RFE/RL Newsline, Vol. 3, No. 207, 99-10-22

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RFE/RL NEWSLINE

Vol. 3, No. 207, 22 October 1999

CONTENTS

[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA

[01] MOSCOW TRANSFERS FOUR MIG-29S TO ARMENIA

[02] AZERBAIJANI MUSLIM LEADER SAYS RUSSIA GUILTY OF GENOCIDE

[03] SARA TV EMPLOYEES CONTINUE HUNGER STRIKE

[04] RUSSIA MAY ASK GEORGIA FOR PART OF ITS CFE ARMS QUOTA

[05] SHEVARDNADZE WON'T DEBATE WITH ADJAR LEADER

[06] GEORGIAN SUPREME COURT OVERRULES ELECTORAL COMMISSION

[07] RUSSIAN IMPERIALISM, SOVIET POWER TO BLAME FOR SLOW GROWTH OF

[08] KAZAKHSTAN SECURITY CHIEF SEES ISLAMIST THREAT

[09] AMNESTY RELEASES 25,000 FROM KAZAKHSTAN PRISONS

[10] KAZAKHSTAN'S KURDS APPEAL TO NAZARBAEV, TURKEY

[11] KAZAKHSTAN'S COSSACKS DENY ASKING TO GO TO CHECHNYA

[12] RAKHMONOV SAYS TAJIKISTAN WON'T BE 'SECOND AFGHANISTAN'

[13] TAJIK OPPOSITION REJECTS COURT RULING IN THEIR FAVOR

[14] TURKMENISTAN, IRAN REPORTEDLY TO COOPERATE ON CASPIAN OIL

[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

[15] CROATIA TO VOTE ON 22 DECEMBER

[16] OPPOSITION, CHURCH CRITICAL OF TUDJMAN'S DECISION

[17] HDZ SLAMS FARMERS' PROTEST

[18] IS HDZ TRYING TO PACK HIGHEST COURT?

[19] SERBIAN OPPOSITION SAYS ELECTIONS MUST BE AT ALL LEVELS

[20] MILOSEVIC'S PARTY REJECTS ROUNDTABLE TALKS

[21] SERBIAN REGIME CONTINUES INTIMIDATION CAMPAIGN

[22] SECOND UN OFFICIAL ATTACKED IN PRISHTINA

[23] BERLIN DENIES REPORT OF MACEDONIAN ARMS SALES

[24] CAR BOMB ATTACK ON BOSNIAN SERB JOURNALIST

[25] PETRITSCH, BARRY PRESENT PROPOSED BOSNIAN ELECTORAL LAW

[26] ITALY CALLS FOR BETTER ECONOMIC TIES WITH ALBANIA

[27] ROMANIAN SENATOR BLASTS CHANGES TO NEW LAW ON SECURITATE

[28] ROMANIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES FUNDING FOR HEATING CRISIS

[29] MOLDOVAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES DEPUTY PROSECUTORS

[30] BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES ECONOMIC PLAN...

[31] ...ADOPTS ARMED FORCES STRATEGY

[C] END NOTE

[32] RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT STATEMENT ON THE SITUATION IN CHECHNYA

