KREMLIN TRIES TO DEFUSE TENSIONS.

Russian prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin appealed for calm in advance of today’s planned protests. He told a press conference yesterday that the government would pay $2 billion in wage arrears to public sector employees by the end of this month (about one-fifth of what is owed to them). He also said that the government is determined to boost tax collection and pay outstanding debts by the end of this year. (BBC World Service, March 26)

Russian Officials to Lose Foreign Cars.