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Central Asia / Siberia
NEWSLINE: Central Asia, Transcaucasia and RussiaRadio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Iran warns against trans-Caspian pipeline
The Iranian Foreign Ministry on 20 February warned Turkmenistan about ''any initiatives aimed at building oil and gas pipelines under the Caspian Sea,'' AP and dpa reported. Turkmenistan the previous day had named the U.S. companies Bechtel Corp. and General Electric as the leaders in a consortium to build the Trans-Caspian pipeline to bring Turkmen natural gas to Azerbaijan (see ''RFE/RL Newsline,'' 19 February 1999). The Iranian Foreign Ministry pointed out that treaties signed by Iran and the Soviet Union in 1921 and 1940 ''are still in force'' and that any action taken without the consent of all the littoral states will be considered ''illegal.'' The Iranian Foreign Ministry said ''the perpetrators of such action are held fully responsible for any harmful consequences to the Caspian Sea, such as environmental damage.'' (Bruce Pannier)
Three Central Asian presidents meet . . .
The presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, taking part in a Central Asian Union summit in Astana on 19 February, signed a memorandum on coordinating efforts to cushion the impact of the global economic crisis and a protocol on implementing the January 1997 Eternal Friendship Treaty. Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev said it is ''important'' for each country ''not to take unilateral steps,'' and he called the Central Asian Union ''more essential today than ever before'' if economic problems are to be alleviated. The presidents established a working group of their countries' prime ministers to coordinate measures to combat the economic crisis. By mutual agreement, Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev will continue to act as chairman of the union for another year. The next summit is scheduled to take place in Kyrgyzstan in June. (B.P.)
. . . But Tajik president stays home
Tajikistan, which is a candidate member of the Central Asian Union, was not represented at the 19 February summit in Kazakhstan's capital. In talks with RFE/RL correspondents in Dushanbe the previous day, several government officials were unaware of the meeting. There have been no reports that any invitation was extended to Tajik President Imomali Rakhmonov. Tajikistan was expected to become a full member of the union at the first summit this year. (B.P.)
Karimov steals the show
At a press briefing in which he was the focus of attention, Islam Karimov called the CIS Collective Peace Treaty ''ineffective'' but said it is up to the nine participating countries to decide for themselves if they will extend their participation or withdraw from the treaty. Karimov also spoke about the 16 February bombings in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, confirming that security forces there are seeking ''religious fanatics.'' Karimov said two men who had parked a car containing explosives near government buildings fled just before the car blew up, shouting ''Allah Akbar.'' Karimov credits the commander of the presidential guards, Rustam Ajayev, with saving his life. Ajayev halted Karimov's car 150 meters from a car that exploded seconds later. (B.P.)
Kazakhstan vigilant after Kurd violence
Following a violent demonstration by ethnic Kurds last week (see ''RFE/RL Newsline,'' 19 February 1999), Kazakhstan's Interior Ministry said it has intensified police patrols until 26 February, Interfax reported. Viktor Khrapunov, the mayor of Almaty, has called on members of the Kurdish community to abide by Kazakhstan's laws and maintain ethnic and civil peace. Elders of the Kurdish community in Kazakhstan have apologized for not preventing the demonstration and have promised not to allow any further such protests. (B.P.)
Brother of Uzbek opposition leader arrested
Muhammed Begjon, whose brother, Muhammad Solih, is the leader of the Uzbek opposition party Erk, was arrested in Khwarezm on 18 February, RFE/RL correspondents reported. Police came to Begjon's home and requested he drive his car to the police station. Once there, police searched Begjon's vehicle and reportedly discovered gun cartridges. Begjon remains in detention. (B.P.)
Armenian foreign minister reviews Karabakh conflict . . .
Speaking at a news conference in Yerevan on 19 February, Vartan Oskanian said that in Armenia's view the only option for the resumption of the deadlocked OSCE-mediated talks on resolving the Karabakh conflict lies in the plan proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairman last year, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported. Baku has rejected that plan, which envisaged the creation of a ''common state'' by Azerbaijan and the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Oskanian said that the Minsk Group has issued a statement saying that the co- chairmen are trying to find a mutually acceptable basis for the resumption of negotiations. (Liz Fuller)
. . . And relations with Russia and Gulf states
Oskanian also rejected claims that Armenia's ongoing military cooperation with Russia is directed against other countries, such as Turkey and Azerbaijan. He said Armenian policy is purely defensive and directed not at polarizing, but at promoting rapprochement and peaceful coexistence between the states of the region, according to ITAR-TASS. Summarizing his visits to Egypt, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates earlier this month, Oskanian said Armenia will open an embassy in the UAE and hopes for intensified economic cooperation with the Persian Gulf states, Noyan Tapan reported. (L.F.)
