<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:97-1:09---13--Jun--1997.....<<>><<>><<>><<>>
<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>-----------------------------<<><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>
<>Uze kok tengri asra yagiz yer kilintukta ekin ara kisi ogli kilinmis<>
<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>----------<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>></pre>
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********Archives of the Turkistan Newsletter can be found at:***********
********<http://www.euronet.nl/users/sota/turkistan.htm>****************
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.......1. Kyrgyz News -- Naryn Aiyp
1.1) Water Resources
1.2) Women Parliementarians
1.3) Kyrgyz Embassy in Malaysia
1.4-1.6) Diplomatic Initiatives
1.7) Tax Collection
1.8) Religious Matters
1.9) Asaba party examination
.......2. Azerbaijan Organizations -- Adil Baguirov
.......3. ROT (Republic of Turkey) News from A. Toprak
3.1) Turkey will fight the PKK, warns Iran
3.2) Armenian and Bulgarian Statements
3.3) War against PKK continues
3.4) 240 Kg Heroin seized -- Iranians and Moroccans arrested
.......4. RFE/RL & More -- Yanki Puersuen
4.1) Inguish VP appointed to Rybkin's deputy
4.2) US-Uzbek military exercises
4.3) Kyrgyz Shares allotted to low income groups
4.4) Russia-Belarus treaty criticized
4.5) Japan provides credit to Tatarstan's Kamaz plant
4.6) Cossacks to guard Russo-Kazak border
......5. Almaty and Baku agree to Oil routes -- A. Baguirov
......6. VOA report on Caspian Sea Oil
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
#1
KYRGYZ NEWS - 12 JUNE 1997
1. People's Assembly of the Kyrgyz Parliament discusssed today the problem of
water resources of the country, parliament press service announced. Special
appeal to the authorities and people of the neighboring Kazakhstan and
Uzbekistan was worked out. It was decided that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
should pay for the water, receiving from the storage lakes, situated on the
Kyrgyz territory. That is why, amendments to the Agreement between Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan on water resources, signed in Almaty on 18 February
1992, should be made. Kyrgyz government must prepare necessary documenst up to
the end of 1997.
35,000 million cubic meter water flow out from the Kyrgyz reservoirs yearly.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan receive 11,000 million cubic meters from the
Toktogul storage lake in a year. In addition, Kazakhstan receives 800 million
cubic meter from the Kirov reservoir and 180 million cubic meter from the
Orto-Tokoy storage lake. Uzbekistan receives 77 million cubic meter water from
the Papan reservoir. Kyrgyzstan spends 72 million som (about $4 million) for
maintanance of the water reservoirs yearly.
2. 2-day International conference of the women-parliamentarians began in the
State Opera in Bishkek today. Representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan, China,
Georgia, Malaysia, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan take part in
it. President Askar Akayev attended today's session. Conference will continue
its session tomorrow in the resort town of Cholpon-Ata.
3. President Akayev has signed a decree on the opening Kyrgyz embassy in
Malaysia, president press service announced in Bishkek today. The ambassador
has not been appointed yet.
4. President Akayev appointed Felix Kulov, security minister, as a chairman of
the state commission on the establishing government monopoly on the alcohol
industry, president press service announced in Bishkek today.
5. President Akayev sent Russian President, Boris Yeltsin, a greeting telegram
today. Russa celebrates the Independence day today. Akayev wrote in the
telegram that Russia is a main strategic partner of Kyrgyzstan.
6. President Akayev has signed a decree on rewardinf Eileen Melloy, the U.S.
ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, with state diploma. Mellow will leave Kyrgyzstan
after the Independence Day, 4 July.
7. Karim Urazbayev, head of the State Tax agency, held a press conference in
Bishkek today on the results of the 5 months of1997. According to Urazbayev,
the plan on collecting taxes was implemented by 100.2 % in January-May.
However, 509-million-som (about $30 million) needed taxes was not collected.
Head of the Tax police service, Avtandil Sydykov, told the press conference
that 209 cases of tax evasion was registered in 5 months and the police
brought an actions on 144 cases. 8,930 citizens were fined for tax evaision
and about 30 million som was returned to the budget in January-May.
8. Deputy Mufti of Kyrgyzstan, Abdylda Asrankulov, told our correspondent in
Bishkek today that the Muslim Board of Kyrgyzstan will held its conference on
21 June. Problems of registration of the mosques and certifying of all mullahs
in the country will be discussed. The Board was elected at the Muslim Congress
in Bishkek in December, 1996.
