KAZAKH PRESIDENT TURNS TO THE EAST.

President Nursultan Nazarbayev left forSouth Korea May 15 to shore up trade ties with the Pacific Rim states,Kazakhstan radio reported. While there have been some bumps in therelationship between Alma-Ata and these states–Seoul imposed anti-dumpingrestrictions on zinc exports from Kazakhstan in April–relations betweenAlma-Ata and the capital-rich states of Asia have improved in recent months.The Pacific rim states see Nazarbayev as a guarantor of stability andKazakhstan as a natural trading partner given its immense natural resourcesbut lack of capital. Nazarbayev’s relations with the West have cooled afterhe disbanded parliament and rammed through a referendum extending his term aspresident to the year 2000.

Tajik Government, Opposition To Meet May 17.