From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Mon Sep 10 2001 - 10:56:49 EDT
CASPIAN NEWS AGENCY
CNA/www.caspian.ru
/05:39 10.09.2001/ Georgian delegation to participate in international forum on
Great Silk Road program
Tbilisii, September 10, 2001. (CNA). Georgian delegation headed by the minister of
transport and communications Merab Adeishvili will participate in the international
forum on defining new priorities of Great Silk Road program development planned to
be opened on September 26 in capital city of Uzbekistan.
As Prime-News was told in the ministry of transport and communications of Georgia,
Georgian delegation is preparing its offers on TRACECA project for the forum.
Representatives of over 20 countries of Europe, Asia, and South Caucasus which
signed this document will participate the forum.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=1094
/05:36 10.09.2001/ Iran condemns assassination of Tajik Culture Minister
Tehran, September 10, 2001. (CNA). Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi
condemned the assassination of Tajikistan's Culture Minister Abdurakhim Rakhimov,
IRNA reports. Asefi said the `inhuman' move during celebrations, marking the 10th
anniversary of Tajikistan's independence, is aimed at harming the fragile peace in
the republic. He expressed regret over the event on behalf of the Iranian nation
and government and voiced sympathy with Tajik government and nation over the
`bitter' event.
Asefi said assassination as a `disgraceful' phenomenon which should be condemned.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is confident that such `blind' measures will not leave
a mere effect on determination of Tajikistan to establish durable security and
peace, said Asefi, adding that self-restraint and measures of Tajik statesmen will
overcome the unfavorable moves.
Rakhimov was shot dead by unknown assailants early on Saturday in what the
government described as `a terrorist act designed to destabilize the country'. In
the latest political killing to hit the impoverished former Soviet Central Asian
state, Rakhimov, 49, was gunned down as he was leaving his house in the capital
Dushanbe, police said. The minister was hit by five bullets and died shortly after.
Police described his killer as a man of around 25, armed with a pistol fitted with
a silencer. An accomplice was waiting for him in a getaway car. Rakhimov was
appointed culture minister in January, after having managed for three years the
culture department of the Tajik presidency. He was one of the organizers of the
10th anniversary of Tajikistan's independence planned for September 9.
The killing bore certain similarities to the assassination in April of a
Tajikistan security minister, First Deputy Interior Minister Khabib Sanginov, which
the country's authorities also called `a terrorist act'.
Sanginov was shot dead, along with his driver and two bodyguards, moments after
leaving his apartment on his way to work. Sanginov, 50, was a key opposition figure
allied with Islamic rebels during the country's civil war before entering the Tajik
government two years ago.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=1093
/05:32 10.09.2001/ First activation of BLACKSEAFOR begins in Turkey
Ankara, September 10, 2001. (CNA). The first activation of the Black Sea
Cooperation Office Group (BLACKSEAFOR) commanded by Junior Rear Adm. Nusret Guneri,
established by Turkey's initiative and with the participation of other Black Sea
countries, will occur following a ceremony on September 27 in Golcuk, Turkish Daily
News reports.
BLACKSEAFOR aims to provide peace and stability in the Black Sea, to increase
regional cooperation activities and to improve relations in the region. BLACKSEAFOR
was established with an agreement signed by Turkey, Georgia, Bulgaria, Russia,
Ukraine, Romania on April 2 in Istanbul.
The BLACKSEAFOR activation will be performed in the navy base in Golcuk with the
participation of war ships of the participant countries and a press conference will
be arranged in the ship "Fatih." Ships assigned to BLACKSEAFOR will be wished a
safe journey on Sept. 28. From Sept. 27 to Oct. 16 several training activities will
be performed. Also the Varna Seaport in Bulgaria, the Kostence Seaport in Rumania,
the Odessa Seaport in Ukraine, the Novorossiysk Seaport in Russia and the Poti
Seaport in Georgia will be visited.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=1092
/05:29 10.09.2001/ First census after independence to be held in Georgia next year
Tbilisi, September 10, 2001. (CNA). First census after Georgia became independent
will be held next year.
In the high mountainous regions of the country this process will take place from 19
to 26 September of this year. Other regions of the country will be covered from
January 17 to 24, 2002, the journalists were told in the national department of
statistics of Georgia.
Decision on starting census earlier in the mountainous regions was made because of
the hardships with access during the winter due to severe weather conditions.
As a famous expert Toma Gugushvili told Prime-News, by his data over a million
people left Georgia recently because of economic problems. Last census in Georgia
was held in 1989, when population of the country was 5,5 million people.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=1091
/05:25 10.09.2001/ Persian Gulf islands integral parts of Iranian territory,
Iranian official said
Tehran, September 10, 2001. (CNA). Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi in
response to declarations of the 80th session of Persian Gulf Cooperation Council
(PGCC) Foreign Ministers strongly rejected on Sunday the statements on the three
Iranian islands of Abu Mussa, and the Greater and Lesser Tombs. He repeated that
the three islands are an integal part of the Iranian territory, IRNA.
Asefi, however, welcomed the steps taken to strengthen relations between Iran and
the members of PGCC, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
He said the PGCC should, in line with Iran's foreign policy principles--which calls
for stability and security of Persian Gulf--avoid doing things such as was done in
the past with consequential problems to the peoples and governments of the region.
He said that resolving the present misunderstanding regarding the 1971-Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) between Iran and UAE would be possible only by direct
negotiations between the two countries.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=1090
/05:21 10.09.2001/ Shewardnadze and ex-President of Turkey participate in opening
ceremeny of highway and tunnel construction between Batumi and Kobuleti
Tbilisi, September 10, 2001. (CNA). Georgian president Edward Shevardnadze,
ex-president of Turkey Suleyman Demirel and state minister of this country
toghether with number of guests from Tbilisi and Ankara attended an official
opening ceremony in Ajaria of Batumi-Kobuleti highway and new tunnel construction.
Speaking on the ceremony, head of Supreme Council of Adjarian autonomous republic
Aslan Abashidze mentioned that finishing this construction with participation of
Turkish partners will become an important step in the economic revival of Georgia.
In his speech president Shevardnadze thanked Turkish government for help showed to
Georgia. According to him, realization of this project will strengthen positions of
Georgia as an important crossing on the Great Silk road which today is on the way
of revival.
By calculations of Adjaria Turkish company Tushtash will finish construction of the
tunnel and highway within 18 months, Prime News reports.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=1089
/05:15 10.09.2001/ Tajik president for expansion of economic ties with Iran
Dushanbe, September 10, 2001. (CNA). Tajik President Imomali Rakhmonov Saturday
voiced his country's readiness to expand economic ties with Iran.
Rakhmonov, who was speaking on the 10 anniversary of Tajikistan's independence,
said that his country favors expansion of relations withthe countries of the
region, Iran in particular.
He said that volume and pace of relations between Iran and Tajikistan have been
confined for long years to the cultural field.
He added that economic relations with Iran is a priority for Tajikistan and this is
the main stance of the republic.
Rakhmonov had also last week told the inaugural ceremony of Tajikistan house of
representatives that he was dissatisfied with sluggish economic relations between
Iran and Tajikistan.
He said economic cooperation between the two countries had reachedalmost zero.
http://www.caspian.ru/cgi/eng/article.cgi?id=1088
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