From: msirbu@next5.cs.umr.edu (Mihai Sirbu)
Subject: RFE/RL Daily Report 28 SEP, 1992 (long)
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 13:28:35 GMT
Organization: University of Missouri-Rolla, Missouri's Technological University

The RFE/RL Daily Report is a digest of 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.


----------------------------------------------------------------
F.................................................................M............M
                  RFE/RL Daily Report

                                     No. 186, 28 September 1992

                   SUCCESSOR STATES TO THE USSR

TAJIK FIGHTERS TAKE RUSSIAN TROOPS PRISONER.  An operation by law
enforcement agencies to disarm supporters of deposed President
Rakhmon Nabiev, who are from Kulyab Oblast but who have been
fighting in Kurgan-Tyube Oblast, was supposed to have started on
26 September, ITAR-TASS reported.  The following day, however, the
same source reported that armed groups from Kulyab had seized four
tanks, an armored transporter, and an armored car from Russian
forces stationed in Kurgan-Tyube, and that they had captured five
members of the Russian unit. According to the commander of the
Russian division, the unit that lost the equipment was surrounded
by some 350 fighters from Kulyab who wanted to obtain more
equipment and weaponry the same way. (Bess Brown, RFE/RL, Inc.)

RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT CRITICAL OF GEORGIA ON ABKHAZIA.  Following
discussion on 25 September of the situation in the North Caucasus
and Abkhazia, the Russian parliament issued a statement saying
that it "denounces the policy of the Georgian leadership...and
demands that the government immediately stop combat operations,
withdraw armed units from Abkhazian territory and strictly fulfill
international covenants on human rights." The statement also
called for the "introduction of necessary contingent of
peace-keeping forces" and offered the services of the Russian
Federation as a mediator in the conflict, ITAR-TASS reported on 25
September. (Suzanne Crow, RFE/RL, Inc.)

ANGRY SHEVARDNADZE TO MEET WITH YELTSIN ON ABKHAZIA. Eduard
Shevardnadze, chairman of Georgia's State Council, made an
unscheduled stop in Moscow on his way home from the United Nations
to discuss with Russian President Boris Yeltsin the Russian
parliament's statement on Abkhazia.  Shevardnadze was quoted by
Russian TV on 27 September as saying: "I cannot recall any
precedent for such crude, high-handed, and unforgivable
interference in the internal affairs of our Republic."
Shevardnadze described the Russian parliament's actions as
"impudent and overtly aggressive" and said that the future of
Russo-Georgian relations, not just the question of Abkhazia, will
be the subject of his meeting with President Yeltsin; Shevardnadze
added: "My task is to save these relations," ITAR-TASS reported on
27 September. The meeting is scheduled to take place on 28
September. (Suzanne Crow, RFE/RL, Inc.)

STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARED IN KABARDINO-BALKARIA.  At least 20
people were injured in a confrontation between police and
thousands of demonstrators in the Kabardino-Balkar republic in the
North Caucasus on 27 September, Interfax reported.  The
demonstrations followed the detention on 23 September of Musa
Shanibov, the chairman of the Confederation of the Mountain
Peoples of the North Caucasus, by investigators of the Russian
procurator's office. Russia had earlier declared unlawful the
activities of the confederation, which has sent volunteers to
Abkhazia to support the Abkhaz against Georgia. Following the
violent protests a state of emergency for two months was declared
in the republic, ITAR-TASS reported.  (Ann Sheehy, RFE/RL, Inc.)

WITHDRAWAL OF CONFEDERATION'S VOLUNTEERS FROM ABKHAZIA SUSPENDED.
Abkhazia's separatist leaders said on 27 September that the
pullout of the volunteers sent by the Confederation of Mountain
Peoples of the North Caucasus would be delayed indefinitely
because of Georgia's violations of the ceasefire in Abkhazia,
Interfax reported. Georgia had threatened to remove them by force
if they were not withdrawn by 25 September. (Ann Sheehy, RFE/RL,
Inc.)

