MOBIL TO BEGIN OIL EXPLORATION IN KAZAKHSTAN.

Tulpar Munai, Ltd., a joint venture between Mobil and three Kazakh oil companies, announced September 28 that it has begun an oil exploration program on a 4.4 million acre block in northwestern Kazakhstan. After environmental and seismic surveys are finished, the first exploration could start early in 1997.

Russian Troops Trickle Out of Chechnya; Political Talks Sought.