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RFE/RL Newsline, Vol. 4, No. 182, 00-09-20

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Newsline Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty <http://www.rferl.org>

RFE/RL NEWSLINE

Vol. 4, No. 182, 20 September 2000


CONTENTS

[A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA

  • [01] ARMENIAN TV TO CARRY RUSSIAN, ENGLISH NEWS PROGRAMS
  • [02] IS THE KARABAKH ASSASSINATION TRIAL OPEN?
  • [03] SOME AZERBAIJANI PARTIES REGISTERED...
  • [04] ...WHILE OTHERS ARE NOT
  • [05] PRO-MUTALIBOV ACTIVISTS TO END HUNGER STRIKE
  • [06] MORE DRUGS FLOW INTO AZERBAIJAN FROM IRAN
  • [07] RUSSIA WITHDRAWS MORE WEAPONS FROM GEORGIA
  • [08] EU GIVES GEORGIA BORDER PROTECTION EQUIPMENT
  • [09] GEORGIA TO INSIST ON CONTROLLING PICHVINI
  • [10] KAZAKHSTAN'S INTERIOR TROOPS PUT ON HIGH ALERT
  • [11] KAZAKHSTAN PREMIER REFUSES TO RULE OUT PROPERTY REDISTRIBUTION
  • [12] INSURGENTS CONTINUE ATTACKS IN SOUTHERN KYRGYZSTAN
  • [13] KYRGYZ SECURITY OFFICERS SEARCH NEWSPAPER'S OFFICE
  • [14] KYRGYZ OPPOSITION PARTIES URGE AKAEV NOT TO RUN
  • [15] UN CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL DROUGHT ASSISTANCE TO TAJIKISTAN
  • [16] UZBEK OLYMPIC OFFICIAL TO CONTEST DRUG CHARGE
  • [17] OLYMPIC MEDAL COUNT--PART 1 COUNTRIES

  • [B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

  • [18] NATO FOILED YUGOSLAV ARMY PLOT IN KOSOVA
  • [19] KOUCHNER ISSUES PRESS RULES FOR KOSOVA
  • [20] MACDDONIA TIGHTENS CONTROLS ON KOSOVA FRONTIER
  • [21] CRVENKOVSKI: MACEDONIAN OPPOSITION TO SEEK NEW ELECTIONS
  • [22] SERBIAN OPPOSITION CANDIDATE SAYS MILOSEVIC IS A 'COWARD'
  • [23] SERBIAN OPPOSITION CONFIDENT OF VICTORY
  • [24] DRASKOVIC: SERBIAN OPPOSITION HAS 'NO CHANCE'
  • [25] SERBIAN PRESIDENT: OPPOSITION HAS 'NO CHANCE'
  • [26] MONTENEGRIN PRESIDENT SAYS MILOSEVIC WILL NOT GO PEACEFULLY
  • [27] ROBERTSON: NATO IS 'VIGILANT' ABOUT SERBIA
  • [28] MORE COUNTRIES ENDORSE EU DECLARATION ON SERBIAN OPPOSITION...
  • [29] ...BUT NOT SLOVENIA
  • [30] ROMANIA SAYS NO PREPARATIONS TO INVADE YUGOSLAVIA UNDER WAY
  • [31] CZECH CITIZEN DETAINED IN CONNECTION WITH ROMANIAN TRADE UNIONIST MURDER
  • [32] ECOLOGIST ELECTORAL ALLIANCE SET UP IN ROMANIA
  • [33] WORLD BANK MISSION IN MOLDOVA
  • [34] MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT MEETS NEW COUNCIL OF EUROPE RAPPORTEUR
  • [35] OLYMPIC MEDAL COUNT--PART 2 COUNTRIES

  • [C] END NOTE

  • [36] THE BITTER TASTE OF AN HISTORIC VICTORY

  • [A] TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA

    [01] ARMENIAN TV TO CARRY RUSSIAN, ENGLISH NEWS PROGRAMS

    Armenian national television will begin to carry five- minute news programs in Russian and English as of 22 September, Snark reported on 18 September. The news service director said the move reflects Armenian Television's desire to help members of the Armenian diaspora who do not know any Armenian. The bulletins will be on the air every day at midnight. PG

    [02] IS THE KARABAKH ASSASSINATION TRIAL OPEN?

    Snark reported on 19 September that its correspondent has been prevented from attending the trial of Lieutenant-General Samvel Babayan and 14 others charged with attempting to assassinate the president of Karabakh. But Noyan Tapan reported that the self-proclaimed Karabakh Foreign Ministry has issued a press release saying that "the trial is open and there are no restrictions on mass media representatives." Meanwhile, lawyers for the accused told RFE/RL's Armenian Service that the trial is unfair because of the absence of a key suspect. PG

    [03] SOME AZERBAIJANI PARTIES REGISTERED...

    The Central Election Commission has registered the candidates of the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party for those seats to be decided on proportional representative lists in the upcoming elections, Turan reported on 19 September. Meanwhile, the agency said, an appeals court has overruled the commission and registered candidates from the Communist Party. PG

    [04] ...WHILE OTHERS ARE NOT

    The Central Election Commission voted by 12 to two to reject the registration of the Musavat Party's candidate list, Turan reported on 19 September. Musavat party leader Isa Gambar complained to the U.S. and EU ambassadors about this exclusion. And Western democracy activists, including the OSCE Office of Democratic Institutes and Human Rights, expressed their concern about the exclusion of the Musavat candidates. PG

    [05] PRO-MUTALIBOV ACTIVISTS TO END HUNGER STRIKE

    Sheyh Abdul Mahmudbeyli, the head of the campaign in defense of the rights of former Azerbaijani President Ayaz Mutalibov, told Turan on 19 September that his group will soon end the hunger strike it began on 8 September. He added that the group will seek to organize larger demonstrations in support of Mutalibov. PG

    [06] MORE DRUGS FLOW INTO AZERBAIJAN FROM IRAN

    Naib Akperov, a Baku police official responsible for combating drugs, told ANS television on 18 September that the flow of drugs from Iran into Azerbaijan recently increased significantly. PG

    [07] RUSSIA WITHDRAWS MORE WEAPONS FROM GEORGIA

    The Russian military is withdrawing a third batch of weapons from Georgia, ITAR-TASS reported on 19 September. Russian forces have removed weapons from their base at Vaziani and plan to withdraw additional armored vehicles and ammunition before the end of the year. PG

    [08] EU GIVES GEORGIA BORDER PROTECTION EQUIPMENT

    The EU mission in Tbilisi has presented special technical equipment to the Georgian border guards, Russian Public TV reported on 18 September. The equipment is to be set up along the Chechen-Georgian border, officials said. PG

    [09] GEORGIA TO INSIST ON CONTROLLING PICHVINI

    Georgian Security Council Secretary Nugzar Sajaya told Caucasus Press on 19 September that Tbilisi will insist that Russia recognize that the village of Pichvini is on Georgian and not Russian territory. Meanwhile, Irakli Tsereteli, the leader of the Party of National Independence of Georgia, said he intends to seek NATO's help in defending the territorial integrity of Georgia, Caucasus Press reported. PG

    [10] KAZAKHSTAN'S INTERIOR TROOPS PUT ON HIGH ALERT

    Interior Minister Kairbek Suleymenov said on 19 September that there are currently no grounds for trying to locate insurgents in southern Kazakhstan, Interfax reported. But he added that interior troops there have been put on high alert and their numbers increased. PG

    [11] KAZAKHSTAN PREMIER REFUSES TO RULE OUT PROPERTY REDISTRIBUTION

    Prime Minister Kasymzhomart Tokaev said on 19 September that investors in privatization schemes who do not fulfill their contractual obligations will lose their property rights, Interfax reported. He said that he has told officials to identify what he called "virtual" owners and deprive them of their ownership rights. PG

    [12] INSURGENTS CONTINUE ATTACKS IN SOUTHERN KYRGYZSTAN

    Islamist militants on 19 September continued their efforts to enter Kyrgyzstan from Tajikistan, Interfax reported. Government troops reportedly repulsed them without loss. PG

