Monday, 22 October 2012 FOR INTERNAL INFORMATION ONLY. The content of this brief is taken from press...

Monday, 22 October 2012Monday, 22 October 2012

FOR INTERNAL INFORMATION ONLY.The content of this brief is taken from press sources and does not in any way reflect official OSCE policy.

Situation/Communications Room

Azerbaijan

Ten participants in the protest on 20 October on the Fountains' Square who demanded the dissolution of the Azerbaijani parliament, were penalized with administrative arrest from seven to 10 days.Former "prisoners of conscience" received 10 days of arrest each: Tural Abbasli, chairman of the Musavat Party's youth organization; his deputy Ahad Mammadli, and also the chairman of the Suraxani district branch of the People's Front of Azerbaijan Party, Vaqif Xaliqov. Rufat Hacibayli, youth activist of the Musavat Party, was given nine days of arrest. Tazaxan Miralamli, head of the Calilabad district branch of the People's Front of Azerbaijan Party, and Abulfaz Qurbanli, chairman of the People's Front of Azerbaijan Party youth committee, were sentenced to eight days of arrest.In all, the opposition parties report that more than 110 people were detained in the Fountains' Square and other parts of the city.

Turan (21 Oct.): Azerbaijani police detain over 110 people after unauthorized demo

Sunday

Georgia

The newly elected parliament of Georgia on 21 October held its first session since an opposition coalition defeated President Mikhail Saakashvili's party. Now that the new parliament has convened, this was expected to take place within days. Saakashvili, however, remains president for another year.In addressing the session on 21 October, Saakashvili said the election was proof that the former Soviet republic had become a "normal European democracy," and he said his party was ready to work with Georgian Dream."We are not enemies, we are political rivals," Saakashvili said. "Now is not the time for hatred. Now is the time for action and cooperation."In a sign of the antagonism between the two sides, however, Georgian Dream parliament members refused to stand when Saakashvili entered the hall.

AP (21 Oct.): Signs of rancour as Georgia's new parliament meets

Sunday

Serbia / Kosovo

The PMs of Serbia and Kosovo met in Brussels on 19 October for the first time since the breakaway province gained independence, in hopes of thawing relations and opening the way for progress in their respective bids for EU membership.EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said after hosting Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci and Serbian counterpart Ivica Dacic for more than an hour that the talks were held in a "constructive atmosphere"."We agreed to continue the dialogue for the normalization of relations between the two sides and both committed to working together," she said in a statement. "We will meet again soon." There was no immediate comment from Thaci or Dacic.In Brussels, Dacic and Thaci discussed ways to restart an EU-brokered dialogue to normalize their relations and what can be done to speed up the process.

Reuters (19 Oct.): Serbian, Kosovo PMs have rare talks, to meet again

Friday

NEWS ITEMS from the OSCE Mission Areas:NEWS ITEMS from the OSCE Mission Areas:

22 October 2012OSCE / CPC Situation Room

South Eastern Europe: Albanian economy minister backs western Balkans gas ring project (ATA)

Albania: Albanian police seize huge amount of marijuana bound for neighbouring Greece (AP)

Albania / Russia: Senior Albanian, Russian diplomats hold consultations on security issues (ATA)

BiH: Bosnian Croat woman given five year prison term for war crimes (AFP)

Serbia / Kosovo: Kosovo group claims hack of US weather service (AFP)

South - Eastern EuropeSouth - Eastern Europe (slides 16 - 23)(slides 16 - 23) South - Eastern EuropeSouth - Eastern Europe (slides 16 - 23)(slides 16 - 23)



the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: Macedonian Church welcomes Nikolic’s proposal (Beta)

the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: Ahmeti’s party blocks defenders’ act adoption (FOCUS)

the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: President expects EU to set accession talks date for Macedonia in December (MIA)

South - Eastern EuropeSouth - Eastern Europe (slides 16 - 23)(slides 16 - 23) South - Eastern EuropeSouth - Eastern Europe (slides 16 - 23)(slides 16 - 23)



Eastern EuropeEastern Europe (slides 24 - 28)(slides 24 - 28) Eastern EuropeEastern Europe (slides 24 - 28)(slides 24 - 28)

Moldova / Transdniestr / Russia: European court tells Russia to pay to Moldovans in rebel region over language (Interfax)

Ukraine: Jailed former Ukrainian PM wants to go back to prison (RFE)

Ukraine / Russia: Ukraine, Russia to soon agree on sea border delimitation (Itar-Tass)

Ukraine / Russia: Anti-Putin activist kidnapped in UN Ukraine office - Russian lawmaker (AFP)

Ukraine / Russia: Putin to meet Ukraine President Yanukovych on gas, Kremlin says (Bloomberg)



South CaucasusSouth Caucasus (slides 29 - 39)(slides 29 - 39) South CaucasusSouth Caucasus (slides 29 - 39)(slides 29 - 39)

