TURKMENISTAN INVITED TO JOIN NATO PROGRAM.

U.S. ambassador to NATO Robert Hunter yesterday invited the leaders of Turkmenistan to choose from among the various forms of cooperation available under the NATO Partnership for Peace program. Following talks with top officials in Ashgabat, Hunter expressed hope that Turkmenistan would submit its proposals soon. He further suggested that Turkmenistan join the peacekeeping battalion being formed by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan under UN — not CIS — auspices. (Interfax, April 8)

Dudaev Sets Stage for Russian-Chechen Negotiations.