NAGORNO-KARABAKH CEASEFIRE APPARENTLY BROKEN. ITAR-TASS reported
on 26 September that Azerbaijani Defense Minister Rakhim Gaziev
ordered his troops to lay down their arms in compliance with a
ceasefire arranged the previous weekend, but there were no
confirmed reports that the ceasefire was actually being observed
by Azerbaijani or Armenian troops in Nagorno-Karabakh. The
agreement, mediated by Russia, called for a ceasefire in
Nagorno-Karabakh for two months, and a truce along the
Azerbaijani-Armenian border for an undetermined period. Also on 26
September, Interfax quoted an Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman
as saying that his country would observe the agreement if the
Azerbaijani side did the same. On 27 September, however, ITAR-TASS
reported that Armenian troops were continuing to attack
Azerbaijani positions along the entire front in Nagorno-Karabakh.
(Bess Brown, RFE/RL, Inc.)

VOLSKY DESCRIBES 13-POINT PROGRAM. Arkadii Volsky, leader of the
Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, outlined his
"anti-crisis" program to an ITAR-TASS correspondent in St.
Petersburg on 26 September.  The thirteen points that comprise his
program include refocusing the reform to stabilize production.
Also among Volsky's proposals is the creation of a two-sector
economy for the transition period. The private economy should be
encouraged and receive state support; however, the state should
"reestablish regulation of the development of the economy." For
the state sector, Volsky vaguely described the introduction of a
"new mechanism of management" and a restructuring policy for state
enterprises. With regard to the voucher-privatization program,
Volsky said without modifications existing plans could turn out to
be "a great deception of the workers." (Erik Whitlock, RFE/RL,
Inc.)

VOLSKY PROPOSES NEW UNION. The leader of the Civic Union, Arkadii
Volsky, has proposed the creation of a "Euro-Asiatic" union of six
or seven of the members of the CIS, The Financial Times reported
on 28 September. He obviously meant those of the CIS members
states who signed the agreement on the formation of the
Interparliamentary Assembly.  Volsky also visited Kazakhstan in
September and assisted Kazakh entrepreneurs in the organization of
their own industrialists' union.  That was a significant step
toward the reestablishment of ties between the Russian and Kazakh
industrial complexes. (Alexander Rahr, RFE/RL, Inc.)

OPPOSITION TO PRIVATIZATION. Conservative deputies made an attempt
in parliament to postpone or hold a nationwide referendum on
privatization. One of the conservative deputies even threw a
handful of vouchers in the face of Deputy Prime Minister Anatolii
Chubais, who is responsible for the privatization program, Western
news agencies reported on 25 September. But parliamentary speaker
Ruslan Khasbulatov called upon deputies to end the debate, saying
that people have certain expectations and that parliament would be
making a mistake if it blocked the voucher plan. Khasbulatov
proposed establishing a special parliamentary committee to monitor
privatization. (Alexander Rahr, RFE/RL, Inc.)

DEMOCRATS SUPPORT RADICAL REFORM.The "Democratic Russia" movement
fears that the Civic Union may push it to the sidelines of the
political arena, thereby depriving it of its popular support in
society, ITAR-TASS reported on 26 September.  Leaders of
"Democratic Russia" issued a statement calling for a consolidation
of all democratic forces on the issue of holding a referendum on
private land ownership.  They asserted that from the fourteen
factions in the Russian parliament, only two--"Democratic Russia"
and the "Radical Democrats"--support the government's radical
reform course.  (Alexander Rahr, RFE/RL, Inc.)

RUSSIA TO CUT OIL EXPORTS TO CIS. Minister of the Economy Andrei
Nechaev disclosed at a news conference in Moscow that Russia is
planning to cut oil exports to other CIS republics by half next
year, according to Western news agencies on 26 September. The
action is intended to maintain domestic and hard-currency export
needs in the face of rapidly falling Russian oil production (at
the rate of a million barrels per day, according to a recent World
Bank study). Nechaev said the overall reduction in exports to the
CIS region would be between 30-40 million tons. The reduction
would be very damaging to the other CIS economies, which are
heavily dependent on Russian supplies.  (Erik Whitlock, RFE/RL,
Inc.)

