MODERATE ELECTED SPEAKER IN CRIMEA.

Elected as chairmanof Crimea´s Supreme Soviet by a vote of 58 to 31, YevhenSuprunyuk pledged in his acceptance speech to act within the frameworkof Ukrainian law, observe Ukrainian sovereignty, seek Kiev´sprior consent to Crimean contacts with Russia, and encourage theadoption of the draft Crimean constitution. Suprunyuk´s electioncaps several months of parliamentary crisis during which a numberof ethnic Russian deputies broke with the pro-Moscow hard-linersaround former speaker Sergei Tsekov, who resigned July 4.. Tatarparliamentary leader Rifat Chubarov said that the election ofSuprunyuk marked the collapse of the "Russia" politicalbloc, and thus represented a chance for improving Simferopol-Kievrelations.

Moldova Holds Off on Ratification of CIS Human Rights Pact.