DATE=8/17/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA POL (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-252859
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Russian President Boris Yeltsin has cautioned
his new prime minister not to make any major changes
in government policy without his approval. Moscow
Correspondent Peter Heinlein reports Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin's first cabinet appointments indicate
his government will be a lot like its predecessors.
TEXT: It was a friendly reminder, but the implication
was clear. It is President Yeltsin, and not the
prime minister, who sets the tone and the overall
direction of Russia's government.
During a carefully orchestrated and nationally
televised chat in his Kremlin office Tuesday, Mr.
Yeltsin cautioned his latest prime minister about the
danger of becoming too independent.
/// YELTSIN ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER ///
He says, "Let us not divide the presidential
administration and the cabinet. This is a single
team." Then he added, "When at times we were divided,
it never brought anything good. And naturally, the
prime minister loses".
It was the clearest comment yet from Mr. Yeltsin about
his rationale for dismissing four previous prime
ministers in the past year and one half. He has said
in the past he wants to be consulted on all important
government decisions.
On his first official day in his new post, Prime
Minister Vladimir Putin showed he understands the
president's order. The career intelligence officer
announced that the nucleus of his cabinet, including
the foreign, defense, and interior ministers, will
remain the same as that of his predecessor, Sergei
Stepashin.
The only change he made was at the Justice Ministry,
where Pavel Krashennenikov was dismissed and replaced
by the former deputy prosecutor general, Yuri Chaika.
Mr. Krashennenikov has recently come in for criticism
from Mr. Yeltsin for not being aggressive enough in
investigating the Communist party's activities.
(Signed)
NEB/PFH/JWH
17-Aug-1999 07:27 AM LOC (17-Aug-1999 1127 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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