CHISINAU WILL SUPPORT RUSSIA FOR COUNCIL OF EUROPE MEMBERSHIP.

Moldovan parliament chairman Petru Lucinschi told the Councilof Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg that Moldova,which has just become the first CIS country to gain admissionto the CE, will support Russia’s application for CE membership in the belief that a Russia accountable to international organizationsis preferable to an isolated Russia, Basarpress and Flux reported July 2-3. But Lucinschi added that Chisinau will constantlyraise in that forum the matter of the Russian troop presencein the country until their final withdrawal. Meanwhile, Russiandefense minister Pavel Grachev told Moscow television July 2that Russian troops "currently deployed in Transdniestrwill be kept there. No one is prepared to remove them."And Russian radio reported July 3 that in the near future Moscowwill withdraw light weapons from the region’s arsenal, weapons which could be used by terrorists.

Armenians Go to the Polls.