COMPROMISE SOLUTION IN KARABAKH POWER STRUGGLE.

Karabakh president Arkady Gukasian on June 13 nominated Deputy Prime Minister Jirair Pogosian for the post of prime minister. The nomination was announced at a joint news conference by Gukasian, Pogosian, Defense Minister Samvel Babaian, and Parliament Chairman Oleg Yesaian. This lineup suggested that the leaders had arrived at a negotiated solution to the political crisis. (Noyan-Tapan, June 13)

The nomination of Pogosian follows a chain of events triggered by Babaian’s bid for political power. This triggered the forced resignation of Prime Minister Leonard Petrosian, the attempt of Gukasian to claim the prime ministership for himself in order to stop Babaian, and the parliament’s vote against Gukasian’s initiative. (See the Monitor, June 9 and 10). Armenia’s Defense Minister Vazgen Sarkisian traveled last week to Stepanakert from Yerevan, apparently in order to arbitrate the conflict.

TENSION SAID TO FOLLOW ARREST OF ISLAMISTS IN KYRGYZSTAN.