X-Envelope-to: politics@ohstvma.BITNET
X-VMS-To: @VAL, @POL, @CIS
X-VMS-Cc: CDELL
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.politics
Date:         Tue, 28 Jul 1992 22:01:00 CST
From:         "VALENTINE M. SMITH" <CDELL@UMKCVAX1.BITNET>
Subject:      Russia, Bosnia, Croatia, Macedonia, and ..., (#745)
Comments: To: val-l@ucf1vm.BITNET, jwales@iubvm.BITNET, olsenj@stolaf.edu,
              shlyakhter@huhepl.harvard.edu, kousen@rayleigh.res.utc.com,
              christic@igc.org, 76701.103@compuserve.com

Due to a power shutdown, I will be unable to post or receive for 7
plus hours, starting about 2330 until 0730 in the morning. So, I will
continue the comments on the LC archives tomorrow, ditto further
comments on the virtual election campaign on POLITICS.

Russia-

NPR reported that Russian crime country-wide was up a third the first
two quarters of this year over the first two quarters of 1991. 1.3
million crimes were reported through 30 June. Authorities state that
"people do not believe punishment will occur."

More testimony in the Constitutional court alleges wire-tapping of
high Russian officials, including Alexander Yakovlev and eduard
Shevardnadze, and that KGB chief Kryuchkov had the assent and
knowledge of Gorbachev in doing these things. Kryuchkov allegedly
extended this wire-tapping to all of his collegues involved in the
aborted coup of last August.

Mayoral elections will occur in December in Moscow. At least one
famous Muscovite, former dissident Vladimir Bukovsky, has turned down
the race.

RFE/RL reports that as of 24 July, the ruble exchange rate to the
dollar slipped to 156 = $1.00. The story reported that Russian
officials "have given up" on "a convertible ruble at 80 rubles to the
dollar in 1992."

Uzbekistan-

The Council of europe, based in strasbourg, announced that of the
central Asian nations of the XSU, Uzbekistan was "the least
democratic," as the People's Democratic party (formerly the CPU)
still uses force to keep their opponents from participating in the
political process.

Bosnia-

Monitor Radio this morning reported that the Bosnian leaders had all
trooped to London again today, but Moslem leaders still vehemently
oppose a partition plan the other two factions appear willing to
agree to. Theoretically, a new constitution is being hammered out,
but it is clear that there is NO solid agreement on borders,
boundaries or solutions to the "ethnic cleansing policy" that UN High
Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Agata againt vigorously denounced
today.

She stated "most displacement in Bosnia" occurs along ethnic lines.
Agata stated that 2.5 million pople were refugees, or displaced
within "old Yugoslavia," ot trapped in cities under siege against
their will. She, and many others, are now calling the refugee crisis
"the worst in Europe since World War II." She stated that ethnic
cleansing was "the goal of the conflict," and not just a consequence
of the fighting.

Reports today indicate that aid is being parachuted into surrounded
Moslem town Goradze, though who is doing the drops was not clear on
NPR. The same report indicated that more Serbian tanks were crossing
the Bosnian border today, contrary to Panic's statements just
yesterday that the JNA is not involved in the fighting.

Macedonia-

30,000 Moslem refugees have been pushed into Macedonia by the
pressure of events, thereby causing a stern warning from Sofia,
Bulgaria, RFE/RL reports. Bulgaria accuses Serbia for importing
"explosive material" is being imported into an area "dangerously
close" to Bulgaria, and warns Bulgaria takes this provocation dimly.

Croatia-

Croatian Presidential and Parliamentary elections are to occur 2
August, RFE/RL reports. They also report that current President
tudjman's lead over his nearest opponent has slipped to 39-25%,
whereas he earlier had a 23% lead.

China-

A man who waved a banner last June in Tiananmen Square to commemorate
the fallen of 4 June, 1989, was reported by Monitor Radio today to
have been placed in a mental institution.


The undercurrents, and non-solutions, and sabre-rattling, all
continue at a pace dizzying to behold. Peace is the most elusive item
of today's mosaic, followed by reason. What tragedy and stupdity will
tomorrow's news hold? VMS