Ukraine has several political organizations that profess a Christian-Democratic orientation. Two of these, the Christian Democratic Party and the Christian People's Union, have formed the bloc Forward Ukraine to compete in the upcoming parliamentary elections. One major plank in the joint platform envisages overcoming ecclesiastical... MORE

In a televised debate on Azerbaijan's National Revival Day, former president Abulfaz Elchibey paid tribute to current president Haidar Aliev's achievements in restoring internal order and stability to Azerbaijan. Elchibey conceded his own and his government's failures in this respect when the Popular Front was... MORE

Danish foreign minister and OSCE chairman-in-office Niels Helvig Petersen, in a visit to Russia, yesterday endorsed the right of all European countries, "and particularly of the Baltic states," to ensure their security through accession to NATO. Petersen indicated that he represented this position in talks... MORE

The Estonian parliament yesterday adopted amendments to articles on the law on language that require parliamentary deputies, elective members of town and district councils, civil servants, and some personnel of commercial organizations to be able to use the state language -- Estonian -- at a... MORE

A member of President Yeltsin's human rights commission yesterday told an international conference in Moscow that conditions in the Russian military are "inhuman." According to Nikita Cheldymov, 1,037 service personnel were killed during the first nine months of this year, while 2,106 were injured and... MORE

The Russian president has appointed acting ministers to fill the posts left vacant by State Property Minister Maksim Boiko and the Head of the Federal Bankruptcy Service Petr Mostovoi. They were sacked last weekend for their role in the scandal over book royalties that now... MORE

Russian first deputy premier Anatoly Chubais got a stay of execution yesterday when Russia's Communist-dominated Duma drew back from its earlier threat to make Chubais's ouster from the government a precondition for agreement to debate the 1998 federal budget. That debate is now scheduled for... MORE

Russia will establish a permanent mission to NATO headquarters in Brussels, with a total staff of 36. It is to be housed at the Russian embassy and the Russian trade mission, and will include Russia's military representative. He will have 11 people on his staff.... MORE

British assistant defense secretary Roger Jackling announced yesterday in Tbilisi that Britain will donate to Georgia two coastal guard cutters. Britain will furthermore receive in 1998 a first group of Georgian officers for training. Jackling conferred with President Eduard Shevardnadze and Defense Minister Vardiko Nadibaidze... MORE

Russia claimed a diplomatic victory early this morning after an initiative orchestrated by Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov brought an apparent end to the three-week stand-off between Iraq and the UN. "That's what Russia achieved... without any use of violence, any use of weapons, without a... MORE