ARMENIA SIGNS ENERGY AGREEMENT WITH IRAN, TURKMENISTAN.

Ata foreign ministers’ meeting in Ashkhabat, Armenia signed an agreementthat will allow Turkmenistan to send oil and gas to Armenia viaIran, the Noyan Tapan news agency reported June 28. If realized,this arrangement would reduce Russian influence in Yerevan butincrease Iran’s voice there. Moreover, it will help keep Armenia’seconomic growth on target. Armenia was the only CIS country toshow a rise in industrial production during the first five monthsof this year as compared to the same period in 1994, Interfaxreported June 28.

Almaty Allows Russia to Set Up Communications Links in Kazakhstan.