TASHKENT PUTS CONDITIONS ON JOINING RUSSIAN-LED CUSTOMS UNION.

In preparation a visit by Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin,Uzbek pesident Islam Karimov told Russia´s deputy ministerfor CIS cooperation, German Kuznetsov, in Tashkent that Uzbekistanseeks mutually beneficial cooperation within the CIS and withRussia, Uzbekistan´s chief trade partner. Karimov added thathis country is prepared to join with Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstanin a customs union, but only if conditions can be created whichdo not lead to "an infringement of our national interestsand sovereignty," Interfax reported July 6. Meanwhile Karimovis actively promoting his proposal for economic and politicalintegration of the five Central Asian states as a regional alternativeto the CIS.

Kyrgyzstan Offers to Swap Equity for Debt.