EAST EUROPEAN BRIEF(DELETED) FOR SATURDAY 2 MARCH 1991

Created: 3/2/1991

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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EAST EUROPEAN BRItFI

CONTENTS

I . IRAQ-KUWAIT: SITUATI 2.

J. USSR: YEL'TSIN TRIES TO ACCELERATE REFORM USSR, III HERS' STRIKE ENTERING NEW PHASE 5. USSR; DEEPENING DEBATE OVER AIR DEFENSES 6.

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DECLARES JIHAD

WILL PUSH FOR ATTACKS

SESRET

GROWING CRITICISM OF THE REPUBLIC'S POOR IFORMANCE. ITS ECONOMY REPORTEDLY OECLINEO MORE SHARPLY IIT ECONOMYHOLE LAS-RaWEAR. SPEEOINC THE JN OF REFORM MAY HELP EASE RUSSIA'S ECONOMIC PROBLEMS. BUT GAINS IN ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE WILL BE LIMIT.ED BY THE CENTER'S CONTIN^JLli CONTROL OF THE KEY ECONOMIC LEVERS.

h. USSRI MINERS' STRIKE ENTERING HEW PHASE F)

. THE ANNOUNCEMENT YESTERDAY BY MINERS IN THE

RUSSIA TNAT THEY INTEND TO STRIKE ON MONOAY HAS CHANGEO THE SoAPLtxloN OF WHAT HAOfc-HOUR STRIKE BY THE INDEPENDENT MINERS' N TO PROMOTEAR ILY ECONOMIC OEMANOS. TMOUSANOS OF MINERS IH THt UKRAINE.HE VORKUTA REGION 0' tne.R JOBSNG.GEO THER

ALSO TRYI THE STRIKE B* CEMANO ING THE RESIGNATION Of PRE SI CENT GORBACHEV. THE OISSOLUT.CN Of THE USSR SUPREME SOVIET. ANO THE DEPOLtTICIIATIONTHE ARMY AND THE KGB. THE CENTER NAS

THE MINI

"tC0T'*TE *WAGE AGREET WITH

COMMENT! THE DECISION BY THE KUZBASS MINERS TO HOLD AGREATLY ENHANCES THE VIABILITY OF THE UNION ANOOLITICAL FOCUS. THE OOMESTIC CRISIS MAY INTENSIFY FROM OTHER INDUSTRIES JOIN IN. THEL BET5 ADDRESS THE MINERS" ECONOMIC OEMANOS QUICKLY. BUTSUBSIDIES AJdlAHiCHER BUDGET DEFICIT THIS WOULD FUEL INFLATION. M|

SOVIET AIRNEEO Fl

5. OEEPCHINO OEBATC OVER *IR OEFENSJS

MS ANNOUNCEMENT

OVER THE EQUIPMENT WAS

. DEFEK OEFEAT CALl ONGOING PU1

?,rrcnvENrsrbrsovlEf oefenses'by'notiho thatq

OLD. POORLY MANNED. ANO iNCLUOEO NON-SOVIET

,ITI0N MP. FORCES HAD THE ADVANTAGES OF NUMBERS ANO SURPRISE. |

THE EC FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET MONDAY THEY ARE LIKELY TO RELEASE SI BILLION IN FOOD AID ANO CREOITS TO THE USSR AUTHORIZED DECEMBER BUT WITHKELC TO PROTEST THE CPACKOOWH IN THE BALTIC

:ALSO MAY FRE THE SUSPENDSMILLION IN TCCHHI CRT SUPPORT. THEY WILL TRY TO PERSUADE GREECE TO LIFT ITS MINE-YEAR VETO OH AIO TO TURKEY BY LINKING IT TO DISBURSEMENT OF THE S3 BILLION LOAN APPROVED. LAST MONTH FOR ATHENS OR TO FUTUREJ/jgg >.

EC PROBABLY BELIEVES ITS AID SUSPENSION YTY DISAPPROVAL OF THE BALTIC CRACKDOWN AND WANTS TOGORBACHEV BY WITHHOLDING ASSISTANCE ANY LONGER. THE FOOD CREDITS. HOWEVER. MAY BE SlOWfD BY DEBATE AMONGALLOWING MOSCOW TO USE THEM TO BUY EAST EUROPEAN ASEC AGRICULTURAL

