Daily Report— Central Eurasia FBIS-SOV-94-231 Thursday 1 December 1994 This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. Daily Report Central Eurasia FBIS-SOV-94-231 CONTENTS 1 December 1994 INTERREGIONAL AFFAIRS Baltics Cautious About Military Cooperation With Russia /BNS/ 1 Army Leaders Meet To Discuss Cooperation Issues /INTERFAX] 1 Defense Ministers To Discuss Peace Operation /INTERFAX] 1 RUSSIA INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Kozyrev: Russia May Cease Partnership With Expanding NATO /INTERFAX] Afanasyevskiy on NATO Expansion /INTERFAX] Commentary Views Russia’s Relationship With NATO [Moscow International] Canada Opposed To Excluding Russia From NATO /ITAR-TASS] Yeltsin Meets With Canadian Foreign Minister /I7AR-TASS] Change in U.S.’ Bosnian Stance Noted /'NTERFAX] Kozyrev Supports ‘Comprehensive’ Bosnian Cease-Fire Accord /INTERFAX] Kozyrev Leaves for WEU Parliamentary Session /I[TAR-TASS] .......:.:sssssssessessessersessessessessesseesesnenceencensees Iranian Foreign Minister Denies Iran Assisting Chechnya /INTERFAX] Possible Foreign Asylum for Chechnya’s Dudayev Rumored /IZVESTIYA | Dec] Meeting of Russian, Azeri, Armenian Presidents Postponed //TAR-TASS] Meeting of Russian, Lithuanian, Polish Deputies Postponed /INTERFAX] Amount of Japanese Industrial Credits Still Be Settled /ITAR-TASS] Soskovets Concludes ‘Business Part’ of Visit to Japan /IZVESTIYA 30 Nov] ‘Satisfied’ With Visit //TAR-TASS] Moscow Reporter Reviews Results /Moscow International] Davydov Notes Value of Mongolian Trade, Debt Repayments /INTERFAX] ...... Further Agreement Signed With Ukraine on Gas Supplies /INTERFAX] U.S. Warship Development Plans Viewed /[KRASNAYA ZVEZDA I Dec] FCS Confirms Recruitment of Mercenaries [Moscow TV] RUSSIA NATIONAL AFFAIRS Political Issues ‘Rumors’ of Paratroopers Moving Towards Chechnya Denied /INTERFAX] 12 Chernomyrdin ‘Ready To Do Anything’ To Solve Crisis /I/T7AR-TASS] 12 Yeltsin ‘Must Not Shirk’ Solution to Chechen Problem /KRASNAYA ZVEZDA I Dec] .........0++0++ 12 Communists Urge Chechens To Free POW’s /INTERFAX] 13 Commander Denies Mercenaries, Arms Airlifted to Chechnya /INTERFAX] 13 Gaydar Party Attitude to President, Government Viewed /ROSSIYSKIYE VESTI 29 Nov) .......... 13 Fedorov Analyzes Krasnodar, Sochi Elections {IZVESTIYA 29 Nov} 4 Agrarian Party Leaders, Board Members Elected /SELSKAYA ZHIZN 29 Nov] 15 Political Motives Seen Behind Muslim Schism /ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA 30 Nov] ..........0sseseesee 16 Yeltsin Suggests Two Candidates to Constitutional Court //TAR-TASS] 17 Grachev’s Rumored ‘Purge’ of Ministry Apparatus Weighed [KOMSOMOLSKAYA PRAVDA I Dec] 17 FCS Chief on Crime, Corruption, Espionage /[KOMSOMOLSKAYA PRAVDA 29 Nov] ........:0++000 18 Economic & Financial Issues Yeltsin Exempts Certain Goods From Customs Duty /ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA 30 Nov] ............. 21 Duma’s Burkov Assesses Privatization Results /ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA 30 Nov] .......s-sseesesee 22 Panskov Addresses Finance Ministry Collegium /ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA 30 Nov] ........+..000+0000 23 Foreign Telecoms Investment Up 40%, Set To Go Higher /ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA 30 Nov) ..... 23 Chernomyrdin Notes Social Security Value in ‘Harsh’ Budget //TAR-TASS] 23 SOOM WAHDWDAINDAAUUNUNALHAWWNN es Executive Sees More Hard Times for Coal Industry in 1995 /TRUD 30 Nov] 24 FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 2 Central Eurasia Military & Nuclear Issues Yeltsin Signs Military, Reserve Officer Draft /ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA 29 Nov] 24 Rail-Mobile Missile Duty Seen ‘Harsh, Rigorous’ /KRASNAYA ZVEZDA 30 Nov] ........cssesssssesees 25 Russians, Italians Build Newly-Designed Fighters /INTERFAX] 26 ‘New Method’ Proposes Radioactive Waste Burial /[MOSKOVSKAYA PRAVDA 30 Nov] ...........0+. 26 Federal Assembly Duma Speaker Urges Democratic Elections in Chechnya //TAR-TASS] 27 a Rybkin Urges Chechen Clans To Reach Agreement //TAR-TASS] 27 Duma Commission Examines 1995 Socioeconomic Prognosis //T7AR-TASS] 27 Regional Affairs Dramatic Increase of Refugees From Chechnya Reported //TAR-TASS] 28 Grachev on ‘Energetic Efforts’ To Release Hostages /INTERFAX] 28 Dudayev on Russian POW’s, Latest Situation /Radio Rossii] 28 Dudayev Interviewed /Moscow Radio] 29 Moscow Still Hopes for Peaceful Chechen Settlement /INTERFAX] ..........c.ssssssscssssssssssssssssssesesenses 30 Official Denies Planes Attacked Chechnya From Stavropol //TAR-TASS] 30 Air Strikes Confirmed /ITAR-TASS] 30 Chechen Leadership Forms Delegation for Talks With Russia /INTERFAX] 31 Armored Vehicles Accumulated in N. Ossetia Near Chechnya [INTERFAX] .........s.ssssssssssseesssssees 31 Caucasian Confederation President on Chechen Conflict /INTERFAX] .........:cssssssssssssssssesssssesseess 31 Yeltsin Appoints Yegorov as Representative to Chechnya //TAR-TASS] 31 Russians Polled on Firm Action in Chechnya /INTERFAX] 31 Interim Council Supports Yeltsin’s Demand on Weapons /ITAR-TASS] 32 ‘No Panic’ in Groznyy; Dudayev Supporters Armed /ITAR-TASS] 32 Chechen ‘Government-in-Exile’ Leaving for Groznyy //TAR-TASS] 32 Dudayev’s Advisor Says Groznyy Bombed Again /INTERFAX] 33 Chechen Official Denies Plans To Assassinate Yeltsin /ITAR-TASS] ..........c.sscsssssssssssssssssssessessseeees 33 Colonel Firsov Denies Units Put on Alert /Radio Rossii] 33 INTERFAX Cited on Air Raid on Chechnya Airport /Moscow International] 33 Chechen Spokesman Says 30 Russian Aircraft in Groznyy [Moscow TV] ........c.scsssssssssscssssssceesssees 33 Correspondent Says Situation ‘Calm’ in Groznyy /I/TAR-TASS] 34 Chechen Opposition Ready ‘To Lay Down Arms’ /ITAR-TASS] — Situation in Groznyy Reported ‘Alarming’ /ITAR-TASS] 34 Yeltsin Envoy To Seek Support of Chechnya Cossacks //TAR-TASS) ..... 34 More on Russian Paratroopers Arriving in Beslan //TAR-TASS] — Troops Ordered To Move Closer to Chechnya /Moscow Radio] 35 State Duma Deputies Discuss Prisoners in Chechnya /I/TAR-TASS] 35 North Caucasus Leaders Criticize Ultimatum /IZVESTIYA I Dec] 35 Moscow Sets Military, Diplomatic Offensive Against Chechnya [NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA I Dec] 36 Chechnya: Aide Says Dudayev ‘Confident’ /TRUD | Dec] 36 Moscow Chiefs Put Government Institutions, Militia on Alert /[SEGODNYA I Dec] ...........s00s0000 37 Chernomyrdin Agrees to Nizhniy Novgorod Tax Proposal /INTERFAX] 38 UKRAINE International Affairs Kiev Requests UN Help To Find, Free Detainees /UNIAN] 39 Marchuk on ‘More Flexible’ Russia Policies /1TAR-TASS] : a Finds ‘Common Ground’ in BSF Division //TAR-TASS] 39 Moroz Visits Poland, Discusses Privatization /UNIAR] 40 Pinzenik on Russian, Turkmeni Gas Transit //TAR-TASS] 40 FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 3 Central Eurasia National Affairs Kuchma Submits Drafi Power Reform Bill //TAR-TASS] sainiaiidnltiiadiineihimteatl 40 People’s Deputy Kosiv on “Hope,” “New Tremd? [Ried TV) .....cccecoccssecssscsessescscsossecssssssscsesccsseseoscseoes 40 Kuchma Names Syvulskyy To Finance Ministry /UNIAR] . 41 Businessmen, Officials Meet, Discuss Reform /KHRESHCHATYK 25 Nov] ........::ssccsssesseesseeseereees 41 Land Reform Edict Open for Legal ‘Blocks’ /UKRAYINA MOLODA 18 Nov] ..........csssssessesseseerees 42 Crimean Prime Minister on Visit to U.S. /[KRYMSKAYA GAZETA 29 Nov] 43 Crimean President Espresses ‘Gratitude’ to Duma /KRYMSKIYE IZVESTIAY 29 Nov] ............... a4 General Lopata Stresses Army’s Problems /UNIJAN] siicaniiiasbinte aa Miners End Strike, Official Promises ‘Statute’ /RABOCHAYA TRIBUNA 30 Nov] 45 WESTERN REGION Belarus Lukashenka Adopts Parliamentary Election Law [INTERFAX] .0......:..ccssscssssssssssescessssesesenecesscsessees 46 Poll Shows Lukashenka Support, Financial Status /INTERFAX] .........cc.sssscssscsssssssssseseseesesecerseeesees 46 Chyhir, Zaveryukha on ‘Flexible’ Trade Policy [INTERFAX] ...........:cscccsscsscssssesscessesseceseseeseeeseesees 46 BZV Official on Russian Intelligence ‘Control’ /SVABODA 5 Dec] oon Kokaraw on Company Share Sales To Repay Debts [SVABODA 29 Nov-5 Dec] ........cs:cssscsseseeseeee 47 Combat Training Seen as ‘at Appropriate Level’ [VO SLAVU RODINY 29 Nov] .........c.scssesesseeeees 47 Kastenka on Military Funding, Reductions /[TAR-TASS] .........ssscssssssssssssesssssesssssessssssssessessenseneess 48 NPT, START Implicate Belarus /BELPAN] 48 Moldova Security Official on Romanian Relations /BASAPRESS] ............sssssssssssscsssessssssssesssssesseasecssasensseseess 50 PSM Believes Economic Policy Needs Changes /INFOTAG] — Leu Devalues 10 Percent, IMF Policy Followed /INFOTAG] ..........c..ccsscssssssssssssssssssesssesseesssssseesenses 51 Cabinet Establishes Industrial Policy Board /INFOTAG] ........scscsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssessescssssssessensees 52 Kondratyev Orders Army Staff To Continue Duties /INFOTAG] a EBRD Grants Credit for Danube Oil Terminal /INFOTAG] 52 CENTRAL ASIA Kyrgyzstan CSCE Observers’ Report Criticizes Unfair Elections /Bishkek Radio] 54 Akayev Appoints New Presidential Staff Official /Bishkek Radio] 54 Akayev Views Reform, Democracy, Opposition /SLOVO XYRGYZSTANA 23 Nov] .........::0s000000 54 Turkmenistan Niyazov Discusses Trade Ties With Counterparts [Ashgabat Radio] ..........ssssssssssssssessessessseseseees 55 Interviewed on East Europe Tour /ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA 30 Nov] 56 CAUCASUS Azerbaijan Gasanov Confers With Ambassadors on CSCE Karabakh Talks /Baku TV] 57 Official Says Aliyev Ready for ‘Dialogue’ on Conflict /TURAN] 57 Georgia Gudauta’s ‘Aggressive Separatism’ Protested /Tbilisi Radio] 57 Moves Afoot To Oust Pro-Russian Defense Minister /[KRASNAYA ZVEZDA I Dec] ............00000000 58 Shevardnadze, Niyazov To Discuss Gas Supplies Issue [INTERFAX] .......:.sscsssssssessssesssssssssessserees 58 Shevardnadze Attacks Gas Department During Cabinet Meeting //PRINDA] 59 FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 Baltics Cautious About Military Cooperation With Russia WS3011121994 Tallinn BNS in English 1805 GMT 29 Nov 94 [FBIS Transcribed Text] Tallinn, Nov 29, BNS—In a further sign that the Baltics have adopted an attitude of cautiousness toward possible military cooperation with Russia, the Baltic defense force leaders at a press confer- ence after a meeting in Tallinn mentioned no definite ways how the three nations could work closely with the huge eastern neighbor. The Estonian Commander in Chief, Aleksander Einseln, told reporters on Tuesday there was “no particular military cooperation” going on between the Baltics and Russia at the moment. He said cooperation on military issues could be talked about some time in the future. His Latvian counterpart, Colonel Juris Dalbinsh, said extensive military cooperation between Latvia and Russia was not an issue that could be discussed in the immediate future. “We can solve certain problems together, but not cooperate on large scale,” the Latvian army commander said. Colonel Antanas Jurgaitis, head of the operative plan- ning department of the Lithuanian Armed Forces central staff, was short-spoken, saying Lithuania and Russia were not cooperating in the field of the military. The issue of possible military cooperation between Estonia and Russia came up in April, when Commander in Chief Major General Aleksander Einseln made an official visit to Moscow. The Estonian army chief met several Russian top military and paid a visit to the Kantermirov division stationed near Moscow. Einseln said in April Estonian officers could be trained at Russian military academies. “This would be of advan- tage to our officers, the way that training in other countries is,” he told BNS then. The Estonian commander in chief didn’t rule out that the country could buy weapons and military equipment from Russia. He said Estonia was interested in obtaining tussian-made anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons. “We want to have high-quality weapons at a low price. If we can get them from Russia we will buy weapons from there,” the general told reporters in Moscow. Army Leaders Meet To Discuss Cooperation Issues LD3011123894 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1048 GMT 30 Nov 94 [FBIS Transcribed Text] CIS army leaders are meeting in Moscow Wednesday [30 November] to discuss ways of setting up joint anti-aircraft defense in the framework of the CIS Collective Security Treaty. In addition, they will INTERREGIONAL AFFAIRS 1 also discuss mobilization of an allied CIS force in the event of any possible aggression and other military cooperation issues. Taking part in this scientific-practical conference are defense ministers, top CIS military officials, and repre- sentatives of the Headquarters for Coordination of Mil- itary Cooperation within CIS. As an Interfax correspondent reports, at the start of the session Uzbekistan’s Defense Minister Rustam Akhmedov criticized the low level of representation found in the Russian military delegation at the conference. He noted that although Russia intends to participate in joint CIS anti-aircraft defense, its leadership has been out of contact with CIS army commanders on the issue. Akhmedov also suggested that because of the absence of Russia’s military command, debates on a number of important issues should be cancelled. The Russian delegation at the conference is led by General Yevgeniy Smirnov, Moscow’s envoy at ‘he Headquarters for Coordination of Military Cooperation within CIS. The conference’s sponsors reported to Interfax that ini- tially Russian Deputy Defense Minister Boris Gromov was expected to take part. CIS Coordination Headquarters explain Gromov’s absence by his possible dismissal from the office of deputy defense chief. According to their information, a decree from President Boris Yeltsin could appear within the next few days providing for a 30 percent cut in the armed forces central command. It is assumed that apart from Gromov, two other Deputy Defense Min- isters, Viadimir Toporov and Valeriy Mironov, will also go since their offices will be abolished. The CIS Coordination Headquarters also doubts that Gromov will attend a session of the CIS Defense Minis- ters Council in Moscow Thursday. Defense Ministers To Discuss Peace Operation LD3011211294 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1944 GMT 30 Nov 94 [FBIS Transcribed Text] The Council of the CIS Defense Ministers is to discuss on Thursday [1 December] ways of ensuring the material, technical and financial support for the peacekeeping operations in the zone of the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict. The headquarters for coordinating military cooperation told Interfax that in accordance with the preliminary agreements, Russia will bear 50 percent of the related expenses, Ukraine—14 percent and Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan—5 percent each. Each of the remaining CIS countries will be asked to assume 3 percent of the related expenses. The defense ministers will also discuss the repair of armaments and military equipment at the CIS defense enterprises. The possibility of broadening the powers of the commander of the peacekeeping forces in Tajikistan, and the Council of Defense Ministers’ work for 1995 will also be on the agenda. This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. 