However cash-starved the Russian Government is, taxation of American aid money is unacceptable.

Peru's cash-starved Government wants to arrange debt-for-nature swaps to cut its $20 billion foreign debt, the Prime Minister, Juan Hurtado Miller, said on Tuesday.

It has also proposed a revenue-sharing deal on phone calls between the two countries that would generate millions of dollars in hard currency for Mr. Castro's cash-starved Government.

Already, General Noriega's cash-starved Government has sought to impose shipping charges that international shipping associations see as a violation of the treaties.

The confrontation erupted as General Noriega's cash-starved Government was unable for the second day in a row to meet payroll obligations for the country's more than 140,000 Government employees.

Last month, for instance, his cash-starved Government imposed a "lights and buoy fee" that could generate $3 million in new revenues.

It will also bring billions of dollars in tax revenue to Russia's cash-starved Government.

The answer offered by General Noriega's cash-starved Government is the "dignity bag."

The action would keep some $50 million in assets out of reach of General Noriega's cash-starved Government, which has already been denied United States aid.

The United States is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to help the cash-starved Russian Government dismantle old nuclear weapons.