AZERBAIJAN-RUSSIA RAILWAY REOPENED.

Russian authorities reopened cross-border traffic on the Azerbaijan-Russia railroad as of October 5, but with severe restrictions. Basically, only women and children are allowed to travel without special permission from Russian border guards. (Interfax, October 5) The railroad, as well as the highways which connect Azerbaijan to Russia via Dagestan, were closed in December 1994 by Moscow in order to isolate Chechnya, severely damaging Azerbaijan’s foreign trade in the process.

FINANCE MINISTER SAYS RUSSIA WILL NOT PAY FOR CHECHEN RECONSTRUCTION UNTIL REPUBLIC’S STATUS IS SETTLED.