KOHL CRITICIZED FOR BOOSTING YELTSIN…

German chancellor Helmut Kohl arrived in Moscow yesterday amid accusations by his domestic opponents that the visit represents a personal endorsement of Russian president Boris Yeltsin. Kohl’s opponents, who have been critical of Moscow for its actions in Chechnya and for the ouster of reformers from the government, also took aim at the chancellor for failing to schedule meetings with any of Yeltsin’s presumed presidential opponents. German foreign minister Klaus Kinkel denied the accusations, arguing that Bonn is "backing concrete results from reform policies, not specific people." He also said that Kohl would speak to "all relevant political forces" in Russia. Indeed, Kohl is scheduled to meet tomorrow with the chairmen of Russia’s two houses of parliament, Gennady Seleznev and Yegor Stroyev, each of whom belongs to the opposition Communist party. In addition to Yeltsin, Kohl meets today with Russian prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin and foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov. (3)

…Stonewalled on NATO Expansion.