Field Reports

With the approaching presidential elections of October 15, the political situation in Azerbaijan is heating up by the day. Mass protest actions of the opposition are getting a more and more intensive character. The appointment of Ilham Aliyev as prime minister has meant that all instruments of power ahead of the elections will be in his hands. It will certainly rally the ruling elite around him. Moreover, it will allow him to greatly influence the pre-election situation. And finally, the leading countries of the West, as well as international organizations, have had to reckon with Ilham Aliyev’s position, in fact acting as the head of the state.

Widespread corruption within the system of education in Kyrgyzstan is not a secret to anyone in the country. Bribing is there on every level of the educational system. Very often, parents have to provide “financial assistance” to a principal to place their children at prestigious schools. It is hard to get a doctor of science degree without paying a certain amount of money. Corruption in the process of university admission and scholarship allocation has also caused much dissatisfaction among the Kyrgyzstani public.

On July 19, a Partnership Forum or the fourth roundtable discussion under the title of “Kyrgyz Statehood in the Third Millennium: New Mechanisms for Partnership between the State Authorities and Civil Society” was held in Bishkek.

So far, Kazakhstan’s all-out attempt to bring its oil on the world market at low possible economic and political costs seems to be as fruitless as it is ambitious. But putting into operation the huge oil-processing complex and the Karachaganak – Ulken Shagan – Atyrau pipeline at the beginning of this month, a significant event solemnly marked by top government officials, brings the country nearer to that goal. It is also likely to fan long-running controversies about oil revenues.

As elections to local parliaments (maslikhats) scheduled for September 20 draw closer, political parties and NGOs in Kazakhstan step up their demands for fair and open voting procedures. They have good reasons for doing so. Parliamentary elections of 1999 came under fire both from the opposition and international human rights organizations.

The Ministry of Health Care, international and non-governmental organizations in Kyrgyzstan has warned that the country is witnessing an unprecedented HIV epidemic. Statistics of the Republican “AIDS” center show that the number of registered carriers of the virus in Kyrgyzstan leaped up to 425, while the number of people contracting AIDS is 13. Ten of these have already died.

Since the news of President Heydar Aliyev’ worsening health condition reached Baku, a great outflow of foreign currency began. Though officials deny it has any relations with the President’s illness, the fact that an almost equal amount of currency was traded in June and July as in the entire first six months of the year seems to be no coincidence.

On the initiative of the Kyrgyz Ministry of Interior and the OSCE, a program to support law enforcement bodies of Kyrgyzstan was worked out. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe is going to allocate 3.6 million euros to reform the law enforcement bodies of Kyrgyzstan. The plan prepared by the Kyrgyz side has been submitted to the OSCE and will be implemented as soon as the parties sign a memorandum.

On July 3, the most influential leader of the Azerbaijan population of Iran and head of the Movement of National Revival of Southern Azerbaijan (MNRSA) Mahmudali Chehregani arrived in Baku. He is a supporter of reforms in Iran with the use of strong American backing.