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OMRI Daily Digest, Vol. 2, No. 121, 96-06-21
From: Open Media Research Institute <http://www.omri.cz>
Vol. 2, No. 121, 21 June 1996
CONTENTS
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] DEMONSTRATION IN BAKU.
[02] GEORGIA ISSUES WARRANT FOR BASAEV'S ARREST.
[03] DECLINE IN EMIGRATION FROM KAZAKHSTAN.
[04] IRANIAN RADIO BROADCASTS IN CENTRAL ASIA.
[05] KYRGYZ PRIME MINISTER ON RELATIONS WITH TURKEY.
[06] MORE FIGHTING IN TAJIKISTAN.
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[07] KARADZIC NOMINATED FOR BOSNIAN SERB PRESIDENCY.
[08] DEMILITARIZATION OF EASTERN SLAVONIA COMPLETED.
[09] INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS WARN CROATS NOT TO TRY TO PRESERVE HERCEG-BOSNA.
[10] SERBIAN LEADERS ON BOSNIAN ELECTIONS.
[11] MACEDONIA, EU AGREE TO COOPERATION ACCORD.
[12] ROMANIAN TRADE UNIONS STAGE PROTESTS.
[13] IMF WITHHOLDS LOAN TO ROMANIA.
[14] MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT RENEWS CALL FOR DEFENSE MINISTER'S DISMISSAL.
[15] RECORD LOW WHEAT HARVEST EXPECTED IN BULGARIA.
[16] EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DEMANDS NEW ALBANIAN ELECTIONS...
[17] ...WHILE COUNCIL OF EUROPE MAY SUSPEND ALBANIA.
[18] SIX ALBANIAN COMMUNIST-ERA OFFICIAL SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT.
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] DEMONSTRATION IN BAKU.
More than 100 people on 20 June staged a demonstration in front of the U.S.
Embassy in Baku and submitted a petition to the embassy urging the U.S. Senate
not to approve an amendment passed by the House of Representatives that would
provide humanitarian aid to the mainly ethnic Armenian population of Nagorno-
Karabakh, RFE/RL reported. Under the terms of Amendment 907 to the Freedom
Support Act, the U.S. does not provide aid to Azerbaijan in retaliation for
the ongoing blockade of Armenia. Azerbaijani President Heidar Aliev lodged a
protest with the U.S. ambassador in Baku over the amendment on 13 June. -- Liz
Fuller
[02] GEORGIA ISSUES WARRANT FOR BASAEV'S ARREST.
The Tbilisi-based Abkhaz government in exile has issued a warrant for the
arrest of Chechen military commander Shamil Basaev for his participation in
the war in Abkhazia in 1992-1993, and has requested the assistance of the
Russian Procurator-General's Office in apprehending him, Radio Rossii reported
on 20 June. Earlier this month, the Abkhaz authorities in Sukhumi denied
Georgian media reports that Basaev was vacationing in Abkhazia -- Liz
Fuller
[03] DECLINE IN EMIGRATION FROM KAZAKHSTAN.
Kazakhstani First Deputy Labor Minister Alikhan Baymenov claims that the
country's "increasing political and economic stability" led to a sharp decline
in the number of people emigrating from Kazakhstan in the first quarter of
this year, RFE/RL reported on 21 June. About 309,000 people left Kazakhstan in
1995, compared with 480,000 the previous year. Anatolii Puzhai, the head of
the UN High Commission for Refugees in Kazakhstan, told ITAR-TASS on 20 June
that the number of people arriving in Kazakhstan has steadily increased since
1991. About a third of the 122,000 who came to Kazakhstan between 1991-94 are
ethnic Kazakhs and the remaining Russians and Ukrainians, Puzhai added. --
Bhavna Dave
[04] IRANIAN RADIO BROADCASTS IN CENTRAL ASIA.
Iran's state radio began broadcasts in the Kazakh language on 19 June,
according to Tehran Radio and IRNA reports on 20 June monitored by AFP. IRNA
described the 30-minute program as "a message of peace and friendship," and
said it would be broadcast daily in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan as well. The
Iranian radio station broadcasts programs in some 20 languages. -- Bhavna
Dave
[05] KYRGYZ PRIME MINISTER ON RELATIONS WITH TURKEY.
In the wake of a six-day visit to Turkey, Kyrgyz Prime Minister Apas Jumagulov
said Bishkek's relations with Ankara are set to improve, according to a 19
June Interfax report monitored by the BBC. He pointed out that "many
agreements" on economic cooperation have been signed but are not working; for
example only $39 million of a $75 million loan extended in 1992 had been used
to date. In the wake of Jumagulov's visit, it appears the remainder of the
promised funds will be disbursed for the development of Kyrgyzstan's
hydroelectric sector. -- Lowell Bezanis
[06] MORE FIGHTING IN TAJIKISTAN.
Tajik government forces on 19 June launched an attack on rebel troops near
Tajikabad, killing 16 opposition fighters and wounding eight, according to
government sources. Also on 19 June, eight government soldiers were killed at
a checkpoint near the town of Kijak, 35 km east of Dushanbe, when unidentified
gunmen in a KAMAZ truck opened fire on the checkpoint. Despite this latest
violence, Tajik President Imomali Rakhmonov on 20 June offered to meet with
Tajik opposition leader Said Abdullo Nuri as soon as possible, suggesting
Moscow as a venue. -- Bruce Pannier
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[07] KARADZIC NOMINATED FOR BOSNIAN SERB PRESIDENCY.
The Pale regional group of the governing Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) on 20
June nominated the current president of the Republika Srpska (RS), Radovan
Karadzic, to run in the direct elections for the presidency expected to take
place by mid-September. He is, however, also an indicted war criminal, and the
Dayton agreement specifies that such people cannot hold political office and
must be sent to The Hague to face charges. There have recently been
orchestrated demonstrations on behalf of Karadzic and fellow indicted war
criminal Gen. Ratko Mladic across the republic. The latest move by the SDS
comes amid reports that Belgrade and its loyalists in Pale are trying to oust
Karadzic before sanctions are reimposed, news agencies reported. The
nomination is yet another direct challenge to the international community,
which has repeatedly failed to enforce the principles it itself enshrined in
the Dayton agreement. The U.S. and the Bosnian government have slammed the
SDS's decision. -- Patrick Moore
[08] DEMILITARIZATION OF EASTERN SLAVONIA COMPLETED.
The UN completed the demilitarization of eastern Slavonia, the last Serb-held
part of Croatia, by the noon deadline on 20 June, AFP reported. The UN
spokesman said that UN monitors would continue to check the area for any
further violations during the region's gradual return to Croatian government
control. Meanwhile, the eastern Slavonia Serbs' self-declared parliament
called for the mandate of the Forces of the UN Transitional Authority in
Eastern Slavonia to be extended for a second year. The Serbs have dropped
demands for outright autonomy, saying they will ask instead for a "special
status" once the area reverts to Zagreb's control, Nasa Borba reported on 21
June. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[09] INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS WARN CROATS NOT TO TRY TO PRESERVE HERCEG-BOSNA.
The EU has warned the Bosnian Croats that efforts to preserve their self-
proclaimed state of Herceg-Bosna are a clear violation of the Dayton peace
accord and run contrary to the goal of consolidating the Muslim-Croatian
federation, AFP reported on 20 June. The Italian EU Presidency urged the
Croatian government to pressure the Bosnian Croat leadership to cooperate in
the peace process. Meanwhile, UN spokesman Alexander Ivanko, warning of
growing "separatist tendencies" in Bosnia, said on 19 June that Bosnian Croats,
in particular, are not cooperating with peace implementation officials because
of their desire to maintain their para-state, Oslobodjenje reported. Ivanko
also called on Zagreb to force Herceg-Bosna leaders to comply with the peace
agreement. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[10] SERBIAN LEADERS ON BOSNIAN ELECTIONS.
Vuk Draskovic, leader of the opposition Serbian Renewal Movement, has said his
party will not take part in the upcoming elections in the Republika Srpska.
Nasa Borba on 19 June quoted him as saying that "the preconditions for an
open and democratic" vote are lacking. Meanwhile, in an interview with OMRI,
Democratic Party leader Zoran Djindjic said his party will participate in the
vote. He said that he believed that the elections would be "relatively fair"
or would at least reflect the strength of the various parties involved. --
Stan Markotich in Belgrade
[11] MACEDONIA, EU AGREE TO COOPERATION ACCORD.
Macedonia and the EU on 20 June have reached agreement on a cooperation accord,
which will go into effect on 1 January 1997, Nova Makedonija reported. Two
days earlier, Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister Jane Miljovski had refused to
sign the agreement because it referred to Macedonia as the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia. Since no compromise between Macedonia, Greece, and the
European Commission on the name issue was reached, only letters of intent
confirming agreement had been reached were exchanged. The agreement itself was
not initialed. Under the agreement, Macedonia will have easier access to EU
markets and to European Investment Bank credits. -- Ismije Beshiri and Stefan
Krause
[12] ROMANIAN TRADE UNIONS STAGE PROTESTS.
Thousands of workers and public sector employees on 20 June marched through
downtown Bucharest to press for wage increases and protest the cabinet's
economic and social policies, Radio Bucharest reported. The rally was staged
by the National Labor Bloc (BNS), one of the country's largest trade union
associations. At the government's headquarters, BNS leaders handed over a list
of claims, including a 60% rise to keep pace with massive price hikes. A
government official promised that the claims would be carefully examined,
adding that a meeting with BNS representatives is expected to take place in
the near future. -- Dan Ionescu
[13] IMF WITHHOLDS LOAN TO ROMANIA.
The IMF has announced it will withhold a $70 million tranche of a stand-by
credit to Romania until the country's foreign exchange market has stabilized,
an RFE/RL correspondent reported on 20 June. An IMF spokesman was quoted as
saying that Bucharest will not be able to make further use of a $480 million
credit until it removes restrictions on the foreign-currency holdings of
Romanian banks. Romania's trade deficit in the first four months of this year
totaled $335 million, and the value of the leu against foreign currencies has
plunged over the past few days. -- Dan Ionescu
[14] MOLDOVAN PRESIDENT RENEWS CALL FOR DEFENSE MINISTER'S DISMISSAL.
Mircea Snegur on 20 June renewed his earlier demand that Gen. Pavel Creanga
be dismissed as defense minister, BASA-press and Infotag reported. Addressing
a closed-door parliamentary session, Snegur warned that if his demand
were rejected, he would be forced to "assume direct control" over the national
army. Creanga was dismissed by presidential decree on 15 March but later
reinstated following a Constitutional Court ruling. -- Dan Ionescu
[15] RECORD LOW WHEAT HARVEST EXPECTED IN BULGARIA.
Hristo Kurzhin of the Agricultural Academy has predicted that the 1996 wheat
harvest will not exceed 2.2 tons per hectare, down from 4.5 tons in 1991,
Bulgarian and international media reported on 20 June. This would be the
lowest yield in 20 years and would result in an even more acute grain shortage
than in recent months. Kurzhin said the government should consider importing
wheat. The government allowed wheat exports last year--when world market
prices were high--although grain was already in short supply. Later, it was
forced to release emergency supplies and import grain from Romania, Serbia,
and India. Two agriculture ministers have resigned this year over the grain
crisis. -- Stefan Krause
[16] EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DEMANDS NEW ALBANIAN ELECTIONS...
The European Parliament on 20 June demanded that Albania annul the results of
its disputed elections, AFP reported. The EU legislators voted to suspend
cooperation with Albania until "a democracy worthy of the name" is instituted
there. Meanwhile, OSCE Chairman Flavio Cotti sent a personal envoy to Albania
in the hope of restoring "a minimum of confidence" in the political system
there. Cotti pointed out that the final OSCE report on the 26 May elections
was "one of the most critical we have read." -- Fabian Schmidt
[17] ...WHILE COUNCIL OF EUROPE MAY SUSPEND ALBANIA.
Koha Jone on 20 June claimed that a majority of members of the Council of
Europe's parliamentary assembly want Albania's membership suspended. Victor
Ruffy, the council's rapporteur on Albania, is quoted as writing to Socialist
Party deputy leader Namik Dokle that "Albania should be suspended from the
Council of Europe until the re-holding of new and free elections," Reuters
reported. Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen told President Sali
Berisha that Albania "must realize if they want to be part of us, they must
play by the rules, and the rules are democratic elections." Meanwhile, the
Albanian Central Election Commission has accused some OSCE observers of
collaborating with late dictator Enver Hoxha. Similar earlier allegations in
the daily Albania have been dismissed by diplomats close to the OSCE as
"completely unfounded." -- Fabian Schmidt
[18] SIX ALBANIAN COMMUNIST-ERA OFFICIAL SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT.
Former communist chief ideologue Foto Cami, Defense Minister Prokop Murra,
and Politburo member Muho Asllani have been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Former communist party First-Secretary Gaqo Nesho, Tirana police chief
Dilaver Bengasi, and secret police chief Zef Loka were jailed for 16, 18, and
20 years respectively. The court found them guilty of crimes against humanity,
including deportations of up to 500 people, AFP reported on 20 June. -- Fabian
Schmidt
Compiled by Victor Gomez and Jan Cleave
News and information as of 1200 CET
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 [email protected].
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