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RFE/RL Newsline, Vol. 4, No. 47, 00-03-07Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Newsline Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty <http://www.rferl.org>RFE/RL NEWSLINEVol. 4, No. 47, 7 March 2000CONTENTS[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[C] END NOTE
[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA[01] ARMENIAN PRESIDENT REJECTS DEMAND TO FIRE ASSOCIATES...In aninterview with Armenian National Television on 6 March, Robert Kocharian rejected as "ludicrous" the demand made three days earlier by the Miasnutiun parliament majority that he dismiss two senior officials, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported. Miasnutiun had called on Kocharian to dismiss his chief of staff, Serzh Sarkisian, and the director of National Television, Tigran Naghdalian, claiming that the two men were obstructing and misrepresenting the investigation into the 27 October parliament shootings (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 6 March 2000). Kocharian said on 6 March that National Television did not violate the law by reporting on a 2 March press conference at which the lawyers for two officials accused of complicity in the 27 October killings criticized Chief Military Prosecutor Gagik Jahangirian's conduct of the investigation. LF [02] ...QUESTIONS PARLIAMENT MAJORITY'S POLITICAL MATURITY,COHESIONIn his 6 March interview, Kocharian for the first time publicly cast aspersions on Miasnutiun, calling into question its members' political maturity and responsibility, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported. Kocharian also suggested that the People's Party of Armenia, the junior partner within that bloc, agreed to endorse the 3 March ultimatum to him only under pressure from its partner in the alliance, the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), of which Prime Minister Aram Sargsian is a member. In a move intended to forestall possible further pressure from senior military officials who are members of the Yerkrapah union of veterans of the Karabakh war, a sister organization to the HHK, Kocharian on 6 March also signed a decree stressing his constitutional powers to make senior appointments within the armed forces. LF [03] ARMENIAN OPPOSITION PARTY EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENTIna statement issued on 6 March, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation--Dashnaktsutiun (HHD) criticized Miasnutiun's ultimatum to Kocharian, warning that political circles should not interfere with judicial investigations under any circumstances, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported. The HHD statement also expressed concern at the ensuing heightening of tensions in the country, saying that "conflicts and ultimatums that are again emerging between Armenian state institutions are unacceptable at this critical juncture" and "cast doubt on the recent agreement on solidarity and cooperation." That agreement was signed by Prime Minister Sargsian and representatives of the eight political parties represented in the parliament. LF [04] ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL AIDE ENDS HUNGER STRIKEKocharian'saide Aleksan Harutiunian, who was arrested in December and charged with complicity in the 27 October parliament shootings, has ended the hunger strike he began late last month to demand that the investigation into his case be transferred from the military prosecutor to the Prosecutor- General's Office, Noyan Tapan reported on 6 March. LF [05] IRAN SLAMS U.S. PRESSURE OVER ARMENIAN GAS PIPELINE PROJECTThe Iranian Embassy in Yerevan issued a statement on 4 Marchcondemning statements made by a senior U.S. official last week, Noyan Tapan reported on 6 March. Jan Kalicki, who is an adviser to the U.S. Department of Commerce, reportedly told Armenian officials that the U.S. opposes plans for Armenia and Iran to push ahead with a long-planned pipeline to supply Armenia with Iranian natural gas. Armenia and Iran resumed talks on that project in Yerevan in February, after the EBRD, along with French and Greek companies, had indicated that they may provide part of the estimated $120 million costs. Kalicki suggested that instead, Armenia could receive Turkmen natural gas through the planned Trans-Caspian pipeline. LF [06] AZERBAIJANI OFFICIALS, OPPOSITION COMMENT ON PUTIN'S NATOSTATEMENT...Referring to acting Russian President Vladimir Putin's remark in his BBC interview that Russian does not exclude joining NATO as an equal partner, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliev said in Baku on 6 March that that remark, if sincerely meant, could have a positive impact on the South Caucasus states, which are seeking integration with the West, Caspian-Caucasus Press reported. But Guliev added that he cannot rule out that Putin's statement was intended primarily "to score political dividends" in the runup to the 26 March presidential election. The chief of the Azerbaijani presidential administration's international relations division, Novruz Mamedov, told Turan that "Russia's intention...to become part [of NATO]" is a positive factor. But leading members of the opposition Musavat and Azerbaijan Popular Front parties suggested that Putin's statement was intended to allay increasing Western concern, resulting from the war in Chechnya, about Russia's policy priorities. LF [07] ...AS DO GEORGIAN PRESIDENT, DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTERSpeaking in Tbilisi on 6 March, Eduard Shevardnadzecharacterized Putin's remarks as evidence of the latter's sagacity, adding that Georgia would benefit from a Russian policy aimed at greater integration with the U.S. and Western Europe, ITAR-TASS reported. But Shevardnadze predicted that although Russia may adopt new principles for cooperation with NATO, it is unlikely to become a member of the alliance in the next few years. Deputy Defense Minister Giorgi Katamadze told Caucasus Press he "welcomes Putin's statement." He said Russian membership of NATO would contribute to stability in the South Caucasus. LF [08] GEORGIA SEEKS TO REASSURE MOSCOW OVER CHECHEN PRESENCEShevardnadze told journalists in Tbilisi on 6 March that noofficial Chechen representation has been registered in Georgia, nor will such registration be granted, ITAR-TASS reported. Shevardnadze was responding to a Russian Foreign Ministry demand that the Chechen representation and information office be closed immediately on the grounds that its staff are abetting Chechen fighters (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 6 March 2000). Shevardnadze said that Khizri Aldamov, who heads a Chechen bureau in Tbilisi and calls himself Chechnya's representative in Georgia, is a Georgian citizen. LF [09] KAZAKH OIL OFFICIAL REOPENS TENGIZCHEVROIL DEBATEFormerKazakh Premier Nurlan Balghymbaev has told the independent weekly newspaper "Karavan" that he supports the proposed sale of part of Kazakhstan's 25 percent stake in the Tengizchevroil consortium, Interfax reported. Balghymbaev, who now heads the Kazakh state oil company, argued that the Kazakh leadership will not begin receiving dividends from that stake until 2006 at the earliest. When the debate within the Kazakh leadership over the expediency of that sale began late last summer, Balghymbaev said that the sale of part of Kazakhstan's stake in Tengizchevroil "is not an urgent matter." Kazakhstan and Chevron failed last fall to agree on conditions for Chevron to purchase part of the Kazakh stake (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 7 September and 6 December 1999). LF [10] KYRGYZ OPPOSITION TO PROPOSE SINGLE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE?El (Bei Bechara) Party Chairman Daniyar Usenov said inBishkek on 6 March that his party, together with the Ar-Namys Party, the Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan, the Republican Party, the Kairan El party, and Ata-Meken, will align in a bloc to contest the presidential elections due in December, RFE/RL's bureau in the Kyrgyz capital reported. Earlier, both Usenov and Ar-Namys Party leader Feliks Kulov had announced their intention of running as presidential candidates. LF [11] FORMER TAJIK PREMIER GETS NEW CABINET POSTPresident ImomaliRakhmonov on 6 March dismissed opposition politician Davlat Ismonov as minister for the economy and foreign economic relations and appointed in his place former Prime Minister Yahyo Azimov, Asia Plus-Blitz reported. Ismonov had received that post a year ago as part of the 30 percent quota granted to the opposition under the 1997 peace agreement, whose final provision was parliamentary elections, the first round of which took place on 27 February. Rakhmonov also dismissed and named replacements for eight city or district administrators. LF [12] RUSSIAN BORDER GUARDS IN TAJIKISTAN PROTEST MEDIA SLURThePress Service of the Russian Border Guard Force in Tajikistan issued a statement on 6 March protesting what it termed an inaccurate report on Tajik television two days earlier, Asia Plus-Blitz and ITAR-TASS reported. That report claimed that Tajik security officials had apprehended 68 kilograms of heroin in the Farkhor district, implying that Russian border guards had failed to intercept that consignment at the Tajik- Afghan border and may have acted in connivance