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Serbia blames Georgia crisis on Kosovo 'domino effect': report (28.08.2008) The crisis in Georgia is the result of a "domino effect" following Kosovo's declaration of independence from Belgrade, Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic said in an interview published Thursday. "The Serbian government's position on Kosovo is well-known and remains unchanged," Cvetkovic told the daily Politika, referring to Serbia's staunch opposition to the secession of Kosovo, its disputed province. "At the proper time, we warned that any unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence can provoke a domino effect. Unfortunately, that is now happening" in the Caucasus, he was quoted as saying. Ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo, a southern province of Serbia, proclaimed independence on February 17 despite warnings from Belgrade and its ally Moscow about setting an illegal and dangerous precedent. Kosovo has since been recognised by more than 40 nations, including the United States and most of the European Union, which Russia cited to help justify its recognition earlier this week of the Georgian breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. "We expect that the situation won't have a negative impact on us," said Cvetkovic, the leader of a West-leaning Serbian government that made EU integration its top priority when it came to power in July. Despite Moscow recognising South Ossetia and Abkhazia, "the information that we received is that Russsia continues to uphold its earlier position" of siding with Serbia in its opposition to Kosovo's independence, he added. Separately, Cvetkovic reiterated Serbia's opposition to the deployment of a 3,000-strong EU mission dubbed EULEX under the UN's umbrella in Kosovo without it being agreed by the UN Security Council. "The arrival of EULEX without an appropriate UN resolution and without our agreement is illegal and that for us is unacceptable," said the Serbian premier. "We have great interests in Kosovo, we have people who live there and expect some more (Serb refugees) to return, and we have to improve life in Kosovo for all citizens for whom we are responsible. "We continue to put an emphasis on the fact that we want to be included ... and to negotiate what in the end will become a resolution that will be approved by the Security Council," he said. Kosovo has been run by the United Nations under a resolution passed by the Security Council in 1999, after NATO bombing drove out Serbian forces waging a brutal crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists. Belgrade considers Kosovo the cradle of its history, culture and religion. Serbs account for slightly more than 100,000 of Kosovo's estimated two million population, which is around 90-percent ethnic Albanian. Source: Agence France Presse
KOSOVO Kosovo premier accuses judiciary of leniency over financial crime, corruption (28.08.2008) [Presenter] Certain segments of the Kosovo judiciary have been sleeping on crime dossiers for almost eight years, Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said at today's conference "Prevention from Financial Crime, Corruption and Money Laundering in Kosovo". Senior Kosovo officials have said that fighting grey economy will be Kosovo's priority because it is causing a considerable loss to the gross domestic production and is negatively influencing the economic development of the country. / [Reporter] Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci accused certain segments of the judiciary who were sleeping on dossiers of various financial crime activities for eight years. According to him, a real fight against corruption and informal economy can improve only if justice system has been reformed. The prime minister made these comments at the conference "Prevention of Financial Crime, Corruption and Money Laundering in Kosovo"./ [Hashim Thaci, prime minister] For eight years, certain segments of judiciary have been sleeping on the dossiers of crime. Through this conference, I'd like to send a clear message to Kosovo citizens and to the international bodies that Kosovo government worked hard and with a highest commitment to eradicate the corruption, financial crime and informal economy./ [Rexhep Haxhimusa, chairman of the Kosovo Supreme Court] It is impossible that after the war, somebody who had nothing until yesterday, all of the sudden to became reach. A capital that can be seen in construction of buildings [changes thought]. I am concerned, but if such cases appear before the court I believe that they will not be tolerated./ [Reporter] The informal economy in Kosovo has been valued at around 700 million euros or 35 per cent of the GDP, annually. The calculation has been based on a number of employees in both, formal and informal economy, than on number of businesses that have declared their activities, including those that have not been declared. The numbers are then compared with those in other states.[passage omitted]/ [Reporter] The Kosovo government established a permanent intra-ministerial working group to fight the informal economy, including the where black [grey] economy and Kosovo wide spread corruption. Source: RTK TV/ BBC Monitoring European
