No. 136, 20 July 1992

SUCCESSOR STATES TO THE USSR

RUSSIAN PRESIDENTIAL CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL MEETS. Russian President
Boris Yeltsin summoned the Presidential Consultative Council
to the Kremlin, ITAR-TASS reported on 17 July. Members of the
council criticized the parliament's negative interference in
the economic reform program and thanked Yeltsin for his defense
of the press. Economists on the council, such as Pavel Bunich
and Nikolai Shmelev, praised the government's second stage of
economic reform but suggested some corrections. Meanwhile, the
"Civic Union" rejected the government's second stage reform program
and proposed its own alternative program which emphasizes social
policy, Rabochaya tribuna reported on 17 July. (Alexander Rahr)


YELTSIN FOR COOPERATION WITH PARLIAMENT. Yeltsin also met with
leaders of various parliamentary factions in the Kremlin, ITAR-TASS
reported on 17 July. He criticized the parliament for slowing
down the creation of a legal basis for market reforms, noting
that, out of 29 proposals for new legislation presented to parliament,
only seven have been adopted. He stressed the need to coordinate
the work of parliament and government. Yeltsin also declared
his intention to preside over the next meeting of the Constitutional
Drafting Commission, which suggests that the president now favors
cooperation with the parliament on a new constitution rather
than holding a referendum on his own version. (Alexander Rahr)


KHASBULATOV, RUTSKOI ON REFORM. The chairman of the Russian parliament,
Ruslan Khasbulatov, rejected Yeltsin's suggestion that the parliament
is not supporting reform. Khasbulatov claimed that the parliament
has adopted 50 laws and 59 resolutions directed toward implementing
economic reform since the last Congress of People's Deputies,
ITAR-TASS reported on 17 July. Vice-president Aleksandr Rutskoi
has meanwhile raised doubts about whether the government has
a real strategic reform plan. In a television interview on 17
July, Rutskoi said that reform cannot be called reform if it
hurts people. He called the current program, an experiment on
the people. (Alexander Rahr)

RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT VOTES TO TAKE OVER IZVESTIYA. The Russian
parliament voted on 17 July to take over ownership of Izvestiya,
asserting that the newspaper'sclaim to independent status
is illegal. The new resolution, approved by 136 to
23 with 12 abstentions, signals an attack on the free press
by conservative parliamentary factions led by Ruslan Khasbulatov.
Khasbulatov applauded the decision, saying that Izvestiya's editors
used their paper to "drive a wedge" between the parliament and
Yeltsin's government. Izvestiya's chief editor, Igor Golembiovsky
stated that the parliament's decision is illegitimate and the
newspaper's staff will continue to publish an independent paper.
Yeltsin expressed concern that the parliament is attempting to
silence critical analysis of its own activities, and promised
to use all legal and constitutional means to defend the press.
The parliament also postponed the decision on another draft resolution
that stipulated the creation of an oversight committee for state
radio and television. (Kate Brown)

NEGOTIATIONS ON THE BLACK SEA FLEET CONTINUE. Military experts
and government officials from Russia and Ukraine held the next
phase of their negotiations on the fate of the Black Sea Fleet
on 18 July in Moscow. According to ITAR-TASS, the delegations
were led by Yurii Yarov, deputy chairman of the Russian Supreme
Soviet, and Vasilii Durdinets, first deputy chairman of the Ukrainian
Supreme Soviet. On 16 July in Sevastopol, Russia had suggested
a 60-40 division of the Black Sea Fleet in its favor and an examination
of this issue in isolation from the rest of the CIS navy, while
Ukraine laid claim to all ships positioned in its ports. Andrei
Kokoshin, the Russian first deputy defense minister, expressed
the hope that a mutually-acceptable compromise could be reached
but added that "now it is too soon to talk about that," "Novosti"
reported. (Chris Hummel)

MOLDOVA SACKS DEFENSE, SECURITY MINISTERS. On 16 July, Chisinau
announced the release of Defense Minister Maj. Gen. Ion Costas,
and National Security Minister Anatol Plugaru from their posts.
Chisinau spokesmen described President Mircea Snegur's measure
as part of the formation of a new Moldovan cabinet under Prime
Minister-designate Andrei Sangheli, following the resignation
of Valeriu Muravschi's cabinet last month. Moldova's Presidential
Chancellery told RFE/RL that the release of the two ministers
is primarily intended to facilitate the acceptance by left-bank
Russian representatives of the four ministerial posts offered
to them in a planned coalition government. In addition, Plugaru
has also been held responsible for the arrest of a number of
agents of Moldova's fledgling security service by Gagauz militants.
(Vladimir Socor)