with the smugglers. The Russian statement said such allegations "do not help promote cooperation between allies." LF [13] TURKMENISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS PAKISTANBorisShikhmuradov, who arrived in Islamabad on 4 March, has held talks with his Pakistani counterpart, Abdul Sattar, and with a Taliban delegation on the possibility of reviving plans to route a gas export pipeline from Turkmenistan via Afghanistan to Pakistan, ITAR-TASS reported. The original consortium created to implement that project collapsed when the U.S. partner Unocal pulled out in late 1998, but Shikhmuradov said on a visit to Pakistan early last year that his country still intended to forge ahead with the project (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 26 January 1999). LF [B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE[14] SERBIA CLOSES BORDER WITH MONTENEGROSerbian police sealedoff the border with Montenegro on 6 March, AP reported. Vojin Djukanovic, Montenegro's economics minister, said the police are allowing only coal, steel, and aluminum to cross from Montenegro. The action has caused long lines of trucks and passenger cars to form at all border crossings. Large quantities of goods are also being confiscated from private cars and bus passengers. Djukanovic said Belgrade "wants to trigger changes in our government by sealing off the border." He said the border was tightened last week after Montenegro secured a $20 million credit from Germany. Montenegrin Trade Minister Ramo Bralic said "raising political tensions and destabilizing Montenegro is a permanent task of the Belgrade regime." PB [15] KFOR TROOPS STEP UP EFFORTS ALONG KOSOVA'S BORDERS...NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosova (KFOR) have increased control over the Kosova border region in an effort to calm tensions in the adjoining area where ethnic Albanians and Serbian security forces have clashed, AP reported on 7 March. KFOR troops are hoping that increased vehicle and foot patrols will stop a flow of weapons and armed guerrillas from leaving Kosova and going to a predominantly ethnic Albanian area just outside Kosova. NATO's commander in Kosova, General Klaus Reinhardt, said at the UN in New York that movement across the boundary was previously unrestricted. He said "we cannot support any adventurism which might lead to new atrocities in the Presevo valley." Reinhardt added that several armed people have been arrested recently trying to travel to the Dobrosin region. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said that some 630 ethnic Albanians from the Presevo area registered in Kosova on 6 March. PB [16] ...WHILE YUGOSLAV ARMY BEGINS EXERCISES NEAR KOSOVAYugoslavia's Pristina Corps has begun "regular" springmaneuvers near the border area with Kosova, Reuters reported. Major Milan Mojsilovic said "our unit is carrying out regular planned exercises." He said the troops are 9 kilometers from Kosova. There is a 5-kilometer buffer zone around the Kosova border. An increase in military operations in southern Serbia prompted Macedonia to put its troops along the Serbian border on higher alert. PB [17] UN CHIEF IN KOSOVA SAYS IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT PROVINCE'SFUTUREBernard Kouchner told the UN Security Council in New York on 6 March that it is time to hold talks on the province's political future and draft an interim constitution, Reuters reported. Kouchner said the council needs to define what it meant by "substantial autonomy" for Kosova. Kouchner said until this is clarified, the Serbian minority in Kosova fears it will be pushed out of the province. Kouchner said local elections for Kosova could be held in September or October but need to fit into an overall political structure for the province that is still undefined. NATO commander Reinhardt said the relationship between ethnic Albanians and minority communities is intolerable and has been "exacerbated by the continuing ambiguity over Kosovo's future." PB [18] SERBIAN OFFICIALS USE FORCE IN BID TO CLOSE TV STATIONSerbian opposition leaders condemned as "state terrorism" araid on the transmitter site of the opposition television station Studio B on 6 March, Reuters reported. Dragan Kojadinovic, editor in chief of the station, said five people in police fatigues beat up two workers and then destroyed equipment at the station's main transmitter site. He said the repression "has now taken on the form of a real war against Studio B." Later that same day, a Belgrade court fined Studio B and Kojadinovic 450,000 dinars (about $11,000 at the black market rate) for breaking an information law during a live broadcast. It was also ordered by