No. 124, 02 July 1993

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Inc.

RUSSIA



GOOD NEWS AWAITS YELTSIN IN TOKYO? A JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTRY
OFFICIAL SAID ON 1 JULY THAT TOKYO WOULD NOT EMBARRASS BORIS
YELTSIN OVER THE DISPUTED KURIL ISLANDS WHEN THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT
VISITS JAPAN DURING THE G-7 SUMMIT, ALTHOUGH THE ISSUE WOULD
BE BROUGHT UP IN PRIVATE DISCUSSIONS. According to Reuters, Yeltsin
is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on 8 July and leave two days
later, and is to meet twice with Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi
Miyazawa. Meanwhile, a commentary in Izvestiya of 1 July suggested
that good news--in the form of measures to ease or remove Cold
War era restrictions on high technology trade with Russia--awaited
Yeltsin in Tokyo. Quoting an unidentified high-ranking US official,
the commentary said that an easing of COCOM restrictions was
one area where the US was looking to accommodate Moscow. Stephen
Foye, RFE/RL, Inc.

YELTSIN TO EXTEND TEST MORATORIUM? ITAR-TASS REPORTED ON 1 JULY
THAT RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN WAS EXPECTED TO MAKE A DECISION
ON 2 JULY ON WHETHER TO FORMALLY EXTEND RUSSIA'S MORATORIUM ON
NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTING. Yeltsin has called upon President Bill
Clinton to join an extension of the moratorium--a congressionally
sanctioned US moratorium on testing expired on 1 July. The current
Russian position is that it will not be the first state to resume
testing, according to Radio Rossii on 1 July. John Lepingwell,
RFE/RL, Inc.

SVERDLOVSK OBLAST DECLARES ITSELF URAL REPUBLIC. The Sverdlovsk
oblast soviet proclaimed the oblast the Ural Republic within
the Russian Federation on 1 July, Reuters reported. Sverdlovsk
oblast was one of four territories--two of the others were St.
Petersburg and Vologda oblast--where the population voted in
favor of republican status in polls held in conjunction with
the all-Russian referendum on 25 April. Commentators had warned
earlier that krais and oblasts might declare themselves republics
if they were not given equal status with the republics in the
Russian constitution. Ann Sheehy, RFE/RL, Inc.

MORE ON SHAPOSHNIKOV NOMINATION. Izvestiya of 1 July notes that
while Marshal Evgenii Shaposhnikov was accused of corruption,
the main reason for the vote against his appointment as secretary
of the Russian Security Council was the view that he was a representative
of the president. The article also notes that the First Deputy
Speaker of the parliament, Yurii Voronin, already holds the ex
officio seat on the Security Council. Khasbulatov's proposal
that Valentin Agafonov also be appointed to the council thus
represents either an attempt to replace Voronin or to increase
parliament's representation on the council. It seems unlikely,
though, that parliament has the legal right to appoint members
not nominated by the president, or change the holders of the
ex officio seats. John Lepingwell , RFE/RL, Inc.

OIL OUTPUT TO BOTTOM OUT IN 1995? RUSSIAN FUEL AND ENERGY MINISTER
YURII SHAFRANIK TOLD ITAR-TASS ON 1 JULY THAT UNDER FAVORABLE
CIRCUMSTANCES OIL OUTPUT COULD STABILIZE IN 1995. Production
in 1993 is expected to total about 340 million tons, down from
398 million tons in 1992. Keith Bush, RFE/RL, Inc.

GRAIN HARVEST FORECAST. The president of the Roskhlebprodukt
Corporation, Leonid Cheshinskii, told ITAR-TASS on 1 July that
the Russian grain harvest in 1993 is expected to be 115.5 million
tons, only slightly lower than last year's 117.7 million tons.
Grain imports in 1992 totaled 28.6 million tons, while 16.5 million
tons have been imported so far in 1993. Cheshinskii said that
state purchase prices for grain will be raised, but did not put
a figure on the new price range. To date, grain growers and consumer
organizations have been unable to agree on prices. Keith Bush
, RFE/RL, Inc.

