A U.S. embassy spokesman yesterday confirmed a Washington Post report that a young man, who identified himself as a runaway army conscript, was discovered after having spent the night in the diplomatic living quarters of the American Embassy compound in Moscow. But the spokesman refused... MORE

In Israel on March 19-20, Turkmenistan's foreign minister, Boris Shikhmuradov, discussed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Infrastructure Minister Ariel Sharon possible sales of Turkmen natural gas to Israel via Turkey. (Tel Aviv Globes, March 19-20) The proposal envisages a Turkey-Israel undersea pipeline branching off... MORE

Russia's Foreign Ministry yesterday accused the Czech Republic of waging a "propaganda campaign" against Moscow over a statement by Russia's ambassador to Prague warning that the Czech Republic's entry into NATO could adversely affect bilateral relations. A Russian ministry spokesman said that the reaction of... MORE

Russia has criticized a decision by federal authorities in Germany granting asylum to deserters from the Soviet forces formerly stationed there. A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman yesterday charged that the move was politically motivated and suggested it served as an acknowledgment that German authorities had... MORE

Over 1,000 Russian paratroopers, accompanied by 10 pieces of equipment, conducted a mass training jump yesterday despite poor visibility and heavy snow. It was the first major tactical exercise of this type in 6 years. Col. Gen. Georgy Shpak, commander of the airborne forces, said... MORE

In a Finnish press interview published yesterday, as the U.S.-Russian summit opened in Helsinki, Lithuanian foreign minister Algirdas Saudargas described Western reluctance to extend security guarantees to the Baltic states as "indirect recognition of the Soviet occupation's consequences." The three Baltic states' quest to join... MORE

The Russian Security Council's Interagency Commission on Border Protection, chaired by border forces' commander Gen. Andrei Nikolayev, reported yesterday on "differences of views between Russia and Kazakstan" over "real and potential security threats from the southeast." The Commission's report to the Security Council proposed "new... MORE

Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin presided yesterday over the first meeting of the new cabinet. New appointments in a number of ministries and departments will be made when President Yeltsin returns from Helsinki, he announced. After yesterday's meeting, First Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Chubais flew to... MORE

The commander of Russia's border forces, Gen. Andrei Nikolayev, yesterday completed a visit to Kyrgyzstan during which he signed a set of cooperation protocols with Defense Minister Myrzakan Subanov. One document prolongs for the duration of 1997 an earlier agreement under which Russia provides 80... MORE

Azerbaijani foreign minister Hassan Hassanov commented yesterday that current "strategic cooperation" between Azerbaijan and Georgia draws on lessons learned from their "historical mistakes." He recalled that at least twice in modern history, including in 1918-20 (when attacked by Soviet Russia), Georgia and Azerbaijan tried to... MORE