Viktor Ilyukhin, chairman of the Duma's Security Affairs Committee, proposes that Russia provide military assistance including mobile anti-aircraft missiles to Serbian forces in Bosnia and Krajina. Ilyukhin, who made this proposal in an article published by the Slavic World agency, also suggests that Russia begin... MORE

The Russian side also describes as a "terrorist attack" the September 20 explosion of an oil tank in a Grozny oil-processing plant. Russian troops responded with artillery fire against presumed Chechen positions nearby, and by strengthening the presence of Russian forces in and around the... MORE

NATO's Council of Ambassadors yesterday approved a blueprint on the alliance's expansion into central and eastern Europe, an issue which has drawn sharp criticism from Russia. According to this study, new members would enjoy full rights and responsibilities of membership, but, in an apparent concession... MORE

The commander of Russian forces in Chechnya, Lt. Gen. Anatoly Romanov, blamed the attempt on the life of Security Council secretary and presidential envoy in Chechnya, Oleg Lobov, on forces loyal to Chechen president Dzhokhar Dudayev. Romanov said that his patience had run out and... MORE

A three-day international conference on the problems of the Aral Sea region opened September 18 in Nukus, capital of Uzbekistan's autonomous Karakalpak republic. The conference is being attended by officials and experts from the five Central Asian countries, whose presidents are expected to sign a... MORE

Kyrgyzstan's parliament is considering a proposal to call a referendum on extending President Askar Akayev's term of office until the year 2000 or 2001. The legislature may in fact have little choice in the matter, as the president's supporters have gathered almost 1.2 million signatures,... MORE

The Japanese Export-Import Bank and government plan to extend three further major credits to Uzbekistan this year: $75 million to expand and modernize the Ferghana oil refinery (as part of a $150 million investment in that refinery, the other half of that amount being supplied... MORE

According to Konstantin Zatulin, chairman of the Russian Duma's CIS Affairs Committee, who is closely involved with the negotiations on the Black Sea Fleet, Ukraine proposes to charge Russia for the use of bases in the Sevastopol area an annual rent of 26 US dollars... MORE

. Two former senior officials of the Popular Front government (1992-1993) have been jailed in Azerbaijan. Former Internal Affairs Minister Iskender Hamidov has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for abuse of office, embezzlement, and unlawful release of jailed criminals for combat duty on... MORE

Abiding by the terms of the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE), Ukraine has been reducing its combat hardware on schedule and will probably be in full compliance with the national quotas by the November 16 deadline, according to Ukrainian defense ministry officials. There... MORE