AMENDMENT TO LAW ON REHABILITATION OF REPRESSED PEOPLES. On 1
July the Russian parliament adopted an amendment to the April
1991 law on repressed peoples that extends to members of the
deported nationalities the right to financial compensation already
enjoyed by the victims of political repressions, ITAR-TASS reported.
The Chairman of the Commission on Repressed and Deported Peoples
Sergei Reshulsky said that up to May 1993 600,000 members of
the deported nationalities had applied for financial compensation,
and he thought another 400,000 or so would be eligible. Ann Sheehy,
RFE/RL, Inc.

YELTSIN SENDS GREETINGS TO FINNO-UGRIAN FOLKLORE FESTIVAL. On
30 June Yeltsin sent greetings to the participants in the 4th
International Folklore Festival of Finno-Ugrian Peoples being
held in the town of Khanty-Mansiisk, ITAR-TASS reported. Yeltsin
said he was sorry he could not attend the festival, but the desire
of peoples to preserve their uniqueness enjoyed his full support.
Yeltsin's greetings seem to have been prompted by the interest
being taken in Russia's Finno-Ugrian peoples by their fellow-Finno-Ugrians,
the Hungarians and Estonians. The Hungarian president has been
visiting Russia's Finno-Ugrian territories as part of an extended
visit to Russia. In December 1992 the Estonian government discussed
the possibility of using the "Finno-Ugrian factor" in relations
with Russia, i.e. countering charges of Estonian discrimination
against Russians with accusations of Russian mistreatment of
its Finno-Ugrian population, and in April 1993 43 Estonian deputies
and the Estonian president Lennart Meri sent a letter of protest
to the Russian parliament over reports of the death of a Khanty
activist. Ann Sheehy, RFE/RL, Inc.

STEPASHIN CRITICAL OF PLANS TO EXPAND NATO. The chairman of the
Committee on State Security and Defense, Sergei Stepashin in
an interview with Nezavisimaya gazeta published on 2 July and
summarized by ITAR-TASS, noted that any expansion of NATO to
include Poland, Hungary and the Czech republic would be tantamount
to creating a "cordon sanitaire" around Russia. Stepashin also
criticized what he considered to be attempts to dissolve his
committee because of his opposition to Khasbulatov. John Lepingwell,
RFE/RL, Inc.

TRANSCAUCASIA AND CENTRAL ASIA



GEORGIA DOWNS MILITARY HELICOPTER OF UNKNOWN IDENTITY. On 30
June Georgian Parliament Chairman Eduard Shevardnadze stated
that Georgian forces shot down a military helicopter carrying
weapons near the Georgian village of Mestia, Reuter reports.
The helicopter, whose identity has not been determined, had crossed
the border from the Russian Kabardino-Balkaria Republic. All
10 passengers were killed. The Georgian Ministry of Defense later
announced that the helicopter had come from Tskhinvali in South
Ossetia and was headed for Tkvarcheli in Abkhazia. Georgia has
frequently accused Russia of supporting Abkhaz troops. The Russian
Defense Ministry stated that it has no information about the
incident, and that none of its helicopters are missing. Catherine
Dale, RFE/RL, Inc.

UZBEK OPPOSITION FIGURES ON TRIAL. Six opposition politicians,
two of the six said to have been transported from their prison
to the courtroom in an iron cage, went on trial in Tashkent on
1 July, Reuters reports. The six have been charged with "organizational
activity directed toward the commission of especially dangerous
state crimes"; the crimes carry a possible death sentence. Their
"crime" was to plan the creation of an elected "Milli Mejlis"
(national assembly), as an alternative to the current Supreme
Soviet, which is dominated by former Communists loyal to President
Islam Karimov. This is the latest in a string of political trials
against Karimov's opponents; human rights groups within Uzbekistan
and abroad have consistently complained about the detention and
intimidation of opposition members. Keith Martin, RFE/RL, Inc.


