No. 89, 11 May 1992

SUCCESSOR STATES TO THE USSR

FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET IN ADVANCE OF CIS SUMMIT. The foreign
ministers or deputy foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus,
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan met in Tashkent on 10May
to prepare for the CIS summit meeting in Tashkent on 15May, ITAR-TASS
reported. They decided on a provisional agenda of 16 items for
the meeting of heads of state. These include military issues,
measures to be taken if a state introduces its own currency,
the division of the former USSR State Bank's assets, and therights
of deported peoples and national minorities. The agenda for the
simultaneous meeting of CIS heads of government was also discussed.
(Ann Sheehy)

KOZYREV THINKS COMMONWEALTH WILL SURVIVE. There has been widespread
speculation that the Tashkent summit will see the end of the
Commonwealth, but Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev told
ITAR-TASS on 10May that rumors of its demise were, "to put it
mildly, exaggerated," and that the Tashkent summit was "fated
to succeed." Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk, who is under
pressure from Ukrainian political parties to take Ukraine out
of the Commonwealth, said in a recent Italian newspaper interview,
that he did not see that Ukraine would be better off without
the Commonwealth. (Ann Sheehy)

CRIMEAN QUESTION. The Crimean parliamentary chairman, Nikolai
Bagrov, was quoted by Radio Rossii on 9May as saying that the
peninsula should not be the source of conflict between Ukraine
and Russia, but rather serve as a unifying factor. Bagrov made
the comments in an interview with the Kharkov Novosti agency
and a Japanese newspaper. The Crimean parliament, said Bagrov,
will do everything to ensure that Crimea plays a stabilizing
role. At the same time, he maintained that it will act on the
will of the Crimean people. (Roman Solchanyk)

BLACK SEA FLEET NUCLEAR-FREE. ITAR-TASS on 9May carried a statement
from the CIS Joint Armed Forces Command announcing that there
were no nuclear weapons aboard the ships or submarines of the
Black Sea Fleet. This could complicate the current negotiations
between Russia and Ukraine over the future of the fleet, since
Ukraine has only recognized ships with nuclear weapons as "strategic"
forces that would not be included in the Ukrainian Navy. (Doug
Clarke)

US AND CIS TO HOLD SUB TALKS. Vice Admiral Valerii Aleksin, the
Chief Navigator of the CIS Navy, told ITAR-TASS on 9May that
the question of submarines of one side operating in the training
areas of the other would be on the agenda of the annual meeting
of Russian and American naval experts, to be held in Moscow at
the end ofMay. Aleksin revealed that there had been ten collisions
between Soviet/CIS and foreign submarines over the past 25 years--nine
involving American boats. (Doug Clarke)

PROCUREMENT POLICY, KOKOSHIN ROLE IN NEW RUSSIAN MOD? The promotion
of Russian First Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Grachev to Army
General and his appointment on 7May as acting Russian Defense
Minister raised questions about the role envisioned for Russia's
other First Deputy Defense Minister, Andrei Kokoshin. According
to an ITAR-TASS report on 8May, Grachev told a meeting of military
leaders attended by Supreme Soviet Chairman Ruslan Khasbulatov
that one of his [Grachev's] primary tasks was to coordinate efforts
with the military industrial complex in developing advanced high
accuracy weapons based on "new principles." He said that Kokoshin
would be tasked with overseeing this cooperative process in the
new Russian Defense Ministry. (Stephen Foye)

APPOINTMENTS IN BELARUSIAN MOD. Postfactum reported on 8May that
two days earlier, on 6May, the former Belarusian Military District
was liquidated, while on 7May Belarusian Defense Minister Pavel
Kozlovsky was promoted to Colonel General and seven of his nine
deputies were appointed. The report listed among the newly appointed
deputies former Belarusian Military District commander Colonel
General Anatolii Kostenko and former acting Belarusian Defense
Minister Colonel General Petr Chaus. The report added that Chaus
is the only ethnic Belarusian of the seven deputies, and that
nearly all the rest are Russians. Kostenko is believed to be
Ukrainian. (Stephen Foye)

YELTSIN REORGANIZES PRESIDENTIAL STAFF. Russian President Yeltsin
on 8May issued an edict appointing Gennadii Burbulis state secretary
attached to (pri) the president of the Russian Federation. The
position of state secretary of the RF, which Burbulis and 10
other Yeltsin aides previously held, is being abolished, Interfax
reported; instead, 5 presidential advisors will be appointed
(who may hold no other post). (Sergei Shakhrai resigned as state
secretary last week, saying he would retain only his parliamentary
seat.) The reshuffle is being interpreted by some in Moscow as
a move to create "a new Politburo" which will make key policy
decisions to be implemented by junior government ministers. (Julia
Wishnevsky and Elizabeth Teague)

PRESIDENTIAL SECRETARIAT STREAMLINED. Also on 8May, Interfax
reported, Yeltsin named Viktor Ilyushin, who until now has headed
the presidential secretariat, to a new post as his first assistant.
Valerii Semenchenko has been named to head the presidential office
in Ilyushin's place. The office is to be streamlined and its
staff cut; a number of commissions and working groups that used
to be attached to it are being transferred to the government.
(Elizabeth Teague)

VICTORY DAY IN MOSCOW. The Russians celebrated the 47th anniversary
of the capitulation of Nazi Germany on 7-9May, with concerts,
fireworks, and other festivities. Vice President Aleksandr Rutskoi,
being an Afghan war veteran, attended almost all of the events.
On 8May, Yeltsin delivered a speech commemorating the victory
and also addressed a crowd in Gorky Park the following day, saying
that the Victory Day would always be the greatest Russia holiday.
One the most colorful events was the "Victory of Peace" parade
on 9May, which included a military orchestra composed of the
four allied powers, German and Italian forces, as well as Nazi
concentration camp survivors dressed in their striped camp robes.
(Julia Wishnevsky)

PROTESTS CENSORED BY RUSSIAN TV. Russian TV's reporting of the
opposition to Yeltsin is all too reminiscent of the way Soviet
TV used to report on Yeltsin's opposition to Gorbachev, the latest
example: Victory Day (9May). All newscasts reported on a rally
in support of the coup leaders outside a Moscow prison; they
briefly mentioned Yeltsin's visit to Gorky Park but showed him
only with fans who said they would endure any hardship for the
Russian president. No mention was made of the fact that Yeltsin
was heckled or that Moscow police chief Arkadii Murashov was
attacked. In just the same way, Soviet TV halted live reporting
of the 1May 1990 Red Square military parade so that viewers would
not see anti-Gorbachev demonstrators. (JuliaWishnevsky)

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO REVIEW COMMUNIST PARTY BAN. At its next
meeting, on 26May, Russia's Constitutional Court will consider
whether or not Yeltsin's post-coup edicts, banning the activities
of the CPSU and the Russian Communist Party on Russian territory
and confiscating the party's property, infringed the constitution,
ITAR-TASS reported on 7May. (Elizabeth Teague)

NEW PARTY BEING FORMED IN RUSSIA. The organizing committee for
the creation of the "AllRussian Union of Renewal" met in Moscow
on 6May, Inter-fax reported. It contains members of the Russian
parliament, directors of industrial enterprises, and businessmen.
The new party plans to hold its constituent conference at the
end ofMay. Details are few but what evidence there is suggests
that this is the latest in a series of so far unsuccessful attempts
to create a bloc of "right-of-center" interests. The leading
role being played by Aleksandr Vladislavlev, first vice president
of Russia's influential employers' association, the Russian Union
of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, suggests thatthis may prove
a force to be watched. (Elizabeth Teague)

WAGE-PRICE RACE IN RUSSIA. Trud of 9May predicts that by the
end of 1992 the average wage in Russian industry will be 7-10,000
rubles a month, compared with 3,464 in March. The paper goes
on to argue that consumer prices will nonetheless have outpaced
wages by that time, reaching a level 33 times that of 1990 [probably
average 1990]. That implies roughly a doubling of the March 1992
price-level by December, which would be bad news for the Russian
government and the IMF. Meanwhile a report by "Vesti" on 10May
noted that, at present, the position is different: recent wage
rises have brought back shortages at existing prices in Moscow.
(Philip Hanson)

