RUSSIAN AND U.S. OIL COMPANIES IN NEGOTIATIONS.

Russia’s largest privatized oil company, LukOil, is negotiating with the Los Angeles-based Arco oil group. (Financial Times, March 21) Vagit Alekperov, president of LukOil, said the aim is to create an alliance enabling LukOil, which claims reserves equal to those of Royal Dutch-Shell but has until now lacked the means to raise substantial capital, to expand its operations outside Russia.

Baltic English-Language Weekly Launched.