[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA

[01] MOSCOW TRANSFERS FOUR MIG-29S TO ARMENIA

Anatolii Kornukov, the commander of Russia's air force,

arrived in Yerevan on 21 October to present four new Mig-29

jet pursuit aircraft to the Armenian government, Turan and

other agencies reported. This latest transfer means that

Armenia now has 20 of the advanced fighter planes. PG

[02] AZERBAIJANI MUSLIM LEADER SAYS RUSSIA GUILTY OF GENOCIDE

an appeal to Russian President Boris Yeltsin, Sheikh ul-Islam

Allakhshukyr Pasha-zade said that Moscow is guilty of

genocide against the Chechen people, Turan reported on 21

October. Pasha-zade demanded that Russian forces stop their

efforts to annihilate Chechen civilians. Following a meeting

with Russia's ambassador in Baku, the Muslim religious leader

said that it is his "duty to protect Muslims wherever they

are." PG

[03] SARA TV EMPLOYEES CONTINUE HUNGER STRIKE

Baku's SARA Television continued their hunger strike for a

third day, Turan reported on 21 October. The strikers are

protesting the Azerbaijani Justice Ministry's decision to

shut down that station. PG

[04] RUSSIA MAY ASK GEORGIA FOR PART OF ITS CFE ARMS QUOTA

Pichkhadze, an adviser to Georgian leader Eduard

Shevardnadze, told Interfax on 21 October that Moscow might

ask Georgia to transfer to Russia part of its arms quota

under the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty. But

Pichkhadze said that at the OSCE summit in Istanbul next

month, Tbilisi will require Russia to remain within the

existing limits. PG

[05] SHEVARDNADZE WON'T DEBATE WITH ADJAR LEADER

debate with my subordinates," Georgian President Eduard

Shevardnadze rejected Adjar leader Aslan Abashide's call for

a series of televised debates, Caucasus Press reported on 21

October. Meanwhile, Tbilisi officials reported that the Adjar

government has failed to make required financial transfers to

the central Georgian government. PG

[06] GEORGIAN SUPREME COURT OVERRULES ELECTORAL COMMISSION

Election Commission and ordered the registration of the

Revived Communists and People's Patriots bloc, Prime News

reported on 21 October. In another election-related

development, Tbilisi police prevented four buses carrying

Revival of Georgia supporters from entering the capital even

though they had permission from the Interior Ministry,

Caucasus Press reported the same day. PG

[07] RUSSIAN IMPERIALISM, SOVIET POWER TO BLAME FOR SLOW GROWTH OF

In Prague for meetings with Czech

President Vaclav Havel, Kazakhstan President Nursultan

Nazarbaev told journalists on 21 October that the

democratization of his country is proceeding slowly because

of the influence of Russian imperialism and later Soviet

power, CTK reported. PG

[08] KAZAKHSTAN SECURITY CHIEF SEES ISLAMIST THREAT

Musayev, the newly confirmed head of Kazakhstan's National

Security Committee, said on 21 October that "there is a

danger of religious extremism; it is becoming ever more real

with every year that passes," Reuters reported. Musayev said

that he is tightening border security to block illegal

immigration and is prepared to deport fundamentalist groups,

which he said are being prepared by "a system of

fundamentalist theological instruction" within the country.

Meanwhile, the authorities closed a religious school in

Qarasu, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reported. PG

[09] AMNESTY RELEASES 25,000 FROM KAZAKHSTAN PRISONS

Interfax-Kazakhstan on 21 October, Astana has amnestied and

freed approximately 25,700 prisoners, including youths, the

sick, women, and invalids. The amnesty took place in

connection with the proclamation of the current year as "A

Year of Unity and the Succession of Generations." PG

[10] KAZAKHSTAN'S KURDS APPEAL TO NAZARBAEV, TURKEY

of the Ethnic Kurds Association has called on Turkey to spare

the life of convicted Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan and to

resolve the Kurdish issue in a peaceful way. The conference

also appealed to President Nazarbaev to press their case with

Ankara, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reported on 21 October. But

in making this appeal, the Kazakhstani Kurds said that they

do not plan to stage any protest actions to advance their

demand. PG

[11] KAZAKHSTAN'S COSSACKS DENY ASKING TO GO TO CHECHNYA

Ovsyannikov, a leader of the Semirechye Cossack Union, on 21

October denied reports that his union wants to be resettled

on the left bank of Chechnya's Terek River once Russian power

is re-established there, Interfax reported. But he did say

that some Cossack families now living in Kazakhstan are

willing to move to Stavropol Krai. Meanwhile, another Cossack

leader in Kazakhstan, Gennady Belyakov, said his people are

not going to leave that Central Asian country "no matter how

difficult things will be here." PG

[12] RAKHMONOV SAYS TAJIKISTAN WON'T BE 'SECOND AFGHANISTAN'

