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RFE/RL Newsline, 08-04-09
CONTENTS
[01] RUSSIAN OFFICIALS KEEP UP TOUGH TALK ON UKRAINE
[02] IS RUSSIA FOCUSING ON WRONG SECURITY PROBLEMS?
[03] SPEAKER OUTLINES TIMETABLE FOR NEW POWER STRUCTURE
[04] PETERSBURG JURY ACQUITS ACCUSED MATVIYENKO PLOTTERS
[05] 2006 REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS REDUCES NUMBER OF NGOS
[06] DOLLAR CONTINUES LOSING POPULARITY IN RUSSIA
[07] BARRED JOURNALIST LOSES CASE AGAINST FSB
[08] DISSIDENT ELECTION MONITOR ASSAULTED
[09] EU ALLOCATES 11 MILLION EUROS IN COMPENSATION FOR VICTIMS OF WAR
IN CHECHNYA
[10] ARMENIAN JUSTICE MINISTER REFUTES EUROPEAN CALLS TO EASE BAN ON
DEMONSTRATIONS
[11] CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION TARGETS DISMISSED ARMENIAN GENERAL
[12] RUSSIAN TELECOMS OPERATOR PLEDGES GREATER INVESTMENT IN ARMENIAN
PHONE NETWORK
[13] PRO-GOVERNMENT PARTY LEADER ANNOUNCES IDENTITY OF NEXT ARMENIAN
PREMIER
[14] AZERBAIJAN SETS DATE FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
[15] AZERBAIJANI PROSECUTOR-GENERAL'S OFFICE RELEASES STATEMENT ON
ASSAULT ON JOURNALIST
[16] OSCE MEDIA OFFICIAL EXPRESSES CONCERN FOR DETAINED AZERBAIJANI
JOURNALISTS
[17] GEORGIAN PARTY JOINS OPPOSITION COALITION
[18] KAZAKH OMBUDSMAN DISCUSSES GREATER COOPERATION WITH UN OFFICIALS
[19] KAZAKH PUBLIC FOUNDATION OPENS ANTICORRUPTION CENTER
[20] KYRGYZ PRESIDENT REVIEWS STATE PRIORITIES WITH PREMIER
[21] EU EXTENDS VISA, FINANCIAL SANCTIONS AGAINST BELARUSIAN OFFICIALS
[22] BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT PLEDGES 'TO DO EVERYTHING FOR VIETNAM'
[23] UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VISITS LIBYA
[24] KOSOVAR LEADERS SIGN NEW CONSTITUTION
[25] INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE SAYS KOSOVA'S CONSTITUTION IS GOOD
FOR SERBS
[26] AFGHAN FOREIGN MINISTER REJECTS ALLEGATIONS OF IRANIAN SUPPORT FOR
AFGHAN INSURGENCY
[27] AFGHAN PRESIDENT EXPECTS NEW PAKISTANI PREMIER TO COOPERATE IN
FIGHTING TERRORISM
[28] SIXTEEN PEOPLE ALLEGEDLY KILLED IN ATTACK ON AFGHAN WARLORD
[29] STREET IN KABUL NAMED AFTER SLAIN JOURNALIST
[30] IRAN REJECTS 'RESTRICTIONS' ON NUCLEAR PROGRAM
[31] MINISTER ACCUSES EMBASSIES IN TEHRAN OF CORRUPTING INFLUENCE
[32] ISRAEL PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE ATTACKS FROM IRAN
[33] IRANIAN LEGISLATORS SAID TO BE JOSTLING OVER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
[34] CRIMINALS KILLED IN CONFRONTATIONS WITH IRANIAN POLICE
[35] IRANIAN SECURITY CHIEF MEETS WITH FORMER IRAQI PREMIER
[36] SOUTHERN TRIBAL LEADER SAYS IRAN INTERFERING IN IRAQ...
[37] ...AND DESCRIBES COUNCIL'S GOALS, PRINCIPLES
[38] IRAQI PREMIER SAYS SADRISTS MAY BE BANNED FROM ELECTIONS
[39] TRIBAL CHIEFS IN WASIT COMMIT TO SUPPORTING IRAQI GOVERNMENT
[40] MORE THAN HALF OF IRAQIS IN JORDAN SUFFERING MENTAL DISTRESS
[41] THERE IS NO END NOTE TODAY.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008 Volume 12 Number 66
Russia
[01] RUSSIAN OFFICIALS KEEP UP TOUGH TALK ON UKRAINE
"The Moscow Times" reported on April 8 that President Vladimir Putin
said on April 4 at the meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in Bucharest
that Russia will work to break up Ukraine if that country joins NATO
(see "RFE/RL Newsline," April 2, 3, 4, and 7, 2008). Citing a report in
the daily "Kommersant" from April 7, "The Moscow Times" suggested that
an unidentified foreign delegate described Putin as "losing his temper"
at the meeting and saying to U.S. President George W. Bush: "do you
understand, George, that Ukraine is not even a state!" Putin reportedly
claimed that Russia will encourage the separation of eastern Ukraine
and the Crimea from Ukraine if that country joins NATO. "The Moscow
Times" added that "Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who accompanied
Putin at the summit, said [on April 7] he did not hear Putin's
purported remarks about Ukraine and could not confirm the report." On
April 8, the daily "Komsomolskaya pravda" quoted Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov as saying that the United States addressed some of
Russia's fears regarding missile defense at the Bush-Putin summit in
Sochi on April 6 but "where NATO's expansion is concerned, however, I
cannot say I've noticed any indication of readiness to allay our
fears." On April 7, Interfax quoted State Duma Speaker and Unified
Russia leader Boris Gryzlov as saying that Russia will "review" its
relations with any CIS member state that joins NATO. He noted that it
is the business of other states to decide whether to join the Atlantic
alliance but the business of Russia to decide how to react. On April 8,
Interfax quoted Russian Ambassador to Ukraine Viktor Chernomyrdin as
saying that any decision by Ukraine to join NATO will lead to
unspecified "consequences" in its relations with Russia. Chernomyrdin,
who was a Soviet-era gas specialist, served as Russian prime minister
from 1992-98. He made his remarks on Ukraine at a reception to mark his
70th birthday and to present his book "We Tried Our Best." Many
remember him for his quote from 1993 that "we wanted the best, but
things turned out like always." PM
[02] IS RUSSIA FOCUSING ON WRONG SECURITY PROBLEMS?
