PROGRESS AT THE MINSK TALKS?

Armenian and Azerbaijani negotiators have agreed to extend their talks in Helsinki to the end of the month, the Noyan Tapan news agency reported June 19. Earlier rounds of the OSCE talks have lasted only four to five days; the extension suggests that the two sides expect to make some progress. Radio Liberty reported June 19 that the talks were taking place in a “warm and friendly” atmosphere. But problems continued in the Caucasus itself: Azerbaijani authorities charged that Armenia had not released all the POWs it has been holding, the Turan news agency reported June 14. And in Armenia, opposition groups threatened to demand the resignation of the president unless the election commission reverses itself and registers opposition candidates within five days, Respublica Armenia reported June 17.

Yerevan Restarts Nuclear Plant.