SACHS, LIPTON CRITICIZE IMF. "Something is wrong, seriously wrong,
with the IMF's role in Russia," wrote Jeffrey Sachs and David
Lipton, two US economists advising the Russian government on
economic reform, in The Washington Post on 27 September.  The two
claim that the IMF has to increase its presence in Russia and
thereby exert a greater influence on Russian economic policy:
"Without [IMF representatives] in residence... the IMF simply has
not done the things it can to make the difference." The economists
also criticized specific Fund pronouncements and actions,
including not effectively organizing Western aid for Russia and
opposition to separate national currencies in the other CIS
republics. Sachs and Lipton urged the US Congress, which is
considering a $12 billion increase in its contribution to the
Fund, to pressure the IMF into making "fundamental management
changes." (Erik Whitlock, RFE/RL, Inc.)

RUSSIA HALTS SUBMARINE SALE TO IRAN. The Russian government has
decided to halt the sale of three Kilo-class diesel submarines to
Iran due to alleged disagreements over payment. On 25 September,
Vladimir Pakhomov of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, informed
ITAR-TASS that the sale was not currently on the agenda.  Also on
25 September, however, the Pentagon confirmed reports that one of
the submarines was already en route to Iran with a training crew
on board, according to Western news agencies.  If the submarine
returns to the Russian naval base in Latvia from which it set
sail, it could exacerbate political tensions between Latvia and
Russia.  (John Lepingwell, RFE/RL, Inc.)

NAZARBAYEV CRITICIZES UKRAINE OVER NUCLEAR WEAPONS. Kazakh
President Nursultan Nazarbayev criticized Ukraine on 26 September
for vacillating on the elimination of its nuclear arms, Western
news agencies reported.  According to Nazarbayev, "Ukraine cannot
say one thing today and do another thing tomorrow." While Ukraine
has reiterated its willingness to eliminate all nuclear weapons on
its territory by the end of the decade, some Ukrainian
parliamentarians have been criticizing the commitment and raising
doubts about it.  (John Lepingwell, RFE/RL, Inc.)

SHAPOSHNIKOV CONFIRMS CIS MISSILES REMAIN TARGETED ON THE US.  On
25 September, Commander in Chief of CIS forces, Marshal Yevgenii
Shaposhnikov, confirmed that CIS missiles are still targeted on
the United States.  In January 1992, President Boris Yeltsin made
several vague promises and assurances that Russian missiles would
not be targeted on US cities, but these statements were discounted
by the military as political in nature and technically
meaningless. Shaposhnikov did confirm that many missiles have been
taken off alert, according to Western news agencies.  (John
Lepingwell, RFE/RL, Inc.)

PRIMAKOV PROPOSES MORATORIUM ON FOREIGN ESPIONAGE.  The director
of the Russian foreign intelligence service, Evgenii Primakov, has
offered to recall his spies from countries that agree to cease
their intelligence activities in Russia. In an interview with The
Sunday Times on 27 September, Primakov said that such a step must
be fortified by "a government guarantee." He also revealed that
his agency has closed about 30 former KGB stations in Africa and
Far East; because of personnel and budget cuts about half of all
his intelligence officers will be recalled by the end of the year,
he added. Primakov's offer echoed the US-Soviet intelligence pact
proposed by Dr.  Georgii Arbatov last year (see RFE/RL Daily
Report, 27 November, 1991). At that time, Arbatov proposed a
reciprocal cessation of agent recruitment by Russia and the United
States, and a concomitant redirection of intelligence resources on
both sides towards analytical work; meanwhile, counterintelligence
forces on both sides would verify that the respective countries
were abiding by the treaty.  (Victor Yasmann, RFE/RL, Inc.)