EULEX [European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo] chief Yves de Kermabon has stated that he is willing to reach an agreement on technical cooperation with the Serbian authorities. "I think there should be cooperation. I would like to have the opportunity to talk to Minister [for Kosovo] Goran Bogdanovic, but only at the technical level, and with the Serbian institutions, in order to establish cooperation," de Kermabon told Radio Gorazhdec [Gorazdevac, Serb majority village in Pec Municipality]. The former Kfor [Kosovo Force] commander who now heads the European Union's mission on the rule of law in Kosova [Kosovo] said the Serbian side had "two reasons" why it finds it difficult to recognize EULEX. "The first is that there is a lot of misunderstanding and unclear issues. People indeed do not know what EULEX is from the point of view of its legal basis. The second has to do with politics and organized crime," Yves de Kermabon said. Source: Express/ BBC Monitoring European CYPRUS Cyprus deadlock broken at last (27.08.2008) Three long-running conflicts have plagued the international community for decades - Palestine, Kashmir and Cyprus. While the first two continue to claim their grisly toll of human victims, the third seems at last ripe for resolution. This may be the best news to come out of the troubled eastern Mediterranean region for several years. On September 3, Alexander Downer, a former Australian foreign minister - recently appointed UN special envoy to Cyprus - will preside over a meeting of the Greek and Turkish Cypriot presidents. The positive results of this meeting are eagerly awaited. Because of the personalities and political backgrounds of the two Cypriot leaders, hopes for a reunification of the island after a 34-year split have never been higher. For one thing, Demetris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat are both committed Leftists. They understand that solving the Cyprus problem would be a great gift for its working people - whether Greek Cypriots in the south, or Turkish Cypriots in the northern third of the island. Christofias is a Communist - the only Communist head of state in the European Union. He earned a doctorate in Moscow where he studied from 1969 to 1974; speaks Russian (but no English or French). He is general secretary of AKEL, a Marxist-Leninist party, and was elected President of the Republic of Cyprus last February, when he vowed that the solution of the Cyprus problem will be the top priority of his government. He is also in favour of closing down Britain's military bases on the island. His Turkish counterpart, Mehmet Ali Talat, started in politics as a youth leader and trade unionist, graduated in engineering from the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, became head of the Left-wing Republican Turkish Party in Cyprus, then Prime Minister in 2004 and President in April 2005. But the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus over which he presides is recognised by no one except Turkey and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. In 1983, northern Cyprus declared its independence as a separate Turkish Cypriot Republic. In May 2004, the Greek Cypriot Republic was admitted into the European Union after voting down a UN reunification plan for the island. But the Turkish Cypriot community was excluded from EU membership and has since suffered from an economic embargo. A great step towards resolving this problematic situation would be taken if, as is widely expected, Demetris Christofias and Mehmet Ali Talat reach agreement to create a federal state with a rotating presidency and a small inner cabinet to handle EU affairs. The solution would then have to be approved in separate referenda in both parts of the island. José Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, has welcomed news of the September 3 talks. But, as with all long-running conflicts, serious problems remain. The high command of Turkey's armed forces - already alarmed by the reforms of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan - would have to approve the deal, which would inevitably mean the repatriation of troops to mainland Turkey. Another serious problem concerns the future of Turkish settlers in Cyprus. What rights of theirs would be recognised? And what property once in Greek Cypriot hands might have to be returned? In a clear sign of the improved climate between the two communities, the two leaders agreed last April to open a border crossing in central Nicosia, reunifying the two sides of Ledra Street, the main shopping district after a closure of more than three decades. Yet, each leader will have much to do to convince their people that the time to settle has arrived. Some 76 per cent of Greek Cypriots rejected Kofi Annan's 2004 reunification plan. They will need to be won around. In turn, Mehmet Ali Talat will need to persuade Turkish Cypriots - as well as the authorities in Ankara - that Turkish minority interests will be protected in a unified Cyprus. Several factors are likely to give a favourable push to the coming talks. First, the Erdogan government has survived a recent attempt to drive it from office by Turkey's Constitutional Court, on the grounds that it was threatening Ataturk's secular legacy. Secondly, relations between the Turkish and Greek governments - and between their two societies - have greatly improved in recent times. Thirdly, it is widely recognised in Ankara, Athens and Brussels that a resolution of the Cyprus problem would remove a major obstacle now preventing progress towards Turkey's accession to the EU. A unified Cyprus would undoubtedly be good for Europe, for Turkey, and for Greek-Turkish relations. It would also provide a model of peaceful reconciliation to the warring parties in the Middle East. Source: Gulf Daily News US policy on Cyprus won’t change after elections (27.08.2008) While all Greek Cypriot commentators welcomed the news that Senator Joe Biden would stand as Barack Obama’s vice-presidential running mate, all were quick to temper their joy with a note of caution. They had been disappointed in the past, after pinning big hopes on presidential candidates who had spoken out in favour of Greek Cypriot positions, and had no intention of making the same mistake again. It was very much a case on the proverbial once bitten, twice shy. Commentators all recalled how Greek Cypriots celebrated Jimmy Carter’s victory in 1976, given his pre-election declarations on Cyprus. They all pointed out that Carter failed to deliver on his promises, which was not strictly true. In 1978 a framework for a settlement had been presented to the two sides - with much more favourable terms for the Greek Cypriot side than are on offer now - but the then president Kyprianou, with the encouragement of AKEL, rejected it. Senator Biden had consistently taken a stand against the Turkish occupation of Cyprus and had repeatedly called on Ankara, in his capacity as head of Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, to improve its human rights record. Back in 1999 he had reportedly threatened to block a $5 billion US aid package to Turkey in an attempt to make the Ecevit government work towards a Cyprus settlement. A frequent guest at the conferences of the Greek and Cypriot lobbies in the US, Biden had also fallen out with Ankara over its treatment of the Kurds and the Armenian issue. It is an impeccable record, as far as the Greek side is concerned but the Turks, predictably, do not share this view. Their media has already carried articles expressing disappointment at his selection and listing examples of his anti-Turkey positions. Of course Biden would only be vice-president and that is assuming Obama would win the November elections. And the truth is that the new administration would have much more important and pressing problems to deal with than the Cyprus issue, which would be handled, as always, by State Department officials. US policy on Cyprus will remain the same whoever wins the November elections and nothing spectacular should be expected. The administration would offer support to UN-brokered direct talks, which should be in progress by then, and encourage the Turkish government to adopt a constructive stance. If the two sides reach an agreement, the US would give its full blessing to it, but if they do not, the administration, with or without Biden as vice-president, is unlikely to be overly concerned, so long as its ties with Turkey remain intact. For the US the Cyprus problem is an issue of low importance and as such is unlikely to ever command the attention of the president or the vice-president. So we should not expect a change of US policy even if the Obama-Biden ticket is successful. Source: Cyprus Mail
Tens of Armenian public organizations and parties appealed to the Armenian powers regarding the conflict between Georgia and South Ossetia. "The armed aggression, Georgia demonstrated in South Ossetia, proves that the praised quo-status has no real grounds in our region.Experience shows that the talks, aimed at the resolution of frozen conflicts in the South Caucasus, gradually lead to resumption of hostilities. Moreover, both Georgia and Azerbaijan, protracting the negotiation process, use peaceful time for armament and armed resolution of the conflicts.It is clear that the negotiation process can not lead to the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Today, the only guarantee of the statehood of the self-declared "Nagorno Karabakh Republic" and security of its population can be its influence and the national army.Therefore, considering the bitter experience of Ossetia, as well as Azerbaijan's bellicose statements and active armament of its army, we demand from the Armenian powers to recognize the independence of the self-declared "Nagorno Karabakh Republic", conclude military, political and economic intergovernmental agreements with it and start active process for the international recognition of the self-declared "Nagorno Karabakh Republic".The statement was undersigned by Mika analytical center, youth public organization "Generation of Dependence", Union of young orientalists, Armenian youth forum, public organization Araet, student council of the journalism faculty of Yerevan state university, public