9. Justice ministry will begin to revise the activity of the Asaba Natioanl
Revival party tomorrow, on 13 June, party official told our correspondent in
Bishkek today. According to him, Board of the party made a statement today
that the Ministry has no right to revise the activity of any party, but the
Asaba is ready for any examination.
Justice ministry announced last week that it would revise activity of all
parties and public organisations in the country soon. There are 15 political
parties, registered by the Justice ministry in Kyrgyzstan.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
#2
From: Adil <baguirov@scf.usc.edu>
Subject: THE AZERBAIJANI NATIONAL FEDERATION IN SWEDEN & THE First Congress of Azerbaijanis (fwd)
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 1997 16:20:46 -0700 (PDT)
As you may already know, the azerbaijani national federation in Sweden is
currently in its third phase of creation. In the beginning of this year
(04-01-1997), first meeting was arranged in Vestervik (a small village in
the middle of Sweden) and representatives from 8 different organization
were attended the meeting. A council included four representatives from
three different geographic area was elected. Furthermore, they would
function as a temporary council until a permanent one would be elected by
the next congress. In line with previous decision, on 18-May 1997, almost
all representatives from azerbaijani association organizations in Sweden
were gathered in Gothenburg. The meeting last for two days and two
councils (executive and a group who will prepare a constitution of
national federation) were elected by representatives.
Most representatives emphasized and considered the importance of national
unit based on democracy and quality. Therefore creation of such a council
may will take long time then one should expect. But in this level, we can
regard the national federation as a created one since it does work as a
council by now. However, the aim of the council of national federation in
Sweden is to organize azeri community inside the country in order to
strength our position and also to facilitate continuous contact with other
azerbaijani community around the world, in particular our moderland.
We are very glad to see that the another national federation (and also
larger and better organized) is on its creation. It makes us feel proud
and hopeful. We hope that a representative (or observer) from our national
federation will join the first congress of azerbaijani in USA.
For further information, please contact
1. Araz in Malmo
Tel: +46 40 188865 Fax +46 40 271210
2. Durna magazine in Stockholm
3. Savalan in Gotenborg
Fax: +46 31 848750
4. Association of Azerbaidjanian Scientists in Sweden
E-mail: atabeyli@tfd.chalmers.se
Tel: +46 31 7721421 Fax: +46 31 180976
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
#3
Republic of Turkey (ROT) News
>Subject: TRKNWS-L Turkish Press Review
>Date: 11 Jun 1997 11:50:51 -0400
3.1) TURKEY TELLS IRAN: WE WILL FIGHT PKK
Turkey reiterated its security concerns to Iran yet again during the
unexpected visit to Ankara of the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister
Alaadin Boroujerdi yesterday. Boroujerdi, who brought a message from
Iranian President Hasimi Rafsanjani to his Turkish counterpart
Suleyman Demirel, met with Deputy Undersecretary Korkmaz Haktanir and
Undersecretary Onur Oymen for more than four hours.
Prior to his meeting, Oymen described Turkey and Iran to the press as
two large states with ties of friendship between them. "Friends speak
openly, we have common interests in the region but there are also
security problems. This year alone we have had high-level contact 49
times in relation to the struggle against terrorism. Maximum
attention should be paid to the improvement of reciprocal cooperation;
we will have open and sincere talks" Oymen said.
Boroujerdi had, before his arrival, in a public statement in Iran said
he would discuss the situation in northern Iraq, and later reported to
the press that his meetings were very positive. "Even if we have
problems, the solution is talks. We want to help our neighbour with
its security problems and we want to do our best. This is our wish.
We will make every effort to improve our relations and this is our
hope" Boroujerdi said. He also recalled that Iranian President
Rafsanjani would be in Turkey for the D-8 summit in Turkey.
/Cumhuriyet-Sabah/
3.2) STATEMENTS FROM ARMENIA AND BULGARIA
Armenia has stated that it does not help the PKK terrorist
organization. Armenian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Arsen Casparyan
said in a statement yesterday that claims noting that Armenia helps
the PKK will only help increase the tension in the region. Casparyan
pointed out that they had no connection either with Kurdish groups in
northern Iraq or with the PKK.