SEVASTOPOL BECOMES AN OPEN PORT. The sea-trading port of Sevastopol
will henceforth be open to commercial ships from any country,
Kuranti reported on 19 July. This decision was reportedly taken
by leaders of the city, of the Black Sea Fleet, of the customs
protection service and of the state security organs. (Chris Hummel)


RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT BOOSTS DEFICIT. Russian lawmakers approved
a federal deficit of 950 billion rubles accompanying a 1992 budget
of over 3.3 trillion rubles on 17 July, ITAR-TASS reported. This
deficit figure is 100 billion rubles more than Acting Prime Minister
Egor Gaidar had requested on 16 July. The gap represents 12-14%
of the forecasted year-end GNP recently cited in Ekonomika i
zhizn, which is up from the 8-10% of GNP estimated by the Finance
Ministry at the end of the first quarter of 1992. (Erik Whitlock)


GERASHCHENKO TAKES CHARGE OF CENTRAL BANK. Viktor Gerashchenko
was voted the new head of the Russian Central Bank by parliament
on 17 July. Gerashchenko, the former chairman of the now defunct
USSR Gosbank, had some sober words to say about near-term prospects
for the ruble. According to Interfax, he asserted that convertibility
is an unrealistic goal at the present time as "World experience
shows that it is impossible . . . without a balanced economic
situation." Criticizing the current policy of propping up the
ruble with dollar interventions on the foreign exchange market,
he said that dollars would be better spent reducing foreign debt
obligations. (Erik Whitlock).

ECONOMIC PROJECTIONS FOR 1992. Russian Economics Minister Andrei
Nechaev has given the tripartite commission a projection of Russian
economic performance in 1992, Interfax reported on 17 July. The
GDP is expected to decline by 18% and the national income by
19%. Nechaev noted that the cost of living rose by a factor of
ten in the first half of 1992, and that the average family monthly
income was 4,100 rubles in June. The minister forecast that the
general wholesale price index will rise by three times over its
first quarter level, while consumer prices will double. It was
not clear whether the two latter increases were predicated on
further increases in energy prices, which the cabinet has apparently
ruled out for this year. (Keith Bush)

FARMERS WITHHOLD GRAIN. On 18 July, Russian media reported widespread
unrest among farmers in many regions of Russia. They were protesting
the terms of trade between agriculture and industry; the prices
that they receive for their produce have risen far more slowly
than the prices of their industrial inputs, such as machinery
and chemicals. Russian Vice-president Aleksandr Rutskoi has reportedly
received 50 warnings of possible strikes by farmers in various
regions. One Stavropol region has decided not to sell any grain
unless the price is raised from the 8,000 rubles a ton offered
by the state to 15,000 rubles a ton. (Keith Bush)

STRIKE MORATORIUM IN RUSSIA. On 17 July, Russian Federation of
Independent Trade Unions' [official unions] Chairman Igor Klochkov
told ITAR-TASS that the several million members of his organization
will refrain from strikes for two months to give the government
time to address workers' complaints. Klochkov criticized weak
government policies thus far, particularly the failure to raise
the minimum wage from 900 to 2,600 rubles a month to compensate
for rising prices. If the government does not make decisive improvements
in the situation by autumn, he added, the federation will reconsider
collective action, including strikes. (Brenda Horrigan)

CLOSED CITY LAW TO BE MODIFIED. According to Western agencies
on 17 July, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that the government
wants to modify recent legislation which closed 16 regions and
cities to foreigners. This revision would ensure that the new
law is in line with a recent US-Russian agreement on opening
closed cities and regions. Last week, a US State Department spokesman
noted that the new law appeared to be an attempt to establish
access rules for sensitive security-related facilities. (Brenda
Horrigan)

MILITARY DRAFT, HOUSING CONSTRUCTION IN BELARUS. The Belarusian
military draft began on 19 July, Radio Rossii reported (quoting
ITAR-TASS). Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Pavel Kozlovsky said that
Minsk would build its armed forces on the basis of brigades rather
than divisions and repeated that, ultimately, the Belarusian
armed forces would be manned by approximately 90,000 men. He
also said that the republic was prepared to accept the return
of some 40,000 Belarusian officers currently serving outside
the republic. Meanwhile, Belta-TASS reported on 18 July that
two building sites in Belarus had been designated for the construction
of over 2,000 apartments, to be allocated to former Soviet officers
withdrawing from Germany. They are apparently a part of the 36,000
apartments that Germany has promised to build in the CIS for
returning officers. (Stephen Foye)

NEW UKRAINIAN POLITICAL PARTY. The official registration of the
"Liberal Democratic Party of Ukraine" has raised the number of
political parties in the country to thirteen, Ukrinform-TASS
reported on 17 July. The party's leader, Volodymyr Klymchuk,
emphasized that his organization has nothing to do with Vladimir
Zhirinovsky's party of the same name in Russia. The liberal democrats
in Ukraine have joined the opposition coalition, "New Ukraine,"
and their major goal is the struggle for human rights. (Roman
Solchanyk)

AZERBAIJAN FACES SHORTAGE OF OFFICERS. The press center of the
Azerbaijani Military Commissariat said on 19 July that the republic
faced a serious deficit of officers, "Novosti" reported. According
to the same report, there are now more than 7,000 ethnic Azerbaijani
officers serving in other CIS republics. Baku is reportedly trying
to entice them into returning to Azerbaijan. (Stephen Foye)

COUNCIL OF EUROPE SUPPORTS TURKISH MODEL FOR CENTRAL ASIA. Upon
concluding her trip to five former Soviet Republics, including
three in Central Asia, Council of Europe General Secretary Catherine
Lalumiere expressed support for using Turkey as a model for the
Central Asian states' development, ITAR-TASS reported on 19 July.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hikmet Chetin, the current chairman
of the council's ministerial committee, accompanied Lalumiere
on the trip. Lalumiere stated that the West should support Turkey's
attempts to aid the new states. Lalumiere's statement gives a
boost to Turkey, which so far has played the most prominent role
in aiding the five Central Asian states. (Cassandra Cavanaugh)


TRILATERAL TRADE MEETING: UZBEKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN.
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan held their first trilateral
trade meeting in Islamabad, AFP reported on 17 July. The meeting
was agreed upon during Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's
visit to Uzbekistan in late June. The meeting focused on agreements
for transport links between the three states, including measures
to repair roads destroyed in the Afghan war. Afghanistan has
recently demanded reparations for war damage from the CIS states,
Russian TV reported on 18 July. (Cassandra Cavanaugh)

TAJIK DELEGATION IN AFGHANISTAN. A government delegation led
by the acting head of the presidium of Tajikistan's Supreme Soviet,
Akbarsho Iskanderov, has visited Afghanistan to meet with the
new president and seek Afghan assistance in stopping the flow
of weapons from Afghanistan to armed groups in Tajikistan. According
to ITAR-TASS on 18 July, the Afghan leadership had expressed
concern over the situation on the border and agreed that it was
not helping to stabilize Tajikistan. Iskanderov said that the
Afghan side had promised to disarm illegal armed bands on its
own side of the border and undertook to enforce border controls
in order to stop the transport of narcotics. The two countries
also agreed to establish diplomatic relations. (Bess Brown)

ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO REDUCE EMIGRATION FROM TAJIKISTAN. On 18 July,
Tajik President Rakhmon Nabiev told a meeting of legislators,
government officials and representatives of the country's political
parties and Muslim clergy that the legislature must devise a
package of laws to protect the rights of non-Tajik ethnic minorities
in the country in order to reduce emigration. Nabiev repeated
these assertions to an ITAR-TASS correspondent, noting that more
than 12,000 people, mostly highly qualified specialists, have
left Tajikistan in the last few months. He blamed "irresponsible"
statements by unidentified political leaders and a "provocation
campaign" by some independent publications and Tajik TV (which
is controlled by the opposition) for intensifying the fears of
non-Tajiks. Loss of non-Tajik specialists is severely damaging
the Tajik economy, which even the opposition has acknowledged.
(Bess Brown)

