RUSSIAN DUMA WEIGHS RENEGOTIATION OF OIL AGREEMENT WITH AZERBAIJAN.

Russia’s Duma has postponed the review, due this week, of the January 18 intergovernmental agreement on the transit of "early" Azerbaijani oil through Russian pipelines. Some influential deputies, including those of Zhirinovsky’s party demand renegotiation of stipulations which in their view weaken Russia’s case for the indivisibility of the Caspian Sea and common title to its resources by all riparian states. (12) This unexpected complication may delay the coming into force of the agreement and the operation to overhaul the Baku-Novorossiisk pipeline. That in turn would increase the attractiveness of the Georgian route for shipping Azerbaijani oil to international markets.

Tajik Government Troops Continue Offensive Operation.