No. 115, 19 June 1992

SUCCESSOR STATES TO THE USSR

YELTSIN LEAVES WASHINGTON. Russian President Boris Yeltsin left
Washington on 18 June after signing the agreement to cut Russian
and US long-range nuclear weapons by about two-thirds, Russian
and Western agencies reported. Yeltsin noted that with the end
of the Cold War, nuclear weapons have turned out to be obsolete
and unnecessary. He also signed a "Charter for American-Russian
Partnership and Friendship" that is aimed at creating a peaceful
alliance of all democratic nations and calls for the creation
of "a Euro-Atlantic peacekeeping capability" under the auspices
of the CSCE. Other agreements signed during the summit covered
global protection systems, non-proliferation of weapons, space
cooperation, double taxation rights and a bilateral investment
treaty. (Alexander Rahr)

HARDLINERS THREATEN YELTSIN OVER ARMS CUTS. The leader of the
Communist faction in the Russian parliament, Sergei Baburin,
said on 18June that Washington's enthusiastic support for President
Boris Yeltsin was the "pay-back for his effective military surrender,"
Reuters reported on 18 June. Another hardline deputy, Nikolai
Pavlov, noted that if Yeltsin starts to conduct serious cuts
in the country's strategic arsenal, as agreed upon in Washington,
terrorist brigades will be set up in Moscow to prevent Yeltsin
from what he called "a wholesale surrender to the West after
decades of bitter competition with capitalism." (Alexander Rahr)


KRAVCHUK SUPPORTS NUCLEAR ARMS ACCORD, BUT... At a 17 June press
conference in Paris, Ukrainian President Leonid Kravhcuk endorsed
the previous day's Russo/American accord on further cuts in strategic
nuclear weapons. However, ITAR-TASS reported that the Ukrainian
leader stressed that the agreement reached in Washington applied
to Russia alone, and not to the other three republics of the
former Soviet Union where strategic nuclear weapons are locatedUkraine,
Belarus, and Kazakhstan. (Doug Clarke)

ON RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA. Kravchuk also told journalists that
he will discuss relations with Russia at his scheduled meeting
with Boris Yeltsin on 23June. The Crimean issue, however, will
not be on the agenda as it is an internal Ukrainian matter. Further,
Kravchuk repeated his view that the CIS can play an important
role if all of its members are viewed as equals. (Roman Solchanyk)


INITIAL AGREEMENT ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH PEACE SETTLEMENT. Armenia
and Azerbaijan reached a preliminary agreement on 18 June at
the CSCE-sponsored Karabakh peace talks in Rome to appeal for
a ceasefire and to send international observers to the region,
Western agencies reported. The CSCE peace conference due to open
in Minsk on 23 June has been postponed to allow further time
for preparation. Also on 18 June, the US and the EC called on
both sides to cease hostilities immediately and to renew their
commitment to Helsinki principles, while France and Azerbaijan
appealed to the UN Security Council to take measures to stop
the fighting. Meanwhile the government of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic declared a state of emergency and general mobilization
on 18 June as the Azerbaijani assault intensified, ITAR-TASS
reported. (Liz Fuller)

SHAKHRAI PREDICTS YELTSIN'S OUSTER. Sergei Shakhrai, who recently
resigned as Yeltsin's legal advisor, said in Komsomolskaya pravda
on 18 June that he is "almost certain" that hardliners will attempt
in the coming months to force Yeltsin from power. He predicted
that power will be transferred to "a collective leadership" in
the Security Council that will command overall authority in the
country and that Vice President Aleksandr Rutskoi could play
a decisive role in the coup. He noted that the parliament will
support Yeltsin's ouster. He predicted that a "national-patriotic
fascist dictatorship" will emerge since it is very easy for a
personality of the like of Adolf Hitler to come to power through
elections in Russia today. (Alexander Rahr)

VOLSKY SAYS GAIDAR FACES CONFIRMATION FIGHT. Some doubt still
hangs over Boris Yeltsin's appointment of Egor Gaidar as prime
minister, since it is not clear whether Yeltsin himself remembered
to resign from the post before nominating Gaidar. Meanwhile Arkadii
Volsky, chairman of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs,
told Handelsblatt on 17 June that Gaidar's appointment would
have to confirmed by parliament and that this would "not be easy."
Doubts about the constitutionality of the appointment were expressed
in the Russian Supreme Soviet on 17 June by the leader of the
"Change--New Policy" parliamentary group. (Elizabeth Teague)