organization "Postoim", public organization "Proud", student youth alliance "Progressive youth", youth public organization "Generation of victory", public organization "New reality", Union of organization "Single nation", public organization "National union of Armenia", party "Single nation", public organization "Youth wave", public organization "Armenian association for study of conflict and peace", party "Order of Armenian Arians", New Armenia, Ay Yerak and others. Source: Day.Az Recognition of Nagorno Karabakh's independence by Armenia will turn it into a rogue state (27.08.2008) Famous political reviewer Vuqar Seidov commented on the appeal of some political parties and public organizations of Armenia to the country's government about recognition of Nagorno Karabakh's independence in his interview to Day.Az. "On the background of the global anathemization of Russia for its recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the statements, voiced in Armenia, about the need to repeat this unwise step in the case "Nagorno Karabakh Republic" sound immature. If Armenia is impatient to add to the list of rogue states, the absolutely meaningless formal recognition of so-called "independence" of the occupied Karabakh by Yerevan would be profitable for Azerbaijan. By such an infantile step, Armenia will provide an invaluable service to Azerbaijan and make the world support of territorial integrity of our country as well, while Armenia will take a worthy place among the states of the "axle of evil", which are treated in the world with open contempt. Thus, we will be waiting impatiently for the soonest recognition of independence of Nagorno Karabakh and even "miatsum" by Armenia", said Seidov.It should be reminded that the world society condemned Russia's decision to recognize the independence of two separatist regions of Georgia and France even declared Russia as an outlaw. "Russia was excluded from the international law, after it recognized independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which are parts of Georgia de jure", said French Foreign Minister Bernard Cuchner, adding that it is the opinion of not only the European Union.According to Vuqar Seidov, after Moscow recognized independence of two Georgian oblasts, the further actions of the OSCE Minsk Group and the influence of the recent events on its activity are extremely important. "The Minsk Group has never been especially effective, while on the background of Russia's isolation and strengthened confrontation with the West in the search of ways of solution of conflicts, the Minsk Group activity can be paralyzed, as the co-chairs are Russia, the United States and France. These are countries, which advocate different values and can hardly find solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the same team", said Seidov.According to the political scientist, in this situation, Azerbaijan should be extremely cautious, firmly defending its ground, but without bothering Russia too much. "Certainly, the ideal script for Azerbaijan would be Russia's exclusion from the list of the co-chairs and its replacement with a neutral state, for example with one of the Scandinavian states or Germany, for after what Russia did in Georgia, it is impossible to consider it neutral in other similar conflicts. It will project all its further actions within the Minsk Group on South Ossetia and Abkhazia to secure itself from loneliness in the future and to raise the number of such precedents. Therefore, Russia is already not a mediator. Yet, the idea of excluding Russia from the Minsk Group should belong not to Azerbaijan but to OSCE. If the idea is not executed, Azerbaijan will at least preserve its face".According to Seidov, there is another way of Russia's exclusion from the list of the co-chairs. This is a two phased way - declaration of distrust by Azerbaijan to all the co-chairs (not only Russia) and formation of a new composition of co-chairs by the OSCE, but without Russia this time. Despite its being two phased, it will be practically easier and less painful for Russia. The political scientist considers that whoever joins the new composition of the co-chairs, it will be completely suitable for our country. The most important is that there will be no Russia among the co-chairs. Source: Day.Az top AZERBAIJAN Khazar Ibrahim: "Azerbaijan’s position remains unchanged, we recognize Georgia’s territorial integrity" (27.08.2008) "Azerbaijan’s position remains unchanged. We recognize Georgia’s territorial integrity," spokesman for Foreign Ministry Khazar Ibrahim told APA, commenting on official recognition of independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia by Russia.Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has today issued a decree on recognition of independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Source: Day.Az
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline has resumed transportation oil via the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field in the Azerbaijan`s Caspian sector, said BP-Azerbaijan spokesperson Tamam Bayatly Source: Azertac
