Professional Soldiers ® - View Single Post - Open Source Daily INTSUM: Monday, Nov. 21, 2005

**Airbornelawyer** · 11-21-2005, 09:56

From the RFE/RL Newsline:

Russia

PUTIN, KOIZUMI FAIL TO REACH AGREEMENT ON KURILES DISPUTE
Putin and Koizumi failed during their 21 November meeting to reach agreement on a joint statement on the Kurile Islands, Russian and international news agencies reported. During a press conference after talks with Koizumi, Putin said the lack of a formal World War II peace treaty between Russia and Japan due to the Kurile dispute is hindering economic relations, ITAR-TASS reported. "The lack of a peace treaty is a hindrance," Putin said. "It is by no means helpful, and maybe even restrains some businessmen. I am in accord with my colleague that we should go out of our way to settle this problem. This is why I came to Japan and this is why I have invited the Japanese prime minister to come to Moscow. We are fully resolved to settle those problems," he added. The two sides did sign a series of documents concerning political, economic, and technological cooperation, dpa reported.

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS IRAQI COUNTERPART ABOUT RECONSTRUCTION
Seeking ways to expand Russia's contribution to Iraq's reconstruction, Sergei Lavrov met with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar al-Zebari in Moscow on 21 November, ITAR-TASS reported the same day. "Russian companies are effectively contributing to the reconstruction of several electric-power installations in Iraq, which are of vital importance for the country," Russian Foreign Ministry Mikhail Kamynin said. "Plans are afoot to take part in other projects, too, which will be launched when the security situation gets better," he added. Al-Zebari, who was visiting the Russian capital with an Iraqi delegation, said relations between the two countries have "broad vistas, primarily in the field of energy, oil and gas extraction, [and] restoration of the country's infrastructure and industry."

RUSSIAN TROOPS CONFESS TO MURDER OF CHECHEN CIVILIANS
Unnamed Russian servicemen have confessed to apprehending three Chechen civilians on the outskirts of Grozny on 16 November and shooting them in the back of the head as they lay prone on the ground, Interfax reported on 19 November quoting Maksim Toporikov, military prosecutor for the combined Russian forces in the North Caucasus. Nurdi Nukhadjiev, who heads Chechnya's service for the defense of constitutional rights, said the Defense Ministry has not clarified the circumstances of and motive for the killings, and he said that human rights groups intended to stage large-scale protests.

Transcaucasus and Central Asia

UZBEK DEFENSE MINISTER REPLACED
President Islam Karimov issued two decrees on 18 November, removing Qodir Ghulomov from the post of defense minister and replacing him with Ruslan Mirzaev, official news agency UzA reported. Ghulomov, a physicist who was appointed defense minister in September 2000, will become the president's adviser on technical and educational issues, RFE/RL's Uzbek Service reported. His replacement is the former secretary of the National Security Council. Mirzaev worked for many years in the National Security Service (SNB) and is seen as a protege of SNB head Rustam Inoyatov, RFE/RL's Uzbek Service noted.

Southwestern Asia And The Middle East

NEO-TALIBAN THREATEN TO KILL KIDNAPPED AFGHANS, INDIAN NATIONAL
An Indian engineer, his two Afghan bodyguards, and his Afghan driver were kidnapped in Nimroz Province in southern Afghanistan on 19 November, All India Radio and other media reported on 20 November. Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Yusof Stanezai told the radio station that the Indian engineer worked for Border Roads Organization, an Indian government-owned company. Qari Mohammad Yusof, purporting to speak for the neo-Taliban, threatened to kill the Indian engineer, Peshawar-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported on 20 November. "We give 48 hours [from 20 November] to the Indian company to stop its operations and leave Afghanistan. Otherwise we will kill their kidnapped engineer," Mohammad Yusof told AIP. The neo-Taliban vowed to put the three Afghans on trial and "execute them if a death ruling is issued," the spokesman claimed. The Indian national has been identified as M. R. Kutty, All India Radio reported on 21 November. A Lebanese citizen working for a firm supplying road-construction companies in Afghanistan was kidnapped in August by the neo-Taliban and later released following the reported withdrawal from Afghanistan of the company for which he worked.

