World IN BRIEF : MOLDOVA : President Suspends Firing of Minister

Moldovan President Mircea I. Snegur, seeking to avert a mutiny in the armed forces, agreed to freeze a decision to fire his defense minister until the Constitutional Court ruled on its validity. Snegur told a news conference that he will abide by the will of the legislature and suspend a decree dismissing Defense Minister Pavel Creanga. Creanga refused to step down, maintaining that the decree was illegal because ministers can be dismissed only by the prime minister or by a vote of Parliament. Snegur--who accuses Creanga of corruption and refers to him as the “ex-defense minister”--said he will be directly in charge of the army until a court ruling on the dismissal.