Newsflash #9
Sun 1 Mar 2009NEWSFLASH # 9
Covering the period: 23 April-12 May
In this issue:
► Albania applies for EU membership
► Merkel and Sarkozy emphasize opposition to Turkey joining EU
► EU launches Eastern Partnership at Prague Summit
► No Uzbek, Kazakh, Turkmen gas for EU
And much more news from:
ACCESSION / CANDIDATE COUNTRIES: Croatia, Macedonia, and Turkey
WESTERN BALKANS: Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia
WIDER EUROPE / NEIGHBOUR COUNTRIES: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine
CENTRAL ASIA: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan
++++++++++++++++++++
The Newsflash of the European Forum of Democracy and Solidarity is a bi-monthly news bulletin covering relevant political developments in Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe, and the South Caucasus. We put main accent on political party news, while at the same time attention is being given to gender issues, minority and human rights, and the process of accession to the European Union. It is sponsored by the British Labour Party through the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and is spread by e-mail to more than 500 recipients. The Newsflash is based on mass media and internal sources. Contributions and comments are highly appreciated.
ACCESSION / CANDIDATE COUNTRIES
►Rehn in favour of lifting visa regime for Balkan countries
On 24 April the European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said he hoped that lifting of the visa regime for the Balkan's countries would be proposed before the Czech presidency over the Union ends on 1 July. Such a move would enable the EU to take a decision for abolishing of the visa requirements for the countries that have met the necessary conditions. Considering the enlargement of the EU, Rehn urged for consolidating of the Union, underlying that the key of such reinstated consensus would be respecting of the existing conditions, instead of setting new ones. "In other words, if the Western Balkan's countries fulfil the already set conditions, they could make a progress," Rehn explained.
Croatia
►Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb blocked
On 7 May it has been announced that the blockade of the Philosophy faculty of the University of Zagreb will continue. Approximately 800 students unsatisfied with the announced government measures in higher education, which will increase the costs of studying, are demonstrating against these measures for several weeks now by blocking the university. A representative of the Ministry of Education spoke with the students, which according to the last mentioned is a sight the government is finally listening to them.
►Croatia accepts EU border mediation, Slovenia not fully satisfied
On 5 May Croatia’s government said it would accept the last European Union proposal to use international arbitration for settling a border dispute with Slovenia, which has blocked Zagreb's accession talks this year. However, EU member Slovenia indicated it was unhappy with the proposal put forward by Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor said he would seek a national consensus and make some amendments to the proposal. "We will definitely have some amendments to the draft agreement. I would like to debate and get a consensus on these amendments with all parties in the parliament," Pahor said. In Zagreb, President Stjepan Mesic said all parliamentary parties were in favour of the proposal, which could put an end to the dispute that dates back to the 1991 break-up of former Yugoslavian republics. EU diplomats stressed that unless the dispute is resolved quickly, Croatia could fail to achieve its goal of completing EU talks this year and joining the EU in 2010 or 2011.
►Suspect of murder on Croatian journalist arrested
On 29 April Croat leaders praised cooperation with Serb police as key to arrest of suspect in Croatian publisher’s murder. Sreten Jocic, also known as Joca Amsterdam, detained on Monday in Belgrade as a suspected accomplice in the murder of Croatian publisher Ivo Pukanic will be interrogated by officials of the Special Court in Belgrade. Jocic has denied any connection to the murder of Pukanic, owner and editor of the magazine Nacional. Jocic was detained in Serbia on the demand of the Special Prosecution, after Croatian media reported last week that a witness had named him as the organiser of Pukanic’s murder. They said the Croatian police were preparing an arrest warrant. Croatian politicians and public have praised the cooperation between Serbia and Croatia that led to the arrest. “This is the way to continue”, Ivo Sanader, the Croatian Prime Minister, said in Zagreb on Tuesday. “I am pleased with the police work and the work of the Croatian Justice Ministry. The cooperation between police departments of Croatia and Serbia proved to be good,” he added.
Macedonia
►Skopje makes progress on visa liberalisation
On 1 May EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn confirmed, at the end of his meeting with Branko Crvenkovski, the outgoing president of Macedonia, “good progress” made by Skopje towards meeting the conditions of visa liberalisation. Crvenkovski said that he was optimistic that his country would be able to benefit from a visa obligation waver by the end of the year if the Commission makes a positive recommendation in June, the Council is expected to make a decision to this effect. Furthermore, Rehn said that with regard to the launch of accession negotiations, which are still subject to respect for the criteria established in March 2008 by the Commission, there were a lot of expectations regarding progress in administrative reform, the legal sector and the fight against crime and corruption. Crvenkovski declared that “the country has institutional capacity and the potential to fulfil these criteria on time” and subsequently obtain the Commission's go-ahead during the publication of the next progress report in October. Although the opening of talks is also stalling due to the dispute between Skopje and Athens on the name, “Macedonia”, Rehn called on the two countries to relaunch discussions in an effort to find a solution without delay. Crvenkovski has warned that while a solution to his country's long standing spat over its name with Greece may not be popular, a deal is essential and will bring long term positive results.
Turkey
►Merkel and Sarkozy emphasize opposition to Turkey joining EU
On 11 May German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy reiterated their opposition to Turkey joining the EU as the two leaders geared up for next month's European Parliament elections. Merkel, who has advocated having a vaguely defined partnership with Turkey, said "we cannot take in everyone in Europe as a full member. We have to talk about the borders of this Europe," she was quoted by AP as saying. "It makes no sense if there are ever more members, and we can’t decide anything anymore," she added. Turkey began EU membership negotiations in 2005, but progress has since largely ground to a halt because of disagreements over the divided island of Cyprus and strong opposition in some member countries like France, Germany and Austria. Sarkozy, a long-time opponent of Turkish membership, last week advocated discussing a common economic and security forum with Turkey as an alternative. Earlier, U.S. President Barack Obama has urged the EU to embrace Turkey as a full member. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has strongly rejected German Chancellor Angela Merkel's idea of a "privileged partnership" between the EU and Turkey, saying his country would not accept any alternative to full membership of the European Union. Furthermore, she considers the statements as election rhetoric in the run up to the European elections.
►Turkey plays politics with EU pipeline scheme
On 8 May it has been indicated by officials from Ankara that the EU risks continued energy dependency on Russia and a sharp rise in natural gas prices unless it unblocks EU accession talks with Turkey. At an energy summit in Prague, Turkish President Abdullah Gul signed a declaration promising to close an inter-governmental agreement (IGA) in June on building the Nabucco gas pipeline through his country. But he linked the IGA deal to the EU's opening the energy chapter of Turkey's accession negotiations, blocked by Cyprus due to a long-standing territorial dispute. The Nabucco pipeline, which cannot go ahead without the IGA, is a project to pump by 2020 25 billion cubic metres a year of Caspian Sea basin gas directly to the EU, bypassing Russia. The pipeline would reduce the impact on the EU of any future Russian gas cut-offs and complicate Russian plans to put gas prices on a higher footing for the long-term. European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso downplayed Turkey's Nabucco-accession link. "Mr Gul did not make any kind of conditionality," the commission president said.
►Gul meets opposition to talk charter change
On 7 May Turkish President Abdullah Gul has initiated a round of talks with leaders of the country’s opposition parties as part of a campaign to promote proposed constitutional amendments. Gul started these talks by meeting with Republican People’s Party (CHP), leader Deniz Baykal. According to Gul, "a constitutional amendment should be a reform that will resolve problems in Turkey." Furthermore he emphasised the importance of having an extensive that consensus on the issue. The main opposition CHP had previously expressed its discontent with the government’s attempt to amend the Constitution. During his party’s parliamentary group meeting Tuesday, Baykal touched on the issue once again and defined the debates over constitutional amendments as an "effort to change the country’s agenda." One of the amendments aims to make it more difficult to shut down a party by changing the procedure for such closures. According to another amendment, the number of Constitutional Court members would be increased either to 17 or to 21, and a majority of the members would be elected by the Parliament. The planned amendments to the Constitution also include a change to the right of individual appeals to the Constitutional Court.
►Turkey tries to calm Azeri's over thaw with Armenia
On 4 May Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu sought to ease Azerbaijan's concerns over efforts by Turkey and Armenia to restore ties. Ankara and Yerevan are engaged in talks to end years of hostility. Last month, they announced a roadmap to re-establish ties, including reopening a border closed in 1993. Azerbaijan, Turkey's Muslim ally and a key supplier of gas, has reacted angrily to those talks because it fears losing leverage over Armenia in the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh. In order to calm Azeri’s worries, Turkish Prime Minster Erdogan said in an interview that Turkey could open its border only if Armenia withdraws its forces from the occupied Azeri territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
WESTERN BALKANS
Albania
►Former Albanian prime minister returns to politics
On 5 May Former Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi announced his decision to return to active politics and to run in the June parliamentary elections as a candidate of the right-wing Movement for National Development. Meksi was the first post-communist prime minister in Albania, serving between 1992 and 1997. Once the leader of the ruling Democratic Party, Meksi will now run against it.
►MP of the Socialist Party of Albania murdered
On 3 May Fatmir Xhindi, member of the Albanian parliament (MP) for the biggest opposition party Socialist Party of Albania (SP), was shot down in front of his house in the provincial town of Roskovec in Southern Albania. According to the spokesman of the police, the two suspects, are still fugitive. Lawmaker Xhindi, 49, who was completing his third four-year-term in the parliament and was preparing for the upcoming parliamentary elections to be held on June 28, died on his way to the hospital. Politicians from Albania and the EU were shocked by the murder. Rama called for the murderer to be brought to justice. Prime Minster of Albania and leader of the ruling Democratic Party said that the murder shocked everyone. The EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn also called on the Albanian authorities “to investigate this crime thoroughly and bring the perpetrator to justice." The killing of Xhindi could heighten tension ahead of the June parliamentary elections, which pit the ruling Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sali Berisha against the main opposition Socialist Party led by Edi Rama. According to a senior Socialist and MP Gramos Ruci the possibility of a politically motivated killing should not be excluded. Political killings have been frequent in Albanian history. Therefore, a good and transparent investigation into the murder of Xhindi is of great importance in the run to the parliamentary elections, which are seen as a crucial test for Albania’s bid to the EU membership. Investigation lingers could set a negative tone for an electoral campaign already marred by accusations of voter fraud.
►Albania applies for EU membership
On 28 April Albania formally applied to join the European Union, embarking on a lengthy path toward membership in the bloc which is still digesting past enlargement and engulfed in an economic crisis. Albania is one of Europe's poorest countries and it faces an uphill struggle to join the EU, which remains to be convinced of the west Balkans country's democratic credentials. Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha made the application to Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, in Prague. "There is a long way ahead of Albania and I hope it will be crowned with a success," Topolanek told a reporter. The European Commission said to welcome Albania's application for European Union (EU) membership. "Today, Albania has reached a historical milestone marking the country's important engagement to common European values and fundamentals," Michael Leigh, the European Commission's Director-General for Enlargement, said in a statement. He added that "the holding of the parliamentary elections in June in a free and fair manner remains a key condition. Albania's bid follows fellow Balkan state Montenegro, which applied in December, and may be followed by Serbia this year. Albania and Croatia joined the U.S.-led NATO security alliance earlier this month. The EU enlargement process may also be slowed by some current members' hesitance to take in more members after past waves of enlargement. Early entry is seen unlikely for any countries but Croatia, which is in an advanced stage of negotiations, and possibly crisis-hit Iceland, which may be put on a fast-track membership path.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
►Prime minster RS urges Bosnian Serbs to boycott NATO military exercise
On 7 May Prime Minister of Republika Srpska (RS) and leader of the Union of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), Milorad Dodik, urged Bosnian Serbs soldiers of the Bosnian Army to boycott NATO military exercise which will be hold in Georgia from 6 May to 1 June. Under the Partnership for Peace Program Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) was invited by NATO to participate in the exercise and was supposed to send 17 troops to Georgia. Although Dodik has not the authority to officially prevent Bosnian Serbs to participate in the exercise his call has caused diplomatic and political tumult. The US Embassy in BiH has condemned Dodik statement arguing that they are directly and unacceptably hold back the institution which is of key importance for Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the country, as well as the Dayton Peace Agreement. Most political parties condemned Dodik’s statement, which is to a certain extent believed to be related to historically close political links between Russia and Serbs in the Balkans. Russia has been strongly opposing NATO’s decision to hold exercise in its neighbouring Georgia.
►Serge Brammertz Visits Sarajevo
On 4 May the Chief ICTY Prosecutor begins a three-day visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. During his stay in Sarajevo Serge Brammertz will meet local and international officials and representatives of non-governmental organizations, as part of preparing a regular report to be submitted to the Security Council of the United Nations. The Hague Tribunal announced that the Chief Prosecution will hold discussions with representatives of the local judiciary concerning current cooperation and implementation of the Tribunal's exit strategy.
►Serbia opposes radical changes to Bosnian constitution says speaker
On 30 April the speaker of the Serbian Assembly, Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic said that as a guarantor of the Dayton Peace Agreement, Serbia considers demands for radical changes in the BiH constitutional order absolutely unacceptable. "No one can call into question the territorial integrity of the Serb Republic (RS), its authorities, constitutional position, and function. In the complex political situation in which the country is functioning, the stability of the Serb Republic and its clearly defined authorities are the firmest foundation for the stability and survival of BiH," Djukic-Dejanovic said. She noted that answers to substantive questions in B-H must be sought in that very way, and not by denying the fact that the RS exists. "The existing order must be built upon through compromise and consensus among all three nations for the sake of the European perspective and the creation of better living conditions for all the citizens of B-H," Djukic-Dejanovic emphasized.
►ICTY rejects Karadzic challenge on jurisdiction of the court
On 30 April the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) rejected a motion by former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic in which he challenged the court's jurisdiction to try him. Judge Ian Bonomy said Karadzic's arguments are weak. Karadzic had challenged two counts of genocide in his indictment and the court's jurisdiction to prosecute him over holding UN peacekeepers as hostages. Furthermore, Karadzic, who is in custody awaiting for trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity, has asked judges to drop all charges against him, claiming that the prosecution has intimidated his witnesses and with that prevented a fair trial. It is expected that the trial against Karadzic will start in August of this year. According to an order filed by ICTY judges, they will hold a pre-trial conference – which is normally a final meeting between all parties before the start of a trial – on July 20, after the defence and prosecution have submitted the required case material.
►Murdered Bosnian Serb sparks controversy
On 27 April a senior leader of the main Bosnian Serb Opposition Party was shot and killed in his party headquarters in the northern town of Doboj, stirring new speculations and controversies. Branislav Garic, 43, was Deputy President of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS). He was also the head of the SDS Doboj branch and deputy chairman of the Doboj municipal council. He was killed in his office on Sunday afternoon. The killer turned himself in after the attack, local police reported, and stated it was still too early to speculate about the motives behind the murder. However local media provided a few more details, which sparked speculations and new verbal clashes between the SDS and media close to the ruling Bosnian Serb party, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD. The controversy is even more significant considering that this incident reveals the sensitive nature and tense relations in the Bosnian-Serb political scene. Media identified the killer as an owner of one of the most prominent local construction companies from Doboj. According to Banja Luka-based newspapers, Nezavisne Novine and Glas Srpske, the killer was one of the main financiers and supporters of the SDS party in Doboj, while in return his company frequently won public tenders for municipal construction projects. These insinuations were immediately and vehemently denied by the SDS. SDS pledged to continue the fight against corruption, especially corruption in the construction related industries, in which Garic was embroiled in Doboj, as of May last year.
►Bosnian Serb PM says intelligence agency, prosecutor's office "illegitimate"
On 26 April Serb Republic Prime Minister Milorad Dodik stated that the State Investigations and Protection Agency (SIPA) and the Bosnia-Hercegovina Prosecutor's Office are completely illegitimate bodies, because they do not exist in the Dayton agreement. "The SIPA and the Prosecutor's Office have been artificially imposed, and they are going to make the biggest contribution to Bosnia-Hercegovina breaking into pieces, which is probably going to happen," Dodik told journalists, commenting on the termination of disciplinary proceedings in the SIPA against Dragan Lukac, the assistant director of this police agency, and rumours that the Bosnia-Hercegovina Prosecutor's Office might issue an indictment against him [Dodik] in May on the basis of an investigation conducted by the SIPA. Recalling the cases the Bosnia-Hercegovina justice system had conducted against Dragan Covic, leader of the HDZ [Croatian Democratic Union] of Bosnia and Hercegovina, and Mirko Sarovic, a member of the Bosnia-Hercegovina Presidency, Dodik made the assessment that political retribution, rather than justice, was involved in his case, too.
►Bosnia believes in EU membership by 2015
On 23 April the country's foreign minister said that despite its many internal problems, Bosnia and Herzegovina could join the EU by 2015, adding that he expects NATO accession to materialise even earlier. "For Bosnia and Herzegovina it will take at least four, five years to get there (achieve EU membership) …If it's not 2013-2014, maybe 2015," Bosnian foreign minister Sven Alkalaj said. "By that time the EU will have overcome the economic crisis, it will definitely overcome its internal problems," he added. Mr Alkalaj's comments come as a certain number of EU member states, including France and Germany, are warning that no further enlargement can take place before the bloc's institutional deadlock is broken and the Lisbon treaty is ratified.
Kosovo
►Serb protests in Kosovo escalates: international community worried about the situation
On 11 May Serb protest in Northern Kosovo have decreased after weeks of growing tensions and clashes with the Kosovo and EU Police. Serbs ended their protests as it was promised to them that they will, just as Albanians, have the opportunity to rebuild their houses in this part of Kosovo. The protest reached its peak on Monday 19 May as the protesters tossed two hand grenades and shot at EU police officers who then fired tear gas and stun grenades. EU police have fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse a crowd of about 50 Serbs. The EU and the International Community expressed their concerns about the situation in Kosovo. The European Union's Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) yesterday condemned the Kosovo Serb violence in Northern Kosovo. The Ministry for Kosovo-Metohija condemned all forms of violence in Kosovo: "We condemn any form of violence which further destabilises an already unstable situation in Kosovo-Metohija. We advocate that the process of return be two-tracked and with the consent of both Serb and Albanian sides," a statement said.
►Fraud allegation with EU funds in Kosovo
On 7 of May it has been announced that several Members of the European Parliament (MEP’s) threaten to stop EU contributions to projects of the United Nations (UN) in Kosovo as an investigations by a special team of the United Nation Interim Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) has indicated fraud with EU funds. According to the investigations the authorities in Kosovo do not undertake any actions against officials that have been involved in embezzling money. Among other things, UNMIK investigation has shown fraud with millions of Euros related to the building of a new airport in the Kosovar capital Pristina. The building of a new terminal worth 12 million Euro has been awarded to a company that was willing to pay bribes. Furthermore, the investigations showed that there was enough evidence in, at least, twelve cases to prosecute certain public officials. While some officials where fired and others moved to another position, charges against none of them have been submitted to the court. On the same day it has been announced in other news that the EU and the UN will not conduct in-depth research about possible fraud with EU funds in Kosovo. According to the source UN representatives have said that after the independence of Kosovo they do not have necessary means to monitor possible corrupted activities. Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) and Transparency International have criticized the government's approach to combating corruption and delays to set up a legal infrastructure in this area.