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

SLOVAKS DECLARE SOVEREIGNTY. With a margin of 113 to 24 (with
10 abstentions and three deputies absent) the Slovak National
Council overwhelmingly adopted a declaration of sovereignty on
17 July, Radio Bratislava reports. The document says that it
represents "the foundation of the sovereign state of the Slovak
nation." The declaration does not establish Slovakia as an independent
state, and its value is mostly symbolic since the republic's
sovereignty had been guaranteed already by the communist constitution
of 1969. Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus reacted to the declaration
by saying that the Czech Republic will not immediately respond.
CSTK reports that he said Czech ministers will from now on not
participate in Slovak government sessions and that Slovak ministers
will no longer be admitted to Czech government meetings. (Jan
Obrman)

HAVEL ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION. In a televised speech on 17 July
Havel said that he would resign on 20 July at 6:00 p.m. He explained
that he could no longer carry out his pledge of allegiance to
the federation in the postelection situation and mentioned that
he failed to be reelected by the new Federal Assembly. Havel
made it clear that he cannot bear responsibility for developments
he cannot influence. The federal government will take over his
responsibilities until a new president is elected or the federation
disintegrates. (Jan Obrman)

DOMESTIC REACTION. Vaclav Klaus called Havel's decision "correct
and logical." Slovak Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar said in an
interview with CSTK on the same day that he does not believe
that the president's decision to resign was linked to Slovakia's
declaration of sovereignty, as Havel called him to congratulate
on the document. He added, however, that the timing of the resignation
makes it "look nasty." Several leading Czech politicians indicated
that Havel's resignation opens the way for him to become Czech
president, a possibility Havel has not expressly rejected. (Jan
Obrman)

HAVEL GIVES LAST WEEKLY RADIO ADDRESS. Havel said on 19 July
that his decision to resign was not an "impulsive act of protest"
against the Slovak declaration of sovereignty, rather he simply
did not want to stand in the way of the developments. Havel made
it clear that he respects the events in Slovakia, and that supporters
of Czechoslovakia's federal setup underestimated Slovakia's desire
for "emancipation." Havel also said that both the Czech Republic
and Slovakia should adopt their respective constitutions on the
same day, so that the federal constitution becomes invalid on
the whole territory at the same time. (Jan Obrman)

PANIC IN SARAJEVO. Milan Panic, prime minister of the rump Yugoslavia,
paid a goodwill visit to Sarajevo on 19 July to show his and
Serbia's sincerity in promoting peace. The 20 July New York Times
quotes him as saying that he could bring peace because he expresses
what most Serbs, Muslims, and Croats really want, and if a commander
in the field did not obey his orders to respect the cease-fire,
"so help him God." The BBC said that the conversation between
Panic and Bosnian president Alija Izetbegovic was heated, apparently
because Panic feels that all three nationalities are to blame
for the war, while Izetbegovic blames the Serbs as the aggressor.
Panic later termed Bosnian politics "Mickey-Mouse," while Izetbegovic
suggested that Panic was not yet well informed. That same day,
the cease-fire brokered on 17 July by Lord Carrington was to
have come into effect, but the fighting continued. On 19 July
Reuters quoted British Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd and Albanian
President Sali Berisha as calling for international observers
to go to Kosovo. (Patrick Moore)

REFUGEES FROM FORMER YUGOSLAVIA. Some 230 refugees from Kosovo,
Macedonia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina have arrived in Tallinn en
route to Finland. The refugees, many of whom are women and children,
were fatigued from their long bus ride and were fed by the Estonian
Red Cross. According to BNS on 16 July, it is unclear whether
Finland will allow the refugees passage into Helsinki. Western
agencies report that Italy and Germany have begun to accept some
Bosnian refugees. (Riina Kionka & Charles Trumbull)

LANDSBERGIS WANTS ABISALA AS PRIME MINISTER. On 19 July in his
weekly address over Lithuanian TV, Supreme Council Chairman Vytautas
Landsbergis said he will propose Aleksandras Abisala as prime
minister. The 37-year old parliament deputy from Kaunas was appointed
minister without portfolio in February 1991 and has led the Lithuanian
work groups negotiating the withdrawal of the former USSR army.
It is not certain that parliament will approve Abisala as prime
minister on 21 July since it had previously rejected his nomination
as minister of communications and information sciences several
times. (Saulius Girnius)

