The peace talks inGrozny moved into what the Russian side hoped was an endgame overwhat the Russians said was the final four lines of an accord,and what both sides feared might not be. Russian representativessuggested that there would be a "final decision" byJuly 23. On... MORE

Armenianand Azerbaijani negotiators have agreed on the agenda for theJuly 25 round of talks on Nagorno-Karabakh, the Noyan Tapan agencyreported July 19. But the representatives of Karabakh itself objectto the agreement, which would put off discussions on the politicalstatus of the region until other issues... MORE

In the absenceof a parliament, Kazakhstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev personallyratified the January 1995 agreement on the "status of RussianFederation troops temporarily stationed on Kazakhstan's territory,"Itar-Tass reported July 19. Fighting in Tajikistan, Talks in Tehran.

Tajik oppositionforces killed six government soldiers and lost seven of theirown in intensified fighting in Tajikistan's Harm region July 19,Russian media reported. Meanwhile, Tajik president Imomali Rakhmonovreturned from Tehran where he met with representatives of theTajik opposition and established ties with Iran. The Iranian government'ssupport... MORE

Russiantroops withdrawn from Eastern Europe have faced a difficult timein finding housing and even basing. Even in regions near Moscow,local officials have rejected the Russian army's request thatland be rented with promises, rather than cash, and have urgedthe army "not to cultivate the tradition of... MORE

New Crimeansupreme soviet chairman Yevhen Suprunyuk told deputies in Simferopolthat they should "exclude from your deliberations the questionof who Crimea belongs to" in order to calm political passionsthere, Mayak radio reported July 19. Suprunyk then traveled toKiev to meet with Ukraine's cabinet of ministers as... MORE

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Azerbaijanipresident Heydar Aliyev's suggestion that Turkey should take controlof Nakhichevan violates two 1921 treaties and cannot be permitted,Armenian parliamentary expert Larissa Alaverdian told the NoyanTapan news agency July 19. Aliyev made the proposal during Turkishprime minister Tansu Ciller's recent visit to Baku because theAzerbaijani government... MORE

Followingthe execution of Boris Dekanidze last week and the government'sofficial acknowledgment of it this week, the Lithuanian governmentincreased security protection for leading government officials,NTV reported July 18. Dekanidze's father, Georgy, who heads aparamilitary group called the Vilnius Brigade, earlier had threatenedto attack the government if... MORE

President AleksandrLukashenko's populist program has won him new support, accordingto a poll reported by Interfax July 19. Thirty-six percent ofBelarusians say his actions are "good" or "excellent,"a far higher percentage of support than he has garnered in thepast and a dramatically higher rating that the... MORE