MOSCOW WILL RETURN ACCOUNTS, EMBASSY BUILDINGS.

In a telephonecall to Lithuanian prime minister Adolfas Slezevicius May 23,Russian prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin said that Moscowwould pay back to Lithuania bank accounts which the Sovietauthorities had seized when Stalin occupied the Baltic statesin 1940. Chernomyrdin said that Russia would pay theLithuanian’s $10 million–the $7 million seized, plus $3million interest. According to BNS, Chernomyrdin also said thatthe Russian foreign ministry would begin discussions leading tothe return of formerly Lithuanian embassy property in Paris andRome. If realized, these promises would remove a major sourceof conflict between Moscow and Vilnius. The return of theextremely valuable properties in Paris and Rome would alsoprovide a major source of new and unexpected income for theLithuanian government.

Ukrainian President: Non-Alignment Is Obsolete.