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DATE=3/23/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-228578
TITLE=RUSSIA GOVERNMENT (L UPDATE)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAS DISMISSED THE ENTIRE 
GOVERNMENT AND APPOINTED A YOUNG TECHNOCRAT AS TEMPORARY PRIME 
MINISTER.  V-O-A'S PETER HEINLEIN IN MOSCOW REPORTS REACTION TO 
THE CHANGES HAS BEEN GENERALLY POSITIVE.
TEXT:  IN A SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT, MR. YELTSIN FIRED THE CABINET,
FROM PRIME MINISTER VICTOR CHERNOMYRDIN ON DOWN.  HE SAID THE 
GOVERNMENT LACKED DYNAMISM AND INITIATIVE.
BUT IN A TELEVISED SPEECH, THE RUSSIAN LEADER EXPRESSED OVERALL 
SATISFACTION WITH THE DIRECTION OF FREE MARKET REFORMS, AND SAID 
THEY WOULD CONTINUE.
         ///  YELTSIN ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///
HE SAID, "THIS DOES  NOT  MEAN WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE COURSE 
OF REFORMS.  THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO GIVE THEM MORE ENERGY."
MR. YELTSIN LATER APPOINTED 35-YEAR OLD SERGEI KIRIYENKO ACTING 
PRIME MINISTER.  MR. KIRIYENKO, WHO SERVED AS FUEL AND ENERGY 
MINISTER IN THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT, TOLD REPORTERS THE 
APPOINTMENT CAME AS A COMPLETE SURPRISE . HE SAID HE DOES  NOT 
ANTICIPATE ANY CHANGES.
        ///  KIRIYENKO ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///
HE SAID, "THERE WILL BE  NO  NEW PROGRAMS.  THERE WILL BE FULL 
CONTINUITY."  HE REFUSED COMMENT ON WHETHER HE HOPES TO BECOME 
PRIME MINISTER IN THE NEW GOVERNMENT, SAYING HIS TASK WOULD BE 
ONLY TO PREPARE PROPOSALS FOR PRESIDENT YELTSIN.
THE OUTGOING PRIME MINISTER, MR. CHERNOMYRDIN, APPEARED TO ACCEPT
HIS DISMISSAL CALMLY.
      ///  CHERNOMYRDIN ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///
HE SAID, "THIS IS NOT A TRAGEDY. I WORKED FIVE YEARS AS PRIME 
MINISTER, AND WAS ALWAYS READY FOR THIS."
///  OPT  ///   MR. CHERNOMYRDIN SAID HE WOULD ACCEPT HIS ROLE AS
ORGANIZER OF HIS PARTY'S CAMPAIGN FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS 
IN THE YEAR 2000.  BUT HE STOPPED SHORT OF SAYING HE WOULD BE A 
CANDIDATE.  HIS REMOVAL FROM OFFICE IS SEEN AS AS A SERIOUS BLOW 
TO HIS CHANCES.
///  OPT  ///   ANOTHER DISMISSED OFFICIAL, FORMER FIRST DEPUTY 
PRIME MINISTER ANATOLY CHUBAIS, ALSO SEEMED UNCONCERNED.  MR. 
CHUBAIS WAS CONSIDERED THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND RUSSIA'S 
TRANSITION TO A FREE MARKET DURING MUCH OF THE PAST SIX YEARS, 
BUT HE TOLD REPORTERS PROSPECTS FOR THE SUCCESS OF REFORMS ARE 
BETTER THAN EVER.
    ///  OPT  //  CHUBAIS ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///
///  OPT  ///  MR. CHUBAIS SAID, "PASSIONS ARE  NOT  RUNNING HIGH
IN THE COUNTRY NOW."  HE ADMITTED THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE 
ECONOMY, BUT ADDED "THINGS ARE NOT  FALLING APART."
///  OPT  ///   THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SEEMED TO AGREE. U-S 
AMBASSADOR TO  MOSCOW JAMES COLLINS SAID IT IS POLICY,  NOT  
PERSONALITIES THAT MATTER.
                 ///  OPT  //  COLLINS ACT  ///
         SO WE'RE ENCOURAGED BY PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S STATEMENT OF 
         SUPPORT THAT THE REFORM PROCESS IS GOING TO CONTINUE.
                 ///  END ACT  //  END OPT  ///
RUSSIA'S MARKETS ALSO TOOK NEWS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S DISMISSAL IN 
STRIDE.  STOCK PRICES TUMBLED SHARPLY WHEN THE FIRST WORD BROKE, 
BUT RECOVERED AFTER MR. YELTSIN MADE CLEAR HIS FIRM COMMITMENT TO
REFORMS . (SIGNED)
NEB/PFH/JWH
23-Mar-98 1:25 PM EST (1825 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.