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Subject:      RFE/RL Daily Report 30 DEC, 1992

The RFE/RL Daily Report is a digest of the latest developments
in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. It is published
Monday through Friday (except German holidays) by the RFE/RL
Research Institute (a division of Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty, Inc.). Copyright 1992 RFE/RL, Inc.


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                   RFE/RL Daily Report

                                       No. 249, 30 December 1992

                  SUCCESSOR STATES OF THE USSR

START II TREATY UP TO YELTSIN AND BUSH. Russian and American
negotiators have agreed on the text of a strategic arms treaty
that would cut each country's nuclear arsenal to roughly 3,500
warheads by 2003 and have submitted the draft to their
presidents.  Western and Russian agencies on 29 December reported
that this was the outcome of the Geneva talks between Russian
Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev and Defense Minister Pavel
Grachev on the one hand, and U.S. Secretary of State Lawrence
Eagleburger on the other.  According to UPI, White House press
secretary Marlin Fitzwater said that he expected the two
presidents to make a formal announcement on 30 December that they
have accepted the text.  Interfax reported that the treaty would
probably be signed in Sochi, Russia, on 2 or 3 January. (Doug
Clarke, RFE/RL, Inc.)

UKRAINIAN POSITION ON NUCLEAR ARMS CONTROL.  At a Moscow press
conference on 29 December, two Ukrainian officials said that
Russian- Ukrainian negotiations on the ex-Soviet nuclear weapons
stationed in Ukraine would start shortly in Moscow. Vladimir
Kryzhanovsky, the Ukrainian ambassador to Russia, and Konstantin
Grishchenko, head of the disarmament department in the Ukrainian
foreign ministry, were quoted by Interfax as warning there would
be some conditions. Ukraine expects as much as $1.5 billion in
foreign assistance, including aid from Russia.  It also wants
security guarantees from the nuclear powers.  In addition,
Grishchenko and Kryzhanovsky said that Ukraine will insist on
maintaining control over any nuclear weapons facilities remaining
on its soil. The two officials also stressed that Ukraine wants a
"clear-cut" admission by the Russian government that the
plutonium and uranium in the weapons now deployed in Ukraine
belong to Kiev. Grishchenko said that Ukraine would fulfill its
obligations under the START treaty, and that it intends to become
a non-nuclear (weapons) state.  (Doug Clarke & Hal Kosiba,
RFE/RL, Inc.)

CHINA SAID TO RECRUIT RUSSIAN AND UKRAINIAN SCIENTISTS.  The
Japanese paper Yomiuri Shimbun on 29 December, quoting a
"reliable source in Beijing," said that China had recruited
"hundreds" of Russian and Ukrainian military and nuclear
scientists and engineers. The paper said that China had obtained
specialists in cruise missiles, antisubmarine warfare, missile
and nuclear technology who were presently working in Chinese
factories. Offices had been set up in Russia and Ukraine to
recruit the scientists. (Doug Clarke, RFE/RL, Inc.)

FEDOROV FORESEES CONFLICT WITH RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER. The
outspoken, newly-appointed deputy prime minister in charge of
economic reform strategy, Boris Fedorov, expects conflict in his
relationship with Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, the
International Herald Tribune reported on 30 December. Fedorov
said that the two had different views on many issues and that he
would be vocal in his opposition to measures he did not agree
with.  Fedorov appeared modest in his ambitions in policy-making,
however. "If we can keep from going backwards, that would already
be a success," he said.  (Erik Whitlock, RFE/RL, Inc.)

INDEPENDENT TV STATION TO START BROADCASTING IN MOSCOW.  Russia's
first independent TV channel, TV-6 Moscow, will begin
broadcasting on 1 January, Interfax and ITAR-TASS reported on 29
December. The agencies quoted the president of the channel,
Eduard Sagalaev, as saying that TV-6 Moscow will broadcast mostly
entertainment.  It will begin broadcasting five hours a day,
increasing later to 20 hours and finally to round-the-clock
programming.  The station is a joint venture with the American
Turner Broadcasting System (TBS), which operates the cable news
network CNN. TV-6 Moscow will show CNN news in Russian
translation.  Eduard Sagalaev is chairman of the Confederation of
the Unions of Journalists of the CIS; in 1991 he was director
general of Channel 1 of Soviet central TV.  (Vera Tolz, RFE/RL,
Inc.)

RUSSIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTES TO BE TAX-EXEMPT.  Russian Prime
Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin has ordered that several scientific
institutes be exempted from land rental fees and property taxes
to help ease their financial problems, ITAR-TASS reported on 29
December. The agency said that the order covers almost all
leading industrial scientific institutes, including those
involved in the military industry.  Chernomyrdin's order says the
measure was taken in accordance with the law on changes in
Russia's tax system. Research institutes of the Russian Academy
of Sciences, whose financial situation is generally catastrophic,
do not seem to be affected by the order. ITAR-TASS quoted an
unidentified top government official as saying "the order is the
first step of the new government in favor of the lobby of
industrial directors." He added, however, that the measure was
correct, since Russia could not "allow its scientific potential,
including the one aimed at developing military industry, to
become ineffective as a result of financial difficulties." (Vera
Tolz, RFE/RL, Inc.)

UKRAINE PASSES DECREES ON WAGES AND TRADE.  The Ukrainian Council
of Ministers issued several decrees concerning wage and trade
regulations on 29 December, Interfax reported. One decree revises
the pay scale for state sector employees setting the maximum
ratio between highest and lowest salary categories at eight to
one.  Another decree doubles the minimum wage from 2,300 to 4,600
karbovantsi per month.  A third decree defines regulations for
the production and sale of alcoholic beverages and tobacco
products. Finally, a fourth decree requires the reregistration of
and outlines new regulations for quasi-private firms established
by state enterprises. Entitled "On regulation of the activity of
small enterprises and cooperative based on state enterprises,"
the decree seems designed to prevent asset stripping in the state
sector.  (Erik Whitlock, RFE/RL, Inc.)

TAJIK-AFGHAN TALKS ON REFUGEES. Officials of Tajikistan's Foreign
Ministry met with representatives of the military council of
Afghanistan's northern provinces and Afghanistan's Islamic
Movement in Dushanbe on 28 December, Interfax reported on 29
December, to discuss the 100,000 Tajik refugees who have fled to
Afghanistan.  The report noted that many of the refugees are in
regions controlled by the Hezbi Islami of Afghan fundamentalist
leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, over whom the Kabul government has no
control. Tajikistan's pro-Communist government wants the refugees
back, but there is probably little Kabul can do to force
sympathizers of the Islamic Renaissance Party, which is reported
to have received assistance from Hekmatyar, to return to
Tajikistan. (Bess Brown, RFE/RL, Inc.)

YELTSIN ISSUES DECREE ABOLISHING OFFICIALS' RIGHT TO STATE
DACHAS. President Yeltsin issued a decree denying officials a
right to state dacha (country house), Radio Rossii reported on 29
December.  The decree states that it is illegal to provide dachas
as a special privilege to people occupying high-level official
posts.  Work toward implementing the decree should be completed
by the end of 1994.  The state committee on property and
Yeltsin's administration must now submit proposals by February
1993 on the procedure for using dachas and similar establishments
under federal authority. (Vera Tolz, RFE/RL, Inc.)

RUSSIA TO SIGN UN CONVENTION ON CHEMICAL WEAPONS.  On 29 December
the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying that
Russian representatives would attend the January 1993 Paris
signing ceremony for the United Nations convention banning
chemical weapons. According to Interfax, the ministry expressed
the wish that this document would become international law,
ensuring a reliable ban on this entire class of "barbaric weapons
of mass destruction." (Doug Clarke, RFE/RL, Inc.)

RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY: TROOPS ABROAD WILL PROTECT THEMSELVES.
The Russian defense ministry has declared that its troops outside
Russia will take "the most decisive measures, including armed
actions to defend their honor, dignity, and life" if "unlawful
actions" against them and their families continue. Krasnaya
zvezda on 30 December revealed that there had been some 600 such
actions in 1992, resulting in the death of 73 servicemen and
injury to more than 160 others.  Interfax quoted the declaration
as saying that Russians historically had been "forced to do their
army service outside Russia, and the present generation of
Russian servicemen should not be blamed for being sent to
territories that are now foreign." (Doug Clarke, RFE/RL, Inc.)

SUKHUMI ATTACKED BY ABKHAZ FORCES AS GEORGIAN MINISTER ARRIVES IN
MOSCOW. The Georgian city of Sukhumi, held by Georgian government
troops, came under artillery fire from Abkhaz forces on 29
December, Western and Russian news agencies reported on the same
day. Also on December 29, Georgian Defense Minister Tengiz
Kitovani arrived in Moscow for talks with the Russian Army
Command. Kitovani told Interfax that the discussions would
concern military and political issues, including the withdrawal
of Russian military units deployed in Abkhazia. He also stated
that a peaceful resolution of the conflict "greatly depends" on
Russia. (Hal Kosiba, RFE/RL, Inc.)

