The German government yesterday expressed disappointment at the Russian Constitutional Court decision that President Boris Yeltsin acted unconstitutionally last year when he refused to sign into law a bill aimed at preventing the repatriation of art treasures seized by Soviet troops during World War II.... MORE

The Kremlin has hit out at all and sundry following the Nizhny Novgorod mayoral election of a nightclub owner with two previous criminal convictions currently on trial for embezzlement. On March 29, Andrei Klimentyev was elected mayor of Russia's third-largest city, showcase of Russia's economic... MORE

. Price increases for household consumption of natural gas are perhaps the only part of the program for reforming Russia's natural monopoly sectors that is being introduced more or less as planned. This was illustrated on April 3, when Gazprom Vice President Petr Rodionov announced... MORE

This increased desire for central control over UES is apparent in a number of respects. The federal government's appointments to the UES board of directors include, in addition to those mentioned above: Natalya Fonareva, chair of the State Antimonopoly Committee; Andrei Zadernyuk, head of the... MORE

Acting Russian Prime Minister Sergei Kirienko delved into military affairs this week during a meeting with another of Russia's acting ministers -- Defense Chief Igor Sergeev. Following two hours of talks on the army's financial situation Kirienko praised Sergeev and the army for the progress... MORE

Leading shareholders in Russia's UES Electricity monopoly have appointed a new board of directors for the company. The appointments, made at an extraordinary shareholders' meeting held on April 4 in Tver oblast, seem unlikely to definitively resolve the battle between reformers and apparatchiks for influence... MORE

Moscow underscored its intention to maintain nuclear cooperation with Iran yesterday as Acting Atomic Energy Minister Yevgeny Adamov announced that Russia is prepared to build a nuclear research reactor in Iran. A contract for the new reactor project is awaiting final approval from Iranian authorities.... MORE

Kyrgyz President Askar Akaev on April 3 decreed a reorganization of the cabinet of ministers. The measure enlarges the decisionmaking powers of ministries and departments while reducing their number through mergers. Almost two-fifths of the cabinet members are being replaced. The posts of deputy prime... MORE

The OSCE and its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) announced on April 3 that evidence of "serious irregularities" in Armenia's March 30 presidential runoff is accumulating. According to an official statement, OSCE/ODIHR monitors are reviewing continuing reports of vote fraud and other... MORE

Following a session held on April 4 (see below), Georgia's National Security Council strongly protested against the killing of three Georgians and abduction of at least nineteen others by Abkhaz Internal Ministry forces in Gali raion two days earlier. The Security Council warned that Tbilisi... MORE