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FBIS3-14707_0 | Language: Arabic Article Type:BFN [Excerpt] The brother leader of the revolution received leaders of the Palestinian alliance forces: the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Islamic Jihad Movement, Fatah Movement-Intifadah, the Palestinian Liberation Front, the Palestinian Front for the Popular Struggle, the Palestinian Communist and Revolutionary Party, the Vanguards of the Palestinian Liberation Party, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, and the Islamic Resistance Movement -- Hamas. The Palestinian alliance forces have issued a statement in which they stressed that their meeting with the brother leader of the revolution falls within an awareness of the historic responsibility shouldered by the pan-Arab forces that are resisting the plans of submission and Zionist dominion. Within this framework, developments on the Arab and international arenas were discussed, in particular developments related to occupied Palestine in the aftermath of the massacres that are being committed by the Zionist enemy against the Palestinian people, the latest of which is the sacred Ibrahimi Mosque massacre. The statement reiterated the rejection of the Palestinian people and its revolutionary and pan-Arab forces of the unjust and unfair measures that are imposed against the Great Jamahiriyah by the so-called UN Security Council. The statement underlined that these measures are a result of the principled and firm stance of the Great Jamahiriyah and its commitment to issues of the Arab nation, foremost of which is its fundamental issue, Palestine, and its rejection of the U.S.-Western-Zionist domination plan. These measures not only target the Arab Libyan people, but they also target the whole Arab nation. The sons of the Arab nations and its dynamic forces are called upon to work towards putting an end to the embargo, which they should not honor. The statement pointed out that the leader's view of these developments truly expressed the (?Arab nation's) goals and aspirations and its adherence to its national and historical rights to protect its interests, wealth, and sovereignty. The statement of the Palestinian alliance forces said that Jerusalem was a holy land for the divine religions and the capital of struggling Palestine. The masses of our people will never accept anything other than that and will resist the Zionist plan targeting its Arab nature, obliterating its history, and Judaising it. Accusing our Palestinian people and our Arab and Islamic nation of terrorism was only a conspiracy against our right | Al-Qadhdhafi Receives Palestinian Alliance Force |
FBIS3-14719_1 | authority in Iran, held a top secret meeting devoted to discussing an important report prepared by the foreign intelligence service led by 'Ali Fallahian in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This security-political report was devoted to future Iranian-Iraqi relations, particularly the future situation in Iraq and its possible repercussions on Iran. This report was prepared in light of secret information Tehran received through its diplomatic missions, particularly its permanent representative in New York, Kamal Kharrazi, and its intelligence offices in several Western capitals concerned with what is taking place in Iraq, as well as through its embassy in Baghdad. The little information leaking from this meeting says senior Iranian officials expressed their conviction that the situation in Iraq will see important changes in the coming phase. They believe Iraq's future will not remain uncertain indefinitely, and that all options are still open, including possibilities of internal revolution, military coup, assassination, and partition. In this meeting, 'Ali Khamane'i, leader of the Islamic revolution, revealed that the situation in Iraq is burning under the ashes, and that talk about Saddam Husayn's success in controlling the situation may not last long in view of the economic problems, social crises, blockade, and popular grumbling. Khamene'i added: Any change in Iraq will reflect on the situation in Iran. We are interested in Iraq. Consequently, we should be ready to consider such change and deal with it before it actually takes place. He continued: The policy of double containment, which the U.S. Administration reinstated, is only a pressure card adopted by the Clinton administration. This card is linked to the extent of our ability to contain this U.S. threat and to Saddam Husayn's ability to convince the Americans to use him as a weapon in order to confront what the powers of global arrogance term the Iranian threat, and also to prevent the establishment of a Shiite entity in southern Iraq. 'Ali Fallahian pointed out that the reports he recently received from several big capitals interested in the situation in Iraq do not rule out the occurrence of regional changes. Some reports even talk about redrawing a new regional map, including Iraq's partition, fragmentation, and division into several sectarian and ethnic entities. Fallahian added: Naturally, regional and international reasons were behind the world's refusal to partition Iraq in the wake of the Gulf war. The same reasons are still behind keeping Saddam Husayn in | Report Details Iranian Concerns About Country's Future --FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY |
FBIS3-14719_5 | him explicitly that important changes will happen in Iraq within the next few months. He told him that the international changes will eventually arrive in Iraq, which will be divided in accordance with a confederation system after international troops are sent into it. He also told him that many regions in Iraq will become autonomous. Information obtained by AL-WATAN AL-'ARABI from very reliable sources in Tehran says that officials from the "Liberation Movements Bureau," which is headed by Iranian 'Ali A'qal Mohammadi, head of the Iraq Affairs Center, began to prepare plans for bolstering the position of the Iraqi opposition, especially the fundamental opposition, both inside and outside Iraq. According to this plan, action cells will set up in Iraq, and they will be ready to intervene when the zero hour arrives. As for foreign action, Iraqi opposition elements will be recruited. They will be linked with the terrorist cells affiliated with the Liberation Movements Bureau and foreign intelligence. They will work to strike at Iraqi interests, embassies, and institutions in a number of European countries. They will also carry out assassinations. The plan calls for seeking the help of a large number of Iraqi opposition elements residing in Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and some Arab countries. They will be urged to travel to Sweden, Britain, Denmark, Italy, France, Cyprus, and other countries. Iranian embassies in these countries will get in touch with Iraqi opposition groups and terrorist cells and organize their activities and plans and establish their objectives. It was learned that the Iranian embassies will issue Iraqis with forged passports and equipment suited to their operations. These embassies will provide information and details about movements of Iraqi diplomats and mission staff. It seems the Iranian authorities are anxious not to raise suspicion that they are directing these operations. It was noticed that their activities and contacts with the fundamentalist Iraqi opposition have, for some weeks, focused on Lebanon. In fact, the Lebanese security agencies have been surprised by the strength of the Iraqi fundamentalist presence on Lebanese territory and the increased activity of Iraqi fundamentalists. Some reports speak of intensive meetings by Iraqi fundamentalists in the central al-Biqa' region chaired by an Iraqi called Abu- Haydar. According to information obtained from security sources, the al-Biqa' meetings are preparatory. They represent one of a series of intensive, secret sessions that take place in the Iraqi opposition office in the southern | Report Details Iranian Concerns About Country's Future --FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY |
FBIS3-14725_0 | Language: English Article Type:BFN [By V.K. Madhavan Kutty] [Text] Whenever a change takes place in the American Administration, especially from Republicans to Democrats, it is common practice in the media in India and also to some extent in government circles and among politicians to interpret it as a change for the good, particularly for Indo-U.S. relations. But the experience so far has been to the contrary, the simple reason being that the U.S. national interests and their perspectives have remained the same. In other words, the U.S. Administration never changed its attitudes and perspectives on world affairs. It has remained consistent, a fact we can overlook only at our own cost. America fashioned its policies, tailored its approaches and upheld its values on democracy, human rights and whatever its founding fathers prescribed for them to suit their `national interests' as Americans perceived them, whether it was Grenada, Panama, the Bay of Pigs, Iran and host of other things and even on Kashmir. To expect that America will play its role according to the rule book is too much. America will even extend a Most Favoured Nation treatment even if it is convinced that the recipient country violates and defies the basic principles America upholds and wants all others to adhere strictly. America never stood by India or anybody else for that matter. If India drew inspiration from it during our independence struggle it was because it suited America's national interest to support us at that time. It makes one even to think retrospectively that it was in their national interest they wanted Britain to withdraw from India so that one day in the future they can be the replacement! The subsequent U.S. attitude particularly in recent years, more so after the end of cold war towards India on Kashmir, our economic development, scientific programmes, NPT [Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty] etc. proves this. Perhaps America was in a happier situation when in the late 60s one Central Minister with proclaimed socialist leanings spoke of `dove-tailing the plan', `India's womb opening up', 'backseat driving' etc. The doves have turned to hawks and planning is now at the dictates of World Bank and IMF. At that time there were warnings of the empire trying to come back by the back door. Now the suspicion has once again started growing among many Indians, thanks to Clinton's pronouncements, Robin Raphel's observations and John Mallot's comments. Opening | Dailies Examine Current State of Relations With U.S. U.S. Priorities Noted |
FBIS3-14727_0 | Language: Tamil Article Type:BFN [Unattributed article] [Text] The United States has never been a close friend of India. At the same time, neither has it displayed any animosity. Of late, however, there has been a rapid change in the situation. The United States is doing everything possible to embarrass India. Why is it so furious against India? The sole reason is that, being an international policeman, it thinks that India has not become its consummate slave. Moreover, India's progress in South Asia as well as its overall development, which befits a global superpower, also irritates the United States. Right from the Nehru era, only the Soviet Union maintained a close friendship and gave protection to India. The United States was unhappy with India as it was leaning toward the Soviet Union when both the Soviet Union and the United States were superpowers. Therefore, whoever became U.S. president, he maintained a moderate level of friendship with India. They never provoked India unnecessarily. Similarly, while being friendly with the Soviet Union, India never neglected the United States. It maintained an equal level of friendship with both countries. The situation started changing after the Soviet Union was fragmented in 1992. Some change occurred in the moderate level of friendship that existed between 1941 and 1991. At the same time, India improved its ties with the United States without sacrificing its right of individuality. The stance adopted by India during the Gulf War a shortwhile before the break up of the Soviet Union pacified the United States. The then prime minister Chandrashekhar permitted the American warplanes, which took part in the Gulf war, to refuel in India. Although the opposition leader Rajiv Gandhi protested and the event created some turmoil, the Gulf War came to an end by then and the United States emerged victorious. Besides appreciating India for its cooperation, the United States came forward to strengthen its ties with India. As a result, Indo-U.S. joint military exercises were organized. The commanders of the armed forces of the two countries met and held discussions. During the war in Afghanistan, the United States was lending support to the Afghan militants through Pakistan. Although Pakistan acted with silly intentions to neglect India, the United States did not endorse it. Moreover, when the Soviet forces withdrew from Afghanistan and Najibollah relinquished his presidency, the United States delinked itself from Pakistan. The resolution moved by Senator Larry | Dailies Examine Current State of Relations With U.S. Factors Affecting Ties Assessed |
FBIS3-14728_2 | to the resolution adopted by the Indian parliament and asserted that Pakistan's efforts to agitate the issue would not succeed in fulfilling its territorial ambitions. The foreign secretary regretted that Pakistan had taken steps such as the proposed closure of their consulate in Bombay and the embargo on Indian citizens crossing the land border at Wagah. Indo-U.S. bilateral cooperation on issues like narcotics control, education and culture and science and technology were noted with satisfaction as also the greatly increased levels of trade, investment and economic ties. The foreign secretary reciprocated Ms. Raphel's statement on behalf of the U.S. administration that the United States favours the strengthening of ties with India, building on the positive features of the present relationship and bridging areas where lack of understanding exists through regular dialogue. On non-proliferation, Ms. Raphel raised the possibility of discussing this issue in a multilateral forum. Referring to a U.S. proposal to discuss such issues within a small group of countries, the FS expressed certain reservations regarding this concept, underlining India's policies laid out in the 1988 action plan presented to the United Nations. Turning to the possibility of amendment of the Pressler legislation or a one time waiver thereof, the FS expressed strong reservations on this approach, since any accretion of Pakistan's offensive military capabilities would escalate tensions in the region and seriously affect India's security environment. It was agreed that further discussions on these issues would be held during the visit of the deputy secretary of state, Strobe Talbott. The discussions with the commerce secretary covered wide range of issues. These included developments following the conclusion of the Uruguay Round and specific issues on Indo-U.S. bilateral trade. Both the commerce secretary and Assistant Secretary Raphel expressed satisfaction at the increased momentum in the bilateral trade relationship, the growing interest in the U.S. business community in commercial interaction with India and expressed optimism about the potential in further growth in the bilateral trade. Specific issues like difficulties being experienced by Indian software engineers in respect of HIB [expansion unknown] visa, apprehensions about the revival of Super 301 and other pressing issues of interest to U.S. were raised. Assistant Secretary Raphel said that the USG [U.S. Government] would use Super 301 consistent with GATT and the results of the Uruguay Round. The commerce secretary also outlined India's efforts to work out a preferential trading arrangement under the aegis of the | `Press Briefing' Notes Activities of U.S. Envoy |
FBIS3-14728_3 | on issues like narcotics control, education and culture and science and technology were noted with satisfaction as also the greatly increased levels of trade, investment and economic ties. The foreign secretary reciprocated Ms. Raphel's statement on behalf of the U.S. administration that the United States favours the strengthening of ties with India, building on the positive features of the present relationship and bridging areas where lack of understanding exists through regular dialogue. On non-proliferation, Ms. Raphel raised the possibility of discussing this issue in a multilateral forum. Referring to a U.S. proposal to discuss such issues within a small group of countries, the FS expressed certain reservations regarding this concept, underlining India's policies laid out in the 1988 action plan presented to the United Nations. Turning to the possibility of amendment of the Pressler legislation or a one time waiver thereof, the FS expressed strong reservations on this approach, since any accretion of Pakistan's offensive military capabilities would escalate tensions in the region and seriously affect India's security environment. It was agreed that further discussions on these issues would be held during the visit of the deputy secretary of state, Strobe Talbott. The discussions with the commerce secretary covered wide range of issues. These included developments following the conclusion of the Uruguay Round and specific issues on Indo-U.S. bilateral trade. Both the commerce secretary and Assistant Secretary Raphel expressed satisfaction at the increased momentum in the bilateral trade relationship, the growing interest in the U.S. business community in commercial interaction with India and expressed optimism about the potential in further growth in the bilateral trade. Specific issues like difficulties being experienced by Indian software engineers in respect of HIB [expansion unknown] visa, apprehensions about the revival of Super 301 and other pressing issues of interest to U.S. were raised. Assistant Secretary Raphel said that the USG [U.S. Government] would use Super 301 consistent with GATT and the results of the Uruguay Round. The commerce secretary also outlined India's efforts to work out a preferential trading arrangement under the aegis of the SAARC [South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation]. He expressed the hope that Pakistan would join other SAARC members in this endeavour. Both commerce secretary and the assistant secretary looked forward to further strengthening of India-U.S. trade relations and expressed the hope that the forthcoming visit of U.S. Commerce Secretary Ron Brown would provide an added impetus. New Delhi 24.3.94 | `Press Briefing' Notes Activities of U.S. Envoy |
FBIS3-14751_9 | its armed forces from the Republic of Estonia by August 31st. In reference to this, I am pleased to recall that last year President Yeltsin based his congratulations on the 75-year continuity of the Republic of Estonia. During his visits to Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, President Yeltsin distanced himself from the aggressive foreign policy of the former Soviet Union in a way that also corresponds to our hopes. Despite all this, we have preferred to build up our defense forces at the expense of effective border control. Now we are suffering the consequences of this decision. The loss of the feeling of security and the rise in organized crime is a direct consequence of this miscalculation. If the Republic of Estonia becomes a corridor of illegitimate trade of human beings, radioactive scrap metal, precious stones and who knows what else, it will add international security problems to our domestic ones. The international community will have difficulty regarding the Republic of Estonia as a trustworthy partner and will find it difficult to integrate her into the collective security system. A controlled border should be understood here as a feature of the state, and not as some kind of Asiatic iron curtain, the task of which is to separate the Russian Federation from Europe. The foreign policy of the Republic of Estonia has always been open, open to all of the states with which we share common democratic ideals. Rapid integration is taking place in today's changing world. In a small country like Estonia, we must integrate our domestic and foreign policy into one Republic of Estonia security policy. That concept is based upon equitable economic integration, upon concentric circles, where the first circle is the Baltic states, the next the Baltic Sea states and the European Union. No matter how far away the goal may be, the time factor is stalking us like a bad dream. Like Alice in Wonderland, we have to run fast to stay in the one place, in order that we may survive. Up until now we have accomplished this, even if it has been through great effort and with great sacrifice. The highest price was paid by our older generations, our pensioners who have given life to the people, have brought them up and have fed them with the hope for independence. Now it is our time to say: Independence is not born, | President Meri Delivers 24 Feb Anniversary Speech |
FBIS3-14771_1 | an earlier date, are to be released from their punishments. 4. Persons who have been given a deferred custodial sentence or conditional sentence, and also persons sentenced to other noncustodial punishments, are to be released from their punishments. 5. Persons sentenced to up to three years' custody for premeditated crimes, including those who have served at least one-third of the prescribed term of punishment, are to be released from their punishments. 6. Proceedings are to be be halted in all cases and investigative cases that have not been examined by the courts and which relate to crimes committed prior to the decree's entry into force by: (a) persons covered by Paragraph 1 and not falling within the purview of Paragraph 8 of the present decree; (b) persons who have committed crimes for which noncustodial punishment is stipulated; (c) juvenile males who have committed crimes for which the stipulated punishment is at most three years' custody and who have not served a sentence in educational labor colonies at an earlier date. With regard to cases relating to crimes for which custodial punishment is stipulated and which were committed prior to the decree's entry into force, the court, if it considers it necessary to prescribe noncustodial punishment, will release the convicted person from his punishment. 7. The unserved term of a sentence will be reduced: (a) for juvenile males not covered by Paragraph 1, 2, and 3 of the decree, and persons sentenced to custody for crimes of negligence who are not covered by Paragraph 2 of the present decree -- by one-half; (b) for persons sentenced to up to five years' custody for premeditated crimes, including those who are not covered by Paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 of the present decree -- by one-third; (c) for persons sentenced to over five years' custody for premeditated crimes who are not covered by Paragraphs 1, 3, and 5 of the present decree -- by one-fourth. 8. Paragraphs 1 through 7 of the present decree will not apply to convicted persons: (a) who have committed crimes stipulated by Articles 64, 66, 67, 68, 74, 77, 77-1, 79, 87, Part 2 of Article 88, Parts 3 and 4 of Article 89, Parts 2, 3, and 4 of Article 90, Article 91, Part 3 of Article 92, Parts 2 and 3 of Article 93, Articles 93-1, 95, 102, 103, 108, 117, Part 1 of Article 125, | Daily Carries Duma Amnesty Decree |
FBIS3-14812_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [By ITAR-TASS observer] [Text] Moscow, 28 Feb -- The office of the Russian Federation Procurator General "was forced to take steps immediately to release those amnestied" after the State Duma's resolution on the amnesty was published and thus was entered into force. Deputy Procurator General Vladimir Kravtsev said this in an exclusive interview with an ITAR-TASS observer. In this context, he denied allegations that he had acted with undue haste with respect to the inmates at the remand center at Lefortovo prison and described such statements as "attempts of the president's entourage to shift all the blame for the implementation of the amnesty resolution, which had come into force, onto the bodies of the procuracy." Incidentally, Procurator General Aleksey Kazannik explained his decision to resign by the fact that "a prosecutor in Russia does not have the authority to suspend an act of amnesty. Neither does he have the right of legislative initiative, so he could not request the State Duma to reconsider its own resolution." According to Vladimir Kravtsov, at 1100 on 26 February "Procurator General Kazannik signed an official request to the State Duma to clarify a number of questions which were unclear to us as executors of this law. That evening we received an official response signed by two chairmen of Duma committees, Vladimir Isakov and Ilyukhin," to the effect that there was no need whatsoever "to make special additional clarifications of the procedure of the execution of the State Duma resolution on the political and the economic amnesty." Vladimir Kravtsev also described some details of the release of the inmates from the remand center at Lefortovo prison. On that day, he asserts, "the prosecutor's office, with no rush at all, acquainted all eligible inmates with the full text of the resolution and learned their opinion, as required by Article 5 Point 4 and by the note at the end of this article, whether they agree that this act of amnesty be applied to them personally." "They all agreed, though not unequivocally," Vladimir Kravtsev said. Thus, Ruslan Khasbulatov wrote that "I have not and am not pleading guilty" but, in view of the direction and the essence of the State Duma resolution, "I agree that this act of amnesty should be applied to me." Other expressed similar views. Altogether, throughout the day on 26 February the General Procurator's office sanctioned the release of | Official Details Decision on Amnesty |
FBIS3-14832_18 | and eliminate legal and organizational confusion in the activity of the law-enforcement organs. We need to form within the structure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs a rigidly centralized system of subunits for combating organized crime, and first and foremost we need to supply these subunits with the best cadres, hardware, and financial assistance. The interests of the fight against crime demand the implementation of a single legal policy by all bodies and officials empowered to carry out criminal prosecutions, be they examiners or investigators, prosecutors or judges. We need to ensure social protection for the personnel of bodies engaged in maintaining law and order, and at the same time we need to strictly monitor how far they measure up to professional and moral requirements. The effectiveness of the fight against crime presupposes consolidation of the legal base. To this end the Federal Assembly must examine and adopt an appropriate package of laws as urgently as possible. We need to find legislative solutions to a number of issues relating to the fight against organized crime and corruption, including: -- reinforcing criminal and other juridical penalties for all persons involved in organized criminal groups, particularly the ringleaders; -- widening the base of evidence; -- protecting those taking part in criminal trials; -- adopting measures to prevent the "laundering" of money obtained by illegal methods; -- adopting measures to prevent the emergence of organized crime within the state apparatus. These issues must be reflected in federal laws designed to combat organized crime and corruption and in the laws on the federal state service. We need to eliminate loopholes in the legal regulation of the fight against economic crime. First and foremost, there should be equal legal protection for all forms of property. We need acts designed to protect persons engaged in honest business activities, and at the same time we need acts on liability for dishonest competition and unscrupulous enterprise, false bankruptcy, misleading publicity, acquisition of credit by deception, violation of tax, customs, and licensing regulations, commercial bribery of people in unofficial positions, and computer fraud. We need to formulate a fundamentally new system for warning us about instances of lawbreaking and neglect among children, adolescents, and young people, and we need to set up a network of state and social organizations to ensure social protection and corrective behavior for this section of the population. We need a raft of measures to | Paper Publishes Yeltsin's `Annual Message' |