Azerbaijan`s National Security Minister Eldar Mahmudov met Wednesday with visiting head of Romania`s Foreign Intelligence Service Mihai Razvan Ungureanu.The discussions focused on the work done to fight transnational organized crime, terrorism, prospects for fruitful cooperation between the two countries` special services and other issues.Eldar Mahmudov briefed his counterpart on his country`s reforms carried out to strengthen democratic state system, work on security-related issues, as well as the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh and its grave consequences.Mihai Razvan Ungureanu, in his turn, expressed his gratitude to the Azerbaijani Minister for warm hospitality. He praised the current level of Azerbaijan-Romania relationship. According to him, meetings held between the two countries` officials would contribute to enhancing relations.The sides also discussed other issues of mutual interest. Source: Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies Baku
On August 26 2008, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko signed a decree approving a draft intergovernmental agreement between Belarus and Turkey on the cooperation and mutual assistance in the customs area, reported belta. The presidential press service told BelTA that the agreement defines the terms of cooperation and providing mutual assistance in the customs area for the prevention and investigation of the violations of the customs law. This agreement will help raise the efficiency of the customs bodies of Belarus and establish a closer cooperation with the Turkish customs services. The agreement is to be signed by chairman of the State Customs Committee, Alexander Shpilevsky. Source: Trend News Agency (Azerbaijan GEORGIA Georgia Hesitates to Break off Relations with Russia (28.08.2008) 28 August 2008 Yesterday Georgia continued giving commentary over Russia’s recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgian politicians were quite harsh. However, on Tuesday they would insist on breaking off diplomatic relations with Moscow, whereas yesterday they said that the relations must be minimized. “We’ll drastically reduce diplomatic relations, concerning consuls and envoys,” stated Georgian Reintegration Minister Timur Yakobashvili. In the evening Georgia’s Foreign Office announced that the staff of the Russian diplomatic mission in Moscow is reduced to two people. Breaking off relations is usually prior to hostilities between two parties. However, neither Moscow nor Tbilisi did it before the conflict or during it. The Georgian Embassy in Moscow didn’t halt its work, although Ambassador Erosi Kitsmarishvili was recalled on July 10 – a month before the conflict escalated. The Russian Embassy in Georgia , headed by Ambassador Vyacheslav Kovalenko, keeps on with its mission and is not going to reduce its staff. The final decision will be taken in the near future. “It is experts who are to sort it out,” said Chairman of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament David Darchiashvili. So far the Georgian parliament decided to concentrate on drafting a resolution reading that Russia occupied several Georgian territories. Yesterday this document was thrashed out at the Parliament’s Bureau, and today it is to be adopted. “The MPs decided to draft an act about occupied territories. It is essential to legally register the fact of their annexation by Russia,” Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on International Affairs Lasha Zhvania told Kommersant . According to him, it is not ruled out that the Constitution will be amended as well. Meanwhile the Georgian Ministry of Justice informed that they have already prepared a suit against Russia to file it in international courts. The suits regard the genocide of the Georgian population in Abkhazia and South Ossetia and ethnic cleansing in Georgia’s former autonomies. Speaker of the Georgian Parliament David Bakradze, which is now on his visit to the United States, anticipates that Russia will find itself in complete isolation. For all that, Russia’s troops are still in control of the Georgian territories along the perimeter of the Abkhaz and South Ossetian border. The Georgian port of Poti is controlled by Russians too. The military have set up a few outposts on the roads, which practically paralyzed the work of the port. That is why American ships which delivered humanitarian aid to Georgia, had to unload in the port of Batumi, where the U.S. Dallas ship appeared yesterday. Head of the Georgian General Staff Zaza Gogava explained it by the fact that “Russia’s military sank several Georgian ships in the port of Poti to complicate coming into the area of water, and they may have mined the port. That’s why it was decided to let the American ships come into the port of Batumi.” Russia’s generals are still worried by the American and NATO ships appearing in the Black Sea. Russia’s Moskva guided missile cruiser, the Black sea Fleet flagship, came into the port of Sukhumi yesterday. “Russia’s fleet began watching the NATO ships in the Black Sea,” said Deputy Chief of Russia’s General Staff Anatoly Nogovitsyn. He pointed out that the Black sea is “too small” to the military ships which are now there. Source: Kommersant International |