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OMRI: Daily Digest, Vol. 3, No. 10, 97-01-15

Open Media Research Institute: Daily Digest Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: Open Media Research Institute <http://www.omri.cz>

Vol. 3, No. 10, 15 January 1997


CONTENTS

[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA

  • [01] ARMENIAN, GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET IN YEREVAN.
  • [02] ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER IN U.S.
  • [03] ALIEV ON "OIL WEAPON."
  • [04] BOYCOTT OF KAZAKSTANI MEDIA TENDER FAILS.
  • [05] KILLERS OF AMERICAN JOURNALIST IN KAZAKSTAN CAUGHT?
  • [06] EXCHANGE OF TAJIK POWs BEGINS.
  • [07] PROSTITUTION, CORRUPTION AND CRIME IN TURKMENISTAN.

  • [B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

  • [08] SERBIAN ELECTION COMMISSIONS RECOGNIZE OPPOSITION VICTORIES.
  • [09] CROATIAN CHIEF JUSTICE FIRED.
  • [10] CROATIAN-UN UPDATE.
  • [11] ANOTHER ETHNIC ALBANIAN KILLED IN KOSOVO.
  • [12] DEMONSTRATIONS AT SKOPJE UNIVERSITY.
  • [13] ROMANIAN-UKRAINIAN NEGOTIATIONS ON BASIC TREATY.
  • [14] MOLDOVAN PARLIAMENT FAILS ONCE AGAIN TO ELECT SPEAKER.
  • [15] EARLY ELECTIONS IN BULGARIA, BUT WHEN?
  • [16] PROTESTS CONTINUE IN SOFIA.

  • [A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA

    [01] ARMENIAN, GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET IN YEREVAN.

    Georgian Foreign Minister Irakli Menagarashvili on 14 January met with his Armenian counterpart Aleksandr Arzumanyan, ITAR-TASS and Noyan Tapan reported. The two agreed that prospective gas pipelines from Russia to Turkey running via Georgia and Armenia and from Iran to Armenia and Georgia are in their countries' interests. "We are ready to do everything for the realization of these two projects," Menagarashvili said. The ministers said they reached "complete mutual understanding" on all the issues discussed during the talks. Menagarashvili praised Armenia for its "absolute support" for Georgia's efforts to settle the Abkhaz conflict, and added that the dispute concerns all three Transcaucasian states as it hampers their communication with the outside world. Menagarashvili was also received by Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrossyan. -- Emil Danielyan

    [02] ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER IN U.S.

    During his two-week visit to the U.S., Armen Sarkisyan met with U.S. Vice President Al Gore and Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, RFE/RL reported on 13 January. According to State Department spokeswoman Ann Johnson, Talbott urged Armenian authorities to hold early parliamentary elections and discussed with Sarkisyan the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Sarkisyan assured U.S. officials and the Armenian-American community that he and President Levon Ter-Petrossyan are committed to "strengthening democracy" and economic reforms. Sarkisyan also met with World Bank President James Wolfensohn. -- Emil Danielyan

    [03] ALIEV ON "OIL WEAPON."

    Azerbaijani President Haidar Aliev, speaking about resolving the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict, said "the great powers which make use of our oil...can use their influence to persuade Armenia to negotiate," AFP reported on 15 January. Aliev was speaking at the conclusion of his state visit to France. The day before, Russian media reported that French President Jacques Chirac, following talks with Aliev, emphasized the need to respect Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. This statement was interpreted to mean Aliev had made progress in securing traditionally pro-Armenian France's support in the dispute over the break-away ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno- Karabakh. -- Lowell Bezanis

    [04] BOYCOTT OF KAZAKSTANI MEDIA TENDER FAILS.

    Though some of Kazakstan's independent stations tried to organize a boycott of the tender of broadcast frequencies, 20 of 27 private and commercial radio and television stations plan to take part, ITAR-TASS reported on 14 January. Independent stations had hoped to delay the tender but when it became clear the Transport and Communications Ministry intended to hold to the 13 January deadline for proposals many independent stations chose to take part. Licenses are due to be issued on 24 January. -- Bruce Pannier

    [05] KILLERS OF AMERICAN JOURNALIST IN KAZAKSTAN CAUGHT?

    Law enforcement officials in Kazakstan say they have apprehended three suspects in the murder of American journalist Chris Gehring, RFE/RL reported on 15 January. Authorities say one of the suspects, a known drug addict, admits to stealing the keys to Gehring's apartment and giving them to the other suspects. A computer, believed to be Gehring's, was found in the basement of a building where one of the suspects lives. Kazakstani authorities still maintain that Gehring surprised the thieves as they were robbing his flat and then the robbers tied his hands and feet, tortured him, and cut his throat. -- Bruce Pannier and Merhat Sharipzhan

    [06] EXCHANGE OF TAJIK POWs BEGINS.