FBIS3-14832_25 | to create conditions promoting a healthy, active, and long life. The reform must primarily make provisions for: -- a structural restructuring of the sector and a transition to mandatory medical insurance for all citizens of Russia; -- support for the state and municipal health care systems. World experience shows that the introduction of medical insurance instead of a centralized health care system is the most rational and most reliable form of medical service. Under such a system, the patient's interests are protected not only by health care bodies but also by the insurance companies. Medical insurance is only just coming into being in Russia. Nonetheless, the initial experience of work by territorial funds of mandatory medical insurance has shown that the set amount of insurance contributions is clearly inadequate and not in a position to fully compensate the rising prices of medical and medicinal services for the socially unprotected population groups. The government will have to find a way to gradually raise the insurance contributions. High-quality treatment and preventive medicine are possible only on the basis of applying highly efficient medical technologies and the achievements of medical, biological, and technical sciences which require a modern production base. One of the important tasks of federal bodies of power is to promote its development by all possible means. It is necessary to involve on a large scale the country's enterprises, primarily those undergoing conversion, in the production of modern, high-quality medicines and medical equipment. It is necessary to retain duty-free centralized imports only for vitally important medicines which are not produced in Russia. These measures will provide serious support for our country's medical industry. The transformations in the health care system require legislative backup. In the near future the RF parliament will have to examine laws on the health care systems, on patients' rights, on medicines, on protection of the family, and a series of other laws. For a very long time our country practiced a feckless approach toward the creation of new production units and the construction of industrial facilities, using predatory methods for the utilization of our natural wealth. Nowadays people have to pay for these miscalculations. Vast regions in the country have become ecological disaster zones. The lives and health of tens of millions of people inhabiting these territories, as well as their flora and fauna, are under grave threat. A critical situation prevails in a series of places, | Paper Publishes Yeltsin's `Annual Message' |
FBIS3-14832_54 | 1994: -- the institutions of a market economy; -- a system of state management; -- demonopolization; -- taxation; -- economic legislation. Upon completion of the check stage of privatization, a qualitatively new stage of this process will begin. An increase in investment activity, a weighty contribution to the structural overhaul, the creation of a competitive milieu, and the formation of a full-fledged stock market will become the central problems. Although Russia already has the bases of a market economy infrastructure, this infrastructure is distributed highly unevenly. In particular, the country does not have effective institutions guaranteeing the operation of markets for equipment, land, accommodations and other immovable assets, securities, and wholesale trade. The Federal Government and the regional authorities have no right to be indifferent to this. What is more, the institutional aspect of the reform must become the vanguard. The Federal Assembly will be acting correctly if it lays a firm legal base for Russian enterprise. The main thing is that it should be stable. The bodies of state power need to simplify considerably the procedures regulating private business activity. The complexity and inconsistency of regulation hinders the development of enterprise and nurtures corruption. Preferential state support is required by those entrepreneurial structures which are operating in priority areas of the reform. The Federal Program of State Support for Small Enterprise is to guarantee this in 1994. The most pressing tasks for 1994 include the formation of a modern system of accounting and the start of the far-reaching reform of the Central Bank with the aim of creating a Russian Federal Reserve System. Given that the actions of the Central Bank have key significance for the fate of the reform and wide sociopolitical consequences, the process of reforming it will be under the president's control. The year 1994 must become the year of the formation of Russian financial-industrial groups. It is for the government to monitor that they are set up on a strictly voluntary basis, and to guard against the resurrection of the old ministerial structures, the misappropriation of state property, and unjustified monopoly. Such institutions are capable of maintaining a sufficient level of investment activity and technological innovations, and of ensuring the concentration of resources in areas of growth and the necessary competitiveness both on the domestic Russian market and on the world market. The alternative is only too clear: The rapid suffocation of Russian entrepreneurial structures | Paper Publishes Yeltsin's `Annual Message' |
FBIS3-14832_60 | of production. We urgently need to make a breakthrough in the sphere of legal backup for market reform. Economic legislation lacks unity. Hitherto it has proved impossible to fully regulate legal relationships between the Federal Government and the regional authorities. The competence of state bodies at one level has not been demarcated. Draft laws slated for submission to the Russian president and State Duma in 1994 include the RF Civil Code, which includes a general and a specific section. Its adoption would create an all-embracing legal basis for a market economy, a society of civilized property owners, economic freedom for the individual, and partnership relations between the citizen and the state. The Civil Code embodies new principles of entrepreneurship, relationships between economic players, and other key reform issues. Draft codes on housing, labor law, joint-stock company law, and contractual partnership are being prepared. The same goes for taxation and agrarian legislation, and for changes and supplements to laws on bankruptcy, competition, limitations on monopoly activity, and the peasant (private farmer) economy. Of extreme importance are legislative acts regulating the circulation of securities, foreign investment, concessions, and the functioning of free economic zones. A new law on the banking system is also needed. 4.2. The Price of Reform and Ways of Reducing It Economic reform is not painless and free of charge. Losses are inevitable, and the central political problem is to ensure that the cost of market transformations is not too great for society. We have not managed to achieve this. The high cost of reform is explained, first, by the unfavorable starting position. At the end of 1991 the economy was in an extremely grave state. The effective abandonment of the totalitarian system's mechanism coincided with the USSR's disintegration and the severing of economic ties. The consumer market was devastated even earlier, foreign currency reserves were exhausted. The production slump deepened. The ruble was washed out of circulation and barter flourished. By postponing necessary reforms for decades the totalitarian regime exacerbated all problems to the utmost and exhausted the national economy's durability margin. Russia inherited from the past a cumbersome production structure dominated by the military-industrial complex and monopolism, and exports geared to raw materials. Inflation began much earlier than 1992. This disease ravaged our economy for many years, taking the form of a universal commodity shortage, distribution by ration coupon, and waiting lines kilometers long. When price liberalization | Paper Publishes Yeltsin's `Annual Message' |
FBIS3-14832_85 | concession system is drawn up. Fundamental changes are also necessary in running the education system. So far this work has been carried out by the actual administration workers in their own interests. The overall number of administrative workers per student has increased continuously. The new education system must be geared to the child, a more comfortable life for him, and his optimum development. Federal laws must be elaborated and adopted on: -- high school education; -- college and university education; -- further professional education; -- the privatization of state and municipal educational institutions. 5.2. Inter-Religion and Multiconfessional Dialogue in a Secular State Russia is a state with a variety of religions; dialogue among them is one of Russia's traditions. Russia's history shows us experience of this dialogue, conducted both by religious figures and through contacts among believers from different religious groups. The experience of neighborly coexistence, mutual understanding, and mutual assistance among communities and spiritual centers of different religions and faiths is particularly important for us today. The experience of Russian state policy, developing as it does in a multiethnic, diverse religious environment, is equally important. For over 70 years Russian society lived in conditions of effective state atheism. However, the age-old people's principles were not totally destroyed. The revival of interest in religion is a fact of modern life. Consideration of this factor in the activity of state bodies and the maintenance of interreligious peace in the country are an abiding value and a long-term task. The actual rather than merely verbal renunciation of the policy of state atheism; religious dialogue; and proper relations between Russia's churches and religious associations is one of the conditions for civic peace and general conciliation in society. The legislative and executive authorities must do everything to preclude the very possibility of ethnopolitical conflicts developing into interreligious conflicts especially since, strictly speaking, none of Russia's peoples is entirely uniform in religious terms. State bodies at all levels must rigorously observe the adopted norms, which are designed to ensure genuine freedom of conscience in Russia, restore the justice with regard to Russia's churches and religious associations that was violated during the postrevolutionary period, and help normalize their traditional activity. At the same time it must be borne in mind that the church is separate from the state but not from society, with which it historically is closely interconnected. Special attention must be paid to the | Paper Publishes Yeltsin's `Annual Message' |
FBIS3-14837_7 | who naturally are also interested in this decision by the president and what has caused it. [Correspondent] A question from HOLOS UKRAYINY. Leonid Makarovych, as is well-known, elections under conditions of a difficult economic crisis are always a risky matter. And Russia is an example of this. In addition, many of your political opponents connect our economic ills with Ukraine's course toward independence, and now are especially demanding the restoration of absolutely all links with Russia and CIS countries. And some people are even proposing the Belarusian variant, which we know about. What can you say about this? [Kravchuk] Well, this is a subject of many aspects. Its first aspect, from my point of view, is that in our time--especially a year to one and a half years ago, thanks to the vigorous, say, political activity of certain political forces--we established in people's consciousness that the main reason for the economic and social suffering was the severance of economic links, and everything, say, boiled down to this severence of economic links with CIS countries. I explained then, if you remember, that if one is to restore all economic links, which existed previously, then one would have to restore the Soviet Union, to restore or to keep unchanged the whole structure of industry in every CIS country. Yesterday Russia's president said in his speech that Russia should produce what Russians need and that which can be competitive. The same goes for Ukraine and for other states, and to speak of restoring all links is simply nonsense because a new, new states and new economic structures are being constructed. The point is to restore necessary links, to create a market, for example, within a CIS framework -- whether a common market or a market is not important, so as not to lose this market and to trade on this market, to sell, to buy, to resolve customs issues, other issues, tax issues, price issues. All of this needs to be coordinated, generalized, and elaborated. This is a normal process, but to speak again about the previous links and to restore them all means restoring the military-industrial complex; this means restoring everything that we, Ukraine, produced as a part of a former great power. This is the first thing. And at all meetings now, you see, links are not mentioned. Whoever wanted these links established them, for example Zaporozhsich, it has splendid links | President Kravchuk Holds News Conference |
FBIS3-14837_24 | to? You are all promising something, why should I go and vote? But elections must be held in order to preserve the state and make an important step in forming the political and power structures. Some say that the new Supreme Council will be worse than the present one. I will not say whether it will be worse or better. It will be a new parliament. Those deputies who do not want elections keep on saying that it will be worse. We will see what kind of parliament it will be, but the main thing is that the Supreme Council should be elected, and that it should begin to take steps toward a structural reorganization and political reconstruction, that it begins to take specific steps toward reforms, market and social protection. It should not go from one extreme to the other depending on polarization or political inclinations. It should be a Supreme Council with a clear policy that will form a government. The government will present a program and a process of normal work should begin. We have to go along this path. I turn to the people with a call to overcome these personal problems at the time of the elections. I know that when people go to cast their votes and, let us say a bus does not turn up, they come back and angrily say that if they do not want us to vote, we will not vote. We must understand that we are talking about authority. The state must have authority. If it is no good, then we must reelect it. If there is anarchy then that will be the end and there will be trouble. There could be a collision or confrontation or something else. We must not allow this. I simply wanted to explain the situation because as I can see, it is taking on such a tone and there are various interpretations that do not precisely define my position or my views. Sometimes people say to me that I am interested in the elections not taking place. I have the most interest that elections take place. Perhaps those who want to preserve their positions for some considerable time are interested. Regarding myself, I have defined my position and have told you this frankly, and I tell the people and everybody else that I have no personal interests. My interest is that of Ukraine. | President Kravchuk Holds News Conference |
FBIS3-14854_1 | services, have any knowledge of these matters. As soon as you consider this business you are immediately led to think that there might be a traitor among this very small group of people. [Cucurnia] You do not seem to be all that surprised by what has happened. [Kalugin] On the contrary, I was rather surprised by it because, frankly speaking, I believed that our network of agents in the West had been definitively routed. You must take into account that, between 1980 and 1991, the KGB experienced the most difficult period in its history, not only due to the fact that its officials were fleeing to the West, but also due to the many arrests among those of our agents who had gone over to work for the United States. [Cucurnia] Yet the Ames case shows that some important outposts survived. [Kalugin] As I was telling you, I was the first to be surprised. Let us not forget, however, that Ames was apparently recruited in 1985, when perestroyka was in its infancy, and the radical change in United States-Soviet relations was still to come. Clearly, Ames was one of the last remnants of an epoch that is now coming to a close. [Cucurnia] Do you think that Gorbachev first, and later Yeltsin, knew that they could rely on such a high-placed agent? [Kalugin] When I worked for the intelligence service, we used to make regular reports to Brezhnev on our agents in the West. We always indicated the duties they fulfilled and their rank, but we never mentioned any names. I believe this practice has not changed. It makes no sense to fill the president's head with names which, in themselves, mean nothing to him. [Cucurnia] However, over the last few years the United States and Russia have repeatedly exchanged friendly declarations. Do you think that it is proper to use the citizens of another country for intelligence purposes, or perhaps, as Clinton says, it would be best to limit recruitment to your own fellow nationals? [Kalugin] Let us leave hypocrisy to one side. The United States has never renounced espionage, much less so in Russia. I see no reason why Russia should. However, the fact remains that, unlike what used to happen in the past, nowadays intelligence operations do not pursue subversive objectives. Nobody today can assert that the CIA wants to weaken Yeltsin's position. Rather, the contrary may | Former Agent Interviewed on Ames Case |
FBIS3-14858_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Commentary by ITAR-TASS correspondent Yuriy Romantsov] [Text] New York, 1 Mar -- After arresting the CIA employee Aldrich Ames and his wife on a charge of spying for Russia a few days ago, the Washington authorities might have concentrated their attention on finding the answer to this question: how can it be that somebody managed to steal secrets from Langley, the holy of holies of U.S. special services? That, incidentally, is what the administration is being strongly advised to do -- and by those who themselves headed the special services in the past. But Washington decided that it was far more important to "punish" Moscow as quickly as possible (Moscow, mind you, and not Ames or those in the CIA who allowed this failure to occur). They announced the expulsion of the Russian diplomat, Aleksandr Lysenko. Lysenko was asked to leave purely because of the position he held at the Russian embassy (he was accredited to Washington as an intelligence officer and dealt with cooperation between the two countries' special services), and not because he was in any way implicated in the "Ames affair". No accusations have been levelled against him. Is it any wonder, after this, that James Morris, an American diplomat who worked as a counsellor at the U.S. embassy in Moscow, now has to leave the Russian capital far earlier than he intended to? He has been given seven days to leave. However, to be more precise, Morris was not a diplomat, but a CIA officer holding a diplomatic passport. One would rather not use expressions like "an eye for an eye" or "a tooth for a tooth," but it would have been incomprehensible for the American demarche to go unanswered, to go without "reciprocation". Washington is implying that it is now time to put this entire incident behind us. White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers, expressing regret about the expulsion of Morris, said: "We do not expect any further diplomatic moves." Vice President Albert Gore stressed that relations between the United States and Russia "ought not to be determined by such incidents." This is both heartening and encouraging. It is, indeed, time to close the curtain on this affair, but once the fly-wheel has been started, it is not always easy to stop it. Certain people in the United States, including a number of congressmen, are exploiting the "Ames affair" to | Commentary Views Case |
FBIS3-14859_1 | followed by an urgent trip of CIA officials to Moscow to "settle scores" and "persuade" the Russian side to "admit its guilt" in the Ames affair by ordering Lysenko to leave the U.S. and keep the whole incident away from the press. However, the Russian side made it clear that such issues should be settled by respective intelligence services of the two countries which must stick to certain rules in their activity. Otherwise would run counter to the principles of partnership between the Russian and American intelligence services which are actively cooperating in fighting illegal drug trafficking, terrorism and organised crime. However, the Ames affair has shown that this partnership is still far from being ideal. Perhaps, as far as the accusations against Aldrich are far from being true. Indeed, American intelligence bodies do not have proof of his guilt so far, according to the U.S. press. American newspapers have picked up again the once-forgotten image of "the Russian bear" and other Russian "intrigues" threatening national security of the United States. Some speculations border on the absurd as their authors are trying to persuade American tax payers that they are supporting Russian spies. Many in Moscow are surprised by such open politicisation of the Ames affair. Observers do not rule out the possibility that this can be connected with the success of Russian diplomacy in Bosnian settlement and the desire of certain American circles to get a time- out in relations between Russia and America. Even more so because many members of the U.S. Administration are calling for support for Russian reform and assistance to Russia. Western experts, many of whom are professional intelligence officers, believe that Russia has sharply stepped up intelligence activity in the United States lately. However, no one can deny that after the collapse of the Soviet Union Western secret services, including the American CIA, have boosted their work in ex-Soviet republics, primarily Russia. Examples abound. Those include the arrest of a top-level agent and several attempts to recruit high-ranking Russian officials. Last year alone, 20 people were arrested in Russia on charges of espionage. But, unlike the Ames affair, none of these cases caused any demarches or protests at the inter-state level. Recent U.S. moves can be interpreted in different ways. This is the prerogative of specialists, but even a dilettante understands that Russia has as much right to conduct intelligence activity in America as | Overview of `Spy Scandal' |
FBIS3-14860_3 | USSR. Relations between the United States and the USSR deteriorated sharply. Soon after that there was the Caribbean crisis, which almost plunged us all into World War III. It seems to me that something similar is going on right now. Except that this time certain forces in the United States would like to give Khrushchev's role to Bill Clinton. And Powers' role to Aldrich Ames. The U.S. mass media have been trying to meticulously calculate what damage the Russian spy's activity has caused the States. What can you say here? Probably the damage is considerable. But intelligence is a two-day business. In recent years the world press and the Russian press have written quite a lot about the fact that U.S. intelligence agents are virtually wandering freely around Russia's vast open spaces. And what escape is there these days from the reports in the Moscow press that the exposure of Ames was not a consequence of the couple's extravagant spending, as the ordinary American is persistently reminded by his press, but resulted from a leak of information from the highest levels of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (in normal parlance that means that a U.S. intelligence operative of Ames' stature is operating in Moscow, too). But what about the damage that has been done to our country's economy by our native traitors, as it were? For example, the activity of Oleg Penkovskiy, who was recruited by the Western special services, really rocked the USSR's defense system in the past. And how can you assess the damage inflicted on our country by Oleg Gordiyevskiy and Arkadiy Shevchenko, who were recruited by those same special services and who held very high posts in the Soviet hierarchy? And what about Vladimir Rezun (Viktor Suvorov) or General Lyalin? The list could go on. No, the matter is of course not one of economic damage and Russia's treachery. In the U.S. media, clearly, there are circles which could theoretically be categorized as hawks (we have them in our country, too) and which were merely seeking an appropriate pretext to exaggerate this affair. But the real reasons are clear to see. Not everyone liked Viktor Chernomyrdin's new government. The question was: To support him or not? The second reason was clearly Moscow's position on the Sarajevo crisis. Essentially the Russian president's initiative in this conflict thwarted the hawks' attempt to resolve the "Serbian question" with the | Parallels Drawn Between Ames, Powers Cases |
FBIS3-14860_4 | is operating in Moscow, too). But what about the damage that has been done to our country's economy by our native traitors, as it were? For example, the activity of Oleg Penkovskiy, who was recruited by the Western special services, really rocked the USSR's defense system in the past. And how can you assess the damage inflicted on our country by Oleg Gordiyevskiy and Arkadiy Shevchenko, who were recruited by those same special services and who held very high posts in the Soviet hierarchy? And what about Vladimir Rezun (Viktor Suvorov) or General Lyalin? The list could go on. No, the matter is of course not one of economic damage and Russia's treachery. In the U.S. media, clearly, there are circles which could theoretically be categorized as hawks (we have them in our country, too) and which were merely seeking an appropriate pretext to exaggerate this affair. But the real reasons are clear to see. Not everyone liked Viktor Chernomyrdin's new government. The question was: To support him or not? The second reason was clearly Moscow's position on the Sarajevo crisis. Essentially the Russian president's initiative in this conflict thwarted the hawks' attempt to resolve the "Serbian question" with the help of air strikes. Russia's political weight in the international arena rose suddenly and very sharply. It proved very difficult to endure this and assess it not as one would like but as it really is. So they decided to use the Ames' affair to try to stop this process of Moscow's return to the great powers' club if it seemed likely that the process would succeed. I think, however, that no good will come of these attempts. The U.S. President, like his Russian counterpart, is showing quite a well balanced approach here. There is a striking difference between how the Ames affair is being covered in the U.S. press and in official statements. For example, it is reported that the note handed to Russian Charge d'Affaires V. Chkhikvishvili in Washington contains nothing which would indicate the likelihood of a complication of relations between the United States and Russia and there are no calls for any specific actions. Furthermore, it has emerged that yesterday President Clinton turned down the calls by some U.S. legislators for an immediate reduction of U.S. aid to Russia in connection with the Ames affair. Pointing to the gravity of "the espionage affair," he stressed that | Parallels Drawn Between Ames, Powers Cases |
