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Date:         Fri, 4 Sep 1992 09:33:03 -0500
From:         "VALENTINE M. SMITH" <CDELL@UMKCVAX1.BITNET>
Subject:      Russia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Germany, China and ..., (#767)
Comments: To: val-l@ucf1vm.BITNET, jwales@iubvm.BITNET, olsenj@stolaf.edu,
              shlyakhter@huhepl.harvard.edu, kousen@rayleigh.res.utc.com,
              christic@igc.org, blank@physics.ucla.edu,
              76701.103@compuserve.com

Please forgive my delay in continuing the series, a raging sinus
infection and adverse reactions to medications has made me somewhat
of a mess in the past two days. But, I AM resolved to keep going, and
I hope you'll bear with my seemingly seasonal battles with illness.

Russia-

UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Gahli is to arrive in Moscow for
four days of talks with President Yeltsin.

RFE/RL reported this morning that the 13-16 September Yeltsin visit
to Japan may be cancelled by a "total lack of security" for the
visiting Russians. This may be a ruse, as there is some differences
over the Kuriles that are still in contention.

RFE/RL also reported today that the Russian deficit is now at 1
trillion rubles, and may double by year's end.

Georgia-

A truce is to begin 5 September in Abkhazia, according to an
announcement released by Yeltsin of Russia, Shevardnadze of Georgia,
and Ardzinba, the rebel leader of Abkhazia. 150 people have been
killed in the fighting of the past three weeks. As part of the
settlment, Georgia has agreed to withdraw most of their troops from
the Abkhazia area.

Azerbaijan-

A new truce in the fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh is supposed to go
into effect 15 September, with a new round of CSCE-sponsored talks
supposed to begin 7 September. President Elchibey of Azerbaijan again
rejected the idea of "autonomy" or "independence" for the Karabakh
region.

Ukraine-

This nation officially became a member of the IMF yesterday.

Tajikistan-

Yesterday, "rebels" wrre reported by NPR to be in control of the
Presidential palace, and claimed that they had overthrown President
R. Nabiev, who RFE/RL reported this morning is claiming he's still
the President. NPR reported this morning that the "CIS" may send in
troops to "restore" Nabiev. RFE/RL reported this morning that the
Presidents of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan and Russia "warned"
Tajikistan that troops could be sent, as the disturbances in the
country are "a danger to the CIS." The Supreme Soviet of the nation
is to meet today.

Bosnia-

Relief flights to Sarajevo were "suspended indefinitely" after an
Italian plane went down yesterday 20-35 miles west of Sarajevo,
according to various reports yesterday. This morning, NPR reported
that the four crewman were killed, and that increasing evidence was
being discoverd that the plane, carrying 9 tons of relief supplies,
had been shot down, reportedly by a missile. US helicopters trying to
find the crashed plane were reportedly fired upon by "small arms
fire." In over 1000 relief flights, this is the first mishap
occurring to a relief plane.

Sarajevo was reported last night to be the quietest it had been "in
several weeks," CNN reported last night. This is allegedly because of
the UN supervision of "heavy guns" of the Serbs by the UN. US
diplomat Merritt Goulding arrived yesterday in Bosnia to "supervise"
the heavy weapons situation.

Talks about Bosnia, and several related issues, began yesterday in
Geneva, co-chaired by Britain's Lord Owen and US envoy Cyrus Vance.
Vance said "it is time to end the Balkan horror."

Supposedly, a 10 truck relief column is to go to Goradze today or
tomorrow, where conflicting reports say that either the Serbs "lifted
the siege of the city," or that the Bosnians re-captured the city.

Croatia-

Yesterday, NPR reported that the Croatian government is absolutely
refusing to take any more Bosnian refugees. They reportedly already
have 600,000 refugees. THey are also being criticized by the UN and
others for sending Bosnian young men back into Bosnia to "serve in
the armed forces," reportedly a violation of the UN charter. They say
it costs $2 million a day to deal with the refugees they already
have.

Bulgaria-

NPR reported this morning that a Bulgarian court had found former
leader Todor Zhivkov guilty of embezzling or otherwise misusing
funds, and of "abuse of power." Zhivkov allegedly disposed of $24
million worth of goods to "friends and relatives." The 80 year old
former leader was sentenced to seven years in jail. His attorneys
plan to appeal.

RFE/RL reported this morning that Bulgarian Premier R. Dimitrov
denies that "a coup" is in the offing here, and states that rumors to
that effect are "in error."

Germany-

In Ketzin, a town east of Berlin, right wing toughs burned down a
hostel, forcing 44 Bulgarian and Romanian refugees to flee,
apparently uninjured. The attack was reportedly the worst in the
country in two weeks.

Slovakia-

A new constitution was signed yesterday, though some provisions may
not go into effect prior to 1 January, 1993.

China-

The Chinese government summoned the US Ambassador to Beijing
yesterday, and protested "bitterly," NPR reported, about the US
reversal of policy on selling weaponry to Taiwan, specifically the
150 F-16's that are to be sold in the near future. China threatened
to cease interacting with UN disarmament talks, and claimed the plane
sale "would be a major retrogression in Sino-US relations." They also
threatened to withdraw from other UN behaviors.

"Organization of Non-Aligned Nations"-

In a meeting of this body, held I'm not sure where, President
Rafsanjani of Iran two days ago called for a suspension of the veto
for the 5 "permanent members" of the UN Security Council.


It is obvious that a chunk of the old "Iron Curtain" is in great
turmoil. Whether "peace" can be restored throughout the region before
the winter comes is dubious, and there may be much more in the way of
disruptive struggles in the area before the cold comes. It is painful
to see so much violence, so much confusion, so little in the way of
solutions. One has to wonder whether 1993 will be worse or better -
it does not look good as fall begins in this part of the world. VMS
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU