AUTONOMY FOR FINNO-UGRIC GROUP?

The chairman of the Russian Duma’s local government committee told Rossiya (no. 14) that he backed giving autonomy to a small ethnic group in Pskov oblast. The Sets should have their own schools and other linguistic institutions, Anatoli Sliva said. That could bring Moscow and Tallinn closer together on this issue: On June 1, Estonian president Lennart Meri told Izvestiya that Estonia wanted to make sure that such communities received native language instruction. This exchange came as Rossiya denounced the Russian government for mishandling the situation, particularly the Foreign Ministry, for being unwilling to give ethnic Estonians in the border regions multiple-entry visas for travel to Estonia.

Lithuanians Demand Moscow Pay for Overflights.