On the other hand, Bulgaria has denied news in the Turkish press
claiming that there are PKK training camps in Bulgaria. A statement
made by the Bulgarian Interior Ministry said that there were no PKK
camps in Bulgaria. /Hurriyet/
3.3) SEPARATISTS FACE HEAVY LOSSES
Turkish soldiers, having achieved great succss in their battle against
the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terrorists within
Turkey, are now repeating their success across the border in northern
Iraq. Wide-ranging precautions have been taken near Cudi Mountain in
the Emergency Rule Region against the PKK. The PKK is losing logistic
support at a rapid rate. During recent operations, 1,079 terrorists
have been killed and a further 134 captured.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Armed Forces cross-border operation in
neighbouring northern Iraq, which began on May 14, has entered its
28th day. According to reports, 2,500 terrorists have been killed
during the operation. One of the main achievements of the operation
is reported to be the control of the Sedera and Karfiyo camps run by
the PKK on the Gara Mountain. A statement made by the General
Secretariat of the General Staff said that 35 terrorists had been
captured with their ammunition. The statement also noted that to date
2,418 terrorists have been killed, a total of 2,848 terrorists,
including 430 wounded terrorists, have been captured during the
operations. /Hurriyet-Sabah/
3.4) TURKISH POLICE ANNOUNCE SEIZURE OF 240 KG HEROIN
Turkish police said yesterday they had seized 240 kg of heroin in the
western town of Gebze, the Anatolian news agency reported. Seven
people, including one Moroccan and three Iranians, were arrested in
raids on June 4 after a three-month operation, the agency said. It
quoted Adana police chief Mehmet Gundogdu as saying the heroin
belonged to the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). He said
the heroin was on its way from southeastern Turkey to Istanbul where
it would be shipped on to Western Europe.
Meanwhile, a report on the "PKK-drug smuggling connection" issued by
the Interpol General Secretariat of the General Security Office said
that to date drugs worth TL 110 trillion being smuggled by the PKK had
been seized. The report noted that the PKK terrorist organization,
which now suffering heavy losses from operations held in the
southeastern region and in northern Iraq, had started to engage in
smuggling more drugs to purchase weapons. /Sabah/
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>>>><><><><><><><>
#4
>From: YANKI PURSUN <fyp@usa.net>
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 01:13:25 -0200
4.1) INGUSH VICE PRESIDENT APPOINTED TO RUSSIAN SECURITY COUNCIL.
Yeltsin appointed
Lt.-Gen. Boris Agapov as deputy secretary of the Russian Security Council on 9
June, Russian and Western agencies reported. Agapov, who is a former border
guard general, is Ivan Rybkin's sixth deputy. Rybkin said he will be
responsible for "crisis management," while Security Council press secretary
Igor Ignatev said Agapov will focus on border disputes in the "post-Soviet
space."
4.2) U.S.-UZBEK MILITARY EXERCISES FINISH.
The Ultra Balance-97 military exercises
were completed on 9 June, according to Interfax. The four-day maneuvers took
place in the Fergana Valley 80 kilometers from the Uzbek-Tajik border in
accordance with a 1995 bilateral agreement between the Uzbek Defense Ministry
and the U.S. Defense Department. U.S. officers also inspected sites in
Uzbekistan and Kazakstan where an 11-country military exercise is scheduled to
be held in late September under the Partnership for Peace program.
4.3) KYRGYZ SHARES ALLOTTED TO LOW-INCOME GROUPS.
President Askar Akayev has signed
a decree whereby 8% of shares in leading enterprises will be distributed free
of charge among pensioners, invalids, World War Two veterans, and low-income
families, ITAR-TASS and Interfax reported on 9 June. Shares will include those
in leading companies scheduled to be privatized such as Kyrgyztelekom,
Kyrgyzenergo, the national airline, and the two largest publishing houses,
Uchkun and Akyl. The measure is intended to "ensure social justice."
<><><><><><><><>
Subject: RFE/RL Newsline, No. 48, Part I, 9 June 1997
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 01:13:36 -0200
4.4) YABLOKO SAYS RUSSIAN-BELARUSIAN TREATY RESTS ON
"ILLEGITIMATE PARLIAMENT" IN BELARUS.
Of the seven registered factions in the State Duma, only Grigorii
Yavlinskii's Yabloko opposed ratification of the Russian-Belarusian union
treaty and charter on 6 June. The Duma ratified the documents by a vote of 363
to two with 19 abstentions. Yabloko deputies who were present abstained. Duma
deputy Sergei Ivanenko explained that while Yabloko is not opposed to closer
ties with Belarus in principle, integration should not be "built on the basis
of an illegitimate parliament" in Belarus. The lower chamber of the Belarusian
parliament unanimously ratified the documents on 30 May. Yabloko members have
repeatedly criticized Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's policies
toward opposition politicians and the media.
