From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Mon Jun 24 2002 - 15:41:00 EDT
CASPIAN NEWS AGENCY
CNA all-inclusive newsline
/18:36 24.06.2002/ Georgia unable to deal with terrorism without Russia, Russian
president said
Tbilisi, June 24, 2002. (CNA). Georgian government can solve problems in Pankisi
gorge, where terrorist groups are hiding only with cooperation with Russia, Russian
media sources report quoting Vladimer Putin, President of Russia.
"Nobody, neither US special units, nor well-trained Georgian anti-terrorist units
will not be able to settle situation in Pankisi without direct and active
involvement of the Russian secret service and special units," Putin said at the
news briefing in Moscow on June 24.
Russia constantly offers Georgia to carry out joint operation in troubled Pankisi
gorge against the terrorist and Chechen fighters harboring there. Georgia is
against. Putin said that Georgia has fears towards Russia in this respect.
Georgian State Security Minister admitted in May that up to 700 Chechen and 100
Arab fighters are harboring in Georgia's Pankisi gorge, Civil Georgia reports.
______
/16:23 24.06.2002/ Armenian President to discuss Nagorno Karabakh conflict with
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
Yerevan, June 24, 2002. (CNA). The Armenian President Robert Kocharian will have a
meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs on Nagorno Karabakh within the
framework of his visit to Estonia June 27-28. CNA correspondent reports from
Armenia that the spokesman of the Armenian president informed about it at today's
briefing. He however refrained from from highlighting any details that would be
discussed at the meeting. it is expected that the situation in the Karabakh
peaceful settlement after the recent statements of the Azeri president regarding
the "Paris principles" for the conflict settlement will be discussed during the
meeting.
______
/16:02 24.06.2002/ Washington's support of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline is
hostiliy act against Armenia, US congressman considers
Yerevan, June 24, 2002. (CNA). Washington's support of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
pipeline project is an act of hostility against Armenia, the US Congressman Brad
Sherman said. As reported by the Armenian Assembly of America, Sherman noted that
under the conditions present in the South Caucasus region it would have been more
preferable to lay the oil pipeline through Russian territory. And the best way out
would be laying the oil pipeline also through the territory of Armenia, the
Congressman added. As AAA chairman John Jamian noted, the main problem of the South
Caucasus is in regional stability, and excluding Armenia from the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project could only aggravate the situation in the region,
Panarmenian.net reports.
______
/14:11 24.06.2002/ BSEC Summit started in Istanbul
Tbilisi, June 24, 2002. (CNA). Representatives of 11 countries (Albania,
Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Russian
Federation, Ukraine, Turkey) are taking part in the summit of the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation (BSEC) Georgian President Shevardnadze arrives in Istanbul on
June 24 to participate in the summit of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).
The perspectives of development of cooperation among the countries of the Black Sea
region will be discussed at the summit.
The BSEC was formed in 1992 to integrate the Black Sea area to the world economy,
to enhance cooperation among its members.
______
/14:01 24.06.2002/ Azerbaijan wants to amend its election procedure
Baku, June 24, 2002. (CNA). The Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev has signed a
decree on conducting referendum on amending provisions of the constitution
regarding the procedure of presidential and parliamentary elections. The referendum
is to be held on August 24, 2002.
Under the acting Constitution a candidate for presidency must obtain at least two
thirds of votes. If a proposed amendment is approved in the referendum, a candidate
will be considered elected president if obtains 50% plus one vote.
As for the parliamentary elections, under the news proposals they will be held
based on majority principle.
______
/13:39 24.06.2002/ Uzbekistan to develop relations with IMF, President Karimov said
Tashkent, June 24, 2002. (CNA). Uzbek President Islam Karimov has met with head of
the IMF mission in Uzbekistan Jules Erik de Vrier to discuss broader cooperation.
At the meeting, Karimov said, "We have an opportunity to discuss the development of
cooperation between Uzbekistan and the IMF," the presidential press service told
Interfax.
A monitoring program has been drafted under the cooperation memorandum signed late
last year. Uzbekistan has done everything that was planned for the period until
July 1, the press service said.
Jules Erik de Vrier said the IMF was satisfied with the work done in Uzbekistan,
the press service noted.
The president and the mission head also discussed larger assistance by the IMF to
promote foreign investments in Uzbekistan.
The IMF mission arrived in Uzbekistan on June 14. It will stay until June 26 to
analyze the monetary, credit, tax, budget and tariff policy of Uzbekistan in
2001-2002, bank and currency reform, the balance of payments, state foreign debt,
and agriculture.
______
/13:25 24.06.2002/ USD 2 billion will be invested to in construction of
Russian-China oil pipeline
Moscow, June 24, 2002. (CNA). Two billion dollars will be invested in the
construction of the Russia-China oil pipeline. This decision was taken in Samara at
a joint session of the committee for the project's feasibility study. Nikolai
Stepanchenko, the head of the press service of the Samaraneftegaz company, a member
of the YUKOS oil holding, said in a RIA Novosti interview. According to Nikolai
Stepanchenko, the project will be financed by the companies participating in this
project - YUKOS, Transneft and the Chinese oil and gas company.
The construction of the oil pipeline between Russia and China will start in 2003
and will be completed in 2005.
In 2005-2009, 20 million tons of oil will be annually pumped from the deposits in
the Republic of Sakha, Western and Eastern Siberia. According to the agreement
between the sides, the YUKOS company will deliver half of this amount. Even if
other Russian companies refuse to take part in the project, YUKOS, according to
Nikolai Stepanchenko, will be able to ensure in full this amount of oil.
In 2010, it is envisaged to double the oil deliveries under this project.
______
/13:21 24.06.2002/ International conference of OSCE to be held in Kazakhstan
Alma-Ata, June 24, 2002. (CNA). The International Conference "Islam and National
Security of the New Independent Central Asian States" of the Organisation for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will be held in Alma Ata on June 24-25.
Members of governemnts and parliamentarians of the Central Asian states as well as
international organisations and non-governmental organisations will take part in
discussions of "the Islamic factor" in the social and political life of the Central
Asian countries. The participants will also discuss OSCE reports.
It is expected that the Alma Ata OSCE conference will also be attended by
representatives of the Kazakh Institute for Strategic Studies, which functions
under the patronage of the President of Kazakhstan, and also by a delegation of the
European Commission in Kazakhstan.
______
/12:56 24.06.2002/ Armenian President started official visit to Baltic states today
Yerevan, June 24, 2002. (CNA). Today, the Armenian president Robert Kocharian has
left for the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia for an official visits.
The Armenian president will be visiting Baltic states from June 24 to June 28.
The Armenian delegation is led by the President Kocharian and also includes trade
and economic development, education and science ministers, a parliament deputy and
Armenia's ambassador to these three countries.
The president Kocharian will visit first Lithuania, where he will meet his
counterpart Valdas Adamkus. Armenian and Lithuanian defence ministers will signed
agreement on military cooperation. June 25 Kocharian will visit Seimas, Lithuanian
parliament, to meet with its leaders. He will also meet with members of the
Armenian community, the biggest in the Baltic states with 2,000 members. The
Armenian delegation will also visit the town of Palanga.
In Riga Kocharian will meet with president Vajra Vike-Freiberga. In the second half
of the day Kocharian will meet with parliament leaders.
In Estonia Kocharian will meet with president Arnold Ruitel and will sign an
agreement on trade and economic cooperation. In Tallinn Kocharian will also meet
with prime minister and parliament chairman. Kocharian will visit there the
Armenian church. The Armenian delegation will be back June 28.
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