POLITICAL CRISIS IN MOLDOVA.

President Mircea Snegur leftfor vacation July 24, as the governing Agrarian Democratic Partysuggested that the president–who recently left that party toform his own–might seek to dissolve the parliament, to dismissthe cabinet, and to assume greater powers for himself in preparationfor the upcoming elections, Basapress and Flux reported. ADP leadersheld rallies in the countryside while the Snegur-controlled mediaoutlets continued their attacks on the ADP. The parliament’s newvice chairman, Dumitru Diacov who replaced Snegur confidant NicolaeAndronic in that post, said that any attempt to institute presidentialrule would damage Moldova’s international standing and paralyzeefforts to settle the Transdniester conflict.

Georgia Hopes for Russia Assistance Against Separatism.