<><><><><><><>
Subject: For the next TN - IEWS Russian Regional Report--12 June 1997
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 1997 19:06:39 -0200
4.5) BUSINESS
-- The Japanese government is providing a 15.8 million yen ($150 million)
credit to Tatarstan's KamAZ plant to modernize its production of diesel
engines. (Kommersant-Daily, 10 June)
4.6) COSSACKS TO GUARD KAZAK BORDER.
An agreement under which Siberian Cossacks
will guard the Russo-Kazak border was signed in Omsk on 4 June by regional
Federal Border Guards Service Chief Maj. Gen. Aleksandr Serov and Cossack
leader Victor Kaletin, Kommersant-daily reported on 5 June. Serov said he
intends to introduce such detachments along the whole Russo-Kazakstani
border. Kazakstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev vigorously protested the
move, but President Boris Yeltsin approved the initiative in a meeting with
the head of the Federal Border Guards Service, Gen. Andrei Nikolaev, on 9
June (Kommersant-daily, 10 June). Cossacks have been allowed to guard
sections of the border on an experimental basis since February and proved
to be more cost-effective than regular border guard detachments. The legal
status of the Cossacks and the question of whether they are entitled to
carry arms remain unclear. Nazarbayev protested the use of Cossacks on the
border because he believes it necessary to repress the Cossack movement in
northern Kazakstan - Peter Rutland
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
#5
From: Adil <baguirov@scf.usc.edu>
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 1997 21:00:11 -0700 (PDT)
Almaty, Baku Agree on Oil Export Routes
ALMATY -- Kazakh and Azerbaijani Presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and
Haydar Aliyev signed a declaration in Almaty on June 10 on the improvement
of cooperation between the two countries and a memorandum on cooperation
in oil transport to international markets.
Kazakhstan will need two or three new export oil pipelines in addition to
those to be provided by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Nazarbayev said
at the signing ceremony.
Kazakhstan intends to send oil in tankers across the Caspian Sea and then
through Azerbaijan to Bulgaria, Ukraine, northern Turkey or to other
regions, he said.
"We are also prepared to cooperate in the supply of Kazakh oil from our
border across the bottom of the Caspian Sea to Baku and the Mediterranean
Sea," Nazarbayev said. This issue is economically very important for the
two countries, he said.
Both presidents called for more active involvement of Russian oil
companies in their markets. Russian companies "have an important role to
play in all Azerbaijan's oil contracts," Aliyev said.
On the other hand, Russia is failing to honor its commitments in the
pumping of early Azerbaijani oil across Russia, he said. The Azerbaijani
part of the pipeline has been constructed while the Russian one has not,
Aliyev said.
Russian companies must share in the development of the Kazakh Caspian
offshore fields, Nazarbayev said. (Interfax)
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
#6
DATE=6/12/97
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-36653
TITLE=CASPIAN SEA OIL AND PIPELINES
BYLINE=FRANCIS RONALDS
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE U-S STATE DEPARTMENT HAS SENT CONGRESS A REPORT
SUGGESTING THAT OIL DEPOSITS IN THE CASPIAN SEA MAY TOTAL AS MUCH
AS 178 BILLION BARRELS. IF DRILLINGS BEAR OUT THAT ESTIMATE,
THEN ONLY SAUDI ARABIA WOULD HAVE GREATER RESERVES.
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE WORLD'S OIL COMPANIES HAVE BEEN FLOCKING
TO BAKU, CAPITAL OF AZERBAIJAN, WHICH WAS THE LARGEST CENTER OF
WORLD OIL PRODUCTION A CENTURY AGO AND MAY BECOME A VERY
IMPORTANT CENTER AGAIN IN THE YEARS TO COME. FRANK RONALDS HAS A
REPORT ON THE PROMISE OF THE CASPIAN SEA BASIN, AND THE
DIFFICULTIES WHICH LIE IN THE WAY OF ITS EXPLOITATION.
TEXT: GLEN HOWARD, AN OIL SPECIALIST AT SCIENCE APPLICATIONS
INTERNATIONAL IN MCLEAN, VIRGINIA, SAYS THAT THE CASPIAN SEA
BASIN HAS BECOME IMPORTANT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
// IST HOWARD ACT //
IT'S GREATEST STRATEGIC VALUE IS THAT IT SERVES AS AN
ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF OIL OUTSIDE THE PERSIAN GULF,
ON WHICH THE UNITED STATES GREATLY DEPENDS. THIS
AREA IS ONE OF THE GREAT UNTAPPED SOURCES OF OIL IN
THE WORLD. MANY COMPANIES NOW ARE DRAWING AWAY FROM
THE RUSSIAN OIL AND GAS SECTOR DUE TO A MULTITUDE OF
PROBLEMS, LEGISLATIVE AND LEGAL PROBLEMS FOR
ACQUIRING AND PURCHASING AN INTEREST IN RUSSIAN OIL.