The daily "Novye izvestia" wrote on April 8 that "threats to Russian
security are rooted in the obsolete mentality of its military, not in
NATO or elsewhere." The paper quoted Aleksandr Konovalov of the
Strategic Estimates Institute as saying that the Russian military
should concentrate on strategic planning, including "bona fide
cooperation with [NATO], which will automatically solve a lot of
problems including difficulties in the relations with post-Soviet
republics." He argued that Russia's well publicized "dislike of NATO is
just a trick, a ruse expected to mislead the television [news] audience
at best. Politicians and the military know better." "Novye izvestia"
quoted professor Vladimir Kulagin of the Moscow State Institute of
International Relations as saying that the "problems of our relations
with NATO are rooted beyond the security sphere. The Russian
authorities view any international alliance promoting liberal ideas as
a threat.... However, a war with NATO is a sheer impossibility. Russia
accounts for 3 percent of the global GDP and NATO countries for 50
percent." Kulagin argued that the steady growth in the budgets of
Russia's Interior Ministry, Federal Security Service (FSB), and
Emergency Situations Ministry show that the main threats to Russia's
security come from within and not from NATO. The paper quoted Aleksei
Arbatov of the International Security Center as arguing that
established interests in the military encourage fear of NATO as an
excuse for putting off important reforms in the military itself. He
added that "we never hesitate to make threats [to other countries] but
do not offer anything" positive as an alternative. The daily
"Nezavisimaya gazeta" wrote on April 8 that Russia and the United
States are moving toward a compromise on missile defense but that
serious moves in that direction "have barely begun." PM
[03] SPEAKER OUTLINES TIMETABLE FOR NEW POWER STRUCTURE
President Vladimir Putin will be confirmed as prime minister on May 8,
one day after the inauguration of President-elect Dmitry Medvedev,
Russian media reported on April 7, citing Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov.
Gryzlov, who also heads the Unified Russia party, also confirmed that
he intends to ask Putin to take over as the head of the party at a
party conference on April 14-15. Analyst Andrei Ryabov told RFE/RL's
Russian Service on April 8 that the authorities want the new ruling
tandem in place for the May 9 Victory Day celebration and military
parade. Ryabov added that the unclear new power structure is "a
Byzantine" formulation and as such attributes great importance to
symbolism and "the way it is presented in the mass consciousness."
Gryzlov also said that Medvedev would be offered a seat on the party's
political council, but is not expected to become a member. He added
that the Duma will consider legislation that would separate the
country's legislative and presidential elections by a two-year
interval. This led some observers to speculate that an early
presidential election could be scheduled for 2009, paving the way for
Putin's possible return to the Kremlin, "Vedomosti" reported on April
8. Liberal Democratic Party of Russia head Vladimir Zhirinovsky said
the only other way to separate the elections would be to extend the
presidential term of office, which would require constitutional changes
that Putin has said he opposes. Analyst Yevgeny Minchenko agreed,
telling the daily that the tradition of monolithic power in Russia is
too strong for the tandem leadership model to last long. Analyst Dmitry
Oreshkin said that if there are no changes, bureaucratic inertia will
work in Medvedev's favor and he will gradually eclipse Putin if he is
able to hold on to the presidency. RC
[04] PETERSBURG JURY ACQUITS ACCUSED MATVIYENKO PLOTTERS
A jury in St. Petersburg on April 7 rejected charges against three men
accused of plotting to assassinate St. Petersburg Governor Valentina
Matviyenko, "Vremya novostei" reported on April 8 (see "RFE/RL
Newsline," November 12, 2007). The three suspects were declared
innocent and ordered released after the jury found there was no
evidence a crime had been committed. The main evidence against the men
was a recorded phone call in which one of the men said they had agreed
"to make some noise around Matviyenko" and the fact that two of the men
were arrested directly after purchasing a grenade and some explosives
on a Petersburg street. The men claimed they thought they were buying
ordinary fireworks. RC
[05] 2006 REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS REDUCES NUMBER OF NGOS
The Russian authorities have filed court appeals seeking the closure of
some 8,274 nongovernmental organizations since 2002, "Vedomosti"
reported on April 8. In all, more than 11,000 NGOs were refused
official registration last year, out of some 227,577 operating in the
country. About one-sixth of the total has been checked so far. Many
NGOs have closed of their own accord since strict new registration
requirements were introduced in 2006. Activist Lyudmila Alekseyeva
estimated that 600,000 NGOs operated in Russia in 2002. Maria
Konevskaya, an NGO activist in St. Petersburg, told "Vedomosti" she
expects a "purge" of NGOs this summer, with the closure of an
additional 15,000-20,000 nationally. RC
[06] DOLLAR CONTINUES LOSING POPULARITY IN RUSSIA
Russians continue to prefer to hold their savings in rubles, a new
survey by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion
(VTsIOM) has found, gazeta.ru reported on April 7. With the dollar
falling by 9 percent against the ruble in 2007, just 2 percent of
Russians say they prefer the dollar, while 92 percent keep their
savings in rubles. Six percent use the euro. Only 12 percent of
Russians say they regular check the value of the dollar, compared to 22
percent in 2006. Forty-seven percent of respondents said they expect
the dollar to continue its decline. The dollar presently buys 23.60
rubles. RC
[07] BARRED JOURNALIST LOSES CASE AGAINST FSB
A Moscow district court on April 7 rejected a case filed by Moldovan
journalist Natalya Morar against the FSB, RFE/RL's Russian Service and
other media reported the same day. Morar has twice been refused
permission to enter Russia because the FSB alleges she is a risk to
national security (see RFE/RL Newsline," March 18, 2008). At the
request of the FSB, the court hearing was closed to the public, meaning
that no light was shed on why the FSB considers Morar dangerous.
