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OMRI: Daily Digest, Vol. 3, No. 42, 97-02-28
From: Open Media Research Institute <http://www.omri.cz>
Vol. 3, No. 42, 28 February 1997
CONTENTS
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] NEW CASUALTIES IN ABKHAZIA.
[02] ARMENIA TO SEEK A NEW KIND OF U.S. AID.
[03] TURKMEN PRESIDENT IN ALMATY.
[04] TAJIKISTAN UPDATE.
[05] CORRECTION:
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[06] ALBANIAN HUNGER STRIKES CONTINUE.
[07] MILOSEVIC TO FACE SOCIALIST-DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGE?
[08] IS CRACKDOWN ON MOSTAR NATIONALISTS ONLY A BLUFF?
[09] BOSNIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS AGREE ON FOREIGN DEBT BILL.
[10] CROATIA, INDONESIA SIGN TWO AGREEMENTS.
[11] SLOVENIAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES GOVERNMENT.
[12] ROMANIAN POLICE CHIEF REPLACED.
[13] OSCE OFFICIAL IN MOLDOVA ON DNIESTER MEMORANDUM.
[14] ECONOMIC COLLAPSE CATASTROPHIC FOR MOST BULGARIANS.
[15] HUMANITARIAN AID TO BULGARIA.
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] NEW CASUALTIES IN ABKHAZIA.
Three Abkhaz soldiers were shot dead in Abkhazia's troubled Gali district
by unidentified gunmen, according to a 25 February Sakinform report
monitored by the BBC. The commander of the Russian peacekeeping forces,
Maj.-Gen. Dolya Babenkov, warned that his troops will "adequately react to
any terrorist acts," ITAR-TASS reported. Abkhaz Foreign Minister Konstantin
Ozgan accused Georgia of starting a "terrorist war" against its breakaway
republic. Igor Akhba, the Abkhaz representative to Russia, said that the
recent outbreak of violence is a sign of an impending "forcible resolution"
of the Abkhaz conflict by Georgia. Meanwhile, according to 26 February BGI
(news agency) report monitored by BBC, Abkhaz President Vladislav Ardzinba
said that the republic's parliament is currently preparing a declaration of
independence from Georgia. -- Emil Danielyan
[02] ARMENIA TO SEEK A NEW KIND OF U.S. AID.
During a meeting with a group of U.S. Congressmen in Washington, Armenian
Foreign Minister Aleksandr Arzumanyan called for a "new kind" of U.S. aid
to Armenia, RFE/RL reported on 26 February. Arzumanyan argued that Armenia,
the second largest per capita recipient of U.S. aid among the former Soviet
states, has reached the point where it needs more development and technical
assistance, rather than humanitarian aid, in order to attract foreign
investment. A spokesman for the Armenian Embassy in Washington, Mikael
Bagratuni, told RFE/RL that the Armenian delegation requested a meeting
with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright but was told that she is
"recuperating from her around-the-world trip." -- Emil Danielyan
[03] TURKMEN PRESIDENT IN ALMATY.
Kazakstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev and his visiting Turkmen
counterpart, Saparmurad Niyazov, discussed a wide range of regional issues,
particularly the Caspian Sea, and signed a clutch of intergovernmental
agreements in Almaty on 27 February, Russian and Western media reported the
same day. Nazarbayev was quoted as saying that the two-day official visit
represents a "breakthrough in all respects" and said the two countries have
"immense" common interests, specifically pointing to their desire to export
hydrocarbon reserves. Both presidents declared their belief that the
Caspian should be temporarily divided into national sectors to avoid
conflict while the sea's legal status is defined. The two sides also signed
several agreements on cooperation, including investment protection, double
taxation, and cooperation in the spheres of science, technology, health
care, and tourism. -- Lowell Bezanis
[04] TAJIKISTAN UPDATE.
The Tajik Presidential Guard and the United Tajik Opposition forces have
been launching attacks against forces loyal to the outlaw Sadirov brothers
since 25 February, Russian and Western media reported on 27 February. The
Tajik government claims to have killed 21 members of the gang and driven
the pro-Sadirov group out of the Obi-Garm area, while the UTO forces claim
to have killed another 25. The region's difficult terrain makes it unlikely
that the Sadirov band will be quickly defeated. Meanwhile, the latest round
of inter-Tajik talks, begun on 26 February, continued in Moscow on 27
February and are expected to go on for another week, ITAR-TASS reported the
same day. In other news, 13 metric tons of emergency medical supplies, for
combating an outbreak of typhoid fever in Tajikistan reached Dushanbe from
Moscow on 27 February, Russian media reported the same day. The Tajik
authorities have thanked Russia for aid estimated at 4 billion rubles ($700,
000). -- Lowell Bezanis
[05] CORRECTION:
The OMRI Daily Digest of 26 February incorrectly reported that Topchubek
Turgunaliev, the chairman of the Erkin Kyrgyzstan party, will reside in
Bishkek and report monthly to the authorities. In fact, he is being sent to
Penal Colony no. 34, 30 km from Bishkek, to serve his four-year sentence,
RFE/RL reported on 26 February.
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[06] ALBANIAN HUNGER STRIKES CONTINUE.
Forty-six students in the southern town of Gjirokaster have launched a
hunger strike to show solidarity with hunger strikers in the city of Vlora,
where students are demanding the resignation of the government (see OMRI
Daily Digest, 27 February 1997), local media reported. Meanwhile in Tirana,
Premier Alexander Meksi told the parliament that the country is on the
verge of total economic collapse. International media reported that police
blockaded main roads in the capital city, cordoning off much of the
university area. Students staged a second day of protests and boycotted
classes. -- Stan Markotich
[07] MILOSEVIC TO FACE SOCIALIST-DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGE?
Bogoljub Karic, one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in Serbia, is rumored
to be considering forming a Social Democratic Party to directly challenge
President Slobodan Milosevic's Socialist Party of Serbia in republican
elections slated for this year, Belgrade independent media reported on 27
February. Dnevni Telegraf said that Karic's party would include such high-
profile members and possible parliamentary candidates as former Serbian
Premier Milan Panic. While Karic himself did not confirm the reports, his
television station BK Television reported he will run for president in
elections also slated for this year. But Vecernje novosti runs an article
today downplaying announcements of Karic's interest in politics, noting he
has not yet announced his candidacy. In other news, deans of several
faculties voted to sack the controversial and staunchly pro-Milosevic
rector of Belgrade University on 27 February. The deans, however, have no
authority to enforce that decision. -- Stan Markotich
[08] IS CRACKDOWN ON MOSTAR NATIONALISTS ONLY A BLUFF?
Following the UN report on the violent clashes in Mostar earlier this month,
both Croatia and Bosnian Croats have begun a crackdown on Mostar's Croatian
warlords (see OMRI Daily Digest, 27 February 1997). Croatia has arrested
the leader of Mostar's paramilitary mafia, Mladen Naletilic Tuta, while
Bosnian Croats have arrested five Croatian men and issued warrants for the
arrest of another three, according to Reuters. But UN spokesman Alexander
Ivanko said the arrest of criminals and the UN police report were two
separate issues. He noted that if this were a crackdown on organized crime,
it was "extremely welcome." But at the same time, he said the UN cannot
confirm any of the arrests. Some analysts suspect the Croatian government
of bluffing, since it has come under pressured from the international
community to exert influence on Bosnian Croat hard-liners in Mostar.
Meanwhile, U.S. ambassador to Croatia Peter Galbraith has met with Croatian
Foreign Minister Mate Granic to underscore Zagreb's obligation to help the
Bosnian peace process, Hina reported on 27 February. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[09] BOSNIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS AGREE ON FOREIGN DEBT BILL.
The Bosnian Council of Ministers on 27 February reached agreement on a bill
regulating the country's foreign debt, Oslobodjenje reported. The draft
law was proposed by the Office of the High Representative to Bosnia-
Herzegovina. Boro Bosic, the council's Serbian co-chairman, said it has
been forwarded to the parliament for urgent consideration. The adoption of
such a law is one of the conditions for a stand-by loan from the IMF and
for an international donors' conference on postwar aid to Bosnia, Hina
reported. In other news, economic experts from Bosnia-Herzegovina, the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and Croatia met on 26 February in Banja
Luka, Bosnia's Serbian entity, to discuss privatization and employment in
the Bosnian Federation and the Republika Srpska, Onasa reported. Eric de
Mill, chief of the UN Development Program mission to Bosnia, presided over
the meeting. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[10] CROATIA, INDONESIA SIGN TWO AGREEMENTS.
Croatia and Indonesia on 27 February signed agreements on economic and
technical cooperation and on air traffic, Hina reported. The two countries
are expected to sign soon agreements on avoiding double taxation and
protecting investments. Also, the Croatian and Indonesian oil companies--
INA and Kondur Petroleum-- have signed a letter of intent on technical
assistance in the exploitation of oil and gas. Croatian Premier Zlatko
Matesa is visiting Indonesia at the invitation of Indonesian President
Suharto. His visit is aimed at promoting economic cooperation between the
two countries. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[11] SLOVENIAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES GOVERNMENT.
The Slovenian legislature on 27 February voted in favor of Premier Janez
Drnovsek's cabinet, Radio Slovenija reported. The new government was formed
after three months of wrangling since the November 1996 elections. It is
dominated by Drnovsek's Liberal Democratic Party and includes members of
Marjan Podobnik's conservative Slovenian People's Party and the Pensioners'
Democratic party. The new government is expected to be able to count on the
support of 49 of the legislature's 90 members. -- Stan Markotich
[12] ROMANIAN POLICE CHIEF REPLACED.
At the request of Interior Minister Gavril Dejeu, the cabinet on 27
February dismissed Gen. Costica Voicu, head of the Romanian police force,
Libertatea reported. Col. Pavel Abraham, until now chief of the Criminal
Investigations Department, has been named Costica's successor. Government
spokesman Eugen Serbanescu said Costica was replaced in order to improve
the way the ministry functions. Responding to the move, former Interior
Minister Senator Doru Ioan Taracila accused the government of politically
interfering in the ministry's work. -- Zsolt Mato
[13] OSCE OFFICIAL IN MOLDOVA ON DNIESTER MEMORANDUM.
Donald Johnson, head of the OSCE mission in Moldova, has urged the OSCE
Permanent Council not to endorse the memorandum between Moldova and the
breakaway Dniester Republic, Infotag reported on 27 February. The
memorandum on resolving relations between Chisinau and Tiraspol was
initialed last June but has not yet been signed. Johnson said the document
does not correspond to the "basic OSCE principles of the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of Moldova." He added that the signature of the
document could set an "extremely unfortunate precedent," warning that each
side has different interpretations of parts of the document. While Moldova
called for revisions, the Dniester authorities insisted on signing the
memorandum without any amendments. -- Zsolt Mato
[14] ECONOMIC COLLAPSE CATASTROPHIC FOR MOST BULGARIANS.
Bulgaria's interim government on 27 February announced it will increase the
price of heating, electricity, and coal by 257%, the Bulgarian press
reported. Services offered by the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company are
to be raised eight-fold. The new prices will go into effect in March. In
the meantime, the government will try to find ways to compensate the
country's poorest citizens. Some 20 million ECU provided by the EU will be
distributed among 150,000 families beginning on 23 March. Meanwhile, the
National Statistics Institute has revealed that 89% of Bulgarians say that
they are poorer than they were last year. The number of those who are
living off their savings has doubled since 1995. Almost every fourth
Bulgarian has run up debts. In other news, German Foreign Minister Klaus
Kinkel, speaking in Bonn, commented that "Bulgaria is on the brink of
economic catastrophe," international agencies reported. He appealed to
Sofia not to delay economic reforms any longer. -- Maria Koinova
[15] HUMANITARIAN AID TO BULGARIA.
A UN mission arrived in Sofia on 27 February to assess the need for
humanitarian aid, international agencies reported. "Bulgaria needs
humanitarian aid and any support is welcome," Vice President Todor
Kavaldzhiev told Bulgarian Radio the same day. Hungarian-born American
philanthropist George Soros has donated $1.8 million through the Sofia
branch of his Open Society Foundation, mainly to secure medicines for the
Institute for Emergency Aid in Sofia and other hospitals outside the
capital, RFE/RL reported on 25 February. Part of the assistance will go to
set up soup kitchens around the country and to support the disabled and
needy university and school students. -- Maria Koinova
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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