MANY COMPANIES HAVE SIGNED AGREEMENTS WITH AZERBAIJAN
THAT ALONE AMOUNT TO FIFTEEN BILLION DOLLARS IN OIL
CONTRACTS. IT'S VERY EASY THERE TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT
AND GET ON THE GROUND THERE IN ONE MONTH OR TWO
MONTHS AFTER SIGNING AN AGREEMENT."
// END ACT //
THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE CASPIAN CREATES COMPLEX POLITICAL, AS WELL
AS ECONOMIC, PROBLEMS. ALONG WITH GEORGIA AND ARMENIA,
AZERBAIJAN IS ONE OF THREE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS IN THE SOUTH
CAUCASUS. RUSSIA BORDERS THE CASPIAN SEA TO THE NORTH, THE
CENTRAL ASIAN STATES OF KAZAKHSTAN AND TURKMENISTAN TO THE EAST,
AND IRAN IS TO THE SOUTH. NEARBY TURKEY IS VERY INTERESTED,
BECAUSE IT IS EXPECTED TO DOUBLE ITS OIL REQUIREMENTS BY THE YEAR
2010. ROBERT EBEL, DIRECTOR OF ENERGY AND NATIONAL SECURITY AT
THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN WASHINGTON,
SAYS THAT GETTING THE OIL OUT TO THE BLACK SEA AND THEN TO THE
MEDITERRANEAN SEA, DEPENDS ON BUILDING THE NECESSARY PIPELINES,
NORTH THROUGH RUSSIA OR WEST THROUGH GEORGIA.
// IST EBEL ACT //
THE DEVELOPMENT OF OIL OFFSHORE AZERBAIJAN IS GOING
TO TAKE PLACE IN TWO STAGES. THE FIRST STAGE IS
CALLED EARLY OIL. AND THE EARLY OIL WILL MOVE TO
MARKETS VIA TWO PIPELINES. ONE PIPELINE WILL RUN
NORTHWARD FROM BAKU TO THE BLACK SEA PORT OF
NOVOROSISSK. AND IF AGREEMENTS CAN BE REACHED WITH
CHECHNYA, THAT PIPELINE COULD WELL BE OPERATING BY
THE END OF THIS YEAR. A SECOND PIPELINE IS THE
SO-CALLED WESTERN ROUTE, WHICH WOULD RUN WESTWARD
FROM BAKU THROUGH GEORGIA TO THE PORT OF SUPSA. THAT
PIPELINE WOULD BE READY FOR OPERATION BY THE END OF
NEXT YEAR. THE LATER OIL, WHOSE OUTPUT WILL BE
MEASURED IN SEVEN OR EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND BARRELS A
DAY, WILL REQUIRE A MUCH LARGER PIPELINE. THE
DECISION HAS NOT YET BEEN MADE AS TO WHERE THAT
PIPELINE WILL BE BUILT. WILL IT PARALLEL THE
NORTHERN ROUTE? WILL IT PARALLEL THE WESTERN ROUTE?
OR WILL IT BE BUILT INTO THE CENTER OF GEORGIA AND
THEN SOUTHWARD THROUGH TURKEY TO THE PORT OF CEYHAN
(CHEH'-HAN). THAT DECISION HAS NOT YET BEEN MADE BUT
IT WILL SOON BE FORTHCOMING.
// END ACT //
A MAJOR COMPLICATION LIES IN THE WAR BETWEEN ARMENIA AND
AZERBAIJAN OVER NAGORNO-KARABAKH, AN ARMENIAN ENCLAVE GIVEN TO
AZERBAIJAN DURING THE SOVIET PERIOD. TENS OF THOUSANDS HAVE BEEN
KILLED AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, BOTH ARMENIANS AND
AZERBAIJANIS, DISPLACED. ARMENIA HAS THE UPPER HAND IN THIS WAR.