2 RUSSIA INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Kozyrev: Russia May Cease Partnership With Expanding NATO LD3011210494 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1944 GMT 30 Nov 94 [FBIS Transcribed Text] Russia may give up the pro- gram of partnership with NATO if that bloc expands, Foreign Minister Andrey Kozyrev said. Answering an Interfax question before he flew to Paris Wednesday [30 November] Kozyrev emphasized that he might forego the presentation of the Russia-NATO part- nership program if the NATO Council adopted “a bloc expansion calendar.” In his words, “hasty expansion of NATO and scheduling this process will create a new situation. This will be an obvious departure from the partnership we agreed on.” Kozyrev expressed the hope, however, that this would not happen. He noted that numerous West European and other countries opposed decisions which could make cooperation and partnership in Europe more difficult.“ He will attend a West European Council’s meeting In Paris. He plans to go on to Brussels Thursday afternoon to submit the Russia- NATO partnership program to the North Atlantic Cooperation Council meeting. On December 2 Kozyrev will attend a meeting of the contact group on Bosnia and Herzegovina and have a tete-a-tete meting with Secretary of State Warren Chris- topher. He said that Russia wanted its partnership with NATO to expand and become more tangible. He said: “We are prepared to suggest numerous events in the framework of the Russia-NATO partnership and of the Partnership for Peace program so that we could know each other better and learn to work and live together.” Afanasyevskiy on NATO Expansion LD3011181394 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1632 GMT 30 Nov 94 [From the “Diplomatic Panorama” feature: by diplo- matic correspondents Aleksandr Korzun, Igor Porshnev, Yevgeniy Terekhov, and others] [FBIS Transcribed Text] Russian Deputy Foreign Min- ister Nikolay Afanasyevskiy told an Interfax correspon- dent that the program for Russia-NATO partnership was practically prepared “though some details b2v< yet to be coordinated.” The Russian foreign minister is expected to introduce the program in Brussels where the North Atlantic Cooperation Council will meet on December 2. Afanasyevskiy made it clear that the Russia-NATO program on partnership could be influenced by decisions of the NATO Council at the level of the foreign minis- ters. He voiced hope that NATO would not approve the “schedule for enlarging NATO on which some pro- Atlantic circles have insisted.” FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 Afanasyevskiy said he believed that enlargement of NATO would be a counterproductive move at the present moment and could seriously complicate work of the CSCE summit in Budapest. Afanasyevskiy said the reforms in NATO declared four years ago were slow. “Even the Russian Armed Forces adapt themselves to the new reality more quickly though with greater difficulties,” he added. Commenting on cooperation between Russia and NATO, Afanasyevskiy said it must be equal. “‘We are in favor of transparency and predictability as far as actions of every party are concerned,” he added. He said neither Russia nor NATO were ready for granting to each other the right to veto their actions. He said it was not the main problem now. “Our partnership must not involve either vetoes or surprises. The Russia- NATO program aims directly at this and at bringing our relations to a quite new level.” Commenting on the coming CSCE summit in Budapest, Afanasyevskiy said it could be “a turning point for the new post-confrontation Europe.” “All the CSCE mem- ber-states realize the necessity for building a unified Europe. Discord concerns only the ways for doing this. In Budapest we will synchronize our watches and decide where Europe should go,” he said. Afanasyevskiy said the direction of movement of Europe would be reflected in the political declaration which the CSCE summit was expected to approve. The declaration is called To New Cooperation in the New Epoch. He also said the CSCE summit was likely to discuss efficiency of the organization. ““The UN recognized the CSCE as a regional organization. However, the CSCE does not yet belong even to this kind of organizations as its decisions are of political-diplomatic character and are not juridically obligatory.” Afanasyevskiy said what was good for the period of bloc confrontation was not normal now when Europe had to face such “new challenges as aggressive nationalism, violation of human rights and rights of ethnic minorities, etc.” He said the CSCE needed new mechanisms. At the same time, he stressed that Russia was not ready for rejecting the principle of consensus for adopting decisions as some Western countries proposed. He said Russia believed that t:.e principle must be preserved until a new basis of the CSCE and new systems of European security were created. Afanasyevskiy said he believed that the CSCE summit would also focus on peacekeeping operations. He said the issue was of great importance for Russia as the majority of conflicts in Europe took place on the ex- USSR territory. He said Russia could not accept the position of those Western countries which would like to place its peace- keeping and mediatory activities under some control. He This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 said control could not be even discussed as nobody besides Russia either sent peacekeepers to the conflict zones or contributed to financing the peacekeeping oper- ations. Afanasyevskiy said the CSCE summit was likely to decide on beginning the first CSCE peacekeeping oper- ation which could take place in Nagcrno-Karabakh. He said Russia did not oppose deployment of multi-national forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. ““We believe, however, that before beginning the operation it is necessary to define what kind of forces these will be, peacekeeping or peace- making ones, and under which sign, the CIS, the CSCE or the UN, they will act,” he added. Afanasyevskiy said Russia paid must attention to this as in case of some complications all reproaches would be addressed to Russia. “Victory has many fathers while defeat is always an orphan,” he repeated. Afanasyevskiy highly appraised of the decision on enlarging the confidence measures exceeding the Hel- sinki zone and extending them to the U.S., Canada and the World Ocean which the CSCE summit would fix. He said it was a great achievement that information would be exchanged on not only troops stationed on national territories but also on troops outside these limits. Commenting on negative moments in performance of the CSCE, Afanasyevskiy said the CSCE bureaucracy sometimes seemed to work for itself. ““There is a certain risk that the CSCE could become a factory producing statements incapable of really influencing the situation,” he warned. Commentary Views Russia’s Relationship With NATO LD3011140794 Moscow Voice of Russia World Service in English 1210 GMT 30 Nov 94 [Commentary by Anatoliy Potapov on Russia’s relation- ship with NATO] {[FBIS Transcribed Text] And now Anatoliy Potapov looks into the relationship between Russia and NATO. And so the program for interaction between Russia and NATO is almost ready. Moscow has empowered its ambassador to Belgium, Vitaliy Churkin, to harmonize with NATO final details in the program. What in general terms does the program of cooperation between Russia and NATO represent? The program consists of two parts. The first part relates to Russia’s proposals on cooperation with NATO within the Partnership for Peace concept. It should be recalled that NATO’s basic document in the above-mentioned partnership refers only vaguely to cooperation, and each state participating in the program is allotted its own concrete proposals. Russia was offered in the main military cooperation with NATO That kind of cooper- ation concerns the holding of joint military exercises, RUSSIA INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 3 exchange of military delegations, and Russian military officers spending a probation period with NATO. In a word, there is a lot of possibilities for military coopera- tion. All the same, in the opinion of Anatoliy Potapov, Rus- sia’s proposal represents the second part [sentence as heard]. It goes beyond the Partnership for Peace pro- gram. It is precisely this wide section that takes into account Russia’s specifics—its size, influence, and authority on the international scene and, perhaps most of all, its nuclear might. Russia’s demand for certain conditions in its partnership with NATO has been neces- sitated by all these Russian-specific features. Wisely, the leadership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has accepted Russia’s demand. The above-mentioned section envisages that selfsame deepening of the dialogue with NATO upon which Russia has insisted. The point is about regular consulta- tion, obligatory mutual information, which amounts to basic equal cooperation. If this happens, no-one can resort to any action touching on the European security without first reconciling with the other side or not informing the other partne: prior to such an act [sen- tence as heard]. Cooperation on such a real issue like the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, settlement of regional problems, and peacemaking or [peace]keeping operations are also spelled out in the second section. Thus these two sections constitute the individual pro- gram of the joint actions between Russia and NATO. If all the details in these sections are successfully reconciled before 2 December, it could be signed on the day of the arrival in Brussels of the Russian foreign minister, Andrey Kozyrev. However, this has not been quite realized. Really next Friday has been literally taken up by a rash of political meetings in Brussels, including those by the Russian minister. However, Anatoliy Potapov thinks that this is not the only problem. Moscow will first of all do a serious analysis of NATO’s decision on a possible expan- sion of the alliance by the admission of East European countries that is expected to be taken by the organiza- tion’s council on 1 December. For NATO’s movement toward the East immediately close to Russia’s borders may, in Moscow’s view and in the opinion of some Western politicians, lead to the creation of new barriers on the European continent and in the final analysis to a new division. of Euro.se. Canada Opposed To Excluding Russia From NATO LD3011195394 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 1918 GMT 30 Nov 94 [By ITAR-TASS diplomatic correspondents Vladimir Rogachev and Andrey Serov] This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. 4 RUSSIA INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS [FBIS Transcribed Text] Moscow November 30 TASS— Canada is opposing the formation of any “demarcation lines” in Europe which would exclude Russia from the integration process, Andre Ouellet, Canadian foreign minister, stated explaining his country’s stand on the enlargement of NATO. He spoke at a news conference here today devoted to the results of his three-day official visit to Russia. On the eve of the session of the NATO Council opening in Brussels on Thursday which is expected to discuss the prospects for admitting East European countries into the North Atlantic Alliance, the head of the Canadian For- eign Office noted that Ottawa stood for the “consolida- tion of democratic reforms” on the continent and the creation of “more stable Europe”’. Andre Ouellet informed that in the course of his meet- ings with Russian President Boris Yeltsin and Foreign Minister Andrey Kozyrev he stated that the Canadian side understood Russia’s position on these problems. He said the Canadian leaders were seeking to secure peace and stability in Europe, in all its parts, and develop good relations between NATO and Russia as effectively and rapidly as possible The top Canadian diplomat pointed out that his country understood and would accept in particular Russia’s desire to establish special relations with NATO. Yeltsin Meets With Canadian Foreign Minister LD3011141794 Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service in Russian 1304 GMT 30 Nov 94 {[FBIS Translated Text] Moscow, 30 Nov (ITAR- TASS)—Russian President Boris Yeltsin met with Cana- dian Foreign Minister Andre Quellet in the Kremlin today. They discussed various issues of bilateral rela- tions and future cooperation within the G-7 framework, the presidential press service reported. Change in U.S.’ Bosnian Stance Noted LD3011174194 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1632 GMT 30 Nov 94 [From the “Diplomatic Panorama” feature] [FBIS Transcribed Text] Moscow has the impression that important shifts toward rapprochement with the stand taken by the European members of the Contaci Group are in evidence in Washington’s attitude to Bosnia, a senior member of Russia’s Foreign Ministry told Interfax’s correspondent on Wednesday [30 November]. According to hii, the latest statements by U.S. admin- istration officials indicate that Washington is beginning to favor politico-diplomatic solutions to the conflict in Bosnia. As the diplomat said, now there is every reason to expect “‘an interesting turn” at the conference to be FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 held by the Contact Group in Brussels on December 2 on the level of foreign ministers. It’s common knowledge that the Contact Group includes the representatives of Russia, the USA, France, Britain, and Germany. According to the high-ranking Foreign Ministry official, to ensure success for the ministerial-level conference it is necessary to “avoid any actions capable of disrupting the process of peaceful settlement in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which is already hanging by a thread.” “We urge our Contract Group partners and the parties involved in the conflict to refrain, at least till the conference ends, from any military methods or belligerent declarations. It seems that such an understanding has been reached among "the five‘, the diplomat noted. Moscow, he said, finds it necessary to “nudge Bosnia’s warring sides toward signing an agreement on ceasing fire for at least six months.” “There can be no 100% guarantee that the conference in Brussels will be productive,” the source conceded. According to him, under the circumstances it’s extremely important that the Bosnian Serbs stop their attempts to capture the Muslim enclave of Bihac, and the Muslims refrain from resuming military actions. “In this case much depends on the behavior of field com- manders. And, as many years of experience in Bosnia have shown, anything can be expected from them,” the diplomat stressed. He preferred to refrain from commenting on the latest initiative of the U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christo- pher, who called for convening an international confer- ence on Bosnia. “So far we have received no official proposals on this score from the Americans through official channels,” he explained. Kozyrev Supports ‘Comprehensive’ Bosnian Cease-Fire Accord LD3011210594 Moscow INTERFAX in English 2012 GMT 30 Nov 94 [FBIS Translated Excerpt] Russian Foreign Minister Andrey Kozyrev has spoken in support of concluding a comprehensive agreement on a ceasefire in Bosnia- Herzegovina under the U.N. auspices. In answer to an Interfax question before his departure for Paris and Brussels Wednesday [30 November], he pointed out that such an agreement must be concluded “for at least four-six months.” According to Kozyrev, “this time should be used to encourage those sides which support peace, in the first place Belgrade, and therefore isolate forces of war and force the Bosnian Serbs to recognize the peace plan of the contact