EurasiaNet Organization
Aug 23 2005
ECONOMIC QUESTIONS SURROUND RUSSIAN BASE WITHDRAWAL IN GEORGIA
Theresa Freese 8/22/05
As Russia completes the first stage of its base withdrawal from
Georgia, residents of Ajara are concerned about the economic
implications of the departure of Russian troops.
The parameters for Russia’s withdrawal from its last two remaining
military bases in Georgia were set by a joint declaration singed in
late May. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. While
eager to see the Russian military leave, Georgian President Mikhail
Saakashvili has acknowledged that the withdrawal could exacerbate
“social issues.”
Government officials recognize that Russia’s withdrawal will have a
broad economic impact on the two regions – Ajara and the southern,
primarily ethnic Armenian region of Samtskhe-Javakheti — where the
bases are located. New roads, social welfare support and military
food procurement contracts for local farmers have been promised for
Akhalkalaki, site of the Russian 62nd base in Samtskhe-Javakheti,
which is slated to close in 2007. Detailed plans for Batumi, however,
have not been announced. The Russian withdrawal from its 12th base
there is scheduled for completion in 2008.
Kakha Shavadze, minister of finance and economy for the autonomous
republic of Ajara, said there are “no concrete plans” for replacing
the 12th Russian base in Batumi, aside from turning the nearby Gonio
military training ground – one of three main military facilities in the
region – into a resort after the Russians leave. Asked to comment on
re-employment plans for civilian personnel at the Batumi base, Ajaran
First Deputy Minister for Health, Labor and Social Welfare Nugzar
Surmanidze indicated that planning was still in the early stages.
“Let [Russia] withdraw the bases and we’ll solve the problems with
help from our friends,” Surmanidze said, adding that he did not know
the number of Georgians employed at the base. Surmanidze’s response
suggested that assistance provided by the United States and the
European Union would comprise a vital part of any social-welfare
strategy.
Unanswered questions surround the work prospects for Georgians
employed as military personnel at the Batumi base. As part of their
service, these individuals also hold Russian citizenship. (The
Georgian constitution does not recognize dual citizenship). In a May
31 speech, Saakashvili announced that Georgian citizens employed as
military personnel at Russian bases would be eligible to transfer
into the Georgian armed services.
Saakashvili’s broad offer applies to only those `who are residents of
Georgia and who are citizens of Georgia’ otherwise, he offers
`guarantees of other employment or social benefits.’
Meanwhile, Russia is actively promoting a job replacement policy for
ethnic Georgian servicemen at the bases, and a visa assistance scheme
for their families. “In principle, they have all been offered to
continue [their] service in the Russian military outside of Georgia,”
Col. Vladimir Kuparadze, deputy commander of Russian troops in the
South Caucasus, said. “We have had discussions with soldiers and
sergeants on contract service, and the vast majority has agreed to
go.”
Kuparadze said it was “difficult to say” just how many servicemen
might permanently transfer into the Russian army, but added that a
large number of people want to take [Russian] citizenship. By his
estimates, some 850 ethnic Georgian “civilians and military
personnel” are located at the 12th base in Batumi. Figures are
similar for Akhalkalaki, he stated.
To facilitate that transfer, Kuparadze stated, the Russian embassy in
Tbilisi is considering simplifying procedures for family members of
Georgian service personnel who hold Russian citizenship to obtain
Russian passports. Yevgeni Ivanov, spokesperson for the embassy, said
that Russian law only allows the consulate to issue visas and
residency permits to these individuals.
Discussing a severance package for civilian personnel, Col. Kuparadze
said `Russian citizens’ will all receive a two-month salary,
approximately 400 lari ($222), as compensation as well as an
apartment in Russia and a pension upon reaching retirement age.
Representatives of the Georgian Defense Ministry, which is
responsible for the implementation of re-training and employment
programs, declined to comment for this article. A spokesperson for
Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that statements about re-employment
schemes could be made only after the government finalized plans
covering the future of the vacated Russian facilities.
