LAZARENKO ARRESTED IN NEW YORK.

Ukraine’s fugitive former prime minister, Pavlo Lazarenko, was arrested by United States immigration authorities this past weekend at Kennedy airport in New York. Lazarenko was attempting to enter the United States on an Argentine visa which was found to be fraudulent. Ukraine promptly applied to the United States to extradite Lazarenko on the basis of the legal-assistance agreement between the two countries. (AP, Reuters, February 22). Lazarenko is wanted in both Ukraine and Switzerland on charges of large-scale embezzlement of state funds and money-laundering. The Ukrainian parliament last week lifted Lazarenko’s parliamentary immunity, clearing the way for his arrest, which he avoided by fleeing to Greece (see the Monitor, February 1). Lazarenko is, moreover, expected to appear in Switzerland by March 1 for questioning by investigative prosecutors there. Last December, Lazarenko had posted bail of 4 million Swiss francs (approximately US$33 million) for a temporary release from Swiss arrest.–VS

GEORGIA SIGNALS IT MAY QUIT CIS COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY.