Report on Eastern Europe, Russia, Caucasus and Central Asia - issue # 4/2010

 Transdnestr willing to host Russian missile defense system

14:45 15/02/2010

Transdnestr would deploy elements of a Russian missile defense system if Moscow asked it to, the leader of the unrecognized Moldovan republic signaled on Monday. Media reports said earlier that Tiraspol had asked Moscow to set up a missile defense system in Transdnestr to counter U.S. plans to deploy a missile shield in Romania. "We confirm... that we could deploy what Russia needs," Igor Smirnov said. Commenting on the possible deployment of a missile shield in Romania, he said that although the decision was "Romania’s internal affair," the deployment of U.S. interceptor missiles "will not be a stabilizing factor." There has been no official reaction from Moscow to the comment. The Russian-speaking province of Transdnestr has maintained de facto independence from Moldova since a brief war in 1992, which was the culmination of tensions following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Russia has had peacekeepers in the region since July 1992. A U.S. State Department official said earlier the facilities in Romania are to become operational by 2015 and are designed as protection against "current and emerging ballistic missile threats from Iran." The planned deployment in Romania comes after U.S. President Barack Obama scrapped Bush administration plans for a radar and interceptor missiles in the Czech Republic and Poland, which Russia fiercely opposed as a national security threat. Obama announced on September 17, 2009 that Washington would not deploy missile-defense elements in the Czech Republic and Poland due to a re-assessment of the threat from Iran. Following Obama’s announcement, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he decided against deploying Iskander missiles in Russia’s Kaliningrad Region, which Russia had threatened to do if the U.S. went ahead with plans to deploy 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar station the Czech Republic.

MOSCOW, February 15 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100215/157887906.html

 Russian NATO envoy pours cold water on Transdnestr’s missile proposal

12:16 16/02/2010

Russia’s envoy to NATO has poured cold water on an offer by Moldova’s unrecognized republic of Transdnestr to deploy Russian missile defense elements. Transdnestr leader Igor Smirnov confirmed Monday that his republic would deploy elements of a Russian missile defense system if Moscow asked. Media reports said earlier that Tiraspol had asked Moscow to set up a missile defense system in Transdnestr to counter U.S. plans to deploy a missile shield in Romania. Russia’s envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said Transdnestr’s move to deploy Russian Iskander missiles could lead to a serious regional conflict, and added that there could be no talk yet of bilateral efforts to "reset" Russian-U.S. relations if Moscow continues to hear the United States’ plans to deploy missiles in Romania from mass media. "This situation could lead to a rather serious regional argument or even a political conflict. In regard to whether Iskanders should be deployed there or not, Iskander [missiles are] not a means to be used in such talks," he said. "How can we talk of a true partnership with Washington if we read unpleasant news in newspapers," Rogozin said. Russian experts have said Moscow should not react to Smirnov’s proposal as Transdnestr is just playing a beneficial political card, and Moldova’s Foreign Ministry said the country hopes Russia will discuss all these issues with Chisinau. The Russian-speaking province of Transdnestr has maintained de facto independence from Moldova since a brief war in 1992, which was the culmination of tensions following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Russia has had peacekeepers in the region since July 1992. A U.S. State Department official said earlier the facilities in Romania are to become operational by 2015 and are designed as protection against "current and emerging ballistic missile threats from Iran." The planned deployment in Romania comes after U.S. President Barack Obama scrapped Bush administration plans for a radar and interceptor missiles in the Czech Republic and Poland, which Russia fiercely opposed as a national security threat. Obama announced on September 17, 2009 that Washington would not deploy missile-defense elements in the Czech Republic and Poland due to a re-assessment of the threat from Iran. Following Obama’s announcement, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said he decided against deploying Iskander missiles in Russia’s Kaliningrad Region, which Russia had threatened to do if the U.S. went ahead with plans to deploy 10 interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar station the Czech Republic.

MOSCOW, February 16 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100216/157899448.html

 Russia should not react to Transnistria’s Iskander missiles offer

February 18, 2010

Russia should not react to the proposal made by the president of the unrecognized Dniester Moldovan republic, Igor Smirnov, to station Russian missile systems Iskander on its territory. This opinion was expressed by the deputy director of the USA and Canada Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Pavel Zolotarev, in a conversation with an ITAR-TASS correspondent on Feb. 17.

"This proposal had been dictated exclusively by selfish interests and desire to remind of oneself. It is extremely disadvantageous for Moscow to react to such statements and there are no reasons for this since such statements are often made exclusively for political aims to form a corresponding public opinion with the use of the mass media," he said.

In Zolotarev’s opinion, the readiness to station components of the American missile-defence system on the territory of Eastern European countries which they now express is to a large extent related to their "pragmatic desire to obtain missile-defence systems comparable to the Russian S-300 practically for free".

"This is one of the main reasons for taking such decisions. And therefore, Russian reaction to such steps should be appropriate," he expressed the conviction.

It is another matter that the creation of the missile-defence system in Europe will essentially mean drawing a dividing line between NATO countries and those who are not members of the alliance. "And Russia remains outside this system," Zolotarev noted.

ITAR-TASS, Russian state news agency

http://politicom.moldova.org/news/russia-should-not-react-to-transnistrias-iskander-missiles-offer-206314-eng.html

 Russia concerned over NATO new strategy - Lavrov

18.02.2010, 15.04

MOSCOW, February 18 (Itar-Tass) - Russia is concerned about NATO’s new strategic concept allowing the Alliance to deploy force anywhere in the world, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday. “It is not quite in line with the United Nations Charter, and it cannot but arouse our concern,” Lavrov said at a meeting with representatives of Russian non-governmental organizations. NATO continues its expansion, which is backed by the development of a new defence strategy. One of its variants provides for NATO’s global presence, including with the use of force, he said. Work on the new strategy was launched last April at NATO’s Strasburg-Kehl summit. This document is to set the tasks of the Alliance for the coming decade and outline the methods of their fulfillment. In particular, it considers a number of new threats, including possible crises linked with global warming, supplies of energy resources, cyber attacks, and sea piracy. NATO’s new Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced that the development of this document should become the “most transparent in NATO history.” The previous concept was approved in Washington in 1999. It packed the aggregate experience of NATO gained in the Balkan wars, but by now this concept has largely become obsolete. However, it envisioned, for the first time, the possibility to conduct military operations outside the traditional zone of responsibility of the Alliance.

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14839327&PageNum=1

 Russian military to be equipped with modern weapons - Putin

10:41 17/02/2010

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin demanded the Russian armed forces be equipped with modern weapons during a government meeting to discuss Russia’s 2011-2020 military program late on Tuesday. "The Army should have at least 30% modern weapons by 2015, and at least 70% by 2020. We are going to put the necessary finances behind this," Putin said, adding that "ineffective expenses" would not be tolerated. Putin’s statement comes after Russian military officials last week revealed plans to bring into service the first batch of its new fifth-generation stealth fighters in 2015. Russia is currently in talks with France on the possible purchase of a Mistral-class warship, worth 400-500 million euros (around $600-$750 million). "Essentially, we are talking about the timeframe, and what systems we should use to strengthen the Army and the Navy," Putin said. "In line with the plan to develop the armed forces, the main emphasis will be laid on nuclear deterrence, space and air defense systems," he added.

MOSCOW, February 17 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100217/157911289.html

 Russia, Abkhazia sign deal to build Russian base in ex-Georgian region

13:54 17/02/2010

Russia and Abkhazia signed a deal on Wednesday to establish a Russian military base in the former Georgian republic The deal was signed during Kremlin talks between Abkhazian leader Sergei Bagapsh, who arrived in Moscow on Tuesday, and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. The base is designed "to protect Abkhazia’s sovereignty and security, including against international terrorist groups," the document said. The agreement was signed for a term of 49 years with a possible extension. Russia recognized the republic on the Black Sea in August 2008 after a five-day war to repel an assault by U.S. ally Georgia on another breakaway region, South Ossetia. Georgia fiercely criticized the plans for the base in Abkhazia which it considers part of its territory. Russia’s military buildup in the region since the armed conflict has also been condemned by the West.

