BEEF BARGAIN OR BLARNEY?

The Russian government has demanded that beef from three counties in the Republic of Ireland–allegedly contaminated by BSE ("mad cow" disease) — be excluded from the most recent export protocol between the two countries. Moscow’s action has outraged farmers and politicians in Ireland. The fact that all Irish beef has been deemed safe enough for sale in Europe, they claim, is evidence that the Russians are using the BSE scare as a bargaining tactic to lower prices. The potential consequences for the Irish economy, which depends heavily on beef sales, are considered serious. (Irish Times, October 16 and 17)

Yeltsin-Loyalist Appointed to Lebed’s Posts.