YUGOSLAVlAi BOYCOTT OlSRUPTS NEGOTIATIONS

CROATIAN PRESIOENT TUOJMAN BOYCOTTEO YESTEROAY'S MEETING OF FEDERAL AHO REPUBLIC LEADERS AFTER THE FEDERAL PROSECUTOR ACCUSED HIM OF TREASON FOR ASKING PRESIDENT BUSHETTER TO HSLP THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEMOCRACY IN YUGOSLAVIA. THE SUMMIT PARTICIPANTS OELAYEO CONSIDERING TERMS FOR REPUBLIC SEPARATION FROM YUGOSLAVIA UNTIL ARCH. THE NATIONAL ARMY NEWSPAPER YESTERDAY ACCUSED US OlFENSE ATTACHES _PF HELPING _THE CROAT)ANS TRY TO ORGANIZE AN ARMED REBELLION. laPIQl

ATIONALISTS ANO THE MILITARY APPEAR TO BE JOINING TOGETHER TO PUT CROATIAN LEADERS ON THE DEFENSIVE. PRESIOENT JOVIC,ERB. PROBABLY ORDERED THE-PROSECUTOR'S CHARGE IN ORDER TO

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9. ALBANIA! LAYING GOWN THE LAW I

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AFTER INITIALLY CONCEDING TO REFORMERS' OEMANOS LAST WEEK. PRESIDENT ALIA HOW IS CLAMPING DOWN ON DISSENT. OH THURSDAY THE PRESIOENTIAL COUNCIL CALLEO FOR FIRMER ACTIQH BY SECURI" 8CR0ER GUARDS TO PREVENT FURTHER UNREST. THE GOVERNMENTIGHTENED CONTROL OF THE MEDIA LAST WEEKEND AHO YESTERDAY TIRANE UNIVERSITY FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. OPPOSITION LEADERS. MEANWHILE. ARE COMPLAINING OF HARASSMENT*.AHO THE FLOW OF REFUGEES INTO GREECE ANOSOME MILITARY PERSONNEL -HAS INCREASEO. THE GOVERNMENT APPARENTLY STILL PLANS TO NOLO THEARCH ELECTION ANO IS TRYING TO ICTORY BY MAKI1 ADDITIONAL GOODS AVAILABLE-ANO APPEALING TO PATRIOTISM.

WEAKEN SERBIA'S IAIN RIVAL IN ANTICIPATION OF TOUCH NEGOTIATIONS OVER TERRITORIAL ISSUES. TUDJMAN MAY BOYCOTT SUMMIT SESSIONS INDEFINITELY. HOWEVER, TORPE0OING. THC NEGOTIATING PROCESS. THC ARMY VIEWS CROATIAN PARAMILITARY FORCES AS ITS GREATEST OOMESTIC CHALLEliGf_ANO-CLEARLY STILL HOPES TO REIHPOSE CENTRALIZED COMMUNIST RULE.

j^AN;

JA^LOSEO^

.EADERS. IFHE 31

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LAST WEEK'S VIOLENCE CAUGHT PRESIOENT ALIA OFFCUARO. AHD HT. IS ACCEDING TO HARDLINERS' DEMANDSRACKDOWN. HE-ANO HIS REPUTEDLY MORE PRAGMATIC NEW PRIME MINISTER PROBABLY STILL WANT TO CONTINUE ECONOMIC REFORMS BUT WILL FACE STIFFEHIHG RESISTANCE FROM HARDLINE IDEOLOGUES. THE MILITARY. AND BUREAUCRATS. FURTHER UNREST STILL MAY SCUTTLE THE ELECTION. EVEN THOUGH ALIA REALIZESTEP WOULO THREATEN ALBANIA'S ACCESS TO BAOLY NEEDED INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC AIO. F)

10. IN BRIEF

EUROPE

OF HARDLINER AS GENERAL SECRETARY PROBABLY WILL SPLIT GREEK COMMUNIST PARTYOME MODERATES MAY JOIN SOCIALISTKE RIFT WOULD WEAKEN COM"UNIST-LED LEFT ALLIANCE COALITIOH.

OIC COUNCIL MEMBERS TO INCREASE SUPPORT FOR BALTIC REPUBLICS DESPITE SOVIET CRITICISM . .NCE AFRAID TO CONFRONT SOVIETS. NOW REPUBLICS' AROENT SUPPORTERS . . ONCERN ABOU HARMING RELATIONS WITH USSR PREVENTING DIPLOMATIC TIES NOW.

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OEFEV.SE HIHISTER YAZOV APPARENTLY DELAY INC CHINAO AS TO MEET WITH UK PRIME MINISTER IH MOSCOW . . IKELY TO RESCHEDULE LATER THIS MONTH . . ECENTJNTEfiVi EW OUTLINED MUTUAL REASSURANCES ABOUT MILITARY INTENTIONS.

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HAVE ANNOUNCED INTERIOR MINISTRY CROWD-CONTROL EXERCISE OCCURRED IH MOSCOW TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY . . . CENTER MAY

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Original document.

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