Acknowledging that Belarus had slowed down the withdrawalof Russian units from his country, a senior official in Minsktold Interfax July 10 that the only reason for this was becauseof the "mess Russian units leave behind." Kiev Agrees to Take Part in Dniestr Conflict Settlement.

Ukrainianpresident Leonid Kuchma told a July 10 news conference that Kievwill send a delegation to Chisinau to discuss how Ukraine canbecome involved in the settlement of the Dniestr conflict, Interfax-Ukrainereported. Kuchma's announcement is a response to a recent requestby Moldovan president Mircea Snegur and Transdniestr... MORE

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Ottawa called for activeOSCE involvement in the execution of the 1994 Russian-Moldovantroop withdrawal agreement and in the withdrawal´s technicalmonitoring, Moldovan media reported July 10. Moldova sought thesedecisions because Russia considers the withdrawal agreement invalidand insists that any future monitoring... MORE

Ina July 10 radio interview, Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadzeagain lashed out at Moscow´s bypassing of Tbilisi in Russia'sdealings with Abkhazia on relief aid. Noting that two other countrieshad offered flood relief aid to Abkhazia via Tbilisi, Shevardnadzedenounced Moscow´s move as contrary to international law,and as... MORE

Officialsfrom the Russian energy joint stock company Rosenergo arrivedin Tbilisi July 10 to negotiate the establishment of a Georgian-Russianjoint-stock company to produce and distribute electricity, Interfaxreported July 10. Georgia will pay for all the construction necessaryat world prices, the news service said. Ciller in Baku.

On the second leg of her tour of formerSoviet republics, Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Ciller opened talksJuly 10 with Azerbaijan´s President Heydar Aliyev who pronouncedhimself dissatisfied with the current low level of bilateral cooperationand called for closer ties with Turkey as a means to overcomehis... MORE

On an official visit to Uzbekistan,Turkish prime minister Ciller conferred with President Islam KarimovJuly 9 and 10 on expanding bilateral relations. The two signedagreements on simplifying visa procedures and setting up a jointintergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperationand discussed a possible Turkish loan to... MORE

Turkish foreignminister Erdal Inonu conferred July 9 and 10 in Ashgabad withleaders of Turkmenistan which he described as a "fraternalcountry," Interfax reported. The sides discussed expandingthe already substantial participation of Turkish capital in Turkmenistan´seconomy. Inonu welcomed the recent Ashgabad-Teheran agreementon building a gas pipeline from... MORE

Kyrgyzstan´sState Security Committee is "deeply alarmed by the offensive"of Islam in the country´s south, the agency´s deputyhead Miroslav Niazov told a news conference in Bishkek July 10.He alleged that more than 1,000 mosques are functioning in theOsh region and that many Muslim "propagandists" havecriminal records.... MORE

ECOmember states Iran, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, andPakistan have each contributed $1 million to establish a shippingline by August 22, Iran's IRNA news agency reported July 10 accordingto the BBC. Five leased ships will use ports in the Caspian andin southern Iran, the station said. Who... MORE