By empty (9/10/2002 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The first international festival of national arts of the CIS member-countries will open at the Vladimir Nazarov State Music Theatre of National Art on September 25, journalists were told on Tuesday by Russian Minister of Culture Mikhail Shvydkoi and the head of the theatre. In the minister's opinion, the festival "will be of tremendous importance during the current globalization era." "Russia and the entire world community are concerned about preserving their non-material legacy during the era of the development of mass-scale culture which has no national colouring," he noted.

By empty (9/10/2002 issue of the CACI Analyst)

Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov changed Head of the Turkmen National Security Committee during a Tuesday session of the Cabinet. Colonel Batyr Busakov, former Turkmen Deputy Interior Minister responsible for specialized institutions and former Deputy Head of the president's bodyguards was appointed head of the Turkmen National Security Committee instead of Colonel-General Ponran Berdyev. It is expected that the former Head of the Turkmen National Security Committee will be appointed head of the Balkan region.

By empty (9/10/2002 issue of the CACI Analyst)

In connection with the worsening criminal situation in Georgia, the Russian Foreign Ministry recommends that Russian citizens who are on Georgia's territory or are about to go there, take the appropriate personal safety measures. RIA Novosti learned this from the Russian Foreign Ministry's information and press department. Of late, recalled the Russian Foreign Ministry, a number of foreign subjects, including also citizens of the Russian Federation, were subjected to assaults and other criminal actions or were taken hostage for ransom money.