    In another hopeful sign that the latest ceasefire agreement will work, the Tajik opposition on 14 January released 35 government soldiers captured in fighting in central Tajikistan in late November and early December, according to RTR and Reuters. The government had freed six opposition prisoners on 11 January. Another 20 government soldiers held in Garm will be released soon, the opposition says. The Tajik government noted that, while this step is encouraging, there are possibly hundreds of government POWs being held and not all the groups holding them are allied to the United Tajik Opposition. Some may have been captive for more than one year. -- Bruce Pannier

    [07] PROSTITUTION, CORRUPTION AND CRIME IN TURKMENISTAN.

    A glimpse of Turkmenistan's social problems was provided by a crackdown on prostitution in Ashgabat, RFE/RL reported on 14 January. President Saparmurat Niyazov said prostitution has become a widespread problem and noted that girls as young as 12 or 13 were engaged in the vice trade. He also charged law enforcement officials with deep involvement in the business, citing a report of the Presidential Security Council, as well as involvement in the drug trade. Niyazov noted there was a 16% rise in major crimes nationwide, 19% in Ashgabat itself and 22% in Tashavus. -- Lowell Bezanis

    [B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

    [08] SERBIAN ELECTION COMMISSIONS RECOGNIZE OPPOSITION VICTORIES.

    Local election commissions on 14 January recognized the opposition coalition Zajedno's wins in second round of the 17 November local elections, Nasa Borba reported. The commission authorities concluded that the coalition won in Belgrade, Nis, and 12 other municipalities. But opposition leader Vuk Draskovic said the implications of the commissions' ruling was unclear, stressing there were no guarantees that the ruling Socialists and Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic would honor it. The Socialists have 48 hours in which to challenge to the ruling. They have already hinted that they may not do so. Meanwhile, Milosevic seems to have responded to the ruling by purging high-ranking party members who held unequivocal points of view on the municipal returns. Belgrade Mayor Nebojsa Covic, who had maintained from early on that the opposition wins should be recognized, was sacked. But so were Belgrade party boss Branislav Ivkovic and his Nis counterpart, Mile Ilic, both hard-liners who had argued that under no circumstances should concessions be made to the opposition. -- Stan Markotich

    [09] CROATIAN CHIEF JUSTICE FIRED.

    The state judicial committee on 14 January announced it has sacked Supreme Court head Krunoslav Olujic, AFP reported. Olujic was suspended in November on charges of discrediting the court by allegedly associating with criminals and having sex with minors. Olujic claims a politically motivated smear campaign is being waged to get rid of him because he defends the independence of the judiciary. The authorities earlier tried to coax him out of office by offering him an ambassadorial post. Critics of the governing Croatian Democratic Community charge that the moves against Olujic are part of a broader effort by that party to take control of all aspects of public life. -- Patrick Moore

    [10] CROATIAN-UN UPDATE.

    The UN Security Council has extended the mandate for UN monitors on Croatia's Prevlaka peninsula until 15 July, news agencies reported on 14 January. Belgrade has laid claim to that territory because it offers direct access to the Bay of Kotor, where federal Yugoslavia's chief naval base is located. Meanwhile, details are emerging of Croatia's recommendations to the UN on reintegrating eastern Slavonia. Zagreb will exempt ethnic Serbs from military duty for two years, during which a long-term policy will be hammered out, Vjesnik wrote on 15 January. The government also plans to reserve two seats for Serbs in the upper house of the legislature, as well as advisory positions for Serbs in the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Justice, Education, and Culture. Voting rights will be extended to all Serbs who have obtained Croatian papers. Jacques Klein, UN administrator in Slavonia, has praised the Croatian proposals. -- Patrick Moore

    [11] ANOTHER ETHNIC ALBANIAN KILLED IN KOSOVO.

    Another ethnic Albanian has been shot dead in northern Kosovo--the second such incident within four days, international agencies reported on 14 January. A spokesman for the Democratic League of Kosovo claimed that the 47-year-old Fazil Hasani, who was killed near Srbica, had cooperated with the Serbian police. The Kosovo Liberation Army is believed to be behind the murder. That group took responsibility for the killings of policeman Faik Bellopoja last month and Socialist Party of Serbia member Maliq Sheholli on 9 January. It also issued a statement on 14 January saying that Sheholli's murder was a "warning to all other collaborators and national traitors." Meanwhile, Adem Demaci has resigned as head of the Kosovo Human Rights Council following his elections as leader of the Parliamentary Party, Deutsche Welle's Albanian-language service reported. -- Fabian Schmidt

    [12] DEMONSTRATIONS AT SKOPJE UNIVERSITY.

