FM Alert, Vol III, No. 11
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Subject: FM Alert, Vol III, No. 11
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Paulette Layton <[email protected]>
FM Alert, Vol III, No. 11
FM Alert, Vol. III, No. 11
March 19, 1999
FMP CO-SPONSORS INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS ON MESKHETIAN TURKS
Participants at informal discussions to explore solutions to
Meskhetian Turk dilemmas - held march 15-17 in Vienna, Austria -
agreed to establish a mechanism that promotes projects to address
outstanding issues. "Given the expressions of interest from
participants, the co-organizers [including the Forced Migration
Projects] agreed to undertake to act, under the auspices of the OSCE
High Commissioner on National Minorities, to establish a focal point
that will collect and act as a depository for project proposals
relating to [Meskhetian Turks]," said the Chairmen's Statement, issued
at the conclusion of the meeting. Collected material will be analyzed
and selected proposals will be presented in a report to be unveiled at
the meeting of the Steering Group of the CIS Conference on
migration-related issues, scheduled for June 24-25 in Geneva. The
report will be designed to facilitate donor funding by highlighting
specific and concrete project proposals. "This may be one of the most
tangible accomplishments by governments involved in the 1996 CIS
Migration Conference," said FMP Director Arthur C. Helton. Other
co-organizers of the Vienna discussions were UNHCR and the OSCE High
Commissioner on National Minorities.
CONCERN EXPRESSED ON UNHCR AID POLICY IN KRASNODAR KRAI
Representatives of Meskhetian Turk civic organizations and Russian
nongovernmental organizations have expressed concern over the
activities of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in
Russia's Krasnodar Krai. Accord to regional press reports, UNHCR has
provided local government bodies with tens of thousands of dollars in
reconstruction aid that is supposedly designed to help ease hardships
faced by Meskhetian Turks in the region. However, such aid can be
perceived as tacit support for discriminatory policies conducted by
Krasnodar Krai officials, according to Meskhetian Turk
representatives. "The money can be viewed as approval of the Krasnodar
Krai administration's efforts to expel Meskhetian Turks," said Sarvar
Teodorov, who was a member of the Meskhetian Turk delegation attending
informal consultations March 15-17 in Vienna, Austria. Teodorov said
UNHCR aid should be conditioned on the regional government's
performance in upholding basic rights for Meskhetian Turks. At the
Vienna consultations, which focused on formulating solutions to
Meskhetian Turk dilemmas, Russian government representatives agreed to
"take steps to ease living conditions for Meskhetian Turks living in
Krasnodar Krai," according to the Chairmen's Statement.
MESKHETIAN TURK ORGANIZATIONS TAKE STEP TOWARDS CONSOLIDATION
Representatives of various Meskhetian Turk civic organizations took a
significant step towards consolidation during informal consultations,
held March 15-17 in Vienna, Austria. Efforts to find durable solutions
to Meskhetian Turk dilemmas have been hampered by infighting among
representative civic organizations, including Vatan and Hsna. The
organizations have differed over terminology, as well as overall
repatriation policies. However, the Chairmen's Statement issued at the
conclusion of the Vienna gathering noted that the rival organizations
had "expressed the desire to strengthen relations among themselves."
According to Yusuf Sarvarov, chairman of Vatan, major differences have
been bridged. "We have resolved the issue of terminology and this
represents a major step forward." Meskhetian Turk leaders announced
plans to organize a conference of civic organizations with the aim of
harmonizing repatriation positions. The conference could take place as
soon as mid-April, and could be held either in the Russian city of
Rostov, or in Baku, Azerbaijan. "The most critical issue that we face
is the shortage of money," said Bekir Mamoyev, a Vatan leader in
Azerbaijan. "International donors can assist us greatly in
consolidation efforts."
For more information contact:
The Forced Migration Projects
400 West 59th Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10019
tel: (212)548-0655
fax: (212) 548-4676
e-mail: [email protected]
website: www.soros.org/migrate.html
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