GEORGIA….

Police arrested nine suspects in yet another conspiracy to assassinate President Eduard Shevardnadze, seizing land mines, sniper rifles and grenade launchers. Further arrests are expected. Press reports say that propaganda leaflets seized in the police raid were printed in four colors on good stock–implying that they were printed abroad. The suspects are said to be followers of the late President Zviad Gamsakhurdia.

Turkmenistan…. An agreement with Turkey signed May 21 in Ashgabat sets terms for thirty years of deliveries of Turkmen gas through the trans-Caspian pipeline that Bechtel and General Electric Capital are licensed to build. By ensuring a market for the gas, the agreement should make it easier for the Bechtel-GE consortium to arrange financing for the $2.5 billion project.