BEREZOVSKY TRIES HAND AT MEDIATION.

The recently appointed executive secretary of the CIS, Boris Berezovsky, has embarked on a mediation mission between Georgia’s central government and Abkhazia. On June 3 and 4, Berezovsky held two rounds of talks with President Eduard Shevardnadze and other officials in Tbilisi, and two rounds with Abkhaz leaders in Sukhumi and Gagra. Berezovsky’s apparent goal is to produce a meeting between Shevardnadze and Abkhaz leader Vladislav Ardzinba.

For the same purpose, Russia’s Foreign Ministry is mediating a parallel set of talks in Moscow between Georgian and Abkhaz envoys. The only result thus far has been a turf battle between Russia’s Foreign Ministry and Berezovsky. First Deputy Foreign Minister Boris Pastukhov yesterday dismissed Berezovsky’s effort be telling the press that “nothing in diplomacy is achieved with dashing forays.” (Prime-News, Russian agencies, June 3 and 4)

NAZARBAEV ADVERTISES KAZAKHSTAN’S METALLIC ORE DEPOSITS.