MOSCOW, February 17 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100217/157913962.html

 Abkhazia signs deal with Kremlin on Russian base on its soil

15:30 17/02/2010

The presidents of Abkhazia and Russia signed a deal on Wednesday allowing a Russian military base in the former Georgian republic for 50 years, despite fierce criticism from Tbilisi and Western nations. The deal was signed during Kremlin talks between President Dmitry Medvedev and his Abkhazian counterpart, Sergei Bagapsh, who arrived in Moscow on Tuesday on the first visit since his reelection as president of the tiny region on the Black Sea. According to the agreement, the base will "protect Abkhazia’s sovereignty and security, including against international terrorist groups." Russia has maintained a 1,700-strong force in Abkhazia with its headquarters in Gudauta, a former Soviet military base on the Black Sea coast north of the capital, Sukhumi, under a September 2009 agreement on military cooperation. Moscow recognized the republic’s independence in August 2008 after a five-day war to repel an assault by U.S. ally Georgia on another breakaway region, South Ossetia. Previous reports said the new deal would allow Russia to build new infrastructure and double troop numbers in the event of a security threat. Georgia has fiercely criticized the plans for the base in Abkhazia, which it considers part of its territory. Russia’s military buildup in the region since the armed conflict has also been condemned by the West as running counter to international law and contravening the internationally brokered ceasefire agreement signed by Russia and Georgia in the wake of their August 2008 conflict. Speaking at a news conference after the talks, Medvedev said the base deal and a host of other agreements signed in the Kremlin were in line with Russia’s international commitments. "These documents are in full compliance with our vision of cooperation with Abkhazia and with our international obligations," Medvedev said. "The main thing is that the agreements form a basis for Abkhazia’s peaceful development as an independent state," he said. Medvedev repeated he was not going to deal with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who he blamed for starting the war in 2008. "We will restore normal relations with Georgia sooner or later. This is inevitable, but I personally will not deal with the current Georgian president. He is persona non grata to Russia," Medvedev said. Bagapsh, who also discussed economic aid at talks with Medvedev, thanked Russia for support and pledged commitment to cooperation with Moscow. "We realize that what you did in 2008 was a daring and wise move," said the Abkhazian president, who was inaugurated for a second term last week after his reelection on December 12.

MOSCOW, February 17 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100217/157914971.html

 U.S. has no plans to deploy military base in Uzbekistan - envoy

14:19 21/02/2010

The United States has no plans to open a military base in Uzbekistan, a U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan said on Sunday. Richard Holbrooke said Uzbekistan was offering the U.S. valuable assistance in cargo transit to Afghanistan but there were no plans to deploy a military base in the former Soviet Central Asian republic. Holbrooke, who met on Sunday with Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev, currently chairman-in-office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said the U.S. had an important transit center at the Manas base in Kyrgyzstan, another ex-Soviet Central Asian republic, and was grateful to that country for such assistance. The Kyrgyz airbase was formerly used by the U.S. military and is now functioning as a center for Pentagon transits to Afghanistan where U.S.-led forces are fighting Taliban militants. In early 2009, the ex-Soviet Central Asian state ordered the shutdown of the base. The decision was widely seen as being influenced by Russia, which had granted Kyrgyzstan a large financial aid package. However, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed in the summer of 2009 a law allowing the U.S. to continue using the airbase. The U.S. will now pay Kyrgyzstan $60 million annually for the use of the airbase as a transit route to Afghanistan, compared with the previous sum of $17.4 million, which the former Soviet republic received for the use of its airbase.

ASTANA, February 21 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100221/157961152.html

 Dates for S-300 deliveries to Iran to be specified later - defense industry official

14:55 17/02/2010

Russia has not yet decided on the date for the delivery of advanced S-300 air defense systems to Iran, a Russian defense industry official said on Wednesday. "Talks are under way. It has yet to be decided when the deliveries will take place," director of the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation Mikhail Dmitriev said. Russia signed a contract with Iran on the supply of at least five S-300 air defense systems to Tehran in December 2005. However, Moscow has not so far honored the contract, which many experts say is due to pressure from Washington and Tel Aviv. Both the United States and Israel have not ruled out military action if diplomacy fails to resolve the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program and have expressed concern over S-300 deliveries, which would significantly strengthen Iran’s air defenses. Matters came to a head last week after Iran announced it had developed its own air defense system comparable to and even more sophisticated than the Russian S-300 system. Russian officials said earlier delivery delays were due to technical faults, adding that they were working to fix them. The advanced version of the S-300 missile system, called S-300PMU1 (SA-20 Gargoyle), has a range of over 150 kilometers (over 100 miles) and can intercept ballistic missiles and aircraft at low and high altitudes, making the system an effective tool for warding off possible airstrikes.

