolstering the private
sector and the country's textile industry. RG
[16] KAZAKH AND FRENCH OFFICIALS DISCUSS MILITARY COOPERATION
Kazakh Deputy Defense Minister Lieutenant General Kazhimurat Mayermanov
and a French delegation led by Defense Ministry official Alain Costes
on January 24 in Astana discussed the two countries' military
cooperation and reviewed plans for the Kazakh purchase of French
military equipment, Interfax-Kazakhstan reported. Costes formally
invited Kazakhstan to send a delegation to an arms exhibition in Paris
in the coming months, and expressed his appreciation for a recent
Kazakh decision to continue procuring weapons and advanced military
communications equipment from France's Tales arms producer. Mayermanov
also discussed the planned acquisition of modern artillery systems to
supplement Kazakhstan's existing arsenal of Semser D-30 howitzers and
Aybat 120-mm mortars. RG
[17] KYRGYZ OPPOSITION SETS UP 'REVOLUTIONARY BODY' TO DEMAND
PRESIDENT'S RESIGNATION
At a press conference in Bishkek, the leader of the Kyrgyz opposition
Asaba (Flag) party, Azimbek Beknazarov, on January 24 announced the
formation of a new "revolutionary body" intended to force the
resignation of President Kurmanbek Bakiev, according to AKIpress and
ITAR-TASS. Beknazarov, the country's former prosecutor-general,
explained that the decision to create a new body, known by the
Soviet-style name "Revcom" or "revolutionary committee," was a last
resort, reached only after the opposition "exhausted the political
methods of fighting." He added that the committee will coordinate "mass
protest campaigns" by the opposition. He said that the opposition has
been forced to demand Bakiev's resignation because the leader has not
earned the trust of the people, and called on Bakiev "not to repeat the
mistakes of [former president] Askar Akaev, and to quit voluntarily."
RG
[18] KYRGYZ PROSECUTOR-GENERAL UPHOLDS BAN ON PUBLIC RALLIES
Kyrgyz Prosecutor-General Elmurza Satybaldiev on January 24 announced a
decision to uphold a recent law restricting public demonstrations in
the capital Bishkek, according to AKIpress. The announcement sparked a
protest rally later the same day in front of the prosecutor's office;
the protest was organized by Tolekan Ismailova, the director of the
Bishkek-based organization Citizens Against Corruption. Several Kyrgyz
human rights groups, led by Ismailova, have challenged the new
restrictions, which were adopted by the Bishkek city council in late
November (see "RFE/RL Newsline," December 3, 2007), and threatened on
January 24 to fight the law in court. According to the revised law, all
public "rallies, pickets, demonstrations, and manifestations" are
restricted to just three designated locations in Bishkek. RG
[19] TAJIK OFFICIALS REVIEW WTO APPLICATION
Tajik Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister Larisa Kislyakova
and Klid Kull, the head of a special working group empowered to assist
Tajikistan's bid to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), announced
on January 23 that Tajikistan is "on the right track" to join the WTO,
Asia-Plus reported. Both officials noted that although Tajikistan has
"to date performed many requirements to join the WTO," there remain
"many issues that require additional work." According to Kull, the
outstanding issues include greater conformity in the "standardization
of goods and services, licensing, taxes, as well as issues related to
sanitary conditions for production in compliance with the WTO
requirements." Kull met earlier in the day with Tajik President Emomali
Rahmon, who emphasized his readiness to push for new measures to bring
the country's legislation into compliance with the requirements of WTO
standards. Kull also told reporters that the WTO appreciates
Tajikistan's "important stabilizing role" in the region. RG
[20] UZBEKISTAN CUTS GAS SUPPLIES TO TAJIKISTAN
Fathiddin Mukhsiddinov, a senior official of Tajikistan's state-owned
natural gas distributor TojikGaz, said on January 24 in Dushanbe that
Uzbekistan has cut its supplies of natural gas by one-third, Asia-Plus
reported. Mukhsiddinov explained that the Uzbek decision to cut off gas
supplies was due to the roughly $7 million in arrears that TojikGaz
owes Uzbekistan. But he noted that the arrears arose from the fact that
TojikGaz is owed some $5 million by the Tajik state-owned Barqi Tojik