"EXPLOSIVE SITUATION" IN OIL-PRODUCING TYUMEN. The trilateral
commission set up earlier this year (consisting of representatives
of the Russian government, employers, and unions) is sending
a delegation to the oil-producing Tyumen region of Siberia. The
delegation will try to defuse the "explosive situation" said
to have arisen there because of a shortage of cash to pay workers'
wages; Tyumen residents are threatening to strike on 20May. Pre-strike
situations have also been declared to protest over cash shortages
in the Kemerovo and Chelyabinsk regions, Interfax reported on
8May. (Elizabeth Teague)

ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJANI FORCES IN BATTLE FOR SHUSHA. The ink had
scarcely dried on the agreement signed on 8May to end the Karabakh
conflict when Armenian forces within Karabakh (not represented
at the Tehran talks) launched a major offensive against the Azerbaijani
town of Shusha. The town was taken on 9May after heavy overnight
fighting, Western agencies reported. A counter-offensive by Azerbaijan
on 10May failed to retake Shusha. Having stated on 8May that
he did not blame the Armenian government for the renewed onslaught,
on 10May acting Azerbaijani President Yagub Mamedov termed Armenia's
signing of the Tehran agreement "an act of bad faith," according
to The Los Angeles Times. Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrossyan
argued in a statement quoted on Central TV on 9May that the situation
in Karabakh is beyond the control of either Armenia or Azerbaijan,
and that any international mediation attempt that fails to include
representatives of "the legitimate government of Karabakh" is
doomed to failure. (LizFuller)

TURKEY, ARMENIA CALL FOR UN INTERVENTION IN KARABAKH. On 9May
Iranexpressed concern over renewed fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh
and called upon Armenia and Azerbaijan to abide by the peace
agreement, Western agencies reported. According to Tehran Radio,
the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan asked for Iran's help in
ending the fighting. On 9May Turkey requested that the UN Security
Council take "urgent measures" to stop the fighting in Karabakh,
and on 10May, Armenia appealed for an emergency session of the
UN Security Council to debate the dispatch of UN peacekeeping
forces to Nagorno-Karabakh. (LizFuller)

CEASE-FIRE REPORTED IN NAKHICHEVAN. On9May, Radio Erevan expressed
concern that detachments subordinate to the Azerbaijan Popular
Front which refuse to acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Nakhichevan
authorities were engaged in military operations against Armenians
in Nakhichevan, and that Turkey might intervene militarily in
the fighting under the terms of the 1921 Turkish-Russian Treaty.
On 10May the Anatolian News Agency quoted Nakhichevan parliament
Chairman Geidar Aliev as stating that a cease-fire had been reached
thanks to the efforts of Turkish Prime Minister Suleyman Demirel.
(Liz Fuller)

NEW DEFENSE MINISTER APPOINTED IN GEORGIA. The notoriously unreliable
informal militia commander, Tengiz Kitovani, who has repeatedly
spread erroneous and misleading information concerning the political
situation in Georgia, has been appointed Defense Minister, replacing
Lieutenant General Levan Sharashenidze, Radio Tbilisi reported
on 8May. (Liz Fuller)

TALKS RESUME IN DUSHANBE. On 11May, talks between the Tajik government
and opposition leaders on creating a coalition government have
resumed after having been broken off on 10May, Reuters reported.
The opposition had withdrawn from the talks after several people
were killed in a crowd trying to enter the national security
committee building (formerly, the KGB) where President Rakhman
Nabiev was reported to have taken refuge. Strains were appearing
in the anti-government coalition as representatives of the Islamic
Party pressed a demand for Nabiev's resignation; other coalition
members seemed inclined to have him remain in office. Western
and Russian media reported that officials in both the Kulyab
and Leninabad Oblasts were trying to distance their regions from
events in Dushanbe, and Leninabad was even considering joining
Uzbekistan. (Bess Brown)

ASHGABAT SUMMIT RESULTS IN AGREEMENTS.The summit of leaders of
the Central Asian countries (except Tajikistan), Iran, Turkey
and Pakistan that was held in Ashgabat on 9-10May, resulted in
an agreement to jointly construct a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan
to Western Europe, Western and domestic agencies reported on
11May. Coordinating committees were established to plan road
and rail connections, including the construction of a rail line
from China to Turkey. Participants in the summit also signed
statements calling for political, economic and cultural cooperation
and the reduction of trade barriers between their countries.
(BessBrown)



CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

YUGOSLAV MILITARY PURGE. Yugoslav area and Western media report
on 8 May that the Serb-dominated State Presidency of the new
Yugoslav state announced the immediate retirement of 38 high-ranking
generals and admirals making room for a high command whom Western
diplomats say are more loyal to Serbia's President Slobodan Milosevic.
The resignation of acting federal defense minister and chief
of the general staff Col. Gen. Blagoje Adzic was accepted and
Col. Gen. Milutin Kukanjac, commander of the 2nd Military District
in Sarajevo, was relieved of duty. Both men had opposed the rapid
pullout of federal forces from Bosnia-Herzegovina. The purge
is seen by Western diplomats as Milosevic's latest move to facilitate
his negotiating position regarding the EC, CSCE and US which
are threatening to isolate the newly established Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia if it does not immediately withdraw the federal
army from Bosnia-Herzegovina. (Milan Andrejevich)

NEW FEDERAL ARMY COMMANDERS. New appointments in the Yugoslav
armed forces include Col. Gen. Zivota Panic, acting chief of
general staff, to chief of general staff and Gen. Ratko Mladic,
commander of the Knin corps in southwestern Croatia, as commander
of 2nd Military District. Radio Serbia reports the new federal
defense minister will be a civilian. Bosnian Defense Minister
Jerko Doko told Radio Sarajevo that he does not favor such changes
during negotiations over the army's withdrawal from the republic
but added he feels confident that cooperation will soon be established
between the Bosnians and Gen. Panic. Bosnian President Alija
Izetbegovic minimized the significance of the changes, saying
negotiations "will be difficult regardless of what has taken
place at the top in Belgrade." (Milan Andrejevich)

BOSNIA UPDATE. Bosnian officials say Serbs are preparing for
a final offensive aimed on overrunning Sarajevo. Heavy fighting
was also reported over the weekend in Mostar, Doboj, and Bosanski
Brod. Radio Sarajevo also reports that Bosnian security troops
clashed with Croat forces from western Herzegovina near Bosnia's
main industrial city of Zenica. This is the first known armed
conflict between units of Bosnia's predominantly Muslim territorial
defense force, and Herzegovinian Croat forces who have not recognized
the joint command of the republic's territorial defense system.
Radio Croatia reported on 8 May that Serbian forces shelled the
shrine at Medjugorje causing considerable damage. UNPROFOR representatives
stationed in Medjugorje as well as about 60 pilgrims from Italy
and the US witnessed the attack. On 10 May, Bosnian officials
and the federal army reached further agreement on the army's
pullout from 10 barracks, and the lifting of blockades on roadways,
rail lines and the Sarajevo airport, Radio Sarajevo reports.
(Milan Andrejevich)

GREECE WILL ASSIST MACEDONIA. Politika reports on 9 May that
Greece has pledged economic and defense assistance to the former
Yugoslav republic of Macedonia under one condition: that it change
its name. The daily quotes Greek Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis
as saying that the EC's promised recognition of Macedonia under
a new name would stabilize the Balkan region. Greece argues that
using a name other than Macedonia would help assure that the
republic has no territorial pretensions on the northern Greek
province of the same name. Macedonia has repeatedly rejected
the Greek demands, but says it is ready to sign an agreement
with Greece on the inviolability of borders. (Milan Andrejevich)


WALESA DEMANDS MORE EXECUTIVE POWERS FROM SEJM. On 8 May President
Lech Walesa asked for stronger executive powers, saying the relationship
between himself, government and parliament is like the "Bermuda
Triangle." In a 25-minute speech to the Sejm, he said the government's
inability to handle urgent issues is killing hope among Poles
and causing Western creditors to lose faith in the country. Walesa
urged the deputies to start working on an interim "small constitution"
that would clearly state the powers of the president, the government,
and the parliament. He also urged a system of legislation that
would speed up the passage of economic reforms. Later, Walesa
told newsmen he expects parliament to act on his proposals within
one month or he will turn to the public to rally support for
himself. Western and Polish media carried the story. (Wladyslaw
Minkiewicz)