Georgian insurgency leader threatens to seize port
Colonel Akaki Eliava, who led the failed one-day insurgency in western Georgia last October (see ''RFE/RL Newsline,'' 19-20 October 1999), has threatened to seize the strategic Black Sea port of Poti if 60 of his supporters arrested in the wake of that revolt are not released, Caucasus Press reported on 19 February, citing ''Akhali taoba.'' Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze implicitly blamed the Georgian law enforcement organs for failing to apprehend Eliava. Interior Ministry representatives had held talks with Eliava in January in an attempt to persuade him to surrender (see ''RFE/RL Newsline,'' 20 and 22 January 1999). (L.F.)
Primakov seeks ways to control governors
Russian Prime Minister Primakov suggested at a 21 February session of the Leningrad Oblast government that the Russian constitution needs amending to strengthen ''vertical power'' but that such a step not be taken this year. In particular, he recommended that governors be selected by local elective bodies from a list of candidates provided by the president, Interfax reported. Primakov explained that ''at present governors are chosen directly by the people and it is impossible to exert influence over a governor,'' Reuters reported. Primakov's announcement could damage the support he has managed to win among the country's governors. ''Kommersant-Daily'' argued on 20 February that Primakov has managed to woo governors away from Moscow Mayor Luzhkov and his Otechestvo movement by convincing them at a January meeting on federal policy that ''consent emanates from the regions, not the center'' (see ''RFE/RL Newsline,'' 27 January 1999). (Julie A. Corwin)
1999 budget becomes law
Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed the 1999 budget into law on 22 February, Interfax reported. The Federation Council had approved the budget on 17 February. The document sets aside $9.5 billion to pay foreign creditors, who are owed at total of $17.5 billion in 1999, according to Interfax. The amount devoted to defense was increased by 17 billion rubles ($744 million) to 107 billion rubles, while other programs were cut. The budget calls for expenditures of 575 billion rubles and revenues of 474 billion rubles. (J.A.C.)
Duma rejects IMF advice on Central Bank law
Duma Speaker Seleznev dismissed the IMF's reservations about proposed changes in the law on the Central Bank now being considered by the Federation Council, ITAR-TASS reported on 19 February. He said that the ''IMF can give recommendations but it cannot insist on which laws we shall adopt.'' He added that the IMF ''has gotten used to telling us what they would like to see. Luckily, this government tells them what Russia needs.'' In a letter to Central Bank head Gerashchenko on 12 February, IMF deputy director of the department dealing with Russia, Jorge Marquez-Ruarte, said that the amendments would reduce the bank's independence and negatively effect the inflation rate and stability of the ruble, RFE/RL's Washington bureau reported. Marquez-Ruarte found a proposed amendment restricting the Central Bank's ability to set interest rates ''particularly disturbing.'' (J.A.C.)
Ocalan arrest condemned
By a vote of 344 to two with one abstention, the Duma adopted a resolution on 19 February expressing ''extreme indignation'' at the 15 February capture of Kurdistan Workers' Party leader Abdullah Ocalan, Reuters reported. It termed the arrest a violation of international law. Duma deputies called on President Yeltsin to request that a peaceful solution to the Kurdish problem be included in the agenda of the UN Security Council. They also asked the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to review whether Turkey meets that body's standards on human rights. Federal Security Service Director Vladimir Putin told Duma deputies later that day that Russia neither invited Ocalan to Russia nor deported him from the country, ITAR-TASS reported. Putin similarly denied that Moscow had rejected a request by Ocalan for political asylum, saying Ocalan had never made any such request. (L.F.)
Did Primakov broker Caspian oil deal?
''Kommersant-Daily'' on 19 February suggests that Ocalan did apply for political asylum in Russia last year and that his request was turned down as part of a broader plan devised by Prime Minister Primakov. According to that plan, which the newspaper claims was agreed on by Primakov and Chevron President Richard Matzke at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, Moscow will not impede construction of the Baku-Ceyhan export pipeline for Azerbaijan's Caspian oil. (A firm commitment to that project by the Western companies engaged in Azerbaijan is on hold indefinitely because plummeting oil prices make it economically unviable.) In return, Kazakhstan's crude will be exported via the planned pipeline from Tengiz to Novorossiisk and Turkey will not prevent its passage in tankers through the Turkish straits. (L.F.) (c)1998 RFE/RL, Inc. All rights reserved.
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RFE/RL NEWSLINE STAFF
* Paul Goble, Publisher, GobleP@rferl.org
* Liz Fuller, Editor-in-Chief, CarlsonE@rferl.org
* Patrick Moore, Team Leader, MooreP@rferl.org
* Jan Cleave, CleaveJ@rferl.org
* Julie A. Corwin, CorwinJ@rferl.org
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* Bruce Pannier, PannierB@rferl.org
* Michael Shafir, ShafirM@rferl.org
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February 24, 1999