energy company, another $2.5 million by the Dushanbe cement factory,
one of the country's largest industrial factories, and an estimated 144
million somonis ($41.5 million) in outstanding debt from domestic
consumers. The Uzbek cutoff effectively reduces the daily supply of
natural gas to Tajikistan from 3 million to 2 million cubic meters. The
move will only exacerbate an already serious energy crisis in
Tajikistan, and comes only days after an announcement that an
electricity shortage has forced the closure of many of the country's
largest industrial plants (see "RFE/RL Newsline," January 24, 2008). RG
[21] UZBEK PRESIDENT MEETS WITH SENIOR U.S. MILITARY COMMANDER
Uzbek President Islam Karimov on January 24 met in Tashkent with the
visiting head of the U.S. Central Command, Admiral William Fallon, and
discussed the issues of terrorism and instability in the region, Uzbek
Television reported. Karimov hailed Fallon's visit as a "significant
event" in bilateral relations and "a good opportunity to discuss and
exchange views on issues of mutual interest." Karimov and Fallon
discussed "issues of terrorism, illegal drug trafficking, organized
crime, the fight against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,
as well as issues of securing stability in the region," according to an
official statement from the Uzbek president's office. Fallon, the
commander of all U.S. military forces in the Middle East and Central
Asia, is among the highest-level U.S. officials to visit Uzbekistan in
several years. The visit is part of a regional tour that included a
meeting with Tajik President Rahmon (see "RFE/RL Newsline," January 23,
2008) and planned visits to Turkmenistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
After a sharp deterioration in U.S.-Uzbek relations over the deadly
confrontation between Uzbek security forces and civilian demonstrators
in the city of Andijon in May 2005, Uzbekistan evicted U.S. forces from
a military airbase that was used to support operations in nearby
Afghanistan. RG
Eastern Europe
[22] BELARUSIAN YOUTH LEADER SAYS HIS RELEASE IS GOVERNMENT'S 'GAME
WITH WEST'
Zmitser Dashkevich, the leader of the unregistered organization Youth
Front, said on January 24 that his early release from prison represents
"a sort of game with the West," Belapan reported. A day earlier,
Dashkevich was released from a correctional facility after serving 16
months of an 18-month sentence for running an unregistered
organization. "There are no signs of liberalization in public life.
Some people are being jailed and others are being released," Dashkevich
told a press conference. He said that his release came as a surprise
not only to him, but also to the authorities of the correctional
facility, who "were unaware that I would have to be released."
Dashkevich believes that his release "is the result of public pressure
both from within Belarus and abroad." He described his time in prison
as "a 16-month rest," adding that he now intends "to start vigorous
civil society activities." AM
[23] PRESIDENT SAYS UKRAINE READY TO DISCUSS SECURITY ISSUES WITH
MOSCOW
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said on January 24 that Kyiv is
ready to discuss issues of collective security with Russia, but that
Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations are exclusively an internal matter,
RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reported. "The issues of what model of
national security to choose or what model of defense policy to pursue"
are exclusively for Ukraine to decide, Yushchenko said. "Ukrainians are
able to answer the questions of how they see the prospects for their
security," he said. Yushchenko said that Ukraine will never provoke a
conflict with Russia, and that it is possible to reach an agreement
with Russia on issues of collective security. "We will find dozens of
ways to treat our mutual issues with deference, and to respect each
country's decisions," Yushchenko added. AM
[24] UKRAINIAN SPEAKER SAYS 'NO GROUNDS' FOR REFERENDUM OVER NATO
Verkhovna Rada speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk said on January 25 that "there
are no grounds today to conduct a nationwide referendum on Ukraine's
accession to NATO," the Ukrayinska Pravda website
(http://www.pravda.com.ua) reported. Yatsenyuk was responding to
demands for a referendum by the opposition Party of Regions.
