TATARSTAN PRESIDENT LASHES OUT AT SHUMEIKO.

At the FederationCouncil July 20, Tatarstan President Mintimir Shaimiyev denouncedthe Council’s chairman, Vladimir Shumeiko, for his recent denunciationof Abkhaz leader Vladislav Ardzinba as a criminal, Russian mediareported. Shaimiyev said that Shumeiko’s remarks were inappropriatefor a Russian parliamentary leader, disrespectful to the Abkhazpeople who had elected Ardzinba, detrimental to Russia’s mediatingrole, and likely to spark a new round of fighting. Ingushetiya’spresident Ruslan Aushev supported Shaimiyev, and rejected Shumeiko’ssuggestion that Aushev represent Chechnya at the Caucasus summitthis fall. But the Federation Council failed to pass a resolutiondenouncing Shumeiko for his remarks; it garnered only 58 votes.

Chernomyrdin Meets Regional Leaders.