SHEVARDNADZE, NAZARBAYEV WARY OF CIS.

Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev told a Tbilisi news conference, held jointly with Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze, that Kazakhstan would leave the CIS customs union "as soon as" it is admitted to full membership in the World Trade Organization. Regarding their countries’ membership in the CIS itself, Shevardnadze and Nazarbayev said in identical words that "if our independence is threatened we will leave that organization." (BGI, September 17. See Perspective section below)

Russia Uses Moldovan Debt for Leverage.