The Communist Party will most likely have an absolute veto power on Duma bills requiring a so-called "qualified majority" of two-thirds, or 301, votes of the chamber's 450 members. The party will also carry decisive weight in voting for bills needing a "simple majority" of... MORE

In an interview published yesterday, Gennady Zyuganov said that restoration of the former USSR "is a long-term task." The Communist party leader said restoration of a union state was a normal process and would start with the creation of a singled educational and informational space.... MORE

With some election observers beginning to express concern over the slow counting of votes, the Central Election Commission announced today the latest results of December 17 elections for the new Russian State Duma. The new tally shows the Communist party maintaining its strong position, winning... MORE

The International Monetary Fund has approved $259 million in credits to Uzbekistan to support the government's economic reform program for October 1995-December 1996. The IMF had loaned $50 million last January to support the first phase of reforms, launched in late 1994. In deciding to... MORE

The prime ministers of Ukraine and Poland, Yevhen Marchuk and Jozef Oleksy, accompanied by senior delegations, met in Poland in what was described as the first-ever visit to Poland by a prime minister of independent Ukraine. A customs agreement and protocols on cooperation in road... MORE

The parliament of Georgia has approved most of President Eduard Shevardnadze's choices for cabinet posts, following individual consideration of the nominations submitted by the ruling Union of Georgian Citizens. Former health minister Irakli Menagarishvili becomes foreign minister, evidently as a figurehead to allow Shevardnadze full... MORE

On January 5, US defense secretary William Perry will fly to Ukraine to meet with the Ukrainian and Russian defense ministers, Pavel Grachev and Valery Shmarov, for a discussion on nuclear disarmament. As agreed to yesterday in a telephone conversation between presidents Leonid Kuchma and... MORE

A senior Ukrainian defense ministry official told a briefing that Kiev intends to increase its military presence on Serpents' Island in the Black Sea. Three days earlier, Foreign Minister Hennady Udovenko had cautioned that Ukraine's consent would be required for any arbitration by the International... MORE

Ending two weeks of suspense, Estonia's parliament yesterday approved President Lennart Meri's decision to relieve Lt. General Alexander Einseln of his post of army commander. The vote was 53 in favor, 22 against, and 19 abstaining or declining to vote. Meri had relieved Einseln December... MORE

. The Federation Council on yesterday approved by a vote of 95-14 with three abstentions the 1996 federal budget that was adopted by the outgoing Duma on December 6. This is the first time the Russian parliament has passed a federal budget before the beginning... MORE