| Airbornelawyer |
11-08-2005 11:26 |
From the RFE/RL Newsline:
Russia & Eastern Europe- PUTIN CALLS FOR END TO KALININGRAD'S ISOLATION FROM MAINLAND RUSSIA
President Vladimir Putin has called for an end to travel restrictions between mainland Russia and Kaliningrad exclave, RIA-Novosti reported on 7 November. "We often say Kaliningrad is Russia's outpost in Europe and that it should be up to its title on all counts," Putin said during a meeting at the Kremlin with Kalingrad Governor Georgii Boos. "I'm referring here both to the infrastructure and to the people's standard of living. But most importantly, we need to finally resolve all the problems related to the region's links with the rest of the Russian Federation." Kaliningrad has been a point of contention between Moscow and the European Union, especially since Lithuania -- which separates the exclave from mainland Russia -- joined the EU in May 2004. Russian officials have regularly protested what they call Lithuanian attempts to hinder the transit of Russian passengers and cargos between Kaliningrad and mainland Russia.
- UKRAINE CONCERNED ABOUR RUSSIAN STORES OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has urged Russia to make sure that it observes environmental security standards in storing chemical weapons near the Ukrainian border, Interfax-Ukraine reported on 8 November. According to Kyiv, some 6,000 tons of chemical weapons are being stored in dangerous conditions in the town of Pochep in Bryansk Oblast, which is just 70 kilometers away from Sumy and Chernihiv Oblasts of Ukraine. Kyiv asserts that the time for which the storage facilities in Pochep were designed to be safely used has almost expired. The Moscow-based "Komsomolskaya pravda" charged last month that Kyiv uses abandoned mines in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts to store spent nuclear fuel and chemicals, thus reportedly threatening the environmental security of six Russian regions.
Southwestern Asia And The Middle East- SOUTHERN PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR SURVIVES SUICIDE ATTACK
Helmand Governor Sher Mohammad survived a suicide car-bomb attack on 7 November in the provincial capital Lashkargah, international news agencies reported. Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Yusof Stanakzai said the only casualty in the attack was the driver of the explosive-laden vehicle, Peshawar-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported on 7 November. Qari Mohammad Yusof, purporting to speak for the neo-Taliban, called AIP on 7 November and claimed responsibility for the attack. He said a "55-year-old Taliban [mujahid]" named Salahuddin carried out the attack. The attacker suffered serious injuries and died shortly thereafter. Mohammad Wali, the spokesman for the Helmand Governor, said on 7 November that based on the features of the attacker, "we can say that he was from Pakistan's Punjab Province," AFP reported. Stanakzai also claimed that the bomber was a foreigner but did not speculate on his country of origin. After most of the suicide attacks in Afghanistan, official Afghan sources have claimed that those carrying out the attacks are non-Afghans. In this case, Mohammad Yusof did not mention the attacker's country of origin.
- IRAQI PRESIDENT VISITS ITALY, ASKS ITALIAN TROOPS TO STAY IN IRAQ
President Jalal Talabani arrived in Rome on 7 November for a weeklong visit that includes meetings with senior Italian officials and Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, international media reported the same day. In an open letter to the Italian people published in "La Stampa" on 7 November, Talabani called for the continued presence of multinational forces in Iraq. "Your country's commitment to the cause of democracy in Iraq and your contribution to the training of our security forces is helping us to do things by ourselves and to govern our country. A premature withdrawal would be a catastrophe for the people for Iraq and a victory for terrorism," Talabani wrote. He added that those who believe that terrorism in Iraq exists because of the presence of multinational forces there are mistaken. The president told Italian television on 7 November that it is important that Iraqis don't see only American and British soldiers in Iraq, but soldiers from other European countries as well, AP reported. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been under public pressure to withdraw Italian troops from Iraq.
- AL-ZARQAWI GIVES IRAQI GOVERNMENT 24 HOURS TO END OPERATION
The Al-Qaeda-affiliated organization Jihad in the Land of the Two Rivers (Tanzim Qa'idat Al-Jihad fi Bilad Al-Rafidayn) posted a statement on the Internet on 7 November giving the Iraqi government 24 hours to end Operation Steel Curtain or else the group said it will retaliate fiercely against the Iraqi military. The statement added that the group has decided to respond to threats by Defense Minister Sa'dun al-Dulaymi by demolishing the homes of soldiers and collaborators. "Let it be known to these people that any [Iraqi] region that supports the government and its campaigns against the Muslims, in any way, will be a legitimate target for the lions of monotheism. They will see death come to them and rob them of their children. And, in the same way the Sunni Muslim cities fighting the infidels and the apostates are being punished, we will punish the cities that are exporting the armies of unbelief and treason to us," the statement said.
- IRAQ'S BA'ATH PARTY WEIGHS IN ON OPERATION STEEL CURTAIN
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party said in a 5 November statement posted to the Internet that Operation Steel Curtain, "like all previous operations," will fail. The statement further claimed that all those "who agreed to work with and accepted the plans of the occupation...would bear the responsibility for the Iraqi blood spilled," in a threat aimed both at residents in the western Al-Anbar Governorate and members of the Iraqi military. The Ba'ath Party statement also contended that Operation Steel Curtain is aimed to send the message to other countries that Syria "is within [U.S.] territory."
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