-Caveat Lector- Yeltsin Impeachment Hearings Begin By BARRY RENFREW .c The Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) -- Russian lawmakers began impeachment hearings today to remove Boris Yeltsin, with political leaders saying the odds against the president had soared after his surprise decision to fire Russia's popular prime minister. Some party leaders predicted a vote on impeachment could come as early as Friday as the lower chamber of parliament, the State Duma, began hearing reports on five impeachment charges against Yeltsin. Lawmakers, including many centrists who had backed Yeltsin in the past, were furious over his dismissal of Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov and the Cabinet on Wednesday. ``There is no doubt that after yesterday's decision by the president the chance of getting 300 votes in favor of at least one impeachment article is high,'' said Alexander Shokhin, a deputy of the centrist Our Home is Russia party. The political maneuvering comes at a critical time for Russia. The government has been engaged in difficult talks with international lenders about debt restructuring, and it has been playing a pivotal role in attempting to mediate a settlement between NATO and Yugoslavia. About 500 Communists waving red flags demanded Yeltsin's removal today as they demonstrated outside the parliament building in central Moscow. A smaller group of pro-Yeltsin supporters rallied across the street. The Communists, who mounted the impeachment proceedings, predicted easy success. To impeach Yeltsin, 300 deputies or two-thirds of the chamber must vote for one or more of the five impeachment charges. ``I think the impeachment motion shall pass,'' Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov said today. ``I've spoken to faction leaders and even those who were wavering are now saying that Yeltsin must go.'' If the Duma votes for impeachment, it will just be the first step. To remove Yeltsin from office, the Duma motion must be supported by two-third majorities of the Supreme and Constitutional courts and the upper chamber of parliament -- which is still considered unlikely. Lawmakers across the political spectrum said they did not expect the Duma to approve Yeltsin's choice of Sergei Stepashin, the interior minister, to replace Primakov. Stepashin was named acting prime minister while the Duma considers his confirmation. But two faction leaders called for the dissolution of the Duma and early elections. The leader of Our Home is Russia, ex-premier Viktor Chernomyrdin, said new elections should be held without political parties -- a strategy that would hurt the Communists, who now dominate the chamber. Nationalist leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky backed the call for early elections. Duma elections, scheduled for December, could be held early, but the Russian constitution is confusing on the issue. The constitution says the Duma can't be dissolved if it votes for impeachment, but also mandates dissolution if it rejects the president's choice for prime minister three times. The president faces five counts of impeachment: instigating the 1991 Soviet collapse, improperly using force against hard-line lawmakers in 1993, launching the botched 1994-96 war in Chechnya, ruining Russia's military, and waging genocide against Russians with economic policies that impoverished the country. The Chechnya charge is the one most likely to attract enough votes for impeachment. In addition to the Communists and their allies, the Yabloko faction of liberal economist Grigory Yavlinsky has said it would back the impeachment charge accusing Yeltsin of initiating the disastrous war. The 68-year-old Yeltsin has spent much of the last year out of the spotlight with health problems. He also has a long history of firing aides, often because they appear to be overshadowing him. Primakov's removal was the third time in little more than a year that the president had ousted the government, plunging the country into crisis. However, this time Yeltsin seemed to have stepped closer to the brink than ever before. By firing a prime minister who was widely credited with returning stability to Russia -- and who had such good relations with the Duma -- Yeltsin seemed to be provoking even fence-sitters to vote for impeachment. Primakov's popularity has soared in the past nine months, even as Yeltsin's has sunk. His action also stoked speculation that he would soon dissolve the Duma, as he did in 1993. Then, the move led to a full-fledged crisis that ended with Russian army tanks shelling the parliament building. U.S. officials were cautious about commenting on Russia's turbulent political landscape. ``On Kosovo, the Russians have played a constructive role, we expect that to continue,'' White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said in Washington. ``We also expect that Russia will continue on the path of economic reform.'' DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. 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