…DENIES LINKAGE TO NATO ENLARGEMENT.

A spokesman for Russian president Boris Yeltsin denied yesterday that Moscow had agreed to soften its opposition to NATO enlargement as part of a deal to win membership in the Council of Europe. "I underline here again that there is no softening and will be none," said Sergei Medvedev. "The president’s position [on NATO expansion] is firm and we uphold it and will uphold it." Medvedev also dismissed recent remarks by Czech president Vaclav Havel to the effect that Russia hoped to replace its old sphere of influence in eastern and central Europe with a new sphere of "threats." He accused the "playwright Havel" of over-dramatizing and of viewing Russian policy is an emotional fashion. (6)

Moscow Protests Military Actions Near Borders.