DATE=8/24/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237576
TITLE=RUSSIA GOVERNMENT  (L)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAS DEFENDED HIS DECISION
TO BRING BACK VICTOR CHERNOMYRDIN AS PRIME MINISTER -- AND 
INDICATED MR. CHERNOMYRDIN IS THE BEST CHOICE TO SUCCEED HIM.  
MEANWHILE, A KREMLIN SPOKESMAN DOWNPLAYED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
CHANGE, SAYING THERE WILL BE CONTINUITY IN BOTH FOREIGN AND 
DOMESTIC POLICY.   VOA'S MOSCOW CORRESPONDENT PETER HEINLEIN 
REPORTS. 

TEXT: FIVE MONTHS AFTER HE ABRUPTLY FIRED MR. CHERNOMYRDIN AS 
PRIME MINISTER, PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN WELCOMED HIM BACK MONDAY.
IN A TELEVISED ADDRESS, MR. YELTSIN SAID THE 60-YEAR-OLD 
BUREAUCRAT'S VAST EXPERIENCE MADE HIM THE RIGHT MAN TO HEAD THE 
GOVERNMENT AT THIS TIME OF FINANCIAL CRISIS.

     ///YELTSIN ACT IN RUSSIAN, IN FULL, THEN FADE TO...///

HE SAID, "TODAY WE NEED THE KIND OF PEOPLE ONE WOULD CALL 
'HEAVYWEIGHTS'. I BELIEVE MR. CHERNOMYRDIN'S WEIGHT AND 
EXPERIENCE ARE REQUIRED." 

THE RUSSIAN LEADER ALSO VIRTUALLY ENDORSED MR. CHERNOMYRDIN AS 
HIS SUCCESSOR.

      ///SECOND YELTSIN ACT IN RUSSIAN, THEN FADE TO...///

HE SAID, "I THINK MR. CHERNOMYRDIN'S VIRTUES -- DECENCY, HONESTY,
STURDINESS -- WILL BE THE DECIDING FACTOR IN THE PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTIONS."

KREMLIN SPOKESMAN SERGEI YASTRZHEMBSKY LATER TOLD REPORTERS THAT 
ECONOMIC REFORMS WILL CONTINUE. BUT HE SAID SIGNIFICANT CHANGES 
WOULD BE MADE.

  ///YASTRZHEMBSKY ACT IN RUSSIAN, IN FULL, THEN FADE TO... ///

MR. YASTRZHEMBSKY SAID "THE FRAMEWORK, THE DIRECTION OF REFORMS 
WILL REMAIN THE SAME. BUT IN TERMS OF PRACTICE, YOU CAN EXPECT 
SERIOUS CHANGES." HE GAVE  NO  DETAILS.

ON FOREIGN POLICY, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THERE WOULD BE  NO CHANGE. 
AND HE SAID THE PLANNED U-S/RUSSIA SUMMIT REMAINS ON TRACK. MR. 
YELTSIN IS TO HOST PRESIDENT CLINTON FOR TALKS SEPTEMBER FIRST 
AND SECOND.

RUSSIA'S OPPOSITION-DOMINATED PARLIAMENT REACTED COOLLY TO NEWS 
OF THE SUDDEN CHANGE OF PRIME MINISTERS.  FACTIONAL LEADERS SAID 
LAWMAKERS HAVE CANCELLED PLANS TO MEET THIS WEEK.

THE COMMENT OF VLADIMIR LUKIN OF THE REFORMIST "YABLOKO" FACTION 
WAS TYPICAL.  HE SAID IT SEEMS STRANGE TO REPLACE SOMEONE WHO DID
NOTHING FOR FIVE MONTHS WITH SOMEONE WHO DID  NOTHING FOR FIVE 
YEARS.

//REST OPT// MARKET RESPONSE WAS MIXED. TOP RUSSIAN STOCKS GAINED
SLIGHTLY IN WEAK TRADING, BUT THE RUBLE FELL FURTHER AGAINST THE 
DOLLAR.

THE OUSTED PRIME MINISTER, MR. KIRIYENKO, HELD A FAREWELL  
MEETING WITH HIS STAFF, URGING THEM TO STAY ON THE JOB UNTIL 
REPLACEMENTS ARE FOUND. 

BUT AT LEAST ONE PERSON, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER BORIS NEMTSOV, 
SAID HE IS RESIGNING IMMEDIATELY. HE TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE, "IT 
IS TOO DIFFICULT TO CARRY OUT REFORMS UNDER SUCH UGLY MARKET 
CONDITIONS, WHERE COMPETITION IS NON-EXISTENT, MONOPOLIES ARE 
RAMPANT, AND THERE ARE FEW RULES." (SIGNED)

NEB/PFH/PCF

24-Aug-98 10:07 AM EDT (1407 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.