Disagreement over the issue led the Party of Region's lawmakers last
week to block the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada, thus preventing the
parliament from working for several days. Yatsenyuk said that "nobody
expects Ukraine to join NATO either today or tomorrow, or the day after
tomorrow," adding that Ukraine's possible membership in NATO is "a
five- or 10-year prospect." AM
Southeastern Europe
[25] EU KEEPS MUM ON DATE FOR KOSOVAR INDEPENDENCE...
A three-day visit to Brussels by Kosova's prime minister, Hashim Thaci,
ended on January 24 with no public statement by the EU on the date when
Kosova will declare independence, local and international media
reported. Thaci said prior to leaving for Brussels that a date for a
declaration has been agreed and coordinated with the international
community, and will "be made public very soon" (see "RFE/RL Newsline,"
January 24, 2008). He struck a similar note at the conclusion of his
visit, saying "independence is only a matter of days," a statement that
suggests he expects the move to be made shortly after Serbs choose a
president on February 3. Thaci said as he headed for Brussels that
"everything will be clarified after the visit to Brussels," but none of
the four major EU officials with whom Thaci met indicated either that a
date has indeed been set or that it is imminent. The EU's foreign
policy chief, Javier Solana, and EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn
restricted themselves to expressing the EU's commitment to Kosova and
to a quick change to the status quo, while Slovenian Foreign Minister
Dimitrij Rupel, whose country holds the EU presidency, said the two
discussed "very important issues." Thaci also met with Peter Feith, a
Dutch diplomat who will head the EU mission expected to replace the UN
as Kosova's administrator. None of them responded critically to Thaci's
statement -- which has also been echoed by Kosovar President Fatmir
Sejdiu -- but Rehn's spokeswoman, Krisztina Nagy, appeared to criticize
Kosova's approach when she told a news conference that the date of a
declaration of independence "is a very sensitive issue in a very
sensitive political context in which it is better to resort to
diplomatic means than to public statements." There was also no public
comment on the EU's planned mission to Kosova, a subject that will --
along with Kosova's status and the EU's relations with Serbia -- be a
key item for discussion at a summit of EU leaders on January 28. Thaci
is also due to meet with Jaap De Hoop Scheffer, who, as NATO's
secretary-general, is responsible for the international force providing
security in Kosova. AG
[26] ...AS U.S. AGAIN CALLS FOR SPEED
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated on January 22 that
delaying a decision on Kosova's status "doesn't make tough decisions
easier." There is "some danger in continuing to wait for what needs to
be done," she warned, in comments reported by AP. "We are going to have
to resolve the status of Kosovo." Her comments do not mark any shift in
U.S. thinking, but their timing is important as they come at a point
when Kosovar leaders are raising expectations of an imminent
declaration of independence. Moreover, a recent report in "The New York
Times" quoted EU officials as saying that behind the scenes, Washington
is "aggressively" pushing the EU to recognize Kosova as a state soon
(see "RFE/RL Newsline," January 14, 2008). Rice made her comments at a
meeting in Berlin with foreign ministers from Britain, France, and
Germany, all of whom also met and discussed Kosova on January 19
without the participation of U.S. or Russian officials (see "RFE/RL
Newsline," January 22, 2008). Rice suggested that Brussels and
Washington are fundamentally the same in their Kosova policy, saying,
according to AFP, that "I don't think we have a gap with Europe on
Kosovo. What we are really now trying to do is to see if there is
anything more that can be done to smooth the transition." A somewhat
different picture was painted by an unnamed senior U.S. official quoted
by AFP on January 22, who indicated there is some way to go before
there is an agreement. He described discussions at the Berlin meeting
as "good," and said the meeting saw the U.S. and EU positions "move
closer to each other." "We have seen a gradual coalescence. We are
converging," he said. AG
[27] SIGNALS ON KOSOVA INDEPENDENCE DATE DIFFER...
