No. 205, 23 October 1992

SUCCESSOR STATES TO THE USSR

YELTSIN ATTACKS PARLIAMENT FOR REFUSING TO POSTPONE CONGRESS.
On 22 October, Russian President Boris Yeltsin criticized parliament's
refusal to postpone December's session of the Congress of People's
Deputies, Interfax reported. Yeltsin said he would not "dramatize"
the Supreme Soviet's decision, but he added that he was "displeased"
with it. On 21-October, the parliament decided that the congress
would open on 1 December, as scheduled, rather than postponing
it until March. Yeltsin had requested the delay, saying that
more time was needed to complete work on a new constitution,
which would be discussed at the congress. The draft constitution
stipulates that the congress must be abolished. (Vera Tolz)

RUTSKOI CALLS FOR COALITION GOVERNMENT. Speaking at a meeting
of the People's Party of Free Russia on 22 October, Russian Vice
President Aleksandr Rutskoi called on the government to share
power in a coalition with the Civic Union, which is supported
by heavy industry and favors a slower pace of reform. (Rutskoi
is a founding member of the Civic Union.) In his speech, Rutskoi
called for the ouster of six unnamed, high-level government officials,
according to Rossiiskaya gazeta and Moskovsky komsomolets. Rutskoi
was quoted as saying that under the current government's leadership,
Russia had become "a political and economic trash can." The same
day, AFP quoted Yeltsin's press secretary, Vyacheslav Kostikov,
as saying Yeltsin was unlikely "to offer any sacrifices" to the
Civic Union. Yeltsin has already made several governmental appointments
due to pressure from the "industrial lobby." (Vera Tolz & Alexander
Rahr)

KOZYREV WARNS PARLIAMENT. "There is the danger that our debate
on foreign policy, which we welcome in every possible way, sometimes
goes beyond the framework of searching for the best ways to [guarantee]
the interests of the country," Russian Foreign Minister Andrei
Kozyrev said in his address before the Russian parliament on
22 October. He took aim at those who operate "under the guise
of slogans" such as "a third way," "Eurasianism," or "great power
patriotism." In his remarks, which were aired on Russian TV,
Kozyrev also warned that such behavior was not consistent with
Russia's choice for democracy. (Suzanne Crow)

KOZYREV ON GREAT POWER STATUS, CIS. In the same address, Kozyrev
rejected the "panicky" and "defeatist mood" circulating in the
Russian parliament, which concluded that Russia had become "a
banana republic." He assured members of parliament that his meetings
at the United Nations had confirmed that Russia is still regarded
as a great power. Kozyrev offered assurances that the member-states
of the CIS were a priority of Russian foreign policy and highlighted
the trend toward integration for which some CIS members have
lent support. (Suzanne Crow)

ECONOMIC AGREEMENTS SIGNED BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE. Acting
Russian Prime Minister Egor Gaidar and the newly appointed Ukrainian
Prime Minister Leonid Kuchma signed three agreements on economic
cooperation on 22 October, ITAR-TASS reported. The agreements
stipulated that the signatories will exchange trade missions,
introduce most favored treatment in mutual trading, and cooperate
in construction projects in third countries. Gaidar told the
agency that the talks also touched on the problems of payments
and credits arising from Ukraine's plans to introduce its own
currency and other issues. (Keith Bush)

AGREEMENT ON GAS DELIVERIES TO EUROPE. Russian Deputy Prime Minister
Viktor Chernmyrdin told Interfax on 22 October that an agreement
was also reached between the Russian and Ukrainian prime ministers
on gas supplies to Europe. It was agreed that, "regardless of
the internal political situation," the obligations of energy
suppliers to Western Europe must be met. Chernomyrdin said that
Ukraine owed Russia some twenty-five to thirty billion rubles
for gas deliveries. (Keith Bush)

INTERENTERPRISE DEBTS DOWN. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Georgii
Khizha told parliament on 22-October that the total volume of
interenterprise debts in the former Soviet Union had declined
from 3.4 trillion rubles to 648 billion rubles by the end of
September, Interfax reported. He said that the netting-out of
debts had been virtually completed. Enterprises had requested
760 billion rubles in new credits, but had been given 300 billion
rubles. Acting Russian Central Bank Chairman Viktor Gerashchenko
was cited as saying that the netting-out had not resolved the
financial problems of enterprises because wholesale prices had
risen by a factor of 16 since 1 January, while their "turnover
resources" had risen by a mere 150%. (Keith Bush)

EBRD REPORT ON RUSSIAN ECONOMY. In its latest quarterly review,
the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) says
that a rise in popular discontent is likely in Russia during
the coming months, Reuters reported on 22 October. The Bank also
states that without a clear return to monetary and fiscal discipline,
inflation in Russia could turn into hyperinflation during the
final months of 1992. It notes further that the Russian budget
deficit is heading towards the equivalent of 17% of GNP, that
is, more than three times the 5% level agreed with the IMF in
early July. (Keith Bush)

PRESIDENT OF EBRD FORECASTS MASS UNEMPLOYMENT IN CIS. In an apocalyptic
speech on the problems of the CIS, Jacques Attali, President
of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, warned
of mass dismissals and plant closures in 1993, western press
agencies reported on 22-October. His predictions are based on
an International Labor Organization (ILO) study presented in
Moscow this week. This study contests the idea held by many Western
economists that enterprises are still hanging onto employees,
and it claims that many unemployed are not receiving unemployment
benefits or employment services. The ILO has expressed concern
at the lack of preparation for mass unemployment, and is planning
to advise Russia on ways of creating new industrial jobs. The
ILO forecasts are based on the assumption that economic reform
will impose hard budget constraints on enterprises, which is
not yet the case. (Sheila Marnie)

RUBLE EXCHANGE RATE UNCHANGED IN MOSCOW. The ruble exchange rate
at the Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange on 22 October remained
unchanged at 368 rubles to the US dollar, Interfax reported.
The volume traded was $39.3 million. At the St. Petersburg currency
auction on 21-October, the ruble had dropped to 375 rubles to
the dollar. (Keith Bush)

SETTLING TROOPS IN THE MOSCOW REGION. Problems in redeploying
troops from Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, and other regions
were discussed on 22 October at a meeting of the Moscow oblast
government, ITAR-TASS reported. Plans call for 26 formations,
units, and military institutions to be relocated in the oblast,
primarily in the Naro-Fominsk, Odintsovsk, and Solnechnogorsk
regions, and in the city of Dubna. Newly arriving officers will
occupy temporary housing, with several thousand apartments scheduled
to be constructed in 1993. Colonel General Leontii Kuznetsov,
commander of the Moscow Military District, told ITAR-TASS that
regional administrators have been cooperative in all regions,
with the exception of Dubna, where deputies are protesting the
deployment of troops and weaponry. Kuznetsov also said there
were few problems housing conscripts because most units were
only 50% manned. (Stephen Foye)

KRAVCHUK ON CRIMEAN TATARS. Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk
has suggested forming a trilateral commission to deal with the
practical problems of resettling the Crimean Tatars in the Crimea,
Interfax reported on 22 October. The members of the commission
would include representatives of Ukraine, the Crimea, and the
Crimean Tatar Mejlis. The Mejlis was recently ruled to be unconstitutional
by the Crimean parliament. (Roman Solchanyk)

US TO HELP BELARUS GET RID OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. Belarus Deputy
Minister of Defense Aleksandr Tushinskiy and US Under Secretary
of Defense Frank Wisner initialed a series of nuclear agreements
in Washington on 22 October. According to Pentagon spokesman
Bob Hall, these included an umbrella agreement providing the
legal framework for US assistance and two implementing agreements.
One calls for up to $5 million in US aid to equip and train Belarus
personnel to deal with any emergency that might arise during
the removal of ex-Soviet nuclear weapons from the Republic. The
second is designed to help Belarus establish export control systems
to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction. Hall said
that up to $1 million is available for this purpose. The money
will be drawn from the $400 million which the US Congress has
authorized to aid the former Soviet Union. (Doug Clarke)

BELARUS FORCE LEVELS; COLLECTIVE SECURITY. Belarus Defense Minister
Pavel Kozlovsky told reporters in Minsk on 21 October that the
CFE agreement permitted Belarus to retain 1,800 tanks, 2,000
armored vehicles, and 130 combat aircraft, Interfax reported
the next day. Over the next 40 months, he said, the manpower
of the armed forces could not exceed 100,000. His remarks followed
a closed session of the parliament at which the CFE treaty was
ratified. According to Belinform-TASS on 21 October, Deputies
also discussed participation by Belarus in the CIS Collective
Security Treaty signed in Tashkent, but were unable to reach
a consensus. They decided to return to the issue at a later date.
(Stephen Foye)

BUFFER ZONE IN TAJIKISTAN? ITAR-TASS reported on 22 October that
its Dushanbe correspondent has learned of plans to establish
a buffer zone between the Tajik capital and Kulyab Oblast, the
main center of support for deposed President Rakhmon Nabiev in
the southern part of the country. The buffer zone, proposed by
acting President Akbarsho Iskandarov to keep pro- and anti-government
fighters apart, is to be occupied by Russian soldiers. The Russian
division stationed in Tajikistan is already guarding the Nurek
power plant, which supplies electricity to Dushanbe and was seized
by fighters from Kulyab during the summer. The correspondent
noted that fighting continues between pro-government forces in
Kurgan-Tyube Oblast and anti-government forces from Kulyab; despite
high losses both sides are determined to continue. (Bess Brown)


HELICOPTER HIJACKERS TRADED CARPETS FOR ARMS. The commander of
a unit of Russian border guards in Tajikistan told ITAR-TASS
on 21-October that a helicopter hijacked from Tajikistan to Afghanistan
on 19 October had returned the following day with a load of weapons
and had landed undisturbed, unloading the weapons obtained in
Afghanistan. According to an Interfax report, the hijackers traded
Tajik carpets for the weapons. The border guards were prevented
from approaching the helicopter when it returned; apparently
local representatives of the Tajik National Security Committee
took charge of the weapons. A protest by Russian border troops
to local authorities was ignored. (Bess Brown)

MILITARY TEST SITES CLOSED IN KAZAKHSTAN. KazTAG reported on
21 October that Sagat Tugelbaev, head of the Atyrau Oblast administration,
has ordered that nuclear missile test sites in the oblast be
closed down. The report indicated that officials from the Russian
Federation, who had come to Atyrau (formerly Gurev) to meet with
oblast officials and a special commission headed by Kazakhstan's
defense minister, had argued hotly against the closure. Troop
commanders at the sites have been ordered to clean them up. There
have been press reports and inquiries about the military test
sites in western Kazakhstan for more than a year. It appears
that in the Atyrau case, Alma-Ata is permitting local interest
to take precedence over CIS agreements. (Bess Brown)

RUSSIAN GROUP'S APARTMENT CONFISCATED IN ALMA-ATA. The largely-Russian
independent trade-union organization Birlesu has had an apartment
confiscated for use by Kazakhs, Birlesu's information agency
complained on 20 October. The apartment, according to the report,
is owned by the group, which wanted to use it as a center representing
the AFL-CIO in Kazakhstan. The Union of Homeless has told Kazakhs
that they may occupy the apartments of Russians who have left
the country; although the apartment in question did not fall
into this category, it was apparently seen by the Kazakh organization
as Russian housing that was not currently in use. Birlesu complained
that neither the mayor's office nor the state prosecutor was
willing to do anything about the forcible takeover. (Bess Brown)


TURKMENISTAN TO REMAIN IN RUBLE ZONE. Nazar Suyunov, Turkmenistan's
deputy prime minister responsible for economic issues, signed
an agreement on a unified CIS currency system, ITAR-TASS reported
on 22 October. Turkmenistan had not subscribed to the agreement
during the Bishkek summit "for technical reasons," according
to the report. Suyunov's signature demonstrates that Turkmenistan
intends to remain within the "ruble zone," although the same
day Turkmen President Saparmurad Niyazov said on Russian TV that
Turkmenistan intends to introduce its own currency, in consultation
with Russia and other states, because a national currency is
a necessary attribute of national independence. (Bess Brown)


MOSCOW BOMBER A "DNIESTER" SUPPORTER. The main perpetrator of
the incident involving the throwing of an army hand grenade on
20 October near a MacDonald's restaurant in Moscow, which injured
eight people, is Valerii Zakharenkov, a former leader of Moscow
youth gangs, who has been convicted twice of rape and robbery.
Disclosing these details upon apprehending him, the police added
that Zakharenkov had recently moved to the "Dniester republic"
and received a residence permit from the latter's authorities,
and that he accused the Russian authorities of not doing enough
to help Russians in that part of Moldova, Reuters and TASS reported
on 20 October. (Vladimir Socor)



CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

MASS GRAVE FOUND AT VUKOVAR? The BBC and AFP on 22 October reported
that UN human rights inspectors said they believed they had found
at least one mass grave near Vukovar. The team was headed by
special envoy and former Polish Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki
and included a forensic pathologist. Mazowiecki asked Secretary
General Boutros BoutrosGhali to send UN troops to protect the
site until more forensic experts could arrive. The eastern Slavonian
city was a symbol of Croatian resistance to virtually constant
Serbian shelling until it fell in November 1991. AFP quoted Croatian
officials as saying that 3,000 Vukovar residents are listed as
missing, including 300 hospital patients. The BBC also noted
that the US had sent the UN its second report since September
on probable human rights violations in BosniaHerzegovina, chiefly
involving attacks by Serbs against Muslims. (Patrick Moore)

BOSNIAN UPDATE. International media on 22 October said that the
UN had decided to resume relief flights to Sarajevo after a 24hour
hiatus. Responsible authorities had meanwhile concluded that
fighting between Muslims and Croats in central Bosnia did not
pose a danger to the flights. Reuters added that the Croats appeared
to be consolidating their hold on a string of towns northwest
of Sarajevo on the overland route used by UN convoys from Zagreb.
Fighting continued between Serbs and Croats at Trebinje in Herzegovina
near Dubrovnik, a scene of massacres of Serbs by Croats during
World War II. Ethnic strife returned there with a vengeance in
the current conflict, which some observers have called a resumption
of the World War II violence after a 46year break. (Patrick
Moore)

SERBALBANIAN TALKS YIELD NO PROGRESS. No progress was reported
in talks between education ministry officials of Serbia, the
federal rump Yugoslavia, and the selfproclaimed Kosovo government,
which resumed in Belgrade on 22 October. The talks center on
reopening Albanianlanguage schools in Kosovo province, where
Albanians make up more than 90% of the population. Serbia closed
the schools in 1990. The talks opened on 14 October in Pristina.
The Albanians want the restoration of Albanianlanguage curriculum
to be based on a broad policy that applies to all educational
levels, from primary to university. The Serbs want a stepbystep
review dealing with each level separately. In another development,
Borba reports on 20 October that Milan Panic, Prime Minister
of rump Yugoslavia, asked Kosovo leader Ibrahim Rugova to select
three capable Albanians to serve in Panic's federal cabinet.
(Milan Andrejevich)

PANICMILOSEVIC SHOWDOWN IMMINENT. Serbian and international
media report on 22 October that a showdown between Milan Panic
and Serbia's President Slobodan Milosevic is imminent in the
wake of the 19 October takeover of the federal interior ministry
building by Serbian republican police. But both sides are dismissing
the possibility of a coup as "absurd" and "selfdefeating." Coup
rumors spread after Belgrade TV on 21 October reported in a lead
story on Milosevic's visit to the federal military's Technical
Institute. Belgrade's independent radio B92 suggested the TV
report was a signal to Panic that Milosevic has the army's backing.
Meanwhile Serbia's ruling Socialist Party announced that Milosevic
will seek reelection as Serbia's President despite the fact that
he is doing poorly in recent opinion polls. (Milan Andrejevich)


RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT WANTS OMON LEADER RETURNED TO RUSSIA. Baltfax
reported on 22-October that the Russian Supreme Soviet has asked
Latvia "to return [to Russia] its citizen Sergei Parfenov in
view of the clear lack of evidence of his guilt," although Parfenov's
trial has not yet ended. Parfenov is being tried in Riga on charges
of abuse of power while a leader of OMON forces in Latvia in
1991. He was extradited to Latvia by the Russian State Prosecutor's
Office. In 1991 and 1992 members of OMON attacked Latvia's Ministry
of Internal Affairs as well as the civilian population; scores
of individuals were injured and several persons were killed.
(Dzintra Bungs)

TALKS ON DANUBE DIVERSION BREAK DOWN. According to several news
agency reports, talks to resolve the longstanding conflict between
Czechoslovakia and Hungary over the proposed diversion of the
Danube river broke down in Brussels on 22-October. The Hungarian
negotiator said the talks, which are mediated by the European
Community, broke down because the Czechoslovak side did not accept
the conditions that had been clearly specified by the EC commission
earlier. Czechoslovakia plans to divert the river on 3 November.
Despite the breakdown in Brussels, environmental committees of
the two countries' parliaments held their first talks in Budapest
yesterday. (Judith Pataki)

CZECH PARLIAMENT APPROVES LAW ON INTELLIGENCE SERVICE. The Czech
National Council passed a law on the creation of the Czech Security
and Information Service (BIS) on 22 October. The BIS will succeed
the Federal Security and Information Service (FBIS) after the
disintegration of Czechoslovakia. The activities of the new intelligence
service will be monitored by a special commission elected by
the parliament. The law also stipulates that BIS employees may
not be members of a political party. Opposition deputies walked
out in protest before the vote on the law. They charged that
the draft provided insufficient control over the use of "intelligence
devices." (Jan Obrman)

CZECH AND SLOVAK MINISTERS GUARANTEE PROPERTY RIGHTS. The privatization
ministers of the Czech and Slovak republics, Jiri Skalicky and
Lubomir Dolgos assured shareholders in privatized companies on
22 October that their shares will be safe after the breakup of
Czechoslovakia, CSTK reported. Skalicky told journalists in Prague
that property rights will not be infringed upon. Dolgos said
the rights of Czechs who invested in Slovak companies will be
guaranteed, although they will effectively own shares in a foreign
company after 1 January 1993. The two ministers also announced
that the republics will pursue separate privatization programs
after the disintegration of Czechoslovakia. (Jan Obrman)

HUNGARIAN CHIEF PROSECUTOR ORDERS INVESTIGATION. MTI reported
on 22 October that the Chief Prosecutor has ordered an investigation
into alleged war crimes committed in connection with the 1956
Hungarian Revolution. The investigation was requested by three
Hungarian Democratic Forum deputies. By the deputies' definition,
war crimes committed during or after the 1956 revolution include:
initiating Soviet aggression against the legitimate Hungarian
government in October 1956, inspiring the Soviet occupation of
the country, participating in acts of revenge against freedom
fighters, and hindering the restoration of peace in Eastern Europe.
(Judith Pataki)

ROMAN REFUSES TO JOIN COALITION GOVERNMENT. National Salvation
Front (NSF) leader and former prime minister Petre Roman has
ruled out joining a coalition government led by the rival Democratic
National Salvation Front, the party behind President Ion Iliescu.
In an interview with Reuters, Roman said on 22 October that the
solution would likely be a minority government with an acceptable
program supported by both his party and the Democratic Convention,
an alliance of the main opposition forces. In a separate statement
broadcast by Radio Bucharest, the NSF insisted that a "social
pact" cabinet could not be formed without broad political negotiations.
(Dan Ionescu)

FORMER DISSIDENT TO BE ROMANIA'S PRIME MINISTER? Former Romanian
dissident Mihai Botez returned to Bucharest from the United States
on 22 October. The 51yearold Botez left Romania in 1987 after
a decade of dissent against late dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.
Quoting unnamed sources in Bucharest, Reuter said that Romania's
President Ion Iliescu had asked Botez, a mathematician and futurologist,
to become the nonpartisan prime minister of a coalition government.
Inconclusive elections on 27 September produced a hung parliament
in Romania. In what Romanian media describe as a "Panic complex,"
(a reference to Milan Panic, prime minister of rump Yugoslavia),
some observers believe that Botez might be the person to lead
the country out of the current crisis. (Dan Ionescu)

MACDEONIAN PRESIDENT, DEFENSE MINISTER, VISIT BULGARIA. On 22
October the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Kiro Gligorov,
paid a brief surprise visit to Sofia. Gligorov said he had come
mainly to see the staging of a play written by a Macedonian playwright,
but that it was also a "good occasion to exchange opinions" with
Bulgarian President Zhelyu Zhelev. According to BTA, the two
discussed regional and bilateral problems. At the same time a
Macedonian military delegation, led by Defense Minister Vlado
Popovski, visited Sofia. The Bulgarian Defense Ministry released
a statement saying that the Macedonians, in the process of creating
their own army, were interested in military expert assistance.
The talks were also reported to have covered trade in military
equipment, although both sides committed themselves to respect
international treaties and domestic legislation. (Kjell Engelbrekt)


BULGARIAN MINISTERS DEFEND GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE. At a plenary
session of the National Assembly on 22 October, leading members
of the present Bulgarian cabinet came forward to defend their
policies and, on some occasions, to regret their mistakes. Whereas
Prime Minister Filip Dimitrov and Finance Minister Ivan Kostov
mainly blamed the opposition for the recent political turmoil,
Deputy Premier and Minister of Education and Science Nikolay
Vasilev said the government had not sought wide public support
for its actions. The confidence vote requested by the government
was postponed until next week. (Kjell Engelbrekt)

SUCHOCKA PRESSES FOR DEBT CONCESSIONS. Polish Prime Minister
Hanna Suchocka urged Western creditors and the International
Monetary Fund to exercise greater leniency in setting targets
for the Polish economy. In an interview with Reuter on 22-October,
Suchocka said that foreign debt payments will soon consume onethird
of export income if no compromise is reached. The IMF should
agree to an increase in the budget deficit to exceed the original
5% of GDP ceiling, she added. Suchocka travels to Rome for a
twoday private visit on 23 October. She is to be received twice
by the Pope and meet with the Italian prime minister and foreign
minister. (Louisa Vinton)

LATVIAN COURT SUSPENSION OF NEWSPAPER. On 19 October a Riga court
ordered the suspension of the registration certificate of the
Latvian citizen's movement's newspaper Pilsonis. The order means
that the newspaper can no longer be published. Charges against
Pilsonis were brought by the Latvian State Prosecutor Janis Skrastins
and supported by Minister of Justice Viktors Skudra, BNS reported
on 20 October. The newspaper was known to have published controversial
reports and critical assessments of the policies and actions
of the government. It is not clear if the publishers will appeal
decision. (Dzintra Bungs)

LATVIANRUSSIAN TALKS RESUME. LatvianRussian troop withdrawal
talks resumed on 23 October in Moscow. The Latvian side wants
to discuss the detailed proposal on ways to remove all troops
by 1993 that it presented at the last round of talks in September.
The Russian side appears determined to keep 1994 as the deadline
for the pullout, Baltic media report. (Dzintra Bungs)

LITHUANIAN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION DROPS. Industrial production
in Lithuania in the last nine months has dropped 47.5% compared
to the same period last year, BNS reported on 20 October. Oil
refining production decreased 66%, batteries  72%, paper  61%,
sugar  56%, bicycles  53%, laundry detergents  51%, and canned
fish  50%. Exports for hard currency in the nine months, however,
rose from 2.9% to 9.4% of total production. Compared to August,
September production of grain rose 87%, chemical fibers and yarn
 67%, woolen fabrics  56%, knitwear 42%, refrigerators and
stockings  26%. Production costs in September were 18 times
greater than in September 1991 and 1.8 times greater than in
August 1992. Consumer prices in the same periods increased 6
and 1.3 times. (Saulius Girnius)

WORLD BANK LOANS TO LITHUANIA AND LATVIA. On 22 October the World
Bank approved loans of $60 million to Lithuania and $45 million
to Latvia, a RFE/RL correspondent in Washington reports. The
loans will be used to buy medicines, feed grain, and energy.
Japan's importexport bank has also promised to provide additional
cofinancing of $100 million to the three Baltic republics. In
an unrelated measure, Reuters reported that Sweden was donating
one coastguard vessel each to Latvia and Lithuania to monitor
fishing, for customs and border control, and for environmental
protection. (Saulius Girnius)

LITHUANIA, CZECHOSLOVAKIA TO END VISA REQUIREMENT. On 21 October
Lithuanian deputy foreign minister Valdemaras Katkus and his
Czechoslovak counterpart Jaroslav Suchanek exchanged official
notes on establishing visafree travel between the two countries
beginning on 19 November, Radio Lithuania reports. During his
visit to Czechoslovakia Katkus also held meetings with Czech
deputy foreign minister Sasa Vondra and Slovak foreign minister
Vladimir Kniazko. (Saulius Girnius)

[As of 1200 CET] Compiled by Hal Kosiba & Louisa Vinton