VOLSKY AND TRAVKIN TO FORM ALLIANCE. It was announced on 17 June
that the recently created "Renewal" party, which is headed by
Arkadii Volsky and represents the industrial lobby, is to ally
with Nikolai Travkin's Democratic Party of Russia and the People's
Party of Free Russia (led by Vasilii Lipitsky but originally
founded by Vice President Aleksandr Rutskoi). The new political
organization, which describes itself as a "moderate conservative"
party in "constructive opposition" to the Yeltsin/Gaidar team,
will be called "Civic Union" and will be formed in Moscow on
21 June; Volsky told Handelsblatt on 17 June that he would head
it. It seems set to become Russia's largest party (if not yet
"Russia's new ruling party" as some in Moscow had already begun
to call "Renewal"). (Elizabeth Teague)

"MOVEMENT OF OPPOSITION FORCES" PROPOSED. Interfax reported on
16 June 1992 that the Russian minister of the press and information,
Mikhail Poltoranin, had met with leaders of the communists and
other hardliners demonstrating outside the Ostankino TV and radio
center. Poltoranin reportedly proposed the creation of an "all-Russian
congress or movement of opposition forces." Such a body should
work out its political platform for publication in the mass media;
then, Poltoranin said, there could be a serious dialogue between
the opposition and the government. (Elizabeth Teague)

RUSSIAN LAW ON MONETARY SYSTEM. On 18 June, the Russian parliament
passed a law on the monetary system of the Russian Federation,
ITAR-TASS reported. This stipulated, among other things, that
"the ruble may be used as a currency unit by other countries,
but only on the basis of inter-state agreements signed by the
Russian Federation." The parliament instructed the government
and the central bank to "take measures to encourage in every
possible way the introduction of non-cash payments to ensure
the curtailment of the need for cash and also the improvement
of encashment of the trade returns." The law comes into effect
on 1 July. (Keith Bush)

ONE TRILLION RUBLES' WORTH OF NEW BANKNOTES. The Managing Director
of the Russian Central Bank, Aleksandr Zinchenko, told Interfax
on 18 June that Russia plans to print up to one trillion (a million
million) rubles' worth of new banknotes between July and September.
He reckoned that the country's cash crisis should end in August
when 5,000-ruble notes go into circulation. (Keith Bush)

RUSSIA TO EXPORT LABOR. Deputy Minister of Labor Igor Khalevinsky
urged temporary employment abroad for Russian citizens at a 16
June press conference, ITAR-TASS reported. In order to ensure
the rights of its citizens, Khalevinsky said the labor emigration
would have to be controlled by the Russian government. He believes
that specialists would acquire skills abroad that upon their
return would contribute to the economic and scientific growth
of Russia. Sending workers abroad would ease unemployment and
put hard currency in the treasury as the government would collect
a percentage of the wages earned abroad. Russia has concluded
agreements for its citizens to work in Germany and Finland, and
is negotiating with other European and Persian Gulf countries.
It has already reached an agreement with Germany granting 13,000
jobs to Russian building engineers. (Sarah Helmstadter)

UKRAINE'S 1992 BUDGET APPROVED. After four abortive attempts
and nearly half-way through the year, the Ukrainian parliament
approved the state budget for 1992 on 18 June, Reuters reported.
Revenues are set at 1,180 billion rubles, and expenditures at
1,230 billion rubles, leaving a planned budget deficit of 54
billion rubles, equivalent to 2% of the GNP. (Keith Bush)

KAZAKH OPPOSITION DEMONSTRATES. Interfax reported on 17 June
that about 5,000 demonstrators from several Kazakh opposition
groups protested in front of the parliament to demand the resignation
of the government and of the Supreme Soviet deputies elected
by the Communist Party, Komosomol and other organizations that
no longer exist. Jeltoqsan party leader Hasen Kozhahmetov threatened
that if the demands of the rally were ignored by parliament,
the groups would organize a 100,000-strong demonstration and
push events along a course such as was followed in Dushanbe.
Organizers of the Alma-Ata demonstration said earlier that they
would demand the formation of a "Government of National Reconciliation,"
including members of the opposition, like that set in Tajikistan.
(Cassandra Cavanaugh)

GOVERNMENT CRACKS DOWN. On 18 June Kazakh OMON troops cleared
away the tent camp set up in front of the Supreme Soviet building
by opposition protestors, whose number was estimated at 15,000,
according to Interfax. No arrests were reported, but an Interior
Ministry spokesman stated that the demonstration was not sanctioned
by city officials and was therefore illegal. President Nursultan
Nazarbaev has asked parliament to consider a ban on unregistered
political groups. (Cassandra Cavanaugh)