Morar's lawyer, Yury Kostanov, told RFE/RL that no compelling evidence
against Morar was presented and said the journalist will appeal the
ruling to the Moscow Municipal Court. RC
[08] DISSIDENT ELECTION MONITOR ASSAULTED
Political analyst Grigory Belonuchkin, who served as a Communist Party
election monitor during the December 2, 2007, State Duma elections, has
been hospitalized following an April 2 attack on him outside his Moscow
apartment, "The Moscow Times" reported on April 8. On April 1, a Moscow
court postponed hearings in a case filed by Belonuchkin in which he
accused the pro-Kremlin Unified Russia party of election fraud. The
case was postponed because Unified Russia representatives failed to
appear in court. Belonuchkin told the daily that a man called and asked
to speak urgently with him in person. The analyst agreed to meet the
caller on the street outside his apartment. He said that after the two
walked a short distance, a second man appeared and the two strangers
began beating him. He suffered a concussion and other minor injuries.
Belonuchkin said he believes the assault was a result of his
election-monitoring activities, and he could think of no other reason
why he would be attacked. He told the daily he has received anonymous
threatening phone calls since he filed the case and was warned not to
monitor the March 2 presidential poll. RC
[09] EU ALLOCATES 11 MILLION EUROS IN COMPENSATION FOR VICTIMS OF WAR
IN CHECHNYA
The European Commission announced on April 7 the approval of an 11
million-euro ($17.27 million) grant of humanitarian aid in compensation
to victims of the war in Chechnya, according to europa.eu. The EU
package provides targeted assistance for internally displaced persons
and other vulnerable groups in Chechnya, including humanitarian aid for
their protection and shelter, as well as for income-generation
activities and mother-and-child health. In the statement accompanying
the announcement of aid, the commission explained that the move was
essential to improve the living conditions of the population in
Chechnya, which it defined as "extremely difficult," and to "show its
solidarity with these vulnerable people who are still in need of
humanitarian assistance in order to reconstruct their lives and build a
new future." Since 1999, the European Commission has allocated more
than 220 million euros ($345 million) in aid to Chechnya. Due to the
conflict in Chechnya, some 14,000 Chechens were forced from their homes
and remain displaced in neighboring Ingushetia, while another 4,900
Chechens are in Daghestan, in addition to some 2,100 refugees currently
in Azerbaijan and 1,100 in Georgia. RG
Transcaucasia And Central Asia
[10] ARMENIAN JUSTICE MINISTER REFUTES EUROPEAN CALLS TO EASE BAN ON
DEMONSTRATIONS
Speaking to reporters in Yerevan, Armenian Justice Minister Gevorg
Danielian defended on April 7 the Armenian parliament's recent adoption
of restrictions on public rallies and demonstrations, RFE/RL's Armenian
Service reported. Danielian also dismissed a recent joint statement
from the Council of Europe's Venice Commission and the OSCE's
Warsaw-based Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
(ODIHR) criticizing the new restrictions for unacceptably restricting
"the right of assembly in a significant fashion" and countering
European standards (see "RFE/RL Newsline," April 4, 2008). Danielian
went on to assert that the government is "unlikely" to overturn the
controversial restrictions, which empower the authorities to ban any
public rallies and demonstrations deemed as seeking a "violent
overthrow of constitutional order" or that pose a threat to "state
security, public order, public health, and morality." In separate
comments on the restrictions, former Justice Minister David
Harutiunian, currently serving as the chairman of the parliament's
Legal Affairs Committee, argued instead that a modification of the new
law would present "a unique opportunity to further improve our law and
bring it into conformity with European standards." But Harutiunian, who
is also the head of Armenia's delegation to the Council of Europe
Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), defended the law's extraordinary powers
granted to police and security forces and ruled out the restoration of
the more liberal prior version of the law. The issue will be raised in
planned negotiations between the Armenian authorities and officials
from the Venice Commission and ODIHR set to open on April 15 in
Yerevan. RG
[11] CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION TARGETS DISMISSED ARMENIAN GENERAL
Sona Truzian, the spokeswoman of the Armenian Prosecutor-General's
Office, announced on April 7 the start of a criminal investigation
targeting former Armenian Army General Manvel Grigorian, after a former
associate accused him threatening his life, according to RFE/RL's
Armenian Service. Grigorian, who also served as deputy defense
minister, was dismissed on April 2 after he reportedly supported
opposition leader and former President Levon Ter-Petrossian. Grigorian
also heads the influential Yerkrapah Union of veterans of the Karabakh
war and, according to opposition claims, pledged that he would not
permit the army to be deployed against participants in last month's
postelection protests (see "RFE/RL Newsline," February 22, 2008).