►Serbia aimed to arrest Ceku in Columbia
On 5 May it has been announced that Serbia has made efforts to influence Columbian state
authorities to arrest former Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku, who has travelled to this state to attend an international conference for demilitarization of freedom armies. The attempt of Belgrade authorities to arrest the actual head of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) has been confirmed yesterday by the Spokesperson of this party, Gezim Kasapolli. “While referring to the arrest warrant Serbia issued one year ago for the former commander of Kosovo protection force, Agim Ceku, Belgrade authorities insisted from the Columbian authorities to arrest the head of PSD,” said Kasapolli. In the end, Ceku, who already arrived in Columbia, did not participate at the conference and left the country
Montenegro
►Montenegro and Serbia relations improve after split over Kosovo
On 6 May Montenegro and Serbia are on their way to normalising relations after Montenegrin Ambassador Anka Vojvodic was expelled from Serbia because Montenegro had recognized Kosovo's independence. At the invitation of Serbian President Boris Tadic, Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic will visit Belgrade on 18 May, and it is expected that one of the results of that meeting will be the appointment of a new Montenegrin ambassador to Belgrade. The authorities in Belgrade and Podgorica do not deny that Montenegro's recognition of Kosovo remains a "sore point" in relations between the two countries, but at a meeting on the sidelines of the energy summit in Sofia Presidents Tadic and Vujanovic agreed about the need to "explore" possibilities of cooperation in the interest of the two countries' citizens. Apart from recognition of Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia have also quarrelled in recent months about whether citizens of the two countries should be granted the right to dual citizenship. Montenegro has insisted that Serbia not grant citizenship to citizens of Montenegro who have not relinquished Montenegrin citizenship, whereas Serbia has stuck to the position of giving its citizens the right to dual citizenship and is also willing to confer Serbian citizenship on the citizens of other countries without relinquishment in their home countries.
►EU minsters approve Montenegro's EU Membership Application
On 23 April EU ministers gave the first approval to Montenegro's application for membership in the bloc. The documents will now pass to the European Commission (EC), which will take charge of the process. The first step is now for Montenegro to answer a number of formal questions about its compliance with the EU accession conditions, mostly with regard to domestic legislation and foreign trade provisions. After the answers are submitted, the EC will make a recommendation to the member states who will have to vote unanimously to open accession talks. Membership accession is a lengthy process, and it is expected that the country will join the union in 2015 at the earliest, more realistically 2016 as much legislative adjustment needs to be done on Montenegro's side, and the EU itself should get ready to receive a new member. Montenegro has nevertheless officially joined the queue, and the application process should help advance EU legislative and trade standards within the country. Despite Montenegro having used the euro since the early 2000s, and a clear popular momentum for joining the EU, confirmed recently with the parliamentary poll, there is much bureaucratic inertia to be overcome, some of it coming directly from the office of Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic who has enjoyed nearly two decades of effectively undivided rule in the country. Djukanovic is a Europhile in his rhetoric, but the speed of his country's accession to the EU will to a large extent depend on how much of his own power and interest he is willing to give to the process.
Serbia
►Amnesty International wants NATO tried for "crimes committed in Serbia"
On 4 May a representative of Amnesty International (AI), Sian Jones, said his organisation is "seeking mechanisms" so that NATO is tried for the crimes committed in Serbia and Afghanistan. Accoording to Jones, no world organization currently has jurisdiction over the most powerful military alliance on the planet. He added that AI will continue to put pressure on NATO, because over the last ten years there has been clear proof that in 1999, during the bombing of Yugoslavia, there was a violation of human rights. AI stated in its 2002 report that the NATO bombing of Radio Television Serbia, RTS, in which 16 people were killed, should be seen as a war crime and a serious violation of international humanitarian law.
►US Vice President to visit Serbia
On 29 April it has been announced US vice president, Joseph Biden will be heading a state delegation that will be visiting Belgrade in mid May. Biden's visit to Serbia was announced by Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, who said after a visit to Washington that "a high degree of understanding was reached between the two countries on common priorities, which are a peaceful and stable Balkans on the way to full integration with the European Union." "These are things that bring us together and on which we will continue to cooperate. However, there are deep differences still between Belgrade and Washington in the matter of the future status of Kosovo and there has been no shift there," Jeremic said. The US Vice President's visit to Belgrade will be the most important visit by a US official since June 1980, when then President Jimmy Carter visited the SFRY [Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia
►Serbian ruling party denies claims of state-owned companies funding party
On 27 April it has been announced that more than one third of companies cited as financiers by the Democratic Party (DS) in 2008 are not listed in the Business Registry Agency. Furthermore, DS denied claims of state-owned companies funding the party. As for available financial reports of listed firms, they are mostly small businesses and with very low profits. Asked how the biggest political party in Serbia was financed with contributions from such small businesses, DS Executive Committee Chairman Marko Djurisic said that the firms financed local and municipal party committees, not the party headquarters in Belgrade. Slobodan Beljanski, chairman of the Serbian Committee for Addressing Conflict of Interest, argued that the law on party funding was extremely inadequate and did not allow for looking into party fund raising. "One of the jurisdictions of the Anticorruption Agency is to control party funds, though this is merely cited; it has yet to be elaborated. Therefore a bill on party funding should be passed before the agency becomes effective 1 January 2009," said Beljanski.
►Serbian Radical Party returns to the parliament
On 26 April the Serbian Radical Party (SRS) has returned to the parliament as their sanction, imposed by the president of the parliament Slavica Dukic-Dejanovic, has expired. SRS was sanctioned due to their continues misbehaviour and acting against the rules of the parliament. Among other things SRS members literally took seats from other parties in the parliament and denied to take their own seats.
WIDER EUROPE / NEIGHBOUR COUNTRIES
►EU agrees on energy deal with Southern countries
On 8 may the European Union has agreed on joint goals with supplier and transit states at talks in Prague aimed at establishing long-term energy and transport links with the Middle East and Central Asia. The "Southern Corridor-New Silk Road" summit brought together leaders and ministers of the EU and Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Egypt -- all either key suppliers of natural gas, crucial transit countries, or both. Two suppliers -- Azerbaijan and Egypt -- and two key transit states -- Turkey and Georgia -- agreed to give "the necessary political support," and, where possible, "technical and financial assistance" to the construction of planned pipelines and transport routes needed to bring gas from the Caspian Basin region and the Middle East to the European market. At the end of the talks, European Commission President Jose Manuel said that the "'Southern Corridor initiative' is the key priority project for the EU. Our objective was to provide a further political push for the implementation of this strategic initiative and this was indeed achieved during this very important summit." Turkey and Georgia, as transit states, signed a pledge to create a "clear, transparent, cost-based, stable and non-discriminatory transportation regime" across their territories. In order to reduce reliance on gas supplies from Russia, the EU is pushing for the construction of three new pipelines in the region, which would ultimately bring natural gas from the Caspian Basin and from as far away as Iraq to Europe. The three pipelines are Nabucco, running from the eastern border of Turkey to Austria; White Stream, running from Georgia under the Black Sea to Romania; and the Interconnector between Turkey and Greece and Italy (ITGY).
►EU launches Eastern Partnership at Prague Summit
On 7 May the EU launched the Eastern Partnership on a Prague Summit. The main goal of it is to "accelerate political association and further economic integration" between the EU nations and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, said the participants in an agreed summit statement. EU leaders stressed nevertheless that the partnership would not lead to new members of the EU club. What they can hope for is free trade and easy visa regimes, though with strict conditions attached and on a slow and gradual basis. Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin rejected to attend the Summit believing the Partnership does not go far enough in giving support to the six former Soviet countries. Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka declined the invitation after Czech President Vaclav Klaus said he would refuse to shake his hand. EU's external relations commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, told reporters that the absence of the two presidents from the summit does not mean the countries do not want to cooperate with the EU. "It's most important to know that these countries all have shown a very clear commitment to cooperate with us," she said. Russia sees the partnership, as an attempt to reduce its influence in what it considers its backyard. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned against the creation of “new dividing lines” in Europe. “This is not against Russia. In fact, probably Russia and maybe Turkey will be cooperating in some of the programs, that eventually will be [put] in place," EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana stated at a post-summit press conference in Prague.
Armenia
►Minsk Group sees progress in Nagorno-Krabakh discussions
After the 7 May meeting of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Prague, Matthew Bryza, one of three co-chairs of the OSCE's Minsk Group, called it "the most substantive exchange of views between the presidents so far." The Minsk Group oversees negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh frozen conflict, and is headed by a Co-Chairmanship consisting of France, Russia and the United States. "You have to have conceptual breakthroughs, what this negotiation was. Now we have to create the technical breakthroughs," Bryza said to reporters. Bryza also said that the details to solve the conflict can be finalised in working with the foreign ministers of the two countries. “Karabakh has de facto not been part of Azerbaijan for a long time, but, we are now making major efforts to fulfil our second dream”, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said this during his meeting with participants in an unofficial gathering of young European politicians in Tsakhkadzor on 2 May. He said that for the Karabakh residents it had always been unacceptable to be part of Azerbaijan. The Karabakh conflict should be resolved on the basis of the principles of territorial integrity, peoples' right to self-determination and the exclusion of the use of force”, Sargsyan said. The so-called Madrid principles is a document based on these three principles and this document today is a preliminary basis for the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, he added.
►Armenian opposition leader attacks government over 'Road Map'
On 4 May Armenian opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrossian criticised the government's Turkish-Armenian "road map" agreement at a May Day rally in Yerevan. Ter-Petrossian, a former president and head of the Armenian National Congress (HAK), told thousands of supporters that President Serzh Sarkisian has not only "sold out the genocide" but added that Sarkisian will also "sell out" Azerbaijan's breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Ter-Petrossian predicted that relations between Armenia and Turkey will not be normalised and the Turkish-Armenian border will not be opened soon, leaving Armenia empty-handed in rapprochement efforts with Ankara that culminated with the "road map" agreement on 22 April. Speaking one day before the start of campaigning for the May municipal elections in which Ter-Petrossian is standing for mayor, he called Sarkisian's rule a "kleptocratic system" and urged officials to ensure free and fair elections. He said it is Sarkisian's last chance "to gain some authority with Armenian society and the international community." The speech was followed by an unsanctioned march through Yerevan that police did not interfere with.
