Inthe days before its summer recess, the Federation Council hasrenewed the Russian debate on just what kind of national securitydoctrine Moscow should have for the future, Ostankino televisionreported July 26. The senators suggested that the chief threatsto Russia's security were economic weakness, which was not... MORE

Reserve Lt.Gen. Aleksandr Lebed, a potential presidential candidate now seekinga Duma seat, argued that Russia should restore its "traditionalalliances" with the Orthodox countries Serbia, Bulgaria,and Armenia, Russian television and Interfax reported July 26.Lebed was speaking in Yekaterinburg on a tour of the Urals, accompaniedby a... MORE

Russiandeputy premier Oleg Soskovets, who supervises military industry,and China´s ambassador in Moscow Li Fenglin met July 25 toprepare upcoming intergovernmental talks on military-technicalcooperation, Interfax reported. Soskovets emphasized the opportunitiesoffered by military enterprises in Russia´s Far East. Theambassador said the resumption of military-technical cooperationreflected the new... MORE

On his visitto Vietnam starting July 27, foreign minister Andrei Kozyrev will pressure Hanoi to allow Russia to continue to use the naval baseat Cam Ranh Bay, a senior foreign ministry official told Interfax July 26. Russia currently has an agreement with Hanoi to usethe... MORE

Membersof Russia's Constitutional Court are more divided on the legalityof Yeltsin's orders to intervene in Chechnya than had been reported,Interfax said July 26. The service said that sources in the courtnow suggested that there might be a split decision on the fourYeltsin orders on which... MORE

The chairman of Russia's Central Electoral CommissionNikolai Ryabov told Interfax July 26 that his body had registered259 different groups for the December elections. But Vek (no.28) reported that these groups will almost certainly coalesceinto only six or seven electoral alliances by the fall. One groupwhich... MORE

At theirJuly 26 meeting in Moscow, Russian premier Viktor Chernomyrdinand Ukrainian premier Evhen Marchuk failed to reach an agreementon the central issue of the division and basing of the BlackSea Fleet. Moscow continued to demand exclusive Russian basingin Sevastopol, Kerch, and Feodosia, relegating Ukraine´sshare of... MORE

Arguing that PresidentClinton shared his views, Russian President Boris Yeltsin saidthat he opposed any use of outside force in Bosnia, Russian radioreported July 27. The Russian foreign ministry said that AndreiKozyrev had secured agreement from the Bosnian Serbs not to attackGorazde; and it sharply criticized... MORE

Russiais now willing to sign an agreement with Chechnya ending militaryactions before the two sides agree on a political agreement definingthe future status of the Chechen Republic, Russian negotiatorstold Moscow media July 26. Such a retreat reflects a Russian desireto end the fighting and a... MORE

Georgianmilitary personnel will conduct joint exercises with Russian forcesat the end of August, Russian radio reported July 24. Earlierthis year, Armenian military personnel also participated in Russian-ledmaneuvers. Uzbekistan Seen Likely to Join Russian-Led Free Trade Area.