<pre><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>-----------<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>>.....TURKISTAN NEWSLETTER...ISSN:--1386-6265....<<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>>--------------------------------------------<<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>>........Editor/Manager: Mehmet Tutuncu......<<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>>......Business: H.Savas, S.Bogut............<<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>>...Features: I. Noyan-Izmirli,Y. Puersuen...<<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>>......Technical: T. Ates, K. Cagiltay.......<<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>>......Associate Editors: A.Baguirov, A. Eren,Z.Kadir....<<>><<>>
<<>>........Editorial Board:Dr.T.Kocaoglu,Dr.N.Sariahmetoglu........<<>>
<<>>...........Dr. M. Hubey, Dr. Robert M. Cutler...................<<>>
<<>><<>>--------------------------------------------------------<<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>><<>>.....Volume:97-1:11---17--jun--1997.....<<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>-----------------------------<<><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>
<>Uze kok tengri asra yagiz yer kilintukta ekin ara kisi ogli kilinmis<>
<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>----------<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>></pre>
************************************************************************
********Archives of the Turkistan Newsletter can be found at:***********
********<http://www.euronet.nl/users/sota/turkistan.htm>****************
************************************************************************
_______0. From the Editor Mehmet Tutuncu
_______1. Kyrgyz News -- Naryn Aiyp
1.1) Floods and mudslides
1.2) Afghanistan
1.3) Water resources
1.4) Niyazov resigns
1.5) Talks with Chinese Defense Minister
1.6) New Labor code
1.7) Renaming of towns prohibited
1.8) Small businesses
1.9) Conference on Kazak writer and poet
_______2. RFE/RL News & More -- Yanki Puersuen
2.1) Selling gold in Istanbul
2.2) Uzbek writer on Amir Timur
2.3) Turkmenistan becomes member of IFC
2.4) Kazak Prime Minister says rents are too high
2.5) Silk Road Caravan's progress
2.6) World's Turkish children in Istanbul
2.7) New OSCE Human Dimension advisor appointed
2.8) Eurasian Stock Exchange WWW site
2.9) Tatars and Bashirs join forces
2.10) Reuters contact in Almaty
2.11) June-July Events
2.12) Aviation- Uzbekistan airlines
2.13) Kizilorda waits for investors
2.14) Finance news in the Turk* world
2.15) Uzbek government reform
2.16) Uzbek Academy of Sciences
2.17) Turkmenistan Transportation news
2.18) ROT and Central Asia railroad via Georgia
_______3. ROT News from TRH-- A. Toprak
3.1) Erbakan to hand over premiership to Ciller
3.2) ROT and Kazakstan sign Caspian deal
3.3) KDP asks Turkey not to withdraw from northern Irq
______4. US Position on Azerbaijani Oil Pipelin-- from Azadlyq
______5. Light at the End of Karabakh Tunnel--from Turan News Agency
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
from the Editor: Dear Turkistan-N readers.
I'm pleased to announce that membership of the Turkistan-Newsletter list
has now reached a grand total of 700 subscribers (peoples and institutions)
in more than 42 different countries.
This Newsletter is for you and we are surely waiting for more contribution
and input from our members. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the
Newsletter so far keep up the good work!
And please feel free to let me know if there are ways in which you think
that the Newsletter could be improved, surely we are aware of the
shortcomings of the Newsletter, therefore we are searching other
editors/volunteers for preparting Turkistan-N, please suggest yourself or
other perosns, we would be glad to cooperate with more people from
different disciplines and background. Please remember this list is not for
Turk*s but about the Turk* people. So we would be glad to cooperate with
experts and persons of different nations.
Mehmet Tutuncu
*. The '*' is used as the Unix wild card, hence Turk* stands for
Turk, Turkic, Turkish, Turkistan, Turkxxxx.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
KYRGYZ NEWS - 13 JUNE 1997 -- Naryn Aiyp
1. Three people killed by flood and mudslide in Kyrgyzstan. Our correspondent
reported from the Jalal-Abad region today that heavy rains and mudslides
destroyed several willages and towns in the region on 11-12 June. 127 houses
(incl. a school, factory building, bus terminal) in the town on Kok-Jangak
were damaged. More than 100 houses were damaged in the Nooken district and 26
of them were destroyed. Three teenagers were killed in the disctrict and it is
the preliminary information only.