group.” Kozyrev emphasized that the Bosnian Serbs must be guaranteed the right to form a confederation with Yugo- slavia since a similar right for confederation with Croatia is recognized as belonging to the Moslem and Croatian sides. This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 After the Bosnian Serbs agreed to the Contact Group’s map, they must be given a chance to hold talks on an “additional exchange.” “If they (Bosnian sides—IF note) achieve any changes to the map by mutual consent, then, naturally, who knows better than themselves what kind of map suits them best. However, the Contact Group’s plan must be passed beforehand,” he added. Speaking on the future session of the foreign ministers of the Contact Group’s states, Kozyrev said he would like this meeting to become a “breakthrough, above all in the return to the peace settlement plan agreed on in Geneva.” Kozyrev declined to comment on the initiative by U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher to convoke an international conference on the Bosnian settlement. “Unfortunately, I have been insufficiently informed of Warren Christopher’s new initiative. I am looking for- ward to meet *:im to find out the details of this and his other initiati. ss,” he continued. As has already been reported, Kozyrev plans to meet Christopher behind closed doors in Brussels. Kozyrev welcomed the recent positive changes in Wash- ington’s stand as it ““made a stronger accent on political ways to solve the Bosnian issue.” According to Kozyrev, this creates “‘a better basis for involving the U.S. in the positive activities of the December 2 meeting of contact group foreign ministers in Brussels.” Kozyrev Leaves for WEU Parliamentary Session LD3011172894 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 1701 GMT 30 Nov 94 [By ITAR-TASS diplomatic correspondent] [FBIS Transcribed Text] Moscow November 30 TASS— Russian Foreign Minister Andrey Kozyrev left for the French capital on Wednesday [30 November] to address a session of the parliamentary assembly of the West- European Union. Iranian Foreign Minister Denies Iran Assisting Chechnya LD3011173794 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1632 GMT 30 Nov 94 [From the “Diplomatic Panorama” feature: by diplo- matic correspondents Aleksandr Korzun, Igoz Porshnev, Yevgeniy Terekhov, and others] [FBIS Transcribed Text] Iran has never helped Chech- nya, nor will it give it “any assistance”, Iran’s Foreign Minister ’Ali Akbar Velayati has declared in an inter- view with Russian journalists in Tehran. Replying a question from Interfax, he noted that the Chechen problem is “an internal affair of Russia, and the policy of Tehran is based on non-interference in the affairs of other countries.” RUSSIA INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 5 “Even if aid Chechnya, we will do so only through international organizations such as the Red Cross,” Velayati stressed. In a private conversation with an IF correspondent, a senior Iranian government official noted that “it is necessary for Russia to clearly define its policy in Chechnya and act more resolutely in case of necessity. {no closing quotation mark as received] Meanwhile, Russian diplomats in Tehran have noted a step-up in informal contacts Letween representatives of Chechnya and Dagestan (a Caucasus republic within Russia) with Iran. According to them, “representatives of the Caucasus republics often pay political and busi- ness visits” to Iran, “however, the embassy does not know anything about the purpose” of their trips. Possible Foreign Asylum for Chechnya’s Dudayev Rumored MM0112103394 Moscow IZVESTIYA in Russian 1 Dec 94 p2 [Report by Konstantin Eggert under general headline “Chechen Conundrum”: “Muslim States As Yet Not Even Thinking About Having Dzhokhar Dudayev As Their Guest’’] [FBIS Translated Text] Dzhokhar Dudayev is a political refugee! This scenario may seem unlikely, but rumors about the Russian leadership hoping to persuade one of the Muslim states to grant asylum to the Chechen president have surfaced in Moscow. Of course, what they may be referring to are preliminary unofficial contacts insofar as Mr. Dudayev has not yet expressed a desire to quit his post and homeland. If we assume that the Kremlin is counting on a military victory in Chechnya, such an attempt to arrange its leader’s future does not seem unlikely. The most logical refuge for him would be Jordan. The Chechen (or as it is more often called—the Circassian) diaspora is very influential there and is a bulwark of the Hashemite monarchy. Men from families of North Cau- casian origin form the backbone of King Husayn’s per- sonal guard. Apart from this, by offering sanctuary to Dudayev, who is keen to say much about Islam and Islamic solidarity, the Jordanian monarch would be making a gesture to the Muslim fundamentalists who are in opposition to his government—including in parlia- ment. In conversation with your correspondent, however, Jor- danian Embassy First Sccretary Salih al-Jawarnah cate- gerically denied that there had been any contacts with the Russian side in this matter. “This is an internal matter for your country,” he said. For his part, a well- informed diplomat from the Foreign Ministry’s Near East Department also stated: Nothing is known at Smo- lensk Square [Russian Federation Foreign Ministry] about attempts to find a place for Dudayev to emigrate to. This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. 6 RUSSIA INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS In the meantime, it has been announced that the chairman of the Chechen parliament, Yusup Soslam- bekov, will hold a news conference at Moscow’s “Radis- son-Slavyanskaya” Hotel in which Jordanian parliamen- tary deputy Sheikh ’abd-al-Baqi Jammu—a Chechen by nationality—will take part. As regards Turkey—yet another state which is being named as a likely destination for the Chechen presi- dent—it is hardly likely to grant Dudayev asylum. In the past, even such a friend of that country as former leader of Azerbaijan Abulfaz Elchibey, who was deposed by pro-Moscow politicians, did not receive an unequivocal promise from Ankara that it would accept him. It is hardly likely that the Turkish Government, which is bothered about the growth in the influence of Islamic fundamentalists, will wish to see the bellicose Chechen leader in its country. “If Mr. Dudayev seeks asylum from us, we will treat him like an ordinary Russian citizen,” a staffer at the Turkish Embassy in Moscow told IZVESTIYA. That leaves Iran, where interest in what is happening in Chechnya is very great. The local press is noticeably sympathetic toward the Chechen leader. The position of the official authorities, repeated last Monday by Iranian Foreign Minister Velayati at a meeting with a group of Russian journalists, remains the traditional one: The conflict in Chechnya is an internal matter for Russia. Meeting of Russian, Azeri, Armenian Presidents Postponed LD3011140994 Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service in Russian 1345 GMT 30 Nov 94 [By unidentified ITAR-TASS diplomatic correspondent] [FBIS Translated Text] Moscow, 30 N »v—The meeting between the presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia planned for Thursday [1 Decemucr] in Moscow has been postponed at the request of the Azerbaijani side. Grigoriy Karasin, director of the Press and Infor- mation Department of the Russian Federation Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told the ITAR-TASS correspondent today that 1 should be held very soon. The specific dates of the meeting are still to be agreed. The ITAR-TASS correspondent has learned that the main topic of the postponed meeting was to have been new initiatives on a settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh. Meeting of Russian, Lithuanian, Polish Deputies Postponed LD3011122694 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1048 GMT 30 Nov 94 [FBIS Transcribed Text] The meeting of legislators of Russia, Lithuania and Poland planned for November 30, Wednesday, has been put off until a later date, Speaker of the Federation Council (the upper house of Russian parliament) Vladimir Shumeyko told Interfax. He said FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 the decision follows the possibility of calling a special Council session to discuss President Yeltsin’s decree imposing a state of emergency in Chechnya. The three sides were due to meet at the Polish town of Goldap and western Russian exclave of Kaliningrad to discuss cross border trade, customs tariffs and military and civilian railway shipments from Russia to Kalinin- grad. Shumeyko who was elected to the Federal Assembly from Kaliningrad was to lead the Russian delegation. The tripartite meeting will probably be held in January, Council sources believe. Amount of Japanese Industrial Credits Still Be Settled LD3011173394 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 1649 GMT 30 Nov 94 [FBIS Transcribed Text] Tokyo November 30 TASS— On the fourth day of his visit to Japan, Russian First deputy Prime Minister Olez Soskovets took a sightseeing tour around the ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto and met businessmen from the Kansai Province. There were no reasons for him to expect any unpleasant surprises, and yet he was confronted with them. Although Tokyo promised to prepare before Soskovets’s departure a document on increasing Japanese industrial credits to Russia up to 530 min dollars instead of the earlier agreed sum of 400 min dollars, it turned out on Wednesday this promise was unlikely to be kept. The deputy prime minister himself admitted that this issue was yet to be settled. According to him, Moscow does not plan to conclude a 400-min-dollar credit agree- ment. “Perhaps not during this visit, but later we will certainly sign a document on extending to Russia an industrial credit worth 530 min dollars”, Soskovets claimed. On Wednesday, the Japanese firm Mitsui Bussan dis- missed yesterday’s report about a contract allegedly signed with the Russian Lukoil concern, under which the concern was to receive a 700-min-dollar credit. This was to have become the first major joint commercial project between Russian and Japanese private companies, initi- ated during the current visit. According to sources at the Japenese Ministry for Foreign Trade and Industry, Japan attached certain reservations to this credit, above all concerning guarantees from the Russian Govern- ment, which made the contract signing impossible. Now the proposed contract between the Lukoil and Mitsui Bussan companies is to be submitted for consid- eration of a newly-established Russian-Japanese Inter- governmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation. Nevertheless, speaking today at a meeting of the Feder- ation of Kansai Economic Organizations, Soskovets praised Japanese businessmen for being very energetic This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 and pushing. According to him, these qualities could be used to the best advantage in cooperation with Russia, the present scope of which “is obviously not enough, taking into consideration the potential of both sides”. Kansai business leaders attending the meeting used this opportunity to discuss specific spheres of cooperation, in particular the future fate of the Nakhodka Free Eco- nomic Zone and a project for creating a special economic zone in the mouth of the Tumangan River. On Wednesday evening, the Russian vice-premier arrived in the prefecture of Oita on the Kyushu Island, which is the last point of his two-day trip around the country. After visiting Japan’s biggest company manu- facturing photography and video equipment, Kenon, and the Shinnittetsu steel mill based there, Soskovets is to leave for Russia on Thursday. Soskovets Concludes ‘Business Part’ of Visit to Japan MM3011134394 Moscow IZVESTIYA in Russian 30 Nov 94 p 3 [Report by Sergey Agafonov: “Tokyo Sees Off Soskovets on Tour of Country”] {[FBIS Translated Text] Tokyo—The business part of the visit to Japan by a powerful Russian delegation led, as pointed out in the official Russian Cabinet of Ministers apparatus press release, by Oleg Soskovets, who is not only first vice premier but also captain of the govern- ment soccer team, effectively came to an end on Monday [28 November], but formally (following a press confer- ence) on Tuesday. The first half of the visit, which the Moscow team played in the Japanese capital, with its talks, exchanges of opinions, and other official complexities is behind them. Ahead lies the second half of the trip, which will be interesting and promises a wealth of impressions for all members of the large delegation, including the Russian minister of railways, who will spend a whole two hours working on his specialism for the first and last time during the visit—a trip on the Japanese high-speed train from Tokyo to the ancient capital of Kyoto. A change of impression and scene is not only necessary for the commander of the Russian railroads, however, but also for most of Soskovets’ other exhausted comrades on the tour, whose standing, expertise, and experience remained untapped during the official program. But entertainment is not something you write about, it is something you enjoy. Thus, I must return to the last working minutes of the visit, which contain plenty of interest. Let me start by saying that Oleg Nikolayevich found time in his tight work schedule to address Russian citizens working in Japan for 10 minutes. In this time the delegation head managed to attack First Vice Premier Anatoliy Chubays by pointing out that major mistakes have been made in the course of reforms, paziicularly when it comes to privatization, which has experienced RUSSIA INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 7 “tremendous problems”; to tell his compatriots that everything is stable at home, tendencies toward improve- ment have emerged, next year’s budget is tricky and difficulties lie ahead; to slightly criticize the State Duma; to accuse unidentified official structures of apathy in preparing the visit to Japan and to highlight his own role in seeking points of contact with a complex partner like Japan; to reproach the leadership of Far Eastern areas for going to Japan too often and being too ineffective in preparing these talks, transforming them into a round of accommodations, eating, and flights home; to ask the gathering for new approaches because life in Russia also requires greater pragmatism and less shyness in every respect. There were no interested gestions for the speaker since there was no time. At the final press conference in the Japanese Press Club there was time, albeit not plenty of it, and the assembled reporters, on learning from the introductory address that the Russian delegation head is by and large pleased with the visit, got an opportunity to ask pressing questions. They asked for instance how Moscow’s statements regarding its desire for friendship and cooperation should be squared with the firing on Japanese fishermen and how the unstable political situation in Russia will affect bilateral relations. As for the shooting, Soskovets promised to take steps on his return home and, with regard to the domestic situation in Russia, he asked the Japanese not to worry. Slight awkwardness arose in the room on two occasions. When asked whether it had been possible to get Tokyo to increase the amount of credit via the export-import bank to $530 million, Soskovets said “yes,” although this was not in fact possible. When asked about the prospects for concluding an agreement on fishing in South Kuril waters, the delegation head said that this agreement has already been initialed. In actual fact official talks have not yet begun—it has only been agreed that they will be held and it is not known when this document will see the light of day. A member of the official delegation—the chairman of the Russian Fishing Committee—had to correct the first vice premier. The first vice premier’s press secretary desperately tried to get the press conference organizers to ensure that the delegation head was not bothered with questions about the territorial problem. This evidently came as such a surprise that the meeting’s moderator informed all those present about this, in response to which Soskovets prom- ised to reprimand his subordinate. It only remains to point out that, after a long search for favorable epithets, the Japanese mass media finally found a suitable term of appraisal for the reports on the Russian delegation’s visit—‘‘confirmation of the starting point.” It is hard for the gathering to understand the depth of this definition but it boils down to the follow- ing—the main positive result of Soskovets’ coming to Tokyo by special aircraft, from the Japanese viewpoint, is that he did not go back on the Tokyo Declaration that This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. 