UKRAINIAN-KAZAKHSTAN OIL AGREEMENT DISCUSSED. A Ukrainian
government delegation has signed several agreements with
Kazakhstan on economic cooperation between the two countries,
Interfax reported on 29 December. The most important of the
agreements provide for Ukrainian participation in the development
of Kazakhstan's oil and gas industries and for payment procedures
that must be changed because of Ukraine's withdrawal from the
ruble zone.  The agreement stipulates that payments for trade
after 16 November will be made in the currencies of the two
states using the current exchange rate.  Exchanges prior to that
date may be paid for in rubles.  Ukraine also asked to buy 1.1
million tons of wheat from Kazakhstan. (Bess Brown, RFE/RL, Inc.)

UKRAINIAN-TURKMEN GAS NEGOTIATIONS.  The Ukrainian delegation
that held successful talks in Alma-Ata went on to Ashgabat on 29
December to discuss payments for Turkmen gas in 1993, Interfax
reported. A major dispute over the price Ukraine would pay for
Turkmen gas estranged the two countries for several months in
1992; agreement was finally reached on price, but now there is a
major trade imbalance between the two states. The Chairman of
Turkmenistan's State Committee for Supplies, Nurmukhamed
Khanamov, told Interfax that the imbalance in 1993 was likely to
be 100 billion rubles, and Turkmenistan is asking that Ukraine
sharply increase the volume of its exports to Turkmenistan.  The
Ukrainians proposed purchasing Russian goods and supplying them
to Turkmenistan, permitting Turkmenistan to reexport goods from
Ukraine to Afghanistan, and for some payments for gas to be in
hard currency. (Bess Brown, RFE/RL, Inc.)

POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER MAKES WORKING VISIT TO KIEV. Poland's
Foreign Minister Krzysztof Skubiszewski arrived in Kiev on 29
December for a two-day working visit, Polish and Ukrainian news
agencies reported. During his stay in the Ukrainian capital, he
will exchange ratification documents of the Ukrainian-Polish
Friendship and Cooperation Treaty signed last spring and lay the
groundwork for a visit to Kiev next month by Polish Prime
Minister Hanna Suchocka.  Meanwhile, on 28 December the newspaper
Zycie Warszawy reported that four Ukrainian air force officers
have been arrested in Ukraine for smuggling 29 Indians and
Pakistanis into Poland last month by helicopter.  (Bohdan
Nahaylo, RFE/RL, Inc.)

BELARUS BANNS PUBLICATIONS PROPAGATING VIOLENCE AND PORNOGRAPHY.
The Belarus government issued a resolution banning pornographic
publications and films and those propagating violence.
Belinform-TASS said the ban has become effective on 29 December.
The resolution also prohibits the production and sale of "objects
of pornographic nature." The resolution said any production
intended for public showing in cinemas and video-salons or for
radio and TV broadcasts will be subjected to "obligatory state
registration." The government intends to set up at the ministry
of culture a state registration office to oversee film and video
programs.  (Vera Tolz, RFE/RL, Inc.)

MOLDOVAN-ROMANIAN POLEMIC ESCALATES. Last week's Bucharest
dailies, including Evenimentul Zilei, cited Virgil Magureanu, the
head of the Romanian Information Service (the Securitate's
successor) as informally telling journalists that his Service was
"spearheading" Romania's efforts to reunify with Moldova, and was
using "its specific methods" in this effort.  The Moldovan
government issued an official protest which was carried by the
Moldovan press on 28 December. On 29 December, the Romanian media
carried a retort from the Romanian Information Service which said
that its chief's statement had been quoted "selectively and in a
distorted manner" by the journalists and that it had only been
made "to a small circle and unofficially." It added that the
Moldovan government's reaction "can only poison bilateral
relations." This is the latest in a series of polemical exchanges
triggered by recent Romanian statements pressing for unification,
answered by Moldovan protests.  (Vladimir Socor, RFE/RL, Inc.)

MOLDOVAN POLLS ON HYPOTHETICAL UNIFICATION WITH ROMANIA. Recent
opinion polls in Moldova show between 7% and 10% of the
population describing unification with Romania as "necessary,"
between 10% and 10% calling it "possible after a long transition
period," and around 70% deeming it "undesirable" and firmly
favoring independent Moldovan statehood, Interfax reported on 29
December. It also cited the Vice-Chairman of the Moldovan
Parliament, Victor Puscasu, as refuting Romania's thesis about
the need to "repair the historic injustice of 1940" (the Soviet
annexation of Bessarabia from Romania).  There is no need to
restore the status-quo of 1940 because Moldova existed as an
independent state long before that, Puscasu said.  (Vladimir
Socor, RFE/RL, Inc.)