CRIMEA AMENDS CONSTITUTION.  The Crimean parliament, meeting for a
two-day session on 24 and 25 September, adopted amendments to its
constitution and approved a state flag and symbols, Ukrinform-TASS
reported on 25 September. The Crimean constitution now states that
the Republic of the Crimea is part of Ukraine, with which it
conducts its relations on the basis of mutually agreed upon laws
and agreements.  The Crimea's powers are defined by its
constitution and the Ukrainian law delineating power between Kiev
and Simferopol. The Crimean government will have its permanent
representation in Kiev.  Every Crimean citizen is simultaneously a
Ukrainian citizen, and Crimeans reserve the right to have dual
citizenship. (Roman Solchanyk, RFE/RL, Inc.)

YELTSIN, NAZARBAEV, ELCHIBEI ON CIS. Yeltsin's press secretary
said on 25 September that Yeltsin had sent a personal message to
the leaders of the CIS states in advance of the summit meeting in
Bishkek on 9 October in which he proposed that individual CIS
states should move towards integration insofar as they were ready,
ITAR-TASS reported. Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbaev said
he shared Yeltsin's view, ITAR-TASS reported.  Nazarbaev said no
one should be dragged into the CIS, and some states could be
associated members and others observers.  Azerbaijan's president
Abulfaz Elchibei said on CIS TV on 22 September that he personally
was against Azerbaijan being a member, because it still lacked the
hallmarks of genuine independence, namely a national currency,
army, and gold reserve.  Elchibei had said three days earlier,
however, that it was a matter for the parliament to decide. (Ann
Sheehy, RFE/RL, Inc.)

TURKMENISTAN PLACES HOPES ON GAS. The gas pipeline that is to be
built from Turkmenistan to Europe via Turkey will enable
Turkmenistan to break into the world market, Turkmen President
Saparmurad Niyazov said in an interview with the Moscow journal
Svobodnaya mysl, ITAR-TASS reported on 27 September. Niyazov
believes that Turkmenistan can cushion the shock of introducing a
market economy through selling its gas, oil, and cotton.  Western
economists have been inclined to agree with him. In the interview
Niyazov also praised his country's stability. (Bess Brown, RFE/RL,
Inc.)

                    CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

ROMANIAN ELECTIONS ORDERLY, GOOD TURNOUT. On 27 September
Romanians voted in the second presidential and general elections
after the collapse of Nicolae Ceausescu's regime in December 1989.
The elections came at the end of a relatively calm electoral
campaign, in sharp contrast with the one in May 1990, which was
marred by violence, fraud, and intimidation.  There were six
presidential candidates and more than 10,600 candidates from 83
parties and alliances competing for seats in the 471-seat,
two-chamber parliament.  An estimated 75% of the 16.4 million
electorate turned out at the 14,000-odd polling stations, under
the eyes of more than 500 foreign and 8,000 domestic observers.
(Dan Ionescu, RFE/RL, Inc.)

ILIESCU LEADS--RUNOFF LIKELY. Preliminary results circulated by
Romanian TV shortly before the polling stations closed at 9:00
p.m.  showed incumbent President Ion Iliescu leading with 48% of
the vote over his main challenger, Emil Constantinescu (33%),
running on the ticket of the Democratic Convention (DC), an
alliance of 18 centrist parties and organizations. If accurate,
these projections, based on an exit poll made by the German
Applied Social Research Institute and the Romanian Institute for
Public Opinion Survey, indicate that Iliescu is likely to win the
reelection in a runoff to be held on 11 October. A former
high-ranking communist official, Iliescu appears to have enjoyed
massive support from the less educated, conservative electorate in
rural areas and small towns. The Democratic National Salvation
Front (DNSF), the party supporting Iliescu, is also leading with
27.5% in those projections. The contest for the parliament,
however, seems much tighter, with the DC in second place with 23%
and Petre Roman's National Salvation Front on the third, with 11%.
This suggests that a coalition will be needed to form the next
government.  Among the DNSF's possible allies are nationalist and
leftist parties.  First official preliminary results are expected
at midday 28 September, while the final outcome will probably not
be known before 6 October. (Dan Ionescu, RFE/RL, Inc.)

FIGHTING CONTINUES IN BOSNIA. International media reported over
the weekend that all contenders are trying to consolidate their
positions before the harsh Balkan winter arrives in October. The
BBC on 28 September quotes Serbian sources as saying that they now
control all of the far eastern part of Bosnia except Gorazde,
while Bosnian media reported Serbian air attacks on Jajce and
Bosanski Brod.  Meanwhile, Serbian heavy artillery continued to
pound parts of Sarajevo.  (Patrick Moore, RFE/RL, Inc.)

