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OMRI: Daily Digest, Vol. 2, No. 240, 96-12-13
From: Open Media Research Institute <http://www.omri.cz>
Vol. 2, No. 240, 13 December 1996
CONTENTS
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] ARMENIAN CHURCH HEAD MEETS WITH POPE.
[02] SELEZNEV IN TBILISI.
[03] RUSSIAN OWNERSHIP OF KAZAKSTAN INDUSTRIES.
[04] YURII BATURIN IN TAJIKISTAN.
[05] TAJIK CEASEFIRE VIOLATED IN FIRST 24 HOURS.
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[06] BELGRADE PROTESTERS PRESS ON.
[07] BELGRADE INDEPENDENT RADIO SIGNS TEN YEAR DEAL.
[08] MONTENEGRIN AUTHORITIES URGE AN END TO DEMONSTRATIONS IN SERBIA.
[09] MAN DIES AFTER TORTURE IN KOSOVO.
[10] COLLECTIVE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED.
[11] ARMS FOR BOSNIA.
[12] SFOR GETS ITS MANDATE.
[13] CROATIAN INTERIOR MINISTER SACKED; MORE OFFICIALS RESIGN IN PROTEST.
[14] CROATIAN CUSTOMS CONFISCATE SOROS FOUNDATION MONEY.
[15] NEW ROMANIAN GOVERNMENT SWORN IN.
[16] DID BULGARIAN COMMUNISTS ILLEGALLY TRANSFER $2 BILLION ABROAD? Pr
[17] BULGARIAN PARLIAMENT PASSED REVISED BUDGET.
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] ARMENIAN CHURCH HEAD MEETS WITH POPE.
Pope John Paul II said he hopes the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Roman
Catholic Church will eventually reunite, after meeting with Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin I in the Vatican on 11
December, Reuters reported. The independent Armenian church split from the
Vatican in the 5th century. Garegin said he is praying for the pontiff's
health for "the good of all humanity." -- Emil Danielyan
[02] SELEZNEV IN TBILISI.
Georgian parliament chairman Zurab Zhvania made clear to visiting Russian
State Duma chairman Gennadii Seleznev on 12 December that the future course
of Russian-Georgian relations hinges on a solution to the Abkhaz conflict,
NTV reported. Parliament deputies from the National Democrat faction staged
a walkout prior to Seleznev's address to the Georgian parliament to protest
Russia's role in the region. Seleznev proposed the opening of a Russian
consulate-general in Batumi to safeguard the interests of more than 30,000
ethnic Russians in Adzharia, according to Radio Rossii. Meanwhile, the
Russian government has closed a border crossing between Georgia and North
Ossetiya on orders from the commander of the Russian Border Troops, Gen.
Andrei Nikolaev. The move imposes a virtual economic blockade on Georgia,
although goods and passengers headed for Armenia are being allowed to
proceed, Iberia reported on 12 December. -- Liz Fuller
[03] RUSSIAN OWNERSHIP OF KAZAKSTAN INDUSTRIES.
The Russian electricity monopoly EES Rossii has taken over full ownership
of the Severnii coal basin in Ekibastuz, Kazakstan, Radio Rossii reported
on 12 December. An agreement to that effect was signed by the Russian and
Kazakstani governments -- presumably as partial payment for Kazakstan's
electricity debts to Russia. Russian CIS Affairs Minister Aman Tuleev
commented the day before that "practically all of Kazakstan's industry is
owned by third countries," mentioning India and the U.S. as examples, Radio
Mayak reported. However, foreign companies which have leased Kazakstani
enterprises often have a hard time. ITAR-TASS reported on 12 December that
the Russian firm Postovalov and Co. was abandoning its control over the
Katagaily ore factory despite having sunk $3.8 million into the project. --
Peter Rutland
[04] YURII BATURIN IN TAJIKISTAN.
Russian Defense Council Secretary Yurii Baturin arrived in Tajikistan on 12
December to review the ceasefire agreement signed by Tajik President
Imomali Rakhmonov and Tajik opposition leader Said Abdullo Nuri in
Afghanistan on 10-11 December, Russian media reported. High-ranking Russian
officials always visit the Central Asian nation prior to peace
negotiations. All sides involved in the Tajik conflict still agree
Rakhmonov and Nuri will meet in Moscow on 19 December to sign agreements
that UN special envoy to Tajikistan Gerd Merrem said will be even "more
rewarding" than previous settlements. -- Bruce Pannier
[05] TAJIK CEASEFIRE VIOLATED IN FIRST 24 HOURS.