    [13] KYRGYZ SECURITY OFFICERS SEARCH NEWSPAPER'S OFFICE

    Some 30 officers of the Kyrgyzstan Security Ministry searched the offices of the Bishkek independent newspaper "Delo Nomer" on 19 September, reportedly looking for documents relating to the involvement of the country's security services in infiltrating the country's opposition political parties, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported. PG

    [14] KYRGYZ OPPOSITION PARTIES URGE AKAEV NOT TO RUN

    The leaders of eight Kyrgyz opposition parties have sent a letter to President Askar Akaev urging him not to run for re-election, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported on 19 September. They argued that Akaev has already served the two terms allowed by the constitution and that by running, Akaev is violating the constitution and engaging in a "direct abuse of power." PG

    [15] UN CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL DROUGHT ASSISTANCE TO TAJIKISTAN

    The UN humanitarian coordinator for Tajikistan, Matthew Kahane, appealed on 19 September to governments around the world to provide $76.6 million to help the 1.2 million people now affected by the drought in Tajikistan, AP reported. Kahane said that 1.2 million people are in desperate need of food, while many others have no access to safe drinking water. PG

    [16] UZBEK OLYMPIC OFFICIAL TO CONTEST DRUG CHARGE

    A lawyer for Uzbekistan's Olympic track and field coach, Sergei Voynov, announced on 19 September that his client will plead not guilty to charges that he brought a banned performance- enhancing drug into Australia, AP reported. PG

    [17] OLYMPIC MEDAL COUNT--PART 1 COUNTRIES

    Through 19 SEPTEMBER CountryGoldSilverBronzeTotal Russia37616 Georgia0011 Kyrgyzstan0011 Armenia0000 Azerbaijan0000 Kazakhstan0000 Tajikistan0000 Turkmenistan0000 Uzbekistan0000

    [B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

    [18] NATO FOILED YUGOSLAV ARMY PLOT IN KOSOVA

    The recent arrest of six Serbs in Gracanica by British and Swedish KFOR troops prevented Yugoslav army officers from carrying out what UN civilian administrator Bernard Kouchner called "an obvious attempt to destabilize Kosovo," London's "The Independent" reported from Prishtina on 20 September (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 19 September 2000). Brigadier Rob Fry of the Royal Marines added that "the evidence is compelling to link [at least two of the six] to the Yugoslav Army Special Forces." Spanish General Juan Ortuno, who heads KFOR, said that the officers intended to use explosives "to create fear and intimidate the people of Kosovo" in the runup to the 24 September Serbian and Yugoslav elections. "The Daily Telegraph" quoted an unnamed "diplomat based in Kosovo" as saying that KFOR observed the men for "a few weeks." KFOR made the arrests when it did to prevent the officers from "blowing up something big," he added. PM

    [19] KOUCHNER ISSUES PRESS RULES FOR KOSOVA

    Kouchner signed a set of rules for the Kosova printed media in Prishtina on 19 September, RFE/RL's South Slavic Service reported. He said that the regulations are aimed at preventing "encouragement of criminal activities and violence." Kouchner stressed that it is also important that journalists differentiate between fact and opinion. PM

    [20] MACDDONIA TIGHTENS CONTROLS ON KOSOVA FRONTIER

    The government announced a series of measures on 19 September aimed at increasing security on the border with Kosova after a recent series of violent incidents along the frontier that left two Macedonian military men seriously injured, RFE/RL's South Slavic Service reported. PM

    [21] CRVENKOVSKI: MACEDONIAN OPPOSITION TO SEEK NEW ELECTIONS

    Social Democratic leader Branko Crvenkovski said in Skopje on 19 September that the opposition will work in the parliament to form a "new majority" to force the government to hold new elections (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 19 September 2000). He stressed that "we will cooperate with all political parties and individuals who are not satisfied with the rule of [Prime Minister] Ljubco Georgievski and think that it should end. Their number is getting larger by the day," the MIC news agency reported. PM

    [22] SERBIAN OPPOSITION CANDIDATE SAYS MILOSEVIC IS A 'COWARD'