MORE REPORTS ON "ETHNIC CLEANSING" BY SERBS IN BOSNIA. Reuters on
26 September said that EC mediator Lord Owen and his UN
counterpart Cyrus Vance visited Serbian-controlled Banja Luka in
western Bosnia to investigate reports of atrocities.  They
described how 3-4,000 Muslim and Croatian refugees were fired upon
and shelled as they tried to cross over to the Bosnian side during
a round of "ethnic cleansing." On 27 September the Los Angeles
Times quoted State Department officials as confirming another
massacre of 3,000 Muslims near Brcko during the summer. They were
killed in groups of 50 at a time, and the bodies were secretly
disposed of.  The State Department suggested that Brcko might not
be an isolated case, and Acting Secretary of State Lawrence
Eagleburger said that Washington wants to move quickly on setting
up a commission to investigate Bosnian war crimes.  On 28
September the Washington Post cited Serbian police officials in
Banja Luka as confirming a massacre of Muslim male civilians at
Varjanta.  The killers appear to have been Serbian police acting
on their own, and police officials said they will be "brought to
justice." (Patrick Moore, RFE/RL, Inc.)

SLOVAK PREMIER WANTS NEW TREATY WITH GERMANY.  Czechoslovak media
quoted Slovak Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar on 25 September as
saying that Slovakia wants to renegotiate the Czechoslovak-German
Treaty signed in February 1992 because it does not take into
account all Slovak demands.  Slovakia has criticized the fact that
the treaty's preamble disregards the existence of the 1939-45
Slovak State. Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus said on 25
September that he sees no need for renegotiation because a
division of the treaty between the successor states of
Czechoslovakia is simply a technical matter.  On 27 September
Slovak Foreign Minister Milan Knazko told CSTK that Slovakia will
conclude a new treaty with Germany after January 1993, when
Czechoslovakia is to split, and that it will do so without a prior
agreement with the Czech Republic.  (Jiri Pehe, RFE/RL, Inc.)

NO PLANS FOR "TRIANGLE" MILITARY PACT. Speaking at a press
conference after the meeting of defense ministers of the "Visegrad
Triangle," in Tatranske Zruby, Slovakia, Czechoslovak Defense
Minister Imrich Andrejcak said that Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and
Poland do not plan to conclude a military pact or form a defense
union. Andrejcak said that the three defense ministers had agreed
on new areas of cooperation, such as opening garrisons to mutual
inspections and discussed ways of mutual cooperation after the
breakup of Czechoslovakia. Polish Defense Minister Janusz
Onyszkiewicz said he hopes that military cooperation within the
Visegrad Triangle will continue after Czechoslovakia's breakup.
Pledging to resolve conflicts among themselves by political means,
the three said that the common goal of the Visegrad countries is
gaining membership in the European Community and West European
military structures.  Hungarian Defense Minister Lajos Fur ruled
out the possibility that tensions on the Slovak-Hungarian border
could rise significantly and a mobilization of the Hungarian armed
forces could be needed. He said that no military actions have
taken place on the Slovak-Hungarian border and none are planned.
(Jiri Pehe, RFE/RL, Inc.)

HUNGARIAN SMALLHOLDERS' PARTY HAS NEW CAUCUS LEADER. On 26
September the larger faction of the Independent Smallholders'
Party elected a new caucus leader, lawyer Janos Szabo. The party
split earlier this year into two factions: the smaller supported
the party's chairman Jozsef Torgyan and left the coalition, the
larger remains in the coalition.  The former faction leader Gyula
Pasztor resigned, saying he wants to spend more time in his voting
district, but it is possible that he had to leave for political
reasons, since he obstructed the reunification of the two
factions. Szabo wants to start talks with the Torgyan faction and
wants to work toward the reunification of the two factions. The
report was carried by MTI. (Judith Pataki, RFE/RL, Inc.)