The latest Tajik ceasefire, which came into effect at midnight on 11
December, has already been violated in the Garm region, Russian and Western
media reported. The Tajik government complained to the UN, claiming that
opposition forces in Garm, 150 km east of Dushanbe, attacked a special
forces unit. At least two soldiers are reported dead. Another attack by
opposition forces was reported in the village of Labijar, 120 km east of
Dushanbe, but no casualty figures were given. The reports failed to mention
that in the hours leading up to the signing of the latest ceasefire,
government forces moved a brigade near the city of Garm, which was captured
by the opposition on 1 December. Meanwhile, the opposition is denying that
it was behind two bombs that went off in Dushanbe on 12 December, one near
the parliament building and the other near the Pakistani Embassy. -- Bruce
Pannier
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[06] BELGRADE PROTESTERS PRESS ON.
On 12 December, the 23rd day of peaceful mass protests, an estimated 30,000
students attempted to march to the Belgrade residence of Serbian President
Slobodan Milosevic, but were halted by a cordon of well-armed riot police.
The march was aimed at putting pressure on Milosevic to resign, but Reuters
reported that the police managed to stop "the students under the windows of
the U.S. embassy." Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini met
with Milosevic and leaders of the opposition Zajedno coalition. Dini stated
that the opposition should drop demands to have the results of 17 November
local elections validated, which gave Zajedno victories in Serbia's twelve
largest municipalities. "Reinstatement of results seems to me to be
something that is not in the cards," said Dini. Opposition leaders, however,
say they will not compromise the election victory, Nasa Borba reported. --
Stan Markotich
[07] BELGRADE INDEPENDENT RADIO SIGNS TEN YEAR DEAL.
Independent Radio B92 announced on 12 December that it had signed a ten-
year contract with Radio and Television Serbia, allowing it to broadcast
over a state-owned transmitter, Reuters reported. The station, shut down by
Milosevic on 3 December for two days for its coverage and reporting of
ongoing mass demonstrations in Serbia, says it will continue efforts to
obtain its own frequency. -- Stan Markotich
[08] MONTENEGRIN AUTHORITIES URGE AN END TO DEMONSTRATIONS IN SERBIA.
A representative for Montenegrin President Momir Bulatovic has contacted
the Serbian government requesting that the issue of ongoing mass
demonstrations in Serbia be addressed, Nasa Borba reported. According to
the Montenegrin government, it is incumbent upon Serbia's authorities to
"sort out its internal problems at the earliest opportunity" because the
political situation throughout Serbia may have "unpredictable
repercussions" for Montenegro. Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic,
however, has so far failed to respond to the Montenegrins' request, AFP
reported on 12 December. -- Stan Markotich
[09] MAN DIES AFTER TORTURE IN KOSOVO.
According to the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Feriz Blakcori, 34,
died in a hospital in Pristina on 12 December after allegedly being
tortured by police, Reuters reported. Blakcori was arrested at his home on
9 December by a 40-strong police unit on suspicion of possessing firearms.
Blakcori was a member of LDK's information commission and a teacher in a
local elementary school. The LDK says Blakcori was the 14th victim of
Serbian police violence in Kosovo this year. Meanwhile, the Kosovar shadow-
state government issued a first official statement welcoming the Belgrade
protests. However, it added that the Serbian opposition "still remains anti-
Albanian" and "does not as yet deserve our full support." -- Fabian Schmidt
[10] COLLECTIVE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED.
The three-man joint presidency named the first ministers for the government
of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 12 December, after three months of haggling,
Oslobodjenje reported. The appointments reflect a careful balance of
Muslims, Serbs and Croats on the model of the "nationality key" established
under Tito, which had, however, eventually led to a gridlock. The co-prime
ministers are the Muslim Haris Silajdzic and the Serb Boro Bosic, who will
take turns in chairing weekly cabinet meetings. A Croat will be deputy
prime minister, and each nationality will get one of the three ministries:
foreign affairs (a Croat), foreign trade (a Muslim), and communications (a
Serb). Each minister will have two deputies from the other two
nationalities, and final appointments are expected on 17 December. --
Patrick Moore
[11] ARMS FOR BOSNIA.
The U.S. "train and equip" program to arm the mainly Croat and Muslim
Federation is now complete, Oslobodjenje reported. Special envoy James
Pardew said: "This equipment will allow the federation to defend its people
and their territory. Never again will people of Bosnia be unable to
effectively respond to military aggression." Pardew also criticized the
Serbs for not reducing their weapons stockpile, which is part of the
overall program to level the two armies. Meanwhile, at Ploce on the
Adriatic, two ships (one from Egypt, one from the United Arab Emirates)
arrived with weapons for the federal army. -- Patrick Moore
[12] SFOR GETS ITS MANDATE.
