PAVLOHRAD MINERS RETURN TO WORK.

The column of approximately 1,000 coal miners from Pavlohrad, “shock troop” of the coal workers’ recent protests, returned home and to work yesterday. They had picketed the presidential, government and parliament buildings in Kyiv until extracting financial concessions to the mining sector as a whole (see the Monitor, June 12). Although falling considerably short of the strike leaders’ initial demands, the concessions are onerous and inherently anti-market. Whether the government has the means or even the will to deliver on those promises remains far from certain. As of yesterday, the strike seemed to be petering out in most of the mines affected. Since it began on May 4, it never extended to more than one-fifth of the country’s mines, but was led by hardened unionists who had previously spearheaded crippling strikes. (Ukrainian agencies, June 18)

MOSCOW “MEDIATORS” PATCH UP TURF DISPUTE OVER ABKHAZIA.