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OMRI: Daily Digest, Vol. 3, No. 8, 97-01-13
From: Open Media Research Institute <http://www.omri.cz>
Vol. 3, No. 8, 13 January 1997
CONTENTS
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] RUSSIA READY TO ACCEPT URANIUM FROM GEORGIA.
[02] U.S. TO PUSH FOR FRESH ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA?
[03] BISHKEK SUMMIT PRODUCES TREATY ON ETERNAL FRIENDSHIP.
[04] TALKS BETWEEN TASHKENT, DUSHANBE.
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[05] DNIESTER PRESIDENT SWORN IN FOR SECOND TERM.
[06] PROTESTS IN BULGARIA MOUNT . . .
[07] . . . AS POLITICIANS WRANGLE OVER POSSIBLE SOLUTION.
[08] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER IN BELGRADE.
[09] CONTACT GROUP WARNS SERBIA.
[10] HIGH OFFICIAL SAYS SERBIAN ECONOMY TEETERING ON COLLAPSE.
[11] BLUNT WORDS FOR BOSNIA.
[12] CROATIAN PRESIDENT REAPPEARS.
[13] RE-ELECTED SLOVENIAN PRIME MINISTER ON POLITICAL FUTURE.
[14] DID THE LIBERATION ARMY OF KOSOVO KILL THE FIRST ALBANIAN?
[15] CONTROVERSIAL MINERS' LEADER ARRESTED IN ROMANIA.
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] RUSSIA READY TO ACCEPT URANIUM FROM GEORGIA.
Ministry of Atomic Energy spokesman Grigorii Kaurov told ITAR-TASS on 11
January that "there is no problem as such" with Russia accepting
approximately 10 kg (22 lbs) of highly-enriched uranium stored at an
insecure Georgian research facility. Kaurov said "it will take time to go
through several judicial formalities" to transfer the radioactive materials
to Russia as a special agreement with Georgia needs to be signed; other
Russian officials said the timing of the uranium's removal depends on
resolving "technical" issues. Repeated American offers of financial and
technical aid have failed to speed up the removal. The officials added that
before the uranium is removed, Tbilisi must agree to accept the radioactive
waste left after it is reprocessed. Georgian officials have balked, because
Georgia does not have a suitable storage facility. Kaurov criticized the
"unjustified furor" raised by media reports about the uranium (see OMRI
Daily Digest, 6 January 1997), which he argued poses no proliferation
threat. -- Scott Parrish and Emil Danielyan
[02] U.S. TO PUSH FOR FRESH ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA?
The United States will press Armenian Prime Minister Armen Sarkisyan,
currently visiting Washington, to hold fresh parliamentary elections, an
unidentified U.S. official told AFP on 10 January. The official said early
elections would be "one way to give the opposition a constructive role and
have a more representative and democratic structure." AFP also quoted U.S.
officials as saying they hope that the elections could be held in March,
and Sarkisyan could foster the country's "political reform" in the wake of
the 22 September presidential vote that has caused doubts about the
legitimacy of President Levon Ter-Petrossyan. Opposition leader Vazgen
Manukyan has repeatedly said that fresh presidential and parliamentary
elections are the only issues the opposition is ready to discuss with the
authorities. -- Emil Danielyan
[03] BISHKEK SUMMIT PRODUCES TREATY ON ETERNAL FRIENDSHIP.
The presidents of Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan met in the Kyrgyz
capital Bishkek on 10 January, Western and Russian media reported.
Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakstan, Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan, and summit
host Askar Akayev signed a treaty declaring "eternal friendship" between
their states. They also agreed to form a Central Asian peacekeeping
battalion which will be based at Jibek-Jolu on the Kazak-Kyrgyz border. The
three states promised to cooperate militarily, agreeing to a mutual defense
arrangement. "If the territorial integrity and independence of one of our
states is threatened...the leaders of the three states may take measures,
including military ones, to defend our states," Nazarbayev said. Also
discussed was a means to make the Uzbek currency, the sum, convertible into
Kyrgyz som or Kazak tenge. A proposal to extend the term of peacekeepers
now serving in Tajikistan from the current three countries was postponed
until the forthcoming CIS summit. -- Bruce Pannier
[04] TALKS BETWEEN TASHKENT, DUSHANBE.
Tajik Prime Minister Yahya Azimov held two days of talks in Tashkent with
his Uzbek counterpart Utkir Sultanov, RFE/RL reported on 11 January.
Discussion focused on Dushanbe's debt to Uzbekistan for natural gas and
electricity, as well as gas supplies for 1997 and transport-related
problems. The sides failed to reach agreement on these issues, but did sign
an agreement on education. The magnitude of the problems (last year
Tajikistan acknowledged it owed Uzbekistan $200 million) and Dushanbe's
hopes to purchase gas at a subsidized rate are likely to have made it
difficult for the sides to agree. Last week as a result of the conflict in
Tursun Zade, Tajikistan, several shells fell on Uzbek territory, wounding
four. On 10 January Tashkent officially protested the incident and called
on Dushanbe to prevent its repetition. -- Lowell Bezanis
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[05] DNIESTER PRESIDENT SWORN IN FOR SECOND TERM.
Igor Smirnov, the president of the self-declared "Dniester Moldovan
Republic," was inaugurated for a second term on 10 January, BASA-press
reported. Smirnov, who was congratulated by Tiraspol officials and blessed
by the local Orthodox bishop, stated at the ceremony that the creation of
the secessionist republic has made it more difficult for "Romania to
incorporate Moldova." He stressed that the future relationship between
Chisinau and Tiraspol should be based on treaties and that Moldova should
"view the Dniester region as a [separate] state." The special session of
the Supreme Soviet was attended by deputies of the Russian State Duma.
Smirnov was re-elected president with 71% of the votes on 22 December. --
Dan Ionescu
[06] PROTESTS IN BULGARIA MOUNT . . .
Demonstrations against the governing Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP)
continued over the weekend in Sofia, Bulgarian and Western media reported.
On 10 January, protesters blocked the parliament building. Some stormed the
building, causing 700 million leva ($1.1 million) worth of damage and
preventing more than 100 deputies -- mainly from the BSP -- from leaving.
The parliamentary opposition had previously staged a walk-out after the
wording of its "Declaration on Bulgaria's Salvation" was rejected by the
Socialist majority. Riot police broke up the blockade. Around 100
protesters and police officers were injured. On 11 January, protests
continued on a smaller scale, but the largest demonstration so far was held
in Sofia on 12 January. AFP estimated the number of protesters at 50,000,
while RFE/RL put it at 150,000-200,000. Protests are expected to continue.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of Labor Podkrepa called a nationwide strike
on 15 January. -- Stefan Krause
[07] . . . AS POLITICIANS WRANGLE OVER POSSIBLE SOLUTION.
Outgoing President Zhelyu Zhelev on 10 January said he will not give the
BSP a mandate to form a new government, saying the current political
situation makes that impossible, RFE/RL reported. The next day, he called
for early parliamentary elections on state TV. President-elect Petar
Stoyanov and the BSP prime minister-designate, Interior Minister Nikolay
Dobrev, met on 11 January and agreed that the government and opposition
should hold talks to resolve the crisis. Stoyanov called for early
elections. Meanwhile, the BSP insisted that Dobrev be given a mandate to
form a new government. BSP Chairman Georgi Parvanov on 12 January said
talks with the opposition on early elections can start anytime, but he said
he expects the BSP to stay in power for at least another year to
"stabilize" Bulgaria. Also on 12 January, parliamentary speaker Blagovest
Sendov -- elected on the BSP ticket -- said that early elections are
necessary in his "personal opinion." -- Stefan Krause
[08] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER IN BELGRADE.
Theodoros Pangalos held meetings on 12 January with both the Serbian
authorities and leaders of the opposition Zajedno coalition but failed to
make any progress on a solution to the crisis gripping the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia (FRY), Radio B-92 reported. He did, however, say that the
Belgrade regime should recognize the opposition's 17 November victories in
the local elections. Pangalos, who described Serbia as "a loyal and real
friend," also expressed concern that the FRY may be heading for
international isolation once again. Pangalos also met with the head of the
Orthodox Church, Patriarch Pavle. Meanwhile, mass demonstrations against
the regime of Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic continued on 12 January
despite the continuing presence of heavily armed riot police. -- Stan
Markotich
[09] CONTACT GROUP WARNS SERBIA.
The five-member International Contact Group met in Brussels on 11 January,
but this time its attention was centered more on Serbia than on Bosnia,
international media reported. The session called for greater
democratization in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, including
recognition of the 17 November local election results and promotion of
independent media. The representatives of the U.S., U.K., France, Germany,
and Russia nonetheless agreed not to pursue fresh sanctions against
Belgrade. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State John Kornblum, however, said
that Washington has a program to increase pressure on Serbian President
Slobodan Milosevic, Nasa Borba reported on 13 January. Measures include
freezing bilateral economic relations; maintaining international political
pressure; and promoting democracy and a civil society within Serbia,
including human rights in Kosovo. -- Patrick Moore
[10] HIGH OFFICIAL SAYS SERBIAN ECONOMY TEETERING ON COLLAPSE.
Carl Bildt, the international High Representative to Bosnia, on 12 January
said the Serbian economy remains in tatters and is showing signs of further
disintegration. Bildt, speaking at an economic policy conference in
Sarajevo, was joined by other officials in warning the Bosnian Serbs that
they also face the prospect of near total economic ruin if they remain
steadfast in their resolve to maintain and solidify economic links with
Belgrade. For his part, David Lipton, assistant secretary of the U.S.
treasury, told the gathering that "For those of you representing [the
Republika Srpska] -- if you maintain a link to the economy of Serbia as
your principle economic link-- you will inevitably follow Serbia downwards
through the economic valley, the valley of despair and isolation," Reuters
reported. -- Stan Markotich
[11] BLUNT WORDS FOR BOSNIA.
Representatives of the international community on 12 January said in
Sarajevo that the Bosnians must get their government functioning and start
serious economic reforms or there will be no international donors'
conference in March. Envoys said that donors want proof that the Bosnians
have made real progress in, among other things, adopting laws on a single
central bank, a single currency, a 1997 budget, and servicing the foreign
debt, Reuters reported. The diplomats added that donors are interested in
helping to sustain long-term recovery but not in financing short-term aid
projects. Meanwhile, federal Agriculture Minister Ahmed Smajic told
Oslobodjenje that the economy is functioning at only 10 to 15% of its
prewar level. -- Patrick Moore
[12] CROATIAN PRESIDENT REAPPEARS.
Franjo Tudjman was shown on state-run television on 10 January for the
first time since New Year's, news agencies reported. He appeared thin but
robust and looking fit. The failure of the usually publicity-conscious
leader to appear in public for several days led to renewed speculation at
home and abroad regarding his health, and some observers suggested that he
has only months to live (see OMRI Daily Digest, 9 January 1997). His own
office had meanwhile added to the confusion by failing to issue an
unambiguous message that the president is indeed healthy and instead put
out statements that could be interpreted in different ways. But on 13
January the official media carried a new statement from his office, which
said that: "President Tudjman is pleased to inform the public that his
recovery is going well and that he is carrying out all his presidential
duties. With the will of the people and God, he will be able to continue
carrying them on for a long time." -- Patrick Moore
[13] RE-ELECTED SLOVENIAN PRIME MINISTER ON POLITICAL FUTURE.
Janez Drnovsek, the leader of the center-left Liberal Democratic Party
(LDS), said on 10 January that he would likely approach the conservative
People's Party in his search for allies in a new coalition government, STA
reported. Drnovsek, who has 15 days to unveil a new government lineup, was
re-elected prime minister by a margin of 46-44 votes on 9 January. The 10
November parliamentary elections gave no single party a clear mandate.
Meanwhile, police on 10 January opened an inquiry into allegations that the
LDS had attempted to "buy" opposition votes for Drnovsek. Drnovsek on 10
January dubbed the allegations groundless. -- Stan Markotich
[14] DID THE LIBERATION ARMY OF KOSOVO KILL THE FIRST ALBANIAN?
Maliq Sheholi, an ethnic Albanian member of the ruling Serbian Socialist
Party (SPS), was shot by unidentified assailants in Podujevo, Reuters
reported on 10 January. Sheholi was a member of the local city council. No
organization has claimed responsibility for the killing, but the notorious
Kosovo Liberation Army, which has been accused of killing nine Serbs in
1996, threatened last October to kill Albanian collaborators with the
Serbian regime. -- Fabian Schmidt
[15] CONTROVERSIAL MINERS' LEADER ARRESTED IN ROMANIA.
Miron Cozma, the leader of the miners' trade union in the Jiu Valley, was
arrested on 10 January at the Prosecutor General's Office in Bucharest,
Romanian and Western media reported. He was detained on a 30-day warrant on
various charges, including "undermining state authority" and breaking
firearms regulations. Cozma, who led thousands of miners in violent marches
on Bucharest in 1990 and 1991, could face up to 15 years in jail. The last
miners' rampage, in September 1991, forced Prime Minister Petre Roman to
resign and left several people dead and dozens injured. Former President
Ion Iliescu, who has been accused of summoning the miners to Bucharest,
described Cozma's detention as politically motivated. Incumbent President
Emil Constantinescu, however, on 12 January rejected a plea by miners'
representatives to intervene on Cozma's behalf and said he would use his
powers to prevent violence. -- Dan Ionescu
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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