YELTSIN DEPARTS NORWAY.

Boris Yeltsin’s two-day visit to Oslo came to a close yesterday with the signing of four agreements, but with little progress in resolving differences over NATO enlargement. The agreements included a declaration on principles of relations between Russia and Norway, an agreement on trade and economic cooperation, one on reconstruction of the Pechenga nickel complex, and another to avoid double taxation. (Itar-Tass, March 26) The declaration contained a pledge to create an international fund for the disposal of nuclear waste.

Yeltsin used the trip to lobby once again for a halt to NATO enlargement (See Monitor, January 26) and the declaration did include a conciliatory note on the issue that underscored "the importance of dialogue and cooperation between NATO and Russia through the Partnership for Peace as part of the development of a new European security structure." Yeltsin said he would take up the enlargement issue with Washington and the NATO leadership.

Yeltsin also faced two public protests. The first, on March 25, involved about 1,000 Norwegians protesting the arrest for espionage of Russian researcher Aleksandr Nikitin, who is affiliated with the Oslo-based environmental group Bellona. While Yeltsin did not agree to dismiss