NEWSBRIEFS (07/28/96)

NEWSBRIEFS

Miners demand release of arrested leaders

KRASNODON, Ukraine - Two coal mines held a daylong strike and nearly 1,000 miners held a rally here to demand the release of two local union leaders arrested for organizing recent strikes in the Donbas region, local media reported on July 22-23. Petro Kyt and Mykhailo Skrynsky, leaders of the independent miners' union, were arrested on July 18 and charged with disrupting public order by organizing illegal mass strikes and blocking railroads. The latest round of strikes by coal miners demanding payment of back wages owed them by the government ended last week when the miners and Kyiv signed an agreement outlining a payment schedule. In the meantime, Ukrainian Radio reported on July 22 that the government had allocated 1 trillion karbovantsi ($5.4 million) for payment of wage arrears to employees of the mine construction industry and for the in-dustry's restructuring. (OMRI Daily Digest)

House endorses NATO expansion

WASHINGTON - The U.S. House of Representatives on July 23 called for the expansion of the NATO military alliance and authorized up to $60 million to help Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary to prepare for membership, Reuters reported on July 23. The leading applicant countries were said to have made the most progress on meeting NATO criteria. But the bill left uncertain the timetable for the countries' entry. According to the measure, which has yet to be taken up by the Senate, the aid could be extended to other countries of the region in the future upon the approval of the president. Rep. Benjamin Gilman (R-N.Y.), who serves as chairman of the International Relations Committee, said neither the United States nor the new European democracies "can afford to wait any longer" and the bill was needed to keep pressure on the U.S. administration to seek prompt enlargement of NATO. (OMRI Daily Digest)

Russian press blasts Games coverage

MOSCOW - Russian newspapers on July 23 charged that the Atlanta Olympics have been poorly organized and marred by jingoism and favoritism for U.S. competitors. "Politics have always played a leading role at the Olympics, but judging by the way they have started, politics have eclipsed all else at these Games," Izvestiya quoted Vladimir Lukin, a former Russian ambassador to the U.S., as saying. Moskovskiy Komsomolets, meanwhile, claimed that "the Americans, without any restraint, give the impression (as always) that non-native sportsmen do not exist," according to Reuters. ITAR-TASS complained about the NBC television coverage of the Games, saying U.S. athletes received a disproportionate amount of air time. The Russians are not the only ones to have complained about organizational problems in Atlanta: the BBC has quoted British athletes bemoaning poor transport and accommodation arrangements. (OMRI Daily Digest)

"Buh Euroregion" ministers meet

BREST, Belarus - The foreign ministers of Poland, Belarus and Ukraine, respectively, Dariusz Rosati, Hennadiy Udovenko and Uladzimir Syanko, meeting on July 20 here, discussed prospects for regional cooperation, Rzeczpospolita reported. The possible inclusion of Brest Oblast in the "Buh Euroregion" - which currently consists of Polish and Ukrainian territories - was discussed, as were border controls and illegal immigration. Mr. Rosati's use of the phrase "Brest Triangle" and his promises that Poland would search for Western funding to finance Belarusian participation in the Buh Euroregion highlight Poland's attempts at slowing Belarus's integration with Russia, said Rzeczpospolita. (OMRI Daily Digest)

Russia denounces Europarliament

MOSCOW - The Russian Foreign Ministry on July 19 rejected as "unacceptable" a resolution on the Chechen war passed by the European Parliament the previous day, Russian and Western media reported. The Europarliament's resolution condemned Russia for violating the recent cease-fire accord in Chechnya and called for a withdrawal of Russian troops from the region. The Foreign Ministry statement charged that the resolution "misinterpreted" recent developments in Chechnya, and blamed the current upsurge of fighting on "aggressive terrorist actions" by Chechen fighters. Meanwhile, Amnesty International blasted the Clinton administration for failing to criticize the human rights violations in Chechnya, charging that the administration views the conflict there as merely a "footnote" to the development of democracy in Russia. (OMRI Daily Digest)

Sevastopil opened to foreign shipping

KYIV - Sevastopil has opened its port to foreign non-military shipping, Agence France Presse reported on July 23. The city had been closed to foreigners until last year as a security precaution because it was the main base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The city's authorities have decided to develop it as a tourist attraction and commercial seaport. (OMRI Daily Digest)

Lukashenka calls for new constitution

MIENSK - Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka said he would present a new economic program and a new constitution to Parliament in September, Reuters reported on July 22. Mr. Lukashenka said he did not expect Parliament to accept the documents, in which case he would call a referendum. His version of a new constitution envisages a bicameral legialature and "real separation of powers." Deputy Parliament Speaker Hennadz Karpenka called the move an "anti-constitutional coup," and urged a five-year moratorium on constitutional changes. Mr. Lukashenka also criticized Russia for its unwillingness to write off Belarus's $600 million gas debt. He said Russia has "behaved indecently" since signing the customs union with Belarus. (OMRI Daily Digest)

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