No. 172, 08 September 1992

SUCCESSOR STATES TO THE USSR

NABIEV RESIGNS. Tajik President Rakhmon Nabiev resigned on 7
September after armed opponents stopped him at Dushanbe airport,
ITAR-TASS and Western agencies reported from Dushanbe. Nabiev
was reported to have intended to fly to his home base in Leninabad
oblast to confer with leaders there. Instead, after several hours
of talks with government leaders at the airport, he agreed to
resign, later saying on CIS-wide TV that he had done so voluntarily
in order to stop the civil war in Tajikistan. Nabiev handed his
powers over to Supreme Soviet Chairman Akbarsho Iskandarov. Khovar-TASS
reported that Nabiev's resignation would be discussed by the
Supreme Soviet on 8 September. That body was unable to muster
a quorum to vote on his removal. (Bess Brown, RFE/RL Inc.)

SHEVARDNADZE CALLS FOR AN END TO ABKHAZ BLOODSHED. In an address
broadcast on 7 September on Georgian Radio and summarized by
Interfax, Georgian State Council Chairman Eduard Shevardnadze
appealed for an end to what he termed "the senseless war" in
Georgia; he also criticized as "irresponsible" arguments by unnamed
Georgian political figures that the Abkhaz crisis should be resolved
by force. Four Georgian soldiers were killed and 29 wounded in
three separate clashes in Abkhazia on 7 September, and a major
railway line was destroyed by an explosion near the town of Ochamchire,
ITAR-TASS reported. Russian members of the commission formed
to monitor implementation of the cease-fire agreement signed
in Moscow on 3 September are scheduled to arrive in Abkhazia
on 8 September. (Liz Fuller, RFE/RL Inc.)

AIR LINKS WITH CHECHNYA CUT. The president of Chechnya, Dzhokhar
Dudaev, has called on Tatarstan and Bashkortostan to stop providing
services to the Russian civil air fleet, Radio Mayak reported
on 5 September. Dudaev's appeal was in response to a telegram
from Moscow saying that from 6 A.M. on 5 September there would
be no further air links between Groznyi and any city in the Russian
Federation. At the same time Dudaev threatened that if any government
interfered in the internal affairs of Chechnya, "then we will
wage war on its territory." The Russian government's action is
presumably aimed at making it more difficult for volunteers to
go to Abkhazia. (Ann Sheehy, RFE/RL Inc.)

YELTSIN MEETS WITH HEADS OF ADMINISTRATION. On 7 September, Boris
Yeltsin met with local government leaders of the Russian Federation
to discuss issues to be included in the agenda of an all-Russian
conference of the leaders of local soviets and executive bodies.
Interfax quoted Yeltsin's press secretary Vyacheslav Kostikov
as saying relations between representative and executive bodies,
and between regional executive bodies and the central Russian
government were discussed at the meeting. Interfax said that
at the meeting, Yeltsin complained that forces hampering progress
towards a market economy were prevalent in Russia. (Vera Tolz,
RFE/RL Inc.)

YELTSIN REJECTS ELEVEN DRAFT LAWS. President Yeltsin vetoed eleven
draft laws discussed at the fourth session of the Russian Supreme
Soviet. Interfax reported on 7 September that among those drafts
to be returned to parliament for further scrutiny are the laws
on trade and manufacture of goods, legal protection of electronic
computers, data banks, computer chip technology, and patents,
Russia's monetary system, defense, interior troops, and monetary
regulation and control. Interfax reported the same day that over
260 bills and fifty resolutions had been proposed for the discussion
at the fifth session of the Russian parliament, which will begin
on 22 September. (Vera Tolz, RFE/RL Inc.)

SPLIT AMONG RUSSIA'S CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS. A regional organization
of the Russian Christian Democratic Movement in the city of Orel
adopted a resolution attacking the movement's Moscow leaders,
Viktor Aksyuchits, Ilya Konstantinov and Artem Artemov. The DR-Press
(an independent news service of the Democratic Russia Movement)
reported on 7 September that the Orel organization accused the
three leaders of getting too close to Russia's "red-brown opposition"
(the extreme nationalist and pro-Communist forces). The resolution
complained that by cooperating with such overtly anti-reformist
forces, the leaders of the Christian Democratic Movement discredit
the very ideals of Christian democracy and the movement as a
whole. (Vera Tolz, RFE/RL Inc.)

DEMOCRATIC RUSSIA ASKS POPOV TO LEAVE ITS RANKS. On 7 September,
the DR-Press distributed an open letter addressed to former Moscow
Mayor Gavriil Popov. The letter was written in response to Popov's
recent article in Izvestiya, in which he summed up mistakes made
by democrats, including members of the Democratic Russia, after
the 1991 August coup. In the article, Popov also described anti-democratic
tendencies within the movement. The letter complained that despite
his criticism of the movement, Popov is still one of its members.
It suggested that if the former mayor indeed has such a poor
opinion of Democratic Russia, he should formally announce his
resignation from its ranks. (Vera Tolz, RFE/RL Inc.)

CHUBAIS: BANKING SYSTEM UNFAIR TO PRIVATE SECTOR. Chairman of
the Russian State Property Commission Anatoly Chubais criticized
current lending practices of the Russian banking system, Interfax
reported on 4 September. Chubais asserted that scarce credit
is still allocated administratively to a large degree in Russia,
and banks discriminate against non-state enterprises. He singled
out the recent issue of new credits to state enterprises suffering
from payment crises as an example of the problem. He further
noted that the persistence of a non-market approach to the distribution
of credits will be an obstacle to the transformation of state
enterprises into joint-stock companies, which is an essential
step in the privatization process. (Erik Whitlock, RFE/RL Inc.)


SUBSIDY FOR RUSSIAN DEFENSE INDUSTRY. The Russian government
has allocated an additional 13.2 billion rubles in subsidies
for the defense industry in 1992, ITAR-TASS and Interfax reported
on 7 September. The sum is earmarked for salaries of employees
of firms and organizations, including research and development
personnel, who are working on government procurement contracts.
It is aimed at preserving the cadres and capacity of the defense
industry. No details are available on how much was allocated
in the 1992 budget for defense industry subsidies: these are
thought to have been included in the overall defense vote. The
new allocation will presumably add to the consolidated budget
deficit, currently running at over 1 trillion rubles. (Keith
Bush, RFE/RL Inc.)

FINANCIAL PROBLEMS IN RUSSIAN GAS INDUSTRY CITED. "Vesti" carried
a story on 6 September detailing some of the severe financial
difficulties the gas industry is currently experiencing. The
concern Gasprom, made up of enterprises of the former Ministry
of the Gas Industry, is reportedly on the edge of financial disaster
because of delinquent payments from customers totally 90 billion
rubles. Also damaging are burdensome government taxes on the
concern, which take from between $2.5 and 3 billion rubles out
of profits yearly. In addition, Gasprom claims that a significant
share of its hard-currency earnings must be spent on buying food
and other goods for workers rather than on much needed capital
investment. (Erik Whitlock, RFE/RL Inc.)

JAPAN AND RUSSIAN DIGNITY. Comments by Boris Yeltsin's personal
spokesman, Vyacheslav Kostikov, reflect Russia's continuing concern
that the turnover of the Kuril Islands to Japan in exchange for
Japanese economic assistance would be a blow to Russian dignity.
"We are willing to give something in return for such help but
we don't see this help as the be all and end all," Kostikov is
quoted by the 8 September Financial Times as saying. "The Japanese
do not understand this. They talk to us like a chronically sick
child. But we are not chronically sick. We are just ill with
communism. When Russia gets better, it will surprise the world
with its dynamism," Yeltsin's spokesman said. (Suzanne Crow,
RFE/RL Inc.)

AFGHANISTAN STILL A "MAIN INTEREST." Russian Foreign Minister
Andrei Kozyrev told a group of Russian diplomats recently evacuated
from Kabul that "Afghanistan was and still is one of Russia's
main global interests." At the same time, Kozyrev stressed that
Russia is not forming a confrontational alliance with the United
States in the region, and there are "no imperialist pretensions"
attached to Russia's interests. Kozyrev added that Russia's embassy
in Kabul will be reopened as soon as the safety of diplomats
can be guaranteed, Interfax reported on 7 September. (Suzanne
Crow, RFE/RL Inc.)