FBIS3-14874_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Article by Sergey Karaganov, deputy director of the Russian Academy of Sciences Europe Institute, under the "Opinion" rubric: "We Must Be the First at NATO's Doors"] [Text] A political game has begun in Europe over the expansion of NATO. We have won the first round, but we are starting to lose the second round. And if we do not display boldness and initiative, we will lose the whole game. But in that case, those to blame for the failure will have to be sought not only in Brussels and Washington, but also in Moscow. Having a fairly good knowledge of NATO and of the process of how a decision is adopted in the alliance, I do not believe that its expansion may significantly increase the almost nonexistent military threat from the West. Although, of course, as a result of the NATO and Russian borders being brought closer together, the positions of people who are used to seeing each other as potential adversariess will be strengthened, and mutual suspicion will grow. But the main negative consequences will be of a political and even economic nature. Russian positions will be weakened in the bargaining over access to Western markets and the acquisition of investments. But the most important thing of all is that Russia's isolation will increase. We have no chance, in the foreseeable future, of joining the European Community, whose members will soon comprise the majority of European states. Even joining the free trade zone around the EC may even prove problematic for Russia -- not only because of the possible opposition of the West, fearing for its markets, but also because of protectionist trends in Russian policy. Protectionism is inevitable in political terms, and is even partially necessary in order to boost our nation's industry, but, given the principle of reciprocity in opening markets, it will make access to West European markets more difficult for us. The CSCE -- the only major political organization in Europe where Russia is fully represented -- is becoming relatively weakering and most likely will not be able to become the nucleus of a European security system. The expansion of NATO will weaken the CSCE still further. But the main thing is that the most promising channel of our cooperation with the West for the next few years -- the security sphere -- will be sealed off to a considerable extent. | Pros, Cons of Association With NATO Viewed |
FBIS3-14927_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Text] In an INTERFAX interview, presidential press secretary Vyacheslav Kostikov did not confirm reports that Nikolay Golushko was released from the post of director of the Federal Counterintelligence service because of family circumstances. Kostikov emphasized that the edict did not contain such a phrase. INTERFAX has learned from well-informed sources that Golushko's dismissal is mainly connected with the release of the participants of the Moscow October events from the Lefortovo prison remand cells. | Dismissal Tied to Prisoners' Release |
FBIS3-14961_1 | to articles of the RSFSR Criminal Code. 2. Persons sentenced for actions envisaged by Point 1 of the present decree are to be released from punishment. 3. The following are to be released from punishment in the form of incarceration and also from punishments not involving incarceration: a) persons sentenced for crimes envisaged by Article 88 Part 1 of the RSFSR Criminal Code; b) persons sentenced for crimes envisaged by Article 92 Part 1 and Part 2 of the RSFSR Criminal Code; c) persons sentenced for crimes envisaged by Article 170 Part 1, Article 171 Part 1, and Articles 172 and 175 of the RSFSR Criminal Code. 4. All criminal cases being processed by investigators and cases not examined by the courts are to be terminated and persons sentenced under Article 92 Part 3, Article 93 Part 2 and Part 3, and Article 93-1 of the RSFSR Criminal Code for the embezzlement of state and public property on a large or especially large scale are to be released from punishment provided that the aforementioned crimes were committed during the period before the elimination of the USSR (before December 1991, inclusive), aside from those who were sentenced for the embezzlement of state and public property by means of larceny, theft, robbery, or fraud. 5. The processing of all investigations and cases not examined by the courts regarding crimes committed by the persons listed in Point 3 is to be terminated before the entry into force of the present decree. 6. Points 3-4 of the present decree do not extend to the following convicted persons: a) persons with previous convictions for premeditated crimes and sentenced again to incarceration for premeditated crimes; b) recidivists who are deemed especially dangerous; c) malicious violators of the terms governing the serving of their sentences; d) persons previously released from places of incarceration by amnesty or pardon who have committed another premeditated crime. 7. Persons who, in addition to punishment for a crime, have been ordered to undergo compulsory treatment for alcoholism, drug addiction, or venereal diseases and who are subject to release from punishment under the present decree are to be amnestied at the end of their full course of treatment. 8. The decree applies to persons sentenced by Russian Federation courts, and also USSR courts. 9. This decree enters into force the moment it is published. Points 1 and 2 of the decree are to | Text of State Duma Amnesty Decree |
FBIS3-14978_1 | the U.S. Administration and the entire Western community, because the parliament of Ukraine in fact failed to ratify the January agreement, you remain the sole guarantor of its implementation? [Kravchuk] I will start from the end: I do not think the parliament failed to ratify it. The parliament ratified START-I and made the decision to exchange instruments of ratification, and the parliament lifted its reservations on Paragraph 5 of the Lisbon Protocol, which is interpreted as Ukraine's commitment to join the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty [NPT] as a nonnuclear state. Thus, the parliament did not fail in anything, but made an important step forward. Another thing is that the parliament did not ratify the NPT -- that is also true. Second, my statement had to do with the situation that emerged today and that can emerge, according to the forecasts, in April, May, or June. I explained this both in my interview for Radio Liberty and in my interview for our television. I never say everything at once, however; I always leave some room for future clarification. You know that the parliament's decisions on early elections of the parliament and president were made under the pressure of a miners' strike. I agreed that such elections were needed, but I do not agree that it should become customary in the life of the society for elections and re-elections to be held under the pressure of a strike. Agreeing to that sort of thing, one will have to agree that we are not building a civilized or a law-governed society. My participation in an early election would mean that I agree to that. That is why I am saying this to emphasize that I have stood and do stand for a law-governed and civilized state, and I will do my best to ensure that this state is being built in Ukraine. Therefore, the president may agree to any steps required by the situation at hand, but his personal involvement would mean that he agrees, not only theoretically but also practically, with an unlawful situation. [Rudenko] Larysa Rudenko, SVOBODA newspaper. Mr. President, a body has been set up within the Cabinet of Ministers to deal with clearing up enterprises. Does that mean that large emissions will be launched again? Which enterprises, do you think, need to be saved from bankruptcy? [Kravchuk] First, those that manufacture products needed for Ukraine must be saved. Also those | Kravchuk News Conference on U.S. Visit |
FBIS3-14999_8 | is more, there is the dollar and the mark and everything else. Any economic decision is ambivalent, everything needs to be computed: Is this advantageous or disadvantageous. I fully understand Yuriy Aleksandrovich, who, of course, proceeded from the fact that being in the ruble zone is better than in the karbovanets zone. But for Crimea the question is now somewhat different: It needs to be understood what it is beneficial for us in Crimea to have as the special conditions. Everything needs to be looked at and computed here. I would like to make separate mention of relations with Russia. Russia will sign an economic treaty with Crimea if it is duly substantiated, if it does not cause any international obstacles, and if it is beneficial to Russia itself. We must proceed from the fact that no one will help us. Nor should they! We ourselves need to pull ourselves out of this difficult situation in which we have landed. It is natural that Russia was and remains the most important and most profitable partner of Crimea, as of all of Ukraine also. That treaties with Russia are possible. And that it is perfectly possible to fulfill the necessary conditions about which I have spoken. It is perfectly possible to have direct relations with Russia. But why only with Russia? We will endeavor to ensure that each enterprise of Crimea might have direct relations with Russian enterprises and with Greek, French, or Swiss enterprises. It is all the same to us--just as long as life becomes somewhat better. [Ryabchikova] Yevgeniy Fedorovich, what was your family's attitude toward the decision to move to Crimea? [Saburov] What is my family? My mother lives in Crimea, although she is now in Moscow, it is true, since she has been indisposed. I brought her here because she could not live on her doctor's pension. Having worked, God knows, for so many years, she ultimately found herself destitute. But my mother is longing to return to Crimea, of course, as soon as it gets just a little warmer. My daughters are married, and they will, therefore, be going nowhere, most likely. And my wife was one of the main ones urging me to make this decision. Truly, I very much want to do what I can here. I very much want to live and work for the good of Crimea and its inhabitants--my fellow countrymen. | Saburov Discusses Initial Plans |
FBIS3-15044_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Interview with Viktor Anpilov by Valentina Nikiforova, under the general heading "Spring. Another Thaw in Russia?"; date and place not given: "Evening Conversation with Viktor Anpilov"] [Text] On the very day that the decree on the amnesty was being adopted, the freedom-loving State Duma deputies from Russia's Choice began shouting: "Now Anpilov is getting out of Lefortovo and will call his thugs out onto the streets!" The same prediction was made by alarmed television commentators. "The freed criminals will cause unrest in Moscow" they said, trying to intimidate the viewers by showing the former convicts leaving prison. Well, in that case how can you avoid asking the now freed Viktor Anpilov about the unrest that he is planning in Moscow? Here is his reply on his first evening at home. [Anpilov] There will be no unrest. I have always strictly observed the laws. [Nikiforova] Viktor Ivanovich, does that mean you do not regard yourself as guilty? [Anpilov] It does not matter what I think. During the five months that I spent in prison they did not present a single piece of evidence against me even though from the very outset I wanted a judicial investigation and had even prepared my speech for the trial. But to call someone a criminal before the trial is not allowed even under the new Constitution. As I was leaving prison I said: If life had improved over these past five months that would have been the weightiest evidence of my guilt, but it has deteriorated considerably and people are protesting. Of course there must be an objective investigation into the causes and all the circumstances of the events of September and October. [Nikiforova] Nevertheless, could you say a few words about your immediate plans.... [Anpilov] I intend to travel and meet with labor collectives. I shall go to Tula, Vorkuta, Chelyabinsk, and Yekaterinburg -- I want to tell people the whole truth about what happened in May and September-October last year. In the conditions which have been created, the labor collectives must become owners of their own enterprises -- they alone have the right to dispose of everything built by them, they alone have the right to dispose of their output and set the wages of the administration. This will be the dictatorship of the proletariat. [Nikiforova] So does that mean back to work for you? There must have been | Former Lefortovo Inmate Anpilov Interviewed |
FBIS3-15047_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Sergey Turchenko report incorporating interview with Colonel General V.A. Achalov: "Three Days After State Duma Decision on Amnesty, Lefortovo Prisoners Have Been Freed"] [Excerpts] Dozens of journalists and hundreds of representatives of the capital's patriotic movements gathered at the main entrance to Lefortovo Special Prison on the frosty morning of 26 February. And above the heads of the gathering could be seen crimson banners, numerous placards proclaiming "Freedom to the Defenders of the Motherland!" and "All Power to the Soviets!", and huge portraits of Rutskoy, Khasbulatov, Achalov, Makashov, and Anpilov.... [passage omitted] The next morning, I met with Colonel General Vladislav Alekseyevich Achalov, and the first question I asked him was how he would explain the confusion that reigned as they were leaving Lefortovo, and why they came out through different gates. He answered: [Achalov] It is clear that the amnesty decision was coordinated with Yeltsin. But it is perfectly obvious what pressure was put on him by "Russia's Choice" and the other ardent democrats. The result of this pressure was, evidently, Yeltsin's appeal to Kazannik proposing a delay. So that to the end, no one knew for sure whether we would be freed or not. It was only at 1500 hours that the investigator summoned me and said that the decision had been made, and I gathered my things. The prison chiefs came into the cell and said good-bye. We were all warned that a very large crowd had gathered at the main entrance. They asked us whether we intended to give interviews. I asked which mass media had gathered there. I was told: Mainly the foreign and "democratic" mass media. I refused to give an interview and decided to come out through the staff door. Everyone did what they considered feasible. [Turchenko] What is your attitude to the amnesty? [Achalov] I do not perceive this amnesty as my having received a pardon. I am not guilty of anything. Judge for yourselves. The only thing that they questioned me about in five months was who was with me and what I was doing 21 September through 4 October. There was not one confrontation, not one identification. And, as of 17 December, the questioning stopped altogether -- there was nothing to ask about. True, they did submit forensic findings on the corpses. It was terrible! Some of them had up to 15 bullet wounds. Was it | Colonel Achalov Discusses Amnesty, Future Plans |
FBIS3-15048_2 | complicate cooperation between the president and parliament. Following the head of state's message, Duma committees have begun constructive work on implementing the strategic plan enshrined in that document. It has itself been greeted with understanding in parliament. Yet, what are the implications of a return to politics by the organizers of the October riots, and will it materialise? R. Khasbulatov can scarcely count on anything. Evidently realizing this, he has already made the statement that he will not engage in political activity. As for A. Rutskoy, the possibility cannot be ruled out that his name will be exploited by antipresidential forces to undermine the policy of reforms. V. Mironov, deputy chairman of the State Duma Security Committee, believes that "the organizers of the October events might be thrown by the opposition, like penal battalions, into undermining democracy and civil peace." V. Anpilov has already shown up at a noisy rally in Teatralnaya and declared his intention "to fight against the present regime" right after coming out of Lefortovo. If, after the amnesty, the political struggle develops not in civilized forms, then the factions which voted for it, basing their stance on the search for civil peace, will find themselves in a very difficult position. This primarily concerns the Party of Russian Unity and Accord, whose votes enabled the Duma to adopt the decision to release the Lefortovo inmates. Evidently sensing this, S. Shakhray, the party's leader, has already issued a statement: "The political organizations which sought only a political amnesty must assume responsibility for the actions of the freed leaders. If they intend to continue the struggle at the elections, like other citizens of the Russian Federation, this is a normal phenomenon; but if their chosen means of struggle is appeals to seize, destroy, or shoot, this means that new criminal cases will be instituted and there will be no accord and reconciliation." The possibility cannot be ruled out that in the event of an outburst of extremism parliament will have to take some additional measures if it wants to be aware of the danger to the country of such a development of events. Deputy K. Zatulin, for example, proposed "discussing in the Duma the question of a possible ban on political activity by active participants in the events of October 1993." In the meanwhile it is clear that things have not become calmer in the country at this time. | Implications of Lefortovo Prisoners Release Eyed |
FBIS3-15063_1 | of this trial. [Omelchenko] In my opinion, the passions raging around intelligence activities have a whiff of dirty tricks about them, because the intelligence service in all countries, at any time, is as it were an early warning system warning regarding conflicts, the various unpleasant things that menace the state. And in this case, in the Ames case, don't you think, Tatyana Viktorevna, that this is more a matter not of professional problems, but of political ambitions and political problems, even far-fetched ones? [Samolis] If this problem is raised on this level of high politics, then it is not raised by intelligence officers, because in any country professionals understand one another. And in general I think that in today's civilized world, conducting intelligence activity against one another is absolutely no impediment to maintaining friendly and even ally-style relations. [Omelchenko] All that fuss surrounding the Ames affair and the stirring up of the public makes one form the impression that here, on the one hand, the CIA is in trouble in general; on the other hand, perhaps some kind of influential forces want to suggest to Clinton that he should alter relations with Russia, perhaps to have some kind of pause in our relations. [Samolis] I would not argue with you. In any case, the Russian intelligence service is interested in continuing cooperation with the U.S. intelligence service. It will strive for that. [Omelchenko] In what fields? [Samolis] We have many common problems in this far from simple and rather dangerous world. First and foremost, it is in such fields as the problems of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the fight against international crime, against drug trafficking, against terrorism, and the exchange of information on the development of the situation in crisis spots. That is enough for today. Tomorrow perhaps there will be some new problems in the solution of which we may need one another. [Omelchenko] Tatyana Viktorevna, after the mutual expulsions of Morris and Lysenko, if there is a further escalation in such actions, how will the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service react? [Samolis] First and foremost, we would not like this to happen, of course. We think that common sense should prevail, but if it becomes an issue like you have mentioned, then the measures will probably be mutual ones, but it will not be the intelligence service that will take them, but the country's highest political leadership. | Intelligence Official Stresses Cooperation With U.S. |
FBIS3-15065_2 | It has enabled the Serbs to "keep face" and NATO members to avoid an utterly unprecedented operation that would be the prologue to a long and bloody conflict. Russia has found a solution acceptable to everyone. Moreover it risked its soldiers' lives in doing so. So what has driven Washington berserk? In my view, Moscow's successful initiative in the Balkans confirmed once and for all the fundamental changes in Russian foreign policy. Changes for which U.S. strategic planning made no provision at all. After all, over the last few years Washington has already gotten accustomed to feeling that it is the only world leader, the only superpower. This power could dare to ignore world public opinion when missile and bombing raids were inflicted on Iraq. It can even put up with the obvious fiasco of Somalia. And its world lead does not seem to have been disputed at all. At least no alternatives were given. But this time the United States found itself on the sidelines of the settlement process owing to the actions taken by Russia, which it had long since struck off the list of main participants in international politics. But no, in everyone's eyes Russia remained an important, perhaps the most important factor in world politics. A passive inward-looking factor, so to speak. Russia was primarily of interest to the rest of the world because of the dangers that will arise if disturbances or civil war break out in a country that not only has nuclear but also other destructive potential. And so, in order not to "cause trouble," the West, primarily the United States, was willing to provide some financial and economic aid for Russian reforms and mostly talk endlessly about the terms of this support. With the same end in view -- in order not to elicit a pathological reaction from the Russian public -- our country continued to be ritually called a great power and invited to take part in resolving various global problems, without being thought capable of really accomplishing anything. People say that fashion reflects people's ideas. Thus, "Russian refugee" style is gaining a foothold in the world: shapeless pants, a vest, and a shawl worn on top of a sweater with the ends tied at the back. Like it or not, that is how we are seen. Yet suddenly it emerges that Russia, which had already been written off, is beginning | `Firmness' Against U.S. `Hysteria' Needed |
FBIS3-15072_2 | in response to UN Secretary General Butrus Butrus-Ghali's proposals, the Russian president asked the Federation Council to agree to allocate an additional troop contingent of 300 men to participate in the UN forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The upper chamber of parliament took a positive view of this proposal 25 February. What is more, Col. Gen. Kolesnikov pointed out, the Federation Council instructed the country's government on the Russian Defense Ministry's submission to urgently resolve the question of a pay raise for the personnel of the Russian UN contingent in Yugoslavia. The Russian Defense Ministry in conjunction with the Russian Foreign Ministry has also been tasked with immediately formulating a system of social guarantees for the personnel of the "blue berets" involved in peacekeeping operations on Yugoslav territory. Col. Gen. Kolesnikov said in conclusion that Russia is starting to play a more active, autonomous role in settling the crisis in the Balkans, bolstering its diplomatic efforts by making a specific military and peacekeeping contribution. The statements, initiatives, and actions by the Russian political and military leadership and diplomats have once again proved that it is not strong-arm but political means of settling the Yugoslav conflict that are inexhaustible. And we will try to stick to them in the future. Col. Gen. Yevgeniy Podkolzin, commander of the Airborne Troops, who returned from Belgrade 24 February as part of a government delegation, told journalists how Russia's proposed plan for settling the Bosnian crisis is being implemented. A key element in this plan was for Russian "blue helmets" to come to Sarajevo within a limited period. Despite the mountainous locality and the sudden snowfall, Col. Gen. Podkolzin said, a convoy of combat hardware with 400 Russian Airborne Troops led by Colonel Viktor Vorobyev arrived in Bosnia precisely on schedule. The local population -- not only the Serbs, but also the Croats and Muslims -- gave our Airborne Troops a cordial, enthusiastic reception like the frontline soldiers in victorious 1945. At present, journalists were told by the commander of the Airborne Troops, our "blue helmets" are performing a peacekeeping mission in the Bosnian capital's so-called buffer zone between the opposing sides -- the Serbs and Muslims -- they occupy 16 km of the front. They have also taken Sarajevo Airport under guard along with the French "blue helmets." With regard to the plan for our Airborne Troops' future stay in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Col. Gen. Podkolzin pointed out | Newsmen Briefed on Russian Moves in Bosnia |
FBIS3-15073_0 | Language: Portuguese Article Type:BFN [Interview with First Deputy Foreign Minister Anatoliy Adamishin by Luisa Meireles by telephone; date not given] [Text] First Deputy Foreign Minister Anatoliy Adamishin is regarded as the "brains" behind the current Russian initiative in Bosnia. Responsible for the main guidelines of foreign policy, he spoke to EXPRESSO by telephone. [Meireles] Following a period of apparent self-effacement with respect to the Balkans, Russia has taken up active involvement. Why? [Adamishin] Russia has not begun to act just now. We have been seeking for months a political agreement for Bosnia and for other conflict areas in the former Yugoslavia. At the last UN session we proposed the demilitarization of Sarajevo, and Foreign Minister Andrey Kozyrev suggested 24 January a ministerial meeting with the Security Council members in order to examine the city's problems, demilitarization, and placement under UN administration. The NATO ultimatum prevented the completion of the process. The political and diplomatic actions were the culmination of many months of efforts by Russian diplomacy. [Meireles] But it was the credible threat of the use of force which produced the first positive results.... [Adamishin] I would say that it was the nonuse of force which made possible this result. I am not certain that the Serbs would have withdrawn their weapons if Russia had not asked them to do so in accordance with the UN secretary general's plan, without our resorting to ultimatums or threats. The important thing is the results, not the laurels, but if anybody says that the decisive role was played by NATO, I disagree, and if NATO had shelled the Serb positions, I do not know what the consequences would have been. [Meireles] Did the West try to sideline Russia in resolving the conflict? [Adamishin] We did not like this ultimatum. In the first place, because it is not for NATO to deliver ultimatums and threaten the use of force in international relations, which is exclusively the Security Council's responsibility. Second, we agree with the West on the demilitarization of Sarajevo and its administration by the United Nations, and the overall political agreement, but the method chosen by the West would place Russia outside the decisionmaking framework, and here we disagree. Third, we believe that it prevented -- or at least did not facilitate -- the continuation of the negotiations which were already taking place in Sarajevo between Serbs and Muslims and which were suspended | Adamishin on Bosnia Initiative, Situation |
FBIS3-15073_4 | factors, but it is very dangerous to see the conflict in ethnic and religious terms: If the Slav countries supported the Serbs, the Islamic countries would have to support the Muslims, and the Catholics would have to support the Croats. It is not correct to say that only the Serbs are to blame, because it is untrue and politically incorrect. [Meireles] Do you believe that the West has made that mistake? [Adamishin] That is not what I mean. It is not possible to be unaware that Islamic countries are intervening for religious reasons. The important thing is to end the conflict, but an external act of force does not facilitate an agreement. We do not reject the possibility of its being necessary to use force -- such as, for instance, the UN forces having the right to defend themselves in the event of an attack -- but these are very specific and limited cases. [Meireles] Could the model applied in Sarajevo be used in other Bosnian cities? [Adamishin] Another ultimatum? Let them try it, and maybe they will reach the conclusion that it does not work! If one of the sides believes that it is possible the other will be attacked, there ceases to be a need to negotiate. [Meireles] What are Russia's means for resolving the conflict? [Adamishin] In the first place, we have political influence; second, we are prepared to work with all the Western countries; third, we have our troops there. They are under UN command, integrated into the peacekeeping forces, and this participation gives us greater ability to influence decisions. [Meireles] Are you in favor of U.S. troops' participation in the UN Protection Force? [Adamishin] Why not? We are inviting them! [Meireles] Have you asked President Clinton? [Adamishin] President Clinton has always said that he does not wish to send U.S. troops to Bosnia. It is not for us to tell him to send them. It is the United Nations which should say which troops it needs in Bosnia. When Butrus-Ghali said that he needed more forces in Sarajevo, we responded to his request. [Meireles] If the ultimatum were carried out, could a grave conflict develop between East and West? [Adamishin] That is a hypothetical question. Let us keep our fingers crossed and be thankful that this has not happened, and let us all be more sensible in the future in order to avert that possibility. | Adamishin on Bosnia Initiative, Situation |