8 RUSSIA INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Yeltsin signed last year and reaffirmed that all the previous accords remain in force. With this lofty assess- ment the Japanese saw off the delegation to see the sights of Japan on its tour of the country, which will last through 1 December. ‘Satisfied’ With Visit LD0112105694 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 0840 GMT 1 Dec 94 {[FBIS Transcribed Text] Beppu, Oita Prefecture, December 1 TASS—Oleg Soskovets, Russian first deputy premier, told ITAR-TASS on Thursday [1 December] he is satisfied with the results of his visit to Japan continuing today. He spends the last day of his visit in Oita Prefecture in the north-east of Kyushu Island, familiarizing himself with industrial enterprises situated in the area. During a visit to one of the biggest complexes of Shinnittetsu Metallurgical Company, Sos- kovets pointed to the importance of ensuring that pro- duction is not hazardous for the environment. “Ordinary people show interest in cooperation with Russia.” Soskovets said. “Japanese show the readiness for a dialogue on matters where politics are not involved,” he said. Regarding Russia’s foreign economic policy, the first deputy premier noted its main directions envisage the introduction of “a national regime for economic activities of foreign entrepreneurs,” In this connection he declared for the attraction of foreign investment to Russia through the privatisation of enter- prises, the lifting of export quotas on most goods, the reduction of centralised export and curbs on some imports and subsidies. Moscow Reporter Reviews Results OW0112020794 Moscow Voice of Russia World Service in Japanese 1321 GMT 29 Nov 94 [Report by Konstantin Garibov] [FBIS Translated Text] On Tuesday, 29 November, Oleg Soskovets, Russia’s first deputy prime minister, com- pleted the formal schedule for his Japan visit. The following is a report from reporter Konstantin Garibov. A joint communique was issued following First Deputy Prime Minister Soskovets’ completion of formal talks in Tokyo. The main point of the joint communique is a reconfirmation of the two nations’ desire to upgrade Russia-Japan relations to pursue a genuine partnership. The Governments of Russia and Japan reconfirmed their stances to strictly abide by bilateral agreements in the Tokyo Declaration, which was signed during Presi- dent Boris Yeltsin’s Japan visit in October 1993, and other documents. The communique also stressed the need for furth«» promoting political dialogue at ali levels to deepen bilateral relations and to strengthen bilateral cooperation in international affairs. Moreover, the com- munique notes both Russia and Japan want to conclude a bilateral peace treaty as soon as possible. FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 As is commonly known, the peace treaty issue is closely related to the long-pending territorial dispute between Russia and Japan, and the territorial issue became one of major topics during the series of talks. First Deputy Prime Minister Soskovets said in a news conference in Tokyo that the territorial issue is one of the most difficult and complicated proposals offered by Japan, and he called for the Japanese Government’s patience and wisdom in settling the issue. First Deputy Prime Minister Soskovets added that some time would be needed to settle the territorial issue. The territorial issue was not the only topic. Russia and Japan agreed to open negotiations on the development of bilateral cooperation in fishing in the waters off the South Kuril Islands in the near future. According to a translation, the joint communique says the agreement on future negotiations is one of the most significant achieve- ments during the first deputy prime minister’s visit. In addition, the communique highly rated bilateral discus- sions on measures for activating Japanese assistance to Russia with better conditions for trade and investment. Addressing a news conference, First Deputy Prime Min- ister Soskovets disclosed the Japanese Government’s offer of $530 million in loans. Considerable progress was also observed in talks on Japan’s technological assistance for Russia’s efforts to establish a market economy system. In this field, both nations have great expectations for the future role of the inter-governmental trade and business committee. Establishment of the committee was agreed on in a memorandum signed by First Deputy Prime minister Soskovets and Yohei Kono, Japanese deputy prime minister and foreign minister. After the series of formal meetings with Japanese “jov- ernment leaders, First Deputy Prime Minister Soskovets is scheduled to visit several Japanese cities on 30 November and | December. During the two-day trip, he is expected to visit some major companies and factories, and to meet politicians and businessmen. Davydov Notes Value of Mongoiian Trade, Debt Repayments LD3011213094 Moscow INTERFAX in English 2015 GMT 30 Nov 94 [FBIS Transcribed Text] Mongolia is one of the most reliable payers of its debts on credits granted by the former Soviet Union, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Economic Relations Minister Oleg Davydov said. In answer to journalists’ questions after signing a pro- tocol on his ‘vorking meeting with Mongolian Deputy Prime Minister Chojilsuren Purevdorj Wednesday, he said that Mongolia repaid its debt to Russia, estimated at 10 billion of convertible Soviet rubles, in hard currency. “This year, it paid $6 million,” he added. According to Davydov, the debt was not the main issue of bilateral trade and economic relations. “It is more This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 important to find possibilities to develop business coop- eration between the two countries passing through reforms and give it a huge impetus,” he believes. Davydov pointed out that bilateral trade turnover had stabilized at $250-$300 million after certain decline. However, both sides have higher trade capabilities, he added. In the near future, Russia will boost purchases of meat from Mongolia, while Russian and Mongolian engineers will intensify their cooperation in the production of gold and energy along with reconstruction and construction of industries on the Mongolian territory. For his part, Purevdorj said the two sides reached an agreement to hold an official visit of the Mongolian prime minister in February 1995. Further Agreement Signed With Ukraine on Gas Supplies LD3011122394 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1048 GMT 30 Nov 94 [FBIS Transcribed Text] Gazprom, Russia’s joint stock gas company, and its Ukrainian counterpart Ukrgaz- prom signed in Moscow Tuesday [29 November] a supplement to this year’s contract on the delivery of 4 billion cubic meters of Russian gas to Ukraine next month. The need for signing this document stemmed from Gazprom’s fulfillment of its commitments to supply a total of over 52 billion cubic meters of gas to Ukraine in 1994. In line with the addendum, Gazprom will transport fuel to Ukraine on the terms of advance payment, provided the bank, funding Ukrgazprom, will irrevocably guar- antee gas shipment payment. As Gazprom has reported to Petroleum Information Agency, the new document is short of a pledge to repay a $1.7 billion worth debt for the Russian gas delivered to Ukraine in 1993-94. “We are solving this question by other channels”, the source explained and reported that the sides have so far not agreed a contract on gas supply in 1995, even though the draft of an accord was made available to Ukraine a month ago. Meanwhile, having met its obligations to Ukraine, Gaz- prom had to slash its gas shipment first by 40 percent and then by yet another 80 percent. In these conditions, Ukrainian consumers began to siphon gas from the export gas pipe lines, crossing Ukraine into Western and Central Europe. As a result, a number of foreign Russian gas importers did not get more than 25 percent of the gas intended for them Tuesday. On the same day, Gazprom boosted gas export by 37 million cubic meters a day, however, that was not enough to compensate for the gas siphoned by Ukraine. RUSSIA INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS U.S. Warship Development Plans Viewed MM0112114194 Moscow KRASNAYA ZVEZDA in Russian I Dec 94 p 3 [Report by Vladimir Maryukha: “How To Limit Limit- less Possibilities”’] {[FBIS Translated Text] Russian ship builders and seamen recall with nostalgia the rule of the era of stagnation. Because it was then that the USSR Navy developed at a pace comparable only with that before the: war. The wind of change which came after the calra figuratively speaking deflated the navy’s sails and though they seem to be quivering in the wind there is no “pull.” In other words instead of the expected result there is not simply stagnation but the worst possible slump. The last ships are being completed at the shipyards and after them there is nothing. There is not even an approved shipbuilding program for the next 10-15 years just as there is no concept for the development of the navy, which solely determines what ships should be built and how many of them should be built. But the era of global confrontation which would seem to have been consigned to oblivion does not mean the automatic rejection of the development of their own navies in other countries which are not experiencing crisis phenomena like us. That applies primarily to the United States. Having rid themselves of the need for the competitive development of their own navy the Ameri- cans are ready to give a free rein to their own fantasy, as is borne out by the trend in the development of their Navy. The most expensive arms system in the Pentagon mili- tary budget in fiscal 1995 will be the 10th CVN-76 nuclear aircraft carrier costing $4.5 billion. And that is according to the most modest calculations because the similar monster to follow it will cost taxpayers a round $6.1 billion. It is planned that the new aircraft carrier will join the Navy in the year 2003. Actr-ally, the ship is not distinguished by anything particularly new—there are no basic differences from the leading ship Nimitz. And the U.S. Navy has no special need of a new aircraft carrier. The building was planned primarily at the insis- tence of the military-industrial lobby which is thus seeking to preserve the nuclear-powered ship building infrastructure. But .he studies conducted in the United States, a considerable part of whose conclusions were passed on to me during a private meeting by Joshua Hendler, a coordinator for the “Green Peace” organiza- tion, show that even such a wealthy country cannot allow itself to build ships whose advantages are only declared. The point is that a nuclear aircraft carrier, unrestricted in terms of its range, is just as dependent on various forms of backup as a ship with a conventional power plant. The crew and personnel of air wings have to be fed and, just as on a conventional ship, stocks of fuel for aircraft and on-board service craft need to be replen- ished periodically and other material has to be brought in for a surface nuclear-powered ship. Sc upon checking This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination ‘is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. 10 RUSSIA INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS the unrestricted autonomy of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier turns out to involve the need for refueling once every three days. Thus, for instance, on comparing the intervals at which auxiliary ships had to service the nuclear aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt and the John F. Kennedy, an aircraft carrier with a conventional power plant, the following emerged. In the course of 183 days at sea the former received “rations” on 63 occa- sions while the latter took on freight on 78 occasions during 226 days of sailing. In both cases the internal was 2.9 days. On the other hand, in terms of its combat potential the nuclear aircraft carrier is in no way superior to a con- ventional one and in terms of its ability to stand up in combat it is even inferior—if the reactor is damaged it can hardly count on the ship’s radioactive contamina- tion helping io fulfill tasks. IT SHOULD BE NOTED that ideas of abandoning nuclear aircraft carriers are already being mulled over in U.S. military minds. The point is that “in certain cir- cumstances” the functions of nuclear and conventional aircraft carriers can also be carried out by wide-deck amphibious warfare ships carrying VTOL aircraft. Cer- tain circumstances mean the absence of global confron- tation and muscle-flexing in a local conflict with the aid of an aircraft carrier is already an extravagance which U.S. congressmen will hardly allow in the near future even for the most intransigent “hawks.” From this viewpoint their own aircraft-carrying cruisers fit in the best possible way into the overall picture of the weapons needed to maintain peace. And it is for that reason that many countries which cannot yet afford to develop the building of such ships themselves are dis- playing interest in buying them. As we know, even today the U.S. Navy’s combat strength includes modernized battleships which have been in service for over 50 years. Reliable armoring combined with modern weapons favorably distinguishes these ships from their younger brothers without armored pro- tection. Moreover, the heavy cannon artillery (the heavy guns on the battleship Missouri, which took part in the Persian Gulf war are nine 406 mm guns) is sometimes far more effective than the most high-precision missiles. Add to that the advantages of such ships in terms of their resistance to the impact of conventional weapons, their relative cheapness, and their ability to resolve the most diverse tasks. Considering the policy pursued by the United States of protecting state interests throughout the world oceans, the battleship is more suitable than any other ship for fulfilling the function of showing the stars and stripes. That is why an order for the building of a new generation of battleship is already being considered in the portfolio of U.S. Navy long-term projects. In the past the USSR abandoned such work, the ships under construction were sent for scrap and Western intelligence agents were fed “misinformation”—the project allegedly being developed for a battleship whose FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 arms would consist of two towers eacli with three 406 mm guns and two... missile towers. I do not know how this misinformation influenced the course of design thought in the Wes’ but the project developed in the United States repeats many of the fabrications of the phony Russian project. The U.S. battleship of the 21st century acquired “streamlined” forms. Retaining one tower with two heavy guns, they concealed vertically launched missiles in the superstructures and on the decks. They “borrowed” from the submariners the prin- ciple of enclosing autenna and other devices essential in battle in an armored shell. And to judge by ships built in past years the armoring of the battleship could comprise up to 30 percent of the water displacement and then even antiship missiles will not cause it serious damage. And a few more words about one of the determining avenues of shipbuilding in the forthcoming millenium. It is a case of our surface-effect vehicles experimental and series models of which the Americans have studied inside out. With missile weapons and extensive airborne troops accommodation, this aircraft-ship is excellently suited to the U.S. Navy’s fulfillment of rapid response functions. The United States does not intend to invest money in the construction of surface-effect vehicles in Russia but it would be very pleased to acquire the technology. The reader is left to draw his own conclu- sions.... We shall make the following point. Not for confrontation but merely for the greater stability of the newly struc- tured peace the Russian Navy should not lag behind ““what is good in the Wesi.”’ Otherwise the navy wili meet the same fate as the invincible armada destroyed by new tactics by new ships and Russia will see off its shores only the U.S. flag which its partners for the sake of peace and the protection of their own interests will not scorn to show from their sophisticated ships. FCS Confirms Recruitment of Mercenaries OW3011145594 Moscow Ostankino Television First Channel and Orbita Networks in Russian 1935 GMT 29 Nov 94 [Report by Yelena Golubeva over video; from the “Dos- sier” feature of the “Utro” program] {[FBIS Translated Text] According to the Russian Fed- eral Counterintelligence Service [FCS], 120 young Rus- sian men from Ivanovo, Kaluga, Vladimir, Tambov, and Tula oblasts left Ivanovo by Aeroflot plane for Baku last December. The oblast military commissariats offered them contract service in the Russian Army in the terri- tory of one of the CIS countries. [Begin unidentified soldier recording] At the employ- ment service, I saw an announcement about contract service. I went to the military commissariat. They offered me service in the 201st Division. They told us that a Russian, a purely Russian, motorized infantry This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 regiment would be formed and that, supposedly, we would be serving and fighting on behalf of Russia. [end recording] Only after arriving in Baku did the Russian contract servicemen realize that, in reality, they had become mercenaries in the Azerbaijan Army. They were to get 500,000 rubles [R] a month, half of it in hard currency, and R5 million in case of death. By comparison the average [monthly] wage in the Russian provinces that day was R20,000. According to unofficial reports, the recruiters from the military commissariats received $250 per person. [Begin recording] [Mikhaylov] These lads were tasked with the dirtiest functions and jobs, with carrying out sabotage and terrorist activities. [Second unidentified soldier] We were trained by two instructors. They were Azerbaijanis. [They taught us how to carry out] ambushes, raids, how to seize a prisoner [yazyk], and how to conduct sabotage operations and to cross borders. These two lieutenants had gone through special training in a Turkish school where a Canadian system was used. We began receiving missions and were sent directly into the rear of the Armenians where we fulfilled various missions. [Mikhaylov] On patrol, they ran into their own coun- trymen who were on a similar patrol from the opposing side. [Golubeva says a few indistinct words over the video] So they would sit down and have a smoke on neutral ground, have a chat and reminisce a bit, and then go their separate ways. Whether we like it or not, today we have a situation in which Russian lads are shooting at Russian lads in the interests of third countries. [end recording] And often they carry out operations which are criminal, which gives these countries the opportunity to put pres- sure on them. [Begin Mikhaylov recording] Recruiting efforts have also been made by the special services of the corresponding countries in the interests of the countries’ intelligence gathering activities—and in the interests of the intelli- gence service of this country—against Russia. This is a documented fact. [end recording] [Begin recording] [First soldier] We went to the battalion commander for a certificate attesting to the fact that we had been in combat, and when we got there a captain of the Azerbaijani counterintelligence got out of the vehicle with us and offered his help. He offered us work in Russia on the conclusion of our contracts. He would give us transportation, weapons, money—everything, even a hideout. If we agreed, our passports would be confiscated before our departure for Russia—probably to be #ble to RUSSIA INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 11 keep us under control. Now this would mean betrayal of the motherland if we worked for a foreign counterintel- ligence service, «ven that of another CIS country. We did not agree. [Second soldier] A mercenary there is not treated like a human. You have sold yourself for money and that’s that. As far as the romantics are concerned, who think they will be like Rambo, well this promptly disappears; it stops there. There is nothing romantic there, it becomes a matter of survival. I would not advise anybody to go there. There is no sanitation, we could wash about once a month, and medical services are practically nonex- istent. They gave us these bandage kits and that was all. If you were wounded slightly, they would not send you to any kind of hospital. You get bandaged and off you go. If you can hold an automatic, hold it, and if you cannot, you can always do something in the rear. [First soldier] One lad was hit by a mortar. He was blown to bits. Of course he had no medallions or bracelets, he had nothing. Now it would seem that this had happened before everybody’s eyes. Everybody saw who it was and knew his name and where he was from, his address. They knew everything. But when an officer arrived to draw up a certificate of death—he was listed missing in action: Who knows, maybe he had surrendered; what the hell should we pay five million for? And some people think that our boys could lie or make some things up. But we knew these lads. We had become friends, its not like in the movies. They are normal soldiers who just found themselves there. Now, I have an owl living in my garden. On the first night when I returned home—I returned at 0200 hours— the owl began to screech. Well, I did not fall flat on my face, but I did go down on my haunches, because the Armenian scouts would usually imitate a jackal’s cry or an owl. Usually, we would go on reconnaissance at night. I hate this, it is something I have not gotten over yet. [end recording] The military procuracy of a number of garrisons insti- tuted 19 criminal suits on the basis of Russian counter- intelligence materials. Subsequently, these suits were merged into one. As of today the investigation has been discontinued. [Begin Mikhaylov recording] Ali the officials who were involved in the recruitment or helped recruit for the Azerbaijani Army are still at their posts and are still on the payroll. I say officials, because I cannot call them officers. Everything that has happened is a vivid illustra- tion of something Napoleon said: If you stop feeding your own army, you start feeding somebody else’s. [end recording} The Russians were always renowned for brave soldiers. It would be a pity if they degenerate into recruiters and mercenaries. This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. 12 RUSSIA NATIONAL AFFAIRS Political Issues ‘Rumors’ of Paratroopers l.foving Towards Chechnya Denied LD3011182794 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1636 GMT 30 Nov 94 [FBIS Transcribed Text] Vladimir Potapov, North Cau- casian Military District chief of staff, denied rumors of a paratrooper division moving towards Chechnya. He told Interfax on telephone Wednesday [30 November] that there were no concentration of Russian personnel or military hardware in the Northern Cau- casus as of 1800 [1500 GMT].“ He presumed that the local civilians might mistake the interior troops enforcing the emergency rule in the Northern Ossetia and Ingushetia for paratroopers. ~ ac ‘Ready To Do Anything’ To Solve s LD3011164694 Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service in Russian 1559 GMT 30 Nov 94 [By ITAR-TASS correspondent Igor Ivantsov] [FBIS Translated Text] Moscow, 30 Nov—We will do everything possible to ensure that the bloodshed is stopped, Viktor Chernomyrdin, the chairman of the Russian Government, told an ITAR- TASS correspon- dent in reply to his question about the measures the government was likely to take in connection with the aggravation of the situation in Chechnya. Our approach to this issue is stated in the appeal of the Russian president but we must wait a little till the time given for consideration expires, said the head of the Russian Government. He added: Forty-eight hours is an ample time to give the matter a good thought. Cherno- myrdin also said: We have tried to be patient for more than two years and waited for sensible attitudes to prevail, so we can be patient and wait for just a little longer. At the same time, the prime minister expressed the hope that there will be some people even in Chechnya who realize that things of this kind cannot be played with any longer. We will do everything possible, we are ready to do anything to prevent further aggravation of the situation, but things just cannot go on like this, said the chairman of the Russian Government in conclusion. Yeltsin ‘Must Not Shirk’ Solution to Chechen Problem MM0112100594 Moscow KRASNAYA ZVEZDA in Russian I Dec 94 p 1 [Unattributed article: “The Situation in Chechnya Is Russia’s Domestic Problem. And No One But Russia Can Resolve It”] FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 [FBIS Translated Text] By the time this issue of KRAS- NAYA ZVEZDA reaches the readers, the 48-hour dead- line which the Russian president set for the participants in the armed confrontation in the Chechen Republic to adopt responsible decisions and take practical actions to comply with the federal authorities’ demands will have expired. By that time readers will be r another during Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin’s recent Middle East tour. Chechnya: Aide Says Dudayev ‘Confident’ MM0112104594 Moscow TRUD in Russian I Dec 94 pp 1-2 [Reports by Vadim Karpov and Aleksandr Danilkin under the general heading “...In Chechnya They Are Giving Out Weapons”: “Hello, Groznyy!”’] {[FBIS Translated Text] Yesterday we contacted Aslanbek Dadayev, deputy director of the CHECHEN- PRESS state news agency, in Groznyy, by telephone. This is what he said (information as of 1300 hours Moscow time): [Dadayev] A rally in defense of the Republic is con- tinuing in the square. Home guard detachments are being set up in all population centers—in settlements, villages, and mountain hamlets. [Karpov] What weapons are being given out to the population? [Dadayev] Automatic weapons and grenade laurchers. [Karpov] How is the opposition behaving? [Dadayev] At present it has ceased combat operations. The situation in Groznyy? The main staff has reported that 12 MIG-23 aircraft overflew the city and strafed it Tuesday [29 November]. Precisely during Dudayev’s This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 news conference. Did you see it on television? Aircraft also flew last night and dropped illumination flares over Groznyy. All the windows in buildings in the city center have been broken. The streets have nearly been cleared of knocked- out hardware. Women, old people, and children are being evacuated. This is to be completed toward evening. [Karpov] To where are people being evacuated? [Dadayev] To mountain settlements. Farther away from Groznyy. [Karpov] It is being said that pogroms have started in houses and apartments where Russians live. [Dadayev] This is not so. There have been no acts of violence. Russian wotnen, children, and old people are being evacuated along with everybody. The adult Rus- sian-speaking population remains in the city together with Chechens. The stores are functioning. The market too. Prices have gone up but remain acceptable. Enterprises which ensure Groznyy’s vital activity are continuing to function. [Karpov] Where are the Russian prisoners? [Dadayev] In the basements of buildings. Incidentally, an interrogation is being shown on television now.... A pause. A question to one of the prisoners. ““What pun- ishment do you deserve under wartime conditions?” “Death.” “Are you ready for this?” “Yes...” ..1 cannot say when or how the prisoners will be released. I do not know. The agency has just been brought an appeal by the Chechen Republic Council of Elders to soldiers’ mothers and wives of Russian servicemen. It reads: “*...We beg you to recall your sons, brothers, and hus- bands from the carnage in the C-ucasus. Also take away those who have been captured. Wc do not need war—we need peace.” This is what we were told by telephone: Movlen Salamov, aide to the president of the Chechen Republic: “The situation in the republic is everywhere under control, with the exception of a few villages which have been occupied by Russian troops. The opposition has been completely routed, and it only remains to catch its leaders and their personal guard—measures are being taken to do this. “The situation in the city is calm but, according to our data, two Russian air raids are expected. Following the 29 November raid, the next night an attempt was made to land a landing force. Despite the cold, fcggy night, people got up and prevented it. The Chechen Armed RUSSIA NATIONAL AFFAIRS 37 Forces shot down one aircraft and two helicopters, but our air force cannot counter the modern Russian air- craft. “However the situation devclops further, the people of the Chechen Republic are ready to defend autonomy and sovereignty at the cost of their own life. The Russian prisoners are OK. They heve sent a statement to the State Duma, Yeltsin, and the Russian authorities, as well as a kind of appeal to the Russian people. The appeal will evidently be duplicated in the Duma. It has been signed by 14 captured officers and soldiers. “President Dudayev feels all right and confident, and so do we. If another landing force flies in, we will fight.” Movladi Udugov, leader of the foreign broadcast radio information service: “Groznyy is preparing for air raids. The whole popula- tion has taken to the streets. Armed posts have been set up in cities and villages. All opposition groups have suddenly vanished, as though they had never existed, and bandit formations are gathering in the settlement of Znamenskoye—on territory occupied by Russian troops. Practically all women and children have now been taken into the mountains from Groznyy, and only armed men remain. The family of the president himself is in the city, at home. I deem it necessary to remind Russians that official Groznyy has not carried out and has no intention of carrying out any terrorist acts in Moscow.