Vladimir Yakovlev, who narrowly defeated incumbent Anatoly Sobchak in a run-off election June 2, was sworn in yesterday as governor of Russia's second city. (Itar-Tass, June 4) Belarus Authorities Warn Popular Front.

The Belarus Justice Ministry and General Prosecutor's Office yesterday issued warnings to the Popular Front in connection with recent mass demonstrations in Minsk. The authorities characterized the latest demonstrations as "attempts to exert pressures upon the judiciary" which is investigating previous demonstrations. The authorities also... MORE

Volodymyr Yehudin, a member of the Crimean parliament, reacted negatively to the new draft Ukrainian Constitution adopted by the Ukrainian parliament in the first reading yesterday. Yehudin claimed that the draft, which defines the Autonomous Republic of Crimea as "an integral part of Ukraine," reduces... MORE

Russia joined with other members of the Contact Group yesterday in a statement urging that Bosnia's first post-war elections be conducted as scheduled in September. The statement also called for the removal from power and detainment of Bosnian Serb leaders indicted by the UN war... MORE

Poland's Interior Minister said June 3 that Russian intelligence has stepped up its operations in Poland, particularly in the area of economic espionage. Zbigniew Siemiatkowski claimed that many agents come to Poland and open up Polish-Russian joint ventures. They, in turn, do business with --... MORE

Russian officials appeared anything but optimistic as the sixth round of Russo-Japanese negotiations on cooperation in fishing the waters off the disputed Kuril Islands began yesterday in Moscow. A Foreign Ministry official admitted that the negotiations to date have been difficult, while the deputy chairman... MORE

In an effort to clamp down on tax fraud, Russia's Finance Ministry has drafted a bill that would require those wishing to purchase super-expensive items first to satisfy the tax inspectors that the goods will be paid for with honestly earned income on which tax... MORE

A Foreign Ministry spokesman yesterday urged Russian businesses to pursue economic opportunities in Iraq opened up by the UN's May 20 decision permitting Baghdad to import $2 billion worth of oil over a six-month period. Through such dealings, the spokesman said, Russian business leaders could... MORE

Russian-Chechen talks on implementing the May 27 ceasefire agreement opened yesterday in Ingushetia's capital Nazran. Overnight and this morning, both sides reported they discussed only procedural issues. A working group co-chaired by the Russian commander, Lt. General Vyacheslav Tikhomirov and Chechen chief of staff Aslan... MORE

Dushanbe military officials said yesterday that government troops have resumed offensive operations aimed at recapturing Tavildara district, which they lost to the opposition last month. Government troops are also attacking the opposition in the nearby Komsomolabad and Kalay-Khumb districts in central Tajikistan, according to the... MORE