AZERBAIJAN TO DISCUSS CIS MEMBERSHIP. The chairman of the Azerbaijani
parliament, Isa Gambarov, told IMA-press on 5 September that
the Azerbaijani parliament will debate whether Azerbaijan should
join the CIS, and that the National Council will take a decision
on this issue before the Bishkek summit on 25 September. Following
the ouster of President Mutalibov in the spring of this year,
the Azerbaijan Popular Front had argued that Azerbaijan was not
a CIS member, because the parliament had not ratified Mutalibov's
signature on the Alma-Ata agreement. Azerbaijani representatives
have nonetheless regularly attended CIS summits; Azerbaijan and
Moldova were given an ultimatum in July to come to a final decision
on CIS membership prior to the Bishkek summit. (Liz Fuller/Ann
Sheehy, RFE/RL Inc.)

FOKIN DETERMINED TO STAY ON. Ukrainian Prime Minister Vitold
Fokin told a press conference in Kiev that he has no intention
of resigning under pressure from the opposition, "Novosti" reported
on 5 September. He maintained that he would leave office only
if he was convinced that his activities were harmful to the people
or if he felt that he had lost the confidence of President Leonid
Kravchuk. Fokin also announced a new plan for further economic
reform. (Roman Solchanyk, RFE/RL Inc.).

COSSACKS IN STAVROPOL KRAI TO BE ARMED? Evgenii Kuznetsov, head
of the administration of Stavropol krai, told an extraordinary
assembly of Cossacks of southern Russia that the Russian government
had decided to arm the Stavropol Cossacks, Radio Rossii reported
on 7 September. Each Cossack patrolling the streets and residential
areas will now be permitted to have a helmet, a bullet-proof
vest, a rubber truncheon, a "Cheremukha" tear gas aerosol, and
a Makarov pistol. At the same assembly the Cossacks said they
would not send Cossack units to Abkhazia. They demanded that
movement around the North Caucasus of armed groups of extremists
being formed in Chechnya be blocked. (Ann Sheehy, RFE/RL Inc.)


SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY OF COSSACKS IN NORTH CAUCASUS. Part of a sociological
study being conducted in all fourteen Cossack hosts in Russia
has shown that on the Don there are one to one and a half million
ethnic Cossacks, or 100 times more than experts had estimated,
Radio Rossii reported on 5 September. Another unexpected result
was that they are not against private property, although their
official program stipulates communal land ownership. (Ann Sheehy,
RFE/RL Inc.)

COSSACKS ON THE DNIESTER DESCRIBED AS ANTI-SEMITIC AND "RED-BROWN."
A correspondent for Nezavisimaya gazeta who recently visited
the theater of hostilities in eastern Moldova reported in the
daily's issue of 1 September that anti-Semitism and "red-brown"
views are widespread among the Russian Cossack volunteers fighting
for the "Dniester republic," and that they can often be heard
commenting that Jews have seized power in Russia. Confirming
the correspondent's assessment, Valerii Shukov, a member of the
Main Staff of the Union of Cossack Hosts of Russia and chief
editor of its press organ Stanitsa, who opposes anti-Semitism,
told the correspondent that many Don and Kuban Cossacks--who
provide most of the volunteers to the "Dniester" cause--are "infected
by anti-Semitism" and that their leadership is "bolshevized"
and "red-brown." Another Cossack dissident cited by Shukov described
the present Cossack leaders as a combination of "reds" and "black
hundreds." (Vladimir Socor, RFE/RL Inc.).

ARMENIA PROTESTS TO TURKEY OVER VIOLATION OF ITS AIRSPACE. Armenian
Deputy Foreign Minister Georg Gazinyan told reporters in Erevan
on 7 September that Armenia had sent a protest note to Turkey
following an incident on 6 September, in which a Turkish military
plane demanded permission to land at Erevan's main airport, saying
that it was carrying international arms control delegates who
were authorized to land there, Radio Erevan reported. The plane
was refused permission to land as it had not obtained prior permission
to overfly Armenian airspace, and finally returned to Turkey.
Gazinyan told reporters he did not know which agency the arms
control delegates in question represented. (Liz Fuller, RFE/RL
Inc.)

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

UN CONSIDERING ADDITIONAL TROOPS. International media report
on 7 September that UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
is reviewing proposals for an expanded peacekeeping force in
Bosnia-Herzegovina. The plan calls for an additional 8,000 troops
and support staff to escort food and medical aid convoys. According
to Radio Bosnia-Herzegovina on 7 September, Sarajevo health officials
say that the city only has about three days of food left and
repeated warnings that residents face widespread disease and
hunger within a few weeks. Relief aid flights are still grounded
after the apparent downing of an Italian plane on 3 September.
Nearly two-thirds of Sarajevo's supplies are brought in by airlift.
Cyrus Vance and Lord Owen, cochairmen of the Yugoslav peace conference
in Geneva, announced they are traveling to Zagreb, Sarajevo,
and Belgrade this week in an effort to find ways of resuming
humanitarian aid flights. (Milan Andrejevich, RFE/RL Inc.)

