: On August 15,Moscow escalated verbal threats against the Chechen resistance.Duma speaker Ivan Rybkin seconded President Boris Yeltsin's andPrime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin's demands that the Chechensdisarm or be disarmed as "a crucial precondition to any settlement,"Russia's Radio reported. But in contrast to politicians, the military... MORE

In Almatyon August 15, Ciller opened a $300 million credit line from Turkey'sExport-Import Bank to promote Turkish investment in Kazakhstan.Ciller told the press that Turkey has already invested approximately$2 billion in construction works in that country, and hopes toincrease that amount to $4 or 5... MORE

Kazakhstan'sdeputy foreign minister Bulat Nurgaliev and atomic energy agencyfirst vice chairman

In a declarationdated August 11 and reported by Noyan-Tapan on August 14, theleadership of the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation(the Dashnaksutyun party) announced that it is being "forcedto halt" its effort to obtain reinstatement of its legalstatus in Armenia. The declaration accused Armenia's governmentof using "dictatorial"... MORE

In Daghestan'scapital of Makhachkala the apartment of Prime Minister AbdurazakMirzabekov was attacked by someone firing a grenade launcher,Russian media reported August 14. At the time of the attack, Mirzabekovwas attending the Moscow congress of the "Russia is Our Home"electoral bloc. Turkish Leaders Tour Central Asia

On August 14, Turkey'sprime minister Tansu Ciller and foreign minister Erdal Inonu,heading a large governmental and business delegation, began anofficial tour which will take them to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,and Turkmenistan. Last month Ciller and Inonu visited Uzbekistan,Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan. As on that tour, they will againfocus... MORE

On August14, three years after the start of the war in Abkhazia, Georgianleader Eduard Shevardnadze urged on Radio Tbilisi a prompt resumptionof negotiations to determine Abkhazia's political status. Expressingconcern over the Abkhaz side's delaying tactics, Shevardnadzereaffirmed Tbilisi's commitment to a political solution of theconflict. But... MORE

In Septemberthe US-based Resource Development Corporation (REDECO) will drillthe first holes at the oil and gas deposits in southern Moldova,Deputy Prime Minister Valentin Kunev told the Petroleum InformationAgency August 14. Under the contract, REDECO will start exploitingthe Valeni oil field and the Viktorovka gas field,... MORE

Transdniester's authorities haveannounced that bread rationing will be introduced in Transdniester'scapital Tiraspol and vicinity effective August 24, Reuters reportedAugust 14. Residents will be entitled to 500 grams daily. Themeasure has been in effect for some time in the region's second-largestcity, Bendery. Transdniester's authorities, dominated by... MORE

On August14, Sevastopol city hall sent a cable to Ukraine's leadershipand to Ostankino TV, which characterized as "a provocation"the network's August 11 story that city authorities were goingto ask the International Court of Justice to confer a "Russianstatus" on Sevastopol. City hall described the story... MORE