PARLIAMENTARY REACTION TO YUGOSLAVIA CONFLICT.

A special session of the Duma willl be convened to discuss "NATO’s unleashing war in the Balkans" (meaning the bombardments against Serb positions in Bosnia) and the Russian Foreign Ministry’s alleged failure to counter Western policy in ex-Yugoslavia. The requisite number of signatures has now been gathered in support of last week’s proposal by several Duma factions that such a session be held. Only the Yabloko group opposed the move.

In a related development, the Federation Council notified the Duma on September 4 that it had not acted before the two-week deadline on the Duma’s August 12 laws mandating Russia’s unilateral abandonment of the international sanctions against Yugoslavia, and on imposing sanctions against Croatia. Consequently, the Federation Council is deemed to have approved the Duma’s measures. It is now up to Yeltsin to sign or veto the bills. Presidential administation officials have recently suggested that Yeltsin may try to drag out the procedure so as to avoid taking a stand before the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Yeltsin, Kohl Meet on Balkan Crisis.