No. 51, 16 March 1993

RUSSIA



KHASBULATOV CRITICIZES PRESIDENT, SUPPORTS GOVERNMENT. Konstantin
Zlobin, press secretary to parliamentary speaker Ruslan Khasbulatov,
made a statement on 15 March objecting to warnings made earlier
that day by President Yeltsin's press spokesman that, following
the Congress, the democratic gains of August 1991 were threatened,
ITAR-TASS reported. Zlobin said that the guarantor of democracy
in Russia was the representative branch of power, acting within
the constitution and not "on the basis of numerous, sometimes
contradictory decrees." The Congress, he said, had also strengthened
the role of the government. The statement echoed Khasbulatov's
remarks made earlier that day that the Congress had greatly increased
the government's significance in economic decision--making. Mayak
Radio reported Khasbulatov as saying that the parliament retained
responsibility only for passing legislation and monitoring compliance
with the constitution. Wendy Slater

RUMYANTSEV PRAISES RESULTS OF CONGRESS. Oleg Rumyantsev, Russia's
leading social-democrat and secretary of the Constitutional Commission,
welcomed the results of the Congress which have led to a weakening
of the presidential powers and the strengthening of the parliament.
Western news agencies on 15 March quoted him as saying that the
president should not possess all powers. At the same time, he
characterized the Congress as typical of the old Soviet system
where "traditionalism, conservatism, xenophobia and a lack of
intellectual vigor prevail." Rumyantsev, who is close to the
centrist Civic Union, deplored the fact that the Russian political
spectrum lacks a strong center which could reconcile left- and
right-wing forces. Alexander Rahr

DEMOCRATS FOR COOPERATION WITH CIVIC UNION. Representatives of
democratic parties and movements have met in Moscow to assess
the results of the Congress, Radio Rossii "Novosti" reported
on 15 March. They agreed that a "constitutional coup" had taken
place in the country and that the conservative-dominated parliament
has now obtained the right to impeach the president as soon as
its next session. Democrats called for a referendum on three
questions: (1) measures for adopting the new constitution, (2)
creation of a presidential republic, (3) private ownership of
land. Democrats also spoke out, for the first time, in favor
of forming a united bloc with the centrist Civic Union. Alexander
Rahr

DEMOCRATS PREPARED TO FIGHT. An ITAR-TASS report of the same
meeting said that democrats plan to hold a mass demonstration
on 28 March in Moscow in support of President Boris Yeltsin and
the executive. The leader of the Democratic Russia Movement,
Lev Ponomarev, told the gathering that since democrats are unable
to push their ideas through the legislature, the struggle should
move outside the parliament. Another democrat, the priest Gleb
Yakunin, accused two former democratic deputies--Oleg Rumyantsev
and Vladimir Lysenko--of having defected to the "enemy." The
leader of the People's Party, Telman Gdlyan, said that democracy
should be saved with the help of miners, Cossacks and farmers.
Another democrat, Viktor Mironov, called for the introduction
of presidential rule. Alexander Rahr

STEPASHIN ON RUTSKOI. The head of the parliamentary Committee
for Defense and Security, Sergei Stepashin, told Ostankino TV
"Novosti" on 14 March that it was significant that Vice President
Aleksandr Rutskoi had been invited to join President Boris Yeltsin,
parliamentary speaker Ruslan Khasbulatov, and chairman of the
Constitutional Court Valerii Zorkin for closed talks during the
latest Congress on finding a solution to the political crisis.
He said that some observers had believed Rutskoi could head a
future coalition government. Stepashin also said that during
the Congress he had agreed with the ministers of security, internal
affairs, and defense that none of them would have to take a new
oath to Congress since there is no doubt that these three ministries
are fulfilling their constitutional tasks. Alexander Rahr

TEREKHOV SAYS ARMY READY TO ACT. In a long interview published
by the Spanish newspaper El Pais, the head of the militant Officers
Union claimed that a coup launched by the army against Boris
Yeltsin would find considerable support within the officer corps
and that a decision by Yeltsin to impose presidential rule would
bring the army out against him. Stanislav Terekhov said that
his organization has 30,000 members and enjoys the support of
70-80% of the Russian officer corps. Among other things, he labeled
Boris Yeltsin a "traitor to the fatherland" and called for the
restoration of the Soviet Union and the communist ideal. He said
that he opposes the START-2 Treaty and favors the creation in
Russia of a "new government of patriots." While Terekhov's claims
of widespread support within the army are probably exaggerated,
the Officers Union is part of the National Salvation Front and
could, as the newspaper speculates, become the armed wing of
this political movement. Stephen Foye