“ Moscow Chiefs Put Government Institutions, Militia on Alert MK0O112110094 Moscow SEGODNYA in Russian I Dec 94 pl [SEGODNYA report under the “Regime” rubric: “Moscow Bracing for Terrorist Acts”] [FBIS Translated Excerpt] [Article includes following boxed passage] Telephoned telegram Quite urgent! In connection with the directive of the Moscow Govern- ment, a 24-hour alert status for chief officials at all government organizations and institutions of Moscow will be introduced from 0000 on 30 November 1994. Please pay particular attention to the security and access and entry regulations at institutions in your jurisdiction. In accordance with the Moscow Government directive, you are requested to advise chiefs of these institutions of this measure. You should be prepared at any time to carry out emer- gency repair and other contingency work. [signed] Yevgeniy Kistanov, chief of the Moscow Civil Defense Staff, 29 November 1994 [end of boxed passage] This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. 38 RUSSIA NATIONAL AFFAIRS At 2000 on 29 November an emergency meeting of chiefs of all key departments and institutions of Moscow was held at the Moscow City Hall; it was chaired by Boris Nikolskiy, first deputy premier of the Moscow govern- ment. The meeting was held behind closed doors. The main item on the agenda was efforts to ensure security in the city in connection with the deterioration of the situation in Chechnya and the possibility of terrorist acts and provocations in Moscow. [passage omitted] Once the meeting at City Hall was over, an urgent secret telegram signed by the chief of staff of Moscow Civil Defense was sent to all operational subunits, and also departments and institutions of the city. All participants in the meeting were warned about the confidential nature of this information. They were recommended to advise interested persons of the Moscow government decision only in private conversations. At 2130, all subunits of the Moscow Internal Affairs Main Administration [GUVD] were put on alert. Those who went home were returned “pending a special direc- tive.” Alert status at the GUVD calls for the enhance- ment of all operational services, a 24-hour readiness of vehicles to move militia reserves around, and reinforced street patrols. Under a separate directive, transport militia subunits will proceed with ensuring security at railway stations, airports, and other installations according to special procedures. All GUVD units on duty, particularly their weapons rooms, will be closely guarded. All the city’s supply systems will be placed under enhanced control. [passage omitted] Igor Nadezhdin, press center chief of the Moscow Health Department, said that he is aware of the Civil Defense staff phoned telegram, but he attributed it to the upcoming cold season. At the same time, he stressed that all operational services have long been working according to special procedures. At the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, they said that all operational and duty services of the ministry have switched to an enhanced mode of operations. But they also emphasized that apart from that, no extra measures have been taken because the Emergency Situ- —- Ministry works in an emergency reaction mode all the same. As a matter of fact, your SEGODNYA correspondent was told at the Moscow Civil Defense Staff, from which FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 the stern telegram actually originated, that they have not heard of such a document and that it in fact could not exist (apparently complying with the regime of strictest secrecy). Approximately the same was said at the Moscow Administration of the Federal Counterintelli- gence Service. [passage omitted] Chernomyrdin Agrees to Nizhniy Novgorod Tax Proposal LD3011212594 Moscow INTERFAX in English 2014 GMT 30 Nov 94 [FBIS Transcribed Text] Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin has agreed to the proposal by Nizhniy Novgorod Governor Boris Nemtsov on the need to introduce a provision entitling the government to con- duct a tax experiment in one of Russia’s regions in the taxation legislation. Chernomyrdin made this statement at a meeting with officials of the Nizhniy Novgorod region administration in Moscow Wednesday. The meeting was devoted to the recent conference on the prospects of economic reforms in Russia in the Kremlin. Chernomyrdin expressed his readiness to introduce rel- evant amendments to a package of draft laws on the perfection of the taxation system submitted for consid- eration by the State Duma. Chernomyrdin also supported the proposal by the Nizhniy Novgorod region administration on the need to simplify the taxation of small-sized business. The admin- istration proposed that individual entrepreneurs should only purchase a patent for commercial activities from the local authorities, while enterprises should pay only the income tax and salaries instead of a variety of taxes which exists now. “Nothing dispirits the Russians today as much as the imperfect taxation system,” Cherno- myrdin pointed out. Chernomyrdin decided to discuss the region’s experience in implementing agrarian reforms at one of the next government meetings calling the stage-by-stage perfec- tion of the taxation system and agrarian reforms the cabinet’s main goals. Chernomyrdin said that a government meeting usually held Thursdays will not be held tomorrow. This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 UKRAINE 39 International Affairs now on the drawing boards. He believes that some of them will be signed even before Yeltsin’s visit to Kiev Requests UN Help To Find, Free Detainees LD3011171694 Kiev UNIAN in Ukrainian 1630 GMT 30 Nov 94 [By UNIAN correspondent Svitlana Artemenko] [FBIS Translated Excerpt] Kiev [no dateline as received}—{passage omitted: seven U. peace- keepers taken prisoner] Volodymyr Handohiy, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine International Organizations Direc- torate, told UNIAN today the ministry so far had no information on the whereabouts of the Ukrainian ser- vicemen, but Ukraine’s permanent mission to the UN was taking the necessary steps, sending a note to UN Secretary General Butrus-Ghali and a letter to the deputy secretary general for matters of peacekeeping operations, requesting personal intervention to release the detainees. Staff at the permanent mission of Ukraine to the United Nations have been instructed to approach the Security Council with a request to examine at its next session the situation that has come about. The respective instruc- tions have also been given to Vadym Prymachenko, Ukraine’s consul-general in Belgrade. Marchuk on ‘More Flexible’ Russia Policies LD3011133694 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 1240 GMT 30 Nov 94 [By ITAR-TASS correspondent Mikhail Melnik] [FBIS Transcribed Text] Kiev November 30 TASS— “Ukrainian- Russian contradictions cause huge eco- nomic damage to Ukraine first and foremost,” it is believed by Ukrainian First Vice-Premier Yevheniy Marchuk, leader of the Ukrainian delegation, which is taking part in the elaboration of a comprehensive treaty on friendship and cooperation between the two countries and in the preparation of several other important agree- ments. “The treaty could have been signed long ago if the Ukrainian side had made compromises,” he told a press conference here today. In his opinion, “Ukraine should pursue a more flexible policy, because Russia is its principal creditor.” Today, Ukraine’s debt tops 4.5 bil- lion U.S. dollars. It grew more than 4-fold this year. Ukraine must “work with Russia on new principles. It should accept the Russian rules of the game, provided they do not cause any harm to the national interests of Ukraine,” Marchuk believes. He said that the friendship treaty was practically ready to be signed. Twenty other agreements, relating to cooperation in the border regions, customs regime, dual taxation, free-trade regime, and fuel for Ukrainian nuclear power plants are Ukraine. “The Russian side is also evincing a desire to promote closer cooperation with Ukraine,” Marchuk stressed. “We must not miss our chance, because Russia can find other partners in many areas. Russia is our vitally important neighbour,” he added. Marchuk referred par- ticularly to the “zero” version agreement with Russia on the external debt of the former USSR. Ukraine stands to lose something from this. “But in losing something, we stand to gain some other things. Our debt of 10 billion USS. dollars will be annulled,” Marchuk said. This is not acompletely settled matter yet, but Marchuk believes the Ukrainian side should agree to this proposal. “If we stick to our ‘heroic stance,’ we shall lose everything. We must look at things realistically. If Ukraine chooses to make no compromises, Russia will no longer need it after three or four years,” Marchuk stressed. Finds ‘Common Ground’ in BSF Division LD3011144394 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 1328 GMT 30 Nov 94 [By ITAR-TASS correspondent Mikhail Melnik] {FBIS Transcribed Text] Kiev November 30 TASS— Yevheniy Marchuk, first vice-premier of Ukraine, who is heading the Ukrainian delegation at the talks with Russia on the division of the Black Sea Fleet, believes that by commenting on the course of the talks in the press the Russian side has violated an agreement on their confidentiality. At today’s news conference he said the “early reports in news media may do damage to the negotiating process.” According to Yevheniy Marchuk, Ukraine has no law on stationing of foreign troops, and this circumstance is “putting the Ukrainian side in a risky position.” On the other hand, there is an agreement saying all that is stationed on Ukrainian territory is the republic’s property. At the same time the Russian side lays down new terms of the division of the Black Sea Fleet. First of all, this concerns the stationing of the Russian part of ships. The first vice-premier of Ukraine informed that the Russian side insisted on Sevastopol to become the chief naval base. In addition, the naval bases in the ports of Kerch and Feodosiya must also belong to Russia. Ukraine cannot agree to this, Yevheny Marchuk pointed out. “I do not think the talks have come to a deadlock. We have found common grounds on many issues. Simply the problem of the division of the Black Sea Fleet must be tackled by politicians but not by the military,” the head of the Ukrainian delegation stressed. This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. 0 UKRAINE Moroz Visits Poland, Discusses Privatization LDO112015294 Kiev UNIAR in Ukrainian 2245 GMT 30 Nov 94 [FBIS Translated Text] Asked about his attitude toward privatization and, in particular, the privatization of land, Ukrainian Supreme Council Chairman Oleksandr Moroz, at the head of a parliamentary delegation of Ukraine, told a meeting with representatives of the Ukrainian community in Poland: “Why does no one ask if the State of Israel, where land is not for sale, or Holland, for example, where land can only be sold or bought exclusively from the state, are democratic? Land cannot be sold. Otherwise, we will live on land that is not ours. “Because of our present situation worldwide with the concentration of production among the greatest, one should act carefully. A huge, 80 percent chunk of our production is not independent, with an almost 100 percent dependence on energy carriers. We have no currency of our own. The dollar exchange rate is in a mess. “I want a state to exist, and I believe Ukraine will feed the world in the future. Economic reform and privatiza- tion, including land privatization, are our problems. We will tackle them in the manner best suitable for Ukraine. I support those communists who wish the state to be strong. As for the economy, it is subject to control all over the world, except that controls differ. “One should now struggle for the state, rather than for power”. Pinzenik on Russian, Turkmeni Gas Transit LDO0112112094 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 1000 GMT I Dec 94 {[FBIS Translated Text] Kiev December 1 TASS— Ukraine is not going to block the transit Russian and Turkmenian gas, delivered to Europe across its territory, First Vice Premier of Ukraine Viktor Pinzenik said at a meeting with Italian, German and Dutch diplomats accredited here. He pointed out that, despite the crisis situation with energy carziers in the republic, Ukraine will meet all its commitments with regard to the gas transit, a spokesman for the press centre of the Ukrai- nian government told BUSINESS-TASS today. Pinzenik brought up this subject in connection with publications in some European newspapers about Ukraine’s alleged intention to block the gas, transported SS ee acilities. National Affairs Kuchma Submits Draft Power Reform Bill LD3011214394 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 2039 GMT 30 Nov 94 [By ITAR-TASS correspondent Mikhail Melnik] FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 {[FBIS Transcribed Text] Kiev November 30 TASS— Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma submitted a draft law “on power” to the parliament on Wednesday, which intends to put a final stop to the Soviet-power epoch in Ukraine. The Council of Regions declared for the draft law and described it as a corner-stone in the block of reforms intended by the president, Presidential Press Secretary Mikhail Doroshchenko said. Heated parliamentary debates are predicted. The parlia- ment will pass the draft law only on condition that it does not contradict the active constitution, Parliament Speaker Oleksandr Moroz said. The draft law does not meet this requirement. It pro- vides for cardinal changes: Under the bill, parliamentary functions will be confined to law-making, whereas the president will be at the head of the executive branch of power as a whole, and form the Cabinet personally. As provided in the draft law, the established power distribution system must be altered. The draft law con- tains several other provisions which curtail parliament’s powers, including its dissolvement. However, the presi- dent is entitled to disband the parliament under the active Constitution, too. Kuchma repeatedly stated that he would not like to resort to extreme measures. According to Kuchma, he has “‘a powerful instrument” - people’s confidence in him. If the parliament rejects the draft law on power, a nation-wide referendum will be held in Ukraine. People’s Deputy Kosiv on ‘Hope,’ ‘New Trend’ WS3011160394 Lvov Television Network in Ukrainian 1710 GMT 26 Nov 94 [Interview with Ukrainian People’s Deputy Mykhaylo Kosiv, member of the Supreme Council Presidium, by People’s Deputy Yaroslav Kendzior, in the Lvov Tele- vision studios in Lvov—live] [FBIS Translated Excerpt] [passage omitted] [Kendzior] The Supreme Council Presidium primarily reflects the views of the left wing of the legislature. Do you believe that the president will overcome the resistance of the leftist majority in parliament and its advocates in the Cabinet of Ministers to implement tangible reform in Ukraine? [Kosiv] All the main principles of lifting Ukraine out of crisis suggested at the Supreme Council by our president, undoubtedly give ground for hope. In general, hope is the kind of substance that dies last. I believe thai there is hope. We have