Asia Times: Tajik opposition uses force to free comrades



	February 03, 1999	atimes.com

Central Asia / Siberia

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Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Tajik opposition uses force to free comrades
The Tajik Interior Ministry has demanded that United Tajik Opposition (UTO) leader Said Abdullo Nuri punish UTO members who used force to free eight of their friends from a police station in Faizabad on 31 January, ITAR- TASS reported the next day. Some 200 UTO fighters surrounded the police station demanding the release of the eight men inside. When police refused, the UTO fighters forcibly disarmed police officers, took several of them hostage, and freed the eight men. Local authorities persuaded the UTO fighters to free the policemen and return their weapons, but an unnamed spokesman for the Interior Ministry later said this was not an isolated incident. Tajikistan's National Reconciliation Commission is expected to discuss the incident on 1 February. (Bruce Pannier)

Russian border guards to stay in Tajikistan
The director of Russia's Federal Border Service, Colonel- General Konstantin Totskii, says his service does not envisage the ''possibility of handing over control of the state border with Afghanistan to Tajikistan,'' Russia's ''Segodnya'' reported on 30 January. Totskii, who was speaking in Moscow, said that relinquishing control over the Tajik-Afghan border ''would not meet the interests of Russia or of other CIS countries.'' Totskii cited fighting between Afghan government forces and the Taliban movement near the border with Tajikistan, saying that ''if the Taliban approaches the border with the CIS, a serious threat will arise for the entire region,'' Interfax reported on 29 January. Totskii acknowledged that border guards will leave Kyrgyzstan beginning in May but that 130 officers and officials will stay on as advisers. (B.P.)

Tajikistan prosecutes 197 for alleged mutiny roles
The Prosecutor-General's Office in the northern Tajik region of Leninabad says that 197 people have been prosecuted for their role in last November's mutiny there , Interfax reported on 29 January. Of the 197 prosecuted, 162 remain in custody, of whom some 70 are local residents suspected of aiding renegade former Tajik Army Colonel Mahmud Khudaberdiyev, who led the failed mutiny. Another 70 of Khudaberdiyev's fighters are scheduled to appear in court soon. (B.P.)

P.M. favors amnesty for Kyrgyz money smugglers
At an expanded cabinet session on 29 January, Jumabek Ibraimov recommended an amnesty for those who have taken money out of the country provided they voluntarily return the funds, Interfax reported. Ibraimov estimated such funds amount to tens of millions of dollars and said that the passage of legislation granting amnesty could stimulate investment in Kyrgyzstan if the program were successful. The government also approved increasing the output of hydro- electricity and agricultural products, RFE/RL correspondents reported. And, as expected, it announced stricter controls over the use of government-guaranteed foreign loans and recommended full state control over the alcohol industry. (B.P.)

Armenian ex-minister flees.
Vano Siradeghian on 29 January left Yerevan on a plane bound for the United Arab Emirates, reportedly to seek medical treatment, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported the following day. Earlier on 29 January, Prosecutor-General Aghvan Hovsepian told journalists that he will again ask the parliament to lift Siradeghian's immunity and sanction his arrest on charges of incitement to murder. Parliamentary deputies rejected Hovsepian's first such request last week (see ''RFE/RL ''Newsline,'' 26 January 1999). Hovsepian rejected allegations that the attempt to indict Siradeghian, a key supporter of former President Levon Ter-Petrossian, was politically motivated. On 28 January, presidential adviser and Union for Self-Determination chairman Paruyr Hairikian had told journalists that he was prepared to act as Siradeghian's defense lawyer in the interests of ensuring a fair trial, according to Noyan Tapan. (Liz Fuller)

Armenian minister addresses Republicans' founding congress . . .
The Republican Party of Armenia held its inaugural congress in Yerevan on 29-30 January, RFE/RL's Yerevan bureau reported. The new group was formed when the original party of that name merged with the Yerkrapah union of veterans of the Karabakh war and the affiliated Yerkrapah group of parliamentary deputies. Yerkrapah leader and deputy parliament speaker Albert Bazeyan called for ''resolute steps to ensure law and order and combat corruption.'' He also stressed the Republicans' commitment to ''free economic competition'' and the creation of a middle class. Noting the party's role in ''maintaining stability in the country,'' its leading members tried to allay widespread fears that its primary objective is to ensure its own victory in the parliamentary elections in May. Addressing the congress on 30 January, Defense Minister Vazgen Sargsian, Yerkapah's unofficial leader, said there is ''no reason to mistrust us.'' He advocated a debate on how to ensure that the poll is free and fair. (L.F.)

. . . Denies presidential ambitions
Sargsian also denied persistent rumors of tensions between himself and President Robert Kocharian, saying the latter is ''a good friend'' whom he will never turn against. Sargsian added that he does not aspire to the post of either president or prime minister, adding that he wants to remain defense minister as ''there is a lot of work to be done.'' He defined his role in recent years as ''standing between the army and society'' in order to prevent the former's involvement in politics ''on the Turkish variant.'' Sargsian further denied having played the key role in forcing Ter-Petrossian's resignation in February, 1998. (L.F.)

Debate over Azerbaijan NATO base continues
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry issued a six-page statement on 29 January warning that Azerbaijan will be ''compelled'' to take unspecified ''adequate measures to ensure the security of the country and the defense of its independence'' if Russia continues its policy of military cooperation with Armenia, Turan reported. The same day, members of the parties aligned in the pro- government Democratic Alliance picketed the Russian embassy in Baku to protest Russian arms supplies to Armenia and Armenia's alleged support for the PKK. Ikhtiyar Shirinov, chairman of the pro-government National Congress, told Turan on 29 January that Baku should ask either Turkey or NATO to station in Azerbaijan weapons capable of destroying the fighter aircraft and S-300 air defense missiles that Russia is supplying to Armenia. But the Unified Communist Party of Azerbaijan protested that deploying NATO troops in Azerbaijan would violate the country's constitution. (L.F.)

Azerbaijan demands extradition of alleged coup plotter
Foreign Minister Tofik Zulfugarov and Prosecutor-General Eldar Hasanov have presented Iran's ambassador in Azerbaijan, Alirza Bikdeli, with a written demand for the extradition of Mahir Javadov, Turan reported on 29 January. Javadov participated in an armed standoff in March 1995 between members of the OPON special police, led by his brother Rovshan, and the Azerbaijani authorities. Mahir Javadov then fled to Austria, where he was granted political asylum. In December 1998 he traveled to Iran, where the Azerbaijani officials claim he is currently ''engaging in subversive political activity'' with the aim of overthrowing the present Azerbaijani leadership. An Iranian embassy official told Turan on 27 January that Javadov is engaged in business activities in Tehran. But the same day, the independent newspaper ''Yeni Musavat'' quoted Javadov as appealing to Azerbaijanis to send their sons to help him launch a military campaign to ''liberate'' Nagorno-Karabakh. (L.F.)

Chechen warlord vows to apprehend Kurd leader
Maverick field commander Salman Raduev has issued a statement warning all CIS states that he is prepared to encroach on their territory if necessary to apprehend fugitive Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan, Russian agencies reported. Raduev said that he has been asked for assistance in apprehending Ocalan by the far right- wing Turkish ''Grey Wolves'' (the National Movement Party, founded by the late Alparslan Turkes). Raduev denied that the PKK is a national liberation party and claimed that it is funded by Russian intelligence. Whether Raduev personally could participate in any operation to capture Ocalan is unclear. ITAR-TASS reported on 29 January that he has suffered a serious relapse and hemorrhaging following cranial surgery two weeks ago. (L.F.)

Primakov maintains high approval ratings
For the past three months, Prime Minister Primakov continues to top public opinion polls, ''Nezavisimaya gazeta'' reported on 30 January. According to the newspaper, Primakov enjoys ''a more than two-fold advantage over [Moscow Mayor Yurii] Luzhkov,'' who finished second in a ranking of Russia's most influential politicians. Yeltsin scored third, and his daughter Tatyana Dyachenko came in 13th. The next day, Primakov again dismissed speculation that his proposal for a political pact with the Duma was evidence that he wants to run for president, telling NTV that ''it's laughable to think that I want to strengthen my position to participate in the presidential race.'' He added that it was ''very nice'' that he has high approval ratings. (Julie A. Corwin)

No IMF cash until spring
First Deputy Prime Minister Yurii Maslyukov told reporters on 29 January that the IMF will offer Russia no money until the budget has been approved and implemented for a period of three months. After meeting with IMF First Deputy Managing Director Stanley Fischer at Davos, Switzerland, on 31 January, Prime Minister Yevgenii Primakov said he will sign a memorandum on 1 February answering all the fund's questions regarding the government's economic program. According to AFP, Primakov said he is ''apprehensive'' about the fund's likely response to the memorandum. Deputy Prime Minister Valentina Matvienko told reporters on 28 January that Russia ''is fed up with these [IMF] loans,'' because ''they have no impact on Russia's economic situation.'' (J.A.C.)

Duma to consider budget one final time
As expected, the Duma on 29 January passed the 1999 budget in its third reading. The vote was 298 to 48 with five abstentions. The Duma rejected an amendment proposed by the presidential administration to cut funding for each branch of power by 11.6 percent. The current version of the budget stipulates a 40 percent cut for the presidential administration, 30 percent for the cabinet, and only 3.7 percent for the Duma. President Yeltsin had threatened to veto the budget if the Duma did not adopt that amendment. Before the budget is sent to the Federation Council, the Duma will consider the budget once more, most likely on 4 February, according to ITAR-TASS. (J.A.C.)

Bread shortages loom
Bread shortages and/or sharp increases in the price of bread will soon occur throughout Russia, ''Izvestiya'' predicted on 30 January. According to the newspaper, almost all regions have a deficit of grain, while U.S. and E.U. food aid will not arrive quickly enough to alleviate the situation. In Nizhnii Novgorod, where local officials have removed price restrictions, the cost of bread has already risen by 30 to 40 kopeks (1-2 cents). Meanwhile, Stavropol Krai has imposed a ceiling on grain shipments outside its borders of no more than 6 percent of its total crop. Earlier, Agriculture Minister Viktor Semenov called for replenishing the country's strategic grain reserve, which totaled 20-25 million tons last year but has been ''eaten up'' (see ''RFE/RL Newsline,'' 25 January 1999). (J.A.C.)

Russia plans mass amnesty for prisoners
The Russian cabinet on 28 January approved draft legislation calling for an amnesty of some 94,000 convicts, criminal suspects, and persons on trial, ITAR-TASS reported. According to Justice Minister Pavel Krasheninnikov, the measure would help alleviate prison overcrowding and will cover former soldiers, pregnant women, children, men over 60, women over 55, and tuberculosis patients provided prisoners belonging to those categories have not committed grave crimes. Human rights groups have condemned overcrowding in Russian jails and meager daily food allotments of 70 kopeks (3 cents) per prisoner, Reuters reported. ''Vremya MN'' reported the next day that during the nation's last amnesty in December 1997 only 15,000 prisoners were released. (J.A.C.)

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