►Yerevan election campaign for mayor officially starts
On 2 May Yerevan’s campaign for the first mayoral elections in nearly two decades has officially begun. Residents of the Armenian capital on 31 May will elect a municipal assembly empowered to choose the city's next mayor. City leaders were previously appointed by Armenia's president ever since the country adopted its post-Soviet constitution in 1995. Campaigning began on 2 May after the Central Election Commission formally registered six parties and one alliance for the election. Parties must win at least 7 percent of the vote to gain representation in the assembly, while the alliance must win 9 percent to gain seats. A party or bloc getting more than 40 percent of the vote could single-handedly appoint the next mayor. Mayor Gagik Beglarian heads President Serzh Sarkisian's Republican Party of Armenia list, while his main contenders are Harutiun Kushkian of the Prosperous Armenia Party, Heghine Bisharian of Orinats Yerkir, and opposition candidates Artsvik Minasian of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) and former President Levon Ter-Petrossian of the Armenian National Congress.
►Armenian Revolutionary Federation threatens to leave government
On 27 April the Dashnaktsutiun party stated that it is leaving the ruling coalition, after meeting with Armenian President Sarkisian. Dashnaktsutiun leader Armen Rustamian said "the president's explanations [on the 'road map' for normalising Turkish-Armenian relations] did not satisfy us." He added that Armenia has ended its insistence on the unconditional establishment of diplomatic relations and the reopening of the border between the two countries. But Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian insisted that Turkey and Armenia are heading for a settlement "without preconditions," and said the agreement contains "no provisions and principles." Rustamian said Dashnaktsutiun members of the executive and legislative branches of government have already started resigning. Rustamian said Dashnaktsutiun will not seek to topple Sarkisian or force early elections at this time. Dashnaktsutiun's exit will still leave Sarkisian with a comfortable majority in the parliament. On 30 April, however, the Dashnaktsutyun Party parliamentary faction accepted a proposal by Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan to recall their resignation applications. The party representatives made the decision to reserve their positions of the chairmen of the parliamentary commissions for foreign affairs and defense, national security and the interior. These positions belong to representatives of ARFD Hrayr Karapetyan, Armen Rustamyan and Arthur Aghabekyan in compliance with the agreement made in 2008.
►Armenia and Turkey agree diplomatic thaw
On 24 April Armenia and Turkey today agreed to establish diplomatic relations, in a step forward after years of no diplomatic ties and a bitter row over Turkey's refusal to recognise Armenia's genocide. The Turkish foreign ministry announced that both sides had agreed a comprehensive "road map" that would lead to the normalisation of bilateral relations. It appears the deal does not include recognition from the Turkish side of the Ottoman-era genocide against Armenia. Instead, the deal appears to show a willingness from Armenia to hold talks with Turkey, without preconditions. "Turkey and Armenia, together with Switzerland as mediator, have been working intensively with a view to normalising their bilateral relations and developing them in a spirit of good neighbourliness and mutual respect," Turkey's foreign ministry said this morning. "The two parties have achieved tangible progress and mutual understanding in this process. They have agreed on a comprehensive framework for the normalisation of their bilateral relations in a mutually satisfactory manner." The road map would promote peace, security and stability in the whole region, the ministry declared. Foreign ministers from both countries are expected to meet soon in Switzerland. Today's long-awaited breakthrough follows a meeting in September between Turkey and Armenia's football teams in World Cup qualifying matches last year, and what has been dubbed "football diplomacy".
Azerbaijan
►Turkey tries to calm Azerbaijan over thaw with Armenia
On 4 May Turkey's new Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov in Ankara on 4 May to discuss Azerbaijani concerns over the road map. Ankara and Yerevan are engaged in talks to end years of hostility. Last month, they announced a road map to re-establish ties, including reopening a border closed in 1993. Azerbaijan, Turkey's Muslim ally and a key supplier of natural gas, has reacted angrily to those talks because it fears losing leverage over Armenia in the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh. "It is not coincidental that the minister is holding his first meeting with the Azeri deputy minister", the spokesman told reporters "We have not had any disruption in relations with Azerbaijan but you can expect reciprocal high-level contacts to intensify in the coming period," the spokesman said. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in the Azerbaijani capital Baku on 13 May. Turkey closed its frontier with Armenia in solidarity with Azerbaijan in its war with Armenian-backed separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh. Baku has said Turkey should make peace with Armenia only after Nagorno-Karabakh is resolved.
►A potential challenger on Azerbaijan's ruling family?
On 30 April several press reports indicated that there could be a challenger from within the Aliyev family itself to the Aliyev dynasty, which is known for dominating Azerbaijani politics. It was announced that Sevil Aliyeva, President Ilham Aliyev's elder sister, is about to enter politics and even plans to head a political party in opposition to her brother. Aliyeva now resides in London with her children and has been out of the public eye since the death of her father, late President Heydar Aliyev in 2003. It is an open secret that Aliyeva does not get along well with her brother's wife, Mehriban Aliyeva, who over the last five years has become a hugely popular public figure in Azerbaijan -- perhaps even more popular than her husband. Usually these kind of stories are ignored by the ruling family, but in this case Aliyeva quickly denied the rumors. She told reporters that she is happy with her life in England, has no plans to enter politics, and is spending her time composing music. For years Sevil Aliyeva was the head of a Azerbaijani women's movement, named after her ("Sevil"). She is also the founder of the private Space TV.
► EU ascertains lack of progress in ENP Action Plan implementation by Azerbaijan
On 23 April, the European Commission has published its second report on Azerbaijan’s progress within the National Action Plan of European Neighborhood Policy (ENP). This document reports on the overall progress made on the implementation of the EU-Azerbaijan ENP Plan between 1 January and 31 December 2008. The report says that like last year, overall, there was no or limited progress in the implementation of the Action Plan, particularly in the areas of political dialogue and reform, including protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, many areas of co-operation in justice, security and freedom, a number of aspects of market and regulatory issues. Achievements during the reporting period included progress made in the area of economic development and business environment. The independence of judiciary remains of concern. Limited progress was made on democratic governance. The presidential elections in October 2008 demonstrated progress towards meeting OSCE commitments and other international standards. But there were shortcomings in the free and fair electoral process including in the process leading up to the elections. There were negative developments on protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Freedom of media and expression in particular remain causes for serious concern. Media pluralism has been limited even more since the decision of the National TV & Radio Council of December 2008 not to extend the licenses of foreign broadcasters to broadcast on local frequencies. Corruption remains a pervasive problem.
Belarus
► Fight for release of political prisoners goes on; SDP continues participation
On 11 May it was announced that rallies of solidarity with political prisoners take place in Minsk and in regions of Belarus every day. Belarusians take to the streets as a sign of solidarity with political prisoner Mikalay Autukhovich, who is on indefinite hunger strike of protest in the remand prison in Valadarski Street of Minsk city executive committee’s main directorate of Internal affairs, and with other political prisoners – Uladzimir Asipenka and Yury Lyavonau. Starting from May 1, rallies of solidarity with political prisoners were held in Minsk. Every of these rallies was disbanded by riot policemen. On May 7 several hundreds of people came to October square with portraits of the former Interior Minister Yury Zakharanka who went missing 10 years ago; and with portraits of political prisoners Mikalay Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka. Activists of the civil campaign “European Belarus”, “Young Front”, the Belarusian Popular Front, the United Civil Party, well-known oppositional politicians including the leader of the “European Belarus” Andrei Sannikov, the deputy chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front party Vintsuk Vyachorka, the chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic party (Narodnaya Hramada) Mikola Statkevich, and activists of the “European Belarus” participated in the rally. Riot policemen disbanded the rally. Before and after the rally dozens of oppositionists were arrested and beaten up. On May 7 it was announced that rallies on October Square would be stopped for some time. Protests with the demand to release political prisoners are to take place every day in different parts of the city.
► EP president calls on critical dialogue with Belarus ahead of Prague Summit
On 7 May the President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Poettering, said that ahead of the launch of the Eastern Partnership in Prague, that “inclusion of Belarus in the partnership program does not mean Europe has and given up its policy”. He called the EU to establish a critical dialogue with official Minsk in connection with situation with human rights in Belarus. Many European politicians opposed Belarus’s presence in Prague. Eventually the official Belarusian delegation for the Summit consisted of first deputy prime minister Uladzimir Syamashka and foreign minister Syarhei Martynau. Belarusian opposition politicians and human rights activists repeatedly stated visit of Alyaksandr Lukashenka to Prague was impossible while there are political prisoners in the country, opposition is suffering from repressions, elections results are rigged, cases of kidnappings and killings of Belarusian opposition leaders and a journalist are not investigated.
► Lukashenka claims he is ready to consider reforms
On 5 May Belarus President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, said he could give suitably qualified opposition figures government jobs and make other political reforms demanded by Europe if this does not hurt the economy. Speaking in a wide-ranging interview at the presidential offices in Minsk, Lukashenka welcomed the EU's moves and said he was ready for further steps to ensure good relations for ex-Soviet Belarus with both the West and the East. "I believe it is important for both Russia and Europe that Belarus is a sovereign, independent state where Europeans can feel at home," he said. "...We have to destroy stereotypes in people's minds that Belarus can be isolated or taught a lesson." Brussels wants to see changes to electoral rules and the end of a law allowing imprisonment for membership of an unregistered organization if the sanctions are to disappear for good. "If someone starts nudging me towards this, I will take a good look," Lukashenka said when asked about further reforms. "If a given step causes no harm to the political and economic situation, I will do it." But the Belarusian president said he would not take steps which could lead to political or economic chaos, such as that seen in neighboring Ukraine after its 2004 Orange Revolution. "I have already made quite a few concessions to Europe," Lukashenka said. "But we should not be doing this today...if it will lead to the collapse of the economy, of public activity, to negative consequences, to destabilization, as in Ukraine." Lukashenka noted the weakness of the domestic opposition, correcting a reporter's assertion that 400 people attended a recent protest rally. "We count them to a man. I am therefore telling you there were 200 people there," he said. But he said he would accept opposition figures in government jobs "with great pleasure" if they had the right qualifications and were willing to work for the benefit of the people.
Georgia
►Saakashvili meets with opposition leaders; talks end without results
On 11 May Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili met with several opposition leaders, for the first time since the launch of protest rallies over a month ago. Irakli Alasania, leader of Alliance for Georgia; Salome Zourabichvili, leader of Georgia’s Way and former Foreign Minister; Kakha Shartava, leader of National Forum and Levan Gachechiladze, an individual opposition figure and a former presidential candidate, represented the opposition parties at the meeting. They made no comments on the issues discussed at the meeting, but said the dialogue was not fruitful. Demonstrations continued in the capital after the meeting broke up with the leaders making speeches to the crowd. Salome Zurabishvili was pessimistic after the meeting: “The outcome is that the talks were very open, but we clearly do not have the same appreciation of the crisis that exists in the country”. But one glance at the looks and body language at the meeting said it all. The opposition remains divided and unable to mobilise the masses; Saakashvili sails on, assailed on all sides, but still in power. “I have offered to set up on a parity basis a constitutional commission which will create a balanced constitutional model which will have room for a strong presidency and strong parliament for independent judiciary,” he said after the meeting on national TV. Saakashvili agreed to the talks after violent clashes with police and a brief mutiny at a tank base increased the possibility of wider unrest in Georgia, a U.S. ally and an important transit route for energy flows to Europe. The opposition is demanding Saakashvili’s resignation over his record on democracy and last year's disastrous war. He has refused, and offered instead talks on democratic reforms. The government's offer of reforms is testing the unity of more than a dozen parties taking part in the month-old protests.
►Georgian opposition clashes with police in Tbilisi
On 6 May dozens of opposition supporters in Georgia have clashed with police at the main police station in the capital, Tbilisi. Television pictures showed police and protesters striking each other with batons and sticks across a metal gate dividing them. An Interior Ministry spokesman said protesters had tried to enter the police compound. Tbilisi had been braced for possible confrontation between police and protesters who have been blocking streets since April 9, demanding the resignation of President Mikheil Saakashvili over his record on democracy and last year's disastrous war with giant neighbor Russia. The opposition said protest leader Giorgi Gachechiladze had been detained and several other opposition leaders had been beaten. The police said the protesters had been throwing stones and sticks at them. Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili denied Gachechiladze had been arrested, but said he had climbed over the gate into the police compound and was still there. The protesters marched to the police station, demanding the release of three activists arrested on May 6 over the alleged beating of a journalist at the public broadcaster in Tbilisi. "We know that they were trying to enter the police compound and wanted to release their activists from the cells," Utiashvili said.
►Georgia withdraws accusations towards Russia of backing coup attempt
On 5 of May Georgia claimed that a Russian-planned coup plot had been uncovered within the military of the former Soviet republic and a rebellion was under way at a military base near the capital. The interior ministry said those involved in the plot had received money from Russia which has criticized NATO military exercises in Georgia, due to begin on Wednesday the 6 May. Several days after the accusations the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs took back earlier made statements on the involvement of Russia coup d’état attempt. On Wednesday May President Saakashvili visited the Mukhrovani tank base just outside Tbilisi were the incident had taken place, and quickly the order was restored. Also, the officers allegedly backed by Russia, who planned to sack the government, were arrested. "The main aim of this uprising was to disrupt the NATO military exercises," Georgian Defence Minister David Sikharulidze told reporters. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied any involvement in the mutiny: “The present Georgian leadership has proven to be a supporter of this kind of provocation. I’m absolutely sure that it’s not by chance it happened right before the manoeuvres in Georgia on 6 May, that we warned shouldn’t take place”. Moscow also accused Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili of trying to divert attention from weeks of anti-government protests. NATO's military exercises this week are a gesture of solidarity condemned by Russia as "muscle-flexing". Around 1,000 soldiers from over a dozen NATO member states and partners will practice "crisis response" at a Georgian army base east of Tbilisi, around 70 km from the nearest Russian troop positions in breakaway South Ossetia. The month-long exercises at a former Russian air force base in Vaziani are seen as a signal from the 28-member alliance that, despite doubts over the promise of eventual membership, Georgia has not been forgotten. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said the decision to go ahead with the exercises was wrong and dangerous.
►Russian troops start patrol at rebel borders with Georgia
On 2 May it was announced that Russian border guards have begun patrolling the de-facto borders of Georgia's rebel region of South Ossetia. "Immediately after the agreement on the joint protection of the borders was signed on 30 April in Moscow, Russia border troops were brought into South Ossetian territory," South Ossetia’s leader Eduard Kokoity Kokoity said. "Right now, Russian border troops are monitoring the situation at the border with Georgia and settling the initial issues involved in protecting it," he added. Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev signed the pacts giving Russia direct control over the borders of the tiny rebel regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which were both recognised by Moscow as independent states after a brief war between Russia and Georgia last year.
►European Forum delegation visited Georgia for a fact finding mission
On 27-28 April a European Forum delegation travelled to Georgia’s capital Tbilisi, to carry out an assessment visit. The delegation met with important actors from Georgia’s political and civil atmosphere, to obtain a more clear picture of the political situation in the country. The mission coincidence with a rather tumultuous internal political environment. Since 9 April demonstrators from the opposition have been demanding Saakashvili’s resignation. They are willing to continue as long as Saakashvili remains in power. On the first day of the mission the Forum delegation met with representatives of two opposition parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Movement-United Georgia led by former Parliamentary Speaker, Nino Burjanadze. The delegation also spoke to the Deputy State Minister on European and Euro/Atlantic Integration, and visited the National Democratic Institute and a representative of the European Commission delegation to Georgia. The second day two other opposition groups were met: the Alliance of Georgia, led by Georgia’s former UN envoy Irakli Alasania and the Labour Party, led by Shalva Natelashvili. The mission ended with meetings with civil organisations, among which a relatively new group called the Center for Solidarity citizen’s movement -a civic group that eventually wants to transform into a political movement. The situation remains critical and also the population lost its trust in political life and do not identify itselves with none of the political forces currently active in the country –which tend to lean towards either the right or the left. Social democracy is not yet quite developed in the country and “ left” does not have the same meaning in Georgia as it has elsewhere in the West. The visit gave nevertheless a good overview of the different political forces in Georgia and of groups that might be potential partners.
Moldova
►Voronin elected as Parliament Speaker
On 12 May outgoing Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin won election as speaker of parliament, which could enable him to retain his hold on power. Addressing the chamber, Voronin, could not run for a third presidential term, called for reconciliation with opposition parties after the victory of his Communists in last month's parliamentary elections sparked violent protests. But Voronin won backing only from his 60 party deputies with the 41-strong opposition, broadly liberal and pro-Romanian in outlook, boycotting the vote. Parliament must now elect a new president by at least 61 votes. The opposition has vowed to remain united in taking no part in the forthcoming ballot and failure to elect a president in two ballots will result in a new general election. "Even if we have irreconcilable ideological differences with the opposition, we have to join efforts for the sake of those people who voted for us," Voronin told deputies. Voronin, the only Communist leader in Europe, made it clear in the run-up to last month's elections he wants to hold the reins of power in another senior post. Riots erupted after the Communists won 60 of the 101 seats, with young protesters, angry at the prospect of further party rule, ransacking parliament and the president's office. The president called for a recount on grounds that it could promote reconciliation in the country of 4 million, but the new count left the party standings unchanged.
►EP adopts resolution on situation in Moldova; Socialists support resolution
On 7 May the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the situation in Moldova following post/election unrest. The joint resolution put forward by MEPs from a number of groups was passed without amendments. MEPs strongly condemn the massive campaign of harassment, grave violations of human rights and all other illegal actions carried out by the Moldovan Government in the aftermath of the elections and urge the authorities to immediately cease all illegal arrests and rule the country in accordance with the assumed international obligations and commitments concerning democracy, the state of law and human rights. Parliament urges the Council to consider sending a Rule of Law Mission to the Republic of Moldova, in order to assist the law enforcement authorities in their reform process, especially in the police and justice areas. MEPs call for a special investigation to be conducted into the cases of those who died during the events following the elections. The resolution will be submitted to the Council, the Commission, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the Government and the Parliament of Moldova. On 8 May it was announced that socialists in the European Parliament fully support the European Parliaments’ joint resolution on the situation in the Republic of Moldova. After a positive Group decision, Vice-presidents Hannes Swoboda and Jan Marinus Wiersma, MEP Marianne Mikko, co-chair of the EU-Moldova Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, and MEP Adrian Severin, Head of the Romanian Delegation, signed on behalf of the PSE-Group the joint resolution. Swoboda and Wiersma, said in a joint statement:" We call on the EU to keep a close watch on developments and to work closely with Moldova to ensure peace and stability, in the framework of OSCE obligations and the principles of Moldova's association with the EU".