MOSCOW, February 17 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/world/20100217/157914648.html

 Russia to produce most arms domestically - deputy min.

15:00 20/02/2010

Russia’s Army will mostly use domestically-built arms, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin told Ekho Moskvy radio on Saturday. "The national defense sector will shoulder [the production of] most arms. The purchase of military equipment abroad will be made only in those fields where there are flaws," Vladimir Popovkin said. He said "flaws" were reported in the production of sophisticated arms, including unmanned aircraft. "Work is underway to develop drones and train people," the deputy defense minister said. He confirmed Russia’s Defense Ministry would import drones in 2010. Popovkin admitted that the Army had bought little over the past 15 years and that the Defense Ministry had funds to maintain strategic nuclear forces and repair operating arms only. He said the Army currently had a large fleet of outdated equipment. "We have some 20,000 tanks, while we need 5,000 to 6,000, and there are over 200,000 combat vehicles and several thousands aircraft, but the quality of hardware leaves much to be desired," Popovkin said. He pledged the ministry would scrap unneeded hardware or put it to international auctions through the country’s state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport. Popovkin also said arms producers would soon handle servicing and warranty maintenance of hardware, and that the Defense Ministry was considering leasing arms.

MOSCOW, February 20 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20100220/157952520.html

 Next Bulava test launch to be more successful – defense minister

19.02.2010, 21.27

HELSINKI, February 19 (Itar-Tass) — The next test launch of the Bulava sea-based intercontinental ballistic missile may be more successful, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Friday. “There are a number of technical problems. We have done a serious analysis of the failed launches at a joint commission of the Defense Ministry and industry representatives. I believe the next test launch will be better,” he said. The Bulava is a new Russian three-stage solid-fuel missile, which will be installed in Borei nuclear-powered submarines. The missile designed at the Moscow Heating Technology Institute is capable of carrying ten individually targeted hypersonic warheads with variable flight trajectories on the range of 8,000 kilometers. The missile will be the core of the Russian strategic nuclear forces in the period until 2040-2050. Only five out of twelve Bulava test launches have been fully or partially successful so far. Serdyukov said on December 24, 2009, that the Defense Ministry would not stop the Bulava project despite the failures. He also said that the unsuccessful test launches would not prevent the start of the construction of the fourth Borei submarine.

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=14845217&PageNum=0

 Ukraine’s new leadership eyes Customs Union with Russia - paper

13:45 17/02/2010

Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine’s president-elect, is prepared to initiate talks on the country’s entry into the Customs Union with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, a Russian business daily reported on Wednesday. Ukraine’s possible participation in the Customs Union was criticized on Tuesday by Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, Yanukovych’s rival in the February 7 presidential runoff, at a meeting with members of parliament from the Our Ukraine party of outgoing President Viktor Yushchenko, Kommersant said. Tymoshenko said the Party of Regions leader had already agreed with Russia on signing documents on Ukraine’s accession to the Customs Union with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, the paper said. Tymoshenko said the agreement with Russia would offer Ukraine a 20-30% discount in the price of natural gas supplied to the ex-Soviet republic, the paper reported, citing Anatoly Hrytsenko, chairman of the Ukrainian parliament’s national security and defense committee. However, Ukraine’s possible bid for its entry into the Customs Union is likely to complicate Russia’s position at talks on energy issues inside the union, the paper said. The Foreign Ministry of Belarus announced on Tuesday that it would prioritize the issue of Russian export duties at spring talks on the Customs Union, the paper said. Russia and Belarus were embroiled in a bitter dispute at the start of the year over duty-free oil supplies to Belarus that threatened crude deliveries to Europe. Russia earlier offered to supply the ex-Soviet republic with some 6.3 million metric tons of oil for domestic consumption duty-free and demanded Minsk pay full import duties on crude it refines and sells on to Europe, dropping considerable subsidies. Belarus, however, argued that Russia should supply up to 30 million metric tons of oil duty free, saying Russia’s demand ran contrary to the deal on the Customs Union signed between the two countries and Kazakhstan in late 2009. The dispute was resolved in late January after the parties signed an array of agreements on crude oil deliveries and uninterrupted transits to Europe. Two high-placed sources in the Ukrainian government told Kommersant that the team of Yanukovych, who is to be inaugurated as president on February 25, was already making preparations for the first large-scale initiative to integrate Ukraine into the uniform customs space of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. "Even though Ukraine is a full-fledged WTO member, transnational corporations do not view it as a separate market but perceive it as a target for investment and trade along with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan," a high-placed official in the Ukrainian economics ministry and member of the Yanukovych team told Kommersant. However, representatives of the Party of Regions, which propelled Yanukovych into the presidency, were more cautious about the new president’s plans of integration into the Customs Union, saying Ukraine would not aspire for full-fledged membership in the union, the paper reported. "Our task is to deepen economic cooperation around the entire border. The Customs Union is an important integration project for us... but there can be no talk about Ukraine’s full-fledged participation in the Customs Union, especially considering that we are a WTO member," said Anatoly Kinykh, deputy head of the Party of Regions parliamentary faction.

MOSCOW, February 17 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100217/157913841.html

 Ukrainian court to hear Tymoshenko’s appeal on February 19

19:36 17/02/2010

Ukraine’s Supreme Administrative Court will consider on Friday Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s appeal contesting the results of the recent presidential vote, a Central Election Commission member said on Wednesday. Tymoshenko appealed on Tuesday against Viktor Yanukovych’s victory in the runoff vote on February 7, which she lost by 3.48%. "The hearings have been fixed for February 19 at 11:00 a.m. (08:00 GMT)," Myhailo Ohendovskyi said. Earlier on Wednesday, the court suspended the Central Electoral Commission’s official announcement that Yanukovych had won the country’s presidential elections pending consideration of Tymoshenko’s case. Congratulations from world powers for Yanukovych arrived even before the Central Election Commission officially announced the results on Sunday, sending a strong signal to Tymoshenko, a leader of the "orange" street protests that overturned Yanukovych’s tainted election victory in 2004. First Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Turchynov warned on Wednesday that the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc (BYT) would push to cancel Yanukovych’s swearing in, citing a lack of budget funds for the ceremony. The Ukrainian parliament voted on Tuesday to hold Yanukovych’s inauguration on February 25.

KIEV, February 17 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100217/157917339.html

 Tymoshenko’s appeal shows contempt for law - Ukrainian president

20:42 19/02/2010

Ukraine’s outgoing President Viktor Yushchenko on Friday criticized Yulia Tymoshenko’s move to contest the results of the recent presidential runoff as disregard for law and the electorate’s opinion. Prime Minister Tymoshenko, who lost the runoff vote by 3.48%, appealed the election results in Ukraine’s Supreme Administrative Court on Tuesday. The country’s top court then suspended the Central Electoral Commission’s official announcement that Viktor Yanukovych had won the country’s presidential elections. "We have been taken hostage by two people. The reason why we entered the phase is disregard for law and contempt for the electorate," Yushchenko said in an interview with Inter television. The Ukrainian leader pledged assistance in getting through what he described as a complicated finish of the election. "I will try to do my best to see us overcome these challenges through law and legitimacy," Yushchenko said. Tymoshenko addressed on Friday a meeting of the Supreme Administrative Court, which is considering her appeal.

KIEV, February 19 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100219/157945643.html

 Tymoshenko withdraws appeal to contest Ukraine runoff results

11:29 20/02/2010

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said on Saturday she would withdraw her appeal contesting the victory of her rival opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych in the recent presidential election runoff from the country’s top court. Tymoshenko, who lost the runoff vote by 3.48%, appealed the election results in Ukraine’s Supreme Administrative Court on Tuesday. The court then suspended the Central Election Commission’s official announcement of Yanukovych’s victory in the polls. "We are withdrawing the appeal," Tymoshenko said at a court meeting.

