CHUMAKAU CONFIRMED AS BELARUS DEFENSE MINISTER.

Lt. Gen. Alyaksandr Chumakau, chief of staff and acting Defense Minister of the Belarusan armed forces, was appointed defense minister on Saturday by President Alexander Lukashenko. Chumakau succeeds Lt. Gen. Leanid Maltseu, who was fired on November 1 for allegedly appearing drunk at a public function. Chumakau once commanded the Soviet Belorussian military district. As late as August 1995 he was still in the Russian army. (Itar-Tass, January 11)

Russia Said Willing to Take Georgian Uranium.