CIS OFFICERS ASSEMBLY MEETS. The Coordinating Council of the
CIS All Army Officers Assembly met for two days this week in
Moscow. The officers were concerned about the failure of recent
legislation to adequately protect the rights of servicemen and
about internal CIS conflicts. According to Novosti on 18 June,
240,000 families of servicemen remain without adequate housing,
and of the 120,000 apartments scheduled for their use, only 3,400
have so far been provided. Conference participants also urged
an end to the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Captain Aleksandr
Mochaikin, Chairman of the Coordinating Council, told ITAR-TASS
at the conference that the fate of three servicemen captured
in Azerbaijan in February was still not resolved. Participants
also claimed that they have been abandoned politically and must
now protect themselves. (Chris Hummel)

SHAPOSHNIKOV'S PROPOSAL ON BLACK SEA FLEET. Marshal Evgenii Shaposhnikov,
the commander in chief of the CIS joint armed forces, has suggested
that one possible solution to the current impasse over the ex-Soviet
Black Sea Fleet would be to divide it up among all the members
of the CIS. He made this suggestion at the same Officers Assembly
meeting. According to an RIA account, Shaposhnikov said that
after such a division, the other CIS countriesless Ukrainewould
then "delegate" their shares of the fleet to Russia. (Doug Clarke)


... AND A DUAL COMMAND IN SEVASTOPOL. ITAR-TASS on 18 June reported
that there were two commanders of the Sevastopol Garrison: one
from Ukraine and one from the Commonwealth armed forces. The
bulk of the Black Sea Fleet is based at this Crimean port. The
Ukrainian defense ministry has appointed Rear Admiral Boris Kozhin,
the designated commander of the Ukrainian Navy, to the post,
while Vice Admiral Vitalii Larionov remains in the post he has
occupied for the last four years. The Ukrainian ministry indicated
that Kozhin's authority would be only over "the Ukrainian units"
of the garrison, and he would not interfere in the Black Sea
Fleet's problems until its legal and political status was determined.
The report said that the CIS fleet command charged that this
latest Ukrainian move violated the republic's earlier pledge
to avoid unilateral actions regarding the fleet. (Doug Clarke)


GEORGIAN MILITIA COMMANDER KILLED BY BOMB. Tamaz Kurashvili,
deputy commander of the Mkhedrioni militia group, was killed
by a car bomb in Tbilisi on 17 June, Russian TV reported on 18
June. It is not known who was responsible for the attack. Seven
people died in a similar attempt to murder Mkhedrioni leader
Dzhaba Ioseliani on 13 June. Georgia's permanent representative
in Moscow was quoted by ITAR-TASS on 17 June as claiming that
preliminary investigations pointed to Groznyi, where ousted president
Zviad Gamsakhurdia is currently living. (Liz Fuller)

"DNIESTER REPUBLIC" FORMING OWN ARMY. Implementing plans made
clear earlier this year, the self-styled "Dniester republic"
has formally announced that it is forming an army. The former
deputy chief of staff of Russia's 14th Army, Colonel Stefan Kitsak,
has been "promoted" to Major General, appointed "defense minister,"
and formally instructed to "form a Dniester army" by the would-be
republic's president Igor Smirnov, Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported
on 18June. Kitsak told the newspaper in an interview that the
"Dniester" army is instituting a draft and would "buy hardware,
including heavy equipment." The equipment currently used by the
"Dniester" forces has been obtained from the 14th Army, with
whom Kitsak said they have "normal, friendly working relations".
Russian TV's "Vesti' reported on 17 June that the "Dniester"
military draft has already begun. (Vladimir Socor)

THE "DNIESTER DEFENSE MINISTER". An ethnic Romanian native of
northern Bukovina, Kitsak is a veteran Soviet paratroop officer
who participated in the invasions of Hungary in 1956, Czechoslovakia
in 1968 (Nezavisimaya Gazeta of 18 June said that he was among
those who entered Prague in the night of 20 to 21 August), and
Afghanistan. During 1991 he stated repeatedly that the "Dniester
republic" stood for returning the USSR to the situation that
existed prior to 1985. (Vladimir Socor)



CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

CZECH-SLOVAK TALKS. In talks on 17 June Vaclav Klaus of the Civic
Democratic Party (ODS) and Vladimir Meciar of the Movement for
a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) agreed on a smaller, 10-member cabinet,
to be evenly divided between Czechs and Slovaks, with a Czech
to be prime minister. Klaus said he would rather be Czech premier
than head a federal government set to self-destruct, as he has
little faith in the longevity of this government and its ability
to function. Meciar said he plans to become Slovak premier. President
Vaclav Havel on 18 June shrugged off Klaus' decision to turn
down the post of federal prime minister and dismissed the claim
that the incoming government would serve only long enough to
dissolve the federation. The fourth round of talks, to be held
in Bratislava on 19 June, will focus on the exact makeup of the
new federal government, CSTK and foreign agencies report. On
18 June hundreds of Czechs rallied in support of Havel. A petition
calling on the Czech Republic to preempt the split with Slovakia
has gathered 50,000 signatures. (Barbara Kroulik)

MORE ON CROATIAN-BOSNIAN "MILITARY AGREEMENT." The 16 June Vjesnik
carried the text of the understanding reached over the phone
between Presidents Franjo Tudjman and Alija Izetbegovic. It includes
vague calls for Croatian military "support" for Bosnia-Herzegovina,
but appears designed mainly to ensure that future Croatian or
Croatian-backed military activity on its neighbor's territory
will have the approval of the Bosnian authorities. It therefore
should not be seen necessarily as a move against UN-sponsored
peace efforts. The 19 June Washington Post says nonetheless that
Bosnian Muslims and Croats are increasingly coming to suspect
the UN forces of pro-Serbian leanings, and adds that Sarajevo
residents have dubbed the troops the "UN bungling force." (Patrick
Moore)

OTHER AREA DEVELOPMENTS. On 18 June international media report
that UN forces began setting up operations at Sarajevo airport,
with a view toward opening it to relief shipments if a cease-fire
can be made to stick. On 17 June Western news agencies said that
two Greek diplomats had left for Belgrade and talks with Serbian
President Slobodan Milosevic. Greece, like Romania, is a historic
ally of Serbia and has been reluctant to join international efforts
to place the Milosevic regime in the dock. Finally, on 17 June
Bosnia-Herzegovina appealed to an international conference of
Islamic foreign ministers in Istanbul for military intervention.
(Patrick Moore)

ROMAN WON'T RUN FOR PRESIDENCY. A report on 17 June said that
former Romanian premier, Petre Roman, now chairman of the National
Salvation Front, has decided not to seek the country's presidency
in elections scheduled for 27 September, foreign agencies report.
In an interview with Rompres on 18 June, President Ion Iliescu
confirmed that he will run again. The main opposition coalition,
the Democratic Convention, is scheduled to choose its own presidential
candidate by the end of the month. (Crisula Stefanescu)

TWO MORE MINISTERS IN ESTONIA. After several weeks of trying,
the Estonian Supreme Council on 18 June finally confirmed a candidate
to head the newly-established Ministry of Defense, BNS reports.
The new minister is Ulo Uluots, a member of the left-of-center
Independent Democratic party and a former Popular Front leader.
He was born in 1930 and was trained at the Tallinn Technical
University. Jaan Kabin was also confirmed as Minister of Construction.
Born in 1938 and also a Tallinn Technical University graduate,
Kabin has spent his entire professional life working at Estonia's
largest cooperative construction company, EKE. (Riina Kionka)


ESTONIAN ELECTION LAW REVISEDAGAIN. In a surprise move the Supreme
Council on 18 June passed a revision to the election law enfranchising
all Estonian citizens, regardless of their place of residence,
in parliamentary elections. Passage of the amendment will allow
several thousand emigre Estonians abroad to vote in elections
this fall. The motion, bitterly debated for months, was brought
by the Independent Democratic Party. Because the party had not
supported a revision of the law along these lines before, yesterday's
move fueled speculation that their support was a quid pro quo
for confirmation of Independent Democrat Ulo Uluots as Defense
Minister. (Riina Kionka)

PROGRESS IN SETTING LITHUANIAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS? On 18 June
the Supreme Council voted to hold elections to the new parliament
on 25 October, Radio Lithuania reports. The election date had
been decided in meetings between the parliament's factions that
also proposed that 71 deputies be elected directly and 70 by
a proportional system. Due to the lack of a full quorum, the
vote is nonbinding and will be voted on again at the next session
on 23 June. (Saulius Girnius)

