The Baltic states reacted calmly to Russia_s latest political turmoil on Monday, saying it would only strengthen arguments they should be let into NATO and the European Union to cement post-Soviet reforms.President Boris Yeltsin sacked Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin on Monday and appointed former KGB spy Vladimir Putin as acting prime minister.Diplomats and political leaders in Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius said they hoped the change would not hurt relations with Moscow, which have shown gradual improvement from post-Soviet lows brought on largely by disagreements over large Russian-speaking minorities in Latvia and Estonia. "Russia needs a stable government and a stable policy at home and abroad. I hope Russia_s new government takes quick action and Estonian-Russia relations continue to develop in a positive way," Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar said in
a statement.