Grigorian was accused by a former associate, Ara Marukian, a senior
official of the Armavia national airline, of threatening to kill him
and his family members in an April 6 phone conversation. A nephew of
the deposed general, Hrant Grigorian, told reporters on April 7 that
"his activities" as a parliamentary deputy from the ruling Republican
Party (HHK) led by President-elect Serzh Sarkisian, would not be
affected by his uncle's dismissal or criminal case, Arminfo reported.
RG
[12] RUSSIAN TELECOMS OPERATOR PLEDGES GREATER INVESTMENT IN ARMENIAN
PHONE NETWORK
In an announcement from its Moscow headquarters, Dmitry Pleskonos, a
senior executive of the Russian Vimpelcom telecommunications group,
announced on April 7 that the company intends to invest $74 million to
upgrade and modernize its fixed-line and mobile-phone networks in
Armenia, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reported. Pleskonos also said that
the latest upgrade follows about $90 million in similar upgrades of the
Armenian networks by Vimpelcom during 2007. He also noted that the
additional investment sought to correct ArmenTel's declining share in
the Armenian market for wireless service, after the abolition of
ArmenTel's legal monopoly on mobile telephony and the launch of the
country's second wireless network, VivaCell, in 2005. With less than
one-third of an estimated 2 million Armenian mobile-phone users,
ArmenTel has been steadily outpaced by the VivaCell rival, which is
owned by another Russian telecom giant, MTS, and claims to have
attracted 400,000 subscribers during the past seven months alone.
Vimpelcom, Russia's second-largest mobile-phone operator, acquired a 90
percent stake in ArmenTel in late 2006, in a nearly 342 million-euro
(then $436.3 million) buyout of shares from Greece's Hellenic
Telecommunications Organization, which first acquired a majority stake
in ArmenTel in 1998 (see "RFE/RL Newsline," November 15, 2006). RG
[13] PRO-GOVERNMENT PARTY LEADER ANNOUNCES IDENTITY OF NEXT ARMENIAN
PREMIER
The leader of the pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK),
wealthy businessman Gagik Tsarukian, announced on April 7 that Central
Bank Chairman Tigran Sarkisian is in line to become the next prime
minister, Arminfo reported. According to Tsarukian, whose party is a
junior partner in the governing coalition, Sarkisian will be nominated
following the April 9 inauguration of President-elect and current Prime
Minister Serzh Sarkisian (no relation to Tigran). But he did say that
Sarkisian's candidacy "has not been discussed" with the
president-elect, and warned that "no matter who is appointed to that
post, the Armenian people will criticize him." RG
[14] AZERBAIJAN SETS DATE FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Azerbaijani Central Election Commission Chairman Mazakhir Panakhov
announced on April 7 that the presidential election will be held on
October 15, Turan reported. Incumbent President Ilham Aliyev is widely
expected to win reelection to a second term. The last presidential
election, in October 2003, sparked violent clashes after Aliyev was
easily elected to succeed his father as president in a ballot that was
roundly criticized as neither free nor fair, and that resulted in the
injury of opposition supporters and innocent passersby, with two people
reportedly killed, including a 5-year-old boy (see "RFE/RL Newsline,"
October 6 and 17, 2003). That election was also held on October 15. RG
[15] AZERBAIJANI PROSECUTOR-GENERAL'S OFFICE RELEASES STATEMENT ON
ASSAULT ON JOURNALIST
A statement issued by the Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General's Office on
April 4, read on the air during a news broadcast by the state's AzTV-1
charged that the recent assault of opposition journalist Agil Xalil was
carried out by his "homosexual partner," Turan reported. Xalil's boss
at the newspaper, Azer Ahmedov, recently claimed that security
personnel sought to coerce Xalil into signing an affidavit accusing
"his colleagues or homosexuals" of assaulting him (see "RFE/RL
Newsline," April 7, 2008). Reacting to the statement, the head of the
Helsinki Civil Assembly's Azerbaijan National Committee, Arzu
Abdullayeva, criticized the accusations as "very disgraceful" and
characterized it as "a dirty campaign" seeking to avoid a formal
investigation. Xalil, a journalist with the opposition "Azadliq"
newspaper, was stabbed in the chest by unknown assailants in March (see
"RFE/RL Newsline," March 14, 2008) and in late February, was assaulted
by unknown assailants in Baku (see "RFE/RL Newsline," February 25,
2008). Xalil accused security officers of being complicit in the
attacks. RG
[16] OSCE MEDIA OFFICIAL EXPRESSES CONCERN FOR DETAINED AZERBAIJANI
JOURNALISTS
Speaking to reporters in Baku, the OSCE representative on the freedom
of the media, Miklos Haraszti, expressed on April 7 his concern over
the arrests of journalists in Azerbaijan and called for an end to the
criminalization of defamation in the country, ANS-TV reported. Haraszti
stated that the "criminalization of journalists for libel, defamation
and insult is unacceptable" and urged the Azerbaijani authorities to
take immediate steps to prevent the violation of media rights in the
country. Haraszti's statements coincide with an ongoing hunger strike
conducted by a group of opposition journalists, including two jailed
opposition editors, Qanimat Zahid and Eynulla Fatullayev, demanding the
release of all imprisoned journalists (see "RFE/RL Newsline," April 3,
2008). U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Derse also expressed similar
concern about the poor state of media freedom in Azerbaijan (see
"RFE/RL Newsline," April 7, 2008). Responding to the criticism, Siyavus
Novruzov, a senior legislator from the ruling New Azerbaijan Party,
countered on April 7 that "the hunger strike of journalists and the
opposition's involvement in this action is a show" aimed at "putting
pressure on Azerbaijan," according to the APA news agency. He added
that the hunger strike was "orchestrated by foreign forces, countries,
and embassies." For his part, presidential-administration official Ali
Hasanov argued on April 7 that the "media situation in Azerbaijan is
not bad" and said that the government "condemned" the ongoing hunger
strike, according to ANS-TV. RG