Yugoslavia's Telecommunications Ministry to pay some $900,000 in outstanding costs in eight days or face closure. Studio B has been jammed for months. It is owned by the Belgrade City Council and controlled by Vuk Draskovic's Serbian Renewal Movement. PB [19] CROATIAN PREMIER SAYS NEW EVIDENCE COULD CLEAR BLASKICIvicaRacan said on 6 March that recently discovered files on the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina could strengthen the appeal of convicted General Tihomir Blaskic (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 6 March 2000), Reuters reported. Racan said the government of late President Franjo Tudjman withheld some files from Blaskic's lawyers at The Hague. Racan said the new files may help identify those who carried out the crimes in central Bosnia that Blaskic was found guilty of allowing. Racan added that the 45-year sentence given to Blaskic was "unduly high" considering he did not take part in any killings and because he had turned himself in to the authorities. PB [20] CONVICTED WORLD WAR II COMMANDER APPEALS SENTENCEDinkoSakic, who was found guilty last year of crimes against humanity for his part as commander of the World War II camp at Jasenovac, has filed an appeal against his 20-year prison sentence (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 4 October 1999). The appeal was filed with the country's Supreme Court. PB [21] POLICE ARREST BOSNIAN CROATS ON WAR CRIMES CHARGESPolice inthe southern Bosnian city of Mostar have arrested five Bosnian Croats suspected of committing war crimes, AP reported on 7 March. Public prosecutor Ibro Bulic said the five were Bosnian Croat soldiers, including Zeljko Djidic, the former head of the Mostar branch of the Croatian Democratic Union party. They are accused of "ethnic cleansing" and other war crimes against civilians and prisoners and are also wanted for questioning in the disappearance of 13 Muslim soldiers arrested in Mostar in 1993. Bulic said the arrests of the Bosnian Croats were approved by the UN war crimes tribunal. PB [22] SENIOR EU OFFICIAL IN ALBANIAEuropean Commissioner forExternal Relations Chris Patten began a week-long visit to the Balkans on 6 March with a stop in Tirana, dpa reported. Patten held talks with Albanian President Rexhep Meidani, Premier Ilir Meta, and Foreign Minister Paskal Milo. An Albanian government spokesman said the leaders discussed their desire for closer ties with the EU. They also urged that negotiations on a stabilization and association agreement with the EU begin this year. In other news, Greece is investigating allegations that Greek officials in Tirana and Gjirokaster illegally issued visas to Albanians, allegedly at the request of Albanian government officials. The Athenian daily "Ethnos" reported that Albanian Foreign Minister Milo regularly sent lists of the names of people for whom Tirana wanted visas to be issued and that those lists received blanket approval. PB [23] ROMANIAN COALITION CRISIS OVER?National Peasant PartyChristian Democratic Chairman (PNTCD) Ion Diaconescu on 6 March said he has secured the agreement of the National Liberal Party (PNL) to replace Victor Babiuc with Sorin Frunzaverde as defense minister, RFE/RL's Bucharest bureau reported. Diaconescu added that he has received a letter from Democratic Party Chairman Petre Roman assuring him that all laws that the PNTCD and the PNL consider to take priority will be supported by the Democrats once an agreement on Babiuc's replacement as defense minister is reached. A meeting of the coalition leadership has been scheduled for 9 March in a bid to finalize that agreement. Earlier on 6 March, President Emil Constantinescu urged Diaconescu and PNL leader Mircea Ionescu-Quintus to find as soon as possible a solution to the coalition crisis so that the legislature can pass urgently-needed legislation. MS [24] ROMANIAN ULTRA-NATIONALIST TO RUN FOR PRESIDENTThe NationalCouncil of the Greater Romania Party (PRM) on 5 March nominated PRM Chairman Corneliu Vadim Tudor as its candidate for president and Corneliu Ciontu as first deputy chairman, replacing Valeriu Buzea, who died earlier this year. Cluj Mayor Gheorghe Funar was appointed director of the PRM electoral campaign. Tudor said the PRM supports Romania's EU integration, provided the country's national sovereignty is fully respected. MS [25] MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT CRITICIZES ROMANIAN FOREIGN MINISTERPresidential spokesman Anatol Golea on 6 March toldjournalists that Romanian Foreign Minister Petre Roman's recent comments suggesting that the situation in Moldova has become more "complicated" and shows signs of "aggravating tension" are "ungrounded." Golea