KOZYREV UNDERLINES CONTINUED RUSSIAN PRESENCE IN BALTIC. Speaking
to a gathering of Russian sailors in Baltiisk (Kaliningrad Oblast)
on 15 March, Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev said that
Russia needed to maintain an "imposing presence" in the Baltic
Sea region. Baltfax quoted Kozyrev as saying that while Russia
faced no immediate military threat in the Baltic, a continued
presence was essential to ensure that Russia not "be squeezed
out" of the region. He also characterized Kaliningrad Oblast
as an exceptionally important link in Russia's strategic and
economic interests in the Baltic, and as "an indivisible and
undisputed part of Russia." The ongoing Russian military withdrawal
from the three Baltic States has highlighted the problem of Kaliningrad,
where it is estimated that over 200,000 military personnel (including
family members) may be stationed. Baltiisk is slated to become
one of two Baltic Fleet headquarters. Stephen Foye

RETROACTIVE INDEXATION OF SAVINGS PROPOSED. An expanded collegium
of the parliamentary Supreme Economic Council met in Moscow on
9 March, "Russia" TV reported. Among the proposals discussed
was the retroactive indexation of savings deposits to compensate
for inflation (generally put at around 2,200% in 1992 alone).
In the example given, someone with 1,000 rubles in his savings
account would be credited with 50,000 rubles, of which 5,000
rubles would be in a special account and 45,000 rubles in the
form of shares. Account-holders' future interest payments would
also be indexed. It was suggested that a joint working group
be set up to examine this proposal. Keith Bush

PACIFIC FLEET COMMANDER DISMISSED. ITAR-TASS reported on 15 March
that the commander of the Russian Pacific Fleet, Admiral Gennadii
Khvatov, has been dismissed. The dismissal order, reportedly
signed on 11 March by Defense Minister Pavel Grachev, came in
response to a tragedy in early February this year when four servicemen
died and a number of others were hospitalized as a result of
atrocious living conditions on a remote island in the Russian
far east. Following the incident Grachev swore that heads would
roll for the negligence, but Khvatov is the first senior commander
to be dismissed. Khvatov was originally named fleet commander
in late 1986. He emerged as a forceful conservative critic of
new political thinking in the spring of 1991. Stephen Foye

STATISTICS ILLUMINATE ARMY'S PROBLEMS. An article in the latest
issue of Nedelya (No. 10) carries a wealth of statistical and
survey data which, if accurate, provide sobering evidence of
the crisis in the Russian army. The author, military sociologist
Yurii Deryugin, claims that some 30,000 of the army's best young
officers have left the army over the past year. According to
Deryugin, three soldiers on average are murdered in military
units each day, while five more die from other causes (over 1500
in the last ten months of 1992). Approximately 25% of all these
non-combat deaths are reported to be the result of suicide. Officers
are apparently twice as likely to commit suicide as are conscripts.
Deryugin also reports that approximately 16,000 crimes were reported
in military units over the last ten months of 1992; some 120
conscripts desert each week. He argues that the army has become
increasingly politicized and that his survey data suggest increasing
numbers of officers are sympathetic to the idea of the army seizing
power. Stephen Foye

INFECTIOUS DISEASES ON THE INCREASE IN ST. PETERSBURG. The deputy
chief medical officer of St. Petersburg told ITAR-TASS on 14
March that deaths from infectious diseases in the city have been
increasing. Among the diseases he cited were tuberculosis, hepatitis,
and diphtheria. He attributed the increase to the refusal by
many to have injections for fear of contracting the AIDS virus.
The city authorities were said to be most concerned by the incidence
of diphtheria: in 1992, 845 cases were reported, of which 15
were fatal. Keith Bush

TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA



US CONSULTANTS DISCOVER OIL DEPOSITS IN ARMENIA. Two consultants
from California's Department of Conservation who traveled to
Armenia last month to inventory Armenia's energy potential have
located 26 reservoirs that could prove to be significant and
four which constitute prime prospects for drilling, according
to an RFE/RL correspondent's report. The consultants further
refer to previous studies indicating that Armenia may have oil
reserves of 320 million barrels and natural gas resources of
some 98,000 million cubic meters. Armenia is currently dependent
on gas supplies via Georgia for the 7.5 million cubic meters
of gas it needs per day. Liz Fuller