FBIS3-15135_0 | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Patriarch Aleksey II of Moscow and All Russia and Defense Minister Pavel Grachev signed a joint statement on Wednesday, providing for the creation of a coordinating committee for cooperation between the armed forces and the Russian Orthodox Church aimed at reviving the spiritual and patriotic traditions in the army. The military command and the church have been recommended to encourage priests to visit garrisons and organize educational religious conferences. Aleksey II told journalists that the signing of this document was an event of great importance. "There are many believers among servicemen and we shall meet their spiritual needs," he said. Grachev stated that since the formation of the Russian armed forces, its commanders established mutual understanding with the church. "The younger generation's spiritual education has never been so important before," he said. He also announced that in many garrisons commanders cooperated with priests. "In the time free from service many soldiers visit the church, while priests perform rites in the garrisons," he said. | Grachev, Patriarch Sign Cooperation Agreement |
FBIS3-15151_4 | the strength, experience, and ability that it takes to eliminate the causes of the crisis. As for the external causes, it is necessary first of all to immediately rebuild the wrecked economic ties with the former republics of the USSR. Especially with Russia. As I have already remarked a number of times, the situation can only be remedied by an economic union and a singe monetary system -- measures, I stress, which are exceptionally effective and mutually beneficial. Despite the resistance of the opponents of such integration, a contractual basis for the single monetary system has been prepared and, I hope, will be adopted in the near future. [Stepanenko] What about the elimination of the internal causes? [Hryb] Briefly, it is necessary to restore the government of the republic. As quickly as possible, furthermore. [Stepanenko] What is being done to achieve that? [Hryb] As I promised right after the election, I am trying to take every measure to unite deputies and the presidium as far as possible. Unless consolidation is achieved at the top, not one of the tasks aimed at creating an effective system of government will be accomplished. And there are a great many tasks of that kind. Of course, some of them are more important than the rest, and unless these are resolved we cannot even hope to find a way out of the crisis. The most important thing today, in my view, is to define the form in which the state is to be organized. Belarus and Tajikistan are the only former USSR republics not to have done that yet. The other day, as you know, the Supreme Soviet Presidium issued a statement which set out what are in our view the main measures involved in building and equipping the state. First it is necessary to institute the post of the supreme official who is to be elected by all the people and who is at the same time the leader of the state and the executive. In our opinion, this will ensure personal responsibility for the state of affairs in the republic. In addition, it is necessary to define in law the appropriate system of state organs to ensure the observance of citizens' rights, the efficient development of the economy, effective management, control, legality, and law and order. During this very session we must work to adopt a new constitution and hold nationwide elections of | Parliament Chairman Hryb Interviewed |
FBIS3-15166_1 | the advertised free market principles, based upon a balance of demand and supply? Third, if something really needs to be compensated for in full, it is Ukraine's growing strategic vulnerability. In accordance with the information issued by high-ranking representatives of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense that was broadcast on Ukrainian TV Channel One on 17 January, it may be necessary to proceed to modern types of nonnuclear weapons, something about which the Ukrainian president cautioned earlier. This means that it will be necessary to take additional enormous sums from the budget. However, due to the absence of any prospects of resolving this problem without assistance from the Russian military industrial complex, more specifically, by crediting its functioning, this may only be done by lowering the standard of living of the Ukrainian population. Fourth, such crediting will, in fact, be done for Russia's atomic industry. Russia has the possibility of selling the Ukrainian part of uranium for hard currency and at world prices and, at the same time, setting exclusive prices for those fuel elements that will be supplied to Ukraine. Belarus has already expressed its disagreement with Russia's thesis that the "lion's share" of profits from the sales of uranium will go toward covering the expenditure for destroying the missiles (IZVESTIYA, 19 January 1994.) Moreover, at the news conference held by Colonel General Ye. Maslin, main expert of Russia's Ministry of Defense, that was broadcast by "Ostankino" on 18 January, a categorical demand was made that all nuclear missile warheads be immediately transferred to Russia as only then would reciprocal supplies of fuel elements be made. As they say, the more you have, the more you want. On the whole, even from the point of view of the degree of reliability of the highly advertised economic advantages that Ukraine may get, all of this does not look as radiant and nice as the numerous "advertisers" are trying to prove. At the same time, the "Ostankino" TV channel asserts with confidence and optimism that here, too, "Russia will in no way sacrifice its own national interests." He asks: Can anyone say the same thing about Ukraine? This particularly applies to the problem of guaranteeing Ukraine's national security, especially against the background of the recent "optimistically probabilistic" statement by the U.S. President who said there were "very good chances that Russia will not become an expansionist state again and will not threaten its | Scientist Views Disadvantages of Disarmament |
FBIS3-15170_1 | On Tuesday [1 March] hearings took place concerning the case of the Ames couple, who are accused of spying for Moscow. An ITAR-TASS correspondent reports that only a small group of journalists was admitted to the hearings on the pretext that there were "not enough seats." It can thus be said that the judicial part of the "biggest spy scandal," as the sensation-seeking U.S. press has dubbed this case, is essentially taking place behind closed doors. [passage omitted] That is how events are developing in Washington. But what is happening in Moscow? In Moscow the Federal Counterintelligence Service (FCS) has reported that the espionage activity of a leading official in a military-industrial complex organization has been terminated. Criminal proceedings have already been instituted in this case. The spy was arrested 15 January and on 25 January he was charged with treason against the motherland in the form of espionage. During the preliminary investigation our counterintelligence officers obtained evidence showing that the defendant was at some time recruited by the British intelligence services and that he received from them special espionage equipment, secret writing materials, and instructions about methods of secretly communicating in Moscow with the British Embassy station. The spy worked exclusively for money, gathering and passing on information of a secret military and economic nature. We were informed by the FCS that the information handed over contained data on the latest Russian efforts in the sphere of developing various weapons systems and their specifications and performance characteristics, on the financing of defense research and development work, and on the state, prospects, and organization of military-technical cooperation between Russia and foreign countries. But while in Washington the Ameses' guilt still has to be proved, in Moscow the British spy has already admitted his guilt. Moreover, Russian counterintelligence officers neutralized this agent without kicking up a big fuss in front of the whole world. Especially as nobody in Moscow intends to transfer this event, which is routine for the special services, to the dimension of Russian-British relations and base a particular policy on it. Simple chronology shows that the British spy's arrest in Moscow can in no way be regarded as revenge for the Ameses' detention. Therefore the statement by British Labor Party Spokesman Allan Rogers that actions based on the "eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" principle can be discerned in all these cases looks plain silly. | Commentary on British Spy |
FBIS3-15172_2 | Committee and in the recent past the Russian Federation's ambassador to the United States, I asked a question also about the prospects of the "Ames case." "Foreign intelligence is commonplace in international practice," Vladimir Petrovich explained. "Today they have disclosed a spy in the United States, tomorrow they will find one in Russia, but I believe that our president will not make a tragedy out of this. Moreover, the guilt of the Ames has not yet been proved, and for this there must be a trial." The prognosis was confirmed. A week after the State Department's protest Russia made a counterstrike, so to speak, "on a mutual basis." On Monday the Russian Federation Foreign Ministry made a representation to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow in connection with the expulsion of the FIS official representative from Washington. "In this situation," the Foreign Ministry note states, "we are forced on the basis of reciprocity to declare the CIA's representative in Moscow persona non grata and to demand his departure from the Russian Federation." According to information received from the Foreign Ministry, Embassy Counsellor James L. Morris must leave within seven days. Our attempt to secure a comment from the Lubyanka was not successful. FIS Director Yevgeniy Primakov gave a brief reply to an analogous request from an ITAR-TASS correspondent: "No comment." To all appearances, CIA Director Woolsey is also behaving with delicacy -- which obviously attests to a reluctance to fuel passions. Particularly as last year, so Germany's DIE WELT reported recently, 20 people were arrested in Russia for spying for Western countries. Unlike the United States, however, Moscow did not try to blow up any scandal, the newspaper emphasizes. What is more, recent data published by FIS experts indicate that the claims by Neil Gerardo, president of the U.S. Gerardo International Corporation, that Aldrich Ames could have passed to Moscow production secrets of the company's new invention -- the so-called MRX defense technology -- were an overt fabrication. Information about Ames' involvement in the drugs trade is also no more than disinformation. Against the background of these facts there can be just one conclusion: There are influential forces in the United States which would like, if not to return Russian-U.S. relations to the "Cold War" epoch, then at least to cast a shadow of mutual mistrust over our leaders and to halt the movement which has begun toward a Russian-U.S. partnership. | `Spy Passions' Resulting From Ames Case Viewed |
FBIS3-15173_0 | Language: English Article Type:BFN [By ITAR-TASS analyst Andrey Palaria] [Text] Moscow March 2 TASS -- The recent arrest of a British secret agent, who held a high-ranking position in Russia's military industrial complex, clearly indicated that Western special services did not intend to scale down their intelligence activities in Russia. Not many details are available so far for obvious reasons. Thus, the name of the exposed spy is not given, the same as the duration of his work for MI-6. But even the smallest pieces of information available show that a serious damage could be caused to Russia, because the data conveyed by the SIS agent concerned the latest developments in building various arms systems, their tactical technical parameters, funding of defence-related activities, the present condition and prospects for military technical cooperation between Russia and foreign countries. Last year, 20 foreign special agents were brought to trial in Russia. The arrest of another spy spotlit an extremely thorny problem, that of reliable protection of our secrets. This problem is not new, but it calls for serious consideration and solution, taking into account the increasing shift towards industrial espionage in activities of special services, according to Russia's Federal Counterintelligence Service. This holds true not only about the U.S., British and German secret services, but also to major Western corporations seeking to obtain, by any possible means, information about plans of their rivals, of which Russia [is] a key one. For this reason, experts note, our country needs a mechanism for reliable protection of its priorities in the fields of science, technology and know-how, let alone other specific activities. Otherwise, it would be more profitable for Russian specialists to sell their developments to the West, and shortly afterwards the state would have to use them on a license basis. The arrest of a British secret agent, who was caught red-handed on January 15, is not the only case in a series of spy exposures in russia. Many of them were much spoken about, the others did not receive such a wide public response. All this testifies to a continuous confrontation between the Soviet and the Russian special services and foreign ones, which has quite a long history. Some events in this history are as follows. In the United States: 1978 -- three diplomats were expelled from the country, 1986 -- the number of expulsions made up 80 diplomats. 1987 -- Marine Sergeant | TASS Discusses Recent Espionage Cases |
FBIS3-15184_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Mikhail Pogorelyy commentary: "Growing Level of Activity To Resolve Bosnian Conflict"] [Text] In recent days some people have started speaking with hope and others with apprehension of Russia's increasing efforts to achieve a Yugoslav settlement. Certain politicians' voices quiver with irritation and even a sense of grievance at Moscow's "unilateral" actions which have led to a breakthrough in the 22-month-old impasse of the Bosnian crisis. They are less keen to talk about the impotence and fruitlessness of their own, admittedly, "multilateral" efforts to achieve the same overall aims by purely strong-arm methods. Be that as it may, it should be acknowledged tht Russia's increasingly active involvement in resolving the Yugoslav crisis and Moscow's increasingly constructive role in this process are objectively prompting our Western partners to consider, search for, and make unorthodox moves. Paris, London, and Washington are reluctant to award the laurels of arbiter of the Balkan's fate to Russia "without a fight." But Russia is not seeking to determine the development of events in the expanses of former Yugoslavia single-handedly. Russia has for a long time now been persistently urging the Security Council and the major European powers to find a coordinated, mutually acceptable way of solving the Bosnian conflict. From this standpoint, the accord reached in Moscow between Russian Foreign Minister Andrey Kozyrev and Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic on lifting the siege of the airport in Tuzla and its use for the delivery of humanitarian consignments to the Muslim population under the supervision of Russian observers is an excellent example of actual constructive moves. If the Serbs regard the Russians as historical allies and partners and are ready to cooperate, if you will, more closely and openly with us, thank God for that. If the Muslims and Croats of Bosnia are able to achieve peace on the basis of the agreement signed at the same time in Washington on creating a federation with the support of the Americans or others that is a very fine thing. It is important that the great powers do not succumb to the temptation of exploiting the situation in Bosnia solely as a stage for demonstrating their place in world politics and showing "who's master in the house" rather than actually trying to resolve the Bosnians' future. For example, the U.S. Administration and its top officials -- for the time being at any rate -- are successfully | Commentary on Government Approach to Bosnia |
FBIS3-15244_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [By ITAR-TASS correspondent Igor Borisenko] [Text] Washington, 2 March -- A Russian delegation that is in the United States at the invitation of the State Department has, along with the American side, signed a memorandum on understanding aimed at regulating cooperation in the area of organizing electronic and postal communications. "We are implementing contacts with the United States on matters relating to the supply of modern equipment to Russia," Russian Communications Minister Vladimir Bulgak, who is in the United States, said in an interview with an ITAR-TASS correspondent. "The situation is complicated by the continuing existence of eight Cocom [Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls] restrictions on deliveries of this kind of equipment." A paradoxical situation is emerging: although Cocom is due to formally go out of existence on 31 March of this year, the restrictions on trade in modern technology that it has introduced will remain in force. "Once again we would like to recall that discrimination in trade has," V. Bulgak said, "a negative affect on our relations." On the whole, the minister said, cooperation in the area of communications between the two countries is constantly expanding. The number of telephone channels through which our countries can communicate has grown from 80 to 670. As early as 1995 there will be 1,500 of them and in two years' time there will be 3,000. As regards the development of a communications system in Russia, the main aim, in the words of the minister, is to attract foreign capital. American capital investments in this province have amounted to $40 million over two years, while, last year alone, the total amount of Western investment in Russia's communications system reached $250 million. The question of what was hindering the growth of American investments was discussed at a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ronald Brown. "The main barriers on the road to a growth in investments are psychological ones," the Russian minister said. "And Cocom still has influence, too." If we take a look at the very near future, V. Bulgak continued, then once the appropriate digital communications networks are set up, Russians will have access to the "information superhighway" -- a high-speed international computer communications system. "Here we need to solve the so-called `50 by 50 problem,'" V. Bulgak said. "We're talking about setting up 50 new telephone stations and the laying of 50 thousand km of | Communications Minister on U.S. Trip |
FBIS3-15263_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Valentin Ovsyannikov "Commentary": "Is Alliance With NATO Affordable?"] [Text] The strategic "Partnership for Peace" program approved at the January NATO summit is taking on real outline. A number of countries have not taken time out for lengthy contemplation of the proposed plan but have hastened to take the opportunity. The number of signatories to the framework document of the "Partnership" is already approaching 10, including Romania, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Estonia, Slovakia, and Latvia. The first from the CIS is Ukraine. In their statements at the signing ceremony officials from a number of the aforementioned states intimated that they have not renounced their long cherished idea of full NATO membership, and so the signing of the program is seen as the first step toward achieving the coveted aim, which will certainly facilitate integration into Western Europe. For instance, Hungary sees itself in the first group, and the Czech Republic and Poland also aspire to this. Romania is concerned at the prospect of ending up in the group of "laggards." In this connection it is timely to recall that the alliance's partners should not expect dividends alone, as their participation entails commitments, including financial ones. Material outlay will vary according to the specific content of bilateral agreements (joint military exercises, the standardization of armaments, the implemenation of scientific research, and so on). The state coffers will have to earmark around $50 billion for the relevant measures announced by Poland in this sphere in 1994, for instance. Obviously, such sums are beyond the reach of countries in the East which are not experiencing the best of times. This, in turn, will determine the pace at which they become involved in the activity of the Western bloc. But what kind of peace does the program promise our country? The Brussels concept is aimed at developing the partnership relations and practical cooperation with all European CSCE member states, including in the East of the continent. We welcome this approach, and we are prepared to become a responsible and keen partner of NATO. Our stance is that the transformation of the European security system should be approached in a balanced and gradual manner. It is also necessary to ensure the openness of regional organizations and institutions and to guarantee an equal level of security for all European countries without any "differentiation." It is a matter of forming a really pan-European security system, | Commentary on `Partnership for Peace' |
FBIS3-15271_3 | is not the breakdown of economic links, but limits on demand and the lack of money and customers." The Ministry of Economics officials point out that "the process of removal of state control and privatization developed dynamically and on a large scale in 1993. The position of the nonstate sector of the economy, which is already directly employing over 30 million people, or more than 40 per cent of the workforce, is growing stronger." About 70 percent of trade, catering and service enterprises have been privatized. Over one-third of large and medium-sized enterprises, accounting for some 40 per cent of industrial output, are in private or mixed ownership. It is also noted that the process of implementation of a transition to the development of a single Russian agricultural market regulated by new market methods has begun. Partnerships in various forms, which now number 11,500, have become the main organizational and legal form of management in the countryside. At the same time, the report stresses that "the quantitive parameters of the privatization process (the increase in its speed and scale) are running ahead of the qualitative aspects. Privatization is not yet realizing its full potential, and its influence on the nature and efficiency of production is weak... The overall proportion of production in private ownership is still small (below 5 percent), and it is not yet having a major impact on the establishment of a competitive environment." The authors of the report point out that the measures taken by the government to support production in priority areas helped to prevent a disastrous slump in production and to slow down the rate of the slump. "At the same time we could not overcome the inertia of the economic slump. The GDP for the year as a whole was 12 percent below that of 1992, and industrial production 16 percent below." The document states that "certain positive changes were outlined in the social sphere," and the consumer market, which was almost completely destroyed by the end of 1991, has been restored and is actively functioning. Supply of goods has expanded, disposable monetary incomes of the population have increased by 11 percent and the average monthly salaries of workers, calculated in dollars, increased from $32 in January to $114 in January 1993. In the structure of consumer expenditure of the population the proportion of expenditure on food has begun to fall and actual consumption | Economic Report Summarized |
FBIS3-15297_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Report by Maria Starozhitskaya of UNIAN specially for IZVESTIYA, under "Events and Comments" rubric: "Ukrainian President Flies Off to United States Offended at His Compatriots"] [Text] Kiev -- In his last appearance on television before his visit to the United States, Leonid Kravchuk clearly explained to the electorate the reasons why he has decided not to participate in the presidential elections scheduled for 26 June. From what he said, because of the great probability of a second or even third round of parliamentary elections and the unformed state of the government, even if he does participate in the elections, anarchy is inevitable. "I have been driven into a corner: I have either to throw everything away and enter the elections, or display responsibility and not take this step," he said. "There is also another moral aspect. Like all of us, at school and after school I studied the lives of other presidents, but I have never come across such sordid, uncultured, and overt campaign of persecution of a head of state as many people both inside and outside parliament, as well as in the Ukrainian mass media, are taking the liberty of conducting. It is a historic phenomenon for such a boorish attitude toward the first president to become established in the consciousness of generations: In human terms I cannot and do not want to understand it." The first wave of impartial comments about the president's step -- from "Has Kravchuk Gotten Cold Feet?" to "The Main Thing Is Getting Out at the Right Time" (I cite the republic press headlines) -- has already poured forth. Socialist Party chief Aleksandr Moroz deemed Kravchuk's decision politically correct -- inasmuch as, according to him, the president has practically no chance of success at the elections. Rukh leader Vyacheslav Chornovil has described Kravchuk's step as a tactical one aimed at disrupting the presidential elections for the sake of prolonging his own powers. "I don't know why the president's nerve has failed him: Even if he was not thinking of running, he should have announced this a month or two before the elections, and not now, on the eve of his trip to the United States. How will he speak with Clinton?" -- the question posed by Democratic Party chief Vladimir Yavorivskiy remains rhetorical at the moment. However, the possibility of an imminent change of head of state was not | IZVESTIYA Comments on Kravchuk's U.S. Visit |
FBIS3-15480_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Studio interview with Tatyana Viktorovna Samolis, press secretary of Russian Foreign Intelligence Service director, by Vitaliy Gan; date not given; from the "Panorama" program -- recorded] [Text] [Gan] The tension in Russian-American relations caused by the arrest of the CIA staff member Aldrich Ames and his wife on charges of spying for Russia is intensifying. The sides have already exchanged compliments in the form of a reciprical expulsion of diplomats or those who were considered to be diplomats. The turn of events is a rather a suprising one. Bill [Clinton] and Boris [Yeltsin] had pledged friendship in the eyes of the world and now here we are faced with this embarrassment. On the American side the fuss is due to many factors: the striving to block the establishment of closer political and economic ties with Russia, the opposition to President Clinton, the dissatisfaction with our efforts to state once again, as it should be, our position and our place in the world in spite of our internal squabbles. It is also due to the cherished desire to put a squeeze on the Russian intelligence service. Tatyana Viktorovna Samolis, Russian foreign intelligence service director's press secretary, is our guest today. Tatyana Viktorovna, the fuss around the arrest of CIA staff member Ames and his wife on charges of spying against [as heard] Russia is not subsiding. One gets the impression that by carrying out reciprocal expulsions the sides have revived the eye-for-an-eye policy. How do you see the situation? [Samolis] First of all, I would not define the situation that has emerged as fitting the eye-for-an-eye scheme. To a certain extent we have here a different variant. Why? Primarily because we consider the expulsion of Aleksandr Iosifovich Lisenko as a discourteous act. This was, most likely, a political step and the Russian side was forced to undertake a reciprical measure, first and foremost, because the expulsion of Lisenko was carried out not out of any operational consideration. Then, whoever Ames really was, Lisenko had had no contacts with him whatsoever. All this situation is to a certain extent burdensome to both the sides. The Russian side would not like to drag out this conflict. On the contrary, we would like, by using all means, to strive to return to the cooperation which has already begun between the Russian and U.S. intelligence services, because the interests that coincide | Intelligence Official Views Ames Case |
