BAKU TAKES WANTED FOES UNTO CUSTODY.

Azerbaijan’s police yesterday arrested Panah Husseinov, prime minister of the 1992-93 Popular Front government under then president Abulfaz Elchibey. Husseinov had been wanted since 1993 on charges of armed rebellion. He was arrested while en route to Baku airport and is now also being charged with offering a $100,000 bribe to the policemen who detained him. The authorities also took custody of former defense minister Rahim Gaziev, who has just been extradited from Russia. The chairman of the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan ruled out a retrial, but said that Gaziev may appeal for a presidential pardon of his death sentence.

In Moscow, the Duma adopted with near unanimity a resolution demanding action by the General Prosecutor’s Office to prevent extradition of individuals wanted in their countries for "their political convictions." Initiated by the Duma’s red-brown Deputy Chairman Sergei Baburin, the resolution appears designed to protect, in the first place, former Communist party leader of Azerbaijan Ayaz Mutalibov, arrested last week by the Russian authorities who are considering Baku’s request for his extradition. (Interfax, Itar-Tass, Western agencies, April 17. See also Monitor, April 15 & 17)

Uzbekistan Welcomes Growing Western Presence.