KAZAKHSTAN'S PARTIES HELP DRAFT LEGISLATION. Representatives
of a wide spectrum of Kazakhstan's political parties and trade
unions are participating in the drafting of legislation on election
of parliamentary deputies at the republican and local levels
as well as legislation on political parties, Russian TV reported
on 14 March. The plan to involve party and trade union representatives
in preparation of draft laws for submission to the Supreme Soviet
is supported by Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbaev; according
to the report, some political leaders see the plan as an attempt
to create a counterweight to the umbrella group Union of National
Unity so that parliamentary elections can be conducted in a Western-style
two-party system. Bess Brown

PRIVATIZATION OF AGRICULTURE IN KAZAKHSTAN. Kazakhstan's agricultural
enterprises should be privatized by the end of 1995 according
to a decree of President Nursultan Nazarbaev, ITAR-TASS reported
on 11 March. State farms and other state-owned agricultural enterprises
are to be sold to and only on the initiative of their employees
and pensioners. New owners will have the right to decide what
to do with the enterprises, including creation of cooperatives,
voluntary associations or small enterprises, provided that their
plans violate no laws. Processing and service enterprises are
to be converted into joint stock companies, with persons employed
in agriculture-related activities given preference in the purchase
of shares. Kazakhstan's privatization program does not envisage
a private market in land. Bess Brown



CENTRAL ASIAN STATES PARTICIPATE IN CHINA BORDER TALKS. Xinhua
news agency reported on 16 March that the ninth round of negotiations
on force reductions along the former USSR-Chinese border have
ended. Minor progress was reported. Delegations from Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Russia took part in the talks on
the CIS side. The talks took place in Moscow, with the tenth
round scheduled to be held in Beijing. Stephen Foye

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

RELIEF FINALLY TO REACH SREBRENICA? INTERNATIONAL MEDIA REPORT
ON 16 MARCH THAT THE UN MILITARY COMMANDER IN BOSNIA, GEN. Philippe
Morillon, reached an agreement during the night with the Bosnian
Serb commander, Gen. Ratko Mladic. The Serbs pledged to allow
a relief convoy into the town they have cut off for 11 months
and which has been supplied only by the recent American airdrops.
The mission is slated to arrive on 16 March and will evacuate
some sick and wounded when it leaves. Morillon has been in Srebrenica
since 11 March and has vowed to stay until relief arrives. The
New York Times says he has become a "folk hero" among the local
Muslims, and Bosnian Vice President Ejup Ganic said "the general
has finally run out of patience with the Serbs. He's finally
got it." -Patrick Moore

BOSNIAN SERBS WARN HUNGARY. Radio Serbia reported on 14 March
that the general staff of the Bosnian Serb army warned Hungary
against interfering in areas of conflict in the former Yugoslavia.
The statement specifically accused the Hungarians of meddling
in the Serb-Croat conflict in Croatia and alleged incursions
on Serb-held territory in eastern Slavonia, where a two-man patrol
had been captured and later released to Hungarian authorities.
The Bosnian Serbs also protested to the Hungarian General Staff
against giving military training and weapons to Croats and claimed
that 170 buses had transported Croat volunteers on 13-14 March
from Croatia to the Maria Teresa garrison in Pecs for that purpose.
The Hungarian Defense Ministry and border officials denied the
Bosnian Serb claims, according to a Radio Kossuth report on 15
March. Radio Croatia also carried the Serb statement. A spokesman
for the Croatian defense ministry called the Bosnian Serb allegations
fallacious. -Milan Andrejevich

CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO BUCHAREST. On 15 March Zdenko Skrabalo
began a two-day official visit in Romania. His counterpart, Teodor
Melescanu, told Radio Bucharest after a round of talks that an
agreement was reached to start negotiations on a general cooperation
agreement. The two countries are interested in boosting bilateral
ties, especially in the trade sector. Melescanu stressed that
Romania seeks good relations with all former Yugoslav republics
and does not want to take sides in conflicts among them. Skrabalo
was also received by President Ion Iliescu and Premier Nicolae
Vacaroiu. Iliescu, who received an invitation from President
Franjo Tudjman to visit Croatia, reiterated Romania's earlier
offer to mediate in the Balkan crisis. -Dan Ionescu