Some officials appear reluctant to try to accommodate the base
workers. Giorgi Charkviani – an Ajaran representative of the office
of the Georgian ombudsman and public defender, who led rallies in
fall 2004 calling for Russia’s withdrawal from the Batumi base –
suggested that no formal re-employment program for Georgians working
at the 12th base exists because they have a “pro-Russia psychology,”
and because Russia already “offers them positions, pensions,
accommodation, and high salaries.”
Civilian base employees are readying themselves for a stiff drop in
pay. Monthly salaries for civilians at the 12th base average about
200 laris ($110.60), according to one construction worker at a
facility in Khelvachauri, about 10 kilometers from Batumi. By
comparison, salaries in Ajara average about 130 laris, or $65, per
month, according to the State Department for Statistics of Georgia.
“People from all over Ajara work at the [facilities],” said the
worker. “Our main concern is that we are able to take care of our
families.”
Fifteen percent of Ajara’s population of 400,000 is unemployed, said
Shavadze, the Ajaran finance official, who adds that 59 percent of
the region’s residents live under the poverty line. Those figures,
however, are several percentage points lower than 2004 numbers, a
fact attributed by Shavadze to new construction jobs and an improving
regional economy. Local leaders seem to be aware that the base
withdrawal could add to the existing unemployment problem. “We are
facing serious social problems,” Shavadze said.
Shavadze and other regional officials hope a strategy to develop
tourism in Ajara could alleviate the economic damage done by the
Russian troops’ departure. “Our main economic direction is
privatization, and our concentration is on tourism – to sell hotels and
tourist centers,” said Shavadze.
The Gonio training ground, which includes a firing range and
approximately 40 hectares of seaside property, will be turned into a
“resort town like Las Vegas,” according to Ajaran Minister of Tourism
Temur Zoidze. President Saakashvili himself has traveled frequently
to Ajara this summer to promote the region as a tourist destination.
Some 35,000 tourists, mostly Georgian, are estimated to have visited
Ajara so far in 2005. Roughly 11,000 visited in 2004, Zoidze said.
The numbers for May and June 2005 alone mark a three-fold increase
over the same period in 2004, he claimed.
Some base workers are skeptical that tourism will enable them to make
up for lost revenue following the withdrawal. “You can’t find jobs,
everyone employs their own relatives,” complained one kiosk-owner in
Khelvachauri.
“Tourists won’t reach us,” added the construction worker from
Khelvachauri.
Editor’s Note: Theresa Freese, a graduate of The Johns Hopkins
University School of Advanced International Studies, is a freelance
journalist and political analyst who has been conducting research on
unresolved conflicts in the South Caucasus since 2003. Timothy
Blauvelt provided translation assistance for this article.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PROSECUTOR GENERAL’S OFFICE DEPARTMENT COMBATING CORRUPTION
INVESTIGATED 6 CRIMINAL CASES WITHIN SIX MONTH OF ITS ACTIVITY
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YEREVAN, AUGUST 23. ARMINFO. The Department for struggle against
corruption of the Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office investigated 6
criminal cases within 6 months of its activity. Head of the department
Mihran Minasyan made this statement at a press conference organized by
the “Hakastver” (Anti-shadow) NGO.
The department was established in April 2004. At present 8 prosecutors
operate at the department. The department’s activity is coordinated
directly by the Prosecutor General. The department also considers the
complaints of the citizens which number already 100 related to
corruption in all the spheres, especially the judicial
system. Agreeing that the number of complaints is less than the real
cases of corruption, Minasayan at the same time stated that the
employees of the department have no right to lodge criminal cases, as
it requires at least complaints. At the same time, Minasyan said that
he is not informed of the numerous publications in the press related
displays of corruption.
His statements often contradicted to each other: at first he stated
that a department of 8 people cannot answer all the questions
interesting, at the same time adding that there are enough employees
at the department. He also refrained from an answer to the question
related the percentage of the efficiency factor of its department.
In his turn, attending the press conference Head of OSCE Office in
Yerevan Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin pointed out the importance of
cooperation of the Prosecutor’s Office and the press as a
representative of the people’s interests. He pointed out the
continuing cooperation with the Prosecutor’s Office adding that an
anti-corruption textbook will be published under this cooperation, as
well as events for Armenian specialists are organized.

