Heads of CIS countries' security and intelligence agencies met in Belarus and signed on September 13 an agreement to create a council of the heads of those institutions. To be subordinated to the CIS Council of Heads of State and to the Prime Ministers' Council,... MORE

In a development with implications for Russia's relations with the West, Polish leaders were said to be heartened September 12 following an endorsement from French president Jacques Chirac for Polish membership in NATO and the EU. During a speech before both houses of the Polish... MORE

In comments made to Russian radio on September 11, Kremlin security supremo Aleksandr Lebed referred to the "stupidity" of Western taxpayers for their apparent readiness to pay $250-270 billion to finance NATO enlargement. But a top NATO leader, speaking in Ukraine on September 14, suggested... MORE

On a weekend visit to Belarus, Russia's chief security official Aleksandr Lebed conferred with president Aleksandr Lukashenko and other officials on the withdrawal of the last ex-Soviet nuclear missiles from Belarus and on the internal politics in that country. Lebed praised Lukashenko as "an active,... MORE

Following talks in Moscow with his counterpart from rump Yugoslavia, Russian foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov said on September 12 that Russia would insist that economic sanctions against Belgrade be lifted ten days after Bosnia's general elections (held on September 14). Primakov also said that Moscow... MORE

Prominent human rights activist and Russian Duma deputy Sergei Kovalev underwent heart surgery in New York on September 12. (Interfax, September 13) Atlantis Takes Off Safely.

The American space-shuttle Atlantis took off safely this morning from Cape Canaveral on its journey to link up with Russia's Mir space-station and bring the U.S. astronaut Shannon Lucid bring back to earth. She was originally supposed to have returned nearly two months ago. (BBC... MORE

According to a Russian newspaper, former defense minister Pavel Grachev has taken a position with an unidentified commercial firm in Moscow. A car and chauffeur reportedly came with the new job. (BBC, September 13) Grachev was dismissed as defense minister in June amid allegations of... MORE

A critical mass of Russia's commercial bank creditors (the "London Club") has agreed to the reschedule Russia's $ 35 billion debt. Deputy Finance Minister Mikhail Kasyanov said that banks holding more than $20 billion of the debt had given their assent, and that this would... MORE

The International Monetary Fund has approved payment of the latest monthly tranche of its $10.2 billion extended Fund facility to Russia. (Itar-Tass, September 16) Chubais Ally to Head Privatization Agency.