KIEV, February 20 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100220/157951572.html

 Tymoshenko accuses Higher Administrative Court of bias

11:40

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has accused the Higher Administrative Court of being not impartial in considering her suit contesting the results of the recent presidential elections. "As a presidential candidate, I have faced machinery, which works not on the basis of justice at all," Tymoshenko told journalists in a recess of a Higher Administrative Court session on Saturday. Tymoshenko described the procedure of the consideration of her suit against the Central Election Commission at the Higher Administrative Court as "a performance that absolutely does not look like the administration of justice." "It is obvious that, if they continue to consider this issue without our participation, this will mean that they want to sanctify this falsification on any circumstances and make it seem legitimate," she said.

20.02.2010

http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/32635/

 Tymoshenko drops appeal contesting Ukraine election results

12:26 20/02/2010

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said on Saturday she would withdraw her legal appeal contesting the victory of Viktor Yanukovych in the recent presidential election runoff. Tymoshenko, who lost the runoff vote by 3.48%, appealed the election results in Ukraine’s Supreme Administrative Court on Tuesday. The court then suspended the Central Election Commission’s official announcement of Yanukovych’s victory in the polls. "We are withdrawing the appeal," Tymoshenko said at a court meeting. She explained the court had refused to consider the evidence her team had collected and dismissed the according application. "In these circumstances we simply see no sense pushing further [for consideration of the case]," the premier said. Tymoshenko expressed confidence that her appeal would remain as historical proof that "Yanukovych was not elected as a legitimate president." "When we understood that the court had refused to hear witness statements it was made clear to us that this is not a court and this is not justice," she said. Asked whether she would appeal to Ukraine’s Supreme Court, Tymoshenko said that "was not allowed by law." A member of the Ukrainian Central Election Commission said on Saturday no withdrawal of Tymoshenko’s appeal was possible. "We believe Ukraine’s Supreme Administrative Court should bring down the curtain on any disputes over the legitimacy of the results of the Ukrainian presidential election and the legitimacy of the Central Election Commission’s action to draw the results," Mykhailo Okhendovskiy said. "The Ukrainian people have the right to know that Ukraine’s president was elected legitimately, and that the president is Viktor Fyodorovych Yanukovych," the CEC member said. Ukraine’s outgoing President Viktor Yushchenko on Friday criticized Tymoshenko’s appeal as disregard for both the law and the electorate’s opinion. "I will try to do my best to see us overcome these challenges through law and legitimacy," Yushchenko said.

KIEV, February 20 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100220/157951794.html

 Ukraine president congratulates successor on legitimate victory

15:41 20/02/2010

Ukraine’s outgoing President Viktor Yushchenko congratulated on Saturday his successor Viktor Yanukovych on his legitimate election as president. Earlier on Saturday, Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko withdrew her appeal contesting Yanukovych’s victory in the recent presidential election runoff from the country’s top court. She said the court had refused to consider the evidence her team had collected. "Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has had a telephone conversation with Viktor Yanukovych. During the talk, Yushchenko congratulated Yanukovych on his legitimate election as president of Ukraine," the presidential press service said. The outgoing leader ordered arrangements for Yanukovych’s inauguration. He also expressed hope that the new president would do his utmost to protect Ukraine’s interests and democracy. Yanukovych is due to be sworn in as president at a special parliamentary session on Thursday. Tymoshenko’s bloc meanwhile signaled it would not attend the ceremony, bloc member Serhiy Mishchenko said. "We will not attend the inauguration. This is not our feast, and we have not been invited to the feast," the parliamentarian was quoted as saying on the Tymoshenko bloc’s website. Tymoshenko, who lost the runoff vote by 3.48%, appealed the election results in Ukraine’s Supreme Administrative Court on Tuesday. The court then suspended the Central Election Commission’s official announcement of Yanukovych’s victory in the runoff.

