. One of the provisionsof a Duma-passed tax bill drops special levies on firms who usethe words "Russia" or "Russian" in their names,FIA-Interfax reported July 12. The new tax code, which still mustbe cleared by the Federation Council and signed by Yeltsin, reducedthe total number... MORE

.Six of the seven justices of Kazakhstan's Supreme Court now inresidence denounced President Nursultan Nazarbayev's draft constitutionas undemocratic because it gives too much power to the executivebranch and provides too little protection for human rights, Interfaxreported July 12. According to other Russian media, most ethnicRussians... MORE

.Because they are paid in rubles rather than the local currency,Russian border guards in Turkmenistan are among that country'swealthiest people, Strazh otchizny (no. 17) reported. Themilitary paper noted that the guards also had many problems, someof them flowing from the fact that the Russian guards... MORE

. The Armenian spring draftwas fulfilled 113 percent, Armenian officials told Noyan Tapannews agency July 7. Moreover, desertion from the forces is down,and reserve call ups have been put off. The reasons for this success?Economic problems in Armenia and the widespread belief that therewill not... MORE

. Various Abkhazofficials, including security service chief Astamur Tarba, declaredin media interviews, and to the Russian military command, thatthey would repel any attempt at refugee repatriation beyond thetoken number agreed upon earlier for Gali rayon alone. The Abkhazcabinet of ministers also issued a statement opposing... MORE

. In a movecertain to infuriate both Moscow and Yerevan, Turkish prime ministerTansu Ciller told Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev that Ankarawould provide direct assistance to Nakhichevan, the noncontiguousportion of Azerbaijan largely cut off by an Armenian blockade,Russian radio reported July 12. She also reiterated Turkish... MORE

. Boris Yeltsinhas proposed a conference of the heads of state of Russia, Armenia,Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the Russian Federation's republics inNorth Caucasus to discuss "strategic" issues of regionalcooperation, ethnic problems, "separatism," repatriationof refugees, and oil pipelines. The proposal for a September meetingis being carried to... MORE

In the face of continuing Georgian protests, both official andpopular, Russian Federation Council chairman Vladimir Shumeikoconceded in Tbilisi that Moscow's policy on Abkhazia was "notalways honest" and that Russian assistance to Abkhazia shouldbe cleared with Tbilisi; Russian radio reported July 12. Further,during meetings with Georgian... MORE

. Peopleliving in areas of Belarus contaminated by the 1986 Chernobylnuclear power plant disaster are showing signs of stress whichmay lead them to criminal activities, a Minsk psychologist toldthe Belarusian weekly 7 Dnei June 10. I. Furmanov saidthe country should build psychotherapeutic centers for these... MORE

. The Ukrainiangovernment has approved plans for the establishment of an InternationalScientific and Technological Center on Nuclear and Radiation Accidents,Interfax-Ukraine reported July 10. The center will conduct researchthat may be useful in the closing down of the Chernobyl nuclearpower plant. Ukrainian Army Declines in Size