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OMRI Daily Digest, Vol. 2, No. 149, 96-08-02
From: Open Media Research Institute <http://www.omri.cz>
Vol. 2, No. 149, 2 August 1996
CONTENTS
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] KVIRAYA DENIES ALLEGING RUSSIAN INVOLVEMENT IN WOODRUFF MURDER.
[02] ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WITHDRAWS.
[03] AZERBAIJAN PROTESTS ARRESTS.
[04] KYRGYZSTAN AND IRAN SIGN ECONOMIC AGREEMENTS.
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[05] KORNBLUM DECLARES ABOLITION OF HERCEG-BOSNA.
[06] REBEL CROATIAN SERBS THREATEN TERRORIST CAMPAIGNS.
[07] UN SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS UN MANDATE IN CROATIA.
[08] 208 SUICIDES IN SARAJEVO SINCE OUTBREAK OF WAR.
[09] BELGRADE HINDERS REGISTRATION OF REFUGEE VOTERS.
[10] MONTENEGRIN ELECTION UPDATE.
[11] ROMANIAN REFINERY WORKERS STAGE WARNING STRIKE.
[12] ROMANIAN POLITICAL UPDATE.
[13] BULGARIAN PRESIDENT VETOES MEDIA LAW.
[14] BULGARIA TIGHTENS FOREIGN CURRENCY REGIME.
[15] ALBANIAN INDEPENDENT DAILY GRANTED LOAN.
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] KVIRAYA DENIES ALLEGING RUSSIAN INVOLVEMENT IN WOODRUFF MURDER.
Georgian Minister for National Security Shota Kviraya on 1 August denied ever
having claimed that the murder in August 1993 near Tbilisi of U.S. diplomat
Fred Woodruff was instigated by Russian intelligence, ITAR-TASS reported.
Kviraya said that a statement to this effect attributed to him, which was
circulated on 25 July by Noyan Tapan, was aimed at undermining relations
between the Russian and Georgian security services. -- Liz Fuller
[02] ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WITHDRAWS.
Businessman Yuri Mkrtchyan, one of10 candidates who announced their intention
to contest the 22 September Armenian presidential election, has withdrawn,
protesting that the pre-election campaign is "unfair and immoral", Noyan Tapan
reported on 1 August. Other candidates and opposition political organizations
have repeatedly claimed that the electoral law, although apparently democratic,
gives an unfair advantage to incumbent Levon Ter-Petrossyan, who is seeking
reelection. -- Liz Fuller
[03] AZERBAIJAN PROTESTS ARRESTS.
First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas Abbasov and Azerbaijani ambassador to Russia
Ramiz Rzayev met Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksei Bolshakov and
Nationalities Minister Vyacheslav Mikhailov to discuss the recent wave of
arrests of Caucasians in Moscow, Turan reported on 30 July, as monitored by
the BBC. Some 4,000 Azerbaijani citizens have been arrested over the past
week. Bolshakov also talked to Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev by phone,
trying to reassure him that the operations were not targetting Azerbaijanis. --
Peter Rutland
[04] KYRGYZSTAN AND IRAN SIGN ECONOMIC AGREEMENTS.
In a sign of further cooperation between their countries, Kyrgyz Prime
Minister Apas Jumagulov and Iranian Vice President Hasan Habibi on 31 July
signed several economic accords, according to Kyrgyz Television First Channel
monitored by the BBC. The agreements include mutual investment protection,
cooperation in industry, and trade and transportation. Among the first fruits
of industrial cooperation will be the establishment of a factory in the
northern Kyrgyz city of Tokmak to produce minibuses and later automobiles. The
accord on trade and transportation allows direct air links between Bishkek and
Tehran, and Bishkek and Meshhed. Kyrgyzstan will receive 200,000-300,000 tons
of crude oil beginning in 1997 and in turn will export meat to Iran. -- Bruce
Pannier
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[05] KORNBLUM DECLARES ABOLITION OF HERCEG-BOSNA.
U.S. envoy for Bosnia-Herzegovina John Kornblum on 31 July announced that
Bosnian Muslim and Croat officials have agreed to end the existence of Herceg-
Bosna, Onasa reported on 1 August. Following talks with Croats in Mostar,
Kornblum said the Croatian side expressed willingness to stop obstructing
reunification of the town. Meanwhile, Bozo Raic, president of the ruling
Croatian Democratic Community (HDZ), on 1 August appealed to Alija Izetbegovic,
head of the Muslim ruling Party of Democratic Action (SDA), to organize a
brainstorming session to discuss ways to improve the running of the Bosnian
Federation. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[06] REBEL CROATIAN SERBS THREATEN TERRORIST CAMPAIGNS.
Rebel Croatian Serbs have pledged to conduct a campaign of terror against
Croatia in response to Croatian authorities' reclaiming the so-called Krajina
region following the August 1995 military campaign. The self-proclaimed
Krajina Liberation Army--in a fax published by the Belgrade daily Dnevni
telegraf on 1 August and also sent to former Krajina Serb leader Milan Martic
and Croatian refugee groups throughout the former Yugoslavia--says that
Croatia's victory will be celebrated "henceforth in [Croatian] blood wherever
[Croats] gather." It also aims to wage a terror campaign against "Serbian
traitors." The group has taken responsibility for the bombing on 26 July of
Croatia's largest agricultural and military equipment production plant. The
explosion caused extensive damage to the facility. -- Stan Markotich
[07] UN SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDS UN MANDATE IN CROATIA.
