World IN BRIEF : SOVIET UNION : Region of Moldova Seeks Independence

The main Russian-speaking region inside Soviet Moldova declared its independence from the southern republic in a backlash against the rising tide of nationalism among its ethnic Romanian majority. Parliament in the republic’s capital, Kishinyov, went into emergency session to deal with the rebel moves by the Russians and another smaller minority, the Turkic Gagauz, who declared their independence on Aug. 19. Moldova was known as Moldavia until this summer, when the parliament changed the name of the republic. Moldovan President Mircea Snegur appealed for immediate measures to protect the integrity of the republic bordering on Romania and said separatist leaders should face criminal prosecution, the news agency Tass reported.