law enforcement officials that he is confident that

Tajikistan will not become "a second Afghanistan" and thus

serve as a base for terrorists, Interfax reported on 21

October. In order to prevent such a scenario, the Tajik

government has established a special commission to consider

problems of the country's eastern region near Kyrgyzstan and

to look into the case of the recently kidnapped Japanese

geologists. PG

[13] TAJIK OPPOSITION REJECTS COURT RULING IN THEIR FAVOR

of Tajik opposition parties said that a decision by

Tajikistan's Supreme Court allowing one of their number to

run for president was simply a fig leaf designed to make the

government look more democratic, Reuters reported on 21

October. United Tajik Opposition leader Said Abdullo Nuri

said that "the government needs one candidate from the

Islamic party to be registered in order to give an impression

of democracy." The court decision came on the heels of a

demand by U.S. Ambassador Robert Finn that Tajikistan improve

its electoral arrangements. PG

[14] TURKMENISTAN, IRAN REPORTEDLY TO COOPERATE ON CASPIAN OIL

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi have agreed to work

together to develop Caspian oil resources, Interfax reported

on 21 October. No further details were given. PG

[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

[15] CROATIA TO VOTE ON 22 DECEMBER

the National Council of his governing Croatian Democratic

Community (HDZ) on 21 October that parliamentary elections

will take place on 22 December, "Jutarnji list" reported. He

said that the lower house of the parliament will dissolve

itself "around 10 November," after which he will formally

announce the date for the ballot. The HDZ council agreed that

there will be 10 electoral districts of about 380,000 voters

each, plus one "district" for Croats living abroad. Elections

are due in 2000, but the HDZ and opposition alike had

frequently said that the vote would take place sooner. Public

opinion polls suggest that a six-party coalition of

opposition parties is likely to win more votes than the HDZ,

which many voters hold responsible for Croatia's low standard

of living and high level of corruption. The strongest single

opposition party is Ivica Racan's Social Democrats. Tudjman

and the HDZ have profited in the past from the virtually

incessant in-fighting within the ranks of the opposition. PM

[16] OPPOSITION, CHURCH CRITICAL OF TUDJMAN'S DECISION

opposition coalition will present its official stand on the

elections on 25 October, but initial reactions of several

opposition leaders are negative, "Jutarnji list" reported on

22 October. The opposition politicians accused the government

of seeking to profit from the "Christmas atmosphere." They

added that the international community and Roman Catholic

Church will most likely object to the timing of the vote so

close to Christmas. In Rome, Archbishop Josip Bozanic, who is

president of the Croatian Bishop's Conference, said that the

important thing is that the election date is now finally

known. Bozanic's spokesman said, however, that the government

has clearly ignored a previous warning from the bishops that

elections should not take place close to Christmas. PM

[17] HDZ SLAMS FARMERS' PROTEST

October that the purpose of the farmers' protests is to

embarrass the HDZ in the runup to elections, RFE/RL's South

Slavic Service reported (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 21 October

1999). The HDZ National Council took the same position as the

government. Farmers' spokesmen stressed that the protesters

want to demonstrate their unhappiness with the government's

agricultural policies and will continue their protest

actions. PM

[18] IS HDZ TRYING TO PACK HIGHEST COURT?

expected to confirm on 22 October the nomination of eight

individuals to fill vacancies on the 11-member Constitutional

Court. Kresimir Rozman, who is vice president of a union of

government workers, told AP that the authorities chose the

eight on the basis of their loyalties to the HDZ. Any

professional expertise that any of them may have is

incidental, Rozman stressed. Vladimir Gredelj, who heads a

professional organization of judges, told "Jutarnji list"

that he has never heard of some of the nominees. Gredelj

added that at least one nominee has made statements in public

that reveal a lack of knowledge of even basic legal concepts.

PM

[19] SERBIAN OPPOSITION SAYS ELECTIONS MUST BE AT ALL LEVELS

coalitions agreed in Belgrade on 21 October that they will

participate only in elections that are simultaneously to the

presidency, the parliament, and local offices, RFE/RL's South

Slavic Service reported. The government favors elections to

local governments only. The opposition controls some 40

municipal governments, including Belgrade and Nis. PM

[20] MILOSEVIC'S PARTY REJECTS ROUNDTABLE TALKS

is a spokesman for Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's

Socialist Party, said in Belgrade on 21 October that any

talks about elections must take place in the parliament. He

repeated his party's position that there is no need for an

early ballot. The opposition wants a special roundtable to

take up the issue of early elections. PM

[21] SERBIAN REGIME CONTINUES INTIMIDATION CAMPAIGN

persons in Vranje on 20 October threatened local Democratic

Party leader Dragan Janjic, warning him not to organize any

demonstrations calling for Milosevic's ouster. Police sought

to break up a meeting of the opposition Alliance for Change,

which was attended by about 100 people, the private Beta news

agency reported. In Kragujevac, police broke up a meeting at

which wreaths were to have been laid in honor of high-school

students killed by the Communists at the end of World War II.

