UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES BROADCASTING LAW. Lawmakers have again passed a broadcasting law that allows foreign-funded television stations to air campaign advertisements. President Leonid Kuchma previously vetoed the law because it prohibits any network that is even partially funded by a foreign company from broadcasting political advertisements. He argued that such a law would have kept several nationwide television networks from airing campaign advertisements. The legislation bans foreigners from holding top-level jobs in television or radio stations in Ukraine. PB

UKRAINIAN PRIME MINISTER IN MINSK. Valery Pustovoitenko held talks with Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in Minsk on 5 February, ITAR-TASS reported. Lukashenka said that Belarus is ready to "strengthen relations with Ukraine" and that he hopes the visit would help solve bilateral problems. He added that the visit should lead to an increase in trade between the two countries, which he said was too low. Pustovoitenko said his country wants to expand dialogue with Minsk. Pustovoitenko is also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Sergei Ling and visit several industrial sites. PB