DATE=5/12/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249266
TITLE=RUSSIA/POLITICS (L)
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAS SPARKED FEARS OF A
NEW POLITICAL CRISIS IN HIS COUNTRY AFTER FIRING THE POPULAR
PRIME MINISTER, YEVGENY PRIMAKOV. CORRESPONDENT EVE CONANT
REPORTS THE DISMISSAL COMES JUST AS RUSSIA'S COMMUNIST-DOMINATED
LOWER PARLIAMENT PREPARES FOR IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS AGAINST MR.
YELTSIN.
TEXT: PRESIDENT YELTSIN SAYS HE DISMISSED PRIME MINISTER
PRIMAKOV FOR FAILING TO COME UP WITH A STRATEGY TO IMPROVE
RUSSIA'S ECONOMY, FOLLOWING THE COLLAPSE OF THE RUBLE LAST
AUGUST.
/// YELTSIN ACT IN RUSSIAN -- ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER ///
WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO PUT OFF NECESSARY ECONOMIC DECISIONS, SAYS
MR. YELTSIN. DELAY IS THE MOST SERIOUS BLOW TO ECONOMIC
STABILITY." MR. YELTSIN SAID PRIME MINISTER PRIMAKOV HAD AVOIDED
UNPOPULAR FINANCIAL DECISIONS BECAUSE OF UPCOMING ELECTIONS, AND
HAD RELIED TOO HEAVILY ON WESTERN LENDING INSTITUTIONS.
ALTHOUGH ECONOMIC REASONS WERE GIVEN FOR THE FIRING, THE
DISMISSAL HAS WIDE-RANGING POLITICAL MEANING.
ANALYSTS SAY THE DISMISSAL PROVES PRESIDENT YELTSIN IS PREPARED
FOR A SHOWDOWN, IF NECESSARY, WITH RUSSIA'S COMMUNIST-DOMINATED
PARLIAMENT, WHICH IS PLANNING TO BEGIN IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS
AGAINST HIM THURSDAY.
MR. PRIMAKOV HAD BEEN CONSIDERED A VITAL LINK BETWEEN PRESIDENT
YELTSIN AND OPPOSITION LAWMAKERS. THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER WAS
WIDELY RESPECTED BY COMMUNISTS FOR HIS MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD,
SOVIET-STYLE ECONOMIC POLICIES.
COMMUNIST SPEAKER OF THE PARLIAMENT GENNADY SELEZNYOV ECHOED THE
RESPONSE OF MANY LAWMAKERS WEDNESDAY.
/// SELEZNYOV ACT IN RUSSIAN -- ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER ///
HE SAYS, "I THINK THE PRESIDENT MADE A VERY BIG AND VERY SERIOUS
MISTAKE."
MR. YELTSIN'S NEW CHOICE FOR THE POST IS INTERIOR MINISTER SERGEY
STEPASHIN. MR. STEPASHIN IS A LOYAL SUPPORTER OF MR. YELTSIN WHO
WAS IN CHARGE OF RUSSIA'S ARMED FORCES AND HELPED FORMULATE
MILITARY POLICY DURING RUSSIA'S CIVIL WAR WITH THE BREAKAWAY
REGION OF CHECHNYA IN 1994.
/// OPT /// ONE OF THE FIVE CHARGES THE PARLIAMENT IS
CONSIDERING AGAINST PRESIDENT YELTSIN IS THAT HE ILLEGALLY WAGED
WAR AGAINST CHECHNYA, MAKING THE HAWKISH MR. STEPASHIN AN
UNLIKELY CANDIDATE FOR THEIR APPROVAL.
THE DISMISSAL HAS SEVERAL POSSIBLE WIDE-REACHING CONSEQUENCES.
IT COULD HURT RUSSIA'S NEGOTIATING POSITION WITH THE
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND. ONE RUSSIAN ECONOMIC OFFICIAL HAS
ALREADY SAID I-M-F NEGOTIATIONS WILL HAVE TO START AGAIN FROM
SCRATCH. TRADING WAS TEMPORARILY HALTED ON RUSSIA'S STOCK MARKET
WEDNESDAY AFTER IT DROPPED BY 17 PERCENT. NEWS OF THE DISMISSAL
COULD ALSO LEAD TO A SERIOUS POLITICAL CRISIS BETWEEN THE
PRESIDENT AND PARLIAMENT. /// END OPT ///
IF PARLIAMENT DOES NOT APPROVE MR. YELTSIN'S CHOICE FOR PRIME
MINISTER AFTER THREE VOTES, THE PRESIDENT HAS THE CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHT TO DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT. BUT IT MIGHT NOT BE THAT SIMPLE,
AND WEDNESDAY'S DEVELOPMENTS COULD LEAD TO A CONSTITUTIONAL
DEADLOCK. IF LAWMAKERS AGREE ON JUST ONE OF THE FIVE IMPEACHMENT
CHARGES, PRESIDENT YELTSIN LOSES TO RIGHT TO DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT
UNTIL THE CONFLICT IS RESOLVED. PRESIDENT YELTSIN WOULD ONLY BE
ALLOWED TO DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT IF RUSSIA'S CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
DISMISSED IMPEACHMENT CHARGES.
COMMUNIST LAWMAKER GENNADY SELEZNYOV SAID WEDNESDAY THAT MR.
PRIMAKOV'S DISMISSAL GREATLY INCREASES THE CHANCE OF PARLIAMENT
VOTING TO IMPEACH PRESIDENT YELTSIN. (SIGNED)
NEB/EC/PCF
12-May-99 8:39 AM EDT (1239 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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