The UN Security Council approved the new 30,000-strong Stabilization Force
(SFOR), which takes over from IFOR when the latter's mandate expires on 20
December. The resolution gave SFOR an 18-month mandate and also stressed
civilian reconstruction tasks, Reuters wrote. Bosnian Ambassador Muhamed
Sacirbey said, however, that one must not "substitute superficiality for
substance" and that real efforts must be made to ensure freedom of movement,
freedom of the media, and the right of refugees to go home. It is not clear
whether SFOR's mandate will be any tougher than IFOR's was, particularly
regarding the matter of catching war criminals. -- Patrick Moore
[13] CROATIAN INTERIOR MINISTER SACKED; MORE OFFICIALS RESIGN IN PROTEST.
Ivan Jarnjak's departure (see OMRI Daily Digest, 12 December 1996) was
announced on 12 December by the ruling Croatian Democratic Community's
Secretary Ivan Valent--not by the prime minister or the president as
required by the constitution--international and local media reported.
Valent said Jarnjak was moving to another senior government position,
"which will enable him to concentrate more on party activities," Vecernji
List reported on 13 December. According to Valent, Jarnjak will be
replaced by former privatization minister Ivan Penic. Local media reported
that more members of Jarnjak's team had resigned as a sign of solidarity
with their minister, but it was not officially confirmed. Analysts say
Jarnjak was sacked for allowing the demonstration against the governments
attempt to silence independent Radio 101 to proceed without police
intervention. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[14] CROATIAN CUSTOMS CONFISCATE SOROS FOUNDATION MONEY.
Croatian customs on 12 December confiscated $65,000 from Croatian Open
Society foundation officials, international agencies reported. State
television said border police at the Bregana border crossing with Slovenia
will most probably confiscate the money that was not reported to the
customs. But a Finance Ministry source told Reuters on 12 December that it
was not necessary to report foreign currency upon entry to the country. The
incident followed recent vows by President Franjo Tudjman to crack down on
dissenters, in which he particularly named George Soros's Open Society
Institute as the organization that has infiltrated the whole society in
order to undermine the government. Zarko Puhovski of the Open Society
foundation said the authorities were taking the issue "very seriously" this
time, Reuters quoted him as saying. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[15] NEW ROMANIAN GOVERNMENT SWORN IN.
Prime Minister Victor Ciorbea's cabinet on 12 December took the oath in the
presence of President Emil Constantinescu, Radio Bucharest reported.
Ciorbea stressed that his government differed from the preceding ones in
the fact that it had "the knowledge, the possibility, and the will to
change the country's fate." Constantinescu said he thoroughly trusted
Ciorbea and his cabinet. Almost six weeks after the 3 November elections,
the new government finally started implementing its program. However,
negotiations on distributing second-level ministerial and county prefect
posts within the governing coalition will continue. -- Zsolt Mato
[16] DID BULGARIAN COMMUNISTS ILLEGALLY TRANSFER $2 BILLION ABROAD? Pr
osecutor-General Ivan Tatarchev on 12 December said he has documents
proving the existence of a financial network of the former Bulgarian
Communist Party (BKP), reportedly used by nomenklatura groups to obtain
start-up capital for their business empires, RFE/RL reported. Tatarchev
said the money was transferred abroad before 1989 as aid to Third World
revolutionary organizations but was never included in the state budget. In
1994, Financial Times reported that nomenklatura business groups with
alleged links to organized crime had embezzled huge sums of state funds
from secret BKP accounts in Austria and Switzerland. In November, former
Communist dictator Todor Zhivkov told RFE/RL that $2 billion were
transferred abroad during the term of then-Prime Minister Andrey Lukanov in
1990. This sum equals Bulgaria's debt to the Paris Club of lenders. --
Stefan Krause
[17] BULGARIAN PARLIAMENT PASSED REVISED BUDGET.
The National Assembly on 12 December passed the second "actualization" of
the 1996 state budget, Pari and Demokratsiya reported. The new revision
puts the budget deficit at 125.3 billion leva ($762 million at the average
exchange rate for 1996 so far). Expenditures for interest payments on
domestic debt were increased by 125.3 billion leva to 356.3 billion leva.
Some 308.5 billion leva will go for interest payments on domestic debt, and
47.8 billion for interest on foreign debt. The draft 1997 budget envisages
an exchange rate of 350 leva for one dollar and a 40% annual inflation
rate. In other news, the National Statistical Institute announced that
unemployment stood at 12% in November, up from 11.3% in October. The number
of unemployed went up from 425,419 to 460,061. Among them are 20,382 former
employees from 64 state-owned firms slated for closure. -- Stefan Krause
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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