    Vojislav Kostunica called Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic a "coward" after people in a crowd in Pirot pelted the opposition presidential candidate with paint, "Blic" reported on 20 September. This was the latest in a series of physical attacks by presumed Milosevic supporters against Kostunica (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 15 September 2000). At the Pirot rally, a Bosnian Serb criticized the Yugoslav president for not defending the interests of Serbs living outside Serbia. Milosevic "wanted all Serbs to live in one country. All [refugees] came to Serbia but we received only canned goods and refugee identification cards, without citizenship and the right to vote," the man added. PM

    [23] SERBIAN OPPOSITION CONFIDENT OF VICTORY

    Kostunica told 20,000 supporters in Nis on 19 September that Serbia will "return to Europe" following the elections. He added that he is confident that army personnel and police will not vote for Milosevic. In Belgrade, opposition campaign director Zoran Djindjic said that he expects the opposition to win the elections. He added, however, that it is likely that the authorities--who will be in charge of the polling places and ballot- counting--will falsify the results. Djindjic said that he hopes that Serbian citizens "will react in a suitable manner" if Milosevic tries to steal the elections, RFE/RL's South Slavic Service reported. The following day, "Blic" and "Glas" each published its own opinion poll showing Kostunica with a comfortable lead over Milosevic. PM

    [24] DRASKOVIC: SERBIAN OPPOSITION HAS 'NO CHANCE'

    Vuk Draskovic of the Serbian Renewal Movement told "Die Welt" of 19 September that the elections will be a "catastrophe" because the opposition "does not have the slightest chance of winning." He argued that Milosevic will falsify the election results and use the army and police to intimidate his opponents. "Jane's Intelligence Digest" reported on 19 September that Draskovic's supporters are negotiating with Milosevic for their party's possible return to the government. Milosevic, the report added, will need Draskovic's support if Radical leader Vojislav Seselj joins the opposition. PM

    [25] SERBIAN PRESIDENT: OPPOSITION HAS 'NO CHANCE'

    Milan Milutinovic said in Belgrade on 19 September that "the people know" that the opposition politicians are tools of NATO and will not vote for them. "The NATO coalition has no chance, because people in Serbia are not naive and know well what are empty tales and what is reality." Milutinovic added that Milosevic's leftist coalition is a "true defense against the destruction [of Serbia] by all those forces who want to impose so-called democratization" on the country, Reuters reported. PM

    [26] MONTENEGRIN PRESIDENT SAYS MILOSEVIC WILL NOT GO PEACEFULLY

    Milo Djukanovic told Niksic Television on 19 September that the Yugoslav president will resort to violence rather than give up power, the Podgorica daily "Pobjeda" reported. Djukanovic stressed, however, that neither the army command nor its special forces can frighten Montenegro. He wished the Serbian opposition success in the elections, which he and his party are boycotting. Djukanovic stressed that Montenegro has no interest in "illegal" elections aimed at destroying its sovereignty. He also said that the "best thing that citizens can do for Montenegro is not to vote," Montena-fax news agency reported. Elsewhere, the BBC reported that the Belgrade authorities have given an unspecified number of members of the Serbian criminal underworld the choice between being jailed and joining special forces in Montenegro. PM

    [27] ROBERTSON: NATO IS 'VIGILANT' ABOUT SERBIA

    NATO Secretary- General Lord Robertson told representatives of 14 non-EU European countries in Brussels on 19 September that "it does not look as if President Milosevic is preparing to give up power," Reuters reported. Robertson added, however, that the Serbian people "will make [their] choice and they will make it bravely--and we will be vigilant." PM

    [28] MORE COUNTRIES ENDORSE EU DECLARATION ON SERBIAN OPPOSITION...