    Ethnic Albanian students at Skopje University staged a demonstration on 14 January calling for instruction in the Albanian-language at the pedagogic faculty, Flaka and Nova Makedonija reported. At the same time, ethnic Macedonian students demonstrated against Albanian-language instruction. A draft law providing for classes in the Albanian language was drawn up last year and is supported by University Dean Radmila Kiprijanova. Education Minister Sofija Todorova, meeting with Macedonian students on 14 January, asked them to present their concerns to the parliamentary education commission. The parliament will discuss the draft law next week. Meanwhile, special UN envoy Elisabeth Rehn, in Skopje for a two-day visit from 13-15 January, expressed concern about the "intolerance of Macedonian students" who were protesting against Albanian-language instruction at the university. -- Fabian Schmidt

    [13] ROMANIAN-UKRAINIAN NEGOTIATIONS ON BASIC TREATY.

    Another round of talks on the Romanian-Ukrainian basic treaty ended in Bucharest on 14 January, Romanian media reported. The negotiators agreed to resume talks in Kyiv after examining proposals submitted by each side. Before the meeting, Romanian Foreign Minister Adrian Severin said that Bucharest would propose a "compromise package" to settle unresolved issues. Romania wants the treaty to include a condemnation of the 1939 Ribbentrop- Molotov pact, which ceded Romanian territories to the then Soviet republic of Ukraine. It also wants guarantees for the 400,000-strong ethnic Romanian minority living in Ukraine. Romania appears to be under pressure to finalize the treaty before the July NATO summit, at which the first countries to join the alliance are expected to be named. Settling disputes with all neighbors is a condition for NATO integration. -- Zsolt Mato

    [14] MOLDOVAN PARLIAMENT FAILS ONCE AGAIN TO ELECT SPEAKER.

    For the third time in less than a week, the parliament has failed to elect a new speaker, Infotag reported on 14 January. The main contenders to replace Petru Lucinschi in that post are Dumitru Motpan, chairman of the ruling Agrarian Democratic Party, and Deputy Speaker Dumitru Diacov, a close associate of Lucinschi. However, the parliament has allowed Diacov to open and preside over the presidential inauguration ceremony, scheduled for today. Some deputies have warned of a parliamentary crisis if the issue is not resolved soon. Motpan, who chaired the 14 January session, said that later this week, the parliament will launch procedures to designate a new premier. He singled out Ion Cebuc, head of the State Accounting Office, as a possible candidate for that post. -- Dan Ionescu

    [15] EARLY ELECTIONS IN BULGARIA, BUT WHEN?

    The ruling Bulgarian Socialist Party on 14 January agreed to hold early parliamentary elections, RFE/RL reported. But it committed itself only to holding the vote by the end of this year. Following a meeting the same day, leaders of the BSP and its coalition partners--the Bulgarian Agrarian People's Union "Aleksandar Stamboliyski" and the Political Club Ekoglasnost- -said the parliament should vote in a "government of professionals of international reputation." They also said they will prepare a 500-day government program. The opposition, for its part, has decided to open talks with the BSP on early elections. It demands that the parliament be dissolved by March and early elections held by May. Meanwhile, Pari cited legislators from the New Democracy party as saying that outgoing President Zhelyu Zhelev will not give the BSP a mandate to form a new government until tensions subside. -- Stefan Krause

    [16] PROTESTS CONTINUE IN SOFIA.

    Some 20,000-30,000 people continued to protest in Sofia on 14 January, RFE/RL and AFP reported. Students from several Sofia universities joined the demonstrations. Meanwhile, the parliament reconvened today for its first session since the violent clashes several days earlier between protesters and police (see OMRI Daily Digest, 13 January 1997). The building was heavily guarded by riot police, and only BSP deputies and some Bulgarian Business Bloc legislators attended. Union of Democratic Forces Chairman Ivan Kostov said the protests will continue until a date for early elections is set. The major trade unions have staged nationwide one-hour warning strikes today to back the opposition's demands. Meanwhile, the BBB has announced it will not support a new BSP government. BBB Chairman Georges Ganchev said his party will not seek a coalition with any party represented in the current parliament. -- 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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