UZBEK PRESIDENT SETS UP ETHNIC AFFAIRS COUNCIL.

In orderto prevent ethnic conflicts in Uzbekistan, President Islam Karimovhas established a special council for ethnic and interregionalaffairs, Interfax reported July 11. The new body will be headedby Gulom Aliyev, who had been head of the country’s national securityservices.

For the Russian Phone Company, the Baltics are Now ForeignCountries.