    Leaders of Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Cyprus, Malta, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Iceland appealed to Serbian voters to support the opposition. The leaders signed a recent EU declaration to that effect, Reuters reported from Brussels on 19 September (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 19 September 2000). PM

    [29] ...BUT NOT SLOVENIA

    Slovenia, which is an EU applicant, did not sign the declaration. Prime Minister Andrej Bajuk nonetheless told Reuters on 19 September that "we have sent all kinds of messages to our neighbors to the south that they need to take a very strong step towards democracy.... [We urge them to] vote for democracy and the rule of law and integrate...into the world community. Yes, we agree [with the EU statement]." Foreign Minister Lojze Peterle said that Slovenia did not sign the EU declaration lest such a move somehow complicate eventual negotiations with Serbia and other successor states to the former Yugoslavia on dividing the assets and properties of that country, "Dnevnik" reported on 20 September. The Ljubljana daily also quoted Bajuk as saying that EU officials told him that Slovenia is "in a good position" for EU membership and will be "among the first candidates" to be included in the EU's next round of expansion. PM

    [30] ROMANIA SAYS NO PREPARATIONS TO INVADE YUGOSLAVIA UNDER WAY

    The Defense Ministry press office on 19 September denied that NATO military maneuvers under way in Romania are in preparation for an invasion of Yugoslavia in the event the opposition there loses the upcoming elections, Romanian television reported on 19 September. The ministry says the "imagination" of Yugoslav Information Minister Goran Matic has nothing to do with reality. Two NATO maneuvers planned for this month have already ended, and a third one is about to finish. Maneuvers that will continue involve only Romanian forces. None of these [exercises] involve activities that could be linked to an "intervention force," the ministry said. MS

    [31] CZECH CITIZEN DETAINED IN CONNECTION WITH ROMANIAN TRADE UNIONIST MURDER

    Czech businessman Frantisek Priplata was detained on 19 September as he attempted to cross the border to Hungary, Mediafax reported the next day. Priplata has been involved in the privatization of the Iasi Tepro company, whose trade union leader was murdered earlier this month (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 8 September 2000). Mediafax reported that Priplata, who has a 51 percent stake in a Romanian company, had been authorized by Czech Zelezarny Veseli General- Director Zdenek Zemek to sign the contract under which Tepro was privatized. In an interview with the private channel Tele 7abc on 17 September, the sister of the murdered trade union leader alleged that President Emil Constantinescu's son Dragos was among those who had profited from the murder. Dragos Constantinescu responded by saying he had nothing to do with either Tepro's privatization or the murder. MS

    [32] ECOLOGIST ELECTORAL ALLIANCE SET UP IN ROMANIA

    Three ecologist parties on 19 September set up the Ecologist Pole ahead of the November parliamentary elections, RFE/RL's Bucharest bureau reported. The Romanian Ecologist Party (PER), the Green Ecological Alternative, and the Party of Ecologist Convention will run on joint lists and nominate a joint presidential candidate. PER chairman Otto Weber will chair the Ecologist Pole. MS

    [33] WORLD BANK MISSION IN MOLDOVA

    World Bank Regional-Director Roger Graw told President Petru Lucinschi on 19 September that there are "good chances" for renewing cooperation with the bank and with the IMF, RFE/RL's Chisinau bureau reported. On 15 September, the Moldovan government submitted to the parliament a revised version of the bill on the privatization of tobacco and wine industries. The passing of the bill, previous versions of which were rejected by the house owing mainly to Communist opposition, is an IMF and World Bank condition for resuming the disbursement of loans. To appease the opposition, the bill stipulates that a 34-35 percent "golden share" in enterprises in these sectors will remain in the hands of the government. The same applies to the privatization of the Moldtelcom state company. MS

    [34] MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT MEETS NEW COUNCIL OF EUROPE RAPPORTEUR

    Lucinschi also met with Ernst Muehlmann, the new European Council rapporteur for Moldova, on 19 September. The president told Muehlmann that unlike other conflicts in Europe, the Transdniester dispute is a "purely political one and its solution is entirely dependent on the will of Russia and Ukraine." He also said Moldova cannot accept a solution based on the country's federalization, which, he said, would only end in "exacerbating existing differences between the different ethnic groups" in the country. MS

    [35] OLYMPIC MEDAL COUNT--PART 2 COUNTRIES

    Through 19 SEPTEMBER CountryGoldSilverBronzeTotal Ukraine2338 Bulgaria3115 Slovakia1315 Romania2114 Czech Rep.1034 Belarus0134 Hungary1102 Poland1102 Croatia1001 Lithuania1001 Yugoslavia0101 Estonia0011 Latvia0011 Albania0000 Bosnia-Herzeg.0000 Macedonia0000 Moldova0000 Slovenia0000

    [C] END NOTE

    [36] THE BITTER TASTE OF AN HISTORIC VICTORY

    By Jan Maksymiuk

    Over the past few months, all opinion polls conducted in Poland suggest that President Aleksander Kwasniewski enjoys the support of between 60 percent and 70 percent of Polish voters, meaning that he will easily gain re-election in the first round of the presidential elections scheduled for 8 October. The election victory of the post-communist incumbent will simultaneously mean a potentially humiliating defeat for Solidarity leader Marian Krzaklewski, whom the same polls give only some 10 percent backing.

    Solidarity's recent 20th birthday celebrations have triggered many discussions in the Polish media about why Poles--who in 1989 formed a 10- million-strong trade union and overturned communism in Poland--now overwhelmingly prefer the post-communist incumbent over Solidarity's Marian Krzaklewski and Lech Walesa.

    There have been many well-argued answers to the above question, but one of them has been voiced much more frequently that the others: namely, Solidarity has failed to deliver what it promised in the socioeconomic sphere for Polish workers. Of the famous 21 provisions of the August 1980 agreement between the striking workers in the Gdansk shipyard and the then communist government, only three could be considered strictly political demands: the legalization of free and independent trade unions, the right to strike, and freedom of speech, all of which have been established since the fall of communism.

    As for the other 18 provisions, these were socioeconomic demands, characteristic of the workers' plight in a strictly controlled but in general socially-oriented communist economy. The August 1980 provisions thus show the real balance between the political and the economic expectations of Polish workers connected with Solidarity. Unfortunately, Solidarity's governments have failed to meet what many commentators call the "utopian" economic demands of the social revolution in Poland in the 1980s.

    "Solidarity did away with the Communists by promising to realize their utopia. It succeeded [in deposing communism] because the Communist blockheads had never treated their utopia seriously and had not even checked what the results might be of the implementation [of their utopia]," prominent Polish journalist and dissident Stefan Kisielewski sarcastically commented in 1989. Today, many observers of the Polish political scene seem to share that view.

    People in Poland primarily expected that Solidarity would replenish empty shop shelves and grant wage increases that allowed every Polish family to fully provide for its basic needs. Solidarity has achieved the former but failed to ensure the latter. A government survey in June found that 33 percent of Poles live below the poverty line, which is defined in Poland as the monthly per capita income of 378 zlotys ($84), while another 12 percent said they "are balancing on the poverty line." Unemployment in Poland amounts to some 3 million people, and it is unlikely that there will be any improvement in the labor market any time soon.

    While other suggested reasons for the massive disappointment with Solidarity seem less significant than that mentioned above, they, too, may have played some role. According to sociological surveys, Poles tend to believe that Solidarity has been and continues to be used by its activists as a springboard for their political careers, while rank-and- file trade unionists see the trade union itself as being more involved in dealing with social discontent among workers than standing up for their rights. This could explain Krzaklewski's unimpressive support among the electorate. It is notable that the Solidarity Electoral Action--the trade union's political arm, consisting of sundry right-wing parties and groups--enjoys 19 percent backing, that is, twice the level of Krzaklewski's backing. This, in turn, suggests that voters differentiate between the Solidarity movement and its ambitious leader, who is aspiring to the post of president.

    Political analysts say Solidarity must urgently redefine its role in Poland by drawing a fine line between its trade union goals and those of its activists, who, they note, are using the organization as a vehicle to promote their political ambitions. Otherwise, those analysts argue, the trade union credited by the world for paving the way toward dismantling communism in Eastern Europe will soon find itself on the sidelines of Poland's public life. The union's historic victory 10 years ago has since acquired a bitter taste for many of those who contributed to it. But what is much more distressing for Solidarity veterans, the union is currently finding little to offer to new generations of voters who are living off that victory's fruits.

    20-09-00


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


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