ARMENIA BRACES FOR MORE HARDSHIPS.

In a New Year’s message, Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosian urged the nation to brace for serious challenges, including: international pressure upon Armenia in connection with the Karabakh conflict, the blockade of transport and communications by Azerbaijan and Turkey, as well as the tasks of strengthening internal law and order and relieving social hardships. Ter-Petrosian also urged the authorities to "draw serious conclusions" from the unrest that followed last September’s presidential election (which the opposition is convinced it won). (Noyan-Tapan, January 1)

Russia, China Reaffirm Closer Ties.