FBIS3-15489_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [From the "Military Courier" program] [Text] Russia is starting to play a more active role in settling the Balkans crisis, reinforcing its diplomatic efforts with a specific peacemaking contribution. [Unidentified correspondent] The arrival of Russian paratroopers in the Sarajevo area was a key moment in the implementation of plans for a political settlement of the crisis in Bosnia. As stated by Colonel General Mikhail Kolesnikov, chief of the general staff of the Russian Armed Forces, the proposed air bombardment of Serbian positions could bring about a fresh escalation of the Balkans war. [Begin Kolesnikov recording] I would like particularly to emphasize that by threatening to make bomb strikes against targets around Sarajevo, the NATO Command put itself, I would say, in a fairly ambiguous position. It was publicly stated that the use of force was to be the instrument which, it was claimed, would make it possible to normalize the situation around Sarajevo. In actual fact Western diplomats have admitted that bomb strikes would have been been regarded in the North Atlantic alliance as a failure. For this reason the NATO bloc was relieved to learn the news that, thanks to the efforts of Russian diplomacy, success was achieved in convincing the Bosnian Serbs that they needed to withdraw their heavy weapons from the blockade of Sarajevo. [end recording] [Correspondent] Colonel General Yevgeniy Podkolzin, commander of airborne troops, was directly involved in implementing the plan put forward by Russia for settling the Bosnian crisis. [Begin Podkolzin recording] I had two meetings with General Rose, commander of UNPROFOR [UN Protection Forces] forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina, who assured me and gave me a guarantee that our troops would be safe. Of course no one at present is guaranteeing the lives of our people against the chance sniper's bullet, but as for large-scale combat actions, both sides and also the Bosnia-Herzegovina command have given an assurance that there will not be any such operations. I would like to add that we brought in this battalion or independent formation of 400 men on condition that NATO would not make any bomb strikes and that NATO would verify the fulfilment of the commitments made to NATO by both the Serbian and Muslim sides. Among other things, I was there in the locality, and on the whole these commitments were almost 100 percent carried out. [end recording] [Correspondent] At the present time our | Armed Forces Commander Views Bosnia Mission |
FBIS3-15567_0 | Language: Georgian Article Type:BFN [Text] We have been informed by Sakenergo [electric power production and consumption department] that electric power supply has increased compared with previous weeks. The operation of Tbilisi regional state power station has been relatively stable. Due to the rise of the water level in rivers, the efficiency of hydroelectric stations has increased almost by the factor of two and reached five million kilowatt/hours. Apart from this, the republic gets almost two million kilowatt/hours of electric power from Azerbaijan. Thus, as for today, the total power available reaches 18 million kilowatt/hours. The shortage is still large but it can be presumed that hydroelectric power stations will show a further significant increase in efficiency after 15 or 20 March. | Slight Improvement in Electricity Supply |
FBIS3-15571_1 | and best of all with the agreement of the United States itself. There is no denying that what Moscow undertakes should, as Christopher notes, accord with the letter and spirit of international laws. But another of the secretary of state's important premises cannot fail to give rise to dispute and keen doubt: Even in those situations where a request is made to Moscow by those countries of the former Union "where Russian troops are deployed and the request is for help in safeguarding and preserving peace, Russia cannot respond unilateral to such requests but only in some kind of cooperation with the United Nations or, for instance, the CSCE," Christopher stated. Russians, the chief U.S. diplomat repeated, have the right to appeal to adjacent states "to be concerned for the position of Russian-speaking citizens and to display generosity with regard to them but the United States will resolutely oppose Moscow's adoption of any powerful steps in this direction." A detail of some importance: Christopher made his statement in response to President Yeltsin's recent speech to Russian parliament. The speech spoke clearly enough of Russia's right to involve itself actively in the development of the situation in the former Union with a view to ensuring stability and the protection of Russians. The secretary of state commented with some scorn on these passages in the Russian president's speech, describing them as something aimed primarily at "a domestic audience." This speech, Christopher reported, is still being studied in Washington but Washington is prepared to issue a warning right now to Moscow on how it should behave. In the most unequivocal terms. In my view in the warnings which are now being heard from Washington it is easy to discern an attempt by the Clinton administration to preserve the status to which Russia has been reduced in recent years, particularly by virtue of the chaos, lack of thought, and often simply shortsightedness of our diplomats' actions. The status which Washington automatically guarantees Washington its own absolute superpowerdom on the world arena probably suits the United States completely. It can hardly suit Russia, nor should it. Everything is the way it was before. Is that not so? It seems to me that Foreign Minister Kozyrev should have a serious talk about this with Christopher when they meet 14 March in Vladivostok, where the secretary of state is going as part of his Far East tour. | Christopher Statement on Russia-CIS Relations Viewed |
FBIS3-15573_7 | that if the NATO pilots dare to bomb Serbian towns, this will mean a declaration of war on Russia. If French pilots drop bombs, this will mean war between France and Russia, and if German pilots do so, it will mean war between Germany and Russia. My words had a sobering effect on NATO. You saw that no war started. This means I am right that NATO should dissolve itself. The United Nations has also become outdated. We must form a new organization -- a League of European States. Why do we Europeans need an international organization like the United Nations? It is a collection of states from the age of the ox cart. Africa, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia -- why should I be interested in their problems? They are at the other end of the earth. The League should be formed between Western and Eastern Europe. Let us solve our own problems and leave them to solve theirs! The Bosnian conflict is an example of the effectiveness of the old principle of divide and rule. In three years, Yugoslavia has been brought to its knees. The foreign businessmen -- the Italians, French, and Germans -- have an interest in ruining Yugoslavia's economy, just as they have in ruining Bulgaria's. Then their goods will be bought up, because no others will be available, and the enterprises of Serbia and Bulgaria will go bankrupt. This is a war of the markets. [Veselinova] Why is the world supporting the Muslims in this conflict? [Zhirinovskiy] This is the nub of the problem, that the Muslim card is being played again. They allege that the Orthodox Serbs are terrorizing the Catholics and the Muslims. The Serbs are the most numerous. If they are destroyed or scattered over the Balkans, there will be no one left to resist. For five centuries the Ottoman Empire oppressed the Balkan Slavs. Now the Turks are not only living on Bulgarian territory, engaging in trade, and owning Turkish enterprises, but on top of everything they are even creeping into parliament. It is to the West's benefit to let the Slavs and Turks squabble among themselves. It is high time the Slavs ceased being the object of attacks. To save the Bulgarians from the Turks, they should form an alliance with Russia. We are ready to send a division to the Bulgarian-Turkish border. Bulgaria should not sell its | Zhirinovskiy Calls For Elimination of NATO, UN |
FBIS3-15622_2 | Russians like the situation of their compatriots in the countries which previously were part of the Soviet Union, including Latvia and Estonia. Not only Russia's democratic future, but also the fate of many states which were formed after the break-up of the USSR, and in the final analysis, international peace and security, depend on how timely and clear their voice is." After touching on the situation in the Yugoslav conflict zone, Sergey Kovalev stressed that the presence of Russian soldiers and officers in Sarajevo is "an example of Russia's sincere interest in a peaceful settlement of the crisis in former Yugoslavia." Russian servicemen had come to the Bosnian capital in order to "prevent further suffering and death in this town." He warned against an unbalanced approach towards the Yugoslav crisis and attempts to blame one of the conflicting sides for everything, "to play down the crimes by one side and to indulge yet another side." Inevitably such an approach "will hamper the possibility of a peaceful settlement of the conflict and will undermine trust in the Commission on Human Rights." The address voiced concern at the situation in the human rights sphere in Iraq, Iran, Myanmar, and Afghanistan. "So far the problem of the release of former servicemen has not been resolved," the head of the delegation said. "Some Afghanistani politicians are continuing to block this issue. Our position is that the problem of prisoners of war is of a strictly humanitarian nature and needs to be solved immediately and without linkage to any conditions whatsoever." "We are disappointed by the lack of progress in ensuring human rights in Cuba, for whose people Russia has the warmest feelings," Sergey Kovalev said. "We call on the Cuban authorities to ensure democratic rights and freedoms and also to establish cooperation with the Commission's special rapporteur." After recalling that at the 48th session of the Commission on Human Rights the Russian delegation "had raised the issue of the arbitrariness of the state bodies of North Korea vis-a-vis DPRK citizens at timber procurement enterprises in Russia," he said that "at the Russian side's initiative the bilateral agreement between Russian and the DPRK on cooperation in the sphere of timber procurement, in spite of considerable financial advantages, had been cancelled." In future such an agreement is possible only "given the observance of the rights and freedoms of the individual and the respect of Russian legislation." | Human Rights Envoy on Russians Abroad, Cuba, DPRK |
FBIS3-15684_1 | said he would press for the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Moldova in 1994... [Lebed] I got you. As they say, desires do not always match abilities. When I am asked whether it is good when the Army of one state is on the territory of another state, I answer "no." Should it be pulled out? Yes, it should. When it should be pulled out is a separate question. This should be done when all political and economic conditions for the pullout are in place; when, for example, one can get a sufficient number of trains here and then dispatch them to new stationing sites so that local women do not assault our units, as was the case before... Those conditions are not yet met! Why not? Just because a year and a half of peace brought no results; negotiations are in a deadlock with no progress in sight. As for economic conditions, Shevardnadze from Georgia babbled much about them -- hundreds of thousands of officers are left without jobs, apartments, and any prospects for the future. This kind of withdrawal is even more unacceptable. There is also a diplomatic side to the whole problem. What would Ukraine say, if I started to transport weapons and ammunition through its territory? After all, its railroads will be jammed with dangerous cargo. There is a technical side to this problem. Considering the railroads and loading sites available and the huge amount of weapons, this transportation would require two solid years of around-the-clock work -- day and night, and no holidays... So, who can ever talk here about the summer of 1994? Besides, you cannot utilize the ammunition here. They would not listen to any arguments, and only go like, Get out of here and period. I think it is an election campaign ploy. [KIEVSKIYE VEDOMOSTI] Some politicians -- in particular, Brigitte Schultz who is the leader of a NATO group observing elections in Moldova -- believe that the presence of the 14th Russian Army in the Dniester region will complicate Russia's participation in the "Partnership for Peace." [Lebed] Brigitte Schultz is no authority to me. Besides, women should move their butts out of this place, and not stick their noses into the dog's turd. She is threatening us? Let her come down here and try to pull this Army out. The former Soviet Army withdrew from Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Germany, Mongolia, | Lebed Sees Dim Prospects for Early Troop Pullout |
FBIS3-15693_2 | the Latvian bureau and they reveal that at the last such meeting held in Lyons in September, it was the German representative who expressed extreme anxiety over the sharp increase in the number of such crimes in Germany. At the same time, he drew attention to the fact that in cases where the presence of radioactive elements was suspected, radioactivity was actually detected in relatively few instances (in 1992 -- 18 out of 158 inspections). He stated that material often toted as radioactive, is in being sold by taking advantage of prospect buyer's credulity. Among every case when radioactivity was actually detected, there has not been a single case of material being discovered which could be used in the production of nuclear weapons, which is the most dreaded scenario. In reports delivered at INTERPOL conferences, "Red Mercury," as an example, is most often mentioned. As DIENA has already reported, citing German press reports, this was the material Johann Rimmele supposedly had been planning to buy in China. There are different opinions concerning its usage. INTERPOL experts are of the opinion that "Red Mercury" is a material which can be used as an element in making detonators for plutonium-based bombs. The German and Dutch representatives at INTERPOL directed attention toward Russia as a source of the trade in dangerous materials. The Dutch representative emphasized the participation of former Red Army officers -- it is understood that they are cheating, by selling relatively useless goods as strategic material. [passage omitted] Dzintars Kalnins is the head engineer of the Center for Nuclear Research at the Latvian Academy of Science in Salaspils -- an institution where Latvia's most highly qualified specialists in this field are working. Therefore, the explanations and comments of Dz. Kalnins can evidently be treated as the opinion of a Latvian expert. First of all, it should be stated precisely that the valuable materials involved in the famous Lake Constance episode were not simply rare metals, but enriched isotopes. They are made by growing them in a crystal reticle. Isotopes are applied in precise technologies, in radio electronics, computer techniques, etc., where the respective isotopes -- perfect, precise atom crystals -- are necessary. In Latvia, such isotopes are not being manufactured, due to lack of necessary equipment. As Mr. Kalnins told us, the institutes which possess the special equipment needed to enrich these elements are situated near Moscow. "These institutes are | `Growing' Trade in Radioactive Metals Detailed |
FBIS3-15697_12 | help train this fledgling battalion while expressing the hope that Sweden and Finland will also join the PfP to strengthen the "Nordic axis" and to move towards an all-European security system. Another expression of our growing integration with Europe are our ongoing free-trade negotiations with the European Union. We hope to have a free-trade agreement eliminating all trade barriers and tariffs in force on January 1, 1995. And I am very happy to note that the European Council sees us as Associate Members of the Union in the near future. In this connection I would mention that we strongly support and welcome Sweden's membership in the EU. Not only will membership bolster the Swedish economy, but it will further strengthen Stockholm's already strong role in the international arena. We hope to join Sweden as a full member of the European Union at the end of this century. However, when earlier speaking about the problems international structures face I had one particular process in mind -- the European Stability Pact. While the idea conceived by French Prime Minister Edouard Balladur has great merit, in the framework of the European Union it has become stagnant. The deliberations around the pact prove that there is not yet very much force behind the Common Foreign Policy of the Union and I am quite frankly concerned about the effect a failure or non-success of the Pact will have on the image of a strong and united Europe. Nonetheless, we are determined to do our utmost to help make this undertaking a success, because through this Pact, we hope both to resolve open questions regarding our border with the Russian Federation as well as to give our efforts to integrate aliens into Estonian society a much needed shot in the arm. I do hope, however, that the European Union will accept the nine Central and Eastern European States as true, equal, partners in this undertaking, for only so can we -- together -- achieve success. I would wrap up this final point by stating the obvious. Much has changed in the international security environment since my prime minister spoke at this forum one year and 11 days ago, but some things remain the same. Last year, Prime Minister Mart Laar told you, and I quote, that "It is imperative to realize that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania cannot be abandoned, not only for their own sake, but | Foreign Minister's Policy Address in Sweden |
FBIS3-15705_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Report by Sergey Karkhanin: "In Search of Justice. How Are the Amendments to the Law on Russian Citizenship Functioning?"] [Text] It is around seven months since this law was amended and amplified, so some conclusions can now be drawn. It was the topic of a seminar organized in Moscow by the leadership of the Russian Federation Presidential Commission on Citizenship Affairs. Representatives of regional administrations and internal affairs organs participated in the discussion. "The amendments are not functioning effectively everywhere, in some places the local authorities prefer to operate in the old way," Commission Chairman Abdulakh Mikitayev told your ROSSIYSKIYE VESTI correspondent. "Yet there has been a marked reduction in the flow of complaints and appeals to the president in connection with citizenship problems. So more often than not people are able to find help locally on the basis of the law: in Russian consulates abroad and through the internal affairs organs in Russia. Complaints from `first'- and `second'-wave emigres in the more remote foreign countries have virtually dried up: People there are now entitled to obtain Russian citizenship by registration, while remaining citizens of the country where they currently live." Russian-speaking inhabitants of the Baltic countries are particularly active in taking advantage of this opportunity. So far 40,000 people in Estonia and 20,000 in Latvia have obtained the relevant stamp or insert in their passports. There are many waiting in the wings in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, but the situation is complicated by the fact that the network of Russian consulates is not yet sufficiently developed, and not everyone can afford to travel to the republic capital. The number of consulates must be significantly increased, Abdulakh Mikitayev believes, in the interests of present and future Russian citizens living in the neighboring foreign countries. It is a fundamentally important fact that citizenship and registration are different things, although in order to become a Russian citizen a person is obliged to confirm where he lives via the internal affairs organs. This procedure has not yet been perfected in practice. Another problem is citizenship for members of officers' families and students who have come to study in higher educational establishments in the Russian Federation. The Commission is prepared to do something for the students, since many of them intend to work in Russia on obtaining their diplomas, and many of tomorrow's specialists consider that their future lies there. | Workings of Revised Citizenship Law Viewed |
FBIS3-15738_4 | because the establishment of friendly relations with neighboring countries is one of the chief goals of our foreign relations policy. We hope to sign in the nearest future friendship and cooperation agreements with Belarus and Poland. As to ethnic minorities, I must say that ethnic minorities in Lithuania enjoy all the privileges and rights which are stipulated by our constitution and our laws and which are also stipulated by international documents on these matters. Lithuania is a member of the Council of Europe and it abides to all the stipulations in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. [Iliescu] First of all for the women, I should like to express our congratulations and best wishes to all the women present in this hall with the occasion of Women's Day. Secondly, in connection with the problem raised with (?satisfied discussion), as President Brazauskas said, I should underline two aspects of the problem because all our countries, and I think in all Europe, there does not exist any country which should not have national, ethnical minorities on their territory. Also, there is not any country which should not have their core nationals living on the territory of other states. In this connection there are also problems connected with the neighbor problems and historical problems which thus exist between neighbor countries in connection with this coexistence of the co-citizens or of the co-nationals living on the territory of the other country. Of course, the problem of the national minorities and national and ethnical minorities is a question of the internal development of each country and only on the democratic basis, with the creation of the general frame of the individual liberties and the right of every member of the society, only in this frame the problems of the citizens belonging to different national minorities can be solved. And I think that with the democratic development of our country, with the new constitution which has the most important chapter connected to the rights and the liberties of the citizens, we have created the juridicial base to solve any problems for any citizen of the country, including those belonging to national minorities. Of course, there are some general international, European [word indistinct] concerning the civil rights, which are including also the rights for the persons belonging to the national minorities. And we have such a provision in our constitution that any international juridicial provision is (?prevalent) | Hold News Conference |
FBIS3-15738_6 | to any of our national juridicial provision concerning the rights and liberties of the citizen. So we are ready always to align ourselves to any international regulations, provisions, agreements on the international level, including European level. But, of course, there is some conditions which is creating normal or un-normal relations between neighboring countries. When some state, or leader of one state, is proclaiming their right to intervene in the regulation of the activities of the representative organizations of some national minorities on the territory of other countries, it is already a source of tension between the states. Or some proclamation (?in the last period) for the so-called territorial, ethnical self-determination, it is also a principle which is not in accordance with the general international and European [word indistinct] of the development of the trust between nations and between states. It's a sort of theory of bantustanization of some such local community. I think not on this basis the rights and the liberties of the national minorities could be provided, but in accordance with legislation which does exist in every country and with a general democratic rule of the relations between the citizens of each country. [Unidentified correspondent] Mr. President Brazauskas, Mr. President Iliescu: Can you point out, please, the ways in which the two countries are planning to contribute to the maintenance and strengthening of the stability, security and peace on our continent? Thank you. [Brazauskas] I would like to say that our active participation in the Partnership for Peace system shows that our countries are looking for strong and guaranteed security systems, such as we see in the activities of NATO, for example. I also hope that other countries will be signing the Partnership for Peace agreement and this will provide a very good security basis for Central and Eastern European countries. I would like to express a hope that Russia, too, signs this agreement, then the question itself of dividing Europe into military or some other kind of bloc will no longer be existing at all. [Iliescu] I think there are two elements for the (?general stability). There is from the one side the internal stability of every country, and we are making all the efforts to stabilize politically and economically our country to become a factor of stability in our geographical zone and on the continent. Secondly, there are the activities of external relations, firstly the good | Hold News Conference |
FBIS3-15766_0 | Language: Georgian Article Type:BFN [Text] Georgian envoy to the European Union, Zurab Abashidze reported that on 8 March the council of the European Union made a decision to start negotiations with Georgia on preparing a comprehensive agreement on cooperation. This agreement is viewed as the first stage towards getting close with the central and eastern European states and the European Union and further integration with them. The Baltic states have already signed a similar agreement with the European Union and negotiations are being held with Russia, Ukraine, and Moldova. Thus, Georgia is the first Caucasian state with which the European Union decided to negotiate about the agreement. The next stage of the European integration is getting a status of an associate member, which has been granted to a number of the former socialist countries in Europe: Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The agreement on cooperation will create a legal basis for developing comprehensive relations with the 12 member states of the European Union and envisages a number of practical privileges in the sphere of political contacts, economic links, and trade. | European Union To Start Negotiations on Accord |