Recent reports in the international and Kosovar media contain little
indication that a consensus on a date has been reached. The head of
Kosova's parliament, Jakup Krasniqi, said on January 22 that he hopes
the date will be in February, which would match Washington's reported
timeline. However, a Reuters report quoted unnamed EU officials as
saying that the EU is considering a date after March 9, when Spanish
voters cast their ballots in a general election. Spanish diplomats have
in the past voiced concern about the impact within Spain of Kosova's
secession from Serbia. Reuters on January 24 quoted a "senior Western
diplomat" as saying the "cut-off date" is Easter, which falls on March
23. In an interview with Japan's Kyodo News on January 23, Kosovar
President Sejdiu echoed the position of Prime Minister Thaci, saying
that a declaration of independence is a matter of days away. Likewise,
he said any move will be coordinated both with the EU and the United
States. AG
[28] ...AMID CONTINUED DISSONANCE WITHIN EU
Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic on January 21 visited two EU
states -- Romania and Greece -- that have largely aligned themselves
with Belgrade on the issue of Kosova's status, and secured their
continued backing. In Romania, Foreign Minister Adrian Cioroianu said
Kosova's status should be acceptable to both Belgrade and Prishtina and
should be approved by the UN Security Council. He also reiterated that
Romania will not recognize Kosova as a state if it declares
independence unilaterally (see "RFE/RL Newsline," September 6 and
December 13 and 17, 2007). Romania aligned itself with the majority EU
view on one issue, by supporting the deployment of an EU mission to
Kosova, but also argued that the mission should not be deployed after a
declaration of independence by Kosova. "An eventual deployment of a
European mission, following an eventual declaration of independence by
Kosovo, would implicitly mean a recognition of Prishtina as a partner,"
Romanian news agencies quoted Cioroianu as saying. Cioroianu said
January 11 that Romania is worried that statehood for Kosova could lead
to an "avalanche" of secessionist campaigns ("RFE/RL Newsline," January
16, 2008). According to the Kosovar Albanian newspaper "Koha ditore,"
Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bokayannis said on January 22 that Belgrade
and Prishtina should return to the negotiating table. Greek diplomats
in Prishtina said that Greece supports an EU mission in Kosova. Kosovar
President Sejdiu told Japan's Kyodo News on January 23 that unity
within the EU is Kosova's "biggest wish," but added that if "we have a
country or two with reservations, then they should keep those
reservations to themselves, because we will move forward with the
support of the rest of the countries." AG
[29] RUSSIA WARNS KOSOVAR STATEHOOD COULD AFFECT 200 REGIONS
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on January 23 amplified Russia's
long-standing claim that independence for Kosova could be a dangerous
precedent, arguing that as many as "200 territories" could be affected,
AP and Reuters reported. The United States and the EU contend that
Kosova is a unique case, but Lavrov said independence for the disputed
Serbian province would be seen by separatists around the globe as a
precedent. He also denied that Russia would rush to recognize as states
three breakaway regions of the former Soviet Union: the Moldovan region
of Transdniester and the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia. "Many think that Russia is anxiously waiting for that to
happen to start recognizing everyone around it, but it's absolutely
wrong," Lavrov said. "We clearly understand the destabilizing effect of
any separatist movements." Lavrov reiterated that Russia is supporting
Serbia's claim to continued sovereignty over Kosova because it wants to
defend international law, and not because of "egoistic interests."
During a visit to Bulgaria on January 18, Russian President Vladimir
Putin said that "a unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo and
its eventual support from the international community would be illegal
and immoral." AG
[30] KFOR REINFORCED, RUSSIA RULES OUT ROLE
The roughly 16,000-strong NATO-led international force in Kosova (KFOR)
will be reinforced by the deployment of 560 Italian troops starting
February 4, a KFOR spokesman, Bertrand Bonneau, said on January 23. The
deployment is short-term, however, with the reinforcements expected to
be in Kosova for just one month. They will be stationed in central and
northern Kosova, areas where concerns about tensions between the ethnic
Albanian and Serbian populations are particularly high. KFOR commander
Xavier Bout de Marnhac told local journalists in recent days that "KFOR
does not expect any problems in Kosovo." In related news, AP reported
that Russia's envoy to NATO, Dmitri Rogozin, said on January 24 that
Russia will not dispatch peacekeepers to join the international force
in Kosova. Russian troops served in KFOR between 1999 and 2003. AG
[31] LEADING SANDZAK POLITICIAN UNDER PRESSURE TO RESIGN
Celebrations to mark the elevation of Novi Pazar, the capital of
Serbia's southern Sandzak region, to the status of a city on January 23
were marred by a rally calling on the mayor to resign, local media
reported. The organizer of the protest, the nongovernmental
organization Initiative for Changes, said the hundreds of demonstrators
were expressing "their disapproval of the overall economic, social, and
security situation that has developed" under Mayor Sulejman Ugljanin.
