Armenia´s National Assembly adopted October 10 a new citizenship law which precludes dual citizenship. The law affects primarily diaspora Armenians who were until now able to enjoy the rights of Armenian citizenship without renouncing the citizenship of their adoptive country. Under the new law, dual... MORE

Chechen president Dzhokhar Dudayev´s chief political representative in Grozny, Khodzhakhmed Yarikhanov, says that the decision to route part of Azeri oil northward is important for Chechnya because the pipeline crosses its territory and will bring the republic "hundreds of millions of dollars" in revenue. Yarikhanov... MORE

According to Azeri officials, the US-based Citibank has confirmed its intention to go ahead with financing the exploration and development of three oilfields on Azerbaijan´s Caspian shore, at a cost of $300 million. Defined as "less accessible deposits," the three sites hold an estimated 63... MORE

The Azerbaijan International Operating Company´s (AIOC) October 9 compromise decision to use two routes for pumping "early" oil from Azerbaijan, one via Georgia and Turkey and one via Russia, has elicited a belated reaction in Moscow. A senior Russian Foreign Ministry official said that Moscow... MORE

Prime minister Tiit Vahi tendered his resignation to president Lennart Meri October 11 and to parliament October 12 after he led his Coalition Party and its partner Agrarian Union out of the coalition government. The two parties could no longer cooperate with their partner in... MORE

The first deputy head of Russia´s Single Power Engineering System, Viktor Kudriavyi, reportedly told a senior staff meeting in Russia´s Fuel and Energy Ministry October 10 that most power generating units "have almost no fuel reserves and are on the brink of shutdown." Kudriavyi said... MORE

While on a visit to Germany, Federation Council chairman Vladimir Shumeiko lost no time in attacking the Duma´s bill on the composition of the upper house, which had been passed earlier that day. The bill stipulates that heads of legislative and executive bodies from the... MORE

Yesterday, the Duma voted overwhelmingly to forward to the Prosecutor General´s Office for possible criminal prosecution the findings of an investigation of Ostankino Television and Radio company. The investigation was conducted by the State Audit Chamber at the Duma´s initiative. Among its findings: Instead of... MORE

Foreign minister Andrei Kozyrev´s active involvement in the electoral campaign for a Duma seat is being widely interpreted as reflecting his intention to step down as minister, and/or president Boris Yeltsin´s plans to replace him in that capacity. Deputies of the new Duma will be... MORE

Lt. General (ret.) Aleksandr Lebed the vicechairman of the Congress of Russian Communities, leads the field of potential candidates for the 1996 presidential elections, according to an opinion survey commissioned in Russia by the Washington-based International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). Just made public in... MORE