RECENTLY, THE DEFENSE COMMITTEE OF THE RUSSIAN DUMA PUBLISHED A
REPORT SAYING THAT A FORMER RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER HAD SHIPPED
ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN ARMS TO ARMENIA, INCLUDING SCUD MISSILES
CAPABLE OF REACHING BAKU. THE ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND
COOPERATION IN EUROPE HAS BEEN ATTEMPTING TO END THE WAR SINCE
1993, SO FAR WITHOUT SUCCESS. ROBERT EBEL POINTS OUT THE
POSSIBILITY THAT A PIPELINE TO THE BLACK SEA COULD BE BUILT
THROUGH ARMENIA IF THE WAR COULD BE BROUGHT TO AN END:
// 2ND EBEL ACT//
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE TALBOTT RECENTLY VISITED THE
CAUCASUS, TRYING TO FIND SOME FORMULA FOR THE RESOLUTION
OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH. UNTIL THAT ISSUE HAS BEEN
RESOLVED, THE WESTWARD PIPELINE WILL BE BUILT OUTSIDE
ARMENIA. ARMENIA WON'T GAIN ANYTHING. SO THEY HAVE
MUCH TO LOSE IF THEY DON'T REACH A RESOLUTION OVER
NAGORNO- KARABAKH.
// END ACT //
MOST SPECIALISTS AGREE THAT AN IDEAL ROUTE FOR AN OIL PIPELINE
OUT THE CASPIAN WOULD BE VIA IRAN, BUT THE U-S POLICY OF
CONTAINING IRAN HAS SO FAR RULED THAT OUT. RECENT PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTIONS IN IRAN, WHICH RESULTED IN THE ELECTION OF A MODERATE
BY AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY, POINT TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME
IMPROVEMENT IN U-S/ IRANIAN RELATIONS. GLEN HOWARD BELIEVES THAT
THIS WOULD LESSEN DEPENDENCE ON RUSSIA AND PERHAPS STRENGTHEN THE
INDEPENDENCE OF THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
CASPIAN SEA.
// 2ND HOWARD ACT //
EVERTHING IN THE CASPIAN REGION REVOLVES AROUND THE
GEOPOLITICS OF OIL. AND IT'S WITHIN THE U-S INTEREST
THAT THESE COUNTRIES MAINTAIN THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND
THAT THE OIL FLOW TO THE WEST.
// END ACT //
IN TIME, THE CASPIAN SEA BASIN IS LIKELY TO BECOME ONE OF THE
WORLD'S GREATEST SOURCES OF OIL. BUT FIRST, THERE ARE MANY
ECONOMIC AND ESPECIALLY POLITICAL DIFFERENCES TO OVERCOME.
(SIGNED)
NEB/FR/KL
12-Jun-97 12:17 PM EDT (1617 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
>From fyp@usa.net Fri Jun 13 10:30:48 1997
From: YANKI PURSUN <fyp@usa.net>
Subject: For the next TN - RFE/RL Newsline, No. 51, Part I, 12 June 1997
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 1997 09:14:55 -0200
AGAPOV SLAMS RUSSIA'S NORTH CAUCASUS POLICY. In an interview with Interfax on
11 June, newly appointed Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary Boris
Agapov said the federal authorities' failure to expedite the repatriation of
some 40,000 ethnic Ingush expelled from North Ossetia's Prigorodnyi Raion in
1992 was "offensive" to both the Ingush and Ossetian peoples. Agapov warned
that the conflict between North Ossetia and Ingushetia is "on hold rather than
resolved and an explosion may occur sooner or later." Agapov said that the
creation of an "Organization for Security and Cooperation in the Caucasus,"
proposed by Chechen representatives at a meeting of North Caucasus leaders in
Kislovodsk on 31 May, similarly demonstrates Russia's failure to play an
adequate role in the North Caucasus.
IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IN KYRGYZSTAN. Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev met with
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati on 11 June and said he is pleased
with his country's relations with Iran, according to RFE/RL correspondents.
Akayev noted that trade between the countries was $3.9 million in the first
quarter of 1997 and is steadily increasing. An Iranian consulate will soon
open in Kyrgyzstan's second-largest city, Osh, while a Kyrgyz consulate will
begin operations in Meshhed, Iran. Velayati praised Akayev and Kyrgyzstan for
the role played in the Tajik peace process and said he hoped Kyrgyzstan would
send a representative to the 27 June signing in Moscow of the final Tajik
peace treaty.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>><><><>
Mark Hubey ---------------------------------------------------------
http://www.csam.montclair.edu/Faculty/Hubey.html
hubey@pegasus.montclair.edu hubeyh@alpha.montclair.edu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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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 650 subscribers.
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(C) You can post and distribute the items of Turkistan-N with giving credit
and reference to Turkistan-N and SOTA.
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(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>
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