As a city, Novi Pazar will now be eligible for greater public funding
than in the past and will have a range of other special rights. There
is no indication that the protest against Ugljanin was connected with
tensions within the region's Muslim community. Ugljanin, who is a
member of Sandzak's Bosnian Muslim majority, has been accused of siding
with a leading cleric, Adem Zilkic, who split the community by pledging
allegiance to the Muslim leadership in Belgrade rather than in
Sarajevo, the seat of the cleric traditionally seen as the chief Muslim
leader in the Western Balkans (see "RFE/RL Newsline," October 10 and 12
and December 3 and 28, 2008). The dispute within the Muslim community
is unconnected with the threat of militant Islamism that allegedly
surfaced in 2007 with the discovery of a supposed terrorist camp. The
trial of 15 alleged militants captured in Sandzak last year began in
Belgrade on January 14 (see "RFE/RL Newsline," January 16, 2008). AG
[32] NATO TELLS MACEDONIA TO PRESS ON WITH REFORM
"More reform needed" was the message that Macedonian Prime Minister
Nikola Gruevski was forced to take away from a January 23 visit to
Brussels. According to international and local media, NATO
Secretary-General de Hoop Scheffer said that NATO particularly wants to
see better party relations forged across the political spectrum. De
Hoop Scheffer also said that there is no guarantee that NATO leaders
will decide to invite Macedonia to join the alliance when they meet in
April. "The tickets have not been punched yet. It is a
performance-based process," he said in comments reported by the local
media. "It is important to keep up the pace, to have a foot on the
accelerator, so the reforms become irreversible." Macedonia's hopes
also hinge on a last-minute change of position by Greece, which is
threatening to veto Macedonia's bid unless it agrees to change the
country's name. Macedonia and Greece have stepped up their dialogue as
the summit approaches, but while the UN, which is brokering talks, has
noted progress, there is no hint that a breakthrough is imminent (see
"RFE/RL Newsline," January 23, 2008). Gruevski received a similar
message from the EU's enlargement commissioner, Olli Rehn, who also
named as particularly "problematic areas" the rule of law and the state
of the judiciary, police, and civil service. Earlier, on January 17,
Rehn said in an interview with a Bulgarian television channel that the
EU may decide this year on a date for the start of membership talks
with Macedonia (see "RFE/RL Newsline," January 22, 2008). AG
Southwestern Asia And The Middle East
[33] U.S. COMMANDER QUESTIONS TALIBAN CAPACITY FOR SPRING OFFENSIVE
Major General David Rodriguez, the commander of U.S. forces in eastern
Afghanistan, said on January 23 that he doubts Taliban insurgents will
be able to mount a spring offensive this year in the country's east,
the Pakistan-based news website "Dawn" reported. He told reporters at
the Pentagon that Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants have shifted their
focus to targeting sites in Pakistan rather than Afghanistan, resulting
in a decrease in cross-border operations and attacks in eastern
Afghanistan. "The enemy will try to take advantage of some of the
challenges they are having over there [in Pakistan] right now,"
Rodriguez said, suggesting that the Taliban's capacity will be consumed
with fighting Pakistani security forces in the volatile tribal areas
near the Afghan border. "The political turmoil in Pakistan is one
reason that fewer militants are crossing the border this year compared
to last," Rodriguez said. He added that the Pakistani military is
working to improve its capacity to conduct counter-insurgency
operations against Taliban and foreign militants presumably hiding in
the tribal areas. MM
[34] AFGHAN POLICEMEN, CIVILIANS KILLED IN U.S.-LED OPERATIONS
Afghan and international media reported on January 24 that at least
eight Afghan policemen and two civilians were killed during U.S.-led
military operations in central Afghanistan. Afghan provincial official
Habeb-ul Rahman, said that the policemen died in the village of
Ghariban in Ghazni Province during military operations that included
ground raids and air strikes. It is unclear how the casualties
occurred. Coalition spokesman Major Chris Belcher told AFP that the
operations targeted a Taliban commander associated with suicide
bombings in Ghazni, and that several insurgents were killed and nine
detained. Separately, Mohammad Nashir, a spokesman for the provincial
governor, told reporters that "the coalition forces opened fire at them
[the policemen]. Nine policemen including a police district chief,
Abdul Wakeel Kamiab, were killed.... A civilian woman was also killed."
