HEADLINES, Thursday, October 11, 2001

— The Russian cabinet has approved an important draft on pension reform "Concerning investment for the financing of pension accumulation." The draft will be sent to the State Duma after several details are worked out.

— At a press conference in the Tajik capital Dushanbe, Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani thanked Russia for the humanitarian assistance it has provided to the people and the lawful government of Afghanistan. He also declared that he has no intentions of negotiating with the Taliban.

— The conflict between Georgia and Abkhazia has continued for over ten years. On 25 July 1992 Georgian forces entered the territory of the republic and captured its capital, Sukhumi. Abkhaz leader Vladislav Ardzinba called upon the people of the North Caucasus to help him. Among those who responded was Shamil Basaev. The war dragged on, with intermittent success for both sides —— only the Russian peacekeepers, who entered the area of conflict on 26 June 1994, were able to stop the fighting. Since then, the mandate for the presence of the peacekeepers has been renewed annually by the Council of the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States). Officially the operation is supported by "collective forces" of the CIS, but, in reality, other nations did not choose to participate in the peacekeeping action; Russia is also the sole financier of the operation. Now, the situation is getting more and more complicated with every day. Vladislav Ardzinba, the leader of the self-proclaimed republic has called upon Russian President Vladimir Putin to take the necessary measures to prevent an all-out war in the region. Local clashes have continued for several days in the Kodor Gorge, where Abkhaz divisions have blocked about 200 rebels fighting under Chechen field commander Ruslan Gelaev. Georgian authorities have announced that they will send army divisions to the Kodor Gorge. Reports from Abkhazia note that the appearance of Georgian soldiers will be viewed as an act of aggression. Russia's Ministry of the Interior has published a declaration holding Georgia responsible for the escalation of the conflict.

— At a meeting with Horst Koehler, the managing director of the IMF (International Monetary Fund), President Putin declared that Russia is entering a new stage in its cooperation with the IMF and that it will pay its debts ahead of schedule.

— Russian Security Council Chairman Vladimir Rushailo conducted a meeting of the government commission to investigate the TU-154 crash. The primary hypothesis is that the airliner was hit by a Ukrainian missile.

— President Putin spoke at the opening of The Congress of Compatriots, attended by 600 delegates from 47 nations, including all former Soviet Republics.

— An Il-76 Emergencies Ministries plane carrying 100 ten-man tents and several tons of medication has left for Tajikistan. The humanitarian cargo will be forwarded to the northern regions of Afghanistan.

— State Duma deputies are working on an official declaration regarding the beginning of American military operations in Afghanistan. Opinions on whether Russia should support the US range widely. Vladimir Lukin, deputy speaker of the State Duma from the Yabloko faction declared: "The international committee suggests that the State Duma approve Russia's actions, the actions of the Russian President and condemn the terrorism. The Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, on the other hand, would like to condemn US actions and support the Taliban. The State Duma also plans on making a resolution concerning Russian-Georgian relations.

— Work to transfer the Kursk nuclear submarine to the dock for repairs will be completed next week.

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