Powell Pressures Russia to Honor Troop Pledges

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell chastised Russia on Tuesday for failing to honor a pledge to withdraw troops from the struggling states of Georgia and Moldova.

Beginning a four-day trip through Europe and North Africa, Powell told officials of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe that he was disappointed that Russia would probably not keep a promise to withdraw troops from Moldova by Dec. 31 -- an extension of a previous deadline.

Four years ago, Russia promised at an OSCE summit in Istanbul, Turkey, to withdraw its troops and close its bases in the two countries.

Powell also suggested that Moscow’s support for separatist forces in Georgia could obstruct reform in a country where the government of President Eduard A. Shevardnadze was recently ousted.

“No support should be given to breakaway elements seeking to weaken Georgia’s territorial integrity,” he said.

The 55-nation security group has made reform in Georgia a top priority. The group is trying to organize new elections overseen by Georgia’s interim leaders, who last month organized massive street protests against Shevardnadze, accusing him of vote-rigging in recent parliamentary elections.

Russia has supported separatist elements who oppose the interim government and has even invited the groups’ leaders to Moscow.

Russian officials Tuesday continued to assert their right to support the secessionists. Their position divided the conference, preventing it from reaching a common statement on the subject. Officials worked all night Monday to reach a compromise, but the effort failed when the U.S. rejected language that would have weakened the support expressed for the reform effort.

“This is a setback, though progress has been made,” said Powell, who also reaffirmed U.S. support for the interim Georgian government during a 15-minute meeting with acting President Nino Burjanadze.

Powell called for the “earliest possible fulfillment” of Russia’s promise to withdraw its troops.

Burjanadze and Moldovan leaders also criticized Russia. Moldovan officials complained about continuing Russian support for leaders of the breakaway Trans-Dniester region.

Powell stopped in the Netherlands before flying to North Africa to meet with top officials of Tunisia and Morocco later Tuesday. Today, he planned to visit Algeria, then to fly to Belgium for a Thursday meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organization foreign ministers.

The three moderate North African countries have been strong allies in the American effort against Islamic militants, and Powell wanted to demonstrate support for them, while urging them to step up democratic and economic reforms, U.S. officials said. Middle East peace efforts and Iraq were also on the agenda.

Tunisia was struck by an Al Qaeda attack in April 2002, and terrorists hit Morocco in May 2003, a U.S. official noted.

The three countries have received varying degrees of criticism from human rights advocates, and in recent days, officials of some rights groups have pressed Powell to speak forcefully on democratic values.

Powell took a gentle approach. After a meeting in Tunisia with President Zine el Abidine ben Ali that lasted an hour and 45 minutes, Powell said the country had “already accomplished much” in its own reforms, by recognizing the rights of women, modernizing its education system and recently releasing a jailed journalist.

“I have encouraged the leaders who I met with today to continue this process of political reform and economic change,” he said.

Pentagon officials have acknowledged their desire to improve ties with Morocco and Tunisia. State Department officials have said they will quadruple economic aid to Morocco.

Powell had another reason to travel to the three countries. “It’s one of the few areas in the region where he can travel and not have a lot of bad news come up,” an official said.