RUSSIAN DUMA APPROVES 1998 FEDERAL BUDGET.

The lower house of the Russian parliament this morning approved the 1998 federal budget in its final reading. Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin appealed to deputies to approve a further cut of $4.5 billion in the draft that the Duma provisionally approved last year. Under the compromise adopted this morning, the government will be allowed to make spending cuts in line only with shortfalls in tax revenue. (BBC, March 4) More details in tomorrow’s Monitor.

UN Resolution Leaves Washington Frustrated.