TAJIK TROOPS RECAPTURE TAVILDARA.

The Tajik government announced over the weekend that its troops had recaptured Tavildara town and much of Tavildara district, seized by opposition forces last May. Casualty figures from the latest fighting were not yet available, the government said. Government-opposition negotiations are reopening in Turkmenistan’s capital Ashgabat today. Dushanbe delayed the talks’ resumption until its armor-and aviation-supported troops recaptured Tavildara. (Interfax, Itar-Tass, July 5 through 7).

Moscow Optimistic on Middle East Peace Prospects.