Israeli Industry and Trade Minister Natan Sharansky wound up two days of talks in Moscow on March 3 that the Israeli minister described as an effort to boost bilateral relations between the two countries. It was unclear at the conclusion of the talks whether he... MORE

The Fuel and Energy Ministry has agreed to terms with the World Bank for releasing a $150 million loan to facilitate coal mine closures. As proposed, the federal government will pledge 6 trillion rubles ($1 billion) to cover social welfare spending in mining regions. In... MORE

The U.S. investor and philanthropist George Soros told a press conference in Moscow on March 4 that he will invest $100 million in philanthropic efforts in Russia this year, including a $20 million "Pushkin project" to buy books for regional libraries and another $20 million... MORE

After months of disagreement, the lower house of the Russian parliament -- the State Duma -- yesterday approved the 1998 federal budget in its final reading. Voting was 252 to 129. Share prices immediately jumped four percent and Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin hurried to the... MORE

At yesterday's session of the Dagestani parliament, the post of deputy premier responsible for the development of the oil and gas industries was established. Parliamentary deputy Hadji Makhachev, director general of the Dagneft oil corporation and an Avar, was appointed to the post. (NTV, March... MORE

Moldova's Security Council yesterday resolved to reduce the army's active manpower by 1,000 this year and suggested the possibility of further cuts. President Petru Lucinschi, who chaired the session, stated that Moldova needs to retain an army as long as Transdniester has its own. The... MORE

An Abkhaz "coastal guard" boat on March 3 fired at several Georgian fishing vessels in the Black Sea near the Abkhaz-controlled coast. The trawlers withdrew without casualties. (Russian agencies, February 3) Last week, Abkhaz authorities had warned that they would use force to thwart Tbilisi's... MORE

The Foreign Ministers of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan conferred yesterday in the Tajik capital Dushanbe on the political situation in the latter country. The visiting ministers also held talks with Tajik President Imomali Rahmonov. In the lead role at the concluding news conference, Uzbek Foreign... MORE

The city council in Kazan, capital of Tatarstan, has adopted a controversial program aimed at encouraging the Tatar language in the city's schools. The Monitor's correspondent in the Volga region says that the program is provoking strong feelings because it calls for a 15-percent salary... MORE

Last Friday in his weekly radio address, President Boris Yeltsin lauded the emergence of a middle class in Russia, noting that 16 million people had traveled abroad in 1997 and that Russia's 850,000 small businesses employ about 10 percent of the work force. (Russian and... MORE