FEINT PRAISE.

U.S. national security adviser Anthony Lake yesterday praised Boris Yeltsin for his "belief" that the ex-Soviet republics "have chosen freedom and their will must be respected." (AP, April 1). Two days earlier, Russia’s Communist and ultranationalist leaders praised Yeltsin for orchestrating an agreement on deep integration among four ex-Soviet republics. (For more on Lake’s remarks, see item below)

Russian, Belarus Presidents Sign Merger Treaty.