Official from the Ministry of extraordinary situations told our correspondent
today that a special 12-member commission left Bishkek for Jalal-Abad on 13
June.
2. President press secretary, Kanybek Imanaliev, told our correspondent in
Bishkek today that President Askar Akayev had not made any official statement
on Afghanistan. According to Imanaliev, possibility of holding in Bishkek a
conference on situation in Afghanistan was discussed only during the meeting
between Akayev and Iranian foreign minister, Ali Akbar Velayati in Bishkek on
11 June.
ITAR-TASS, AFP and other agencies announced on 12 June, quoting president
spokesman Sergey Dedyukhin, that Kyrgyzstan was prepared to host at any time a
peace conference on Afghanistan. Dedyukhin could not be reached today.
3. Prime minister Apas Joumagulov addressed the session of the People's
Assembly of Parliament in Bishkek today. He supported decision of the
Assemblyon water resources, taken yesterday . Joumagulov said that this
problem was raised by Kyrgyz authorities at every high level meeting, but
Kazakh and Uzbek leaders ignored it.
Assembly appealed to the authorities and people of the neighboring Kazakhstan
and Uzbekistan and asked them to pay for the water, receiving from the storage
lakes, situated on the Kyrgyz territory. Assembly decided to make amendments
to the Agreement between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan on water
resources, signed in Almaty on 18 February 1992.
PM Joumagulov told the session that neighboring countries should pay 0.02 som
for one cubic meter of running water and 0.11 som for one cubic meter of water
from reservoirs (one US dollar is 17 som now). But he added that Kyrgyzstan
could no commit any action until the agreement between Kazakh, Uzbek and
Kyrgyz government would be reached on it. Special parliamentarian commission
on this problem was formed at the session today.
4. Deputy security minister, Miroslav Niyazov, has resigned. Official from the
ministry told our correspondent in Bishkek today that Niyazov held a meeting
with the Ministry staff on 11 June and said good-bye. 46-year-old Niyazov has
worked 25 years in the security service. No official reason of the resignation
had been announced.
Minister Felix Kulov appointed Kubat Kojonaliev, who had been military
prosecutor before, as his new deputy the same day, on 11 June. Former governor
of the Chu region, Felix Kulov, was appointed as Security minister on 21
April, 1997. He was an Interior minister in 1991 (during the August putch in
Moscow) and then was a vice president of Kyrgyzstan.
5. Chinese Defense minister, Chi Haotian, will arrive to Bishkek on 16 June.
President press service announced in Bishkek today Chinese minister will meet
with President Akayev, Prime minister Joumagulov, Defence minister Myrzakan
Subanov. Military cooperation between China and Kyrgyzstan will be discussed.
It was announced before, that no official document would be signed during the
visit.
6. Legislative Assembly of the Parliament passed a new Labor Code today. There
are 583 clauses in the Code. Last week, a new Criminal code was passed in the
Assembly.
7. Legislative Assembly passed a new law today on geographical denominations.
According to the law, renaming of the villages and towns by names of prominent
people is prohibited.
8. Official from the Fund to support small business told our correspondent in
Bishkek today that Memorandum of cooperation between the Fund and the Russian
Commitee to support small business had been worked out. Memorandum will be
signed during the visit of Russian Prime minister, Viktor Chernomyrdin, to
Kyrgyzstan in July, 1997.
9. Conference, devoted to the 100th anniversary of the prominent Kazakh writer
and poet, Mukhtar Auezov, was held in the National Library in Bishkek today.
Kazakh ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, poet Mukhtar Shakhanov, Kyrgyz minister of
education, science & culture, Askar Kakeev, took part in it.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
>From: YANKI PURSUN <fyp@usa.net>
Subject: For the next TN issue
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 1997 12:45:25 -0200
2.1) BUSINESS
The Turkish Treasurery changed the Istanbul Gold Market (IAB) charter.
Foreigners are now allowed to trade directly. The step followed the
intention of Kazakstan and Uzbekistan to sell gold in Istanbul. There is a
high demand from traders all around world to join the IAB as brokers to
participate in the gold trade.
---------------------------------------
2.2) CULTURE
Timurun elyazmasi yasami Istanbulda
Ozbek tarihcilerden Serafiddin Ali Yazdiyin, "Emir Timur" (Timurlenk)'un
hayati, mucadeleleri ve fikirlerini anlattigi "Zafername" adli yapitinin 16.
yuzyilda Osmanli Turkcesine cevrildigi ve mevcut Turkce tek elyazmasi
kitabin Istanbulda oldugu bildirildi. Ozbek "Cihan" ajansinin haberine gore,
"Emir Timur"un bir cok seferine katilan Yazdiy, yazdiklarinin buyuk kismina
bizzat tanik olmus bir tarihci olarak biliniyor. O zaman sartlari geregi
Farsca yazilan Yazdiyin "Zafername"si, daha sonraki yillarda bir kac defa
bazi Turk lehcelerine cevrilmisti. Bunlardan biri olan 1519 yilinda
Turkiyede "Muhammed Ali" tarafindan tercume edilerek elyazmasi kitap haline
getirilen eserin tek nushasi da Istanbulda, Nuruosmaniye kutuphanesinde
bulunuyor. "Zafername", gectigimiz gunlerde unlu Ozbek sarkbilimci ve
yazarlardan Esref Ahmed ve Haydarbek Bababekov tarafindan duzenlendi ve
renkli minyaturlerde suslenerek cok sayida basildi.
---------------------------------------
2.3) TURKMENISTAN BECOMES MEMBER OF IFC. Turkmenistan was officially
admitted as a member of the World Bank's International Finance Corporation
(IFC) on 29 May, according to RFE/RL Washington correspondents. Membership
gives Turkmenistan a chance to engage in project financing, equity
investments, and technical assistance for the private sector. Turkmenistan
is the 172nd member of the IFC and the last former Soviet republic to be
admitted.
RFE/RL Newsline 02 June 97
--------------------------------------------------------------------
2.4) KAZAK PRIME MINISTER SAYS RENT TOO HIGH. Akezhan Kazhegeldin says he is
refusing to pay the rent for his flat in Almaty because the rent is too high,
Izvestiya and ITAR-TASS reported on 29 May. Kazhegeldin questioned why rents
in the Kazak capital were so outrageous, but deputies in the lower house of
the parliament laid the blame at Kazhegeldin's door, saying the prime minister
had not moved to break up the housing monopoly in Almaty. Rents in Almaty have
increased as much as ten times in recent months and can be the equivalent of
$50 a month in a country where the average monthly salary is about $30-40.
Deputies noted electricity and heating costs are additional.
RFE/RL Newsline 30 May 97
---------------------------------------
2.5) Ipek Yolu Kervani bir yilda geldi - Ipek Yolunu, deve kervaniyla gecmek
amaciyla Cinin Xian (Sian) kentinden 4 Haziran 1996 tarihinde yola cikan
kervan, Kayseriye ulasti. Kervan Basi Prof. Dr. Arif Asci, Kayseriden sonra
Kapadokya bolgesine gecerek bir sure burada dinleneceklerini, daha sonra
Ankaraya hareket edeceklerini soyledi. Ipek Yolu Kervani, Kirgizistan,
Ozbekistan, Turkmenistan ve Irani gectikten sonra Turkiyeye geldi. Gurbulak
Sinir Kapisindan giris yapan kervan, Agri, Erzurum, Erzincan ve Sivastan
sonra Kayseriye ulasti. Hurriyet 30.05.97
--------------------------------------
2.6) Dunya Turkleri Cocuklari Istanbuldaydi - Turk Dunyasi Cocuk Solenine
katilmak uzere cesitli ulkelerden Istanbula gelen cocuklar, rengarenk
giysilerle, istiklal Caddesini senlendirdiler. 23 ulkedeki Turk
topluluklarini temsil eden 260 cocuk, senligin acilisini, Galatasaray
Lisesinden Taksim Cumhuriyet Anitina kadar, Istanbullu arkadaslariyla
yuruyuyerek gerceklestirdiler. Senlige katilan cocuklar 19 Mayista Genclik
ve Spor Bayrami gosterilerini izlediler ve 23 Mayista da Abdi Ipekci Spor
Salonunda kendi gosterilerini sundular. Yaklasik 10 gun Istanbulda kalan
cocuklar, kentin tarihi ve turistik yerlerini gezdiler.
--------------------------------------
2.7) Erol Akdag has been appointed as OSCE ODIHR Human Dimension Adviser
(Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights).
The ODIHR has requested that each of the OSCE Field Missions nominate a
Human Dimension Officer to act as a focal point for co-operation and liason
with ODIHR on related issues. They are beside others Mr. Claus Neukirch in
Moldova and Ms. Bess Brown in Central Asia. A meeting of these officers will
be organised in Warsaw in November, coinciding with the OSCE Human Dimension
Implementation meeting.
-----------------------------------------
2.8) Site Announcement: Federation of Euro-Asian Stock Exchanges FEAS
http://www.ise.org/feas/index.htm
Beside others, the Stock Exchanges of Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova,
Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan formed and joined FEAS.
----------------------------------
2.9) Tatars and Bashkirs join forces
The executive committees of the Worldwide Congress of Tatars and the
Worldwide Congress of Bashkirs are joining forces to campaign against
proposals to abolish Russia's national republics such as Tatarstan and
Bashkortostan. Once supported only by nationalist politicians, including
Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the administrative reform has recently won the
favor of Moscow's powerful mayor, Yuriy Luzhkov. The Tatar and Bashkir
organizations also expressed concern over the proposed union of
Russia and Belarus, describing it as an "attempt to revive the Russian
empire." Izvestiya, April 10
-------------------------------------------
2.10) Reuters Contact in Almaty - Tel. +7 3272 509410
Reuters Contact in Tashkent - Shamil Baigin - Tel. +7 3712 361958
---------------------------------------
2.11) Events in June:
30JUN-04JUL Almaty Kazakstan International Motorshow '97
25-27 JUN97 Kazan 7th International seminar on ferroelastic physics
17-21 JUN97 Ufa Home and Office furniture + Forest and Woodworking Industry
Woodprocessing
14-17 JUN97 Baku Caspian Food & Agriculture Exhibition & Conference
09-13 JUN97 Ufa City 97 + Consume 97
03-06 JUN97 Baku Caspian Oil & Gas Exhibition & Conference
03-06 JUN97 Almaty KITEL '97
01-02 JUN97 Haarlem Ethnic Conflicts in the Caucasus : Causes and
Solutions SOTA
-----------------------------------------
2.12) AVIATION
Uzbekistan Airlines, established five years ago with a presidential decree
on the basis of Uzbek Civil Aviation Department, Tashkent Aviation
Maintenance Area N24, and Aviaspetsmontazhnaladka and Aviastroy unions, has
so far inaugurated agencies in 19 countries in accordance with 26 air
transport agreements and 25 paraphs. In 1991 flight destinations were
limited with two centres: Delhi and Kabul. Today the company carries
travellers and cargo to 28 cities within the CIS and 20 countries in
America, Europe and Asia. Uzbekistan Airlines co-operates with 100 aviation
companies and institutes. Tashkent, Samarkand and Termez airports have
acquired international status. English and French experts participate in the
large scale construction work that has been going on at Tashkent airport.
2.13) BUSINESS
Kizilorda waits for investors
A special economic region was established in Kizilorda province in
Kazakhstan with a presidential decree issued on 8 October 1996. Regional
authorities encourage co-operation between domestic and foreign investors
with a hope to remedy serious problems such as high rate of unemployment and
lack of capital to operate existing plants that have been idle for some
time. Officials claim that rich natural resources high production potential,
and developing transport and communication networks have all been promising
areas tor investors. Sectors with an investment potential are automotive,
pulp, light industry, food and construction.