In Uzice, local people prevented police from detaining the

leader of an independent police union. PM

[22] SECOND UN OFFICIAL ATTACKED IN PRISHTINA

20 October threw a grenade into the apartment of a Serbian

interpreter for the UN mission in Kosova (UNMIK), injuring

her seriously. A UN spokesman said the next day that she had

previously been "harassed by Albanians," Reuters reported.

Bernard Kouchner, who heads the UN mission, said that "this

deplorable attack on innocent women [sic.] and on a UNMIK

staff member deserves the world's condemnation." On 11

October, a crowd of ethnic Albanians killed a UNMIK official

of Bulgarian origin after mistaking him for a Serb (see

"RFE/RL Newsline," 12 October 1999). PM

[23] BERLIN DENIES REPORT OF MACEDONIAN ARMS SALES

Defense Ministry spokesman has denied press reports from

Macedonia that Germany has agreed to provide Macedonia's

small army with a considerable quantity of arms (see "RFE/RL

Newsline," 21 October 1999). The spokesman said on 21 October

that the ministry is studying a Macedonian request for arms

but has not made any commitment. PM

[24] CAR BOMB ATTACK ON BOSNIAN SERB JOURNALIST

seriously injured independent journalist and publisher Zeljko

Kopanja in front of the Republika Srpska government complex

in Banja Luka on 22 October, Beta reported. His "Nezavisne

novine" recently ran a series of articles on war criminals

and speculators. Hospital spokesmen told the private Onasa

news agency that Kopanja is not in a critical condition.

Several bystanders were also injured, dpa reported. PM

[25] PETRITSCH, BARRY PRESENT PROPOSED BOSNIAN ELECTORAL LAW

international community's Wolfgang Petritsch and the OSCE's

Robert Barry presented a proposed election law to the three

members of the Bosnian joint presidency in Sarajevo on 21

October. Petritsch said that he hopes the Bosnian authorities

will approve the law in time for the October 2000 elections.

Observers note that the law is aimed at easing the grip that

nationalist politicians have on their respective communities.

It will require candidates to win at least some support on

either side of the inter-ethnic boundary. At least one-third

of all candidates must be women. Some anti-nationalist

politicians say that the law does not go far enough because

it does not enable many voters to cross ethnic lines when

voting for members of the presidency. PM

[26] ITALY CALLS FOR BETTER ECONOMIC TIES WITH ALBANIA

visit to Tirana on 21 October, Italian Prime Minister Massimo

D'Alema called for replacing the blossoming illicit trade

between the two countries with more legitimate activities.

"We should interrupt the trafficking of guns, drugs, and

cigarettes and the disgusting smuggling of people which

offends the conscience of Europe. We should replace that with

a safe sea where ships carrying goods travel between the

coast of Italy and the fascinating but not [economically

developed] Albanian coast. Security and development move

together," he added. D'Alema stressed that Italian business

needs a peaceful environment in Albania if it is to develop

economic ties there. "We want to make contact with the

Balkans and the East through Albania. This is the role that

Italy should play in order that the [EU's] Stability Pact

does not remain an empty phrase," AP reported. PM

[27] ROMANIAN SENATOR BLASTS CHANGES TO NEW LAW ON SECURITATE

Constantin Ticu Dumitrescu on 21 October accused the

parliament of "killing" the recently passed bill on public

access to the files of the former communist Securitate,

according to a Mediafax report cited by the BBC (see "RFE/RL

Newsline," 21 October 1999). Dumitrescu, who drafted the

original version of the bill, said parliamentary deputies had

made so many amendments to his draft that it would now serve

as a "veil" for the activities of the former Securitate. He

said the fact that the new version of the bill does not allow

people to study documents that do not deal with their own

persecution defeats the original purpose of his draft. He

also criticized the decision to allow the current secret

service to lock away certain files on the pretext that they

might be dangerous for state security. Dumitrescu called on

President Emil Constantinescu not to sign the bill. VG

[28] ROMANIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES FUNDING FOR HEATING CRISIS

Romanian government on 21 October decided to increase the

1999 budget deficit in order to secure funding for

alleviating the country's heating crisis (see "RFE/RL

Newsline." 21 October 1999). The government plans to allocate

400 billion lei ($23 million) in subsidies to the country's

heating distributors. Finance Minister Decebal Traian Remes

refused to say whether the budget deficit increase would

threaten the country's stand-by loan agreement with the IMF.

