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DATE=5/25/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA / PUTIN (L-O)
NUMBER=2-262804
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  Russian President Vladimir Putin is making 
moves to further tighten his grip on Russia's regions. 
Moscow correspondent Eve Conant reports Mr. Putin says 
he will boost the powers of his seven new regional 
envoys by bringing them into Russia's top security 
body. 
TEXT:  President Vladimir Putin says he plans to 
include his seven regional envoys in the country's 
influential Security Council.  The seven will have the 
task of bringing Russia's unruly regions back under 
Kremlin control. 
   /// ACT PUTIN IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE UNDER ///
I will be meeting with my representatives in the 
federal zones on a regular basis - says President 
Putin - and this week I plan to prepare and sign a 
decree introducing them into the Security Council.
Such a move would place the seven envoys, which 
include generals from the former K-G-B and army, on 
par with some of Russia's top ministers.  The Security 
Council includes Russia's Defense and Foreign 
Ministers, army chiefs, and parliamentary 
representatives.  The body is designed to brief the 
president on all security issues.
Soon after being elected president, Mr. Putin carved 
up Russia's 89 regions into seven huge administrative 
zones, each with a presidential envoy to report 
directly back to Mr. Putin.  The likely promotion of 
the envoys to the Security Council is being viewed as 
another move by Mr. Putin to strip regional governors 
of their power and keep them under the Kremlin's 
watchful eye. 
  /// ACT PUTIN IN RUSSIAN IN FULL AND FADE UNDER ///
Mr. Putin said - I want to make a more clear divide 
between the duties of the federal center and the 
regions.  Our aim is to make the work of the federal 
structures in the regions more effective, not as vague 
as it used to be.
During past years, many of the elected governors in 
Russia's regions have been able to act independently 
of Moscow, and in some cases, have passed laws that 
officials say openly contradict the Russian 
constitution.   (SIGNED)
NEB/EC/GE/RAE 
25-May-2000 10:01 AM EDT (25-May-2000 1401 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.