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OMRI: Daily Digest, Vol. 3, No. 56, 97-03-20
From: Open Media Research Institute <http://www.omri.cz>
Vol. 3, No. 56, 20 March 1997
CONTENTS
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] NAGORNO-KARABAKH LEADER TO BE APPOINTED ARMENIA'S NEW PRIME MINISTER?
[02] SADVAL, OPON MEMBERS SENTENCED IN BAKU.
[03] TURKISH PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IN AZERBAIJAN.
[04] UIGHUR PROTEST AT CHINESE EMBASSY IN KAZAKSTAN.
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[05] ITALY DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY OVER ALBANIAN REFUGEES.
[06] ITALY CONSIDERS SENDING TROOPS TO ALBANIA.
[07] EU: ALBANIA MUST ESTABLISH SECURITY BEFORE RECEIVING AID.
[08] U.S. COMMANDER URGES $2 BILLION FOR BOSNIA FORCE.
[09] POLL: CROATIA'S RULING PARTY WILL LOSE IN ELECTIONS.
[10] BELGRADE UNIVERSITY RECTOR IS OUT.
[11] U.S. BLASTS NEW SERBIAN MEDIA LAW.
[12] ZAJEDNO CALLS FOR FORWARD-LOOKING APPROACH IN KOSOVO.
[13] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER IN MACEDONIA.
[14] ROMANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN BONN.
[15] FORMER ROMANIAN PRESIDENT WRITES AGAIN TO CURRENT PRESIDENT.
[16] MOLDOVAN PARLIAMENT PASSES BUDGET LAW.
[17] COMMISSION FOR TRANSDNIESTER HOLDS FIRST SITTING.
[18] BULGARIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS UPDATE.
[A] TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA
[01] NAGORNO-KARABAKH LEADER TO BE APPOINTED ARMENIA'S NEW PRIME MINISTER?
RFE/RL on 19 March quoted deputies of the Armenian parliament as claiming
that President Levon Ter-Petrossyan is considering appointing the president
of the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Robert Kocharyan, as
Armenia's new prime minister. Observers note that Kocharyan is currently in
Yerevan, holding consultations with senior Armenian officials. Kocharyan,
42, was named president by the Nagorno-Karabakh parliament in late 1994 and
was reelected to that post by popular vote in November 1996 elections that
were condemned by the international community. Among other candidates to
replace Prime Minister Armen Sarkisyan, who resigned on 6 March because of
poor health, is controversial Yerevan Mayor and former Interior Minister
Vano Siradeghyan. Earlier, Siradeghyan, who is considered by the opposition
as one of the main organizers of the alleged 22 September election rigging,
told RFE/RL that he will accept the post if offered. -- Emil Danielyan
[02] SADVAL, OPON MEMBERS SENTENCED IN BAKU.
On 18 March, Azerbaijan's Supreme Court handed down sentences of between
two and 15 years imprisonment on seven members of the Lezgin separatist
organization Sadval on charges of treason, premeditated murder, and the
violation of national equality, Nezavisimaya gazeta reported on 20 March.
On 19 March, eleven former members of the OPON special police were
sentenced to terms of between five and 13 years for their part in the so-
called "coup attempt" by Rovshan Djavadov in March 1995, Western agencies
reported. -- Liz Fuller
[03] TURKISH PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IN AZERBAIJAN.
On 19 March, the first day of a two-day visit to Azerbaijan, Turkish
parliament speaker Mustafa Kalemli met with his Azerbaijani counterpart
Murtuz Alesqerov, who expressed the hope that Turkey would participate
actively in the export of Azerbaijan's Caspian oil to the West, Turan
reported. Addressing Azerbaijan's Milli Mejlis, Kalemli reiterated that
Turkey will not endorse any solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that
does not ensure Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, according to ITAR-TASS.
In an implicit warning to Moscow to cease its support for exile Kurdish
groups with links to the PKK, Kalemli also stressed Turkey's readiness to
develop partnership relations with all neighboring countries, especially
Russia, on the basis of mutual respect and non-interference in each other's
internal affairs. -- Liz Fuller
[04] UIGHUR PROTEST AT CHINESE EMBASSY IN KAZAKSTAN.
A group of some 30 ethnic Uighurs held what was described as a "noisy
protest" outside the Chinese embassy in Almaty on 19 March, Reuters
reported. The demonstration came in response to reports by the United
National Revolutionary Front of Eastern Turkestan (the Uighur independence
movement) about the planned execution of two Uighur students in China. The
students are charged with rioting in China's western Xinjiang province in
February. The Uighurs in Kazakstan claim that hundreds of Uighurs were
killed in the rioting. China says the figure was 10 killed and 100 wounded.
Protesters outside the Chinese Embassy in Almaty shouted "East Turkestan"
and "Allah Akbar" (God is Great) while staff inside the embassy videotaped
them. -- Bruce Pannier
[B] SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE
[05] ITALY DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY OVER ALBANIAN REFUGEES.
Italy declared a nationwide state of emergency on 19 March to deal with the
refugee influx from Albania, AFP reported. In Puglia refugee centers,
convents, and churches are overflowing with more than 10,000 Albanians. The
authorities have begun sending the refugees to other areas, in the north
and center of Italy. The emergency measures, approved by a special cabinet
session, will see the government diverting 61 billion lire ($38 million) to
help cope with the influx, while limiting residence permits to 60 days.
Italy also repatriated some 300 Albanians regarded as "dangerous," most of
whom escaped from jail last week. Albanian Prime Minister Bashkim Fino has
asked Italy to delay repatriations until Albania has restored its prisons,
Germany's ARD TV reported. -- Fabian Schmidt
[06] ITALY CONSIDERS SENDING TROOPS TO ALBANIA.
Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini implied after talks with his Albanian
counterpart Arian Starova that Italy may send troops to Albania, saying
there is "an urgent need of humanitarian aid ... accompanied by a security
force," AFP reported. Dini said "Italy would prefer to act as part of the
EU. But we are obviously ready to respond to specific requests in a case of
real emergency." AFP quoted "an informed source in Brindisi" as saying that
up to 1,000 Italian troops could be sent to Durres to ensure aid is safely
distributed. A troop ship with some 300 marines and armored vehicles on
board left Brindisi overnight. A helicopter carrier was also ready to leave
Brindisi. -- Fabian Schmidt
[07] EU: ALBANIA MUST ESTABLISH SECURITY BEFORE RECEIVING AID.
EU mission leader Jan d'Ansembourg, however, said Albania "has to solve its
own problems before we can help." French Foreign Minister Herve de Charette
said there is "no question of Europeans intervening with troops to recover
arms" from anti-government insurgents. Meanwhile, 15 people, four of them
children, were killed on 19 March. Two of the children were killed by
siblings playing with guns. The commander of the rebel-held south, Xhevat
Kociu, withdrew an ultimatum to President Sali Berisha to resign and said
that the 12 rebel-controlled districts will meet on 21 March to chart their
next moves. Prime Minister Bashkim Fino, meanwhile, canceled his planned
visit to the south after the vigilante group Committee of National
Salvation, which supports Berisha, threatened violence against the
insurgents and people who negotiate with them. -- Fabian Schmidt
[08] U.S. COMMANDER URGES $2 BILLION FOR BOSNIA FORCE.
Gen. George Joulwan, the commander of U.S. forces in Europe, said on 18
March that the fighting readiness of U.S. troops in Bosnia will suffer if
Congress does not quickly approve $2 billion for peacekeeping in Bosnia-
Herzegovina, Reuters reported. Joulwan was referring to the increasingly
important role of the 100,000 U.S. troops in the region in providing rescue
and other services, such as the recent evacuation of hundreds of Americans
and other foreigners from Albania. Joulwan said the U.S. can be proud of
having few casualties in Bosnia but it also should anticipate the costs of
that operation and its effects on readiness to deploy forces elsewhere if
needed. -- Daria Sito Sucic
[09] POLL: CROATIA'S RULING PARTY WILL LOSE IN ELECTIONS.
The Croatian Democratic Community (HDZ) is set to lose its majority in the
upper house of parliament and its control of a number of regional councils
in the 13 April local elections, according to a poll published in the
independent weekly Nacional, AFP reported on 19 March. However, Croatian
President Franjo Tudjman remained the most popular presidential candidate,
the poll showed. Tudjman had the support of 43.1% of respondents, followed
by Zdravko Tomac of the Social-Democratic Party with 10.4%, and Vlado
Gotovac of the Croatian Social Liberal Party with 9.3%. The HDZ would win
26 seats in the 68-seat upper house--down from the current 38. Support for
the opposition was strong in the capital of Zagreb; in major Dalmatian
towns such as Split, Zadar, and Rijeka; and in the industrial town of
Karlovac. The HDZ was strong outside of Zagreb and in the former war zones.
-- Daria Sito Sucic
[10] BELGRADE UNIVERSITY RECTOR IS OUT.
Dragutin Velickovic has resigned his post at Serbia's leading university,
school officials confirmed on 19 March. The announcement led to
celebrations among students, who plan a bigger demonstration on 20 March,
international news agencies reported. The students have staged protests for
118 days demanding the ouster of Velickovic, who is regarded as a stooge of
President Slobodan Milosevic and antagonistic toward the students. The
student protests ran parallel to those of the political opposition. The
interim rector is Dragan Kuburovic, who was Velickovic's deputy. A new
chief administrator will be named on 1 October. Nasa Borba reported on 20
March that the Belgrade University Council held a "stormy meeting" the
previous night. -- Patrick Moore
[11] U.S. BLASTS NEW SERBIAN MEDIA LAW.
State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns said on 19 March that "instead of
passing a new restrictive media law, the Serbian government should
encourage independent private media and ensure independent non-partisan
management of the state-owned media." He was responding to a recent draft
proposal by the authorities to greatly limit private ownership of radio and
television. Control of television in particular has been central in
enabling President Slobodan Milosevic to maintain his hold on power. His
near monopoly has, however, been threatened by the victories of the
political opposition in 14 municipalities and by the defection to the
opposition of the privately owned BK television station. Milosevic's new
information minister, Serbian-American Radmila Milentijevic, has been
trying to tighten control over the media. -- Patrick Moore
[12] ZAJEDNO CALLS FOR FORWARD-LOOKING APPROACH IN KOSOVO.
The opposition Zajedno coalition's Kosovo branch said that any political
dialogue must be based on a discussion of developments only since 1974,
when Kosovo obtained the wide-ranging autonomy that Milosevic subsequently
abolished. The Zajedno group likewise warned both the Albanians and the
Serbs against belaboring alleged historical injustices prior to 1974, Nasa
Borba wrote on 19 March. Dealing with conflicts throughout the Balkans is
especially difficult because of a tendency in the region to dwell upon real
or imagined grievances from the past rather than looking toward the future.
-- Patrick Moore
[13] GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER IN MACEDONIA.
Theodoros Pangalos on 19 March visited Macedonia, the first visit by a
Greek cabinet member since Macedonian independence in 1991, Nova
Makedonija reported. Pangalos said little about the dispute over
Macedonia's name. He noted: "There is a threat of a spreading of the
[Albanian] crisis and all efforts are being made to prevent a refugee
exodus," and he urged Macedonia to cooperate with Greece in containing the
crisis. Pangalos said that Greece had proposed that the EU increase its
assistance to Balkan economies. Meanwhile, students holding a hunger strike
in Skopje since 3 March to protest a law allowing teaching in Albanian
decided on 19 March to halt that strike but to continue protesting. Finally,
President Kiro Gligorov addressed parliament on 18 March, criticizing
nationalist Macedonian and ethnic Albanian politicians for heightening
interethnic tension. -- Michael Wyzan
[14] ROMANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN BONN.
After Adrian Severin on 19 March met with his German counterpart Klaus
Kinkel, a German press release said Bonn will make no commitment to support
Romania's integration into NATO before the July summit in Madrid, Romania
libera reported. As for the EU, the German communique said: "Candidates
for entry have to satisfy certain requirements, which demand extensive
adjustments." The Romanian effort to win Bonn's support was behind an
invitation by Public Information Minister Radu Boroianu to members of the
German minority who left Romania, Reuters reported. Boroianu said earlier
this week that "repatriation would involve the right to housing and jobs"
and condemned "the criminal cash sale" of ethnic Germans by Romania's
ousted communists. -- Michael Shafir
[15] FORMER ROMANIAN PRESIDENT WRITES AGAIN TO CURRENT PRESIDENT.
Ion Iliescu, leader of the Party of Social Democracy in Romania (PDSR), in
the second letter this week to Emil Constantinescu, rejected the accusation
that his party is "obstructing" urgently needed legislation by boycotting
parliament. The letter, carried in the daily Jurnalul national on 20
March, said the PDSR will not obstruct the passing of the budget law.
Reacting to Constantinescu's accusations (see OMRI Daily Digest, 19
March), Iliescu says "national interest" cannot be defined outside the
framework of "a functioning democratic system and the institutions of the
state based on the rule of law"--thus justifying his party's decision to
boycott parliamentary debates because of what it regards as abuses by the
ruling majority. Iliescu called again on Constantinescu to organize a
meeting of the leaders of all parties represented in parliament.
Constantinescu said he will convene such a meeting. -- Michael Shafir
[16] MOLDOVAN PARLIAMENT PASSES BUDGET LAW.
The Moldovan parliament on 19 March approved the budget for 1997, Infotag
reported on the same day. The sometimes-heated debate on the law started on
7 March. The total budget is 2,246 million lei (some $488 million), 20
million lei higher than the figure proposed by the government and is based
on a deficit figure of 330 million lei. The Defense Ministry was allocated
70 million lei, the Interior Ministry 85 million, and the Ministry of
National Security 45 million. -- Michael Shafir
[17] COMMISSION FOR TRANSDNIESTER HOLDS FIRST SITTING.
The inter-ministerial commission for Moldova's eastern districts, set up by
President Petru Lucinschi to coordinate a single policy toward the
breakaway region, held its first meeting on 19 March. BASA-press reported
the same day that the chairman of the commission, Presidential Adviser
Anatol Taran, said the commission must involve itself in solving the socio-
economic problems faced by the Transdniester population in order to gain
its trust. -- Michael Shafir
[18] BULGARIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS UPDATE.
The registration period for the 19 April general elections ended on 19
March, paving the way for the campaign to begin, RFE/RL and national media
reported. Some 40 parties will run for parliament, but the Central
Electoral Commission received 57 applications, as some parties will run
both alone and in coalition. In a last-minute move, the Aleksander
Stamboliyski Union--an agrarian party and a former coalition ally of the
Socialists--decided to run separately, prompting Demokratsiya to write:
"the red coalition is dissolving." Party leader Svetoslav Shivarov, an
active figure in the former Socialist government, gave no explanation for
the move. Former President Zhelyu Zhelev also left a coalition with the
ethnic Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedom and registered his own
Liberal Forum coalition. The Liberal Forum, though, is unlikely to pass the
4% vote threshold. -- 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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