[17] GEORGIAN PARTY JOINS OPPOSITION COALITION
In an April 7 announcement in Tbilisi, Davit Gamkrelidze, the leader of
the opposition New Rightists party, declared plans to join the National
Council opposition bloc in preparation for the country's upcoming
parliamentary elections, Caucasus Press and Georgian Television
reported. One of the leaders of the opposition bloc, Levan
Gachechiladze, hailed the announcement, urging the Republican and Labor
parties to join them in a united effort. Gamkrelidze vowed to "defeat
[the] authorities" in the May 21 parliamentary elections. Gachechiladze
ran as the opposition National Council's presidential candidate but
lost the January 5 election to incumbent President Mikheil Saakashvili,
garnering only about 26 percent of the vote (see "Georgia: Saakashvili
Wins, But With Far Weaker Mandate," rferl.org, January 7, 2008). RG
[18] KAZAKH OMBUDSMAN DISCUSSES GREATER COOPERATION WITH UN OFFICIALS
Kazakh Ombudsman Askar Shakirov met on April 7 with a delegation of
officials from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Astana
and discussed plans for greater cooperation to expand protections for
refugees, Interfax-Kazakhstan reported. The UN officials, Oscar Mundia
and Oldich Andrysek, praised the work of the Kazakh ombudsman's office
in its effort to protect the rights of refugees and announced plans for
increasing Kazakhstan's participation in a joint regional effort by the
UNHCR and the European Commission in Central Asia. RG
[19] KAZAKH PUBLIC FOUNDATION OPENS ANTICORRUPTION CENTER
The Kazakh public foundation Transparency Kazakhstan opened on April 7
a new anticorruption center in Almaty, intended to provide legal advice
to citizens and consumers, Interfax-Kazakhstan reported. Speaking at a
press conference in Almaty, the chairman of the foundation's board of
directors, Vitaly Voronov, said the new center "will receive reports
from citizens about cases of corruption and provide them with legal
consultations, protect their rights and interests," and he stressed
that its services will also be provided to "corporate bodies and
entrepreneurs." RG
[20] KYRGYZ PRESIDENT REVIEWS STATE PRIORITIES WITH PREMIER
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev met on April 7 with Prime Minister
Igor Chudinov to review state priorities, AKIpress and ITAR-TASS
reported. Bakiev opened the meeting with a sharp rebuke of Chudinov for
allowing "some members of the government, deputy ministers, and heads
of government agencies to share their points of view at interstate
meetings or official trips abroad as a position of the government." He
warned that "none of the officials should express their own views on
behalf of the government without permission of the prime minister and
the government," adding that in the future any such official "would be
disciplined." Moving on to a review of his priorities, Bakiev stressed
that although investment is key to the country's development, investors
with their own interests "should not damage the interests of the
state," and he said that "we should not offer any privileges that could
damage the country's economic development." RG
Eastern Europe
[21] EU EXTENDS VISA, FINANCIAL SANCTIONS AGAINST BELARUSIAN OFFICIALS
The Council of the European Union decided in Brussels on April 7 to
extend by one year the EU's sanctions against Belarusian officials,
Belapan reported, quoting a spokesman of the council. "Grounds for
revising the sanctions will be the complete and unconditional release
of all political prisoners in Belarus and the conducting of free and
fair parliamentary elections this fall," the spokesman told the agency.
There are currently 41 people on the EU's list of Belarusian officials
subject to a visa ban and an assets freeze in connection with their
involvement in a crackdown on civil society or the disappearances of
opposition politicians in Belarus. In particular, the list includes
President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, Security Council Secretary Viktar
Sheyman, presidential-administration head Henadz Nyavyhlas, Interior
Minister Uladzimir Navumau, and Central Election Commission head
Lidziya Yarmoshyna. The EU sanctions are "incompatible with civilized
interstate relations...and an absolutely counterproductive measure,"
Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrey Papou said on April 7. JM
[22] BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT PLEDGES 'TO DO EVERYTHING FOR VIETNAM'
President Alyaksandr Lukashenka said in Hanoi on April 7 that his
country is ready "to do everything for Vietnam," Belarusian state media
reported. Lukashenka, who arrived in Vietnam on a two-day state visit
on April 7-8, met with Non Duc Manh, secretary-general of the Communist
Party of Vietnam, and Vietnamese President and Prime Minister Nguyen
Minh Triet. Both sides reportedly signed a contract on the delivery of
more than 500 Belarusian tractors to Vietnam. Lukashenka stressed the
need for Belarus and Vietnam to increase their trade almost tenfold in
the next two or three years from $63.6 million in 2007. JM
[23] UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VISITS LIBYA
President Viktor Yushchenko made a two-day state visit to Libya on
April 7-8, Ukrainian media reported. During talks with Libyan leader
Muammar Qaddafi, Yushchenko reportedly discussed mutual cooperation
prospects in the trade, economic, agricultural, transportation, and oil
and gas sectors. Yushchenko told journalists in Tripoli on April 7 that
Ukraine will supply three An-74 multipurpose transport aircraft to
Libya under an agreement reached in 2003. JM
Southeastern Europe
[24] KOSOVAR LEADERS SIGN NEW CONSTITUTION
On April 7, Kosova's leaders signed the country's new constitution,
which is based on the plan drafted by UN special envoy Martti
Ahtisaari, RFE/RL's South Slavic and Albanian Languages Service
reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," April 3, 2008). President Fatmir
Sejdiu said that the document "paves the way for the long-awaited
process of Euro-Atlantic integration.... We've taken an important step
in our sovereignty by drafting our modern constitution [and] proved to
the democratic world our seriousness." He stressed that the
constitution provides many guarantees for the rights of Kosova's ethnic