                   CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

NO MORE PANIC IN BELGRADE? International media reported on 29
December that rump Yugoslav Prime Minister Milan Panic lost a
vote of confidence in both houses of Parliament and is expected
to resign shortly.  Panic took office in July and has survived
two previous votes of confidence proposed by radical
nationalists.  His recent defeat in the Serbian presidential
election by President Slobodan Milosevic appears, however, to
have cost him the previously crucial support of Montenegrin
deputies, although Reuters quoted a US State Department spokesman
as saying that the election "failed to meet international
standards for a free and fair democratic process." The 30
December New York Times quotes Panic as saying that he still
feels a responsibility to his native country and will stay on to
organize antinationalist forces, especially among the
intellectuals and students.  He may well have his work cut out
for him: Western news agencies report that 100-150,000 educated
professionals left Serbia-Montenegro in 1992, and that there are
currently 5,200 job openings for academics, engineers, and
doctors. (Patrick Moore, RFE/RL, Inc.)

BRITAIN CAN NOW "IMAGINE ARMED ACTION" AGAINST SERBS.  The BBC on
30 December reports that Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd told the
Daily Express that "the bloody-minded cruelty of the Serbs in
Bosnia, and the growing risk of a wider conflict have raised the
stakes." London consequently "can imagine armed action against
[the Serbs] to prevent a general Balkan war." He added that
Serbia "should note this change" in Britain's attitude, which was
previously opposed to intervention since it might endanger
British and other UN troops already in Bosnia.  (Patrick Moore,
RFE/RL, Inc.)

BOSNIAN UPDATE.  Reuters reports on 30 December that Muslim
forces continue to group south of Sarajevo for a possible
assault.  German radio stations quote rump Yugoslav President
Dobrica Cosic as warning that any increase in violence could
hamstring efforts aimed at restoring peace.  Western news
agencies also report the first deaths in Sarajevo from the winter
cold.  Finally, the 30 December Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
says that often strained relations between Croatian President
Franjo Tudjman and Bosnian Muslim leader Alija Izetbegovic have
taken a turn for the worse in conjunction with the two men's
recent failure to agree on Bosnia's political future. Izetbegovic
is believed to be still resisting Tudjman's demands for a
partition along ethnic lines, although the Muslim leader no
longer insists on maintaining a unitary state. Moreover, in
interviews Tudjman has repeatedly done little to hide his basic
distrust of Muslims.  (Patrick Moore, RFE/RL, Inc.)

ROMANIA AGAIN DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN YUGOSLAV FIGHTING.  Following
an earlier statement by the Foreign Ministry, the Romanian
Defense Ministry in turn has now denied allegations that Romanian
officers and other volunteers are involved in the fighting in
former Yugoslavia. The denials were prompted by Croatian
President Franjo Tudjman's recent statement that Romanians were
fighting on the Serbian side.  A Romanian Defense Ministry
statement carried by Radio Bucharest on 29 December emphasized
that "no Romanian soldier is involved in combat action." It added
that "Romania observes the economic sanctions against Yugoslavia
out of conviction." (Vladimir Socor, RFE/RL, Inc.)

WIDE RECOGNITION OF CZECH REPUBLIC, SLOVAKIA.  Many neighbor
states have indicated that they will recognize the independent
Czech Republic and Slovakia upon the breakup of Czechoslovakia on
1 January.  The Hungarian ambassador in Prague passed a note on
23 December promising recognition and indicating that the
consulate in Bratislava will be upgraded to an embassy, Magyar
Hirlap reported on the 24th.  PAP reports that Foreign Minister
Skubiszewski informed the Czechoslovak Ambassador in Warsaw on
the 24th that Poland would recognize the new states. AFP reported
on the 29th that the rump Yugoslav federal government will
recognize both, and, according to ITAR-TASS, Russian President
Yeltsin signed a decree ordering talks on diplomatic recognition
that same day. Romania, Ukraine, Cuba, and China have also
indicated their intentions recognize the independent republics.
(RFE/RL RI staff).

