DATE=3/24/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA / PUTIN (L)
NUMBER=2-260560
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Russia's acting president, Vladimir
Putin, has gone on national television to urge
Russians to vote in presidential elections this
Sunday. Moscow correspondent Eve Conant reports
opinion polls show Mr. Putin has a wide edge over
his opponents, though a low voter turnout could
hurt his chances for a first round victory.
TEXT: Acting President Vladimir Putin is widely
expected to emerge the victor in Sunday's
presidential elections. He would need more than
50-percent of the vote to win outright. In a
televised address, however, Mr. Putin seemed more
worried about the possibility that a low voter
turnout could invalidate the results.
///ACT PUTIN IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE UNDER///
"The choice depends on you," he says. "I am
asking only one thing - come to the polling
stations and cast your ballots."
By Russian law, official campaigning ends Friday.
In his address, the 47-year old acting president
told voters not only would they be electing a new
president, but also a new commander-in-chief of
the armed forces. Mr. Putin first gained public
support with what many view as his decisive
handling of Moscow's military offensive in
Chechnya. The acting president has also widened
his appeal by calling for strong, centralized
state power.
///SECOND ACT PUTIN IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE
UNDER///
He says, "Russia is a powerful nuclear state.
This is something to be kept in mind not only by
our friends." He says, "we are electing a
president whose task it is to revive the economy,
restore the country's prestige and to bring
stability and welfare to everyone."
Mr. Putin's foremost rival is Communist
challenger Gennady Zyuganov. Opinion polls
suggest he will get about 20-percent of the vote.
Mr. Zyuganov Friday accused the Kremlin of trying
to undermine his campaign and said Mr. Putin is
controlled by big business.
///ACT ZYUGANOV IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE
UNDER///
He says, "If the Communists are elected I
guarantee that in five years we will restore
Russia's ruined economic potential." He adds that
within a decade Russia will be, in his words,
"among the ten most wealthy and stable countries
in the world."
Whether or not Mr. Putin and Mr. Zyuganov meet in
a second round remains to be seen. But for now,
polls show Mr. Putin holding a commanding lead
with approximately 50-percent of voters saying
they will cast their votes for him. (Signed)
NEB/EC/GE/KL
24-Mar-2000 11:30 AM EDT (24-Mar-2000 1630 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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