ZHELEV NOTES STRAINS WITH GOVERNMENT. Bulgarian President Zhelyu
Zhelev, in an interview on Bulgarian Radio on 27 September,
admitted that he has had differences with the ruling Union of
Democratic Forces government, BTA reports.  He denied, however,
that he is "at war" with the cabinet. Rather, Zhelev noted that
there has been conflict between the government and the presidency
over the extent of each's authority, as well as over the extent
and pace of reforms.  Zhelev was at pains to avoid criticizing the
government--but neither did he express direct support for it.
(Duncan Perry, RFE/RL, Inc.)

COALITION TALKS CONTINUE IN TALLINN. Coalition talks are
continuing in the wake of last week's parliamentary elections in
Estonia, and RFE/RL correspondent reports.  The Pro Patria
(Isamaa) election coalition, along with the Moderates and the
Estonian National Independence Party, has formed a bloc comprising
parliamentary majority.  Pro Patria is currently negotiating with
potential defectors from other parties to strengthen this bloc
while conducting closed-door talks on forming a government.
Speculation over the composition of the government continues: Pro
Patria leader Mart Laar currently tops the list for prime minister
candidates, Kiel University professor Hain Rebas (from ENIP) has
been mentioned for the Defense Ministry, and deputy speaker to the
Supreme Council.  Marju Lauristin (from the Moderates).  may be
tapped as Labor Minister. (Riina Kionka, RFE/RL, Inc.)

FINAL LITHUANIAN PRE-ELECTION POLLS. On 26 September newspapers
published the results of political polls conducted by the
Sociological Research Laboratory of Vilnius University (SLVU) and
the Sociological Research Department of Lithuanian Radio and TV
(SDRTV), BNS reports.  Election law does not permit publishing any
more poll results before elections on 25 October.  According to
SLVU, 67.4% of the voters say that they will vote, while SDRTV
reported a figure of 58.1%. Five parties (Sajudis coalition, the
Democratic Labor Party, the Center Movement, the Christian
Democratic Party, and the Social Democratic Party) would break the
4% barrier needed to gain seats in the proportional voting system,
according to SLVU. The favored candidates for president in both
polls were Vytautas Landsbergis and Algirdas Brazauskas. (Saulius
Girnius, RFE/RL, Inc.)

WALESA EXHORTS IN GDANSK. Polish President Lech Walesa continued
his current campaign to rouse public activism with visits to the
Gdansk shipyard on 25 September and St. Brygida's Church on 27
September.  Walesa admitted that Poland has "American prices and
Polish wages," but told Gdansk residents that Poles could attain
American living standards in four years' time--provided everyone
gets down to work and stops expecting the government and the
president to solve all the problems.  Walesa repeated his threat
to form a presidential party should a "master plan of reform" not
take effect in six months.  (Louisa Vinton, RFE/RL, Inc.)

POLISH GOVERNMENT DEFINES SOCIAL SECURITY MINIMUM.  The government
completed work on the fourth of its five priority programs,
"citizens' social security," on 26 September.  The program defines
which social services will be guaranteed by the state and which
are the responsibility of local governments, employers, and
individuals. Prime Minister Hanna Suchocka met with
representatives of the 13 smaller trade unions on 25 September to
open talks on the "pact on state firms." She also discussed the
pact with business organizations.  Business owners and managers
criticized the proposed pact for guaranteeing only the rights of
employees, an imbalance they said would slow privatization and
impede foreign investment.  (Louisa Vinton, RFE/RL, Inc.)

POLAND BARGAINS WITH IMF OVER DEFICIT. Speaking to journalists on
25 September after returning from Washington, Finance Minister
Jerzy Osiatynski reported that a new agreement with the IMF will
be possible only after the 1992 budget is amended to cut spending
and increase revenues.  Osiatynski indicated that the IMF is
prepared to accept a raised budget deficit ceiling of 8% of GDP
for 1992 and 6% for 1993, despite having insisted on a 5% limit
earlier this year.  The IMF's chief worry, Osiatynski reported, is
not the size of the deficit, but the manner in which it is
financed. He also noted that the 17 countries that funded the $1
billion stabilization fund are to decide by 15 December whether to
allow it to be used to release banks from the bad debts of state
firms.  Gazeta Wyborcza ran the report on 25 September under the
headline "They've Taken a Liking to Our Deficit." (Louisa Vinton,
RFE/RL, Inc.)

LITHUANIA, RUSSIA INITIAL AGREEMENTS. In Moscow Lithuania and
Russia initialed three agreements on settling accounts between the
two countries, Radio Lithuania reported on 27 September.
Lithuanian delegation head, Deputy Economics Minister Vytas
Navickas, said that for now firms in both countries can pay each
other in rubles, Lithuanian temporary coupons, or foreign
currency, but no agreement was reached on settling accounts after
Lithuania introduces its currency, the litas.  Russia has not
agreed to pay back the money from Lithuania's valuta accounts in
the Vneshekonombank seized last year.  The Russian delegation also
did not agree to 31 August 1993 as the final date for the
withdrawal of its troops from Lithuania, suggesting that the
agreements signed on 8 September 1992 may be changed. (Saulius
Girnius, RFE/RL, Inc.)

RUSSIAN DEPUTIES IN ESTONIA PAY FAREWELL VISIT.  Three outgoing
Estonian Supreme Council deputies paid a visit to the Paldiski
Naval Base west of Tallinn, BNS reported on 25 September. Genik
Israeljan, Vladimir Lebedev and Nikolai Aksinin met with officers,
who said living conditions at the base are difficult for those
charged with maintaining the nuclear reactors there. Officers
reportedly told the deputies that it would take 10-15 years to
dismantle the reactors, the existence of which Estonian
authorities discovered only last year.  The three deputies, who
were not eligible to stand for last week's parliamentary elections
because they are not citizens, called their outing "a farewell
visit" to their constituents.  (Riina Kionka, RFE/RL, Inc.)

LATVIA INVITES UN TO RUSSIAN TROOP PULLOUT TALKS.  Addressing the
UN General Assembly on 25 September, Latvia's head of state
Anatolijs Gorbunovs invited the UN Security Council to send
observers to negotiations on the pullout of Russian troops.
Gorbunovs, challenging Russia to live up to its earlier promises,
explained that Russia has often changed its position on issues
already agreed upon and that Latvia has not been permitted to
monitor Russian troop movements on its territory.  Gorbunovs noted
the "dangerous alteration of the demographic situation" (Latvians
now comprise about 52% of the population) in Latvia that resulted
from the Soviet Union's occupation of Latvia in 1940 and "the
Soviet Union's colonial policies." He rejected Russia's accusation
that rights of minorities are being violated in Latvia, adding
that his country wants to integrate into its citizenry those
immigrants who support Latvian independence; those who find an
independent Latvia unacceptable, however, should leave.  Western
agencies carried the story.  (Dzintra Bungs, RFE/RL, Inc.)

[As of 1200 CET]
Compiled  by Hal Kosiba & Charles Trumbull
The RFE/RL Daily Report is produced by the RFE/RL Research
Institute (a division of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Inc.)
with the assistance of the RFE/RL News and Current Affairs
Division (NCA). The report is available by electronic mail
via LISTSERV (RFERL-L@UBVM.CC.BUFFALO.EDU), on the
Sovset' computer bulletin board, by fax, and by postal mail.

For inquiries about specific news items, subscriptions, or
additional copies, please contact:

In USA:
Mr. Jon Lodeesen or Mr. Brian Reed
RFE/RL, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036.
Telephone: (202) 457-6912 or -6900
fax: (202) 457-6992 or -202-828-8783;
Internet: RI-DC@RFERL.ORG
or in Europe:

Ms. Helga Hofer
Publications Department
RFE/RL Research Institute
Oettingenstrasse 67
8000 Munich 22
Telephone: (+49 89) 2102-2631 or -2642
fax: (+49 89) 2102-2648
Internet: Pubs@RFERL.ORG

Copyright 1992, RFE/RL, Inc. All rights reserved.