The IMF has already expressed concern at the government's

wage policies. VG

[29] MOLDOVAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES DEPUTY PROSECUTORS

21 October confirmed the appointment of three new deputies to

the prosecutor-general, BASA-Press reported. The Christian

Democratic Popular Front and the Communists voted against

those appointments, saying that two of the candidates had

been involved in attempts to interfere with police

investigations. Prosecutor-General Mircea Iuga dismissed the

accusations as "unfounded." VG

[30] BULGARIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES ECONOMIC PLAN...

21 October approved an economic development plan, Bulgarian

media reported. The plan calls for a host of measures

designed to achieve stable GDP growth, including

administration restructuring, infrastructure development, and

investment in human resources. It aims at annual GDP growth

of 4 percent and a maximum inflation rate of 3 percent.

Economic growth for the first half of 1999 equaled just 0.5

percent. Deputy Prime Minister Alexandar Bojkov said the

government also plans to speed up the privatization process.

Bojkov said this year's privatizations should bring in some

$500 million. VG

[31] ...ADOPTS ARMED FORCES STRATEGY

plan that calls for the personnel of the armed forces to be

reduced by 44,800 from its current strength of 93,000 by

2004, BTA reported. Defense Minister Georgi Ananiev said the

armed forces would be divided into rapid reaction, defense,

territorial, and reserve forces. VG

[C] END NOTE

[32] RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT STATEMENT ON THE SITUATION IN CHECHNYA

logical response to a challenge to the whole of Russian

society and the international community. The first stage of

the operation was concluded when one-third of the republic's

territory had been freed from terrorists.

The Government of the Russian Federation hereby declares

that in the future it will also act as decisively and

strictly in order to achieve the complete restoration of law

and order on the whole territory of the Chechen Republic [as

well as] the freeing of Chechnya from terrorist and other

bandit formations. The Chechen Republic cannot be and will no

longer be an outpost of international terrorism and

extremism.

At the same time, the government of the Russian

Federation unequivocally declares that the fight against

terrorists and bandits must in no way turn into a fight

directed against the peoples of Chechnya.

The Government of the Russian Federation confirms its

stance on amnestying all participants in the conflict who

have not directly taken part in terrorist acts. We are

categorically opposed to the persecution of people on ethnic

grounds. This is inadmissible.

The suppression of terrorism and armed extremism on

Russian soil is an internal affair of the Russian Federation.

At the same time, it is our duty before the entire

international community.

Russia's fight against terrorism and crime, including

the blocking of their transnational channels, meets with

understanding in the world. This is natural: the protection

of citizens' rights and freedoms is the direct responsibility

of any state.

The firm and consistent policy of the president of the

Russian Federation and the government on the settlement of

the situation in Chechnya [and on] the return to peace and

calm on the whole territory of Russia is supported by the

overwhelming majority of citizens in the Russian Federation,

including the peaceful population in the Chechen republic.

The Government of the Russian Federation is open for a

dialogue with those political forces in the Chechen Republic

that are ready:

to comply with the Constitution of the Russian

Federation [and the] sovereignty and territorial integrity of

Russia;

to denounce terrorism in all its manifestations;

to disarm illegal armed formations and hand over to the

federal authorities persons guilty of terrorist acts,

hostage-taking, and banditry;

to free all hostages on the territory of Chechnya;

to guarantee respect for human rights and fundamental

freedoms;

to create conditions for the safe return of people who

had been forced to leave their homes.

All questions of political settlement of the situation

in the Chechen Republic must and will be decided at the

negotiating table. The way to this is open.

Chechnya's residents, as citizens of our country, should

know that they will receive protection and assistance from

the Government of the Russian Federation. In their actions,

the federal authorities firmly take into account the

interests of each people in Russia as well as the unity of

the multinational Russian people.

We remember all who have given their lives discharging

their duties as soldiers and citizens.

We remember all innocent victims of terror.

The government thanks Russian servicemen, members of law

enforcement agencies, volunteers, all those who today have

taken upon themselves the enormous responsibility and heavy

burden in the name of defending the interests of the

Motherland.

Above all, the Government of the Russian Federation

values the wisdom and endurance of Russian citizens.

Source: ITAR-TASS, 21 October 1999

22-10-99

Reprinted with permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
URL: http://www.rferl.org

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