CZECH PARLIAMENT PASSES CITIZENSHIP LAW. On 29 December the Czech
National Council approved a law on the citizenship of the Czech
Republic.  CTK reports that all people who are citizens of
Czechoslovakia's Czech Republic (Czechoslovak citizens born in
the Czech Republic) will automatically become citizens of the
Czech Republic on 1 January 1993. The Czech Republic will not
allow dual citizenship. Only those people who held Czech
citizenship and the citizenship of another country before 1
January 1993 will be allowed to keep dual citizenship.
Noncitizens who apply for Czech citizenship will be required to
prove that they have resided in the Czech Republic for the past
five years, have given up the citizenship of any other state,
have not been sentenced for committing a crime, and have
knowledge of Czech.  The last requirement will not apply to
citizens of Slovakia applying for Czech citizenship.  Slovak
citizens will be able to gain Czech citizenship if they have
resided in the Czech Republic for the past two years, have given
up Slovak citizenship, and have not been sentenced for committing
a crime in the past 5 years. (Jiri Pehe, RFE/RL, Inc.)

CZECH PARLIAMENT CONDEMNS RACISM AND ANTI-SEMITISM.  A resolution
passed by the Czech National Council on 29 December states that
"the Czech National Council is alarmed by the occurrence of
apparent manifestations of anti-Semitism and racism." The
parliament "is turning to all citizens and state institutions to
show, through unambiguous and resolute actions aimed against
these unacceptable sentiments, that [Czech] society is
democratic." Citizens should "contribute to [creating the]
atmosphere of tolerance and reject all forms of hatred." CTK
carried the text of the resolution." (Jiri Pehe, RFE/RL, Inc.)

CZECH GOVERNMENT PARTIES AGREE ON NEW MINISTERS.  According to an
agreement reached by leaders of the Czech government parties on
29 December, Antonin Baudys, a member of the People's Party and
deputy prime minister in the outgoing federal government, will
become the first Czech minister of defense, and Jan Strasky, a
member of the Civic Democratic Party and the federal prime
minister, will be Czech minister of transportation. If approved
by the presidiums of the government parties, Czech Prime Minister
Vaclav Klaus will submit the nominations to the Presidium of the
Czech National Council for approval on 30 December.  Following
the meeting of the government parties' leaders, Klaus told CTK
that the Czech president is likely to be elected in the second
half of January.  (Jiri Pehe, RFE/RL, Inc.)

SEJM ACCEPTS "CHRISTIAN VALUES" AMENDMENT TO TV LAW.  After
debating the Senate's amendments to the Law on Broadcasting and
Television, the Sejm voted to approve two of the most
controversial amendments to the law it had first passed on 15
October, in spite of the fact that the Sejm's legislative and
cultural committees and most caucuses opposed them, PAP reported
on 29 December. The new provisions include stipulations that
radio and television programs should respect the Christian value
system and should not promote activities that violate the law or
the interests of the state nor opinions that conflict with
morality and the public good. The Sejm also approved an amendment
anchoring the National Broadcasting Council in the Constitution.
The law still needs to be signed by the president before it can
take effect.  (Anna Sabbat-Swidlicka, RFE/RL, Inc.)

POLISH ECONOMY IS "HALF PRIVATE." Minister of Industry and Trade
Waclaw Niewiarowski reported to the Sejm on the state of
privatization and the government's privatization plans for 1993.
PAP quoted him on 29 December as saying that the economy is
already "half private," meaning that it is "more independent of
politics and politicians." This trend will be continued in 1993.
The government expects the proceeds of privatization to
contribute some 8.8 trillion zloty to the state budget if the
plans can be realized without any hitches.  Niewiarowski praised
the booming private sector.  He denied that only the most
prosperous state-owned enterprises are being privatized.  The
Sejm approved the plans for 1993 but rejected Niewiarowski's
report. (Anna Sabbat-Swidlicka, RFE/RL, Inc.)

WALESA SLANDER TRIAL BEGINS. The trial of two students, one of
whom is also a municipal councilor, charged by the public
prosecutor with slandering Poland's President Lech Walesa opened
before the regional court in Brzeg on 29 December, PAP reported.
The two, members of the radical Freedom Party, are accused of
having shouted "Down with Lech Walesa, KGB agent!" during rallies
on 13 June and 13 July 1992.  (Anna Sabbat-Swidlicka, RFE/RL,
Inc.)

PUBLIC SERVICE PRICES INCREASE IN HUNGARY.  MTI reported that on
1 January 1993 prices of railroad and bus tickets, mail, water,
sewage service, and television fees will be raised. The new
increases will be necessary because of the new 6% turnover tax
and rising costs, which reached 15.5% in September compared to
the December 1991 level. The transportation price increases will
average 20-22%; water and sewage service prices will go up
between 26 and 68%; and postal charges will be raised by 17% on
average.  The monthly TV charge will be raised from 250 to 300
forint (about $3.60).  (Karoly Okolicsanyi, RFE/RL, Inc.)


