MOSCOW CONSIDERS NEW LAW ON RETURN OF CULTURAL ARTIFACTS.

InJune, the Russian Duma rejected two bills that would have establishedprocedures for the return of art and other valuables which Sovietforces had seized in Europe during World War II. Now a new commissionis meeting to prepare a new draft, but the group seems littleinclined to actually draft a law. Its members told Interfax onJune 29 that Moscow had "illegally" returned 1.7 millioncultural artifacts to Germany in 1955-57, while Germany had givenback only 88.

Moscow Wants Russia Classified as "Transitional"Economy.