FBIS3-15786_1 | said he would press for the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Moldova in 1994... [Lebed] I got you. As they say, desires do not always match abilities. When I am asked whether it is good when the Army of one state is on the territory of another state, I answer "no." Should it be pulled out? Yes, it should. When it should be pulled out is a separate question. This should be done when all political and economic conditions for the pullout are in place; when, for example, one can get a sufficient number of trains here and then dispatch them to new stationing sites so that local women do not assault our units, as was the case before... Those conditions are not yet met! Why not? Just because a year and a half of peace brought no results; negotiations are in a deadlock with no progress in sight. As for economic conditions, Shevardnadze from Georgia babbled much about them -- hundreds of thousands of officers are left without jobs, apartments, and any prospects for the future. This kind of withdrawal is even more unacceptable. There is also a diplomatic side to the whole problem. What would Ukraine say, if I started to transport weapons and ammunition through its territory? After all, its railroads will be jammed with dangerous cargo. There is a technical side to this problem. Considering the railroads and loading sites available and the huge amount of weapons, this transportation would require two solid years of around-the-clock work -- day and night, and no holidays... So, who can ever talk here about the summer of 1994? Besides, you cannot utilize the ammunition here. They would not listen to any arguments, and only go like, Get out of here and period. I think it is an election campaign ploy. [KIEVSKIYE VEDOMOSTI] Some politicians -- in particular, Brigitte Schultz who is the leader of a NATO group observing elections in Moldova -- believe that the presence of the 14th Russian Army in the Dniester region will complicate Russia's participation in the "Partnership for Peace." [Lebed] Brigitte Schultz is no authority to me. Besides, women should move their butts out of this place, and not stick their noses into the dog's turd. She is threatening us? Let her come down here and try to pull this Army out. The former Soviet Army withdrew from Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Germany, Mongolia, | Commander Sees Dim Prospects for Early Troop Pullout |
FBIS3-15798_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Communist Party of the Russian Federation Central Executive Committee press service report: "G. Zyuganov Has Met With R. Nixon"] [Text] Gennadiy Zyuganov, chairman of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation [CPRF] Central Executive Committee and leader of the communist faction in the Federal Assembly State Duma, received former U.S. President Richard Nixon 8 March. An engaged discussion took place between them about Russia's internal political and economic situation and the prospects for Russia's development and for the development of Russian-U.S. relations. Having congratulated G. Zyuganov on the CPRF's success in the Russian Federation Federal Assembly elections, R. Nixon asked the leader of Russia's most popular party about his views on ways of extricating the country from the crisis, his assessment of the ruling regime's domestic and foreign policies, the CPRF's international ties, and its attitude to religion. The CPRF chairman unequivocally stated that the policy of so-called shock therapy is destructive for Russia and fraught with the possibility of social outbursts with unpredictable consequences for the whole world. At the same time, he noted that the Russian Communist Party will accept neither right-wing nor left-wing radicalism and is ready to cooperate with all political forces which stand for the revival of a strong Russia as a guarantor of peace and security throughout the world. "The reconstitution of a renewed Union, in which none of its peoples would have their sovereignty infringed, is only a matter of time," G. Zyuganov emphasized. The first stage in achieving this goal, he said, is to renew all ties between Russia and Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. The whole world will benefit from stability and calm being restored to this area, occupying one-sixth of the globe and packed with nuclear warheads. G. Zyuganov told R. Nixon about the permanent contacts between the CPRF and former union republics' communist parties and its international ties with more than 100 communist, socialist, social democratic, and other left-wing parties of the Old and New World. G. Zyuganov also noted that the CPRF and the whole of the Russian patriotic movement are uneasy about the one-dimensional nature of the U.S. approach to the political forces in Russia and the growth of anti-American sentiment in Russian society in connection with Washington's reckless support for the current executive, which is unpopular among the people; but they greet with enthusiasm the recently observed trend whereby the U.S. leadership is | Zyuganov Criticizes U.S. View |
FBIS3-15811_1 | a meeting with his Russian counterpart Andrey Kozyrev. Their talks related to all the important elements of the crisis on the territory of former Yugoslavia, particularly the Washington Agreement between the Croats and Muslims, and its results. Elizabeta Gojan reporting from Moscow. [passage omitted] [Begin recording] [Granic] We had talks on all important problems relating to the crisis on the territory of former Yugoslavia. We had talks on the Washington agreement, its results, the current phase of negotiations in Vienna, and the necessity to include the third party [Serbs] in the negotiations, because without the inclusion of the third party it is not possible to find a final solution for restoring peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and likewise to achieve a global solution to the crisis. We also had talks on UN Protected Areas in the Republic of Croatia and the need for their peaceful reintegration. [passage omitted] [Granic] We particularly welcome the standpoint assumed by the Russian Federation regarding the territorial integrity of the Republic of Croatia and the need for the UNPROFOR [UN Protection Force] mandate to secure in practice all that is laid down in the UN Security Council resolutions and to start serious negotiations with the local Serbs. The Washington agreement is the first important one in the restoration of peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina, whose results can already be seen on the ground. However, it does not resolve everything. There is no final solution without the inclusion of the third side. An agreement which is to be reached between the federation and the third side will determine the content of the confederation. Therefore, all negotiations on the federation should be completed, which will then be followed by negotiations with the third party and the final definition of the content of the confederation. As the United States played a very positive role in the convergence of views and in the final signing of the preliminary agreement, both in the present phase of the negotiations and... [pauses] As they have backed this agreement, the Russian Federation can likewise play an extremely positive role in influencing Serbia itself, and the Serbs in Bosnia-Herzegovina, but also in exercising influence on the Serbs in the UN Protected Areas [in Croatia]. [Gojan] Have you been given some guarantees? [Granic] Talks will in every case be continued. The exchange of views will also be continued. We have also agreed some further steps. [end recording] [passage omitted] | Kozyrev Meets With Croatian, Bosnian Leaders Granic Welcomes Russian Role |
FBIS3-15824_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Report by own correspondent Vladimir Toporkov: "Voting with Their Feet"] [Text] Lipetsk -- Complete lack of confidence in the new electoral system instituted by the president's edict can describe the results of the elections to the Lipetsk Oblast deputies' assembly. Tormented by excessive prices and mass unemployment in Lipetsk (perhaps not a single enterprise is working at full capacity) and by notorious privatization as a result of which some have become multimillionaires but most have become impoverished, at the elections people voted "with their feet." The elections were not valid at one of the oblast center's 15 electoral districts. And that despite the fact that the "pass level" was lowered to 25 percent. For the same reason the elections to the city assembly were also invalid. Yet here it was the "city fathers," the head of the administration and his deputies, the leaders of industrial enterprises, and new capitalist gentlemen who were running for the majority of districts. The same attitude toward the new organ of oblast power was displayed in Yelets, where not a single candidate got through either, because voters failed to turn out. Thus elections were valid in only 19 out of 38 districts. But even in those districts, mainly rural ones, where the elections were successful, the turnout was scarcely more than 50 percent. On behalf of whom will the victorious candidates resolve legislative questions if most often only 15-20 percent of the population voted for them? | Some Lipetsk Oblast Elections `Invalid' |
FBIS3-15905_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Unattributed report: "As a Mark of Gratitude"] [Text] Ukraine sent a consignment of humanitarian aid to Cuba yesterday. The Lilas Island, a bulk carrier chartered by the Cubans and flying the Panamanian flag, left the Ukrainian port near Odessa carrying 100 tonnes of powdered milk, 210 tonnes of canned meat, 50 tonnes of medicines, and other goods bound for Cuba. This consignment of humanitarian aid has been put together by several governmental and public organizations in Ukraine, notably the young people's fund "Children of Chernobyl." This is not the first such humanitarian action by Ukraine toward Cuba as a mark of gratitude for its participation in the treatment and recuperation of children affected by the Chernobyl accident. | Carrier Heads for Cuba With Humanitarian Aid |
FBIS3-15958_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Text] Much of the media has recently been writing about a cooling off in the Russian-American relations. Can we call it a crisis now? Here is our commentator Aleksey Sokolov's view. [Sokolov] Indeed, there are quite a few reports in the press on this. A lightweight diplomatic scandal is brewing between Moscow and Washington -- this is how IZVESTIYA, for instance, has headlined one of its articles. The article is about the possible negative consequences of the former U.S. President Nixon's visit to Russia, where, unfortunately enough, he had a meeting with the opposition before meeting the head of state and those who represent the administration. The article's author does not rule out the emergence of new and substantial friction in the relations between Moscow and Washington. State Duma speaker Ivan Rybkin did mention the rough patches that have recently been affecting the relations between the two countries during his recent visit to Washington. Incidentally, I have so far failed to come across the word crisis, evidently because, when all is said and done, there is no crisis as such between Russia and the United States. It is more likely that other aspects do exist here -- it is simply that Moscow and Washington have begun to regard each other from more realistic positions. There is no doubt that Russia's vigorous diplomatic initiative in Bosnia took America by surprise. To detract from its undoubted impact, a jealous White House wheeled out the Ames' spy affair. Pleasantries were exchanged -- the Russian and American residents were expelled from Washington and Moscow. The United States began to fan up the spy hysteria in every possible way here. The halting of U.S. assistance to Russia was even mentioned. Nevertheless, let me reiterate that there are no grounds to speak of a crisis in the Russian-American relations. It simply looks like the United States, which has adopted the unofficial title of the only superpower and which has recently gotten used to Moscow behaving in a certain predictable pattern on the international arena and to its role as a younger brother, as it were, has suddenly discovered that despite its own family difficulties, this brother has become stronger and more confident and that it intends its role in international affairs to be completely independent. It is as though the United States has forgotten that in view of objective reasons, such as | Commentary Sees `Cooling Off' in U.S. Relations |
FBIS3-15978_2 | in supporting communist parties all over the world. [Horvath] However, Washington might oppose the idea of Ukraine and Belarus joining Russia again.... [Kalugin] This does not fall in the jurisdiction of the CIA; they do not have so much power to decide on the fate of countries. One should not exaggerate the possibilities of intelligence. [Horvath] In the current international politics, what is the role of the information obtained by various states through illegal means? [Kalugin] Regarding today's Russia, the role of such information is extremely low. Our society is open now, and we hardly have any secrets. It is very difficult to keep back even the really confidential information. Nor is there any Russian secret policy against the United States, NATO, or the West. On the contrary, we would like to be the first to join NATO and precede all the other candidates. Today's intelligence service works more as an analysis center: It gathers and analyzes the information originating from various sources. [Horvath] Where is the dividing line between a diplomat gathering information legally and a secret agent under diplomatic disguise? [Kalugin] Honestly speaking, the difference is becoming increasingly smaller. For example, formerly we spent huge amounts of money to obtain inside information from the U.S. State Department, because the United States was interested in weakening the Soviet Union. We no longer have such motives. [Horvath] Thus, the current spy hysteria is totally unfounded. [Kalugin] The current American campaign is a rather hypocritical thing, because American agents are also active in Russia, and even within the KGB. There were people who were caught and condemned -- and even executed -- according to the law. But the Russian leadership never engaged in a noisy propaganda war. The Russian leadership regarded this as an "operational accident." True, I understand and partially excuse Clinton, because the U.S. conservative circles are suspicious of the too rapid rapprochement with Russia. After all, the loud declarations are only political gestures toward these circles. America is actually trying to help us, so the use of the principle of "tooth for tooth" would be irrational. On the other hand, intelligence is playing a considerable role in science and technology and in obtaining new markets, even among friendly nations. For example, Central Europe used to be the traditional market for the Soviet industry and it would not be fortunate to lose it. [Horvath] What role could the intelligence | Kalugin Views Current Intelligence Tasks |
FBIS3-15978_3 | to obtain inside information from the U.S. State Department, because the United States was interested in weakening the Soviet Union. We no longer have such motives. [Horvath] Thus, the current spy hysteria is totally unfounded. [Kalugin] The current American campaign is a rather hypocritical thing, because American agents are also active in Russia, and even within the KGB. There were people who were caught and condemned -- and even executed -- according to the law. But the Russian leadership never engaged in a noisy propaganda war. The Russian leadership regarded this as an "operational accident." True, I understand and partially excuse Clinton, because the U.S. conservative circles are suspicious of the too rapid rapprochement with Russia. After all, the loud declarations are only political gestures toward these circles. America is actually trying to help us, so the use of the principle of "tooth for tooth" would be irrational. On the other hand, intelligence is playing a considerable role in science and technology and in obtaining new markets, even among friendly nations. For example, Central Europe used to be the traditional market for the Soviet industry and it would not be fortunate to lose it. [Horvath] What role could the intelligence service play in this? [Kalugin] A wide role. It might seem unbelievable today, but I remember how proud the officials of the Hungarian intelligence were when they succeeded in obtaining some American types of corn with which one could increase production. At the time, we even looked down at them a little, although it really was an achievement, because they saved their country a lot of money. [Horvath] Suppose that the Russian intelligence is also active in Central Europe. Is obtaining such economic information among its major tasks? [Kalugin] Precisely so, and this is not aimed at forcing these countries back into the Warsaw Pact, because this would be a useless effort. [Horvath] In other words, we are not talking about support for pro-Russian parties and influencing election results. [Kalugin] This would only push Central Europe away from Russia. But there is sense in economic intelligence. For example, we learn that Hungarian-French talks are being held on the supply of certain products, while there is also a competitive Russian offer in that area. In that case, it is in our interest to discover the financial conditions offered by the French in order to lower our price and obtain or preserve | Kalugin Views Current Intelligence Tasks |
FBIS3-15998_4 | of sensational stories, complying, so to say, to the demands of certain forces... [Skipalskyy] We are still pursued by the inertia of class struggle. We must be directed by the policy of state building. Those who contribute to this goal should not be defamed all the time, discredited, and raised against others... [Verbych] We have to state today that among the electorate there is apathy, disillusion, and disappointment. One can often hear that the elections may not be held. That is to say, some of our citizens actually refuse to influence the path our state will take toward development. We forget that we are also to blame for today's difficult situation, because we are the ones who chose the people's deputies and the president. People say in despair: It makes no difference to us. [Skipalskyy] I do not believe that it makes no difference to them. Their hearts are bleeding and flaming. Regarding disillusion, it was also inherited from another historical epoch. However, I would not like to attribute it to the Ukrainian mentality. I am sure that the elections will be held. There is no other way for us than free elections. True, given the large number of candidates, people must select those who will really care about the state and the nation. This is the first version. The second one, extremely undesirable, is a rigorous army dictatorship. There is also a third one -- enter Ivan from the north and says: "Well, Little Russians [term used by Russians to denote Ukrainians], residents of southern Russia, if you are incapable of building the state, we will help you." [passage in quotation marks in Russian] I am afraid of a recurrence of history. There may be one more version: In order to please Europe, Russia proposes to tear Ukraine to pieces. A shadow of danger is constantly hovering over us. As you know, certain politicians in Poland adopt statements making territorial demands. Similar forces exist in Romania and Hungary. I do not exclude the possibility that Ukraine may be partitioned along the Sluch or Dnepr rivers. This is no joking matter. One must assess today's real situation. We have to think and act if we are to take care of our descendants. [Verbych] The world treats us in a peculiar way. Let us recall: The United States recognized the former Soviet Union just when communists provoked in Ukraine a famine | Intelligence Chief Outlines Election Platform |
FBIS3-16105_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Maksim Yusin report: "Relations Between Russia and the United States Are Experiencing the Most Serious Crisis of Recent Years. Kozyrev and Christopher Face Difficult Conversation in Vladivostok"] [Text] The Vladivostok meeting between the Russian foreign minister and the U.S. secretary of state scheduled for 14 March comes at a time of coolness in relations between Moscow and Washington, which not so long ago appeared cloudless. There are several reasons for this. The first is the December elections, which brought victory for the national-communists and reminded the Americans that unpredictable Russia remains a potential enemy of the West and a threat to security in the world. Second, Washington cannot fail to be concerned by the changes which have appeared of late in Kremlin policy: the proclamation of the former USSR republics to be a zone of Russia's special interests, the unwillingness to withdraw troops from Latvia and Estonia, and resolute support for the Bosnian Serbs. "After defeat at the elections, the Russian authorities decided to adopt the opposition's slogans. For a while it has been difficult to determine to whom certain remarks in the sphere of foreign policy should be attributed -- Kozyrev or Zyuganov," a Western diplomat accredited in Moscow noted. The third factor provoking the crisis between Russia and the United States is the success of Russian diplomacy in the Balkans. Having secured concessions from the Serbs and thereby averted military action by NATO, Moscow has proclaimed its status as a great power with whose opinion the West has to contend. The situation in Bosnia will be one of the main questions on the agenda of the Vladivostok meeting. "If Moscow and Washington manage to work out a joint stance, substantial progress can be expected over a Bosnian settlement given the influence which we have over the Serbs and which the Americans have over the Croats and the Muslims," a Russian diplomat dealing with the Balkans believes. The subject of the Arab-Israeli conflict will probably arise in Vladivostok too. Kozyrev's sensational visit to Tunisia and Israel testifies to the seriousness of Russian diplomacy's intentions in the Near East. For two years everybody forgot that the Madrid conference on a Near East settlement had another cochairman apart from the United States -- Russia. Washington has borne the full burden of mediation between the Jews and the Arabs, and suddenly -- like a bolt from the blue | `Crisis' in Russian-U.S. Ties Examined |
FBIS3-16135_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [By ITAR-TASS correspondent Vyacheslav Bantin] [Excerpts] Tokyo, 12 Mar -- Aleksandr Rodin, first deputy head of the Russian Federation fisheries committee, who headed the Russian delegation at the two-week-long Russian-Japanese talks on salmon fishing which ended in Tokyo today, said the results of the talks met Russia's national interests. He told an ITAR-TASS correspondent that an agreement had been reached to cut the catch of salmon by Japan in Russia's economic zone by 1,000 tons as against last year's catch and to keep the size of the catch in Japanese waters of salmon from Russia at the same level as last year's. This means that this year Japanese fishermen have the right to catch no more than 14,000 tons of Russian river salmon inside the Russian economic zone and no more that 4,800 tons in Japanese waters. [passage omitted] The head of the Russian delegation said that the decision was also made at the talks that Japan, as before, would compensate Russia for some of its expenditure on scientific research on salmon, on breeding and protecting them. [passage omitted] The first deputy head of the fisheries committee noted that the results of the talks in Tokyo would in no way have a negative influence upon Russia's salmon supply. [passage omitted] | Japan Agrees To Limit Fishing in Russian Zone |
FBIS3-16136_0 | Language: Romanian Article Type:BFN [Cristian Nita dispatch from Chisinau] [Text] Moldovan President Mircea Snegur left today for an official visit to Brussels, where he will sign the general documents on Moldova's adherence to Partnership for Peace. Just before leaving, President Mircea Snegur made the following statement to the correspondents: [Begin Snegur recording] This visit to Belgium is part of our foreign political activity, belonging among the events scheduled to take place in 1994. Its main goal is to sign the Partnership for Peace plan, since that partnership ensures security and stability in Europe within the new circumstances that emerged after the collapse of the socialist bloc and the Soviet Union. Moldova is a small and peaceful country that does not represent any danger whatsoever for anyone. Moreover, as you may know, the people have decided [in the 6 March public opinion poll] that we should promote a policy of neutrality; therefore, we need certain guarantees, and such guarantees are offered to us by Partnership for Peace. In the same context, a meeting is scheduled to take place at the headquarters of the Western European Union [WEU] to discuss the same issues of security and cooperation in Europe. We consider our meeting at the European Union headquarters as very important because we want to conclude a partnership and cooperation accord with that economic union. Negotiations will be initiated as soon as possible; thus, it is necessary to pay a visit to the European Union. Finally, we will approach aspects of our bilateral relations with Belgium because we need to discuss the bilateral documents that are being prepared for signing. Thus, my three-day visit will actually consist of a one-day visit to Belgium, another day will be consecrated to NATO in view of the Partnership for Peace plan, and the third one to my talks at the European Union. [end recording] | Snegur Outlines Goals of Visit to Brussels |
FBIS3-16150_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Nail Gafutulin report: "Certificates That Have Put Deserters in Prison"] [Text] Samara -- A lot of ways have been thought up of avoiding the service draft All of these ways are illegal and punishable. That is clear to everyone. But, it turns out, there are whole organizations which aspire to the role.... However, judge for yourselves what role they actually play in the final analysis. Practically every day, young men of draft age and deserters from Russian subunits appeal to the Committee for the Protection of Servicemen at the All-Tatar Public Center [ATPC], submitting statements renouncing Russian citizenship and expressing the wish to serve in the National Guard of Tatarstan. Here they become the owners of certificates which, according to the ATPC leadership, replace passports; the passports remain at the military commissariats. On their military card draftees get an "Azatlyk" youth organization stamp certifying that they have been drafted into the Guard. "The ATPC is deceiving people," according to Colonel of Justice Aleksandr Fadeyev, military prosecutor at the Kazan Garrison. The deserters are promised the moon. They are told that they are being taken under the organization's protection, but in the end.... In actual fact, there is no legal foundation for this. A draftee is reassured, although in fact he is "on the run." And severe punishment still awaits him as a result. Today fewer and fewer people trust the ATPC. No doubt the fact that criminal proceedings have twice been instituted against the organization's chairman-coordinator Z. Agliullin has had an effect. The first time it was for whipping up interethnic strife, the second for keeping firearms. But the main reason seems to lie elsewhere. Time has started to put the numerous organizations, unions, and parties which emerged following the collapse of the Union in their place. People who at first blindly believed the promises are now demanding action. But there is no action at the ATPC committee for the protection of servicemen and draftees. | Tatar Center Helps `Deserters' Escape Draft |
FBIS3-16167_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Yelena Kolokoltseva, Dmitriy Volkov report under the "Hopes" rubric: "Budget Passed to State Duma. Incentives for Domestic Producers May Cause Importers' Apathy"] [Text] The unapproved Russian draft budget for 1994 has been passed to the State Duma. Its main figures confirm that the government plans to offset the reduction in direct tax rates and the VAT [value-added tax] primarily by raising import tariffs. The tight protectionism in favor of domestic producers, who have still now not given up hope of converting their products into full-fledged commodities, may cause a situation, however, where actual budget revenues will be significantly lower than what is planned. A high import tariff is effective only if there is something it can be imposed on. The attached table shows the overly high level of estimated budget revenues in 1994. According to estimates made by the Finance Ministry, which had drawn up the draft budget, the relative increase in the share of indirect taxes to be received by the federal treasury as a percentage of GDP is attributable to the imposition of a new type of tax (a charge for the support of the agro-industrial sector and the coal industry), the increase in the excise rates on imported alcoholic drinks (by 30 percent) starting 1 January 1994, and a change in the distribution of VAT revenues between various levels of the budget system. In the Finance Ministry's view, the change in the share of direct taxes as a percentage of GDP has been caused by amendments made to the taxation and budget legislation (calling for new tax rates to be levied on individuals and legal entities). The Finance Ministry explains the increase in revenues from foreign economic activity in the GDP by the fact that starting from 1994 foreign currency funds are taken into account together with ruble revenues, but in order to estimate the total amount of revenues they are converted into rubles at an exchange rate forecast for the end of 1994 (to all appearances, Finance Ministry specialists hope that it will be kept at 3,200 rubles per dollar). In addition, the Finance Ministry hopes to collect the bulk of its estimated revenues from foreign economic operations by raising import tariffs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |Percentage of GDP | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |1993, in real terms |1994, forecast | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Federal budget revenues, |10.6 |16.2 | |total, | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |including: | | | Draft Budget Forecasts Protectionism, Halving of Ruble |
FBIS3-16173_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [By ITAR-TASS correspondent] [Text] Moscow, 14 Mar (ITAR-TASS) -- The Russian Governent has endorsed the provision on the procedure for controlling the export of certain types of raw materials, materials, equipment, technologies, and scientific and technical information (goods and services of dual application) which could be used for making weapons or military equipment. The procedure for controlling the export of goods and services of dual application, the provision notes, envisions the preparation and the issue of documents authorizing export, together with the licensing and customs documentation. When concluding export contracts, all economic subjects in the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation irrespective of their forms of ownership must indicate in the text of the contract the final consumers, the reasons for exporting the goods or services, and the commitments of importers to use them only for the stated purposes and not to reexport or transfer them to anyone without written consent. | Sensitive Exports Procedure Tightened |
FBIS3-16205_0 | Language: Belarusian Article Type:BFN [Text] A meeting of Belarusian and U.S. officials at the Defense Ministry level began in Minsk today. Delegations from the two countries will discuss a number of acute problems facing Belarus. These problems, first of all, concern difficulties Belarus is encountering in dismantling military equipment and the need to reclaim and return land that was cleared following reductions in our own troops and the withdrawal of foreign ones. According to our information, the U.S. delegation has come to Minsk with a package of proposals which can be used to adopt measures aimed at resolving the above-mentioned problems. The results of the meeting will be made known in a week's time. | Talks Held With U.S. Team on Disarmament |
FBIS3-16239_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN ["Topic of the Week" by commentator Aleksandr Golts: "Chill Must Not Develop Into Confrontation"] [Text] What is happening in U.S.-Russian relations now brings to mind a well-known anecdote: The pessimist says: "For some reason everything's gone wrong." Optimist: "That's nothing, it's going to get even worse." Conflicts and microcrises, beginning with the Ames affair and ending with former U.S. President Nixon's somewhat scandalous visit to Russia, have been following one another virtually uninterruptedly and in ever-increasing intensity. Furthermore, they are clearly assuming the character of a tendency toward a serious cooling off between Moscow and Washington. For example, hardly had mutual understanding on the Yugoslav settlement been achieved than the United States was "gloating" over the negative reaction to Russia's idea of holding a conference on the Near East settlement. This week another alarming feature emerged -- namely, the intensification of the American factor in CIS affairs. It is certainly not the actual fact of a U.S. desire to play a more active role in the post-Soviet area that is causing alarm but the fact that this is happening, to put it mildly, without even a hint of cooperation between Moscow and Washington. I have in mind the recent visits to the United States by the leaders of Ukraine and Georgia. On the one hand, one can only welcome contacts in which economic cooperation and the ensuring of peace and stability are discussed. But at the same time you cannot fail to see that the sides are most actively playing the "Russia card." Without the participation of Russia itself. What, for example, was the point of Leonid Kravchuk's statement that "cooperation with the West will provide an opportunity to avoid the dire process now developing in Russia" where, according to him, "there is a perceptible tendency toward the creation of difficulties of an extremist and expansionist character." To translate that from the language of diplomatic innuendo to normal everyday speech, it can only mean one thing: Ukraine is offering itself to the West as a partner in preventing "Russian expansionism." You can understand Kravchuk: He is offering the little that he has to offer. But it is alarming that the United States did not consider it necessary to explain its own position clearly. All this was expressed even more candidly during Shevardnadze's visit. As an experienced politician with an excellent grasp of the way things really | Growing U.S.-Russia Tensions `Not Insoluble' |
FBIS3-16283_1 | currently of concern to Army and Navy personnel, workers at defense enterprises, and Armed Forces veterans. [Ivanyuk] Vasiliy Vasilyevich, the Finance Ministry's attempts to save on military spending have already been the subject of a political assessment: The proposed level of appropriations will lead to the ruin of the country's defense complex, and in particular the Russian Army, which is basically the sole island of stability on the territory of the former USSR.... [Vorobyev] I am no politician, and I would like to refrain from commentaries of that kind. As far as the military budget is concerned, I am prepared to speak about it in detail and to cite illustrations to confirm the validity and authenticity of every figure. The sums we are asking for are not plucked out of thin air. The need for defense appropriations for 1994 is defined in accordance with the requirements of the Russian Federation Law "On Defense," which envisages a reduction in the Armed Forces, taking into account the State Defense Order approved by the Russian Federation Government decree of 21 December 1993 and decisions recently adopted by the country's top leadership on questions of defense, the financial stabilization of the economy, and state social support for the population. We are aware that the Russian economy is currently going through a difficult period. Therefore the calculations sent to the Finance Ministry contain nothing superfluous. The proposed draft has, above all, a clearly expressed social thrust. The Defense Ministry pins great hopes on Russian Federation President B.N. Yeltsin's Message, his speech in the Federal Assembly on 24 February this year. He said quite specifically: "In 1994 we have to put an end to the deleterious practice of one-sided concessions. This applies, among other things, to the defense budget. It must not be forgotten that spending on defense is not at all the same thing as spending on war. These resources go to finance a significant part of our science. These resources go to build apartments for homeless officers' families. These resources go to maintain our children who are serving in the Armed Forces." [Ivanyuk] What does this mean in actual figures? [Vorobyev] I do not think there is any point in naming specific sums. These have not yet been finally confirmed, and anyway, given the present rate of inflation, they do not tell you much. If we look at relative figures, 56 percent of the | Military Budget Chief on Army Finances |
FBIS3-16295_1 | industrial centers. And in eight of them where elections were nonetheless valid a critical level of tension persisted until nearly the very last hour of work of the polling stations. Here the control level of voting activity was just exceeded. The situation was saved by the inhabitants of the rural rayons. And not only because they are traditionally more responsive to appeals to take part in such campaigns. The inhabitants of villages and small towns were better informed about their candidates. I personally, compelled by my job to read the entire local press from cover to cover and to listen to the local radio and watch oblast and city television programs, managed to learn the names of the contenders for a seat on the municipality only at the polling station, from the ballot slip itself. It may be supposed that a substantial proportion of voters who wanted to vote did not want "improvisations" in front of the ballot box and preferred to stay home on Sunday. Others, although they did come, were unable to make a choice and marked the box "against all deputies." Probably the Yaroslavl people's activity was influenced to some extent also by "political fatigue" and the general political situation in Russia recently. A serious analysis by specialists is needed here. Especially as the election situation in neighboring oblasts -- Ivanovo and Kostroma Oblasts, where the voting is scheduled for the second half of March -- is similar to the situation observed in Yaroslavl Oblast. There is the same growing decline in voters' interest in the elections, the same lack of information about the candidates. And -- particularly important -- the same old idea of the new organs of power. At any rate, the majority of Yaroslavl people have obviously elected another soviet but not a legislative chamber of a fully empowered component of the Russian Federation. During a poll over 70 percent of respondents, for instance, unequivocally expressed themselves in favor of the idea that the new oblast Duma should work on the basis of voters' instructions. At a press conference devoted to the results of the elections, Yaroslavl Oblast Governor Anatoliy Lisitsin frankly stated that their results could have been utterly different had it not been for the constant attacks of Vladimir Varukhin, the president's representative in the oblast, who sought to disrupt the elections. "During meetings with inhabitants I was often asked: Why go | Low Yaroslavl Election Turnout Viewed |
FBIS3-16314_1 | students who were in the classroom were arrested. The KGB intended to send us to prison and then to exile us to Siberia. But we bribed them and were released. Then pressures on us and on our father started and we were unable to continue our studies in Dushanbe. Therefore, we went to Forqan Tappeh which was our home and continued our lessons in night classes. It was in the same year that liberation movements were initiated by me and since we were under extreme pressure, we sought solutions so that we would be free to practice our religion and to carry out our Islamic duties. With God's help, we received books from abroad which offered us solutions to our problems. [passage omitted] With the help of these books and Koranic teachings we reached the conclusion that the Islamic movement should be in the form of an organization, and that the numerous Islamic forces inside Tajikistan should be consolidated and work under the supervision of a group and a movement to vindicate our rights and to propagandize Islamic ideas among the youths who had been distracted from Islam by the communists. For this reason, we formed this group and continued our struggles. [passage omitted] [JOMHURI-YE ESLAMI] Since then what have the activities of this movement been? [Nuri] [Passage omitted] The revolution in Afghanistan was an impetus to our movement. But the basis of our movement was the victory of the Islamic revolution in Iran in which all the forces in the movement and all the Muslims in Tajikistan trusted. After the Islamic revolution in Iran, these forces were convinced that when Islam was able to prevail in Iran, the same could happen in other countries too. This gave the people self-confidence. [passage omitted] We were able to achieve the official recognition of the Islamic Movement Party in Tajikistan. Following this recognition, the movement was led by Hemmatzadeh. Our first newspaper was HAQIQAT-E ESLAMI [Islamic Truth], the publication of which led to the arrest of more than 24 of the Islamic Movement's members. Later on a magazine called HEDAYAT [Guidance] was published. After the official recognition of our movement, the Islamic Movement Party started the publication of another newspaper called NEJAT [Salvation]. [JOMHURI-YE ESLAMI] Apart from publications, what other activities did the Islamic Movement have? [Nuri] Among the activities of the Islamic Movement was its calls on youths to turn to | Islamic Movement Member Interviewed |
FBIS3-16339_1 | project and its Turkish construction part were drafted by the Kiev-based Yugnipronefteprovod research institute. According to its experts, the project's pipe-line tracing, number of ramifications may be increased or altered, depending on the number of parties, which might be interested in its implementation. As tentative estimates suggest, the original version may cost 2,750 million U.S. dollars. The existent and under construction facilities of the transshipment terminal nearby Odessa (the Yuzhny port), which are supposed to be able to handle 40 million tons of petroleum a year, will allow Ukraine to not only fully meet its domestic petroleum requirements, including those of its oil refineries, but also pipe large amounts of crude petroleum to nations in East, Central and West Europe, which are, same as Ukraine, dependent on Russian fuel exports. Thus, this major alternative petroleum supply source is expected to lessen Ukraine's dependence on Russia both economically and politically. On March 11 President Kravchuk met in Kiev with Vetad Birlik, Turkish President Demirel's personal envoy and C.E.O. of the Birkan firm. The Turkish official stressed the Turkish pipe-line project's significance, while discussing bilateral business relations between the two Pontic nations, as well the importance of the two national pipe-line systems' merger. As Mr. Berlik disclosed, negotiations are underway aimed at establishment of a Ukrainian-Turkish joint venture, which will undertake the major pipe-line construction project. According to Mr. Berlik, the Turkish party intends to maximally rely on the Ukrainian experts' experience in laying pipe-lines (Ukrainian research and construction institutions used to take part in pipe- line construction across the former USSR and in many foreign countries). In January, 1994 a Ukrainian delegation met with Turkish President Demirel, and a tentative agreement was reached on cooperation and the President's personal support for the project. As Mr. Berlik further disclosed, Turkey has concluded an agreement with Iraq on future petroleum supplies for piping petroleum, extracted in the Middle East, to Ukraine and other nations in Europe. Eventually, other oil extracting nations may join the project, primarily Iran, as petroleum exporters. As the project's architects believe, their brainchild may attract many OPEC nations by its much simpler route for oil piping, in particular, those of them, who cannot reach an agreement among themselves, with European oil producers and with Russia on export quotas, all of which, taken together, may greatly contribute to the trend to lower petroleum prices on the petroleum and petroleum products. | Oil Pipeline Construction Agreement Reached |
FBIS3-16355_1 | war, Europe will experience terrible hours. Rather, it would be a catastrophe for the entire planet. The Russian ship must travel in calm waters if it wants to berth in a good port. [De Bonis] Let us talk about the economy a little. President Yeltsin has abandoned his shock therapy policy. Was this the victory of the people over the reformers? [Zyuganov] It was the victory of sound thinking over those who tried to destroy Russia. You cannot talk of reforms when the state is falling apart, when half of the factories are not working, when the aged are being humiliated, when culture, the economy, and the moral foundations of our population are being destroyed. Europe will soon realize what the destructive process has brought and what it itself contributed by supporting first Gorbachev and then Yeltsin. [De Bonis] Who is responsible? [Zyuganov] The real author of this policy is the IMF, whose development models were imposed upon Russia as has already happened in Latin America. For the IMF bosses it is a matter of transforming the economy of a country into an economic space to be exploited to its own advantage, and the results to date are: in Yugoslavia their models have led to a ferocious war, in Czechoslovakia the country has been divided into two, in Poland industrial production has fallen by 40 percent. [De Bonis] What are the objectives of the Russian Communists? [Zyuganov] Our objective is to change the course of the shock therapy into a normal evolutionary development of reforms, and to work to bring about a new growth in culture, science, and health. Moreover, it will be necessary to take the appropriate measures to protect the elderly and children. To put a moral brake on the pornography that is rampant in the country and to stop the spreading Americanization, primarily through television. [De Bonis] Are you still against the Americans? It seems that President Clinton looks favorably on a strong Communist Party in Russia. [Zyuganov] We have nothing against the Americans. They have had to take note that there has been a new political situation in Russia since 12 December and they know well that continuing to support the shock therapy would have led to disorder at the international level. For this reason I now prefer a policy of stability. I can no longer support just Russia's Choice (the party close to Yeltsin). More | Zyuganov Views Yeltsin, Amnesty, U.S. Ties |
FBIS3-16395_0 | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Tallinn, Mar 15, BNS -- Assembly Party leader Tiit Vahi yesterday spoke about Pro Patria as future coalition partner of his party. Vahi said in an interview to BNS that "with regard to the taxation system, we are of the opinion that the taxation policy of the future coalition between the Assembly Party and Pro Patria will pay more attention to the interests of enterprises than the present policy." Vahi told BNS he attaches great importance to future cooperation between the two parties. The Assembly Party recently proposed coalition talks to Pro Patria. The Pro Patria parliament faction plans to discuss the offer on Tuesday [15 March]. "(Prime Minister) Mart Laar's unwillingness to collaborate with the Assembly Party doesn't mean that the entire Pro Patria declines to cooperate with the Assembly Party," Vahi said in a comment on the statement Laar made on Saturday. Laar, who is Pro Patria's chairman, told BNS on Saturday that the implementation of Assembly Party policies would send taxes skyrocketing and put a stop to radical economic reform. It is difficult for Pro Patria to find points of contact with "red directors" and former collective farm managers, he claimed. "Pro Patria takes no interest in collaboration with the specialists of the Assembly Party administration who granted multimillion-kroon interest-free risk credits and whose thoughtless guarantees have caused the state damage to the tune of over 100 million kroons," the premier said. The editorial in today's issue of the Hommikuleht daily regards Laar's statement as an attempt to foil the forthcoming meeting with the Assembly Party leader. A Hommikuleht commentator voiced the opinion that Laar dreads Vahi "like lightning," since the leader of the Assembly Party has been making overtures to the Pro Patria wing that has distanced itself from Laar: "The premier has reason to fear that he may drop the reins of Pro Patria, which he holds not too securely, anyway." Vahi claimed that the Assembly Party program largely coincides with that of Pro Patria. The party, however, strives for a more decentralized taxation policy, elimination of turnover tax levied on entrepreneurs who import goods, and changing of the taxation system concerning taxes levied on farmers, Vahi said commenting on the differences between the two parties' programs. "I think that, if we solve these questions, the actual tax burden of enterprises will decrease," Vahi said. He maintained that the taxation | Assembly Party Leader on Coalition Plans |
FBIS3-16471_3 | practice. Thus, for instance, command and control of combat operations includes the processing and analysis of very varied battle management, support, and other information. But how is information from sources that have a totally different informational-linguistic and concept base and uncoordinated means of conveying information to be processed and analyzed? Here is how a Russian specialist describes U.S. Army combat documents: "Combat orders in the U.S. Army are characterized by their own unique features. They are formulated in accordance with a definite, unified, rigorously prescribed format, which is regulated by corresponding instructions and impossible to understand if you do not possess a sound knowledge of them." The Persian Gulf, for instance, effectively saw operations by a single military bloc, within which information flow was formalized and coordinated along with the concept and the informational-linguistic base, means of conveying information were coordinated, and conferences, seminars, and dozens of exercises of various kinds and levels are held every year. But even there, notwithstanding the pace of combat operations today and the flow of information, linguistic and other barriers have arisen in the way of information and it has not proved possible to overcome these barriers rapidly. We know that the Americans had to deliver 10,000 personal computers and the appropriate software to the combat operation zone in order to automate the process of overcoming these barriers. Nevertheless it did not prove possible to overcome all the barriers and the commander of the multinational forces was forced during both defensive and offensive operations to give all national forces their own area of combat operations.... However, there is a certain hypothetical situation in which Russian and U.S. divisions will be able to operate together without prior preparation. Namely a civil war situation. Is the country's supreme political leadership not preparing for that situation by inviting along foreign divisions? What is the U.S. military-political leadership's objective in carrying out this exercise? Throughout the 20th century the United States has tried to gain a footing for its armed forces on the continent of Asia. A tremendous amount of money has been spent and plenty of blood has been shed, U.S. blood included, but it has only succeeded in getting hold of a small piece of the Korean Peninsula. That is why the U.S. side sees it as one of the most important aims of the scheduled exercise to introduce its armed contingent onto Russian soil and | `Partnership for Peace' for `Naive Fools' |
FBIS3-16480_2 | is murdered there. If you go on inciting and slandering, everybody will start killing you off. [Prokofiev] Are you sure you will become the next president of the state in spite of what you call the incitement and slander against you? [Zhirinovskiy] No doubt about it. There are no other candidates. If elections are held this year, I will get 55 percent of the vote in the first round. If the elections are held in two years, then all the better. By then I will be 50, the voters will give me a present, and I will probably get 70 percent. There are no other candidates. There simply are not. All the politicians who are identified with the government do not stand a chance because they are responsible for the poverty, inflation, and organized crime. A genocide, that is what is happening here. Sexual deviation and death throes. The health minister says there are fewer abortions now. Sure there are less. After all, almost all the women who can still have abortions have already emigrated from Russia. That is what the current regime has done. And, there is nobody in the opposition who the people know as well as they know me. When I visit the Russian countryside, people kiss my hands. They truly overwhelm me with their kissing. They know I am the only one here protecting the rights of the Russian people. Nobody believes the libel you spread about me, such as that I am a fascist, a Jew hater, and whatnot. The name of my party is the Liberal Democratic Party. So, I am a liberal and a democrat, and cannot be either a fascist or an anti- Semite. [passage omitted] [Prokofiev] So, you do not have any problems with the Jews? [Zhirinovskiy] There are no problems. I am neither an anti- Semite nor a Zionist. That does not interest me at all. Many Jewish journalists claim that I am anti-Semite, but that is only because the mafia pays them off. Other journalists claim that I am a Zionist, and they are also paid by the underworld. [Prokofiev] You also said that the CIA pays. [Zhirinovskiy] Sure, the CIA pays. The Americans do not want Russia to have a strong and intelligent leader who will take care of national interests. But they will fail. Everybody will fail, I will be the next president, and Russia will triumph. | Zhirinovskiy Interviewed by Israeli Paper |
FBIS3-16567_0 | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Michael Bond report: "Europe Alert Over Threat of Nuclear Terrorism"] [Text] London -- Security forces in both western and eastern Europe are combining their efforts to tackle the growing menace of nuclear smuggling from countries of the former Soviet Union -- described by Nato as one of the greatest threats to international security since the end of the Cold War. Interpol, the international police agency, has now set up a specialised group, involving police forces in 24 European nations, THE EUROPEAN has learnt. Border guards and Customs officers in Poland, the Czech Republic, Ukraine and Sweden have been equipped with radiation detectors and are being taught how to handle radioactive substances. A senior Interpol officer, Hiroaki Takizawa, based at Lyon, said: "There is growing concern in European countries about nuclear smuggling. Our main problem is the lack of information. This is a new sort of crime -- we do not yet know who is smuggling the material, who is buying it, and why." Nuclear smuggling has become an increasingly lucrative business for professional dealers, but for the couriers and those who steal the material it is a dangerous -- even lethal -- game. Several have been caught carrying highly radioactive metals in their shirt pockets or strapped to their bodies. A Polish man died after carrying plutonium powder to Germany in his navel. "Most of the thieves are cowboys," said one investigator working in Moscow. "They have no idea they are dealing with highly dangerous substances." Police in Germany, the country most commonly used to smuggle the material into the West, have registered nearly 350 cases of the illegal export of plutonium and other radioactive substances from the former Soviet Union in the past two years. They blame the burgeoning trade on falling security standards at former Soviet nuclear installations. Interpol says radioactive material has been stolen from a vast range of sources. Russian authorities themselves have reported that during 1993 there were 900 attempts to gain illegal entry to nuclear installations, and a further 700 cases of workers trying to smuggle out materials. An investigator based in Moscow said: "There are wild rumours in Russia that it is possible to make money out of anything if it is radioactive. People are stealing from everywhere from waste dumps to medical laboratories." Though there is no evidence that any nuclear substances have fallen into the hands of | Growing European Concern Over Nuclear Smuggling Issue |
FBIS3-16588_0 | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Chisinau BASAPRESS, 17/3/1994 -- At the end of his visit to Belgium, President Mircea Snegur had yesterday a meeting with Van Eekelen, secretary general of the Union of Western Europe [WEU], the presidential spokesman said. Van Eekelen told Snegur about the structures of WEU and its purposes, the most important of which is to maintain peace and security in Europe. Discussing the relationship between WEU and Central and Eastern European states, the secretary general said that nine states have joined the WEU, but with remaining states bilateral relationship can be developed. President Snegur estimated, in his turn, that with the adherence to the "Partnership For Peace" program for insuring a total security the signing of a partnership agreement with WEU would be welcome. Snegur said that the 14th Army has to retreat unconditionally from Moldova's territory and that WEU military observers are welcome in Moldova's Eastern regions to eliminate suspicion and consolidate the confidence of Moldova's population in the constitutional organs' actions, the source notes. | Snegur Invites WEU Military Observers to `Eastern Regions' |
