BALTIN SETS SAIL

. Eduard Baltin, Russian commander of the disputed Black Sea Fleet, told journalists on October 25 that he intends to run for election to the Duma on the "Fatherland" party list. (9) He thus joins scores of other candidates who hope to represent the Russian military in the new Duma. Baltin complained that relations between members of parliament and men in uniform were "like a soccer game with thousands of fans screaming at players where to kick the ball." That being the case, and in view of the overall situation in the country, "generals and officers are obligated to go into politics." He believes that a deputy’s mandate would enable him, above all, to carry out his duties as commander of the fleet directly and in the manner he deems necessary, in what was an apparent reference to the continuous feuding over management of the Ukraine-based Fleet. As Baltin was speaking in Sevastopol, the Federation Council, for the second time this year, was busy overturning a law passed by the Duma that aimed to place a moratorium on "unilateral reductions" of the Black Sea Fleet. The Council based its rejection on Russia’s obligation to reach bilateral agreement with Ukraine. (10)

Latvia Bows to Lithuania in Offshore Dispute.