KIEV, February 20 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100220/157952808.html

 Court satisfies Tymoshenko’s request to drop her election lawsuit

15:43

The Higher Administrative Court of Ukraine has satisfied Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s request to withdraw her lawsuit contesting the result of the February 7 run-off presidential election in Ukraine. Judge-rapporteur on the case Oleksandr Nechytailo announced the decision at a court meeting on Saturday. The court also refused to consider Tymoshenko’s lawsuit. As reported, on February 19, the Higher Administrative Court of Ukraine opened a meeting on the consideration of Tymoshenko’s lawsuit filed against the Central Election Commission that on February 14 declared Regions Party leader Viktor Yanukovych the winner of the presidential election. According to the commission’s final report on the result of the run-off election, Yanukovych collected 48.95% of the vote to 45.47% for Tymoshenko. Tymoshenko said in her lawsuit that the result of Ukraine’s run-off presidential election should be declared invalid and that the Central Election Commission should decide on a rerun of the vote.

20.02.2010

http://www.interfax.com.ua/eng/main/32650/

 Yanukovych names candidates for Ukraine prime minister

17:29 21/02/2010

Ukraine’s president-elect Viktor Yanukovych named on Sunday three candidates for the prime ministerial post. Opposition leader Yanukovych, who won the February 7 presidential election runoff in the ex-Soviet state by 3.48% against his rival Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, said he is considering ex-National banker Sergei Tigipko, ex-parliament speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Nikolai Azarov, a leader of Yanukovych’s Party of Regions, for the post. Tigipko was in third place in the January 17 election’s first round dominated by Yanukovych and Tymoshenko who later clashed in the runoff. "The final choice will be made later, when a coalition of deputy factions in the Supreme Rada is formed," Yanukovych was quoted as saying by the Unian news agency. Yanukovych has said Tymoshenko cannot stay on her current post. Ukraine’s Central Election Commission on February 14 officially declared Yanukovych the winner of the presidential election. His inauguration has been scheduled for February 25. The final obstacle to Yanukovych’s inauguration was removed on Saturday when Tymoshenko, his rival in the runoff refusing to concede her defeat, unexpectedly withdrew a legal appeal contesting the runoff results. Tymoshenko appealed the election results in Ukraine’s Supreme Administrative Court on Tuesday. The court then suspended the Central Election Commission’s official announcement of Yanukovych’s runoff victory.

KIEV, February 21 (RIA Novosti)

http://en.rian.ru/exsoviet/20100221/157962042.html

 Moldova’s rebel region leader asks for more Russian peacekeepers, helicopters

February 18, 2010

The president of Moldova’s breakaway Dniester region, Igor Smirnov, has advocated the consolidation of the military strength of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in the region at a recent meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Foreign Minister Yuriy Zubakov.

The Dniester side has repeatedly asked that the number of Russian peacekeepers is increased as much as possible, Igor Smirnov told a news conference in Tiraspol on 17 February.

"The Russian Foreign Ministry assured us that the peacekeeping process would continue in line with the statement signed on 18 March 2009. I mean, no statement by the Moldovan leadership concerning the change of the peacekeeping format will work," Smirnov said.

He recalled that according to the agreement signed in Odessa (Ukraine) in 1998, the maximum number of Russian peacekeepers was to be 2,400. Presently, he said, about 500 Russian peacekeepers participate in the peacekeeping operation.

Smirnov noted that the Dniester region insisted that the helicopter squadron return to the Russian peacekeeping contingent.

"I want to say that this issue is being considered very seriously since Russia has been clearly asking for data on our facilities," Smirnov said.

Referring to the possibility of extending not only the Russian peacekeeping contingent, but also Russia’s military presence in the Dniester region, Smirnov said that Tiraspol has long ago agreed to this.

"The law on the presence of Russian troops in the Dniester Moldovan republic from 15 February 1992 was adopted. Therefore, as a matter of fact, there is no need to ask whether Russian troops can be based here, because we have a law on the deployment of Russian troops. We have the results of the referendum from 17 September 2006 [when most Dniester residents voted for independence from Moldova and subsequent accession to Russia]. The presence of Russian troops has no other goal but the preservation of peace," Smirnov said.

Interfax-Ukraine news agency (original text - in Russian)

http://politicom.moldova.org/news/moldovas-rebel-region-leader-asks-for-more-russian-peacekeepers-helicopters-206316-eng.html