POLISH AGENTS UPDATE. Uproar over the issue of secret police
collaborators continues to dominate Polish politics. On 17 June
the special parliamentary commission formed to investigate the
disclosures begun by the ousted government requested an additional
two weeks to complete its work. Former acting defense minister
Romuald Szeremietiew refused to testify before the commission
until "all agents are purged from the Sejm and Senate." Former
Prime Minister Jan Olszewski did testify, and defended his government's
approach as the only one possible. According to a report in Gazeta
wyborcza of 19 June, Internal Affairs Minister Antoni Macierewicz
testified that President Lech Walesa's closest assistants had
tried to bully him into keeping the president's police files
secret. During a session that featured rancorous debate over
Walesa's fitness for office, the Senate voted on 17 June to draft
its own lustration law. Finally, Polish Primate Cardinal Jozef
Glemp used Corpus Christi celebrations on 18 June to condemn
the "chaos" that has consumed public life and confused good and
evil in Poland. (Louisa Vinton)



MORE ON HUNGARIAN MEDIA FLAP. According to MTI on 17 June, the
parliamentary cultural committee of parliament continued discussions
on the fate and possible dismissal of Elemer Hankiss, chairman
of Hungarian TV. Smallholder deputy Istvan Prepeliczay told the
committee that Hankiss's comments about US President Bush at
a previous committee hearing necessitated a personal apology
from Foreign Minister Geza Jeszenszky to the American ambassador.
The hearing heard a report on a financially unfavorable contract
Hungarian TV had signed with Novofilm, a company that had previously
employed the business manager of Hungarian TV. Hankiss denied
any impropriety. After 11 hours of hearings and often vicious
fights between deputies representing coalition and opposition
parties, the committee recommended Hankiss's dismissal. (Judith
Pataki)

THE KROON IS COMING! The Estonian government has announced its
long-planned currency reform for 20 June, the RFE/RL Estonian
Service reports. Starting that day and for the next two days,
all permanent residents of Estonia will be allowed to exchange
1,500 rubles into the kroon (it rhymes with "prawn") at an exchange
rate to be announced on 19 June. Bank accounts will also be converted,
but most likely at variable rates. A changed tax structure intended
to stabilize the state budget was also announced. According to
the plan, Estonia's value added tax will be raised to 18%, tax
on business profits will be set at 35%, and individuals who earn
more than the kroon equivalent of 20,000 rubles (or ten times
the current minimum wage) will pay 50% to the state. Estonian
banking officials chose to introduce the kroon on 20 June in
honor of Germany's 1948 currency reform. (Riina Kionka)

HUNGARIANS' HARD CURRENCY ALLOWANCE RAISED. On 18 June Radio
Budapest reported that the government will raise the ceiling
on the amount of hard currency a citizen may possess from $50
to $350. The move will be discussed with the IMF on Monday. Principal
beneficiaries are Hungarians traveling abroad who have often
had to depend on illegal sources for hard currency expenses.
The move is also seen as a step towards convertibility of the
forint. (Judith Pataki)

WARSAW GETS NEW AIRPORT, BIG MACS. Prime Minister Waldemar Pawlak
hailed the opening of Warsaw's new modern airport, Okecie II,
on 17 June as an example of fruitful Polish-German economic cooperation.
Built in two years by the German Hochtief firm, the $189-million
airport will be paid for out of future airport profits. Also
on 17 June the McDonald's hamburger chain opened its first restaurant
in Warsaw. McDonald's is a relative latecomer to Poland, in part
because Polish potatoes have failed to pass muster for the chain's
French fries. Its decision to import potatoes from Russia has
caused some controversy, including among members of Pawlak's
own Polish Peasant Party, the Times reports on 17 June. In another
business development, the American firm CPC International paid
$8.8 million for an 80% share in the Polish firm Amino SA, which
produces dried soups, desserts, and pasta. (Louisa Vinton)

CRISIS IN BULGARIAN OIL PROCESSING INDUSTRY. On 16 June BTA reported
that production at the Neftochim refinery in Burgas stopped because
of lack of crude oil. The dailies on 18 June said that the Bulgarian
National Bank had blocked the accounts of Neftochim and the other
large oil processing plant, Plama in Pleven, because of their
debts against credits from the state fund for reconstruction
and development. While no strike is planned, the Podkrepa labor
union with the support of various firms in Burgas has threatened
to block the port and gasoline stations in the region. On 18
June the government recommended that Neftochim's creditors postpone
payments of its debt while the government examines its situation.
(Rada Nikolaev)