SON OF ARMENIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER ALMOST RUN OVER PEDESTRIAN
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YEREVAN, AUGUST 23. ARMINFO. Son of Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ara
Oskanyan has almost run over a pedestrian.
According to “Haykakan jamanak” Yerevan newspaper, the accident
occurred on the night of August 22, at the crossroad of Amiryan and
Mashtots streets in Yerevan. The victim Karen Gyurjyan (1980) with
fractures and bodily harms were taken to the reanimation department of
St. Gregory the Illuminator Medical Centre. According to the
information, Minister’s son committed the accident on Audi A-6
automobile belonging to Armenia’s Foreign Ministry. An action was
brought before the court on this fact, Yerevan State motor licensing
and inspection department conducts investigations.
In his turn, they confirmed in Armenia’s Police press-service the fact
of the traffic accident, however, they noted that the investigation
should clear up the details of the occurrence, including the
circumstance on what automobile the accident has been committed.
To remind, this accident is not the first which Ara Oskanyan
committed. Last year, on “Mercedes” (also belonging to Armenia’s
Foreign Ministry) at the way from Parakar village to Yerevan he
crashed to the traffic-post getting bodily harms and damaging state
property.

Kazinform, Kazakhstan
Aug 23 2005
OSCE to focus on air defense
MOSCOW. August 22. KAZINFORM. /Arnur Rakhymbekov/ The third stage of
joint exercises `Military Commonwealth – 2005′ organized within
format of CIS Integrated air defense system are taking place August
22-31 at Ashuluk test site, Astrakhan oblast.
The main activities of the military exercises will be carried out by
Air precautions forces and facilities of CSTO member states.
Air Force and Air Defense troops and facilities of Armenia,
Byelorussia, the Russian Federation and Tajikistan will take direct
part in the final and the most active phase.
Deputy CSTO Secretary General Valeriy Semerikov reminded that the
system of Air Defense of some CSTO member states like Armenia,
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has been in fact generated by the efforts
of the Defense Mnistries and Air defense Coordination Committee under
CIS Defense Ministers Council.
CSTO states pay a great attention to the problem of antiaircraft
defense. Principle of integration of the forces and facilities of
CSTO Air Defense into the common system of CIS Air Defense and their
further development and perfection on the basis of coordinated
military and technical policy are accepted as the ground for joint
activity.
Adoption of the decision on CSTO further development and perfection
of Air defense taken at the session this July by the CSTO leadership
was the most significant step in that direction.
Centralized control over CSTO Air Defense troops, forces and
facilities is also envisaged, Mr Semerikov noted .

ON THIS DAY
1979: Kurdish revolt grows in Iran
Kurds in Iran have ousted government troops from a large area near
the Iraqi border.
However, they have full control of only one town, Mahabad, the centre
of Iranian Kurdistan in the north-west of the country.
The revolt began last week when Kurdish tribesmen overpowered Iranian
soldiers in the nearby town of Paveh.
The fighting later spread to the towns of Divan Darreh, Saqqez and
Mahabad which was briefly the capital of an independent Kurdish
republic from 1946-7.
Iran’s four million Kurds have been disappointed the ousting of the
Shah and the setting up of an Islamic state has not brought them more
autonomy.
Hiding
Many of the 15 million Kurds inhabiting the mountainous area where
Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria and the Soviet republic of Armenia meet
want it to be declared an independent state.
But Turkey and Iraq in particular have always resisted giving up
sovereignty over their portions of Kurdistan.
Earlier this year Kurdish leaders met Iran’s spiritual leader,
Ayatollah Khomeini, who warned them against trying to break away from
Iran.
Many Kurdish leaders have now gone into hiding after Ayatollah
Khomeini ordered their arrest.
In spite of the current fighting, Iran’s Kurds say they do not want
to sever the territory from the rest of the country.
“If we cut ourselves off we would have only the mountains and the
goats. We would die from hunger,” said one Kurdish leader.
Iranian newspaper reports have put the number killed so far at about
600.
Traditionally, Iran’s Kurds have been less strident in their demands
for independence and have rarely resorted to violence.
They have more in common with the majority population who are
Persians than Kurds in Turkey and Iraq have with the majority Arabs
there.

Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates
Aug 23 2005
Chess battle hots up
By A Correspondent
ABU DHABI – Grandmasters Aleksej Aleksandrov of Belarus, Anastasian
Ashot of Armenia and Alexander Goloshchapov of Ukraine shared the
lead with 5.5 points in the Masters section at the end of the seventh
round of Abu Dhabi Chess Festival here at the Khalidia Palace Hotel
on Monday night.
Shahriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan, Uzbek Saidali Iuldachev, Alexei
Fedorov of Belarus, Russians Mikhail Kobalia and Vladmir Potkin –
with 5 points apiece – were in the second spot.
Hussain Khouri, manager of the Chess Festival said: ‘The event is an
eye opener for the talented juniors of UAE. We have invited
youngsters to play in the Masters section to provide them with
international exposure.’
Dmitry Bocharov lost to Aleksandrov in an unusual variation of the
nimzo Indian defence. Bochorov’s choice of a dubious variation led to
a catastrophe as Alexandrov dominated the proceedings by creating a
powerful outpost on d3.
Bochorov lost castling rights and was unable to combine his pieces.
Alexandrov initiated the winning sequence with an exchange sacrifice
and clinched the game. The chief arbiter Zuhair Ahmad said: `The
tournament is heading to a close finish and technical scores as per
Fide regulations will be used in case of a tie.’
Ulvi Bajarani of Azerbaijan and Dhruv Hingorani of India share the
lead with 5.5 points each at the end of the sixth and penultimate
round in children’s section. Azad Bakhsh Farshid and Khalaji Hanyeh
of Iran are in the second place with 5 points.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Radio Free Europe, Czech Rep
Aug 23 2005
Kocharian in `Informal’ Talks With Georgian Leader
President Robert Kocharian was meeting with his visiting Georgian
counterpart Mikhail Saakashvili in a popular Armenian resort on
Monday for talks few details of which were made public.
Sources in the Armenian presidential administration told RFE/RL that
Saakashvili arrived in Yerevan by plane on Sunday and joined
Kocharian at his summer retreat on the shore of Lake Sevan. They said
Saakashvili was later joined by his Defense Minister Irakli
Okruashvili who arrived from Tbilisi by car.
The sources said Kocharian’s office did not release any statements
because of the `informal’ character of the talks.
The previous meeting of the two leaders took place at a Georgian ski
resort last April. They discussed at the time tensions in Georgia’s
Armenian-populated Javakheti region which followed Tbilisi’s demands
for the closure of a Russian military base stationed there. According
to a Russian news agency, the situation in Javakheti was high on the
agenda of the Sevan talks as well.
The Armenian and Georgian prime minister paid a joint visit to the
impoverished and restive region late last month, promising joint
efforts to alleviate its socioeconomic problems. The Georgian
premier, Zurab Noghaideli, announced that his government will use
additional U.S. assistance that will be provided to Georgia to
rebuild the local roads and other infrastructure.
Speaking to a group of Armenian journalists last week, Saakashvili
called for the establishment of closer economic times between the two
neighboring countries. `Developing without each other would not be
rational, natural or right,’ he said.

CSTO antiaircraft manoeuvres held in Astrakhan region

Kazakhstan today
The third phase of the joint exercise “Military Commonwealth-2005”
held as a part of the CIS Common Antiaircraft System commenced
yesterday, August 22, at Ashuluk testing ground, Astrakhan region,
Russia, CSTO secretariat has advised KZ-today.
Aircraft and antiaircraft forces of Armenia, Belarus, Russia, and
Tajikistan will participate in the most active concluding phase.
The CSTO secretariat reminded that the CSTO Antiaircraft System had
been created by the presidents of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan in 2004 who had adopted “General
lines of CTSO military construction until 2010 and in further
perspective.” The joint activities are based on the integration of
CSTO antiaircraft forces in the CIS Common Antiaircraft System with
further improvement on the basis of common military and technical
policies.
“The most important step in this direction was a decision on further
improvement of the antiaircraft forces adopted by the CSTO heads of
state in June, 2005,” – Valery Semerikov, CSTO deputy secretary
general said. In accordance with this document the CSTO carries out
antiaircraft defence on the territory of collective security by joint
usage of troops, forces, and means in the airspace of regions per
common plans. Also centralised command of troops, forces, and means
of the CSTO antiaircraft forces is provided.