analyzed in great detail, very meticu- lously, the basic principles suggested by the president and we have the impression that he is on the right track. It is no longer possible for the state to control all those areas, which were controlled in the past, and which the This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 left wing of the legislature is urging to control now. It is absolutely evident to everybody that state property in its current form is very exposed to endless acts of embez- zlement. At this point, state property is good for one thing—looting. This is abnormal. We must put an end to that. Property must have an owner. Market reform suggested by the president can boost production and then, we will be able to increase the living standards of our compatriots. Will the parliament stand in the way of this kind of reform? So far, I can see that both the Presidium and the Supreme Council chairman, as well as the left wing of the legislature, are yielding to the president’s resoluteness. A very interesting trend has developed in the Supreme Council. In the past, the Rukh, Statehood, and Reform factions scared the three leftist-centrist groupings repre- sented by the Unity, Interregional Deputies’ Group, and Center factions. We scared them, given that the latter factions primarily comprise non-Ukrainians—either Russians or Russian-speaking deputies. Our national ideas, our national radicalism repelled them. However, they have recently realized that communists, too, are not appropriate partners for them. You remember that due to our agreements they did not block.... [Kendzior, interrupting] That was the first very signifi- cant victory. [Kosiv] People representing our wing used to demand that the Supreme Council be disbanded. The left wing is demanding that now. I attended a session of the Supreme Council Presidium on 25 November, and all! of them— socialists, communists, agrarians—hollered as one that ye Nag Council is unable to function and should be ssolv [Kendzior] This was expressed in the statement released by the Bloc of Leftist Factions, which claims that nation- alists have merged with the new bourgeoisie and given rise to the class of the Ukrainian nationalist bourgeoisie, supported by the president and cabinet. However, I am happy with the new trend—although the next round of by-elections for the Supreme Council did not take place in a majority of constituencies. Yet even those nine deputies who were elected, testify to a certain trend. One ardent member of the Ukrainian Communist Party came to the parliament, three deputies representing the Ukrai- nian Republican Party, and the rest are nonpartisan and will probably join the three centrist factions. The break- through in our society is becoming evident. Besides, the large group of lawmakers which at the beginning of the session helped the left wing elect the Supreme Council leadership—we demand that it be replaced now—gives hope that a noncommunist majority may be formed in the parliament and grant legislative support to our president’s intentions. Incidentally, I spoke with Lvov Oblast Council Chairman Mykola Horyn earlier today. I asked him about his impressions from the U.S. visit; he was a member of the Ukrainian delegation which accom- panied President Kuchma. He said that it was a pleasure UKRAINE 41 to see the behavior of the Ukrainian president. Thus, I believe that the electorate, the Ukrainian people, believe once again that our state will survive and things will get Kuchma Names Syvulskyy To Finance Ministry LDO0112104494 Kiev UNIAR in Ukrainian 2245 GMT 30 Nov 94 [FBIS Translated Text] The president has signed the following decrees: Dmytro Andriyovych Hermanchuk has been relieved from the post of first deputy head of the State Com- mittee for the Coal Industry in connection with his transfer to other work. Pavlo Volodymyrovych Yumashev has been relieved from the post of deputy head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine at his own request. Mykola Ivanovych Syvulskyy has been appointed Ukraine’s first deputy minister of finances. Businessmen, Officials Meet, Discuss Reform WS0112095194 Kiev KHRESHCHATYK in Ukrainian 25 Nov 94 p 4 [Report by Larysa Datsyuk on meeting of representa- tives of small and medium-sized businesses with Ukrai- nian Supreme Council Deputy Chairman Oleh Dyomin; place and date not given: “The Speaker Did Not Come” {[FBIS Translated Text] A meeting with the Supreme Council chairman—planned by representatives of national small and medium- sized businesses—has been held...without Oleksandr Moroz. Participants in the meeting were at first informed that the Supreme Council chairman would arrive later, however, he did not come at all. Supreme Council Deputy Chairman Oleh Dyomin and a few people’s deputies were present at this meeting. The conference was held because representatives of top-level authorities were present. The meeting began with discussion of an appeal to the Supreme Council chairman from representatives of national small and medium- sized businesses and their trade unions. The document contained a short descrip- tion of the socioeconomic situation in Ukraine and supported the presidential reform program. Representatives of small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine offered specific assistance :n implementing this program to the top- level authorities—including the Supreme Council—and put forward a series of demands, the implementation of which could remove the flawed and instable legislation impeding the development of private business. Their primary demands are as follows: A package of laws—a legal basis for the establishment and development of the non-state sector of the econ- omy—should be developed and implemented: legislative norms impeding the development of entrepreneurship This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. 42 UKRAINE should be repealed; the moratorium on conducting privatization should be abolished; appropriate laws regarding th. establishment of non-state insurance com- panies and ;)< .sion funds should be adopted; restrictions on the right of working collectives to use social consump- tion funds should be abolished; and so on. After the text of the appeal was adopted, the business- men—who are looking jointly for a way out of the critical situation in which the national economy has found itself—did not only complain of their current misery, but also put forth their specific proposals, suggested a few ideas, and discussed them. For example, L. Biryukov, general manager of the “Ukrkonsulting” Association, described how the associ- ation chooses partners for mutual cooperation among private small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine. The “Ukrkonsulting” Association, for example, has signed preliminary agreements with representatives of German, Dutch, English, and U.S. companies which are ready to cooperate with Ukrainian businessmen in such economic sectors as the processing and light industry, machine-building, transportation and pipelines, con- struction, and municipal services. The association has established a competitive commis- sion to assess the attractiveness of investment projects and implement them. S. Yufa, chairman of the ““Merkuriy” Consumer Associ- ation, spoke about specific privatization problems, which, in his opinion, are especially important on the eve of conducting the total privatization in Ukraine. Having analyzed the privatization of housing—this process has, virtually, been completed in Ukraine—he deemed it unfair and discriminational. S. Yufa is convinced that— unless principles of conducting privatization are revised—unfairness will be repeated by the state when it privatizes enterprises and land. A. Kozlov and V. Kachkovskyy, who were among the first cooperators in Ukraine, have voiced similar opin- ions: Given the current situation, they would have never launched their businesses. When their businesses were standing on their own feet, they had to pay only a 3-percent tax on profits. Taxes, however, have virtually strangled producers of late. Subsidies to the agonizing economy have let loose the fly-wheel of the economic crisis, generating innumerable parasites and hangers-on who are unable to manage production. “Why cannot a businessman apply for state aid? Why cannot the workers—employed by private business- men—earn more than the workers who are only regis- tered at state-owned enterprises but do not produce anything?” the businessmen asked. ““Where are the enormous credits—granted to Ukraine to support entire economic sectors—which we have not received?” FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 O. Soskin, deputy director of the World Economy Insti- tute, provided answers to these and other numerous questions trying to explain how we allowed for such a life. An excellent speaker and outstanding economist, he showed that the lasting experiment on the people— conducted by communists—which has led the nation to the abyss is the primary reason for all our current disasters. Responding to a question as to what type of society we are building—this question is often asked at various kinds of meetings—the researcher answered: “A society ruled by private property and based on the principles of Christian moral norms. The entire world, which has built such a type of society, can prove my words true.” O. Soskin stressed that we—having chosen the path of market reforms—are going to live as normal people live. The Cabinet of Ministers, however—implementing the president’s program—has begun to implement it from the wrong end. It should not have begun with the liberalization of prices, but rather from the change in the system of taxes, wages, and foreign economic activities. Having freed prices, the cost of labor should have been liberalized as well, it should have been transformed into a commodity. A two-fold increase in the amount of money in circulation over three months—given an overall decrease in commodity production—cannot happen in a society where everything is for sale. The economist is convinced that the people are being preda- torily robbed. The Supreme Council communist majority has charged Yuryy Zvyahilskyy, former member of the Central Committee of the Communist ri of this robbery, thus charging the social system as well. People’s Deputy O. Kuzhel said that, to her regret, the Supreme Council chairman has not heard these opin- ions. “We, as like-minded people, should not convince one another about things that have already been proven through international experience,” she added. Land Reform Edict Open for Legal ‘Blocks’ WS3011152394 Kiev UKRAYINA MOLODA in Ukrainian 18 Nov 94 p 5 (Unattributed report: “Land in Ukraine Will Become a Commodity”} [FBIS Translated Text] The long-awaited presidential edict “On Urgent Measures To Accelerate Land Reform in the Sphere of Agricultural Production” was finally made public on 14 November. In accordance with the provisions of that document, land in Ukraine can be sold and purchased, as well as presented, inherited, exchanged, and mortgaged. The bodies responsible for land distribution are to divide lands transferred for collective ownership into plots (shares) without their physical allotment. This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 The fact that separate shares will not be allotted does not mean that plots cannot become the property of indi- vidual citizens. Each member of a collective farm (coop- erative, enterprise, or association) is to receive a share certificate in which the size of their share will be speci- fied in both conventional cadastre hectares and in terms of their commercial value. They can also be granted their shares for establishing farms (the edict does not allow a change in the planned destination of land plots). The size of plots granted to individuals as private property cannot exceed the norms fixed by Ukraine’s Land Code for Farms. Thus, in accordance with the presidential edict, large latifundios cannot emerge in Ukraine. The document does not properly regulate another issue—whether foreign citizens have the right to become private landowners in Ukraine. Point 4 of the document stipulates that land can be sold to Ukrainian citizens. However, this “insignificant” detail has already thwarted a number of promising joint ventures with foreign companies and citizens. Another problem remains unresolved by the edict despite the president’s resoluteness with regard to land privatization. The document signed by him demands that four enforceable acts be passed by the legislature. Judging by the Supreme Council’s anti- privatization sentiments, it will not be easy to lobby those acts. That is why there is hardly anyone who could positively predict that Leonid Kuchma’s initiative will not be blocked by the lawmakers. Crimean Prime Minister on Visit to U.S. 954F0442A Simferopol KRYMSKAYA GAZETA in Russian 29 Nov 94 p 1 [Oleg Glavatskiy report: “We Went Not To Sell Ukraine, but To Attract Resources To It and To Derive Some Benefit From This”’] [FBIS Translated Text] A.R. Franchuk, prime minister of the Government of Crimea, held a news conference for Secale dientubeaneetemanaaie ot talnieeaianed his impressions of the state visit of a delegation oi Ukraine to the United States that took place from 19 through 23 November. It was a 16-man delegation. Departing for the United States together with Ukrainian President L.D. Kuchma were the ministers of economics, finance, defense, foreign economic relations, and foreign affairs and other officials. The regions were represented by the leaders of Lvov and Dnepropetrovsk Oblasts and also Crimean Prime Min- ister A.R. Franchuk. The visit was conducted according to a very tight schedule. The day’s work began at 0700 and went on until 2245, and this was still not enough. L.D. Kuchma addressed various audiences on 51 occasions, A.R. Fran- chuk, on 12 occasions. Altogether, the prime minister said, 14 documents of vital importance today for Ukraine, Crimea, and other regions were signed as a UKRAINE 43 result of the trip. They included an agreement on coop- eration in the sphere of exploration and use of space for peaceful purposes, a joint statement by the presidents of the United States and Ukraine on cooperation aimed at establishing supremacy of the law and the fight against crime, a joint statement on the development of trade and investments, a financial program, and others. A.R. Franchuk emphasized that pleasant feelings were evoked merely by the fact that the Americans know about Crimea, are interested in many joint programs, and are seeking cooperation. The prime minister observed that the Americans displayed particular interest in regard to our shipbuilding, instrument- making, and motor-vehicle manufacturing. A whole number of orders could be placed at our enterprises even today. The trans-Atlantic participants in the negotiations were attracted also by our agriculture, including ques- tions of seed supply and fruit and vegetable processing and, naturally, our wine-making. Of course, Crimea has its own plans and counterpro- posals in regard to what we need. There are most realistic prospects also in the creation of a new airline—New York-Kiev-Simferopol—and there were interesting dis- cussions of Crimea as a recreation zone, and at some meetings the hosts were shown a video about Crimea. Many proposals on developing resorts and investing money in the construction of hotels, health centers, roads, and communications of the republic, with their development to the world standard, were expressed also. A.R. Franchuk observed that at the meeting between the Ukrainian