The issue of civilian casualties remains a serious political issue for
the Afghan government and public, and in the past, violent
antigovernment demonstrations have followed incidents in which military
operations killed civilians. MM
[35] AFGHAN PRESIDENT WARNS AGAINST SPREAD OF REGIONAL TERRORISM
In his opening remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos,
Switzerland, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on January 23 that
Afghanistan and the region risk seeing the further spread of terrorism
and instability, Radio Free Afghanistan reported. "It seems like the
mutant of extremism is dangerously unleashed across the region," he
said, warning that "a rapidly spreading war is engulfing the wider
region." While Afghanistan remains a critical battlefield, Karzai said,
its neighbors and allies must also rally their forces to combat
terrorism. "Our strategies in this war have often been short-changed by
a host of deceptive rhetoric," he said. "Governments in the region need
to move beyond rhetoric and cease [supporting] extremist politics."
Karzai emphasized the need to crack down on the origins of terrorism
and its infrastructure and finances. MM
[36] AFGHAN GOVERNMENT APPEALS FOR AID TO EASE FOOD SHORTAGE
The Afghan government has appealed to the international community for
$81 million in aid to help more than 2.5 million Afghans suffering from
food shortages and harsh winter conditions, the Bakhtar news agency
reported. The joint appeal by the Afghan government, the World Food
Program (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United
Nations children's fund (UNICEF) is intended to provide urgent food aid
and nutritional supplements to those Afghans most at risk during the
next five months. Bo Asplund, the acting special representative of the
UN secretary-general, urged donor countries to respond to the appeal,
and said poor families, and especially women and children, "will be
unable to meet their most basic [food] needs...especially during the
current harsh winter months, until the next harvest season." Most of
Afghanistan is dealing with rising prices for wheat flour and fuel amid
heavy snow and cold winter temperatures. MM
[37] UNITED STATES SAYS IRAN FACES TOUGHER SANCTIONS
U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns suggested on January 24
that sanctions being drafted by the great powers against Iran's nuclear
program are "meant to be punitive," apparently contradicting earlier
Russian comments downplaying their gravity, AP reported. He said in
Jerusalem that he discussed Iran's contested nuclear program with
Israeli officials that day, though the subject of possible military
strikes on Iran did not come up. Few details have been released on the
contents of the third set of UN sanctions that Iran may face for its
suspected violation of nuclear non-proliferation rules. Burns said the
latest draft sanctions would increase travel restrictions on Iranian
nuclear scientists, freeze more assets, and ban trading in some items
that can be used in the nuclear industry. He said the five permanent
members of the UN Security Council have approved the draft resolution,
and that he is confident it will be approved by the full Security
Council after "several weeks" of debate. Ambassadors of the five
permanent UN Security Council members and Germany met at the United
Nations on January 24 to "fine tune" the text of the resolution, AFP
reported. VS
[38] RUSSIA CONTINUES FUEL DELIVERIES TO IRANIAN POWER PLANT
Iran's government announced on January 24 that it has received a sixth
consignment of fuel for the nuclear power plant in Bushehr, on Iran's
southern coast, Radio Farda reported. The state-owned Iran Atomic
Energy Production and Development Company reported that the consignment
weighed 11 tons and arrived at the Bushehr facility on January 24.
