. The Russian government has received a $600 million tranche from the credit opened by the World Bank to support efforts toward macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform. At the same time, a spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations said that Russia and the... MORE

Kyrgyzstan's legislative assembly voted overwhelmingly September 20 against holding a referendum on prolonging president Askar Akayev's term of office until the year 2000 or 2001. The assembly thereby ruled against an appeal backed by 1.2 million signatories, or half of the country's registered voters, in... MORE

... A foreign policy adviser to president Askar Akayev says that Kyrgyzstan's leadership has no plans to join a military alliance under Russian leadership because of the negative international response that would follow. Kyrgyzstan's participation in the CIS collective security treaty is only meant to... MORE

President Haidar Aliyev of Azerbaijan told a NATO delegation in Baku that his country supported the Partnership for Peace program's goals to "consolidate general peace" and that Azerbaijan would shortly submit its presentation document outlining joint activities with NATO. The delegation informed Aliyev that a... MORE

. The European Union's presidency, currently held by Spain, yesterday issued a statement on the EU's behalf, expressing deep concern over the Georgian officials' statements. It called for an increased role by the EU in promoting democracy and human rights in Abkhazia and South Ossetia,... MORE

Georgian Prime Minister Otar Patsatsia warned a UN representative in Tbilisi September 21 that his country has lost all confidence in Russian (officially CIS) peacekeeping troops and the UN military mission in Abkhazia. Georgia may refuse to prolong their mandate, because of the inability of... MORE

Leonid Kuchma of Ukraine and Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, presidents of the two largest CIS countries other than Russia, reviewed recent trends in the CIS during their talks in Almaty September 20 through 22. Kuchma said at the news briefing that "the CIS has a... MORE

At a meeting in Riga, the Ukrainian and Latvian defense ministers Valery Shmariv and Maris Gailis agreed that Ukraine will extend material and technical assistance to Latvia's army and help to train Latvian officers and military specialists. Latvia would defray the costs by delivering to... MORE

The government of Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin is ready to complete its deal with the eight biggest Russian banks, according to which the banks will get shares of state-owned enterprises in return for their giving credits to the government. The enterprises in question are among... MORE

The special "Alfa" anti-terrorist unit, assisted by MVD troops, rescued the 18 hostages taken on September 20, when their bus was hijacked in Dagestan's capital Makhachkala. The special units managed to save the hostages with no losses and to capture the two terrorists. Several passengers... MORE