MINIMUM WAGE AND PENSION RAISED IN UZBEKISTAN. The minimum wage,
pension and grant were raised in Uzbekistan from 1 July, according
to Ostankino television on 30 June. The minimum wage will be
approximately (sic) 11,000 rubles, the minimum pension more than
12,000 rubles, and the student grant about 9,000 rubles. Uzbekistan
thus becomes one of the most generous states in the CIS. Sheila
Marnie., RFE/RL, Inc.

HEAVY FIGHTING ON TAJIK BORDER. After a week of intensive fighting
which left at least 20 Tajik and Afghan infiltrators dead, the
commander of the Russian border guards in Tajikistan has threatened
to take measures to destroy weaponry on the Afghan side of the
border. If the Russian forces do attack Afghan territory, it
would be the first such attack since Soviet forces were withdrawn
from Afghanistan in 1989. As Western and Russian agencies report,
the Tajik government is now accusing the Afghan government of
direct involvement, and is vowing to take "all necessary measures."
The Russian border guards' commander also reported on unauthorized
demonstrations in the Gorno-Badakhshon region; demonstrators
called for the removal of Kazakh troops stationed along the region's
border with Afghanistan, and for an independent state. Keith
Martin, RFE/RL, Inc.

CIS

OPPOSITION TO BLACK SEA FLEET AGREEMENT GROWING? SUPPORT VESSELS
OF THE BLACK SEA FLEET ON 1 JULY WERE STILL FLYING THE RUSSIAN
NAVAL ENSIGN, AS THEY APPARENTLY HAVE BEEN DOING SINCE MID-MAY,
ALTHOUGH NO COMBAT VESSELS HAVE JOINED THE PROTEST. Nevertheless,
reports indicate that opposition to the agreement is growing.
Reuters on 1 July reported that Admiral Eduard Baltin, the fleet's
commander, had stated in an interview that he opposed the decision
to split the fleet, while Marshal Shaposhnikov has also argued
that Ukraine should only receive 15-20% of the fleet, rather
than half. Yeltsin and Kravchuk have responded to the criticisms
by issuing a statement reaffirming their commitment to the agreement.
John Lepingwell, RFE/RL, Inc.

KAZAKHS, RUSSIANS ARGUE OVER BAIKONUR. The defense ministers
of Kazakhstan and Russia, Sagadat Nurmagambetov and Pavel Grachev,
ended two days of talks on the Baikonur space center on 1 July
without reaching an agreement on the center's future. According
to Russian news agencies, Grachev said that Baikonur is and must
remain a Russian military facility, and that only Russia has
the technical expertise and financial means to continue operating
the center. He rejected a Kazakh proposal for joint command of
the center and of troops stationed there. Nurmagambetov, meanwhile,
insisted that Baikonur belongs to Kazakhstan, as it is located
on Kazakh territory; an unnamed Kazakh official suggested that
exclusive Russian control was unacceptable to other CIS states
which also have space programs. Both sides, attending the launching
of a French-Russian crew, agreed further talks will be held and
that the center will continue to operate. Keith Martin, RFE/RL,
Inc.

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE



BATTLE FOR MOSTAR CONTINUES. Fighting across Bosnia-Herzegovina
presented a confusing picture again on 1 July, international
media report. UN troops were forced to flee Mostar, Gorazde,
and Zepce for safety. Croatian forces launched a counteroffensive
around Mostar and claimed to have retaken some territory recently
lost to the Muslims. The stakes are control of Herzegovina's
main city and a nearby power plant, which is important because
the disruption of the prewar Yugoslav power grid has put such
sites at a premium. The BBC's Serbian and Croatian Services quote
UN sources as saying that Serbs and Croats appear to be cooperating
in fighting the Muslims near Zepce, while Serb artillery pounded
Gorazde, an intended "safe area." Meanwhile, French General Jean
Cot took command of the 25,000-strong UNPROFOR forces in the
former Yugoslavia, and Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt said
that Norway, Denmark, and Sweden will develop a joint force to
protect the six designated safe areas in Bosnia. Bildt noted
that Nordic cooperation has worked well among UNPROFOR troops
in Macedonia. Patrick Moore, RFE/RL, Inc.

