RUSSIA AS TRANSIT ROUTE FOR ILLEGAL MIGRATION TO THE WEST.

Since signing the Geneva Convention on the rights of immigrantsand refugees, Russia has become a transit country for illegalmigration from poor Asian countries to the West, Federal MigrationService Director Tatyana Regent told Independent TV August 6. On the black market, a counterfeit invitation to Russia now coststhe immigrant $10, but after that he must pay up to $5,000 fora counterfeit invitation to a West European country. Accordingto Regent, Russia has no real mechanism to deal with refugeeswho use Russia as a transit route to the West. In Regent’s view,Boris Yeltsin’s recent decree, which provides for lifting politicalasylum from refugees abusing it, is insufficient for coping withthe problem.

Provocation Suspected in Vilnius Jewish Grave Desecration.