News In Brief

Balkan nuclear parley to try again next month

A conference on converting the Balkans into a nuclear-free zone ajourned Wednesday after three days, having failed to discuss its central objective but agreeing to meet again next month, Monitor contributor Leigh Bruce reports.

The meeting broke off early at the request of Turkey. The conference marked the first time Greek and Turkish diplomats had met in such a forum since relations between the two neighbors took a dramatic turn for the worse when the Turkish Cypriots declared independence in November.

Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia sent full delegations, but Albania did not attend. Turkey, which only sent observers to the meeting, agreed to take part fully in the February meeting.