TOKYO AGAINST RUSSIAN APEC MEMBERSHIP?

Japanese prime minister Ryutaro Hashimoto denied yesterday that Tokyo opposes Russia’s admission into the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC). But Japanese Foreign Ministry officials intimated simultaneously that Japan might back Vietnam and Peru for membership rather than Russia, reportedly because Japanese leaders believe that Russia’s major economic centers are located too far from the Asia-Pacific region. The 18 APEC leaders concluded a meeting yesterday. (Itar-Tass, November 25)

Yeltsin Rejects Defense Law.