Russia has suggested that Iran should stop its fuel-making program now
that it is being supplied with fuel from Russia, but Iran insists it
needs to have an independent supply for its developing civilian nuclear
program. Iranian officials say Russia has so far delivered 66 of the 82
tons of fuel it has agreed to provide for Bushehr, in a series of
deliveries made since December 2007, Radio Farda reported. The
broadcaster quoted unnamed officials as saying they hope the full
amount will be delivered by the end of February. Russia has agreed to
supply fuel to Bushehr for 10 years, and Iran has agreed to return
nuclear waste and byproducts to Russia. VS
[39] IRAN MAY BAN ELECTION POSTERS
Iranian lawmakers voted on January 24 to make a top priority a debate
on a bill to ban the publication and distribution of election posters
and candidates' photos in the upcoming elections, Radio Farda reported.
Elections for Iran's eighth parliament since 1979 are scheduled for
March 14. If the bill is approved by the Guardians Council -- the body
of jurists that checks legislation to ensure that it respects religious
laws and the constitution -- posters, large photos, banners, and
similar materials will be banned during campaigning. Kazem Delkhosh, a
lawmaker who supported the motion, told the Mehr news agency that the
measure strengthens previous bans on posting campaign posters by
blocking the printing, publication, and distribution of such items. He
said the measures are intended to cut waste. Another representative,
Reza Talai-Nik, who opposed the motion, said the legislation is not in
the country's interests now that campaigning is about to start, and
that candidates' photos give voters an idea of their identities.
Another representative, Hossein Ali Shahriari, told Mehr that voters
should make decisions based on candidates' abilities, not their "faces
and photos," Radio Farda reported. VS
[40] IRANIAN PRESIDENT DEFENDS DISQUALIFICATIONS FROM ELECTIONS
President Mahmud Ahmadinejad said in Tehran on January 23 that
candidates disqualified by an Interior Ministry executive board -- or
those who have not yet been approved or rejected -- deserve to be
"chided" for registering when they should not have, Mehr reported (see
"RFE/RL Newsline," January 22-24, 2007). Ahmadinejad told the press
after a cabinet meeting that the registration of candidates he termed
"unsuitable" was part of a "pre-determined program and related to a
particular current." Most candidates who have been disqualified so far
have been reformists or centrists. "The basic question here is: why do
they send forward certain people who don't meet the right legal
conditions? These people should be aware that we have to abide by the
law." Addressing those who he said "pushed" forward the unsuitable
candidates, Ahmadinejad asked, "Why are you doing this? Read the law
and don't come forward." He said the disqualified candidates were not
"bad people," and can live freely and enjoy their civil rights.
Separately, Deputy Interior Minister for Political Affairs Alireza
Afshar told IRNA on January 23 that rejected candidates or those whose
eligibility has not been determined can take their cases to the
Guardians Council supervisory boards, which has the final say on who
can run. He said the supervisory boards can reverse the decisions made
by the Interior Ministry executive boards. Afshar urged rejected
candidates not to provoke a "political scandal" or take their stories
to the press. VS
[41] IRAQI PREMIER SAYS ADDITIONAL FORCES MOVED TO MOSUL
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced on January 25 that additional
Iraqi forces will be moved to Mosul in an effort to deal with insurgent
attacks purportedly carried out by Al-Qaeda in Iraq. The announcement
comes two days after a major bomb attack allegedly carried out by the
insurgent group that led to the collapse of a building and, according
to Governor Durayd Kashmula, 100 surrounding homes. A second attack on
January 24 killed Mosul's police commander, who was targeted by a
suicide bomber as he toured the wreckage of the initial attack (see
"RFE/RL Newsline," January 24, 2008). "Today, the troops have moved to
Mosul...and the fight there will be decisive," al-Maliki said during an
address in Karbala, AP reported. Multinational Force-Iraq announced on
January 24 that 34 people were killed in the previous day's attack and
135 wounded. The Iraqi government said 34 were killed and 224 wounded