delegation and U.S. President Bill Clinton, which lasted three hours, he was told of Crimea’s natural advantages, about our people, outstanding specialists, and excellent physicians, and about our affairs, which are in a calamitous state. On the basis of the results of this interview the U.S. President gave the U.S. secretary of commerce and the leaders of the energy and treasury departments specific assignments. It was emphasized repeatedly at various meetings in the discussions con- cerning our agro-technical complex that under the abun- dant natural conditions that Crimea enjoys, a far larger harvest may be obtained, but after the storage and processing of the gifts of the earth and selection work has been organized. Responding to a question concerning the actual amounts promised to Ukraine by the United States, A.R. Fran- chuk cited an overall figure of $900 million. But he emphasized the need for a serious acceleration of the reform of the economy. Of the planned investments, it is contemplated spending only 40 percent in the state structures. The Crimean prime minister observed that although the Americans are very interested in our republic, knowl- edgeability is, nonetheless, lacking i in many respects. It got to be amusing at times—questions about the capital of Crimea. So A.R. Franchuk’s personal contacts with This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. “4 UKRAINE the U.S. Treasury and the leaders of the depart- ments of industry [as published] and energy and a whole of businessmen will undoubtedly be beneficial. me, garbage chuk observed that it is essential to continue the contacts that have been made for literally the cream of the crop has been assembled in America—in trade and in man- agement and in science. “To my amazement,” the prime minister emphasized, “the Black Sea Fleet issue did not come up at a single meeting. The Americans have an abiding faith in pe in Kuchma, that the state will necessarily achieve stability.” During the flight to the United States A.R. Franchuk had a great deal of contact with the Ukrainian president, and it was ascertained from the conversations that Leonid Danilovych has a fine attitude toward Crimea, which he bolstered with a specific suggestion: “Organize in Crimea a test range of the good things that you observe in the United States.” L.D. Kuchma also has a positive view of the develop- ment of Crimea’s contacts with other regions of the CIS, with Russian regions in particular. A Crimean delegation trip to Russia is being prepared, as A.R. Franchuk explained, for December, on the subject of which the prime minister of Crimea has had a number of inter- esting talks with representatives from the entourage of the Russian president. to the results of the trip to the United States, A.R. Franchuk described projects of the greatest interest for Crimea, concerning, specifically, alternative energy sources. The Crimean prime minister emphasized that the visit to the United States could hardly be called a trip for credit: “Money may be given once or twice, but we have signed an enormous package of documents and laid a splendid the high level and concrete businesslike frame of mind of the delegation coupled with the concerned attitude of the United States toward Ukraine that served as the reason for the organization of a reception of a level that the present U.S. Administration had accorded only the leaders of three states: South Africa, China, and Russia. And now Ukraine. Although,“ A.R. Franchuk observed with a smile, “two or three state delegations a day, just about, arrive in the United States. Clinton, however, devoted a whole day to the delegation of Ukraine!“ The Ukrainian delegation’s visit was covered in detail by American newspapers and television. But the visitors derived much of significance from contact with the Americans also. Prime Minister A.R. Franchuk empha- sized particularly that those that believe that Kuchma FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 and Franchuk went to sell Ukraine are fundamentally wrong: “We went not to sell but to establish cooperation, attract resources, and derive some benefit from this. We have lost, squandered, and fumbled a great deal, but our people have—no less than the Americans—everything. But we need to cooperate!” Crimean President Espresses ‘Gratitude’ to Duma 954F0448A Simferopol KRYMSKIYE IZVESTIYA in Russian 29 Nov 94 p 1 [Letter from Crimean President Yu. Meshkov to the chairman of the Russian State Duma] {[FBIS Translated Text] Mr. Rybkin, chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, On behalf of the people of Crimea, I express profound gratitude to you, the faction leaders, and the entire State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federa- tion for the unanimous statement adopted in connection with the Ukrainian Supreme Council decree concerning the development of relations between the Crimean and Ukrainian supreme councils. Your statement confirms once again that Russia is not indifferent to the fate of the Republic of Crimea and its compatriots, and all attempts to deprive the people of Crimea of statehood contrary to their wishes strike a painful chord in the hearts of Russians. Crimeans under- stand that all disagreements should be settled in civi- lized, peaceful, and contractual fashion. We are grateful for your understanding that the negoti- ations between Russia and Ukraine should be conducted with the participation of a delegation of the Republic of Crimea. I, as president, for my part, and, I am sure, the Supreme Council of Crimea, relying on your assistance and sup- port, will do everything within our power to find posi- tive, constructive compromises. With profound respect, [Signed] Yu. Meshkov, Crimean president, City of Sim- feropol General Lopata Stresses Army’s Prcblems LD3011163694 Kiev UNIAN in Ukrainian 1325 GMT 30 Nov 94 [By UNIAN correspondent Volodymyr Ivakhnenko] [FBIS Translated Text] Kiev—“The Armed Forces of Ukraine are battle worthy but the state of the Army is critical. If the state does not invest the relevant funds into the Army for their upkeep then it will be forced to use the reserves that are kept in the event of war,” said Colonel General Anatoliy Lopata, the chief of the Ukrai- nian Armed Forces’ general staff, in an exclusive inter- view to UNIAN on 30 November. This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 In his words, the priority for Ukraine’s Defense Ministry is to determine the Army’s requirements in terms of technical maintenance, manufacturing weapons, and the maintain the aviation’s battle worthiness, which, because of economic difficulties, particularly with fuel, has been deprived of the opportunity to conduct planned flights. As a result of this, first class pilots are losing their qualifications. In the chief of the general staff's view, Ukraine’s imper- fect legislation has led to a situation where: conscripts find it easy to avoid army service, which rsults in “the poorest stratum of the population™ jo:aing the Army, which also negatively affects battle worthiness. Miners End Strike, Official Promises ‘Statute’ MM0112105994 Moscow RABOCHAYA TRIBUNA in Russian 3C Nov 94 p 1 [Report by Georgiy Dorofeyev: “Unlimited Wages”] [FBIS Translated Text] Donetsk—It so happened that new Ukrainian Coal Minister V. Poltavets arrived in UKRAINE 45 Donetsk on the day when the strike began in the Don- bass. He had a conference with general directors of production associations, directors of coal enterprises, and miners. The minister stated that he intends “in no circumstances to allow a fall in production in 1995-96.” In order to solve this problem he is planning to carry out an audit of all mining stocks in the near future. According to Pol- tavets’ estimates, 47 of the sector’s mines can no longer be rescued by any amount of capital investment. Poltavets expressed the opinion that the Ukrainian Supreme Council must adopt a Ukrainian Mining Statute “as quickly as possible.” A delegation of representatives of mining collectives returned from Kiev following talks with the government and reported back on the trip’s results. They decided to call off the strike, because restrictions on setting con- sumption fund norms for underground workers have been lifted. This means that miners at working and preliminary faces will be receiving as much as they can earn. This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. Ab WESTERN REGION Belarus Lukashenka Adopts Parliamentary Election Law LD3011193994 Moscow INTERFAX ir English 1754 GMT 30 Nov 94 [From the “Presidential Bulletin” feature: Compiled by Nikolay Zherebtsov and Andrey Pokrovskiy, edited by Vladimir Shishlin] [FBIS Transcribed Text] Parliamentary elections will be held in Belarus on the basis of the majority system suiting President Lukashenka. In accordance with the law adopted on Tuesday, parliamentary elections will be held in one-mandate electoral districts on the basis of general, equal and direct suffrage and secret ballot. Lukashenka had warned earlier that he would not approve the alternative draft providing for holding par- liamentary elections on the basis of the proportional- majority system and party lists. Thus, the election oppor- tunities of the Belarusian political parties, most of which oppose the president and his course, have been consid- erably limited. IF Note: Lukashenka told Minsk resi- dents recently that none of the current leaders of political parties and movements wanted to help him. “All of the Belarusian political leaders oppose the president,” he said. “The national- radicals of the Belarusian People’s Front travel all over the country, setting the population against the president,” said Lukashenka. The same destabilizing course has been adopted by the commu- nists and representatives of the forces defeated during the presidential elections. The parliament-approved law gives the right to nomi- nate candidates to the supreme bodies of political parties and public movements, worker groups, the staff of specialized secondary and higher educational establish- ments, conferences of electors in the places of residence, and army units. Election blocs shall nominate candi- dates, belonging to the political parties which are mem- bers of the blocs. The spending related to the preparation and holding of parliamentary elections shall be borne by the state within the limits approved by parliament. The number of electoral districts have been reduced from 310 to 260. Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission Aleksandr Abramovich told Interfax that as the powers of the current parliament would expire on March 4, 1995, the deputies should hurry to fix the date of parliamentary elections. Such a date was not fixed on Tuesday. Poll Shows Lukashenka Support, Financial Status LD3011211594 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1944 GMT 30 Nov 94 {[FBIS Transcribed Text] Belarussian President Alyak- sandr Lukashenka, who won presidential elections this FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 summer, enjoys electors’ support, according to an opinion poll conducted by the analytical center of the Interfax Belarussian unit. If presidential elections were held now, a total of 20.2 percent of those asked this question on the streets of Minsk would cast their ballots in favor of the current head of state. According to the poll, a total of 14.1 percent of respon- dents would vote for the former parliamentary speaker, Stanislav Shushkevich, 10.8 percent for the leader of the opposition Popular Front, Zenon Poznyak, 8.7 percent for the former prime minister, Vyacheslav Kebich, 4.3 percent for the chairman of the Popular Accord Party, Gennadiy Karpenko, and 1.4 percent for the secretary of the Communist Party, Vasiliy Novikov. Estimating their economic position, 13.4 percent of those asked said they often have to borrow money, 29.6 percent said their salaries hardly lasted until the next pay day, but they do not borrow money, 37.9 percent said they had to economize on cloths, while they had enough money to buy food. A total of 16.7 percent of respon- dents said they had enough money for both food and cloths but found hard to buy furniture and other things, while 1.4 percent said they had “enough money for everything, including furniture, but they could not buy a car.” A total of 1.1 mercent said they could afford themselves to buy a car, summer cottage or bungalow. Chyhir, Zaveryukha on ‘Flexible’ Trade Policy LD3011211894 Moscow INTERFAX in English 2015 GMT 30 Nov 94 {[FBIS Transcribed Text] The Russian Government intends to create a federal customs council in order to carry out a more flexible customs policy, especially towards the CIS countries, Russian Vice Premier Alex- ander Zaveryukha said during his meeting with Belarus- sian Premier Mikhail Chyhir in Minsk today. Zaveryukha said the CIS needed further integration. He also said he believed that the customs tariffs must be regulated, especially in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Chyhir said that Belarus was in favor of as close coop- eration as possible. He said that “we could not survive without each other.” He said Belarus had a large poten- tial in cattle-breeding but the majority of the industry’s capacities were not used now. He said Belarus could produce more meat and export it to Russia but this would require importing Russian feed. He said he regretted the present situation both in Belarus and in Russia when, in particular, Russia was importing up to 70 percent of food products thus supporting foreign farmers and leaving its own agricultural pro- ducers frustrated. Zaveryukha arrived in Minsk today in order to partici- pate in the meeting of the CIS Inter-Governmental Council on Agricultural Complex. This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-94-231 1 December 1994 The council will discuss the agricultural policy and the implementation on the economic reforms in the agricul- tural complexes of the CIS countries on December 1. The council will also discuss cooperation for fighting with pests and vegetation and animal diseases. BZV Official on Russian Intelligence ‘Control’ WS3011135394 Minsk SVABODA in Belarusian 29 Nov-5 Dec 94 p 1 [Report by A.K.: “Moscow Does Not Like BZV Activi- ties”—first paragraph published in boldface] {FBIS Translated Text] As Mikola Statkevich, leader of the Belarusian Association of Servicemen [BZV], told a SVABODA correspondent, Military Counterintelligence of the Belarusian KGB is actively working against the BZV. Mikola Statkevich said that although this came as no surprise to him, he recently spoke with a “counterintel- ligence staffer,” who told him that “although Belarusian counterintelligence officers do not want to work against the BZV, the Russian intelligence, which controls us, is working against you.” As the BZV learned, people of non-Belarusian origin occupy 80 percent of key offices in the military counter- intelligence services. Kokaraw on Company Share Sales To Repay Debts WS3011135894 Minsk SVABODA in Belarusian 29 Nov-5 Dec 94 p 5 [Report by SIM: “Shares for Moscow”’] [FBIS Translated Text] By 1 December Belarus should present to Russia a list of enterprises whose shares will be used to repay our debts. This was reported by Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister V. Kokaraw at a news conference. According to him, the government has already presented the Russian side with a list of companies, in which Russia could have shares, but the proposal has not satistied the Russians. By 1 December the government is suppused to prepare a new bid, inclucing property that