ROMANIAN KING FOR PRESIDENT? The National Liberal Party (NLP)
has nominated Michael I, Romania's exiled king, as its candidate
for the presidential elections scheduled for 27 September, Rompres
and Western agencies reported on 18 July. Party leader Radu Campeanu,
who refused to accept the nomination himself and proposed the
king instead, said he will travel next week to Switzerland to
offer the nomination. There has been no reaction from the king
to the proposal. Campeanu is expected to be nominated if the
king refuses the offer. The Democratic Convention (DC) has nominated
Emil Constantinescu, a monarchist, as its candidate. The NLP
has left the convention in spring and one of its leaders, Constantin
Ticu Dumitrescu, attacked Campeanu's gesture as a "cheap and
damaging propaganda stunt." (Michael Shafir)

ROMANIAN OPPOSITION PROTESTS PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENT. The DC
protested against the appointment by President Iliescu of Razvan
Theodorescu to the recently-established National Audio-visual
Council. Theodorescu, president of Romanian TV, has often been
accused by the opposition of progovernment leanings. The DC emphasizes
that the new body will play a crucial role in the September elections
and that, as a candidate in these elections, Iliescu has no right
to influence the council. (Michael Shafir).

LATVIA DROPS THE RUSSIAN RUBLE. As of 20 July, the only legal
tender in Latvia is the Latvian ruble. No longer can a consumer
choose to pay either in Latvian or Russian rubles; a choice had
existed since May when the Latvian ruble was introduced in order
to alleviate a shortage of Russian rubles. The Russian ruble
is now considered foreign currency. The Latvian ruble will be
used until the introduction, possibly this fall, of the lats,
Radio Riga reports on 20 July. (Dzintra Bungs)

POLISH MINERS' CONFLICT CONTINUES. Mine directors granted wage
hikes in 63 coal mines on 17 July, temporarily halting the strike
wave in Upper Silesia. The government warned immediately that
most mines can not afford the increases, and deputy prime minister
Henryk Goryszewski threatened to fire any director who promises
unrealistic raises. Miners' unions meanwhile pressured government
negotiators in Warsaw to relax wage controls for the mining industry.
Talks broke off on 18 July when the government refused to yield.
Although the government has scheduled new talks for 22 July,
one miners' union has called two-hour warning strikes in twenty
coal mines for 20 July. Copper miners have also scheduled a general
strike for 20 July. (Louisa Vinton)

TRANSPORT STRIKE ENDS IN BULGARIA. Following a five-day strike
in Sofia, buses, trams, and trolleys are expected to be back
in operation on 20 July, BTA and Western agencies report. On
the afternoon of the 19th a deal giving the workers a wage raise
slightly below the government's 26% ceiling was struck between
the strike committees and the Sofia City Council, and mayor Aleksandar
Yanchulev promised to withdraw law suits filed against the organizers
of the strike. In a TV interview Yanchulev implied that trade
unions were responsible for the escalation of the labor conflict.
(Kjell Engelbrekt)

RUSSIAN LEGISLATURE SLAMS ESTONIA. The Supreme Soviet on 17 July
passed a resolution threatening Estonia with economic sanctions
in response to alleged "human rights violations" there. Without
citing any evidence of human rights abuses, Russian lawmakers
in the resolution called on the government to consider imposing
sanctions if the alleged violations do not cease. The resolution
also appealed to the UN to raise the issue during the current
General Assembly session. The resolution also instructed a parliamentary
committee to draft by 20 September an additional resolution to
suspend the Estonian-Russian interstate agreement of January
1991. Not coincidentally, elections for the new Estonian parliament
are scheduled for 20 September. (Riina Kionka)

"ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE BALTIC STATES." On the same day the Supreme
Soviet also adopted a statement "On Human Rights in the Baltic
States," ITAR-TASS reports. The body "resolutely repudiates the
inclusion in the legislative acts of the Baltic States of articles
that make discrimination on grounds of nationality the norm and
that lead to an increase in social and political tension and
have a negative influence on regional stability." (Dzintra Bungs)


