ROMANIAN SOLDIERS CHAT BEHIND TRUCK NEAR RAMNICU VALCEA.
Romanian soldiers chat behind a truck as army and police forces are deployed along the road to Ramnicu Valcea, 170 km (110 miles) northwest of Bucharest January 22. Some 10,000 miners spent the night in Ramnicu Valcea as they strike in support of a 35% wage rise and to protest against the planned closure of 140 pits. Romanian Prime Minister Radu Vasile is due to meet Miners leader Miron Cosma on dealing with the violent advance to the capital by thousands of coal miners. At the same time police and the army are prepared for a state of emergency if one is called by President Emil Constantinescu.
RS/JDP