►Opposition to boycott election of president
On 28 April opposition parties announced their intentions to boycott the presidential election. The Liberal Party, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Moldova Noastra Alliance stated this to reporters. LDPM Chairman Vlad Filat said that pressure is being put on opposition deputies in the hope that some of them may betray. "I am sure LDPM parliamentarians will not vote for electing new president. The April 5 elections were rigged, so the only way to hold a new, early election is to abstain from the presidential election. In the early elections, opposition parties will be aspiring for Parliament by using another format, and with other lists of candidates. We know what should be done to avoid election rigging", said Vlad Filat. MNA leader Serafim Urechean said not a single member of his party had received a proposal from the Communists concerning election of president. He is sure there have never been and shall never be traitors in the MNA ranks. And LP Deputy Chairman Dorin Chirtoaca stated he does not know even a single instance of blackmailing the Liberals concerning presidential election. On 5 May the ruling Communist Party asked three opposition parties to reverse plans to block the election of the country's next president in an effort to force early parliamentary elections. The call came during the Moldovan parliament's first session in Chisinau on 5 May. Outgoing President Vladimir Voronin is constitutionally barred from running again and was elected a deputy in the controversial elections in April. A three-fifths majority in parliament is needed to elect the president. The Communists won 60 seats, one vote short of the number needed to elect their candidate, who they have not yet named. Voronin has said "it will be easy" to attract one or more votes from the opposition parties, but opposition leaders say their deputies will not vote for a president. That could lead to the holding of new elections.
Russia
►Russia says ready to continue improving NATO ties
On 8 May Russia's envoy to NATO has said Moscow was ready to go ahead with restoring ties with the alliance despite expulsions of diplomats and controversial military exercises in Georgia. Dmitry Rogozin suggested the expulsions of two Russians from Brussels and two alliance officials from Moscow, along with the NATO exercises, could be part of a plot to sabotage U.S. President Barack Obama's policy of improving relations. "It is time to put a full stop in this story and restore relations as soon as possible," Rogozin said from Brussels during a video link with Moscow journalists. "We will go ahead with restoring relations." The Western alliance froze contacts with Moscow over Russia's five-day war with Georgia last year and resumed formal talks on April 29, the day NATO informed Moscow it was expelling two Russian diplomats. The row killed a plan to hold the first ministerial meeting between Moscow and the alliance this month. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov decided against going to Brussels. Rogozin said Lavrov's decision to stay away was not fatal for relations with NATO. "We do not think NATO is lost for us as partner," he said. Lavrov met with Obama and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington on 7 May. Obama is expected to make his first visit to Russia in July. Lavrov said after the talks that "artificial obstacles" in the work of Russia and NATO should be removed and business resume as soon as possible. "We have never said there will be no ministerial meeting," Rogozin said. "We were talking about our desire to postpone it until a more suitable time." Rogozin blamed the latest problems in Russia's relations with NATO on forces in the alliance hostile to Russia, pointing a finger at new Eastern European members, former Soviet satellites in the Warsaw Pact. "We have wonderful relations with some NATO members," he said. "But there are those who are afraid of getting lost in the Euro-Atlantic structures and seek to remind the world about themselves at any opportunity." Unnamed Bush-era officials were also responsible, he added. "A new team is now being formed in the United States...and there are still people appointed by the old administration," he said. "We admit a possibility that what we see is a plot against Obama in the Euro-Atlantic camp."
►Amnesty International: “Medvedev fails to improve human rights situation”
On 7 May Amnesty International condemned the human rights situation in Russia. President Dmitry Medvedev took office one year ago today, pledging to enhance the rule of law and respect human rights. Instead, the rights watchdog Amnest says, “little has been done to improve the human rights situation – and in some areas it has even worsened. "In the course of the last year, President Medvedev set several goals," says Irene Khan, Amnesty International’s secretary-general. "However, no significant changes are yet visible." Impunity prevails both for human rights violations by law enforcement officials and for attacks against civil society activists, journalists and lawyers, Amnesty says. The right to assembly has been frequently violated in many places across the Russian Federation, while threats and physical attacks on activists, lawyers, journalists, opposition members are rising and in some cases have even led to the killing of human rights advocates, such as Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova. Amnesty says that Medvedev has made statements recently to journalists and human rights activists that "give rise to hope that improvement of the human rights situation is possible." Khan says "concrete actions are needed to prove that [Medvedev] is doing more than paying lip service to reforms, that his statements amount to more than window dressing.”
►EU, NATO, US concerned over Russia agreement with Georgia rebel regions
On 1 May it was announced that the EU, NATO, and the U.S. have expressed serious concern over border defence agreements signed by Russia and the separatist Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, saying the treaties go against ceasefire deals brokered after last summer's Georgian war. U.S., NATO, and EU statements said the deals contravene Russia's commitments under the August 12 EU-brokered ceasefire agreement that ended the brief war between Russia and Georgia last August. Under the deal, signed on 30 April in Moscow by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev the separatist leaders of the two regions, Russia has formally taken responsibility for the defense of Abkhazia's and South Ossetia's de-facto borders with the rest of Georgia. Moscow recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states after last summer's war. The signing of the treaties came one week before NATO is due to hold exercises in Georgia that Russia has objected to, and shortly after NATO this week expelled two Russian diplomats from the alliance's Brussels headquarters over spying allegations.
►Kremlin's man wins Sochi vote; opposition to contest results
On 27 April it was announced that Russia's main pro- Kremlin party won a resounding victory in a mayoral election in the Olympic city of Sochi Provisional results showed this on 27 April, in what rivals said marked a new low for the country's democracy. The two leading opposition candidates said results gave incumbent Anatoly Pakhomov 77 percent of the vote confirmed their suspicions that the election was skewed. On 12 May, Pakhomov was officially inaugurated as the city’s mayor. "Democracy is not moving forward, it is going backwards," Yury Dzaganiya, candidate for the opposition Communist Party, told reporters. "Russia is turning into a dictatorship of the ruling class." The head of the city election commission, Yury Rykov, rejected the criticism, saying that the opposition was complaining to divert attention from its own failures. Leading Russian liberal Boris Nemtsov was after Pakhomov second on 13.5 percent and Dzaganiya third on 7 percent. The three remaining candidates scored less than 2 percent each. Nemtsov said he will fight to annul the results of the 26 April election. He is sure that the official results of the vote were falsified. The two opposition candidates said Pakhomov monopolised the media in Sochi by dominating the local news while banning all political posters and paid-for television campaign ads. With a state budget of billion, the 2014 Games in Russia's most popular seaside resort are Putin's pet project. The budget, and the significance of the Olympics, will give the victor considerable political influence in Russia. Dzaganiya and Nemtsov said United Russia had used loosely regulated early-voting ballot papers to force state workers to vote for Pakhomov. They said the Sochi campaign had used the tactic, long deployed in Russian elections, on a massive scale.
Ukraine
►Ukraine Interior Minister resigns after drunken row in Germany
On 12 May it was announced that Ukrainian Interior Minister Yuri Lutsenko has tendered his resignation after German police detained him for drunken and disorderly conduct at Frankfurt airport. Lutsenko's ministry had previously said accounts of the confrontation with police at the airport were untrue. Frankfurt police said on 6 May that Lutsenko was prevented from boarding a flight to Seoul, South Korea after airport officials noticed that he and his 19-year old son were severely drunk. When they were stopped, both passengers flew into a rage, shouted and threw their mobile telephones, police said.
►Committee of voters: “Bribery will be used to win in upcoming elections”
On 8 May officials from the Committee of Voters of Ukraine stated that bribery of voters will be the most effective means of securing votes during the upcoming election campaigns. "Committee of Voters of Ukraine assumes that because of the economic recession and the high level of public disappointment in the political forces, bribery will be widely applied in the upcoming election campaigns," Head of the CVU Oleksandr Chernenko told reporters. He added that the technique proved to be effective during early local elections recently held in Ukraine. Chernenko noted that such a technique was used by the Bloc of Lytvyn and Civil Active of Kyiv during the Kyiv City Council elections, and by the Regions Party during the Ternopil Regional Council elections. Apart from that, Chernenko said that the courts would be used to affect the election process during the upcoming elections. He said that the law enforcement bodies might also influence the elections. According to Chernenko, the law enforcement bodies will not interfere directly, but affect the election process by not responding to procedural violations.
►Communists call for introduction death penalty
On 7 May the fraction leader of the Communist Party, Petro Symonenko, told reporters that the party has proposed to resume the death penalty in Ukraine for a number of grave crimes. The Communists have developed a bill amending the Ukrainian Criminal Code, which, among other things, proposes to introduce the death penalty for crimes such as premeditated murder, human trafficking, banditry, terrorism, drug smuggling, and bribery, said Symonenko. He reiterated that, according to his information, the majority of Ukraine's citizens are in favor of the introduction of the death penalty. Symonenko said this measure is necessary given the currently increase in crime and corruption in Ukraine.
►Bloc Tymoshenko: “No grounds for broad coalition today”
On 6 May MP from the Bloc of Yulia Tymoshenko Valeriy Pysarenko has stated that “there are no grounds for the formation of a broad coalition in parliament at the moment”. "The offer to the Regions Party to enter the existing coalition is still open. But we have no final understanding of how this process can be realized," he told in an interview. MP confirmed that discussions between the two political parties had taken place. However, he did not describe them as official talks. According to Pysarenko, the BYT and Regions Party are now actively discussing constitutional reform. He added that the upcoming presidential election could be another obstacle to the formation of a broad coalition.