DRASKOVIC ON HUNGER STRIKE. Radio Serbia reports on 1 July that
Vuk Draskovic, leader of the main opposition Serbian Renewal
Movement (SPO), said in an open letter to the public that he
has started a hunger strike and is "prepared to die." Politika
reports on 2 July that Draskovic's letter specified he was willing
to die in order to "deprive my torturers the pleasure of seeing
me suffer." He said he would refuse food and medicine and pleaded
with Serbia's democratic opposition to unite. He concluded his
letter saying it is his wish that after his death the SPO be
headed by Slobodan Rakitic, a co-founder of the party. Draskovic
along with his wife Danica were formally charged with criminal
acts by Belgrade's Public Prosecutor on 30 June and will remain
in prison another 60 days pending trail. The Draskovices were
arrested on 1 June after violent anti-government protests in
Belgrade. Both were severely beaten by police and are in a Belgrade
clinic recovering from wounds. Doctors say that Vuk Draskovic's
health worsened on 1 July. Milan Andrejevich, RFE/RL, Inc.

ALBANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY CONDEMNS GREEK POLICY. As Greece continues
to expel Albanian migrants -- up to 3,000 a day according to
an AFP report on 1 July -- the Albanian foreign ministry has
issued a harshly-worded attack on Greek policy. In the statement
released by ATA, the Ministry reiterated claims made earlier
this week that many of the deportees were "mistreated and beaten."
The statement also claimed that Greek actions aim to "destabilize
the south Balkans and aggravate and expand the crisis in the
former Yugoslavia." Reports of clashes on 30 June between ethnic
Greeks protesting the expulsion of an orthodox cleric and Albanian
police near the southern Albanian city of Gjirokaster were denied
as nothing more than "lies." Greek policy, the statement went
on, aims at using the Greek minority in Albania to create tension
between the two states "so as to satisfy the interests of Greek
chauvinist circles." Speaking at a lunch honoring Russian President
Boris Yeltsin in Athens, Greek Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis
was somewhat more conciliatory. He said he felt the present tension
was only temporary, ATA reported on 1 July. Robert Austin, RFE/RL,
Inc.

ISTVAN CSURKA PUBLISHES ARTICLE ABOUT HIS PAST AS AN INFORMER.
Hungarian right-wing politician Istvan Csurka has published a
three-page article about his own past. It appeared in Magyar
Forum, a paper closely associated with him, Radio Budapest reported
on 1 July. Csurka said that in 1957, as a 23-year old young man,
after months of internment and prison, he signed a document stating
that he would agree to being an informer for the Interior Ministry's
III/III section that collected information on citizens. He believed
at the time that signing the statement was the only way he could
become free again. He has denied, however, ever having supplied
information on anybody. After a general amnesty in the early
1960s, he was released from this duty. Csurka said that Prime
Minister Jozsef Antall knew about the affair and told him that
the opposition Alliance of Free Democrats probably also had a
copy of the Ministry's Csurka "folder." Antall therefore urged
Csurka to reveal to President Arpad Goncz the truth about his
past. Csurka has recently been expelled from the ruling Hungarian
Democratic Forum and helped to found the Hungarian Justice Party
that advocates, among other things, the investigation of politicians'
political pasts. Judith Pataki, RFE/RL, Inc.