in the attack. Three people died in the January 24 attack. KR
[42] AIDE TO IRAQ'S SENIOR AYATOLLAH WOUNDED IN BOMB ATTACK
Sheikh Abd al-Mahdi al-Karbala'i, an aide to Shi'ite Grand Ayatollah
Ali al-Sistani, was wounded in a roadside bomb attack in Karbala on
January 24, Iraqi media reported. Al-Karbala'i was apparently returning
home from evening prayers at the Imam Husayn shrine when his vehicle
was attacked. Two bodyguards were killed in the incident, while
al-Karbala'i sustained minor injuries, Reuters reported. Al-Karbala'i,
who leads the Friday prayer sermon in Karbala for al-Sistani, called on
government officials in his January 18 sermon to put the interests of
the Iraqi people over "the sectarian interests of every party, trend,
or group" or their own personal financial gain. He told officials:
"Each side should make concessions in the interest of the other." He
also called on Iraqi officials to accept the constructive criticism of
those who highlight the mistakes at certain departments or ministries,
saying accepting such criticism serves the country's interests. Several
aides to Ayatollah al-Sistani were targeted for assassination in 2007
(see "RFE/RL Iraq Report," August 17, 2007). KR
[43] IRAQI OIL MINISTER SAYS OUTPUT COULD INCREASE DRAMATICALLY THIS
YEAR...
Oil Minister Husayn al-Shahristani told Reuters in an interview at the
World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on January 25 that he
expects oil output could increase by some 400,000 barrels per day in
2008. Shahristani said output, which currently sits at around 2.3
million barrels per day (bpd), could rise to between 2.6 and 2.7
million bpd in 2008. The minister credited the improved security
environment for the expected increase, and said the government's 2008
production plan is specifically aimed at the export market. Shahristani
also said that the first round of bidding is under way for development
of Iraqi oil fields. "These are the super-giant Iraqi fields, the brown
fields -- we're going to sign contracts for the development of those
fields by the end of 2008," he said, adding: "We'll go through a second
round of bids in 2009." He said the government expects to sign
technical support contracts in the first quarter of 2008. KR
[44] ...AS DEPUTY PREMIER SAYS SECURE, DEMOCRATIC IRAQ WITHIN REACH
Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih said at the World Economic Forum in
Davos on January 24 that a secure, stable and democratic Iraq is within
reach, AFP reported the same day. "A year ago many people deemed Anbar
lost. I dare say if we could win Anbar back, our winning of the whole
of Iraq...is also possible," Salih said. Speaking about recent security
achievements, he told the forum: "I can say for the first time in a
long, long time that maybe Iraq is on the road to win the battle
against Islamic fanaticism and religious extremism," AP reported on
January 24. "The lesson of last year is that military might is not
enough to defeat terrorism. It is about politics, it is about
inclusiveness and it about giving the community a stake in the fight
against terrorism," Salih added. KR
[45] U.S. ANNOUNCES KEY ROUTE OPENED BETWEEN IRAQI CAPITAL AND POINTS
NORTH
A key route connecting Baghdad to Ba'qubah has been cleared of
improvised explosive devices (IEDs) according to a January 24
Multinational Force-Iraq press release. The road, particularly the
stretch connecting Khan Bani Sa'd and Ba'qubah was so heavily covered
in IEDs that vehicles had to take other routes to travel between
Ba'qubah and Baghdad. Khan Bani Sa'd sits just north of Baghdad. "In
addition to the route-clearance mission, [the Iraqi Army and coalition
forces] cleared Al-Qaeda in Iraq from many of the route's surrounding
villages and engaged the enemy in Khan Bani Sa'd," the statement noted.
The mission was part of Operation Blackhawk Harvest, which falls under
the countrywide operation called Phantom Phoenix, and was carried out
earlier this month, according to the announcement. An estimated 41
Al-Qaeda insurgents were killed under Blackhawk Harvest, though the
number could be far higher due to unknown casualties of bombing raids.
Twelve booby-trapped houses were also found and cleared, as well as 11
rigged cars, six weapons caches. Nine suspected insurgents were
detained and two Iraqis freed from a torture center. KR
End Note
[46] THERE IS NO END NOTE TODAY.
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