>[PEN-L:1141] Russia: Latest from Fred >Weir >Gregory Schwartz ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) > >Folks, > >Here is the latest from (comrade in keypad) Weir in Moscow. I shall >abstain from any synthesis and allow the lines of his article reveal the >shaky situation in Russia. > >Only one thought has occupied my mind in the past few day: this so >called 'financial crisis' in Russia was anticipated by Yeltsin long ago >- around February. Anyone with half a brain (i.e. Yeltsin or somebody >like him) could see this crisis in the making, and it is surprising its >culmination took as long to materialise as it in fact did. It would >seem, therefore, that as opposed to the reports of Yeltsin's dismissing >of the cabinet, the impending crisis led him to concede to the demands >of some important people in the cabinet for their resignation, in order >that they could escape the brunt of responsibility in the coming months. >This would allow them, primarily people like the GazProm tycoon, former >Prime Minister Chernomyrdin, to stand innocent while furnishing (him) >with the opportunity to re-evaluate more carefully the situation in >order to draw-up a strategy for a sucessful presidential bid. Kirienko, >for his part, is the real loser in the whole situation. But, since he >did not precipitate the crisis and knowing how appointments are dealt in >the Russian government, he will probably be demoted to something like >the Energy Minister (not bad considering this might be Russia's future >economic base), a post he held until his current appointment as a Prime >Minister. > >This might be speculative and, in any event, not very substantial at >this point, but - if true - it could shed some additional light on the >impotence of the Russian state, as well as on some political forces that >might emerge in the (near) future. > >In solidarity, > >Greg. > >***** >From: Fred Weir in Moscow >Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1998 14:43:24 (MSK) >For the Hindustan Times > >MOSCOW (HT Aug 23) -- Russian politics are spiralling into >confrontation as the opposition-led parliament continues an >emergency session, requested by the Kremlin to pass urgent anti- >crisis legislation, that has instead moved to censure the >government and urge President Boris Yeltsin to resign. >"Russia has entered a period of very serious financial >crisis," Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko told the special >assembly of the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, >on Friday. >"It's very unpleasant to take responsibility for the >unpopular actions, but there is no pleasant and popular way out >of the crisis." >But the Duma appears in no mood to pass the 17 draft laws >the government says are needed to raise taxes, slash spending and >halt the collapse of Russia's public finances. >Instead, deputies seized the opportunity Friday to pass a >resolution, by 245 votes to 32, calling on Mr. Yeltsin to quit. >The usually pro-government Our Home is Russia party and the >liberal Yabloko party joined Communists in voting for the >measure. >"The country is in a deep crisis and the president is not >taking measures to protect the constitutional rights of citizens. >This has created a realistic threat to Russia's territorial >integrity, independence and security," the resolution said. >"The State Duma recommends that President B. N. Yeltsin stop >fulfilling his presidential powers before the end of his term." >The resolution, which is not legally binding under Russia's >president-centred Constitution, was greeted with derision in the >Kremlin. >"People seem to forget that Russia already has a president," >the official ITAR-Tass quoted Mr. Yeltsin as saying. >But analysts say the situation is dire. Russia's worst >economic crisis since the collapse of the Soviet Union grows >harsher by the day while parliament appears to have abandoned >any semblance of cooperation with the government. >The Duma is slated to continue its emergency session on >Tuesday. >Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, whose party controls half >the seats in parliament, said he has collected the necessary 90 >signatures of deputies to place a motion of no-confidence in the >government before the session. And he said the Duma must accelerate a >process launched two months ago to impeach Mr. Yeltsin. >"We are now in a new situation that has brought Russia to >the edge of an abyss," Mr. Zyuganov said. >"Russia has devalued itself to the point where a single >multibillionaire can buy it. This is the full collapse of the >course carried out in the past seven years," he said. >Despite a $4.8-billion cash injection from the International >Monetary Fund barely a month ago, the Russian government was forced >to stop defending the battered rouble last week and declare a >moratorium on repaying domestic and some foreign debt. >Experts say the plunging rouble threatens a wave of bank >failures and a new round of heavy price inflation for long >suffering consumers. >Russia's main stock market index has crashed from almost 600 >points a year ago to just 82 points at its close on Friday. > Regards, Tom Walker ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ #408 1035 Pacific St. Vancouver, B.C. V6E 4G7 [EMAIL PROTECTED] (604) 669-3286 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The TimeWork Web: http://www.vcn.bc.ca/timework/