650 thousand tons of benzene was produced in Azerbaijan in 1996. The
production fell by 50 percent between 1995 and 96.
Kyrghyz government expects a decrease in the number of the unemployed, which
totalled 170,000 as of 1 January 1997, according to official data. The
programme on the development of Labour market stipulates the creation of
300,000 more jobs. The construction sector is expected to expand to boost
investments and foreign capital flow. The government plans to allocate 5.2
million Soms from the budget for the development of the socio-economic
infrastructure of the country, which will also mean the creation of more
than 800 jobs.
UzDaewooauto has been developing a project for the construction of a factory
to produce automobile motors. The capacity of the new UzDaewooauto factory
will be 300,000 motors per year. Affiliates of UzDaewooauto in Germany and
England have been working on the technical aspects of the new motor. The
project is to be completed at the end of this year. UzDaewooauto and the
founders of the new factory, Daewoo Corp. and Uzavtosanoat union will fund
the project.
2.14) FINANCE
Foreign capital flow to Azerbaijan totalled $445 milion in 1996, announced
Azerbaijan Ministry of Economy. This indicates a threefold increase in
comparison with 1995. Foreign capital concentrated on areas such as energy,
communications, irrigation, and machine producing industry.
The European Union has accepted a technological aid programme of 16 million
ECUs to Azerbaijan for the years 1996 and 1997. The programme covers
infrastructure, energy, and telecommunications projects.
A book entitled Banking System in Uzbekistan Following the Independence
was published in Tashkent. lt aims to present a systematic analysis of the
main phases of post-independence reforms realised in banking system.
International Bank Almaty was established in Kazakstan. The capital of the
bank is $1.5 million USD, of which 74 percent belongs to the Turkish company
Okan Holding, and 26 percent to private Kazak entrepreneurs.
2.15) REFORM
Uzbekistan government will reduce the number of civil servants by 20
percent. In other words, 33,700 people will be deemed redundant. The
government plans to add 2,400 more to this number, including 91 vice
ministers and members of state committees, with a hope to save 1.6 billion
Uzbek som.
2.16) SCIENCE
Uzbek Academy of Agricultural Sciences was renamed the Centre for the
Scientific Productivity of the Uzbek Agriculture. The centre will work in
co-operation with the Ministry of Agriculture and other ministries to
organise scientific research programmes on major questions of agricultural
complexes, to maximise the efficiency of agricultural production, and to
develop co-operation with international research centres.
2.17) TRANSPORTATION
* Turkmenistan Highway Master Plan
"Project for the Feasibility Study on Highway Transport in Turkmenistan and
the Preparation of Highway Master Plan" was developed by the Turkish
International Cooperation Agency upon an official request by the
Turkmenistan Ministry of Automobile, Transport and Highways.
The project aims to ameliorate the highway network, which is far from being
sufficient in terms of quality and total length to meet the increasing
demands of a country of strategic advantage in linking Central Asia with the
West and the South and of a significant production, import, and export
potential that can be utilised to attract foreign investments.
The project, which started in 1994, has continued with technical studies and
training of staff from the Turkmenistan Highways Administration in Turkey.
Technical work of experts from the Office of the Director General of
Highways of the Turkish Republic covers the following issues:
Report on the Turkmenistan Highway Master Plan, and feasibility studies of
Turkmenbashi-Ashgabat, Ashgabat-Mary, Mary-Uzbekistan border and highway and
railway bridges on the Amu Darya River;
Reorganisation of Turkmenistan Highways Administration;
Existing conditions and maintenance requirements of highways;
Projection of long term highway demands;
Material resources and machine park demands; and
Links with international highvvays and integration possibilities.
2.18) * An agreement was signed between Ankara and Tbilisi for the
construction of the first railway line to link Turkey to Central Asia.
The line between Kars and Tbilisi, capital of Georgia, will connect
Turkey with the CIS railway system and will facilitate transport between
Turkey and Central Asia. Highways between Georgia and Turkey such as
Sarp-Batum-Samtredya and Hashuri-Vale are to be rehabilitated as weil.