The UN Security Council on 30 July extended the mandate of 100 UN military
monitors (UNTAES) in eastern Slavonia,--the last Serb-held part of Croatia--
for another six months, Hina reported. UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros
Ghali, in a report to the Security Council on the implementation of the UNTAES
mandate, underscored the necessity for military monitors to remain in the area
in order to strengthen that mandate following the demilitarization of eastern
Slavonia, Baranja, and Western Srijem. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[08] 208 SUICIDES IN SARAJEVO SINCE OUTBREAK OF WAR.
The Sarajevo police force says it registered 208 cases of suicide in Sarajevo
between April 1992 and June 1996, Onasa reported on 1 August. Of those, 86
cases were reported in the Bosnian Federation during the past six months.
Ninety-seven of those who committed suicide were over 50 and nine under 18. --
Daria Sito Sucic
[09] BELGRADE HINDERS REGISTRATION OF REFUGEE VOTERS.
The Helsinki Committee on Human Rights has said that three refugees from
Sarajevo have alleged that Belgrade authorities barred them from registering
for the 14 September Bosnian elections, Onasa reported on 31 July. Beta says
that the three refugees were prevented from registering to vote in the towns
from where they came. There are a growing number of reports that Belgrade
officials are increasingly reluctant to provide registration forms to refugees
whose home in Bosnia is now under Bosnian government or Federation control.
Instead, those officials are pressuring refugees to accept voter registration
in the Bosnian Serb-controlled Republika Srpska. Meanwhile, Onasa reported
that rump Yugoslav authorities have officially extended the period in which
refugees can register to vote until 4 August. -- Stan Markotich
[10] MONTENEGRIN ELECTION UPDATE.
Following the expiry of the 30 July deadline, a total of 33 political parties
and formations had registered to run in Montenegro's republican elections,
scheduled for the fall, Montena-fax reported. Voters will elect 71
parliamentary deputies in 14 districts through a proportional representation
system. Before recent controversial changes to the election law, Montenegro
had only a single constituency and a legislature composed of 85 deputies. --
Stan Markotich
[11] ROMANIAN REFINERY WORKERS STAGE WARNING STRIKE.
Some 40,000 workers from state-run oil refineries on 1 August staged a two-
hour warning strike to demand job security and higher pay, Radio Bucharest
reported. The workers, whose average monthly wage, amounts to 380,000 lei
($120) are pressing for a 25% increase. Many fear they will lose their jobs,
since the refineries are currently operating at only 30% of their capacity.
The oil-processing industry has registered a deficit of 700 billion lei (some
$225 million) so far this year. The strikers have accused the government of
keeping the prices of oil products low, despite increasing costs of imported
oil. They have also threatened to launch a general strike on 7 August if heir
demands are not met. The government has responded to their protest by
announcing that a National Oil Company will be set up to supervise the sector.
-- Dan Ionescu
[12] ROMANIAN POLITICAL UPDATE.
The National Liberal Party led by Radu Campeanu and "The Ecologists" party on
1 August signed a protocol establishing a National Liberal-Ecologist Alliance,
Radio Bucharest reported. The alliance will nominate a candidate for the
November presidential election on 7 August. The recently created National
Liberal Alliance has said it will nominate its presidential candidate on 11
August. Observers of the Romanian political arena believe that the alliance's
candidate will be Nicolae Manolescu, chairman of the Civic Alliance Party. In
a separate development, the National Liberal Party led by Mircea Ionescu-
Quintus has announced it will set up a commission to negotiate its merger with
the National Liberal Party-Democratic Convention. -- Dan Ionescu
[13] BULGARIAN PRESIDENT VETOES MEDIA LAW.
Zhelyu Zhelev on 1 August returned the recently adopted media law to the
parliament for further debate, 24 chasa reported. Zhelev said he objects to
the Radio and TV Law in general as well as certain provisions. One of the most
disputed provisions is the creation of a National Radio and TV Council to
oversee media operations and elect the director-generals of state radio and
TV. That body will also be empowered to cancel programs and suspend licenses.
Seven members will be appointed by the parliament and two each by the
president and the government. Zhelev also said the composition of the council
endangers objective coverage of state institutions by both private and state-
run media, noting that under the constitution they should be free and
autonomous institutions. If Zhelev's objections are overruled, he can ask the
Constitutional Court to rule on the law. -- Stefan Krause
[14] BULGARIA TIGHTENS FOREIGN CURRENCY REGIME.
A decree dated 31 July, published in a special issue of Darzhaven vestnik,
tightens the country's foreign exchange regime, Pari reported on 2 August.
The move contradicts a 16 July Supreme Court ruling liberalizing that regime
by allowing domestic trade in foreign currency. The decree lists 14 instances
in which such currency may be exported via the banking system, including to
import goods and to repay debts. Exporting foreign currency for investments
abroad must be approved by the national bank and Finance Ministry. Meanwhile,
in a poll published in Pari on 2 August, 76.5% of the respondents said
the situation in Bulgaria will worsen, while only 3.7% said it will improve. --
Michael Wyzan and Stefan Krause
[15] ALBANIAN INDEPENDENT DAILY GRANTED LOAN.
The Media Development Loan Fund has granted Koha Jone a $135,000 loan to
help it avoid insolvency, international agencies reported on 1 August. The
credit comes with annual interest rate of 2% and is due for repayment in April
1997. High printing expenses and debts forced Koha Jone to close down for
some days in July. As part of the agreement, the owners of Koha Jone pledged
to restructure the daily to boost its efficiency. Other Albanian newspapers
strongly criticized the loan, saying it damages free competition. In protest,
they printed a blank page on 26 July. -- Stefan Krause
Compiled by Victor Gomez and Jan Cleave
News and information as of 1200 CET
This material was reprinted with permission of the Open Media
Research Institute, a nonprofit organization with research offices in
Prague, Czech Republic.
For more information on OMRI publications please write to info@omri.cz.
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