CALLS FOR LATVIA TO TAKE OVER MILITARY FACILITIES. Supreme Council
deputies Juris Dobelis and Odisejs Kostanda told the press on
15 June that currently there are five groups of ex-USSR armed
forces in Latvia: army, navy, air force, air defense, and border
guards. They also said that they have compiled a list of deserted
or nearly deserted military facilities over which Latvia should
establish authority without delay. Regarding those facilities
in active use, they urged local governments to act in accordance
with the directives of a government bureau dealing with the issues
and the appropriate structures of the Supreme Council, BNS reports.
(Dzintra Bungs)

LATVIANS MARK OCCUPATION ANNIVERSARY. On 17 June Latvians commemorated
the invasion of the Red Army 52 years ago and demanded again
a prompt withdrawal of the ex-USSR troops. The main observance
was in Riga, where Supreme Council Deputy Odisejs Kostanda urged
Latvians to work harder for the pullout of the troops, keep track
of the military's activities, and take over the ex-Soviet military
facilities that are nearly deserted in accordance with Latvian
laws. The participants also picketed peacefully the headquarters
of the Northwestern Group of Forces, where they were watched
by a beefed-up contingent of guards in battle attire and members
of the army fire brigade, Radio Riga reports. (Dzintra Bungs)


FATE OF FOUR RUSSIAN SOLDIERS UNCLEAR. Four soldiers who sought
protection from the Latvian authorities in Gulbene held a press
conference in Riga on 17 June. They said that they came from
the Tyumen region and would like to return there to complete
their military service. They had arrived in Latvia, along with
about 18 other recruits from that region, on 7 June. They had
responded to a Russian army campaign for recruiting men to serve
specifically in the Baltic area. They said that despite the pay
that they were promised--around 1500 rubles a month--upon arrival
in Latvia they realized that they did not want to serve in a
foreign country. It was pointed out that the recruits should
not be considered deserters, since they had not yet given their
soldier's oath, BNS and Diena report. (Dzintra Bungs)

ZHELEV BACK FROM LATIN AMERICA. President Zhelev returned on
17 June from his ten-day tour, which, besides his participation
in the Rio ecological summit, included official visits to Venezuela,
Uruguay, and Argentina. Zhelev and the Bulgarian media assessed
the trip as a success in renewing Bulgaria's presence in a region
neglected by the old regime. The embassy in Uruguay, closed down
by the last communist government, will be reopened. The businessmen
who accompanied the president established useful contacts. Zhelev
told BTA that Brazil ordered 200,000 tons of cement and Venezuela
may buy 100 railway carriages in exchange for iron ore. Argentina
and Uruguay had expressed interest in joint ventures in fishing.
(Rada Nikolaev)

LILOV ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT CHINA. Aleksandar Lilov, until last
December Chairman of the BSP and now director of the BSP's Center
for Strategic Studies, described in Duma of 16 June his recent
visit to China at the invitation of the Chinese Association for
International Exchanges. Lilov was impressed with success of
economic reform in China and played down shortcomings in its
democratic development. He said China is building a socialist
society with specific Chinese characteristics. (Rada Nikolaev)


FLOODS IN ROMANIA. As a result of heavy rains in northeast Romania
850 houses were flooded and a two-year-old girl was swept away
to her death, many cultivated hectares are under water, gas pipes
and electricity lines are disconnected, and several national
roads are impassible, Rompres reports on 18 June. (Crisula Stefanescu)


[As of 1200 CET] Compiled by Stephen Foye and Charles Trumbull



The RFE/RL Daily Report is produced by the RFE/RL Research Institute
(a division of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Inc.) in Munich,
Germany, with the assistance of the RFE/RL News and Current Affairs
Division (NCA). The report is available Monday through Friday,
except holidays, at approximately 0800 US Eastern Time (1400
Central European Time) by fax, post, or e-mail. The report is
also posted daily on the SOVSET computer network.

For inquiries about specific news items, subscriptions, or additional
copies, please contact:

In USA: Mr. Jon Lodeesen or Mr. Brian Reed RFE/RL, Inc., 1201
Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036. Telephone: (202)
457-6912 or -6900 fax: (202) 457-6992 or -202-828-8783;

or in Europe:

Ms. Helga Hofer Publications Department, RFE/RL Research Institute
Oettingenstrasse 67 8000 Munich 22 Telephone: (-49 89) 2102-2631
fax: (-49 89) 2102-2648