FBIS3-16620_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Vladimir Nadein article: "Military Bridge Between Two Superpowers. The U.S. Defense Secretary Begins a Tour of Countries of the Former USSR"] [Text] U.S. Defense Secretary William Perry has called the present relationship between his country and Russia a "difficult love affair." Speaking in George Washington University two days before his trip to Russia, Kazakhstan, Belorussia [Belarus], and Ukraine, the American certainly could not have known that at roughly the same time, on the other side of the world, Russian Foreign Minister V. Kozyrev had resorted to words relating to the same feelings, having notified everyone both of the end of the honeymoon in the Russian-U.S. relationship and of the continuation of this promising marriage. "Russia is our partner and our rival, at one and the same time," W. Perry said. "We must be aware that our relationship contains elements of both." Since the declarations of passionate love have cooled a little following the capture of CIA staffer Ames, who from 1985 allegedly worked for the USSR and then for Russia, it was psychologically easy for the defense secretary to speak of a smooth revision of the line of his predecessor Les Aspin, who said only a few months ago that "the Russian military threat is disappearing and it does not seem that it will be revived." Two Options, One Result Perry outlined two probabilities in Russia's development. "Reality No. 1 is that, even given the very best of the imaginable outcomes in Russia today, i.e. given a fully democratic and market-oriented Russia, this new Russia will have interests different from ours," the defense secretary said. "Even with our allies like France and Japan we have rivalry and competition in addition to our cooperation, and this will be the case with Russia." "Reality No. 2 is the very worst of the possible outcomes, and we must be prepared for it. It is possible that Russia will emerge from its uneasy times as an autocratic, militarist, imperialist state hostile to the West. In such a situation we will truly be witnesses to the revival of something like the Cold War, and Russia, even without the Warsaw Pact, will remain an impressive nuclear arsenal." In this event the secretary proposed erecting "fences" consisting of the following measures. First, the U.S. military budget, which has been subjected to cuts in the recent past, remains immutable for the immediate future. Second, | Remarks on Russian Ties |
FBIS3-16686_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Viktor Badurkin report: "Army on Brink of Poverty"] [Text] At yesterday's briefing Russian Defense Minister Pavel Grachev described as critical the situation regarding funding of the army. The amount the state owes to the military department no longer increases by the year but by the month. While it totaled 5 percent of the military budget at the end of 1992, it was 25 percent in December last year, and at the beginning of this year the Defense Ministry received only 63 percent of planned appropriations. This money was scarcely sufficient to pay half the amount owed to suppliers of equipment, arms, and property. For the first time the Russian defense minister declared that "If the funding situation does not change in the near future, there can be no question not only of reforming the army, providing it with modern weapons and equipment, and a qualitative renewal, but also of ensuring Russia's security." This -- let us say bluntly -- sensational statement by the head of the military department was prompted by the fact that the military budget being proposed by the Finance Ministry meets only 46-47 percent of the army and navy's minimum requirements. If it is adopted the Defense Ministry will have to sharply cut (by three-fourths) military orders at defense enterprises, which in turn will lead to the defense sector's final collapse, a fall in industrial production as a whole, and increased unemployment. In addition, what is inevitably the latest wholesale reduction of the armed forces by 400,000 men, which will have a boomerang effect on the army's combat readiness and the state budget (discharging 70,000 servicemen now costs the treasury a trillion rubles), will also lead to an explosion of social tension among the troops. | Grachev Remarks on Armed Forces Underfunding Viewed |
FBIS3-16714_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [From the "Novosti" newscast] [Excerpt] [Passage omitted] We have just received the latest figures from Baku -- still preliminary. It is now reported that 12 people have died and there are 53 injured as a result of the explosion. But these figures too, may not yet be the final ones. | Death Toll Reaches 12 |
FBIS3-16722_0 | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Baku (March 18) TURAN -- "The police continues illegal arrests of the members of the Popular Front", said the member of Consultative Council of the PFA, People's Deputy, Nadzaf Nadzafov. He said that last night the policemen raided the building of Baku's Sabail district headquarters of the Popular Front. The policemen detained employees including Deputy Chairman of the PFA. The police did not present any warrants. "Yesterday at 11:00 in the evening, we informed the Chairman of Supreme Soviet, Rasul Guliyev, about what happened. He said that those who were detained have already been released. But they were released only this morning. The police said that the employees of the PFA were detained because they tried to put up resistance", said Nadzafov. Today the trial of the detained employees of the PFA has begun. Either they will be fined or sentenced to 30 days of imprisonment. | People's Front Leaders Again Detained |
FBIS3-16733_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [From the "Novosti" newscast] [Text] U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry is being received in Almaty today following his visit to Moscow. [Correspondent Dukesh Baimbetov] Today, after a meeting at the Republic's Ministry of Defense, the U.S. military delegation headed by William Perry was received by Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev. As is known, during the recent visit of Kazakhstan's leader to the United States the sides signed a number of documents between the two countries on economic, political, and military issues. President Clinton and Vice President Gore have charged me with paying particular attention to the practical implementation of these programs, Perry said. Today, in particular, issues were discussed regarding the United States in the conversion of defense industry enterprises in Kazakhstan, inspecting the territory of the Semipalatinsk nuclear testing ground, and the allocation of aid to its population. Incidentally, the first aid has already arrived. The Americans brought with them very valuable diagnostic equipment and medicines. They also spoke about tripartite space cooperation between Kazakhstan, the United States, and Russia. [Begin Nazarbayev recording] There is nothing to delay on the part of the Kazakh side. At the present time, we are holding talks with Russia. We hope that we will sign these agreements, in which all the issues will be agreed upon, this month. We have reached agreement both with the United States and with Russia that Kazakhstan will be compensated for the cost of the highly enriched uranium that is in the warheads. [end recording] [video shows Nazarbayev and Perry at meeting and speaking to journalists afterwards] | Discuss Conversion, Aid, Space |
FBIS3-16769_9 | which would assume government of the state through election victory. It is not ruled out that early elections will be necessary. In any case, the early presidential elections which the striking miners are demanding today could -- provided Yeltsin and the other organizers of the coup d'etat do not take part -- be the best way out of the situation of confrontation. The amnesty was, after all, adopted so as to ensure the most painless opportunity for the departure of all those politicians who have -- deliberately or otherwise -- dragged the country into chaos and fratricide. But there is no great hope that the "civil war party" will correctly assess the magnanimity of the State Duma. The implementation of the above plan will largely be determined by the social and psychological characteristics of the present moment. Today society is in a phase of low social activeness. The number and scale of mass movements of various kinds are declining and there is clear evidence of people having had enough of politics and retreating into private life. At the moment it is rather difficult to get people together to support even the most just of causes. Similar periods have always been favorable times for all kinds of backstage intrigues and deals at the highest level, for palace coups. On the other hand there is mounting disillusionment with the course and faith is disappearing in the latest "bright future," a capitalist one this time. There is a gradual shift to the left under way in public mood but so far it is still a passive shift, expressed mainly in the form of voting for left-wing forces. But the general deterioration in the masses' economic situation and the continuation of inflation combined with the decline in production and the transformation of concealed unemployment into open unemployment are making strikes and other active social protest actions inevitable. But here there is a great likelihood that these actions will remain mainly spontaneous, uncoordinated, and ineffectual. That is why there will be an even greater increase in hopes of the arrival of a "strong individual," a kind of "social messiah," and a naive faith in simple and extremely rapid solutions for all problems. Favorable ground is being formed for new illusions, demagoguery, and populism. In these extremely contradictory conditions the party's main line of conduct is calmly, without getting involved in adventures and without succumbing to | Zyuganov Reports to Communist Party Plenum |
FBIS3-16788_0 | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy March 20 TASS -- The elections to local councils in the Kamchatka region may fail due to a low turnout of voters. According to the regional electoral commission, only 12.5 per cent of the electorate went to the polls by 15:00, local time, on Sunday (elections are considered to be carried out if at least 25 per cent of the electorate participates in them). Only nine per cent of registered voters went to the polling stations in the regional centre where the bulk of voters live. Taking into account that there is foul weather in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy (strong cold wind), the electoral commission granted a right to all the aged to vote at home where members of the electoral commission come with balloting paper boxes. The commission has not recorded for the time being any incidents or election violations. Servicemen are voting at city polling stations for the first time (earlier, they voted at their units). Regrettably, many soldiers and sailors went to the city for a walk but do not go to polling stations. Their argument is reasonable enough: It is difficult to make a choice right away if you arrived to serve on the Kamchatka Peninsula quite recently from another region. Besides, there was no time to follow the election campaign. Orenburg -- a total of six per cent of registered voters went to the polls in the Orenburg region two hours after the opening of polling stations, and the figure stood at 15-21 per cent in the Sorochinskiy, Dombarovskiy, Krasnogvardeyskiy and Aleksandrovskiy districts. Chairman of the regional electoral commission Yuriy Andreyev told ITAR-TASS that he is confident that "the elections to the regional legislature will be held in all 47 constituencies". Chita -- the turnout at the elections to the Chita regional council is very low this Sunday. According to information received by 14:00, local time, voting is active only in several countryside districts where between 40 and 50 per cent of voters went to the polls. Urban residents are in no hurry to vote. In Chita, for instance, only 15 per cent of the electorate participated in the polls by 14:00, while in the city of Krasnokamensk -- only 11 per cent. The situation is quite different in the Aginsky Buryat Autonomous Area which is also holding elections to the Chita regional and area councils. Over 40 per cent of voters | Low Turnouts Reported |
FBIS3-16807_0 | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Tallinn, Mar 18, BNS -- The head of the Estonian delegation for talks with Russia, Vaino Reinart, returned from Brussels today where he held consultations with representatives of the European Union on preparations for the European stability pact. The European stability pact above all concerns the nine central European nations that are regarded as potential future members of the European Union, Reinart said. He added that the pact would facilitate and pave way for these countries' becoming EU members. The main emphasis in the pact is laid on resolving all kinds of border disputes and ethnic minority issues, he said. Reinart said that EU officials dealing with the European stability pact were having it clear that no minority problems existed in Estonia and that the issues was about "integrating the citizens of other countries into the Estonian society." | Negotiator Returns From European Stability Talks |
FBIS3-16891_0 | Language: Lithuanian Article Type:BFN [Text] Important international events were discussed at a news conference in the Seimas today. Guoda Salciute reports: [Salciute] The Seimas Chairman Ceslovas Jursenas commented at a news conference on today's events. They are the initialing of the Lithuanian-Polish Treaty in Warsaw and a meeting of the military representatives of the Baltic States in preparing a joint peace-keeping battalion. [Begin Jursenas recording] How the coincidence of these two events can be explained, or how should one explain this? I think that the main thing here is our advance toward Europe. Both events are linked with our joining European, Western and world structures. I dare to state on this occasion that we ensure the continuity of Lithuanian foreign policy, of an independent state, starting with 11 March 1990 up to this day. We are convinced that one of the most important things that must be ensured for our state are its security and its stability. Both internal means and the corresponding means of international policy are needed for this purpose. Thus the regulation of relations with our neighbors, the existence of good, normal and friendly relations with our neighbors are exceptionally important in the sense of our internal situation, too. If we speak of real advance in Europe, but not of a declaration or nice words, then my dear ones, nobody is waiting for us in Europe, nobody is waiting for us who quarrel with neighbors, who are not reconciled with neighbors, who have not eliminated some conflicts. Europe is not waiting for such, it has enough of its own problems and suffers because of the former Yugoslavia or some other situations. Thus we can more successfully join European structures and can take part in the creation of a new Europe only if we regulate as far as we can our relations with our neighbors. Our previous governments have accomplished a great deal in this direction, I greatly appreciate this, and what they did not manage to accomplish or what they have started, like, for example, a Lithuanian-Polish declaration signed by esteemed Saudargas [former Lithuanian foreign minister] and esteemed Skubiszewski, what the previous government did not manage to accomplish, we are doing this. [end recording] [Salciute] Having assessed the Lithuanian-Polish Treaty, Jursenas also dealt with the hue and cry by some politicians in Lithuania about this document, with meetings and pickets, with a statement by six parties. Having | Jursenas on Treaty With Poland, Peacekeepers |
FBIS3-16895_2 | representative power bodies in the regions of the Russian Federation revealed, on the whole, the electorate's indifference and passivity. Irrespective of the final election results, this conclusion could be drawn immediately after the polls closed." TRUD on local election results: "Such outcome of the elections in a number of Russian regions can hardly satisfy the federal authorities either. For a low turnout of voters is indicative of the Russians' low trust in power in general. And this is understandable. Over the past several years, there were so many well wishers who promised people a lot. Meanwhile, the life of the majority of ordinary citizens has not changed for the better". KRASNAYA ZVEZDA (RED STAR) on local election results: "People, having got disillusioned with the abilities of `the people's elected representatives' to change if only anything in their life, were not in a hurry to go to the polls. "Experts explain the passiveness of the population by a number of other reasons as well. Not of least importance in this respect is the excessively protracted nature of the election campaign, and Moscow's insufficient interest in the electoral process at the local level". KRASNAYA ZVEZDA carries an interview with Colonel-General Georgiy Kondratyev, Russian deputy minister of defence, under the headline " The Second Phase of the Reform: What Awaits the Army". The newspaper points out that the first phase of the reforming of the Russian Army and Navy is over. Main organising measures to create the armed forces of Russia proper have been carried out. In response to a question what awaits the armed forces in the future, the deputy defence minister said: "The armed forces will become, firstly, a relatively small but powerful and modile army provided with the most effective systems of weapons and military hardware and capable of defending Russia from encroachments from the outside and be the guarantor of peace and stability in the country. "Secondly, this will be an army of a democratic state, which has fundamentally different relationships with society and the state and enjoying respect and prestige among the people. "Thirdly, this will be an important instrument of national policy, maintaining all the best from the traditions of its predecessors, everything that was connected with the accomplishment of exclusively defensive tasks. "These three positions in point of fact reflect the principal meaning of the current process of the Russian Armed Forces reform", General Kondratyev said. | ITAR-TASS Carries Press Review for 22 March |
FBIS3-16929_0 | Language: Russian Article Type:BFN [Text] [Announcer Irina Merkulova] A closed session of the lower house's Committee on International Affairs was held at the State Duma today. It was attended by Yevgeniy Primakov, director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service [FIS]. In an interview with our correspondent, Yuriy Kobaladze, the head of the FIS's Press Bureau, described the aim of this meeting in the following terms: [Begin Kobaladze recording] This is normal international practice. This was simply a way of telling MP's what the intelligence service is doing, the tasks it is facing, and the way it is tackling them. [end recording] [Merkulova] At the same time, our correspondent learned the following: [Begin Correspondent Aleksey Venediktov recording] Moscow Echo's sources say that in his address, Primakov referred to certain inconsistencies between the Constitution adopted on 12 December and the law on foreign intelligence. However, arms exports were the main topic. Primakov expressed conviction that arms sales must be controlled by a single monopoly, Rosvooruzheniye, rather than several firms competing among themselves. The FIS director said that arms exports could earn the country substantial profits -- and not just in Russia's traditional markets. He stressed that Russia's intelligence service had observed a drawing together of the positions of Iran and Turkey, both in Afghanistan and the Transcaucasus. Referring to the United States' stance on various questions, Primakov noted that according to his information, the United States supports Belarus' entry into the ruble zone and advocates the preservation of Russia's unity. According to our sources, the hearings on foreign intelligence were more reminiscent of a scholarly seminar than a chance for MP's to learn about state secrets. However, the important thing is that the first contact has been established, our sources stressed. [end recording] [Merkulova] Yuriy Kobaladze reacted in the following manner when we asked him to confirm or deny that information: [Begin Kobaladze recording] I cannot comment on those points. If Duma sources supply you with such information, you should quote Duma sources. [Merkulova] Let me add that the State Duma's Committee on International Affairs also refused to comment. It advised that this report should not even be broadcast. | Intelligence Chief Briefs Duma on Arms, U.S. Policy |
FBIS3-16946_4 | year daily sales in Moscow are traditionally more than 5,000 tonnes. Now it is 3,000-3,200. Yet people's personal stocks of potatoes and carrots are now exhausted. The meat situation is as follows: Not long ago 4,000-4,300 tonnes would go in a day; it is half that amount today. On the other hand, bread consumption has increased considerably. Therefore, I regard the increase in customs duties on imported food as an unfair, unfriendly step against Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg (Editorial note: As we know, the three mayors of the aforementioned cities put together an appeal to the Russian president condemning the government's step), and the North. I can see this policy having most appalling consequences for Muscovites. Let us take a closer look at this decree: What I wonder is who is it working for if it envisages that there will be no duty on food coming into Russia from the particularly underdeveloped countries, the underdeveloped countries will get duty reductions, while the industrial states will get the full works. Where do Russia's interests come into it? Is the idea to make Russians' food worse and more dangerous? It is crass politicking and stupidity again! So we are supposed to give up guaranteed high-quality food and support underdeveloped countries' economies instead. Very Soviet. [Simonov] It is a very banal question, but there is no getting away from it. I am talking about Moscow's highways. It appeared they could not get any worse, then the snow melted, revealing an absolute nightmare. [Luzhkov] Yes indeed, in the winter I banned highway repair, because we were sinking money in mud. The repairs will begin in April, covering 20 million square meters. It could be more, the potential is there, but the money is not, and we have to face this fact. The Ring Road is a very difficult task, but we will deal with it this year. It has a bad reputation and has become extremely dangerous. There will be lighting and a median strip along the entire length of it. [Simonov] Yuriy Mikhaylovich, what was the outcome (did it have an outcome?) of your dispute with Anatoliy Chubays over privatization methods? [Luzhkov] The president instructed Chernomyrdin to sort out our differences. They are certainly fundamental. It is not me getting on my high horse and it is not some great-power policy on Moscow's part. I believe Chubays is not behaving properly in carrying | Moscow Mayor on Food, Public Order Problems |
FBIS3-16983_0 | Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Baku (March 19) TURAN [dateline as received]--The wreck of Iran's airplane, a C-130 Hercules, which occurred on March 18 in Nagorno-Karabakh is in the focus of attention of politicians and military officials. Armenian authorities which have control over Nagorno-Karabakh said that the plane crashed to into mountains due to thick fog. Thirty two people with 9 children among them died. Iran's Embassy in Moscow reports that the crew of the plane included families of Iran's diplomats. The press service of the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry told TURAN that on March 17 at 23.00 p.m. Iran's transport plane entered Azerbaijan's air space from Georgia and then had to depart from it in the direction of Armenia after a few minutes. The pilot lost the course. Though Azeri control services tried to resume connection with the pilot they couldn't. Soon the plane was over Karabakh to the west of international air space. Azeri radar installations followed the flight of Iran's plane until 23.30 at which point they lost sight of it. At that time the plane was near Khankendi (Stepanakert). Military experts say that the plane immediately disappeared from the radars' screen which proves that the plane was shot down. However, in order to draw a final conclusion we have to investigate the wreckage of the plane. But will Armenian authorities allow the experts including from the international community to visit the site of the wreck? Sources in the President's staff and the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry opposed Armenian authorities' version. They say that the weather was fine and the plane flew at average height. They report that Iran's plane turned to find the right course when was shot down by Armenian forces which mistook it for an Azeri plane. The Ministry for National Security of Azerbaijan confirm this version. Yesterday the Azeri Ministry reported that it has a tape- recording between Khankendi (Stepanakert) and Yerevan proving that the Azeri plane was shot down at night on March 18. The leader of the press service of the Ministry of National Security said that Azerbaijan is ready to present the tape-recording to any party concerned. | Further Reaction to Iranian Plane Crash Azeris Claim Proof Armenia Involved |
FBIS3-17042_1 | A massive outflow of Slavic people would tip the ethnic balance in the republic, and the probability of interethnic clashes would grow sharply. [passage omitted] The main reason for the Slav emigration is a low living standard. The Kyrgyz leader thinks that Western countries have proven in practice totally indifferent to such notions as democracy and freedom of speech, and prefer to invest money in countries that bring profit. "We are being helped only by America and Japan; as for Europe, I do not visit it," Askar Akayev added with sadness. As for Kyrgyzstan's neighbors, which have much richer natural resources, they are securing credits all over the world. The other important specific feature in the life of Kyrgyzstan's Slavs is that, unlike their fellow Slavs in the other Central Asia states, most of them work for defense. With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, virtually all workers of the military-industrial complex have been left without a job. The Kyrgyz president pins great hopes on an understanding with Boris Yeltsin on creating an investment fund to turn the enterprises where Slavs work into joint enterprises. "This would finally provide jobs for our Slavs, and they would not be leaving for Russia," Askar Akayev said. Finally, there is the dual-citizenship problem. In the president's view, it can be only granted to local Slavs and Germans. The granting of dual citizenship to Uzbeks and Tajiks would, Askar Akayev thinks, lead to unpredictable consequences. The Kyrgyz president reminded me that Tajikistan had made territorial claims on his country not so long ago. If one grants dual citizenship to Tajiks, who densely populate areas close to the Tajikistan border, there would actually be no avoiding a territorial division. A similar problem also exists in Osh Oblast, with a dense Uzbek population that borders on Uzbekistan. Askar Akayev admitted that in Uzbekistan, too, there are certain forces interested in a revision of borders. A similar problem also exists in northern Kazakhstan, and the Kyrgyz president appreciates Nursultan Nazarbayev's stance very well. Akayev thinks that the best solution in such situations is bilateral agreements to guarantee an immediate granting of citizenship when one changes the country of residence or decides to go back. Let me note that Kazakhstan Prime Minister Sergey Tereshchenko, who visited Moscow last week, came up with almost the same initiative. To the "provoking" question from your NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA correspondent: "What forces in | Akayev on Ethnic Issues, Neighbour Relations |
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