7 COMMONWEALTH NATIONS SIGN CHARTER

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, January 23, 1993                   TAG: 9301230164
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MINSK, BELARUS                                LENGTH: Short
7 COMMONWEALTH NATIONS SIGN CHARTER
Russia and six other former Soviet republics left a reluctant Ukraine behind Friday and forged a new Commonwealth that strengthens economic ties but weakens military and political links.
Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk declared that Ukraine remains a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, but said it was too soon to sign the new Commonwealth charter. Ukraine, along with Russia and Belarus, founded the Commonwealth as the Soviet Union collapsed in December 1991.
"The Commonwealth keeps on working and we are all part of the Commonwealth," Kravchuk said during a news conference with his fellow leaders in the Belarussian capital.
The leaders of Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia signed the new charter. Moldova and Turkmenistan also refused to sign.
During the summit, Russia and Ukraine also apparently failed to resolve differences over how to control the 176 long-range nuclear missiles based on Ukrainian soil.
Ukrainian lawmakers have objected to closer Commonwealth ties, fearing the former republic's long-sought independence would be imperiled and the country would again be under Russia's domination.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB