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OMRI Daily Digest, Vol. 2, No. 164, 96-08-23
From: Open Media Research Institute <http://www.omri.cz>
Vol. 2, No. 164, 23 August 1996
CONTENTS
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] GEORGIANS PROTEST NEW ENGLISH TEXTBOOK.
[02] FOREIGN DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY AROUND TAJIKISTAN.
[03] CASH WITHDRAWALS HALTED IN TASHKENT.
[04] NIYAZOV HOSTS UZBEK DEFENSE CHIEF.
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[05] PRE-ELECTION VIOLENCE GETTING WORSE IN BOSNIA.
[06] NEW TRIBUNAL OFFICES IN SARAJEVO, BELGRADE.
[07] CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN BELGRADE.
[08] SERBIAN OPPOSITION CRITICIZES ELECTION COVERAGE.
[09] MONTENEGRIN OPPOSITION PARTIES FORGE ELECTORAL ALLIANCE.
[10] TOP SERBIAN OFFICIAL CALLS FOR DIRECT TALKS ON KOSOVO.
[11] BOSNIAN OPPOSITION CANDIDATES DETAINED IN SLOVENIA.
[12] ROMANIAN ELECTORAL UPDATE.
[13] RULING PARTY DECIDES TO FREEZE CONSUMER PRICES.
[14] BENDERY AUTHORITIES PREPARE FOR EMERGENCY STATE.
[15] SNEGUR ON PRESIDENTIAL REPUBLIC.
[16] BULGARIAN PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS REGISTER.
[17] IMF MISSION HEAD CRITICAL OF BULGARIA.
[18] ALBANIAN OPPOSITION LEADER RENEWS RELEASE EFFORTS.
[19] GREEK PRIME MINISTER CALLS EARLY ELECTIONS.
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] GEORGIANS PROTEST NEW ENGLISH TEXTBOOK.
Georgian scholars have criticized what they regard as "insulting and
unethical" comments in a new Georgian-language textbook published in England,
ITAR-TASS reported on 22 August. A meeting of scholars at the Samshoblo
publishing house in Tbilisi accused author George Hewitt of anti-Georgian bias,
which they connected to the alleged fact of his marriage to an Abkhazian. Some
participants even called for criminal proceedings against Hewitt. ITAR-TASS
reported that an Indiana University professor, Dodona Kiziria, agreed with
some of the criticism of the book. -- Peter Rutland
[02] FOREIGN DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY AROUND TAJIKISTAN.
With a new outbreak of fighting reportedly in progress in the Tavil-Dara
region, representatives of other interested countries have stepped up their
efforts to achieve some resolution to the problems in Tajikistan. Officials of
the Russian and Afghan border commands met on 22 August in the Tajik village
of Tem, close to Khorog, to discuss means of stabilizing the area along the
Tajik-Afghan border, ITAR-TASS reported. Representatives of the two countries
agreed on sharing information on border violations and on the creation of a
border security zone stretching 2-5 kilometers south into Afghanistan. UN
envoy to Tajikistan Gerd Merrem was in Iran, where several United Tajik
Opposition leaders live, on 22 August to enlist the aid of Iranian Foreign
Minister Ali Akbar Velayati, according to RFE/RL. Iran has played a
constructive role in bringing the Tajik government and opposition to the peace
table since the conflict began in 1992. -- Bruce Pannier
[03] CASH WITHDRAWALS HALTED IN TASHKENT.
The Uzbek government has ordered Tashkent commercial banks to suspend all
operations involving cash withdrawals unless specific permission has been
given, Finansovye Izvestiya reported on 22 August. The paper reported that
Uzbekistan's treasury is facing a $700 million tax shortfall. -- Lowell
Bezanis
[04] NIYAZOV HOSTS UZBEK DEFENSE CHIEF.
Turkmen President Saparmurad Niyazov held talks with visiting Uzbek Defense
Minister Rustam Ahmedov on 20 August, Turkmen Press news agency reported the
following day. According to the BBC monitored report, the two sides discussed
cooperation between the Turkmen and Uzbek armed forces. -- Lowell
Bezanis
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[05] PRE-ELECTION VIOLENCE GETTING WORSE IN BOSNIA.
The UN spokesman in Sarajevo, Alexander Ivanko, said on 22 August that
opposition parties' leaders and supporters are being increasingly intimidated
by the ruling parties in the northern towns of Cazin and Teslic, Onasa
reported. Along with eight explosions in the Bihac region during the past week,
three explosions were reported in Cazin on 22 August, all of them believed to
have been directed at supporters of opposition parties. The UN received a
letter from a local opposition party accusing the ruling Muslim Party of
Democratic Action of acts of intimidation in Cazin. Meanwhile, in the
Republika Srpska, a police unit controlled by the ruling Serbian Democratic
Party has taken into custody a factory director in Teslic who headed the local
opposition party. Ivanko said special Serbian forces continue to operate
around the town, with city officials refusing to explain their presence. --
Daria Sito Sucic
[06] NEW TRIBUNAL OFFICES IN SARAJEVO, BELGRADE.
