The relocation of Kazakhstan's capital from Almaty to Astana has rekindled the issue of the republic's regional financial autonomy. Specifically, Almaty's loss of status as capital has encouraged Almaty's mayor, Viktor Khrapunov, to request special taxation privileges for his region. Khrapunov's request is typical of... MORE

From July 1 through July 4, Tajik government troops fought alleged "remnants" of the Sodirov brothers' detachment in the eastern section of the capital Dushanbe. The operation is due to be continued, as most "terrorists" managed to escape. Government troops lost at least 11 dead... MORE

Russian Prime Minister Sergei Kirienko is today reported to have ordered the seizure of the assets of the gas monopoly, Gazprom, for failure to pay its latest tax bill of US$400 million. Kirienko also called for the replacement of Gazprom chairman Rem Vyakhirev. The move... MORE

Speaking to reporters yesterday about U.S. President Bill Clinton's current visit to China, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vladimir Rakhmanin said that Russia "welcome[s] this development in U.S.-China relations." He went on to say that cooperation between Beijing and Washington makes an important contribution to stability... MORE

In a message sent to Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Russian President Boris Yeltsin yesterday urged India to sign both the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. "The whole world would welcome the accession of your country to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.... MORE

On June 30, Russia restated its opposition to participation by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) in talks aimed at ending the bloodshed in Kosovo. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vladimir Rakhmanin said that the Kosovo Albanian side should be represented only by groups associated with the... MORE

The Russian Defense Ministry appeared to be the recipient of some rare good news yesterday. Despite Russia's continuing financial crisis, President Boris Yeltsin told Defense Minister Igor Sergeev that the government would find the "considerable funds" needed for the reform of Russia's armed forces. Yeltsin... MORE

Russian Prime Minister Sergei Kirienko got an unusually sympathetic hearing from the opposition-dominated parliament yesterday when he presented the Duma with twenty-one new laws making up the government's emergency austerity package. Kirienko said the aim of the new laws was to put Russia's public finances... MORE

The Russian government has warned the Duma that failure to pass the new laws could lead to forced devaluation and financial collapse. It would almost certainly undermine Russia's chances of receiving the additional support loan of US$15 billion, over which the government is currently negotiating... MORE

Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov yesterday denied that Chechen fighters would be sent to Kosovo. "Nobody has asked us to do so," he said. (Russian agencies, July 1) Maskhadov was responding to reports in the Russian media that Chechen Foreign Minister Movladi Udugov had said Chechnya... MORE