KARADZIC PROMISES TO BEAT DEADLINE. Bosnian Serb leader Radovan
Karadzic told Belgrade TV on 7 September that his forces "will
beat" a 12 September deadline which places Serb heavy weapons
surrounding Sarajevo, Gorazde, Bihac and Jajce under UN supervision.
Karadzic charged that while the Serbs are complying with the
agreements reached in London in late August, Croat and Muslim
forces are using the opportunity to "massacre and expel" Serb
communities. He was referring to Western, Serbian, and Slovenian
media, which in the past two weeks have reported large columns
of Bosnian Serbs fleeing from eastern Herzegovina and the town
of Gorazde. Borba reports on 7 September that since April Muslim
forces have cleared out all Serb villages in the Gorazde area
and that in late August they killed more than 200 people from
a column of mostly 1,700 Serb refugees. (Milan Andrejevich, RFE/RL
Inc.)

HUNGARY BREACHING UN YUGOSLAV EMBARGO? Romania says 12 gasoline
tank trucks driven by Yugoslav citizens trying to transport fuel
from Gyor, Hungary, reached the checkpoint at the Romanian-Hungarian
frontier at Nadlac on 1 September. Rompres said in a dispatch
on 7 September that according to the travel documents the transport
destination was "Yugoslavia." The Romanian customs did not allow
the tanks to transit Romania, considering the transport a clear
case of breaching the embargo imposed on former Yugoslavia. Two
days later another shipment was stopped, this time indicating
"Skopje, Macedonia," as the destination. (Michael Shafir, RFE/RL
Inc.)

ETHNIC HUNGARIAN PARTIES CRITICIZE MECIAR. In a statement published
by CSTK on 7 September, the Hungarian Christian Democratic Movement
and Coexistence, two groups representing Slovakia's ethnic Hungarians
in the Slovak parliament, accused the Movement for a Democratic
Slovakia and its leader, Slovak Premier Vladimir Meciar, of ignoring
the interests and demands of ethnic Hungarians and of refusing
to recognize the legitimacy of Hungarian deputies in the Slovak
parliament. The statement says the coalition of the two Hungarian
parties represents more than 75% of all voters of Hungarian nationality
in Slovakia. The statement accuses Meciar of being hostile toward
ethnic Hungarians and, in particular, toward leading politicians
and deputies representing ethnic Hungarians. The two parties
also reject statements in the Slovak media alleging that deputies
representing ethnic Hungarians are causing political tension
in Slovakia. (Jiri Pehe, RFE/RL Inc.)

MECIAR ON RELATIONS WITH HUNGARY. Speaking to Hungarian journalists
in Bratislava about his 9 September visit to Hungary, Meciar
said he is looking forward to his trip "not with optimism but
realism," Radio Budapest reported on 7 September. For Slovakia,
he said, the Gabcikovo project is a technical, not a political
problem, and it is up to Hungary, which unilaterally renounced
the relevant 1977 state treaty with Czechoslovakia, to make the
next move. Meciar called "unrealistic" Hungary's desire to solve
minority issues with its neighbors through bilateral treaties
on the basis of collective minority rights. Bilateral treaties
were not possible, he said, because "nationality issues are the
internal affair of a given state," while collective rights are
not granted anywhere in the world and autonomy could lead to
separatism. Meciar also noted the existence--alongside Budapest's
"rational and subdued policies" towards its neighbors--of "nationalist
currents" in official Hungarian policy "aimed at the restoration
of a Greater Hungary." (Alfred Reisch, RFE/RL Inc.)

WALESA PROPOSES "REFORMIST CONFEDERATION." During a two-hour
meeting with Prime Minister Hanna Suchocka and Solidarity Chairman
Marian Krzaklewski on 7 September, President Lech Walesa proposed
the creation of a "solidarity confederation of reformist forces."
According to the president's spokesman, this confederation would
include the labor unions, employers, and political parties that
have opted for reform rather than a return to the old order.
Walesa stressed the importance of a "master plan" for Poland.
Suchocka noted that the government's "pact on state industry"
is designed to achieve this end. The government presented this
legislative package to the major unions on 7 September with a
request for speedy consideration. (Louisa Vinton, RFE/RL Inc.)


HAVEL IN POLAND. Former Czechoslovak president Vaclav Havel,
on a private visit to Poland, told reporters on 7 September that
he does not consider the imminent breakup of Czechoslovakia tragic
or dramatic and hopes the process can remain quiet and friendly.
Havel also said he had not decided whether he will run for president
of an independent Czech Republic. In Warsaw Havel met with President
Walesa. Havel told reporters the two discussed "regional issues."
He is to meet with Premier Hanna Suchocka on 8 September. (Jiri
Pehe, RFE/RL Inc.)

FSM FACES BANKRUPTCY. On 7 September some 8,000 auto workers
from 16 FSM plants responded to a call by the FSM management
to "show their will to work" by appearing at the gates of the
Tychy factory, where a sit-in strike has been underway for over
a month. Strikers and nonstrikers engaged in a shouting match.
FSM's director announced that 12,300 of the firm's 21,500 employees
have signed a declaration indicating their desire to work and
their contempt for the strikers' "illegal methods." He set the
plant's daily losses at 12 billion zloty ($900,000) and warned
that the stoppage threatens hundreds of thousands of other workers
in the industry. The head of the FSM strike committee admitted
to Polish TV that the strike's aims are political. (Louisa Vinton,
RFE/RL Inc.)

CZECH PREMIER ON RATIFICATION OF EC ACCORDS. In an interview
with Mlada Fronta dnes, Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus dismissed
the view of some EC members that Czechoslovakia should suspend
the ratification of its association agreement with the European
Community due to the planned division of the country. According
to Klaus, "this is not what John Major and Helmut Kohl tell me
in face-to-face talks." He acknowledged, however, that Czechoslovakia
cannot expect the association agreement to be ratified in September
as originally planned. "An unstable country on its way to division
cannot become a member of any international community, including
the EC," said Klaus. (Jiri Pehe, RFE/RL Inc.)

EC AGREES TO BALTIC LOANS. On 7 September the Financial Times
reported that the EC finance ministers at a weekend meeting in
Bath, England, agreed in principle to provide $300 million in
medium-term loans to the Baltic States to reduce their balance
of payments deficit. The EC loan would represent half of a $600
million package of loans from the G-24. EC Finance Commissioner
Henning Christophersen said that he expects a quick decision
on the EC half of the loan within the next few weeks. (Saulius
Girnius, RFE/RL Inc.)

POLAND-IMF AGREEMENT IN OCTOBER? After consultations with IMF
officials, Finance Minister Jerzy Osiatynski announced on 7 September
that Poland could sign an agreement with the IMF in early October.
Michel Deppler, the deputy director of the IMF's European department,
praised the government's resolve and Poland's economic performance.
The one major sticking point in the talks is the scale of the
budget deficit. IMF officials predict that the 1992 deficit will
reach 107 trillion zloty, while the Polish government sets it
at 80 trillion. Both figures exceed the 5%-of-GDP target set
in the 1992 budget law. Osiatynski noted, however, that the gap
between IMF and government figures is narrowing and that the
IMF will assist in the planning of the 1993 budget. (Louisa Vinton,
RFE/RL Inc.)

HUNGARIAN-BELGIAN JOINT STATEMENT. Hungarian Foreign Minister
Geza Jeszenszky and his Belgian counterpart, Willy Claes, signed
a joint statement on bilateral cooperation in Budapest on 7 September,
MTI reports. Claes expressed Belgian support for Hungary's cooperation
with the EC, NATO, and the West European Union as well as for
a political dialogue between the Benelux Union and the Visegrad
Triangle (Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Poland.) (Judith Pataki,
RFE/RL Inc.)

BISHOP TOKES'S PROTEST FAST. On 7 September Bishop Laszlo Tokes
withdrew his acceptance of an invitation from President Ion Iliescu
for talks on his demands and is continuing his protest started
on 2 September, Radio Bucharest reports. Tokes said he his decision
was prompted by Iliescu's statement in which he called the fast
a "political diversion." The bishop said he was still considering
an appeal by the Democratic Convention to end the fast, however.
Meanwhile, prominent religious leaders in Timisoara, including
Nicolae Corneanu, head of the Orthodox Church in the Banat, and
Rabbi Ernst Neumann, leader of the Timisoara Jewish community,
expressed support for Tokes. (Michael Shafir, RFE/RL Inc.)

STOLOJAN: "SABOTEURS" TRY TO INFLUENCE ELECTIONS. Prime Minister
Theodor Stolojan said the distribution of bread and other food
is being disrupted by saboteurs trying to undermine proreform
candidates in the September elections, Western agencies report.
This phrasing is a euphemism for former communists in the bureaucracy,
and possibly also for the Democratic Front of National Salvation,
on whose ticket Iliescu is running. Stolojan said he is considering
the militarization of distribution networks to ensure deliveries.
(Michael Shafir, RFE/RL Inc.)

LITHUANIA, RUSSIA TO SWAP HOUSING FOR SHIPS. On 6 September at
a meeting in Kaliningrad Baltic Fleet commander Vice Admiral
Vladimir Egorov and Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister Valdemaras
Katkus agreed that Russia will hand over two torpedo boats and
two small antisubmarine vessels if Lithuania builds housing in
Kaliningrad for 10,000 military officers withdrawing from the
republic, Radio Lithuania reports on 8 September. Russia also
agreed to train crews and prepare workshops and armaments for
the ships. (Saulius Girnius, RFE/RL Inc.)

GORBUNOVS INSISTS ON COMPLETE TROOP PULLOUT. On 7 September Estonian
Supreme Council Chairman Arnold Ruutel consulted via telephone
with his Latvian counterpart, Anatolijs Gorbunovs, about recent
press reports that Gorbunovs might be ready to discuss the possibility
of Russia maintaining some bases in Latvia after the main contingent
of troops leaves. Gorbunovs denied such allegations and said
that he advocated a speedy and complete withdrawal of Russian
troops from Latvia. Ruutel and Gorbunovs also discussed Latvia's
debt to Estonia regarding the supply of electricity, BNS reported
on 7 September. (Dzintra Bungs, RFE/RL Inc.)

RUSSIA, ESTONIA SIGN TRADE AGREEMENT. Estonian Prime Minister
Tiit Vahi and Acting Russian Prime Minister Egor Gaidar signed
a free trade agreement on 7 September in Moscow, BNS reports.
Among other things, the agreement provides for establishing trade
representations in Tallinn and Moscow, cooperation in customs
procedures, and guaranteed energy supplies. The two sides also
discussed troop withdrawals and other bilateral issues. According
to an RFE/RL Estonian Service interview with Vahi's press secretary,
Neeme Brus, Russia raised concerns over the treatment of non-Estonians,
but did not link human rights questions to a troop pullout. The
Russian side asked instead whether Estonia might compromise on
keeping in Estonia somewhat longer some units that it would be
too expensive to withdraw this year; Vahi reportedly said Estonia
would consider a compromise. Brus added that Monday's talks were
carried out in a spirit of greater mutual understanding than
any previous discussions. (Riina Kionka, RFE/RL Inc.)

BULGARIA, MOLDOVA SIGN FRIENDSHIP PACT. Bulgarian President Zhelyu
Zhelev and Moldovan President Mircea Snegur signed a friendship
treaty in Sofia on 7 September. Valid for 10 years and renewable,
it guarantees the rights of the 89,000 ethnic Bulgarians residing
in Moldova. In addition, it calls for the revival of commercial
opportunities (disrupted by the war in Moldova), as well as closer
cooperation in political, economic, and cultural spheres. It
also articulates cooperation in transport, energy, health, technology,
and environmental areas among others, BTA reports. (Duncan M.
Perry, RFE/RL Inc.)

BULGARIA ADMITS ARMS SHIPMENTS TO IRAQ. At a press conference
on 7 September, an official of the government commission on arms
trade said a state company had illegally exported light artillery
guns worth $15 million to Iraq, BTA and Reuters report. According
to the official, Georgi Bozduganov, Kintex managed to circumvent
arms export legislation by employing Polish firms as intermediaries
and using forged documents listing the Philippines as end receiver.
In May Defense Minister Dimitar Ludzhev stepped down after allegations
that as chairman of the government commission on arms trade he
had allowed illegal arms deals. (Kjell Engelbrekt, RFE/RL Inc.)


[As of 1200 CET] Compiled by Hal Kosiba & Charles Trumbull