YELTSIN BACKS START-2 RATIFICATION.

Russian president Boris Yeltsin yesterday issued a strong endorsement of the unratified START-2 nuclear arms reduction treaty. He told Defense Minister Igor Sergeev that it is necessary "to prove to the lawmakers that [ratification] is beneficial to us." Today, Sergeev and Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov are to meet with Duma leaders to push for ratification. (Russian agencies, September 15)

U.S. Aid to Russia Will End by 2001.