BELARUS PARLIAMENT VOTES NO CONFIDENCE IN SHUSHKEVICH. Parliamentary
chairman Stanislau Shushkevich lost a vote of confidence 168
to 27, Reuters reported on 1 July. However, the vote was not
legally binding because a quorum was not present, according to
an RFE/RL correspondent quoting deputy Sergei Navumchuyk. The
opposition boycotted the vote, which was called after some deputies
accused Shushkevich of not ratifying a CIS security pact even
though he claimed to have done so. Shushkevich has alienated
conservative deputies by pursuing an independent course for Belarus
and allegedly failing to implement agreements which would bring
the republic closer to Russia. Susan Stewart, RFE/RL, Inc.

SLOVAK NATIONAL PARTY DROPS OUT OF OPPOSITION TALKS. In a move
that signals closer ties between the Slovak National Party (SNS)
and Prime Minister Meciar's ruling Movement for a Democratic
Slovakia, the SNS formally withdrew from opposition negotiations
on 1 July, TASR reports. Members of the opposition parties, which
include the Christian Democratic Movement, the Party of the Democratic
Left, the Coexistence Party and the Alliance of Democrats, said
the SNS "did not keep an agreement" which the opposition made
to unite and take control of the Slovak government. The four
opposition parties agreed to continue their negotiations. Meanwhile,
in a SNS press conference on 1 July, the party leadership said
their reason for leaving the opposition talks is that they learned
the program of the Hungarian minority parties is "totally different"
from the SNS program. SNS deputy chairman Anton Hrnko said he
is "disenchanted" with the Council of Europe for recommending
that Slovakia cancel the Benes-decree, a 1945l law ruling that
the Hungarian minority in Slovakia bore collective guilt for
the events of World War II there. Hrnko also claimed that "Hungary
should apologize for its genocide policy against the Slovaks
from 1867 to 1989." Sharon Fisher, RFE/RL, Inc.

HAVEL FINDS AGREEMENT ON BORDER ISSUES DURING VISIT TO SLOVAKIA.
Czech President Vaclav Havel held talks with Slovak President
Michal Kovac during a one-day visit to Slovakia on 1 July. The
Czech and Slovak foreign ministers held parallel negotiations.
CTK reports that the two sides agreed to reinforce the Czech-Slovak
border by creating checks for persons as well as goods; the agreement,
however, must be approved my the Slovak cabinet. At a press conference
following the negotiations, Havel stated that Czechs and Slovaks
would only be required to show a national identification card.
Czech Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec said that both sides were
in agreement regarding the countries whose citizens would be
required to obtain visas; both sides expressed the need to coordinate
their visa policies. The Czechs emphasized that they never intended
to force the abolishment of existing Czech-Slovak agreements
or make "one-sided" moves regarding the border. Havel said that
the Czech call for a reinforced border is in no way intended
as a political move: "It is not at all in the interest of the
Czech Republic to push Slovakia away from us." As the new German
asylum laws went into effect on 1 July, the Czechs now face a
potential wave of asylum-seekers who, having transited through
the Czech Republic, may be returned by Germany. Reinforcing the
Slovak border is therefore seen as a crucial step in controlling
the inflow of economic refugees. Milada Vachudova, RFE/RL, Inc.


WALESA'S ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES CHARTER. President Walesa's Council
for Economic Development announced on 1 July a 12-point "Charter
of Economic Principles" that points the way to prosperity for
citizens, PAP reports. Walesa called on members of the council
to review existing economic legislation in view of bringing it
in line with the charter. He said it could serve as the basis
on which party political programs could be developed. Andrzej
Olechowski, chairman of the council and member of the Program
Council of the Nonparty Bloc to Support Reforms, said that the
charter did not constitute a program in itself but that the bloc's
economic program would certainly respect its principles. The
charter is predicated on private ownership and freedom of contract.
It says that the free market must be regulated by law. It also
addresses the issues of openness and competitiveness, taxation
and public finance, partnership, consumer protection, and the
social safety net. Anna Sabbat-Swidlicka, RFE/RL, Inc.