Yet customs duties, charged by Georgia on motor vehicles to create funds
for the construction and rehabilitation of highways, have been a matter
of complaint. Buses are charged $143, lorries carrying 21-40 tons of
loads $238.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
#3
Subject: TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review JUNE 13, 1997
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 1997 00:44:02 -0400
3.1) ERBAKAN TO HAND OVER PREMIERSHIP TO CILLER BY JUNE 18
Turkish Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan and his coalition partner
Tansu Ciller, and prospective coalition partner, leader of the Grand
Unity Party (BBP) Muhsin Yazicioglu, met for four hours yesterday.
True Path Party (DYP) Deputy Chairman, Hasan Ekinci, who also attended
the meeting yesterday, said in a statement to the Hurriyet newspaper
that Erbakan had accepted a handover of the premiership to Tansu
Ciller on June 18. /Hurriyet/
3.2) ROT, KAZAKSTAN TO SIGN CASPIAN DEAL
Recai Kutan, Turkish Minister for Energy, will travel to Kazakhstan on
June 17 to sign an agreement concerning the transportation of Kazakh
oil to world markets via the proposed Baku-Ceyhan pipeline to be
constructed by Turkey. "If we agree with the Kazakhs, 10 million tons
of Kazakh oil will carried via the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline. Both the
Kazakh and Azerbaijani presidents have recently signed an agreement
for the transportation of Kazakh oil to Baku. This agreement will
probably increase the chance of our proposed Baku-Ceyhan pipeline"
Kutan said. /Sabah/
3.3) KDP ASKS TURKEY NOT TO WITHDRAW FROM NORTHERN IRAQ
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has insisted that Turkey remain
and continue its incursion into northern Iraq against the outlawed
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The KDP said that some members of the
PKK, who earlier escaped into Iran from the Turkish operation, have
started to return to the border areas between northern Iraq and Iran
with the assistance of the outlawed Hizbollah organization in an
attempt to attack the KDP again in northern Iraq.
KDP officials also said that peace and stability should be established
in the region and damaged areas should be restored, adding that until
an effective force is established and such aims are achieved, the
Turkish Armed Forces should not withdraw from the region.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
#4
Subject: tn11:AZADLYG: US Position on Azerbaijani Oil Pipeline, Aid
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 19:44:39 +0200
Article Views US Position on Azerbaijani Oil Pipeline, Aid
Baku Azadlyg in Azeri 10 Jun 97 pp 1, 4
Elkhan Shahinoglu report: "Another Surprise From Congress: Does the United
States Support the Idea of Laying a Strategic Oil Pipeline via Armenia?"
The same day that the Milli Majlis was discussing the flank agreement, an
addition to the treaty on the reduction of Conventional Forces in Europe,
the US Congress held a vote on revocation of Amendment No. 907, which bans
humanitarian aid for Azerbaijan. Official Baku nursed a great hope that
the country's "concession" on the security question would be valued.
Then, on 3 June, the discussion of the question was postponed "for some
reasons." Today is 10 June. We have no information about discussion of
Barton's amendment by the Congress. This amendment envisages direct aid
to both Azerbaijan and Armenia and automatic liquidation of Amendment No.
907.
According to information we have received from Washington, discussion of
the issue has again been postponed for an uncertain time. Information we
received later said that the amendment issued by Congressman Pallone,
which envisages direct aid to Nagornyy Karabakh, bypassing Azerbaijan,
could again be added to the agenda. Anyway it is strange, because at the
beginning of May, the appropriate commission of the Congress rejected
Pallone's amendment.
Today, we are likely to face another "surprise" from Congress. An active
congressman, Frank Pallone does not know how to stop. He still tries to
submit amendments concerning Armenia and Azerbaijan for discussion when
the draft law on directions in foreign policy is discussed. Besides,
paragraphs which correspond to current realities and others which can be
regarded as interference in Azerbaijan's internal affairs occur in the
amendment. The first paragraph of Pallone's amendment on Caspian oil
says: "The US President should help cooperation between Armenia,
Azerbaijan, and Turkey and the construction of an oil pipeline to be laid
from Azerbaijan to Turkish Mediterranean ports via Armenia." Then, giving
explanations about his amendment, Pallone said that "Armenia, as a country
of stability and democracy, will ensure the security of the pipeline."