minorities, who make up about 10 percent of the population. Prime
Minister Hashim Thaci called the document a "guarantee of freedom." The
parliament is expected to ratify the constitution soon. PM
[25] INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE SAYS KOSOVA'S CONSTITUTION IS GOOD
FOR SERBS
Pieter Feith, who is the EU's and international community's chief
representative in Kosova, told RFE/RL on April 7 that it is important
for the Serbian minority to support Kosova's constitution because it
guarantees them a good future. He noted that the Ahtisaari plan, which
Belgrade rejects, addresses all the fundamental issues affecting the
minority, including its economic well-being and cultural development in
a democratic, multiethnic state. Feith added that Belgrade-backed plans
for a de facto partition of Kosova will not benefit anyone there and
called on the Serbian leadership to focus on the future rather than the
past (see "RFE/RL Newsline," March 28 and 31, and April 3, 2008). PM
Southwestern Asia And The Middle East
[26] AFGHAN FOREIGN MINISTER REJECTS ALLEGATIONS OF IRANIAN SUPPORT FOR
AFGHAN INSURGENCY
Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta on April 7 denied that
Iran is interfering in Afghan domestic affairs, IRNA reported the same
day. He said there is no proof that Iran is backing opposition to the
Afghan government. Speaking to reporters in Kabul, he said that the
people of Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran share the same
religion and language. "There are rumors about Iran's interference in
Afghan domestic affairs, but I once again emphasize that there is no
document to that effect," he said. "What the Iranian foreign minister
and president say is important to us, not what others claim." AT
[27] AFGHAN PRESIDENT EXPECTS NEW PAKISTANI PREMIER TO COOPERATE IN
FIGHTING TERRORISM
"There is no doubt that the continuation of the war on terrorism is a
priority in Afghanistan," President Hamid Karzai told a press
conference in Kabul. "There is also no doubt that Pakistan suffers at
the hands of terrorism," the Bakhtar news agency reported on April 7.
Karzai added that "this is a joint struggle. If either of us comes up
short in this struggle, then we will have harmed our people." Recently
returned from the NATO summit in Bucharest, Karzai said he is very
optimistic about the results of the summit and noted the "exceptionally
strong backing" the alliance offered to Kabul AT
[28] SIXTEEN PEOPLE ALLEGEDLY KILLED IN ATTACK ON AFGHAN WARLORD
Following reports that an insurgent leader was in the area, U.S. and
Afghan forces attacked an isolated village in a mountainous region of
northeastern Afghanistan on April 7, AP reported the same day. As the
result of the attack at least 16 people were killed. According to
Nuristan Province Governor Tamim Nuristani, U.S.-led coalition and
Afghan forces believed that Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who heads the militant
group Hizb-e Islami, which has links with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda,
though Hekmatyar has denied direct links with those groups, was meeting
with top deputy Kashmir Khan in the Dohabi district. A fierce
bombardment that included air strikes was launched. The chief of
Nuristan's provincial council, Rahmatullah Rashid, said 19 people were
killed in the battle, all of them civilians. He said six children, five
women, and eight men were killed in the attack, which he said was
relayed to him by villagers via radio. But U.S. Marine First Lieutenant
Richard Ulsh said coalition forces have "received no reports of
civilian casualties at this time as a result of that conflict." AT
[29] STREET IN KABUL NAMED AFTER SLAIN JOURNALIST
In tribute to Afghan journalist Ajmal Naqshbandi, who was brutally
beheaded by Taliban insurgents last year, authorities in the Afghan
capital named a street after him on April 7, Xinhua news agency
reported the same day. While unveiling the plaque of the avenue, the
president of the national journalists' union, Abdul Hamid Mubariz,
condemned the Taliban for killing Naqshbandi and called on the
journalist community to work toward intensifying the freedom of
expression in Afghanistan. Naqshbandi, a 20-year-old freelance
journalist, was accompanying Italian reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo as
his translator in the southern Helmand Province in April 2007 when he
was kidnapped by Taliban insurgents (see "RFE/RL Newsline," April 10
and 13, 2007). After they killed Naqshbandi, the militants released
Mastrogiacomo in exchange for five Taliban prisoners. AT
[30] IRAN REJECTS 'RESTRICTIONS' ON NUCLEAR PROGRAM
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini said in Tehran
on April 7 that Iran would not accept any proposal from the 5+1 powers
-- the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany
-- concerning its nuclear program if these "violate or restrict" Iran's
"rights" to such a program, IRNA reported. The powers are pressuring
Iran to abandon sensitive nuclear fuel-making activities. Hosseini
cited "new incentives" he said Iran has recently received, though he
did not elaborate. Rather, he urged "the authors of such proposals" to
abide by their "own international commitments" and fulfill the "duties"
the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty has set them. Hosseini said Iran's
case with the International Atomic Energy Agency has resumed a "normal
course," and there have been no recent contacts from the EU's chief
diplomat and Iran interlocutor, Javier Solana, to resume talks, IRNA
reported. VS
[31] MINISTER ACCUSES EMBASSIES IN TEHRAN OF CORRUPTING INFLUENCE
Culture Minister Mohammad Hossein Saffar-Herandi accused foreign
embassies in Tehran on April 6 of "encouraging" or inciting Iranian
artists against Iranian national interests, Radio Farda reported on
April 7, citing Iranian media. Saffar-Herandi is a close ally of
President Mahmud Ahmadinejad and has been an outspoken critic of
reformist newspapers, effectively accusing some of them of treason. He
told a gathering of ministry staff that some in Iran might find it hard
to discern such "unprecedented initiatives" by foreign embassies. He
criticized unspecified staff in his ministry who allowed the recent
screening of a film in Iran that he said insults Islam and Iran.