Graham Blewitt, prosecutor for the war-crimes tribunal for the former
Yugoslavia, on 22 August opened an office in Sarajevo and announced that a
Belgrade office would open the next day, Onasa reported. Blewitt said the
tribunal's Sarajevo office will assist the investigation team arriving in
Bosnia in early September to resume mass-grave explorations. He said the
Belgrade office represents a major step forward, since the prosecutor's office
has been trying to establish a base in the city since 1994. The Belgrade
office will allow the war-crimes tribunal to investigate alleged atrocities
against Serbs. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[07] CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN BELGRADE.
Mate Granic on 23 August arrived in Belgrade, where he and rump Yugoslav
counterpart Milan Milutinovic are to sign an agreement on the normalization of relations, Nasa Borba reported on 23 August. Earlier in the week, Croatian Foreign Ministry sources had hinted that a number of outstanding issues, including jurisdiction over the strategic Prevlaka peninsula and disagreements over the division of assets, could delay the signing (see ). But on 22 August, Zagreb announced that Granic would participate in the "landmark" ceremony in Belgrade. The BBC on 23 August, however, reported that a signing would not necessarily mean that all outstanding issues had been resolved; contentious issues could be deferred. -- Stan Markotich
[08] SERBIAN OPPOSITION CRITICIZES ELECTION COVERAGE.
Vojin Dimitrijevic, a member of the opposition Serbian Civic League, told a 21
August press conference that he thought it would be impossible for opposition
parties to gain equal access to media coverage during the federal campaign. He
also dubbed a recent agreement on media coverage little more than "a state
order submitted for signature," reported the BBC monitoring service, citing
Tanjug. As of 21 August, a total of 35 parties had signed an agreement on
media coverage. -- Stan Markotich
[09] MONTENEGRIN OPPOSITION PARTIES FORGE ELECTORAL ALLIANCE.
Novak Killibarda, leader of the People's Party of Montenegro (NSCG), and
Slavko Perovic, head of the Liberal Alliance of Montenegro (LSCG), released a
statement on 22 August outlining a cooperation accord for the 3 November
elections, Nasa Borba reported on 23 August. According to the agreement, the
parties have resolved to campaign together, recognizing that "it is imperative
for us to fold up our party banners and set aside those factors that divide us
so as to raise the flag of democracy over Montenegro." The NSCG, which holds
14 seats in the 85-seat republican legislature, has advocated maintaining
federal ties with Serbia, while the LSCG, which has 13 seats, has pushed for
Montenegro's outright independence. -- Stan Markotich
[10] TOP SERBIAN OFFICIAL CALLS FOR DIRECT TALKS ON KOSOVO.
The chairman of the Serbian parliamentary committee on security, Radmilo
Bogdanovic, on 22 August said it is "time for serious talks on Kosovo" between
the Serbian government and the Kosovo Albanians, Western media reported,
citing state-run Borba. But at the same time, he set conditions that the
Kosovars are likely to reject. Bogdanovic--a close aide to Serbian President
Slobodan Milosevic and a former Serbian interior minister--said the Kosovars
should take the first step and "ask for talks," and he rejected Kosovar shadow
state President Ibrahim Rugova's call for international mediation. Bogdanovic
said that "the state does not need a witness to talk to its own citizens." --
Stefan Krause
[11] BOSNIAN OPPOSITION CANDIDATES DETAINED IN SLOVENIA.
Bosnian politicians Ivo Komsic of the Croatian Peasant Party and Nijaz
Skenderagic of the Social Democratic Party on 21 August were detained by
police in Slovenia as they were about to address a campaign meeting,
Oslobodjenje reported. The police told them that according to Slovenian law
they cannot hold a meeting that has not been properly announced. Komsic said
Croatia and Slovenia are the only two European countries that do not allow
such political meetings, Oslobodjenje reported. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[12] ROMANIAN ELECTORAL UPDATE.
A "national committee" supporting incumbent President Ion Iliescu's candidacy
was formed on 22 August, Romanian television announced on the same day. The
committee is chaired by Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu. Iosif Borda,
Romania's ambassador to Switzerland, has been appointed director of the
president's electoral campaign. The Romanian ambassador to Moldova, Marian
Enache, is also a member of the committee. The announcement was met with
criticism in the opposition press. The daily Romania libera printed excerpts
from the Statutes of the Diplomatic Corps, which forbid Romanian diplomats to
be members of political parties or become involved in party activities. In
other news, several Roma parties that had set up an umbrella organization
called Roma Unification appointed sociologist Nicolae Gheorghe as their
presidential candidate, Radio Bucharest announced. -- Michael Shafir
[13] RULING PARTY DECIDES TO FREEZE CONSUMER PRICES.
In a move obviously triggered by electoral considerations, the Permanent
Delegation of the major coalition partner, the Party of Social Democracy in
Romania, on 22 August decided to freeze consumer prices of 54 products, Radio
Bucharest reported. The freeze is to be in force till 1 January 1997. It will
affect prices for gasoline and fuel for home heating, coal, public
transportation, bread, milk, comestible oil, butter, pork and poultry,
medicine and medical services, cigarettes, telephone charges, rents, and
others. The independent daily Libertatea on 23 August called the move "a
bomb whose exploding effects after the elections will be terrible." -- Michael Shafir
[14] BENDERY AUTHORITIES PREPARE FOR EMERGENCY STATE.
BASA-press reported on 22 August that the local authorities in Bendery
(Tighina), a town in the Dniester region where the Chisinau authorities have
managed to keep a police force that acts parallel to the Dniester forces, have
started preparations for a state of emergency. The move reflects rumors of a
concentration of Moldovan army units preparing an attack on the town. Sources
close to the city administration told the agency that envelopes containing
instructions on mobilization, to be opened only in case of an attack, have
been distributed to workplaces. The authorities have also ordered a Dniester
military unit to confine men to barracks and to start fortifications. Gen.
Victor Catana, the Moldovan Deputy Interior Minister and co-chairman of the
Joint Control Commission (JCC), said in a press release that the allegations
on the impending attack are a "premeditated misinforming of public opinion."
The JCC and the OSCE mission in Moldova on 21 August released a joint
statement calling on public organizations, decision makers, and the population
at large to "refrain from actions that may increase tension." -- Michael
Shafir
[15] SNEGUR ON PRESIDENTIAL REPUBLIC.
Moldovan President Mircea Snegur, addressing a meeting of the National Press
Club on 22 August, said that Moldova should become a presidential republic and
that he intends to pursue this change if re-elected in November, Infotag
reported on the same day. He said that if his main rivals in the electoral
contest, Prime Minister Andrei Sangheli and parliament Chairman Petru
Lucinschi, lose, it would mean that the government and the parliamentary
majority have lost the trust of the electorate. -- Michael Shafir
[16] BULGARIAN PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS REGISTER.
The Bulgarian Socialist Party's (BSP) candidates for president and vice
president, Georgi Pirinski and Ivan Marazov, on 22 August handed in
registration documents to the Central Electoral Commission (TsIK), Trud
reported. Pirinski, the current foreign minister, turned in a Justice Ministry
certificate saying that he never lost his Bulgarian citizenship and is not a
naturalized citizen. He did so to prove that he fulfills the constitutional
requirement that the president be a "Bulgarian citizen by birth." TsIK Deputy
Chairwoman Zlatka Ruseva said the opposition representatives on the commission
will examine Pirinski's documents "very carefully." Standart reported that
the BSP has two reserve teams, one of which will be registered in case the
TsIK rejects Pirinski and Marazov, the current culture minister. Novinar
reported that, in that case, Pirinski may replace Zhan Videnov as prime
minister in the fall. On 23 August, registration documents for the united
opposition's candidates, Petar Stoyanov and Todor Kavaldzhiev, were filed. --
Stefan Krause
[17] IMF MISSION HEAD CRITICAL OF BULGARIA.
Anne McGuirk, head of an IMF mission presently visiting Bulgaria, on 22 August
said it was not clear whether the country will qualify for the second
installment of a $580 million IMF loan, international media reported. McGuirk
said the government has been slow in implementing economic reforms and singled
out delays in closing down 64 major loss-making state enterprises. Closing
those companies and cutting off subsidies to another 70 enterprises was part
of a deal agreed on in May between Bulgaria and the IMF. McGuirk also voiced
concern about the decline of the Bulgarian lev and called for tighter monetary
policies. -- Stefan Krause
[18] ALBANIAN OPPOSITION LEADER RENEWS RELEASE EFFORTS.
The lawyer for imprisoned Socialist Party Chairman Fatos Nano has contacted
the European Court of Human Rights in an effort to secure Nano's release,
Reuters reported on 22 August. Nano's lawyer, Perparim Sanxhaku, said he has
direct contacts with the court and plans to launch an appeal there against
Nano's sentence. Nano was sentenced in 1994 to 12 years in prison for
embezzlement during his term as prime minister in 1991. President Sali Berisha
has rejected domestic and international appeals for Nano's release. The
Albanian parliament last month ratified the European Convention on Human
Rights, from which the court draws its authority. -- Stefan Krause
[19] GREEK PRIME MINISTER CALLS EARLY ELECTIONS.
Kostas Simitis on 22 August announced that early parliamentary elections will
be held on 22 September, 13 months before the parliament's regular four-year
term expires, Greek state radio reported. Simitis cited the need to revive the
economy and to strengthen the country's position vis-a-vis Turkey as the main
reasons for the early balloting. Under the Greek constitution, early elections
can be held if the premier believes that a "major national issue" requires the
government to be approved by popular vote. President Kostis Stephanopoulos
signed the decree for new elections on 23 August. -- Stefan Krause
Compiled by Steve Kettle and Tim Rostan
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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