ESTONIA REBUFFS RUSSIAN CLAIMS. In a statement released later
on 17 July, the Estonian government rejected Russia's claims
of human rights abuses. Citing Estonia's citizenship law as among
the most liberal in Europe, the statement said Estonia has not
"arbitrarily deprived anyone of citizenship and the political
rights that follow," but instead has established procedures for
easy naturalization. The statement further notes that Estonia
regards Russia's continuing military and political pressure "as
a direct attempt to damage relations between the two countries
immediately before [troop withdrawal] negotiations and to assume
a position of force" in those negotiations. (Riina Kionka)

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY PROTEST. The Russian Foreign Ministry
turned up the heat on 17 July with its own protest note over
alleged Estonian territorial claims on Russian land. According
to the note, delivered by Russian deputy foreign minister Vitalii
Churkin, Estonia's new constitution contradicts the basic principles
of international law. Churkin also handed over the two Supreme
Soviet resolutions and said it was necessary "to avoid dangerous
situations to which the continuation of discrimination of the
Russian and Russian-speaking minority can lead," ITAR-TASS said
that day. (Riina Kionka)

NO MORE NEW RECRUITS TO BE SENT TO LITHUANIA. On 19 July Russian
defense minister Pavel Grachev sent a letter to his Lithuanian
counterpart Audrius Butkevicius informing him that no more new
Russian army recruits would be sent to Lithuania to replace soldiers
whose terms of duty have ended, Radio Lithuania reports. (Saulius
Girnius)

BULGARIAN MILITARY REPLACEMENTS, VISITS. A series of replacements
in the top leadership of the Bulgarian army were announced on
17 July. BTA reported that Maj. Gen. Boris Bakavliev will leave
his post as deputy chief of general staff and head of the Operative
Department, to be replaced by Maj. Gen. Petko Prokopiev, previous
commander of the First Army. Further, Maj. Gen. Lyubomir Vasilev
will assume command of the First Army, while Maj. Gen. Gancho
Denev takes over the Second Army. Meanwhile, a group of officers
of the NATO South European Command--assigned to coordinate NATO
relations with Bulgaria--spent 13-17 July in the country. Also,
on 19 July British officials arrived on an inspection tour in
accordance with the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty. (Kjell
Engelbrekt)

NASTASE'S CENTRAL ASIAN TOUR. On 16 July Romanian foreign affairs
minister Adrian Nastase visited Bishkek, where he met Murat Imanaliev,
Kyrgyzstan's interim minister of foreign affairs, and signed
a protocol on collaboration between the two foreign ministries.
Nastase flew to Tashkent the same day and on the 17th met with
Uzbekistan's first deputy foreign minister, Latif Teshabiev,
Rompres and Radio Bucharest reported on the 17th. On the 19th
the delegation proceeded to Dushanbe, Tajikistan. (Michael Shafir)


SUCHOCKA IN VIENNA. Making her first official visit abroad, Polish
prime minister Hanna Suchocka attended the meeting of the Central
European Initiative (formerly the "Hexagonale") in Vienna on
17-18 July. She also held talks with both the Austrian prime
minister and president. On her return to Warsaw, Suchocka expressed
confidence that the international community welcomes the formation
of her government as a sign of stabilization in Poland. (Louisa
Vinton)

MACIEREWICZ OUSTED FROM PARTY. The Christian National Union voted
on 19 July to expel from its ranks former internal affairs minister
and party deputy chairman Antoni Macierewicz. Macierewicz had
been responsible for the release of names of alleged secret police
collaborators on 4 June. The name of party leader Wieslaw Chrzanowski
appeared on one of Macierewicz's lists. The party ruled that
Macierewicz's handling of the disclosures had been politically
manipulative, harmed innocent people, and compromised the very
idea of lustration. (Louisa Vinton)

SCOTTISH COURT HOLDS GECAS GUILTY OF WAR CRIMES. On 17 July,
after a four-month trial that included hearings in Lithuania,
Scottish judge Lord Milligan ruled that Scottish TV had not libeled
Antanas Gecas in its 1987 documentary, "Crimes of War," Western
agencies report. Milligan found that Gecas had "participated
in many operations involving the killing of innocent Soviet citizens
including Jews in particular in Belorussia during the last three
months of 1941, and in doing so committed war crimes against
Soviet citizens, including old men, women, and children." It
is likely that Gecas will be tried under the 1991 British War
Crimes Act. (Saulius Girnius)

[As of 1200 CET]