New Iraq constitution must protect Christians
ALDA BENJAMEN
The fate of millions of Iraqis hangs in the balance as politicians
appear poised to introduce a new constitution for the country.
This constitution represents freedom for the Iraqi people from more
than 30 years of oppression and injustice under the Ba’ath Party and
marks the birth of a new society based on equality.
The constitution is not merely words on paper. Rather, its
application is what will truly define it and will make Iraq a free
and democratic country, a rarity in the Middle East.
Its success will be measured not in the amount of time it takes to
finish, not in the number of votes it receives, and not in the
successful party who adopts its principles, but in its application.
It is when the human rights of an individual, regardless of religion
or ethnic background, are protected by this constitution that we can
declare it successful and democratic.
It is when an Assyrian (also known as Chaldean or Syriac) woman
living in her homeland in northern Iraq is free to wear a Christian
cross around her neck and knows that she has just as much right to
life as the Shiite woman who wears the Islamic veil.
For it is the Assyrians, the indigenous Christian people of Iraq, who
most need this constitution to be successful.
It is they who have been butchered, not only under Saddam Hussein’s
rule, but also by the Ottoman Empire of Turkey and the Kurds for
generations, simply because of their separate religious and ethnic
identity.
It is they who, to this day, are singled out and treated as less than
human; when their churches are destroyed, their women forced to wear
the Islamic veil, their villages uprooted and their businesses
targeted by extremists.
Amnesty International has noted many of these injustices, which also
include assassinations of political leaders and the slaying of nuns
and priests. This constitution will not only be necessary to secure
the basic human rights of the Assyrians but is essential for their
survival in the country.
As the indigenous people of Iraq, we have suffered from the forced
Arabization drives of Saddam’s regime. Further back in time, our
people were killed alongside the Armenians and Greeks during the
1915-1918 genocide by the Turkish and Kurdish forces of the Ottoman
Empire, the first recorded genocide of the 20th century.
Close to 750,000 Assyrians, or two-thirds of our population at that
time, were slaughtered in what is internationally recognized as the
Armenian genocide.
Yet again, more than 3,000 villagers were massacred in 1933 in
Simile, north of Iraq by the Iraqi army. Attacks targeting our people
are still being carried out today.
Between August and October of 2004, more than nine churches were
bombed in two separate incidents. Many parishioners were killed and
others injured during these terrorist attacks.
Because of these attacks and constant threats, rapes and abductions,
more than 40,000 Assyrian Christians have fled Iraq for Syria.
It is now obvious why this is such a crucial time for the Assyrians
of Iraq.
Will the constitution acknowledge people who suffered under the
former Iraqi regime, other than the Kurds and Shiites? Will it
guarantee seats for our people in the National Assembly and give us
appropriate representation?
Will it ensure that we no longer remain a voiceless community that
has been forcibly kept as an under-represented part of the Iraqi
population?
Given the magnitude of the brutality against Assyrians, it is crucial
that our rights to practise our religion and teach our Syriac
language be guaranteed. It is also necessary that the Assyrians
secure an administrative region in Iraq as stated in the Transitional
Administrative Law, Article 53(D). This law guarantees the
administrative, cultural and political rights of our people and other
minority groups in Iraq.
Assyrians now stand at the crossroads. We do not want history to
repeat itself. We need to remind ourselves that although it is the
majority that rules in a democracy the voices of the minority cannot
be ignored.
Alda Benjamen is a member of the Assyrian Chaldean Syriac Student
Union of Canada.

Foreign Minister Leaves for Moscow
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has left for Moscow to attend a
meeting of the CIS foreign ministers due on Tuesday.
Mammadyarov will meet with his Armenian counterpart Vardan Oskanian
in the Russian capital on Wednesday.
During the meeting to be attended by the co-chairs of the mediating
OSCE Minsk Group, the two ministers will exchange views on the
unresolved issues and preparations for the August 26 meeting of Azeri
and Armenian presidents Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian in Kazan,
Russia on the sidelines of the CIS summit.