Armenia: EU finalizes visa deal with Armenia (Asbarez)

Armenia / Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire 250 times in the past week (ArmRadio)

Azerbaijan: Azerbaijani president, US energy company discuss cooperation (Turan)

Azerbaijan: US appreciates Azerbaijan’s contribution in Iran issue (Trend)

Azerbaijan: Azeri authorities extend arrest of ethnic newspaper editor (APA)

Azerbaijan: Talk on use of Azeri territory for attack on Iran "irrational, crazy" – FM (IRNA)

Georgia: US envoy hails tolerance in Georgia (Kavkas-Press)



South CaucasusSouth Caucasus (slides 29 - 39)(slides 29 - 39) South CaucasusSouth Caucasus (slides 29 - 39)(slides 29 - 39)

Georgia: Final Georgia poll results give Ivanishvili bloc majority (AFP)

Georgia: Georgian TV channel PIK broadcasts suspended (Interfax)

Georgia: Candidate for Georgian PM officially introduces new staff of Cabinet of Ministers (Trend)

Georgia: David Usupashvili becomes Georgian parliament speaker (Itar-Tass)



Central AsiaCentral Asia (slides 40 - 55)(slides 40 - 55) Central AsiaCentral Asia (slides 40 - 55)(slides 40 - 55)

Central Asia: Central Asian deputy FMs discuss regional security (Asia-Plus)

Kazakhstan: Over 1,800 websites checked in Kazakhstan over extremism propaganda (Interfax.kz)

Kazakhstan: Kazakh official sums up work to fight forgery, illegal gambling business (Interfax.kz)

Kazakhstan: Rights activists recommend abolishing death penalty in Kazakhstan (Interfax)

Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan launches warship into Caspian (Eurasia)

Kyrgyzstan: Jailed Kyrgyz opposition leader hospitalized after hunger strike (RFE)

Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyz demonstrator admitted to hospital (AKIpress)



Central AsiaCentral Asia (slides 40 - 55)(slides 40 - 55) Central AsiaCentral Asia (slides 40 - 55)(slides 40 - 55)

Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyz presidential administration head appointed (Trend)

Tajikistan: Islamic party plays stabiliser role in Tajik society - party leader (Asia-Plus)

Tajikistan: Iran, Tajikistan sign free trade zone agreement (Trend)

Tajikistan: Tajikistan ensures security for itself, Central Asia, Russia and Europe - national security agency chief (CA-News)

Tajikistan: US government provides USD 9.5 mln to support law enforcement and rule of law in Tajikistan (Asia-Plus)

Tajikistan: Tajik Education Ministry bans students from attending foreign seminars and conferences (Interfax)

Tajikistan: Russian tanks hold firing test in Tajikistan (Zvezda TV)

NEWS ITEMS:NEWS ITEMS:

22 October 2012

Central Asia Central Asia (40 - 55)(40 - 55) Central Asia Central Asia (40 - 55)(40 - 55)

Turkmenistan: Turkmenistan sees oil investment up at USD 3.8 bln (Reuters)

Uzbekistan: Iran's new envoy, Uzbek president discuss bilateral ties (Fars)

OSCE / CPC Situation Room


22 October 2012

Miscellaneous Miscellaneous (slides 56 - 67)(slides 56 - 67) Miscellaneous Miscellaneous (slides 56 - 67)(slides 56 - 67)

Afghanistan: France says Afghanistan troop pullout faster than expected (AFP)

Afghanistan: Afghan ex-IM to announce presidential candidacy (Weesa)

Hungary: Hungary says "blackmailed" by EU, flags new tax hikes (Reuters)

OSCE: Russia to suggest changing OSCE electoral standards in Dublin in December (Itar-Tass)

Romania: 'Racist' soccer boss to run in Romania poll (AFP)

Romania: Presence of OSCE observers at parliamentary election is not needed - Crin Antonescu (Agerpres)

Romania: Russia stages missile test, with Putin taking the helm (NY Times)



22 October 2012

Miscellaneous Miscellaneous (slides 56 - 67)(slides 56 - 67) Miscellaneous Miscellaneous (slides 56 - 67)(slides 56 - 67)

Russia: Russia troops kill 49 militants in North Caucasus sweep (AFP)

Russia / Iran: No limits on selling Moscow's defensive weapons to Tehran - Russian official (IRNA)

Turkey: Gas flow from Iran to Turkey disrupted after new blast – report (AFP)

Turkey / Syria: Turkish FM says Yemen-style power transfer no longer suitable for Syria (Trend)

US / Iran: US and Iran deny any deal for bilateral nuclear talks (AFP)


Situation/Communications Room

FOR INTERNAL INFORMATION ONLY.The content of this brief is taken from press sources and does not in any way reflect official OSCE policy.

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Monday, 22 October 2012 FOR INTERNAL INFORMATION ONLY. The content of this brief is taken from press...

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