DATE=5/18/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-249502 TITLE=RUSSIA / YELTSIN (L-ONLY) BYLINE=CHALLISS MCDONOUGH DATELINE=MOSCOW CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: THERE ARE NEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HEALTH OF RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN AFTER HE APPARANTLY CANCELED A MEETING TUESDAY WITH THE VISITING PRIME MINISTER OF SPAIN. V-O-A'S CHALLISS MCDONOUGH REPORTS FROM MOSCOW. TEXT: AS RECENTLY AS MONDAY, MR. YELTSIN'S PUBLISHED SCHEDULE SAID HE WOULD MEET WITH SPANISH PRIME MINISTER JOSE MARIA AZNAR IN THE KREMLIN ON TUESDAY. BUT HIS AIDES NOW SAY NO SUCH MEETING WAS PLANNED. MR. YELTSIN HAS INSTEAD HELD WHAT THE KREMLIN CALLS A "SUBSTANTIVE CONVERSATION" WITH MR. AZNAR OVER THE TELEPHONE FROM HIS COUNTRY HOUSE. THE RUSSIAN LEADER HAS ALSO MET THERE -- IN PERSON -- WITH HIS CHIEF OF STAFF, ALEXANDER VOLOSHIN. THE ABRUPT CHANGE IN PLANS COMES AFTER MR. YELTSIN MET WITH HIS DOCTOR ON SATURDAY. THE KREMLIN CALLED IT A ROUTINE MEDICAL CHECKUP, DESPITE THE UNUSUAL TIMING. /// OPT /// THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT HAS HAD A LONG HISTORY OF HEALTH PROBLEMS, INCLUDING SEVERAL HEART ATTACKS. HE RECENTLY REAPPEARED IN THE KREMLIN AFTER SPENDING MONTHS OUT OF THE OFFICE, RECOVERING FROM A STOMACH ULCER. /// END OPT /// A PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN ON TUESDAY SAID MR. YELTSIN'S HEALTH IS "O-K" AND HE IS IN A "CHEERFUL" MOOD. BUT THE INCIDENT HAS RAISED NEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S CONDITION AND HIS ABILITY TO GOVERN -- JUST AS PARLIAMENT IS PREPARING TO VOTE WEDNESDAY ON HIS CHOICE FOR RUSSIA'S NEW PRIME MINISTER. THE CANDIDATE -- SERGEI STEPASHIN -- IS CURRENTLY SERVING AS ACTING PRIME MINISTER. THE SECOND-IN-COMMAND IS SUPPOSED TO ASSUME LEADERSHIP OF RUSSIA IF THE PRESIDENT IS INCAPACITATED. BUT IT IS NOT CLEAR IF AN ACTING PRIME MINISTER CAN DO THAT. NEB/CEM/JWH 18-May-99 6:55 AM EDT (1055 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
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