MOSCOW CALLS FOR BROADER PARTICIPATION IN MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS.

The Kremlin’s efforts to break the U.S. monopoly on Middle East peace-making and to raise Russia’s own profile in the region continued yesterday as Foreign Ministry spokesman Gennady Tarasov restated Moscow’s recommendation that Russia, the European Union, and other nations participate along with the U.S. in the peace effort. (RIA, October 8) His remarks came as Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu met for the first time in eight months. Russian foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov is set to tour the region later this month.

Ukrainian Parliament Enacts Inflationary Pension Law.