CIS LEADERS GIVE YELTSIN STRONG BACKING.

CIS heads of state, ending a one-day summit in Moscow today, unanimously endorsed Yeltsin’s reelection bid. A motion in support of Russia’s democratic reforms, submitted by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, topped the summit agenda. Noting that Russia "has always been and remains the pivot of our integration," the CIS leaders declared that "the situation in the Commonwealth of Independent States largely depends on the success of the reforms in Russia." Azerbaijan’s president Aliyev said he was sure the Russian people would make "the right choice" and vote for Yeltsin in next month’s elections, while Uzbekistan’s president Karimov went further, warning that the return of the Communists to power in Russia could cause tensions "not only in Russia but also in the rest of the CIS." (Itar-Tass, BBC World Service, May 17)

The Interstate Council of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia met yesterday in Moscow in the lead-up to the summit. The presidents of the four countries approved a program of measures aimed at implementing their March 29 quadripartite agreement on deeper integration. The measures focused in particular on consolidation of the Customs Union, the creation of a joint transportation system, and integration of their power grids. Guidelines for the Interstate Council and Integration Committee were also approved. (Interfax, May 16)

Estonia’s Parliament Makes Concession to Russian-Speaking Community.