CROATIA'S PRESIDENT AND THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. On 10 March
Western news agencies reported from Zagreb that Franjo Tudjman
met with the secretary general of the International Federation
of Journalists and the director of the International Federation
of Newspaper Publishers. The two men told reporters that they
expressed their concern over the Croatian government's attempts
at controlling the media through a privatization program that
in reality puts newspapers under the control of Tudjman's ruling
Croatian Democratic Community (HDZ). They noted in particular
the intense campaign aimed at eliminating the independence of
the Split daily Slobodna Dalmacija, the country's last independent
paper, and recommended that the Council of Europe put off Croatia's
admission as long as press freedom is in doubt. Tudjman accused
them of being against Croatia and mourning the loss of Tito's
Yugoslavia. Radio Croatia on 11 March said that Tudjman had met
with the two men, that they had discussed a variety of issues
including Slobodna Dalmacija, and that Tudjman had stressed his
commitment to a free press. The progovernment daily Vecernji
list on 10 March quoted a top HDZ official dealing with Slobodna
Dalmacija as saying that his party's actions are democratic because
it has won a series of elections. Finally, it might be noted
that the staff of the Split daily went on a week-long strike
on 8 March to call attention to the HDZ's attempted takeover.
-Patrick Moore

WALESA CRITICIZES EC FOOT-DRAGGING. EC External Affairs Commissioner
Hans van den Broek began a tour of the four Visegrad countries
with a visit to Warsaw on 15 March. President Lech Walesa used
the occasion to chide the EC for dragging its feet in relations
with Poland. Only four EC states have so far ratified Poland's
association treaty, Walesa said, despite pledges that the process
would be completed by the end of 1992. Walesa also criticized
the EC for reinforcing customs barriers on East European steel,
textiles, and agricultural goods, while Polish markets are open
to EC exports. "We weren't counting on sympathy, but rather on
treatment as equal partners by Europe," he concluded. During
her meeting with van den Broek, Prime Minister Hanna Suchocka
likewise stressed that EC trade barriers are complicating Polish
reform efforts. She restated past requests that the EC provide
the Visegrad countries with clear criteria for full membership.
Van den Broek confirmed that these questions will be discussed
during the EC summit in Copenhagen in June, PAP reports. -Louisa
Vinton

POLAND'S ABORTION BAN TAKES EFFECT. The new law "on family planning,"
which takes effect on 16-March, permits abortions only in three
restricted cases: when the pregnancy results from rape or incest
(as documented by a prosecutor), to save a pregnant woman's life
or health (as certified by two physicians in addition to the
one performing the abortion), and when prenatal tests show the
fetus is severely damaged. All abortions must be performed in
public health facilities. Doctors who violate the law face two-year
prison sentences; women who have abortions are exempt from punishment.
Travel agencies arranging "abortion tourism" to neighboring states
have already begun offering their services. The committee that
gathered 1,300,000 signatures (more than 3% of the Polish population)
in an unsuccessful effort to force a national referendum on abortion
vowed on 15 March to continue lobbying for a more liberal law.
The committee, headed by former Solidarity activist Zbigniew
Bujak, said it would also document "the tragic consequences of
this law for women." -Louisa Vinton

HAVEL IN AUSTRIA. Czech President Vaclav Havel arrived in Vienna
for a two-day official visit, Czech TV reported on 15 March.
After a meeting with President Thomas Klestil, Havel told journalists
that the construction of the controversial Temelin nuclear power
plant, which is situated close to the Austrian border and has
drawn massive protests from Vienna, is necessary. Havel said
that all aspects of the project have been carefully considered
and several expert studies taken into account. The president
explained that "Temelin is a heritage of our past. It is almost
completed and we have no alternative but to finish it." -Jan
Obrman

GERMAN TOXIC WASTE FOUND IN CZECH REPUBLIC. Mlada Fronta dnes
reported on 15 March that authorities discovered 20 tons of toxic
waste from a German factory in Northern Bohemia. According to
the Prague daily, old dyes from a paint factory in Dresden were
transported illegally to the city of Osek by a Hamburg-based
company last year. -Jan Obrman

KNAZKO ON HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH MECIAR. At a press conference
in Bratislava on 15 March, Slovak Foreign Minister Milan Knazko
discussed the nature of his problems with Prime Minister Vladimir
Meciar. He said that the disputes are based on personal, not
professional considerations and that he received a financial
award for superior performance from Meciar as late as December
1992. Agencies reported that Knazko rejected the notion that
any criticism of Meciar constitutes criticism of the Movement
for a Democratic Slovakia or even the government. The foreign
minister made it clear that he is not interested in remaining
deputy prime minister but that he will not step down as foreign
minister. He also said that he is currently not considering the
creation of a new political organization. Knazko warned that
some of Meciar's attitudes could endanger Slovakia's parliamentary
democracy. -Jan Obrman

NO SLOVAK TANKS TO LIBYA AND IRAQ. Slovak Minister of Economy
Ludovit Cernak dismissed a report published by the Daily Telegraph
on 15 March that claims Slovakia has offered Libya and Iraq Slovak-made
T-72 tanks. According to CTK, Cernak said that the last contracts
on the export of T-72 tanks were signed in 1989. -Jan Obrman


PROGRAM CHANGES AT HUNGARIAN RADIO. The heads of the three stations
of Hungarian Radio told a press conference that effective 26
April the number of commentaries will be significantly reduced,
while the time allotted to information programs, literature,
and music will increase, MTI reports. Deputy head of Hungarian
Radio Laszlo Csucs said that the new program structure is flexible
and allows for a prompt coverage of daily events. He announced
that he has asked for additional resources to launch programs
in Serbian, Croatian, Slovak, Romanian, and Russian language
programs and the expansion of existing foreign language programs.
-Edith Oltay

TEST TRANSMISSION OF COMMERCIAL TV PREVENTED IN HUNGARY. On 14
March officials from Hungary's Frequency Management Institute
aided by the police confiscated broadcast equipment of CBC Hungary,
a planned commercial television station, to prevent it from making
a test transmission, MTI reports. A CBCH spokesman complained
that the action abrogates a court ruling granting CBCH's application
for a broadcast frequency. The head of the Frequency Management
Institute told MTI, however, that CBCH was illegally seeking
to appropriate a frequency originally granted to Russian TV for
a test transmission. A moratorium on frequency distribution is
in effect pending the enactment by parliament of a law on the
media. -Edith Oltay

ROMANIAN PARLIAMENT HEARS MOTION AGAINST CABINET. During a joint
session of the two houses on 15 March, deputy Cristian Radulescu
(National Salvation Front, Neamt County) read the text of a "vote
of censure" against the four-year economic and social program
presented by Nicolae Vacaroiu's cabinet on 4 March. The motion
was signed by 122 deputies and senators from the opposition.
The opposition has attacked the cabinet's program for being vague
on details of free-market reforms and for favoring more state
intervention in the economy. An NSF leader told Reuters that
the parliamentary opposition was just 12 votes short of beating
Vacaroiu's minority left-wing government. The ballot, which will
take place later this week is the country's first no-confidence
vote since the end of the communist regime in December 1989.
-Dan Ionescu

MOLDOVA DEFINES FOREIGN TRADE, INVESTMENT PRIORITIES. Made public
through Moldovapres on 12 March, the government's conception
of foreign economic relations provides for gradually expanding
ties with the West while maintaining links with the East, mainly
in the energy and fuel sectors. Reflecting Moldova's massive
agricultural export potential, the document defines the urgent
priorities as inviting Western capital and managerial expertise
in food processing, preservation, refrigeration, and packaging,
and the acquisition of Western technologies in these areas. -Vladimir
Socor

MOLDOVAN ELITE UNIT ATTACKED. One Moldovan soldier was killed
and another was wounded in a hit-and-run attack with submachine
gunfire and grenades on a special-purpose internal troop unit
in a suburb of Chisinau, Moldova's Ministry of Internal Affairs
announced on 15 March. The unidentified attackers escaped apparently
unharmed. -Vladimir Socor

NEW UKRAINE: NEW ELECTIONS. The recently concluded Second Congress
if the New Ukraine coalition has called for new parliamentary
elections, Radio Ukraine reports on 13 March. The resolution,
which also supports the convening of a constitutional assembly
to draft a new constitution, states that New Ukraine will participate
in the organization of a referendum if the political situation
in the country requires it. -Roman Solchanyk

CONVERSION IN UKRAINE. Ostankino TV on 15-March reported that
while defense orders in Ukraine were cut by 70% in 1992, civilian
production in defense factories rose almost threefold. It did
not, however, specify the absolute value of civilian production
in defense plants. The report focused on a Kharkov plant that
formerly produced armored combat vehicles but is now building
tracked transporters that will be sent to Russia's Tyumen oil-producing
region in partial payment for oil deliveries to Ukraine. Izvestiya
on 12 March reported that Ukraine plans to convert its Tu-95
strategic bombers inherited from the Soviet Union into aircraft
for UN environmental monitoring missions. These aircraft would
be subject to the provisions of START-1-if Ukraine ratifies it-but
the treaty does not provide for such a conversion process and
special verification procedures might have to be negotiated.
-John Lepingwell

KOZYREV VISIT TO LITHUANIA. Russian Foreign Minister Kozyrev
stopped in Vilnius on 15 March during his trip from Kaliningrad
to Helsinki for the meeting of the Council of the Baltic Sea
States. He held talks with President Algirdas Brazauskas, which
he described at a press conference broadcast live by Radio Lithuania
as exhaustive and businesslike, but useful. He noted that the
situation of the Russian-speaking population in Lithuania is
better than in Latvia and Estonia, but that agreements on Russian
troop withdrawal and guarantees for servicemen and retired soldiers
still have to be signed. He hopes to "open a new chapter in relations"
between the two countries, he said, noting that there are no
grounds to believe that Russia has neoimperialist ambitions and
that Russia would not like to lose Lithuania as an equal, friendly,
sovereign partner. -Saulius Girnius

1500 RUSSIAN SOLDIERS STILL IN PALDISKI. Igor Aaman, director
general of the Estonian police department, spoke approvingly
of the raid in Paldiski on 12-and 13 March by the police, Kaitseliit
militia, and border guards and seemed to suggest that one of
the purposes of the operation was to test the capabilities of
the Estonian forces. He added that over 70 men remained in Paldiski
to monitor the situation there. Aaman emphasized that the purpose
of the Estonian operation was not open up Paldiski, a restricted-access
military town, where some 1500 Russian soldiers are still stationed.
The Estonian authorities are negotiating with the Russian armed
forces on sharing responsibilities for guarding the nuclear reactors
at Paldiski, BNS reported on 15 March. -Dzintra Bungs

YOUNG BALTS NOT EAGER FOR THE DRAFT? BNS REPORTED ON 12-15 MARCH
THAT ESTONIA MAY BE FACING SERIOUS PERSONNEL SHORTAGES IN THE
DEFENSE OF ITS FRONTIERS OWING TO RECRUITING DIFFICULTIES. So
far, only about one-third of the required number have joined.
In anticipation of its spring draft, the Latvian Ministry of
Defense held a seminar on 12 March. Aleksandrs Doniks told the
press that about 2500 19-year-old men will be called up for service
in the defense forces and the ministry of internal affairs, but
noted that the number actually serving is likely to be smaller,
partly as a consequence of health and family problems. Only citizens
of Latvia can be conscripted. In Lithuania, according to a government
decree of 10 March, 4000 recruits, aged 19 and over, will be
called up for service in April and May; men will also have a
choice of performing alternative service and demobilization from
Lithuanian military units will be carried out simultaneously,
BNS reported on 12--15 March. -Dzintra Bungs

ESTONIAN ASSEMBLY MEETS. On 13 March at the urging of the leadership
of the Estonian Citizens' Union headed by parliament deputy US
Army Lt. Col. (Ret.) Juri Toomepuu, the Estonian Assembly met
in Tallinn. The group represents an informal effort to set up
a parallel legislature. They argue that the election law is not
truly democratic since some candidates who received more votes
were not seated as deputies. Of the 101 such people invited,
only 13 attended, primarily because the government coalition
and opposition People's Center Party do not support the effort.
With only 23 people attending, the assembly adjourned after three
hours canceling many activities, the RFE/RL Estonian Service
reported on 15 March and BNS on 16 March. -Saulius Girnius

[As of 1200 CET]

Compiled by Wendy Slater and Charles Trumbull



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