►EU neighborhood policy ‘unacceptable’ for Ukraine
On 29 April Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister and chief negotiator on a new enhanced agreement has said that the EU’s neighbourhood policy brings "no added value" to Ukraine. Speaking after the start of the ninth round of negotiations on a new EU-Ukraine agreement, Kostiantyn Yelisieiev said, “For Ukraine, the European neighbourhood policy doesn’t exist. All elements contained in the ENP were already implemented or about to be implemented by Ukraine. “The ENP is considered as a replacement for enlargement, which is very dangerous for Ukraine. That’s why, for us, it’s unacceptable. ”Yelisieiev said officials at the meeting made “significant progress” on the preamble to the new enhanced agreement, one of the most contentious issues on the table for the next EU-Ukraine summit on 9 September. Ukraine wants a firm “membership perspective” written into the preamble, effectively making it an accession pact. The EU, however, has refused to be drawn on what kind of agreement it will be, with external relations chief Benita Ferrero-Waldner admitting only last week that the executive still “didn’t know”. But Ukraine has not changed its stance on the ENP, as Yelisieiev admits. “From the very beginning we were critical. From the very beginning our president stated that the limited or narrow framework of this policy is not suitable for the strategic goal of Ukraine, which is EU integration. ”He said Ukraine wants practical offers from the EU, and wouldn’t be drawn on the Eastern Partnership until he sees exactly what it suggests." If the substance reflects Ukrainian interests, we could accept it. For us, the litmus test for this initiative is a visa-free regime. If that is there, then of course we will have a positive reaction." A ‘visa facilitation’ regime for Ukraine came into effect on 1 January this year, which was supposed to make it easier for Ukrainian citizens to apply for EU visas. EU hopes to move on a new Ukraine agreement by October.
CENTRAL ASIA
►EU welcomes Central Asia presence at energy summit
On 12 May Commission spokesman Ferran Tarradellas Espuny said the three countries' presence was historic. A spokesman says the European Commission respects the refusal of Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan -- with reference to Central Asia's differing traditions -- to sign the final declaration of the energy summit. Espuny said that the presence of the delegates of these three countries itself at the signing ceremony in Prague on May 8 is of highly symbolic value. According to Espuny, the negotiations between the member states of the Nabucco pipeline consortium on the transit conditions of the pipeline are advancing well, and he is confident that an agreement concerning this matter can be signed in the near future.
►No Uzbek, Kazakh, Turkmen gas for EU
On 8 May Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan refused to sign a contract to supply gas to the EU. At an energy mini- summit in Prague, leaders from Europe, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia did sign the deal. The European Union offered to provide more trade and stronger transport links to gas producers. The multi-billion euro Nabucco project would in theory pump gas from the Caspian Sea region through Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary to Austria. But in addition to investment problems, Nabucco has only secured a fifth of the gas it needs to be viable. The outgoing Czech Prime Minister Topolanek whose country holds the rotating EU presidency till July said: “We envisage the Southern Corridor as a new road where we can see the flow of information, people and energy in both directions.” This was not enough to convince the Uzbeks, Kazaks and Turkmen. The EU wants to lighten its dependence on Russian gas, but Azerbaijan can not come up with enough for Europe yet. Europe has plans to help Egypt develop its export potential, and to seek cooperation with Iraq.
►CA countries to sign memorandum on harmonization of relations in deliveries of gas
On 8 May it was announced that Central Asia countries along with the European Union are planning to sign a memorandum on harmonization of relations in the sphere of deliveries of gas. The final conference of the project will be in the autumn in Brussels. According to the chairman of the project, harmonization of gas sphere will lead the countries to a consensus, "as they will work or apply the same standards in their work." The European Union is interested, first, in uninterrupted delivery of gas to Europe, and, second, unification of standards in accordance with the world and European standards. The project is being realized by Mott MacDonald Ltd with the legal firm KLC and Eurasian Consulting SA within the limits of the program INOGATE and is financed by the European Union for the sum of 1 million 356 thousand euro. The representatives of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are the participants of the memorandum. Tajikistan took part as an observer.
Kazakhstan
►India and Kazakhstan sign nuclear deal
On 11 May it was announced that India and Kazakhstan are expected to sign next month a broad-based civil nuclear agreement under which the uranium-rich central Asian country will supply fuel and technology to New Delhi, Business Standard reported. India has sent a draft of the Inter Governmental Agreement for Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy to Kazakhstan for its perusal before the two sides ink the pact. Kazakhstan will be the fourth country after the US, Russia and France with whom India will have such a broad-based civil nuclear agreement, since the Nuclear Suppliers Group lifted ban on New Delhi last September to have trade in this field. "There is progress in preparation of the agreement on nuclear cooperation in peaceful uses. We are finishing up the agreement and will be sending it to Indian side," Kazakhstan's Ambassador Kairat Umarov said. "Soon we will pass the document on to the Indian side for consideration," he said.
►Kazakhs detained ahead of call for internet freedom
On 24 April Police in Almaty detained a group of young activists ahead of a planned public action to support Internet freedoms on World Press Freedom Day. One of the detainees, Zhanar Kasymbekova, said that police stopped them at a bus stop and demanded to see the contents of their bags. When they asked the policemen to explain the request, they said, they were forcibly escorted into a police car and taken to Almaty's Bostandyk district police station. The head of the Almaty-based Ar-Rukh-Khak human rights foundation, Bakhytzhan Toregozhina, said that police appear to have known about the young activists' plans and detained them to prevent their action to protest censorship in the Internet.
►Opposition newspaper editor arrested in Kazakhstan
On 24 April the Editor-in-chief of the opposition newspaper Taszhargan Yermurat Bapi has been arrested for five days by an order of the Almaty Special Administrative Court. The city prosecutor's office demanded the arrest. The journalist was taken into custody in the courtroom. DAT-X Director Bapi was penalized for the newspaper's failure to pay 30 million tenge (the current exchange rate is 150.76 tenge to the dollar) to parliament deputy Romin Madinov in compensation of moral damage. Judge Asel Abrakhmanova said that Madinov was not satisfied with the disclaimer published by the newspaper by his demand. Bapi says all the accusations and charges are politically motivated.
Kyrgyzstan
►Independent candidate barred from presidential election
On 7 May the Central Election Commission of Kyrgyzstan announced that Almaz Parmanov has been denied an application to be a candidate for president in the upcoming election. Parmanov reportedly filed an application on April 29, 2009, however failed to notify about his election fund, which is to be opened five days after the application is submitted. Another independent candidate, former Member of Parliament Zamirbek Parmankulov withdrew his application to run for the highest political post for no obvious reason.
►Oppositional candidate registers for election
On 6 May Almazbek Atambaev, the oppositional candidate nominated for the presidential election in Kyrgyzstan, has filed his papers to the Central Election Commission. The commission has reportedly received the documents and is going to consider the issue of his representatives. According to the candidate’s office, the known lawyer Galina Skripkina and Satygul kyzy Nazira will be the accredited representatives of the candidate at the election.
►Kazakh politician and journalist barred from Kyrgyzstan
On 5 May the Kyrgyz opposition Ata Meken party said a Kazakh opposition leader and Kazakh journalist were barred from crossing the border into Kyrgyzstan. Kazakh Social Democratic Party leader Marina Sabitova and well-known journalist Viktor Kovtunovsky were stopped by Kyrgyz border service on May 4 at the main border crossing near Bishkek. Kyrgyz officials said the two Kazakhs are on a list of people banned from entering Kyrgyzstan until 2019 according to a law on foreign migration. But the Kazakhs were not allowed to see an official document on the ban. Sabitova and Kovtunovsky were invited to Kyrgyzstan by the Ata Meken party.
Party spokesman Joomart Saparbaev said Kyrgyz authorities are using administrative resources to isolate opposition movements ahead of the July 23 presidential election and added that such actions hurt the country's image.
►Kyrgyzstan nominates president for re-election; Bakiev promises reforms
On 1 May Kyrgyzstan's President Kurmanbek Bakiev was nominated by his party for re-election in a July vote amid growing tensions with the opposition. The opposition has accused authorities of clamping down on critics ahead of the presidential election, a charge which Bakiev has strongly denied. In July's vote Bakiev will face opposition candidate Almazbek Atambaev, a former prime minister and ally. "The decision has been made unanimously. Kurmanbek Bakiyev has been nominated as a candidate," Ak Zhol deputy chairman Avtandil Arabayev said at a party congress on May 1. Bakiev promised administrative to cultural reforms after his nomination. Bakiev came to power shortly after a disputed parliamentary election in 2005 triggered violent protests and forced long-serving leader Askar Akaev to flee the country. Atambaev was one of Bakiev's staunch supporters but later switched sides, accusing Bakiev of corruption and running Kyrgyzstan like a personal fiefdom.
►Little-known Farmers' Party joins Kyrgyz political fray
On 25 April the leader of Kyrgyzstan's Farmers' Party, Kuttubek Asylbekov, has announced his plan to run in the country's presidential election in late July. Asylbekov, a 52-year-old veterinarian from the northern Talas region, said that he had sent his application to the Central Election Commission. He said his relatively obscure party has outlined a program to deal with the economic crisis in the country. A portion of the Kyrgyz opposition has already announced its support for Almazbek Atambaev, a former prime minister and leader of the Social Democratic Party. The United Popular Movement (BEK), an umbrella group allying the often-fractious opposition on April 25 was said to have endorsed the candidacies of Atambaev and of former Defense Minister Ismail Isakov. However, a member of the Central Election Commission, Abdyjapar Begmatov, warned in an interview that the commission would not recognize the candidacies of nominees from unregistered political groups like the BEK.
► An unknown man poured sulfuric acid over Interior Ministry Staff Chief and Police Colonel Kidirbayev
On 24 April the Investigation Board for the Bishkek Central Interior Department initiated a criminal case over the attack on Kidirbayev, the Chief of the Interior Ministry’s Headquarters. Before this position, Kidirbayev headed the Interior Ministry's interior security service and Central Investigation Department. On april 23 Kidirbayev was attacked by an unknown man, roughly two liters of concentrated sulfuric acid was poured over him. Kidirbayev's state was serious and he has been hospitalized at the intensive care department.
►Russian rights activist barred from entering Kyrgyzstan
On 24 April Russian human rights activist Vitaly Ponomaryov was prevented from entering Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyz officials forced Ponomaryov to get off the Moscow-Bishkek train near the Chaldovar train station along the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border at 2 a.m. local time. In February, Ponomaryov was stopped by Kyrgyz border guards at Bishkek's Manas Airport upon arriving from Moscow. He was forced to fly back to Moscow. Kyrgyz border guards said that Ponomaryov has been officially barred from entering Kyrgyzstan until 2014. Ponomaryov is a well-known human rights activist on Central Asian issues.
Tajikistan
►Tajikistan sentences Kyrgyz citizen for spying
On 9 May a Tajik court convicted Kyrgyz citizen Muhammadi Salimzoda, who was born in Tajikistan, of spying for Kyrgyzstan and sentenced him to 29 years in prison. Judge Nasim Hasanov said the trial was held behind closed doors because state secrets were discussed. Salimzoda's daughter, Shoira Salimzoda, says her father did not have access to a lawyer during the five-month investigation and was offered one only after he pled guilty to the charges. She says that her father came to Tajikistan in August for her wedding and that the investigation of him only found one text message that he sent from Tajikistan to Kyrgyzstan and said that the situation in the country is unstable. Shoira Salimzoda says her family will appeal the court decision. Kyrgyzstan's counsel to Tajikistan, Ernisbek Abdulloev, says that an embassy representative is following the case but will react only when the embassy receives official court papers. Salimzoda's relatives say he was a security-service officer in Tajikistan until he moved to Kyrgyzstan in 1992. A Kyrgyz Defense Ministry spokesman has confirmed that Salimzoda worked at the ministry until 2000 and then retired.
►Tajikistan suspends two Christian groups
On 24 April Tajikistan's Justice Ministry has suspended the activities of two aid groups because they were promoting Christianity. The two groups, Hand of Help and Life of Youth, were teaching poor children in foreign languages. Gulsunoy Maqsudova, the director of Hand of Help in Tajikistan's northern Sughd province, said that she was unaware of the decision by the Justice Ministry and that her group, active in Tajikistan since 2000, has never been in trouble with authorities. Last year, the government banned six aid groups on the grounds that they promoted non-Islamic religions. One group was allowed to continue working after negotiating with authorities, but the others remain suspended.
Turkmenistan
►Turkmen Interior Minister rebuked
On 12 May President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov reprimanded the Minister of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan Orazgeldi Amanmyradov by signing a relevant decree. The penalty is imposed "for the shortcomings in ensuring public security, law enforcement order and weakening of control over the internal affairs". At the last meeting of the State Security Council the head of state criticized the internal affairs authorities for fraud and bribery related to the issues of pardoning.
►Turkmenistan's president Berdymukhamedov does not attend EU energy summit
On 7 May Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov announced that he will not be attending a European Union energy summit in Prague on May 8. The Turkmen leader supposedly declined to make the trip after he failed to receive guarantees that he would not face protesters. The Turkmen leader tried to have Czech authorities guarantee a smooth May 8 visit to participate in the energy summit, a meeting that some experts say is designed to reinvigorate efforts to build the Nabucco pipeline. Some experts are not buying the hypothesis about Berdymukhamedov’s motivations, as they think that his cancellation might mean that Russia and Turkmenistan have achieved some sort of consensus on the gas situation during their closed meetings over the last few weeks. Others believe it might be a bargaining tactic towards the EU. Vice Prime Minister Tachberdy Tagyev will attend the summit in Berdymukhamedov’s place.
►Longest-serving Turkmen political prisoner released
On 2 May Muhammetguly Aymuradov, the longest-serving political prisoner in Turkmenistan, was released after serving more than 14 years in jail. Aymuradov, 63, was released on from the Ovadan-Depe prison in the Karakum Desert, where all political prisoners are held. He is reportedly in poor health with serious kidney ailments. Aymuradov was arrested in Uzbekistan and extradited to Turkmenistan in 1994. He was charged with antistate crimes and accused of trying to overthrow the Turkmen government. Human rights activist Akmuhammet Welsapar said that Turkmen officials should be pressured to let him come to Moscow, where his family resides and where he could get needed medical treatment.
►Turkmenistan: Berdymukhademov applauds new turn in EU relations
On 27 April Turkmenistan’s president, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, hailed the European Parliament’s recent approval of a trade pact between Ashgabat and Brussels. "This decision by the European Parliament opens greater opportunities for us to make our goods available in European Union countries and to attract investments from European companies into our country," Berdymukhamedov said. Berdymukhamedov’s evident enthusiasm for EU trade contrasts sharply with the tension that has characterized Turkmen-Russian relations of late. At an energy conference, held April 23-24 in Ashgabat, Berdymukhamedov provided the clearest statement to date that Turkmenistan was ready to participate in Western-backed export routes.
►EU Deputy optimistic about Turkmen agreement
On 24 April Member of European Parliament (MEP) Caspary has said he is optimistic that relations between the European Union and Turkmenistan will improve due to the bilateral trade agreement the European Parliament approved on April 22. Caspary, a German who is currently preparing a report on Turkmenistan, added that the EU will be able to suspend the agreement if the human rights situation in Turkmenistan worsens. He said the EU should not get involved in discussions about the current tensions between Moscow and Ashgabat over natural gas issues.
►Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch urge EU to press Turkem government to improve its human rights record
On April 24 Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said the European Union should press the Turkmen government to improve its abysmal human rights record before agreeing to enhanced relations with the country. The European Commission and a majority of EU member states have long advocated proceeding with the agreement despite the appalling state of human rights in Turkmenistan, even arguing that it would place the EU in a better position to affect positive change in the country. A new resolution of the European Parliament makes clear that it remains deeply concerned about the state of human rights in Turkmenistan. In its effort to win over the European Parliament, the commission promised during the debate preceding the vote to "seriously consider" the parliament's opinion in deciding whether to suspend the planned trade agreement if it deemed Turkmenistan were violating the agreement's human rights clause. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said the commission's promise to take the parliament's calls for suspension seriously was not credible in the absence of a serious effort to press for concrete reforms in Turkmenistan. The commission and the council instead appear to have focused all their efforts on securing the European Parliament's approval for the agreement despite Turkmenistan's flouting the criteria it had set.
Uzbekistan
►Uzbek President announces air transit for NATO's Afghan operations
On 12 May Uzbekistan began shipping non-military supplies for North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces in Afghanistan through its central cargo airport in the city of Navoi, President Islam Karimov said. "Now, through Novoi airport, transport has begun of non-military supplies for NATO forces in Afghanistan," Karimov said. The announcement represents the latest step by this ex-Soviet state to provide transit support for Western operations in Afghanistan. It is part of a wider push by the U.S. to increase transit through the former Soviet states to support an expanded U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan. Uzbekistan has also agreed to allow transit by rail of bulkier goods such as building materials to support the long-term U.S. presence in Afghanistan. Growing disruption to supply routes through Pakistan has made it all the more essential for Western forces to boost transit through the ex-Soviet states located on the north side of Afghanistan. Several of the states have agreed only to transit of non-lethal supplies, such as food or building supplies, rather than transit of weapons or ammunition. This reflects political sensitivities over the Western presence in ex-Soviet Central Asia, which Russia in particular has voiced worries about.
►Uzbek human rights activists meet in France
On 6 May Uzbek human rights activists met in the northwestern French city of Angers. It was the first time the Uzbekistan Human Rights Society met since it was forced into exile following the bloody events in Andijon in 2005. Tolib Yoqubov, the head of the group, fled Uzbekistan in August 2006, fearing persecution. His group is now registered in France and campaigning in the West against the Uzbek government of President Islam Karimov. Yoqubov said he believes the human rights situation in Uzbekistan is deteriorating even though some Western politicians have noted progress. The Uzbekistan Human Rights Society was a leading human rights group in Uzbekistan before it fled and 10 of its members remain jailed.
Edited by: Marianna Tsirelson, Danijel Tadic and Maxim Moussa
For comments or to (un)subscribe, contact us at info@europeanforum.net
Sources:
http://24.kg
http://enews.ferghana.ru
http://gazeta.kz
http://kabar.kg
http://kyrgyznews.kg
http://muslimuzbekistan.net
http://neweurasia.net
http://news.bbc.co.uk
http://primenewsonline.com
http://redtram.com
http://rian.ru
http://tvnz.co.nz
http://weekly.com.ua
www.akipress.kg
www.aljazeera.net
www.allmoldova.com
www.armenialiberty.org
www.azi.md
www.b92.net
www.balkantimes.com
www.cdi.org/russia/johnson/default.cfm
www.charter97.org
www.csees.net
www.democraticbelarus.eu
www.easteuropetimes.com
www.einnews.com
www.euobserver.com
www.euractiv.com
www.eurasianet.org
www.forum18.org
www.hurriyet.com.tr
www.inform.kz
www.insideworld.com
www.interfax.com
www.irinnews.org
www.itar-tass.com
www.iwpr.net
www.kazpravda.kz
www.kub.kz
www.kyivpost.com
www.kz-today.kz
www.moscowtimes.ru
www.newscentralasia.net
www.nos.nl
www.nrc.nl
www.osservatoriobalcani.org
www.pes.org
www.pravda.ru
www.pravda.com.ua
www.reuters.com
www.rferl.org
www.russiatoday.ru
www.socialistgroup.org
www.socialistinternational.org
www.thenewanatolian.com
www.timesca-europe.com
http://www.tm-iskra.org
www.todayszaman.com
www.topix.net/world
www.trend.az
www.turkishdailynews.com.tr
www.turkmenistan.gov.tm
www.turkmenistan.ru
www.turkmenistannews.net
www.ukrainianjournal.com
www.ukranews.com
www.unian.net/
www.uza.uz
Back to news