said that the government crisis in Moldova has been overcome and Dumitru Braghis's cabinet is seeking to establish "mutually beneficial relations" with Romania. Roman's comments that "one must await the results of the next presidential election" in Moldova can also be applied to Romania, he added. Golea also said Lucinschi has instructed the Foreign Ministry to follow up reports in the Romanian media that local police will be authorized to grant citizenship to Moldovans. The Moldovan constitution prohibits dual citizenship. MS [26] MOLDOVAN DEPUTY PREMIER RESIGNSDeputy Premier Eugen Slopacresigned on 6 March, RFE/RL's Chisinau Bureau reported. Slopac, who was in charge of the economy and reform, said his resignation came at the "insistence" of the Australian QBE insurance company that he head the Moldovan-Australian joint venture QBE-ASITO. He said the Australians have invested $5 million in the joint venture, but only on condition that Slopac take over its management. "I am not going to return to politics. I am an economist, not a politician," he commented. MS [C] END NOTE[27] ALBRIGHT PRESSES FOR DEMOCRATIZATION IN THE BALKANSBy Lisa McAdamsU.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said one of the themes of her three-day visit to the Czech Republic is "democratization" and what the U.S. and Czech governments can do to further the cause of peace and ethnic tolerance in the Balkans. Speaking in Prague on 6 March, Albright said the Czech Republic could serve as a "model" for peaceful democratic transition in the region, and she urged the democratic opposition in Serbia to take note: "It's important for them to look at lessons from this part of the world, where dissidents who might have disagreed on some long-term goals, or even some tactics, ultimately figured out it was in their advantage to ultimately cooperate together and get rid of a dictatorship." Albright said this is where the importance of sustained contact with NGOs enters in--a process she said the West hopes to better facilitate in the days and weeks ahead. Asked to comment on increasing tensions in southern Serbia, Albright expressed the U.S.'s "deep concern." And she warned ethnic Albanians there not to miscalculate the international community's determination to keep the peace. Albright made the comment after being asked to address suggestions that the Kosovar Albanians could try to provoke Serbia, in order to spur a western military response. "The international community is devoting a great deal of time and energy into helping the Kosovars create a place where they can exercise a high degree of autonomy and self- government," she noted. "That is what the U.S. is concentrating on, and that is what the Kosovars should concentrate on too." Albright was also asked her view on whether it is possible to defeat dictatorship and violence with democracy. She responded by saying that negative, repressive tactics may work for a time, but she said they ultimately prove to be "flawed." Here, she named Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic as a case in point, saying that she believed Milosevic wanted to be "another Tito" but instead is "another Enver Hoxha," who has "isolated [his people] and given them a lower standard of living than they have ever had. I don't think the Serb people deserve Milosevic. They are a good people who want to lead a peaceful life, and they don't deserve a leader like him." Albright heads to the Balkans on 8 March, where she will make stops in Sarajevo, Brcko and Banja Luka. She told RFE/RL the purpose of the trip is to stress U.S. support for the creation of strong state institutions. Albright, who has long described herself as a "realistic optimist," said she believes democracy ultimately will win out in the Balkans. But not before a fair amount of burden-sharing between the U.S. and the West. Albright also described recent events in Croatia as a bright beacon, signaling democratic change. And she credited the united opposition in that country with helping to foster the change: "What President Mesic and Prime Minister Racan made quite clear is they want to support the federation and central institutions in Sarajevo, instead of doing what [Croatian President] Franjo Tudjman did, which was to support separatism. So, that is a big step forward." Albright said officials in Zagreb also had urged Serbs to return to Croatia--an appeal Albright said should serve as a guiding principle for how things ought to be done in the Balkans. The author is an RFE/RL correspondent based in Washington. 07-03-00 Reprinted with permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
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