BULGARIAN PARLIAMENT VOTES TO FREE LUKANOV.  Nearly six months
after the arrest of Andrey Lukanov, former prime minister and
prominent member of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, the Bulgarian
National Assembly voted to set him free, BTA reports.  Late on 29
December the parliament partially repealed a previous decision,
taken on 7 July, to lift Lukanov's parliamentary immunity and
arrest him.  Although the Constitution precludes the restoration
of Lukanov's immunity, on 30 December Duma quoted his lawyer that
Lukanov plans to return directly to parliament. He could be freed
through an agreement between the BSP and the mainly Turkish
Movement for Rights and Freedoms.  (Kjell Engelbrekt, RFE/RL,
Inc.)

UDF EXCLUDES DISSENTING ORGANIZATIONS. Meanwhile, on 29 December
the UDF National Coordinating Council expelled two of the
coalition's member organizations, BTA reports. The Alternative
Social Liberal Party and the Union of Free Democrats were forced
to leave after refusing to distance themselves from the attempt
to form a government by Lyuben Berov, an MRF nominee.  Whereas
the UDF leadership has categorically rejected participation in
Berov's cabinet, several prominent ASLP members have been
mentioned as likely candidates for key ministerial posts. Reuters
reports that some 20,000 UDF sympathizers demonstrated in the
evening in Sofia to express support for their leaders and calling
for new elections. (Kjell Engelbrekt, RFE/RL, Inc.)

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION DECLINES IN ESTONIA AND LATVIA.  The
Estonian Statistics Department announced that industrial
production during the first 11 months of 1992 decreased by 39.5%
over the same period last year, BNS reported on 29 December.
Production in building materials declined 59.3%, glass by 57.8%,
mechanical and metals industry--55.8%, and the chemical
industry--44%. Production of textiles, leather goods, jackets,
food concentrates, butter, and skim milk powder, however,
increased. The Latvian State Statistics Committee reported that
industrial production in the same 11-month period decreased by 33
billion Latvian rubles (34.4% in comparable prices) from 1991 to
1992. By the end of November the production decline was 13.5
billion Latvian rubles in wholesale prices, including food
industry inventories worth 2.5 billion rubles.  (Saulius Girnius,
RFE/RL, Inc.)

MEN OF THE YEAR IN BALTIC STATES. Public opinion studies
conducted in November and early December by the Center for Public
Opinion Studies (in Lithuania), EMOR (in Estonia), and LASOPEC
(in Latvia) show that Lithuania's Acting President Algirdas
Brazauskas, Latvian Supreme Council Chairman Anatolijs Gorbunovs,
and former Estonian Supreme Council Chairman Arnold Ruutel were
considered the "Man of the Year" in their republics, Baltfax
reported on 29 December.  US President George Bush was
acknowledged to be the "Man of the Year" on the international
level in all three countries. The "temperature" of the national
economies (on a scale from -100 degrees to +100 degrees) was -72
degrees in Lithuania, -72 degrees in Latvia, and -50 degrees in
Estonia. The "temperatures" of the household economies were -41
degrees in Lithuania, -64 degrees in Latvia, and -31 degrees in
Estonia.  Some 29% of the population in Lithuania expect the
economic situation to improve by the end of 1993; 23% expect it
to worsen.  The corresponding figures for Latvia were 12% and 57%
and in Estonia 23 and 46%.  (Saulius Girnius, RFE/RL, Inc.)

LOZORAITIS VISITS VILNIUS.  Lithuania's ambassador to the US,
Stasys Lozoraitis, arrived in Lithuania on 28 December to decide
whether to be a candidate in the 14 February presidential
elections. On 29 December he met briefly with Democratic Labor
Party faction chairman Justinas Karosas and later with Acting
President Brazauskas, BNS reports.  He will meet with former
Supreme Council chairman Vytautas Landsbergis in early January.
Lozoraitis said that he does not wish to run against Brazauskas
or Landsbergis and sees his candidacy as helping "to guarantee a
new period in the political life of Lithuania, in which the
opposition and the government would start working together or
debate differences in a civilized way." (Saulius Girnius, RFE/RL,
Inc.)

[As of 1200 CET]
Compiled by Hal Kosiba & Charles Trumbull
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