Saffar-Herandi said he will not allow actors and filmmakers to help
"corrupt" society "as long as I remain in this position." Radio Farda
reported separately that the ministry recently announced it will
undertake a "cleansing" of public libraries, presumably of books deemed
impious or touting unorthodox views on life and religion. The
broadcaster commented that the cleansing would probably lead to the
removal of books the ministry previously approved as acceptable for
public consumption. VS
[32] ISRAEL PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE ATTACKS FROM IRAN
Israel launched a week of civil-defense drills for citizens on April 7,
amid media speculation that the drills were to prepare citizens for
counterattacks following any U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, New York
City's "The Daily News" reported. The newspaper reported that the
Turning Point 2 drill was the largest-ever exercise of this type in
Israel and included rescue operations at simulated chemical and
biological attack scenes. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on April 7
that it was a "routine drill...Israel is not seeking violent
confrontation," nydailynews.com reported. The daily cited unnamed
Israeli observers as speculating that any strikes on Iran might occur
late in November 2008, in the last days of the administration of
President George W. Bush. Separately, Israel's National Infrastructure
Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, a member of Olmert's security cabinet,
said in Jerusalem on April 7 that an Iranian attack on Israel would
provoke a response that would "lead to the destruction of the Iranian
nation," though he said he thinks an Iranian strike is unlikely, AFP
reported. He said that the "Iranians are aware of our strength but
continue to provoke us by arming their Syrian allies and" Hizballah in
Lebanon. He added that an Iranian attack is unlikely because the
Iranians "understand the meaning of such an act." VS
[33] IRANIAN LEGISLATORS SAID TO BE JOSTLING OVER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
"Influential" conservative members of Iran's next parliament are said
to be working to maintain the composition of the presidium in the next
chamber and exclude prominent newcomer Ali Larijani from a presidium
seat, "Aftab-i Yazd" reported on April 7, citing Iranian websites. Iran
held elections on March 14 for the eighth parliament since 1979. The
seventh parliament's presidium was seen as working closely with
President Ahmadinejad, while the last elections have apparently brought
in conservative deputies critical of Ahmadinejad, including Larijani.
The daily reported that unnamed members of the seventh and eighth
parliaments have been consulting for months on how to keep the
presidium as it is; this would keep Ahmadinejad allies Gholam Ali
Haddad-Adel and Mohammad Reza Bahonar as speaker and deputy speaker,
respectively. Larijani is a former secretary of the Supreme National
Security Council who resigned last year over disagreements with
Ahmadinejad. He won the most votes in the Qom constituency in the March
elections. VS
[34] CRIMINALS KILLED IN CONFRONTATIONS WITH IRANIAN POLICE
Iranian police have shot dead a "bandit" or suspected drug trafficker
in the district of Bam in southeastern Iran and seized 400 kilograms of
opium, district police commander Abbas Ibrahimi told IRNA on April 6.
Ibrahimi said passengers in a car shot at police when ordered to stop
at a checkpoint, at an unspecified date. Three of the passengers
escaped and one was shot, he added. The police chief of the western
Luristan Province, Qasem Nasri, separately told IRNA on April 6 that
two armed thieves committed suicide in the district of Dorud in the
province on April 5, after they were surrounded by police. They stole a
car and put the owner in the trunk, but abandoned the car as they fled
police, "Kayhan" reported on April 7. VS
[35] IRANIAN SECURITY CHIEF MEETS WITH FORMER IRAQI PREMIER
Supreme National Security Council Secretary Said Jalili met in Tehran
on April 7 with former Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jafari and
assured him Iran is doing everything to help assure Iraq's peace and
stability, IRNA reported. He told al-Jafari, who heads the Shiite
Al-Da'wah Party, that Iran will place its "political, security, and
economic" experience at the service of reconstruction in Iraq, and he
accused "foreigners" of undermining Iraq's security. Al-Jafari
reportedly informed Jalili of the latest developments in Iraq. Iranian
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hosseini said the same day in Tehran that
Iran has formally received a request for talks on Iraq from the United
States and is studying the letter, IRNA reported. Iran, Iraq, and the
United States have had several rounds of talks on Iraqi security in
Baghdad (see "RFE/RL Newsline," December 17, 2007, and February 13 and
15, 2008). VS
[36] SOUTHERN TRIBAL LEADER SAYS IRAN INTERFERING IN IRAQ...
Sheikh Kazim Unayzan, chief of the Southern Arab Tribal Council, told
Al-Sharqiyah television in an interview aired on April 7 that Iran has
invaded southern Iraq and intends to use Iraq as a base to spread its
influence to the Persian Gulf states, which have a sizable Iranian
population. He said recent events in Al-Basrah reflect a struggle for
influence and power pitting two nationalist, patriotic parties,
Al-Fadilah and the so-called Al-Sadr Trend, against Iranian-backed
Iraqi Shi'ite parties. "Some political forces are now working for the
Iranian intelligence and they received funds from [Iran]. The Iranians
are seriously thinking of creating an unbalanced Iraq that supports a
theory that is not pan-Arab. This means [Iran] wants to keep Iraq away
from its pan-Arab affiliation," Unayzan said. "These [Iranian] forces
worked from Karbala and even Baghdad up to the farthest part of Iraq."
Asked about the Iraqi government's crackdown on Shi'ite cleric Muqtada
al-Sadr, Unayzan said the Al-Sadr Trend is being targeted because of
its immense popular support. "I do not say the Al-Sadr Trend is
impeccable. There are failures and there are doubts about some of its
elements, but 90 percent of this trend is clean and patriotic.... It
offered large sacrifices...these sacrifices should bear fruit," he
said. KR
[37] ...AND DESCRIBES COUNCIL'S GOALS, PRINCIPLES
Sheikh Unayzan told Al-Sharqiyah television that he has no intention of
forming an awakening council, but rather, he and other tribal leaders
will "establish a force to strike at the militias collaborating with
Iran." He claimed that the "Iranians killed -- only in Al-Basrah -- 31
heads of tribes and clans, 37 doctors...400 women, and a large number
of pilots and ordinary people who belonged to the Ba'ath Party and
former security and intelligence services." He said the tribal council
does not belong to any political party, including the Ba'ath Party or
any faction that opposes the Iraqi government. He said the council is
composed of 77 tribes and more than 3 million people from the
Al-Basrah, Dhi Qar, and Maysan governorates. He said the council's
goals in the upcoming local elections are to prevent the establishment
of federalism, block the oil law, and "prevent absolute subservience to
Iran." He added, "We will demand protection for our areas in the south
to prevent all neighboring countries and not only Iran from
infiltrating them." Sheikh Sabah Muhsin al-Maliki, head of the Bani
Malik tribes, told Al-Sharqiyah television on April 7 that some
disputes remain among tribes in southern Iraq. The resolution of these
disputes is a priority for the tribal council. Meanwhile, Unayzan
contended there is no one to reconcile with, since all the Shi'a reject
reconciliation with the Ba'athists. He added that those former
Ba'athists who have good and honorable intentions could be
rehabilitated at a later date. Both men are on a tour of regional Arab
states to mobilize support for the tribal council. KR
[38] IRAQI PREMIER SAYS SADRISTS MAY BE BANNED FROM ELECTIONS
Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told CNN in an interview aired on April 7
that supporters of Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr will be banned from
taking part in governorate-council elections later this year unless the
militia disbands. "A decision was taken [on April 6] that [Sadrists] no
longer have a right to participate in the political process or take
part in upcoming elections unless they end the Al-Mahdi Army,"
al-Maliki said. Al-Sadr spokesman Salih al-Ubaydi told RFE/RL's Radio
Free Iraq on April 7 that the Sadrists will ignore al-Maliki's demand.
He contended that only the parliament has the ability to ban the
militia from taking part in the elections, and added that the Al-Mahdi
Army did not participate in 2005 elections. Instead, supporters of the
militia ran for parliament as independent candidates. Meanwhile,
al-Sadr spokesman Hasan al-Zarqani said on April 7 that al-Sadr will
disband his militia if senior Shi'ite clerics advise him to do so.
Al-Zarqani said al-Sadr will seek rulings from Grand Ayatollah Ali
al-Sistani as well as senior Shi'ite clergy based in Iran on whether to
disband the militia, Reuters reported. Al-Zarqani said delegations from
al-Sadr's offices in Al-Najaf and Qom, Iran, will meet with the
clerics. Former Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Ja'fari will meet with
al-Sadr in Iran this week, Al-Sharqiyah television reported on April 7.
KR
[39] TRIBAL CHIEFS IN WASIT COMMIT TO SUPPORTING IRAQI GOVERNMENT
Sixty-nine tribal chiefs in the eastern Wasit Governorate signed a
document on April 6 pledging support for the Iraqi government and
security forces in a bid to end violence there, Voices of Iraq reported
on April 7. The agreement calls for a tribal fine of 100 million Iraqi
dinars ($83,000) should anyone in the governorate carry out an act of
aggression against police or army forces. It also bans anyone from
carrying guns. Violators will be punishable under the law, and the
violator's clan is prohibited from mediating or defending him, the news
agency reported. Clans traditionally intervene in the legal process to
resolve violations and disputes. Violence broke out in the governorate
last month when government forces clashed with locals during security
operations (see "RFE/RL Newsline," March 18, 2008). KR
[40] MORE THAN HALF OF IRAQIS IN JORDAN SUFFERING MENTAL DISTRESS
Two newly released reports have found that more than half of Iraqis
living in Jordan are suffering from mental distress and need
psychosocial support, the "Jordan Times" reported on April 7. The two
studies, carried out by the International Organization for Migration
(IOM) and the International Medical Corps (IMC), found Iraqis are under
high levels of emotional and psychological distress. The IOM report,
based on interviews with 200 displaced Iraqi families, said more than
half of respondents experienced panic attacks, anger, tiredness, sleep
problems, and fear. "The insecurity of their refugee life, a lack of
employment and the de-professionalization of Iraqis whose
qualifications are unrecognized [by the Jordanian government], poor
living conditions and access to health and social services...has
further aggravated the situation," the IOM study said. It also found
that domestic violence is on the rise, with 15 percent of women
interviewed saying there was an increase of violence within the family.
Children showed behavioral and learning difficulties attributed to
stress in the family. Meanwhile, the IMC report found that one in two
Iraqis are in need of psychosocial support. Just 5 percent of Iraqis
reported having access to mental health care. Reasons for needing
psychosocial services included stress (64 percent), violence (22
percent), displacement (22 percent), death, kidnapping, or unknown
status of a family member and related grief (21 percent), and
depression (19 percent), the daily reported. KR
End Note
[41] THERE IS NO END NOTE TODAY.
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