UKRAINIAN LEFTISTS BLOCK AGREEMENT WITH LATVIA.

At a tumultuous session of the Ukrainian parliament, leftist deputies prevented ratification of the Ukrainian-Latvian free trade treaty, negotiated earlier by Presidents Leonid Kuchma and Guntis Ulmanis. The opposition forced the treaty back to parliamentary commissions for possible revision. Most leftists invoked protectionist considerations, but Communists also cited the detention of Latvian Communist leader and 1991 putschist Alfreds Rubiks as a reason for their opposition to ratification. (Interfax-Ukraine, September 11)

Armenian President on Relations with Turkey and Iran.