LUKASHENKA OFFERS ARMS TO THE SERBS…

Belarusan President Alyaksandr Lukashenka yesterday offered to deliver to Yugoslavia “weapons and military equipment in order to repel a possible intervention by NATO.” His offer is “unconditional” and reflects a readiness to “support our Slavic brothers in every respect,” Lukashenka told a news conference. He added that the Belarusan constitution forbids the participation of Belarusan troops in military actions abroad. Even so Lukashenka was able to describe his position as “even tougher than Russia’s” (Itar-Tass, October 6). The latter comment looks almost made to order for lending Russia’s official position an appearance of relative restraint (see story in this issue on NATO military action).

…CLAIMS WEST PLOTTED TO ASSASSINATE HIM.