RUMORS OF POSSIBLE RESIGNATIONS IN POLAND. On 9 May Polish officials
denied a report broadcast on the TV program "Panorama" that the
government intends to resign. The program quoted unofficial sources
as saying that Prime Minister Jan Olszewski had met Parliament
Speaker Wieslaw Chrzanowski to discuss resigning. The sources
indicated that the premier might be replaced by Chrzanowski himself.
Later, Chrzanowski told PAP that "as a politician I support the
government of Prime Minister Jan Olszewski," adding he was not
conducting any meetings involved in changing the government.
(Wladyslaw Minkiewicz)

CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS LEAVE POLISH COALITION. The Party of Christian
Democrats has decided to withdraw support for the Olszewski government,
Polish media report. The party press office says this does not
signify that it is joining another coalition nor that it is undertaking
activity aimed against the government. The decision to withdraw
support for the government was influenced by Olszewski's absence
during the president's speech in parliament, which the party
views as an event of great significance. Since the party has
only four deputies in the Sejm, its withdrawal from the government
coalition is more symbolic than practical. (Wladyslaw Minkiewicz)


ROMANIA'S EX-KING URGES RETURN TO MONARCHY. Some 4,000 demonstrators
rallied on 10 May in Bucharest for the return of the monarchy.
One day earlier TV broadcast a call from Switzerland by ex-king
Michael saying that the return to constitutional monarchy is
the only way to break finally with communism, reinforce democracy
as a symbol of national and social reconciliation, and rebuild
a free and wealthy Romania reintegrated in Europe. According
to local and foreign media, the unprecedented broadcast was mixed
with emotional scenes showing tens of thousands Romanians welcoming
the king during his Eastertime visit. On 10 May the main opposition
and independent dailies also voiced support for the return of
the monarchy. (Mihai Sturdza)

BULGARIAN DEFENSE MINISTER ASKED TO RESIGN. In a row over continued
arms export to countries blacklisted by COCOM, primarily Libya
and Iraq, Bulgarian prime minister Filip Dimitrov has asked Defense
Minister Dimitar Ludzhev to step down, Reuters reported on 8
May. Ludzhev, heading the parliamentary committee on arms trade,
has repeatedly been criticized for granting export licenses to
anti-Western states. This week Dimitrov is expected to announce
several other cabinet changes. (Kjell Engelbrekt)

HAVEL QUESTIONS SOME OF MECIAR'S VIEWS. In his weekly radio address
the Czechoslovak president calls some of the ideas of Vladimir
Meciar, head of the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS)
and Slovakia's , are "dangerous." Although Havel did not say
which of Meciar's views he differs with, Meciar has said that
following adoption of a declaration of sovereignty, Slovakia
would adopt a new constitution and then hold a referendum on
whether to stay in the federation. Havel said he got a picture
of Meciar's views after a lengthy conversation in Prague last
week. The HZDS is Slovakia's strongest political party. (Barbara
Kroulik)

HUNGARIAN PRIME MINISTER SEEKS OUSTER OF RADIO CHIEF. Jozsef
Antall has initiated proceedings for the immediate dismissal
of Csaba Gombar, the chief of Hungarian Radio, MTI reported on
8 May. Explaining his decision in a formal request to President
Arpad Goncz, Antall said that Gombar is incompetent and pointed
out that parliament's cultural committee also recommended Gombar's
ouster. In the past few months Antall has sought to remove both
Gombar and Elemer Hankiss, president of Hungarian TV, on grounds
of incompetence. The opposition parties have, however, resisted
Antall's move and accused him of trying to gain control over
radio and TV by placing his own appointees in leading positions.
(Edith Oltay)

HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENTARY BY-ELECTION INVALID. A by-election held
in the southeastern town of Bekecsaba on 10 May has been declared
invalid, MTI reports. According to preliminary figures, only
14,113 out of 51,308 registered voters went to the polls--a 27.5%
turnout far short of the required 50% plus one vote. The ruling
Hungarian Democratic Forum's candidate, Minister of International
Economic Relations Bela Kadar, got the most votes (3,250), followed
by the candidates of the Alliance of Free Democrats, Socialist
Party, Alliance of Young Democrats, and Smallholders' Party;
the two independent candidates finished last. In the 1990 two-round
general election, Bekescsaba registered a 69% and 45% turnout,
respectively. (Alfred Reisch)

VOTERS REJECT CEPAITIS. On 9 May voters in the Marijampole parliament
electoral district voted whether to reinstate Virgilijus Cepaitis
as their deputy, Radio Lithuania reports. The parliament had
suspended him as a deputy after the Lithuanian Supreme Court
ruled that he had cooperated with the KGB. To regain his seat
Cepaitis had to gain the support of the majority of all eligible
voters, but only 12.7% participated in the vote, the majority
of them voting against him. (Saulius Girnius)

ESTONIAN VISAS AT EASTERN FRONT. On 1 July immigration authorities
will begin issuing visas to visitors entering Estonia from the
Eastern border. A Border Authority official told BNS on 9 May
that immigration authorities will issue visas, but border guards
will physically check visitors' documents. Estonia has required
visas of visitors entering from all other borders since last
fall. (Riina Kionka)

SLOVAKIA ON HUNGARIAN PULLOUT FROM DAM PROJECT. Slovak Forest
and Water Management Minister Viliam Oberhauser on 9 May rejected
Hungary's withdrawal from the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros dam project.
He said that Hungary cannot legally rescind the 1977 agreement.
He also said the action makes Hungary appear as an unreliable
partner and hopes that Hungarian officials will reconsider. The
Czechoslovak side has maintained that it cannot afford to dismantle
the huge, nearly-completed project and that it needs the hydroelectric
power, an RFE/RL correspondent reports. (Barbara Kroulik)

KOZLODUY NOT TO BE SHUT DOWN. According to a Reuters report on
8 May, the Bulgarian government has decided not to close down
the problem-ridden Kozloduy nuclear power plant, but rather to
improve its safety. Government spokeswoman Nadezhda Mihailova
said the decision was in line with advice by the National Energy
Committee, which had argued that Bulgaria could not afford the
alternative--the purchase of power or energy resources from abroad.
Some 40% of the country's energy needs are covered by the plant,
although constant technical problems cause frequent stops. (Kjell
Engelbrekt)

VISEGRAD THREE MILITARY MEETING. The defense ministers of Czechoslovakia,
Hungary, and Poland held a one-day meeting with the participation
of French Defense Minister Pierre Joxe on 9 May in Merin, Czechoslovakia,
MTI reports. Joxe wanted to inform himself about the Visegrad
Three's ideas on overall European security. Hungarian Defense
Minister Lajos Fur said Hungary would like to become a member
of the WEU upon receiving associate membership status in the
EC. (Alfred Reisch)

BURBULIS: NATO TO HELP WITH TROOP PULLOUT. After meeting with
NATO Undersecretary Amadeo de Franchis on 8 May in Brussels,
Russian State Secretary Gennadii Burbulis said that NATO has
promised to help Russia with the withdrawal of troops from the
Baltic States, Western agencies report. Burbulis said that the
troops would be transferred soon to Russia, but provided no details.
(Dzintra Bungs)

RUSSIA ACCUSES BALTICS OF DISREGARD FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. At a time
when the West is increasingly urging Russia to withdraw the ex-USSR
troops in the Baltic States in a timely fashion, Moscow is responding
with accusations that Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are discriminating
against the Russian minorities there. Russian Foreign Ministry
press spokesman Sergei Yastrzhembsky made these remarks to the
press in Moscow on 8 May, after Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev
had handed an official memorandum to the Council of Europe in
Strasbourg on 7 May. The accusations were dismissed by Baltic
representatives in Strasbourg as "hopelessly one-sided" and "an
obvious political ploy," Western agencies reported on 8 May.
(Dzintra Bungs)

LITHUANIAN PARTY CONGRESS. On 9-10 May the Brotherhood for the
Defense of Independence-January 13 held a congress in Vilnius,
Radio Lithuania reports. Former political prisoner Jadvyga Bieliauskiene
was elected chairman. The congress passed resolutions, among
others, calling for a referendum on the president to be held
on 6 June and urging priests in rural areas to explain in their
sermons the political situation and the need for a president.
(Saulius Girnius) [As of 1200 CET] Compiled by Carla Thorson
& Charles Trumbull







(END)



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