The issues of the oil pipeline have been in the focus of discussion in
Washington political lobbies for a long time. R. Tomraz, a businessman
specializing in international oil issues, has been lobbying the issue of
transporting oil via the Azerbaijan- Armenia-Turkey route for a long time.
Formerly. when he met [Turkish Foreign Minister] Tansu Ciller, he conveyed
to her Washington's full support for the Baku-Ceyhan route, by means of
his particular relations with official Washington.
Tomraz spent $177,000 on the election campaign of the Democratic Party and
has since gained particular attention from the party's leadership. In
exchange, all the conditions for his free access to the White House have
been created. Recently, he met President Bill Clinton and the President's
aide on staff issues, Thomas McLarty. On 27 May 1996, R. Tomraz submitted
a project on transportation of Caspian oil to President Clinton at a
dinner with 120 politicians. More experts were then drawn into the
discussion of this project to learn how this project would meet the
requirements of US national interests.
According to our information, Tomraz has close relations with Armenia. We
are not going to touch on the question whether an oil pipeline uniting the
three countries would create conditions for peace in the region or not,
because this question is a theme for another article. It just seems that
the US Government fully supports the project for construction of an oil
pipeline via Armenia, although it has not yet declared this support. It
is not a secret that the United States is in favor of the Baku-Ceyhan oil
pipeline, but it thinks it would be necessary to transport the oil from
Azerbaijan to Turkey via Armenia and not via Georgia. According to
information from reliable sources, when the US State Department
representatives visited Azerbaijan, they submitted the issue of
transportation of oil via the Azerbaijan-Armenia-Turkey route to
discussion at various summits.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
# 5
>>From: Mehmet Tutuncu <sota@euronet.nl>
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 1997 19:46:20 +0200
T U R A N NEWS AGENCY -- INFORMASIYA AGENTLIYI -- 14.06.97
ANALYTICAL REVIEW BY TURAN --- ISSUE - 339
LIGHT IN THE END OF THE KARABAKH TUNEL?
Since stop of military actions in May 1995, the political resolution
of the Karabakh conflict is some kind of geopolitical "making the
situation out" between the US (the West) and Russia. Many people in
Azerbaijan understand that close dependence of the peace perspectives in the
world on the development of global problems dooms the country to passive
pending of favourable geopolitical situation. By the way, therefore some
stereotype appeared: possibility of progress comes of the context of coming
global events.
Even the dynamics of the negotiations process on the Karabakh
conflict fixes tolerance which depends on the course of the regional
geopolitics. The negotiations process calms when the attention of the world
community is concentrated on other more important problems and becomes
episodically active when it is geopolitically reasonable. As an example we
can mention the collisions in the geopolitical situation due to expansion
of NATO - due to this process the attention was gain distracted from the
Karabakh conflict. But when in May the situation around NATO's expansion
became more or less clear, new symptoms of possible activation of the
negotiation process appeared. The events of the latest days give some
ground for careful optimism.
Co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk conference Jack Blo(France), Vladimir Lozinsky
(Russia) and Stroub Talbott ( the US) visited the conflict zone from
May 30 to June 1. They had confidential negotiations with the
leadership of Armenia and Azerbaijan and presented them the "American draft"
for the resolution of the conflict. arrival of cochairs of the Minsk Group
Yurii Yucalov (Russia) Lynn Pasco (the US) and George Vojie is scheduled for
mid June. The peculiarity of the present stage of activation is official
Washington's direct joining the process.
The question of leadership of the US in the resolution of the Karabakh
conflict is openly discussed in the press. On June 4 the House of
Representatives approved a number of amendments (Frank Pallone, Cris
Smith) which provide strengthening of the role of the US in the resolution
of this conflict. This question has become one of the priorities of the
state department and on June 8 its emissaries had in Baku close talk with
the president of Azerbaijan.
