NAZARBAYEV WON’T BE IN MINSK.

Pleading a “cold,” Kazakhstan’s presidentNursultan Nazarbayev said May 22 that he would not be able to attend the CISsummit in Minsk May 25. Kazakh radio said the country’s vice president wouldattend in his place. That Nazarbayev–one of the leading advocates for closerties among the Commonwealth states–will not be there almost certainly willslow the momentum for any expansion of the new agreement between Russia andBelarus.

Moscow Criticizes Uzbek, Kazakh Positions On Tajikistan.