POLISH MEDIA AND THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN. At a press conference
on 1 July, Chairman of the National Broadcasting Council Marek
Markiewicz, answering a complaint that public TV had become "a
mouthpiece" for Walesa's nonparty reform bloc, said that the
council would call for "a clear delineation between carrying
out a public office and electioneering." The council was aware
that all of the state agencies were violating that principle,
he added. Some of the members of the council itself were still
debating whether to run in the elections; most had decided against
doing so for reasons of professional integrity. Anna Sabbat-Swidlicka,
RFE/RL, Inc.

POLISH DEPUTY PREMIER ON CHINA VISIT. Deputy Premier Henryk Goryszewski
told PAP on his return from China on 30 June that he had received
"a rich offer of cooperation, particularly in the area of investment."
Bilateral trade had collapsed in 1991 after the changeover to
hard currency trading, and Goryszewski's visit aimed to revive
economic relations. China is said to be interested in Polish
power plant installations, mining equipment and rolling stock.
Poland hopes to sign a bilateral trade agreement with China in
early 1994. Anna Sabbat-Swidlicka, RFE/RL, Inc.

RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION ON ESTONIA. On 1 July the Russian
parliament adopted (160 votes for and 2 abstentions) a resolution
giving the government two weeks to implement a package of measures
against Estonia, including the suspension of Russian troop withdrawals,
Baltic media report. The government was also told to inform the
UN, the CSCE, and the Council of Europe about Estonia's allegedly
discriminatory policy toward national minorities. The Estonian
Foreign Ministry responded by charging that Russia was trying
to bring Estonia back into its sphere of influence and added
that the resolution contradicts the final act of the CSCE Helsinki
meeting of July 1992. Saulius Girnius, RFE/RL, Inc.

LITHUANIA STILL NOT RECEIVING GAS FROM RUSSIA. On 30 June Zenonas
Vistinis, the director general of Lithuanian Gas, told a press
conference in Vilnius that at the request of Lentransgaz he had
sent it a list of 81 companies that have been consistently paying
for the 1 million cubic meters of gas a day they have been using,
the RFE/RL Lithuanian Service reports. The promise by Lentransgaz
officials that gas would be restored to them on 29 June was not
fulfilled. He noted that Lithuanian Gas would not continue its
policy of getting credits from Lithuanian banks since the 25%
interest rates charged for them were too excessive. He also said
that Belarus and Kaliningrad should repay their debts to Lithuania
for electricity and rail transit directly to Lentransgaz. Saulius
Girnius, RFE/RL, Inc.

LITHUANIAN PREMIER MEETS SHAKRAI. On 1 July Adolfas Slezevicius,
accompanied by Minister of Industry and Trade Kazimieras Klimasauskas
and Deputy Minister of Energy Saulius Kutas, held talks in Kaliningrad
with Russian Deputy Premier Sergei Shakrai, Radio Lithuania reports.
A protocol on economic interaction between the two countries
was signed and after another round of negotiations a trade agreement
should be signed. The talks dealt with reconciling Lithuania's
debt for gas and Russia's debt for electricity and transit of
goods. They also discussed the procedure of non-visa entry and
exit for Kaliningrad residents via Lithuania and closer cooperation
against crime. Saulius Girnius, RFE/RL, Inc.

FURTHER DELAY IN RUBIKS TRIAL IN LATVIA. On 1 July the trial
of former Latvian Communist Party First Secretary Alfreds Rubiks
accused of conspiring to seize power in 1991 was adjourned until
12 July due to the illness of one of the judges, BNS reports.
The trial that officially opened on 14 June has not actually
started since Rubiks refused to answer any questions claiming
that he should have immunity as an elected Saeima (parliament)
deputy. On 30 June the Latvian Supreme Court, at a session attended
by Bill Bowring of the International Human Rights Committee as
an observer, decided to ask the Saeima not to confirm Rubiks
as a deputy until his trial is concluded. The first session of
the Saeima on 6 July will decide whether to agree with the request.
Saulius Girnius, RFE/RL, Inc.

CORRUPTION REPORT RELEASED IN ROMANIA. A preliminary report on
corruption involving high-ranking Romanian officials was released
on 30 June. The report, which was prepared by an ad hoc commission
of the parliament's two houses, appears to confirm some of the
cases disclosed last April by Gen. Gheorghe Florica, former head
of the Financial Police. The most frequent charges are influence-peddling
and abuse of office. Among those named are Viorel Hrebenciuc,
secretary general of the government, Rear-Admiral Cico Dumitrescu
from the Interior Ministry, and Finance Minister Florin Georgescu.
The report also questions the role of Interior Ministry George
Ioan Danescu in some dealings. On 1 July the opposition failed
to gather the required minimum of 119 signatures to call for
an extraordinary session of parliament on corruption. A no-confidence
vote in Nicolae Vacaroiu's cabinet has thus been delayed until
September, when parliament reconvenes. Dan Ionescu, RFE/RL, Inc.


ROMANIANS JOIN UN OPERATION IN SOMALIA. A UN report from Mogadishu
says that the advanced party of a Romanian field hospital, consisting
of 12 persons, arrived there on 1 July. Other staff members are
expected to reach the Somali capital on 2 July. In an interview
with Radio Bucharest, Col. Ion Dragusin, commander of the military
facility, said that the hospital was primarily for the UN troops
and would grant medical assistance to Somalis only in "special
cases." Dragusin added that the costs of the operation, which
he put at about 7 billion lei (some $9.5 million), were taken
care of by Romania. Dan Ionescu, RFE/RL, Inc.



ROMANIAN AMBASSADOR TO MOLDOVA APPOINTED. Romania recognized
and established diplomatic relations with Moldova from the day
of the proclamation of Moldova's independence in August 1991,
but failed until now to appoint an ambassador owing to second
thoughts about Moldovan independence if it was not to lead to
unification. Romania was until recently represented in Chisinau
by a charge d'affaires, but Moldova requested that charge Ion
Bistreanu be replaced after he made a number of pro-unification
statements; Bistreanu has since been promoted ambassador to Ukraine.
Finally on 28 June, Marian Enache, a political confidant and
legal adviser to President Ion Iliescu, presented his credentials
as Romanian Ambassador to Moldova to President Mircea Snegur.
Rompres commented that "the appointment dispels speculations
. . . that Romania was not going to appoint an ambassador because
of Bessarabia's status as a historic Romanian province." A Rompres
profile of Enache said that "he gained prominence in Romanian
political life . . . for his equilibrium and moderation" and
"reasoned speeches." Vladimir Socor, RFE/RL, Inc.

BULGARIA JOINS ROMANIA IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. On 1 July Bulgarian
Deputy Prime Minister Neycho Neev announced that his government
and Romania's have agreed to build two bridges across the Danube.
One will link Vidin to Calafat while the second will run between
Oryahovo and Bechet. The estimated cost of each structure is
approximately $120 million, and both bridges should be built
within about the next four years. The project is expected to
relieve congestion along a heavily traveled route which "links
Central Europe, several former Soviet republics and the middle
east," reports Reuters. Bulgarian and Romanian officials are
to meet next week to discuss technical matters and the question
of financing. Stan Markotich , RFE/RL, Inc.

NUCLEAR SAFETY IN BULGARIA. On 1 July Bulgaria's Cabinet agreed
to step up security features around the Kozloduy nuclear power
facility. The measure, designed to discourage thieves from stealing
the plant's copper wire power lines, may save lives. According
to official police statistics, at least twenty people died last
year while attempting to steal power lines, and two of them were
killed at that plant. Contrary to speculation, Chairman of the
National Electric Company Dyanko Dobrev said that the plant's
proximity, a distance of 100 kilometers, to the Serbian border
played no role in the decision. Reuters carried the story. Stan
Markotich, RFE/RL, Inc.

[As of 1200 CET]

Compiled by Patrick Moore and Saulius Girnius



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