The Subject says it all. Greg! ***** Financial Times (UK) August 24, 1998 [for personal use only] RUSSIA: Yeltsin acts to save his presidency By John Thornhill in Moscow President Boris Yeltsin is famed for his erratic behaviour, whether it is failing to get off his aeroplane on a visit to Ireland or playing the spoons on the head of the visiting president of Kyrgyzstan. But Mr Yeltsin wrote a new chapter in his history of unpredictability yesterday by firing Sergei Kiriyenko as his prime minister and reinstating Victor Chernomyrdin, just five months after his abrupt dismissal. As if Russia's financial crisis was not enough, Mr Yeltsin has now instigated a political one. Unless Mr Chernomyrdin can quickly form a government commanding cross- party support, his confirmation as prime minister could be bogged down in parliament for weeks. Just as Russia's financial markets threaten to spiral out of control, the country's acting government will be paralysed for days. There is no doubt that Mr Yeltsin had been under enormous political pressure over the past few months and was growing increasingly isolated. In Moscow, once-loyal coal miners are camped outside the government's headquarters and have been chanting for Mr Yeltsin's resignation for weeks. The Communist-dominated parliament has launched impeachment proceedings against him, alleging his behaviour threatens Russia's national security. Even his allies have begun shifting their support to future presidential contenders, such as Yury Luzhkov, the populist mayor of Moscow, and Alexander Lebed, the general-turned-governor of the Siberian region of Krasnoyarsk. In such circumstances, it seems, Mr Yeltsin calculated he could ill afford to carry the inexperienced and politically lightweight Mr Kiriyenko. Instead, he has summoned back the trusty warhorse, Mr Chernomyrdin, to carry his regime a little further. But the burning question now must be for how long? Russia's newspapers have been speculating that Mr Chernomyrdin would return to the prime minister's seat before assuming the presidency at some point later this year. Under the terms of Russia's constitution, the prime minister temporarily takes over from the president should he be incapacitated while in office. The acting president must then organise presidential elections within three months. "This appears to be a form of political coup," said one observer last night. During his five-year tenure as prime minister, Mr Chernomyrdin became deeply unpopular with the electorate for his halting reforms. But he succeeded in forging an effective "clan" of interests, including Gazprom, the gas monopoly, and powerful commercial banks. He also heads the Our Home is Russia party. This power base would provide Mr Chernomyrdin with a solid launch pad for any presidential campaign. "Tsar" Boris may enjoy toying with the careers of his courtiers. But the biggest question to arise from his latest reshuffle is whether he himself is about to be eclipsed. -- Gregory Schwartz Dept. of Political Science York University 4700 Keele St. Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3 Canada Tel: (416) 736-5265 Fax: (416) 736-5686 Web: http://www.yorku.ca/dept/polisci