11-21-2005, 09:56	#2
Airbornelawyer Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,952	From the RFE/RL Newsline: Russia PUTIN, KOIZUMI FAIL TO REACH AGREEMENT ON KURILES DISPUTE Putin and Koizumi failed during their 21 November meeting to reach agreement on a joint statement on the Kurile Islands, Russian and international news agencies reported. During a press conference after talks with Koizumi, Putin said the lack of a formal World War II peace treaty between Russia and Japan due to the Kurile dispute is hindering economic relations, ITAR-TASS reported. "The lack of a peace treaty is a hindrance," Putin said. "It is by no means helpful, and maybe even restrains some businessmen. I am in accord with my colleague that we should go out of our way to settle this problem. This is why I came to Japan and this is why I have invited the Japanese prime minister to come to Moscow. We are fully resolved to settle those problems," he added. The two sides did sign a series of documents concerning political, economic, and technological cooperation, dpa reported. RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS IRAQI COUNTERPART ABOUT RECONSTRUCTION Seeking ways to expand Russia's contribution to Iraq's reconstruction, Sergei Lavrov met with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar al-Zebari in Moscow on 21 November, ITAR-TASS reported the same day. "Russian companies are effectively contributing to the reconstruction of several electric-power installations in Iraq, which are of vital importance for the country," Russian Foreign Ministry Mikhail Kamynin said. "Plans are afoot to take part in other projects, too, which will be launched when the security situation gets better," he added. Al-Zebari, who was visiting the Russian capital with an Iraqi delegation, said relations between the two countries have "broad vistas, primarily in the field of energy, oil and gas extraction, [and] restoration of the country's infrastructure and industry." RUSSIAN TROOPS CONFESS TO MURDER OF CHECHEN CIVILIANS Unnamed Russian servicemen have confessed to apprehending three Chechen civilians on the outskirts of Grozny on 16 November and shooting them in the back of the head as they lay prone on the ground, Interfax reported on 19 November quoting Maksim Toporikov, military prosecutor for the combined Russian forces in the North Caucasus. Nurdi Nukhadjiev, who heads Chechnya's service for the defense of constitutional rights, said the Defense Ministry has not clarified the circumstances of and motive for the killings, and he said that human rights groups intended to stage large-scale protests. Transcaucasus and Central Asia UZBEK DEFENSE MINISTER REPLACED President Islam Karimov issued two decrees on 18 November, removing Qodir Ghulomov from the post of defense minister and replacing him with Ruslan Mirzaev, official news agency UzA reported. Ghulomov, a physicist who was appointed defense minister in September 2000, will become the president's adviser on technical and educational issues, RFE/RL's Uzbek Service reported. His replacement is the former secretary of the National Security Council. Mirzaev worked for many years in the National Security Service (SNB) and is seen as a protege of SNB head Rustam Inoyatov, RFE/RL's Uzbek Service noted. Southwestern Asia And The Middle East NEO-TALIBAN THREATEN TO KILL KIDNAPPED AFGHANS, INDIAN NATIONAL An Indian engineer, his two Afghan bodyguards, and his Afghan driver were kidnapped in Nimroz Province in southern Afghanistan on 19 November, All India Radio and other media reported on 20 November. Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Yusof Stanezai told the radio station that the Indian engineer worked for Border Roads Organization, an Indian government-owned company. Qari Mohammad Yusof, purporting to speak for the neo-Taliban, threatened to kill the Indian engineer, Peshawar-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported on 20 November. "We give 48 hours [from 20 November] to the Indian company to stop its operations and leave Afghanistan. Otherwise we will kill their kidnapped engineer," Mohammad Yusof told AIP. The neo-Taliban vowed to put the three Afghans on trial and "execute them if a death ruling is issued," the spokesman claimed. The Indian national has been identified as M. R. Kutty, All India Radio reported on 21 November. A Lebanese citizen working for a firm supplying road-construction companies in Afghanistan was kidnapped in August by the neo-Taliban and later released following the reported withdrawal from Afghanistan of the company for which he worked.
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