The meeting of the presidents of the US and Azerbaijan is scheduled for
late Jule. And during this important meeting the mechanisms of the
political resolution of the conflict and chose of the route for transit of
the strategical Caspian oil can be worked out. It is not coincidence,
probably, that Washington openly connects its oil interests in the Caspian
with peacemaking mission in the region. Even in the amendment of Mr.
Pallone the resolution of the conflict is connected with the "Armenian
route". It seems, the US are going to become the chief "operator" in the
resolution of the problems of the transit of the Caspian oil and Caucasian
conflicts. The theme of symbios of oil and conflict becomes more actual
and Azerbaijan again can be the victim of geopolitical formula "oil
in exchange for peace."
Such development of the situation touches on direct interests not only of
the conflicting parties (Armenia and Azerbaijan) but also of Russia, which
as result can be in a geopolitical offside. Some Russian analysts consider
these processes may threaten the interest of the country in the
Caucasus.
Thus, expert of the Russian Duma for security Alexey Gordeychuk considers
that fight for oil has acquires tough forms and the possibility of
appearance in the Caucasus of the American or NATO's troops ( in a status
of "blue helmets") makes Russia take adequate measures. But it can be
false imagination that the US forces Russia out from the region. One
should not exclude the secret geopolitical transaction between Russia and
Washington. When the argue is because of such small and weak country as
Azerbaijan it is more easy for them to agree their actions.
Probably, Russia itself re-assigned its peacemaking position, and in exchange
it received from the US guarantees for the share in transit of the
large Caspian oil. It is indirectly confirmed by the fact of forced
reanimation of the route Baku-Grozny-Novorossiysk and next activation of
LUKoil in Azerbaijan. From our past experience we have more ground to think
that irritation of Moscow, connected with possible geopolitical losses,
will probably be compensated by Baku's oil.
Pending of the coming meeting of the presidents of the US and Azerbaijan
the analysts try to obtain access to ongoing confidential negotiations and
the "American project" of the resolution of the conflict which is under
preparation. The difference of the present situation is that for the first
time official Washington, and not independent American experts (Goble,
Maresca and others), in analogues with the Dayton's agreements, try to
play a leading role in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.
Probably late in July we will know the results of the visit of Heydar
Aliyev to Washington. And then it may happen that our today's consideration
werejust search of non-existing "black cat" in dark labyrinths of
the geopolitical game around the Caucasus and the Caspian.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Mark Hubey ---------------------------------------------------------
http://www.csam.montclair.edu/Faculty/Hubey.html
hubey@pegasus.montclair.edu hubeyh@alpha.montclair.edu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
TURKISTAN-N is an electronic newsletter whose purpose is to report on the
"Land of the Turks". With Turkistan we mean in general lands where Turkic
peoples live without any geographical restriction and without specific
reference to Central Asia or political boundaries.
If you want to have information about all the the Turkic peoples from
Kirgiz, Kazaks, Uzbek but also about less known Turkish/Turkic peoples like
the Gagauz, Tuvinians or
Shors Turkistan-N is a medium for this. Turkistan-N was established on 9
May 1997 as an inititiative of SOTA.
Beside news book reviews, commentaries, articles, and letters from the
readers can also be published in TN.
Turkistan-N has at this moment more than 700 subscribers.
*
*To subscribe: send a message to <majordomo@turkistan.org> with
* subscribe Turkistan-N
*
*To unsubscribe: send a message to <majordomo@turkistan.org> with
* unsubscribe Turkistan-N
*
* Send your questions and contributions to : <owner-turkistan-N@turkistan.org>
*
(C) You can post and distribute the items of Turkistan-N with giving credit
and reference to Turkistan-N and SOTA.
*
(SOTA) Research centre for Turkestan, Azerbaijan, Crimea, Caucasus and Siberia
P.o. box 9642
2003 LP Haarlem
The Netherlands
e-mail: <mtutuncu@turkiye.net> or <sota@euronet.nl>
Turkish World Home Page:<http://www.turkiye.net/sota/sota.html>
Crimean Tatars Home-Page: <http://www.euronet.nl/users/sota/krimtatar.html>
<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>