DATE=9/11/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-238492
TITLE=RUSSIA POL  (L)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO: THE LOWER HOUSE OF RUSSIA'S PARLIAMENT -- THE DUMA -- HAS 
OVERWHELMINGLY ENDORSED THE NOMINATION OF YEVGENY PRIMAKOV AS 
PRIME MINISTER.  V-O-A MOSCOW CORRESPONDENT PETER HEINLEIN 
REPORTS THE FORMER SPY AGENCY CHIEF CALLED ON LAWMAKERS TO UNITE 
TO TACKLE RUSSIA'S FINANCIAL CRISIS.

TEXT:  ALMOST ALL DUMA FACTIONS JOINED IN SUPPORTING THE PRIMAKOV
NOMINATION. THE 317 TO 63 VOTE ENDED NEARLY THREE WEEKS OF 
POLITICAL PARALYSIS.  ONLY THE ULTRANATIONALIST LIBERAL DEMOCRAT 
PARTY VOTED "NO."

IN A SPEECH TO THE CHAMBER, MR. PRIMAKOV WARNED OF DIFFICULT  
DAYS AHEAD, AND CAUTIONED LAWMAKERS THERE WOULD BE  NO  EASY WAY 
OUT OF RUSSIA'S ECONOMIC CRISIS.

        ///  PRIMAKOV ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///

HE SAID, "DO  NOT  EXPECT QUICK RESULTS FROM ME.  I AM  NOT  A 
MAGICIAN.  THE COUNTRY IS IN A SERIOUS STATE."  BUT HE SAID 
URGENT MEASURES ARE NEEDED TO PREVENT THE BREAKUP OF THE RUSSIAN 
FEDERATION.

      ///  2ND PRIMAKOV ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///

HE SAID, "WE FACE A REAL DANGER OF SEEING RUSSIA DIVIDED."

IT WAS  NOT  IMMEDIATELY CLEAR WHAT ECONOMIC COURSE HE MIGHT 
FOLLOW.  HE SAID WAS NAMING FORMER SOVIET ECONOMIC PLANNING CHIEF
YURI MASLYUKOV AS FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER. BUT AT THE SAME 
TIME, HE PLEDGED TO PURSUE REFORMS.

      ///  3RD PRIMAKOV ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///

HE SAID, "REFORMS ARE NEEDED.  THE PRESENT SITUATION  CANNOT  BE 
OVERCOME WITHOUT THEM."  

HE ALSO SAID THE STATE MUST REGULATE AND INTERVENE WHERE 
NECESSARY TO DEFEND DOMESTIC PRODUCERS AT A TIME OF ECONOMIC 
TURMOIL.  BUT THEN ADDED "THIS IS  NOT  A RETURN TO THE COMMAND 
SYSTEM."

///  OPT  ///  ON FOREIGN POLICY, THE FORMER SPY AGENCY CHIEF 
PLEDGED TO STRICTLY DEFEND RUSSIA'S INTEREST.  BUT HE SAID HE 
WOULD WORK TO AVOID CONFRONTATION WITH THE WEST.

  ///  OPT  //  4TH PRIMAKOV ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///

///  OPT  ///   HE SAID, "WE DON'T NEED CONFRONTATION. THERE WILL
BE  NO  RETURN TO THE COLD WAR." 

///  OPT  ///   MR. PRIMAKOV TOLD LAWMAKERS HE FAVORED 
RATIFICATION OF THE START-TWO ARMS TREATY, BUT INDICATED HE WOULD
NOT  PUSH THE ISSUE.  THE DUMA HAS FAILED TO ACT ON THE ACCORD. 

///  OPT  ///   HE LATER NAMED HIS DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR 
IVANOV TO SUCCEED HIM AS RUSSIA'S TOP DIPLOMAT.  HE ALSO 
IMMEDIATELY ANNOUNCED THAT DEFENSE MINISTER IGOR SERGEYEV AND 
INTERIOR MINISTER SERGEI STEPASHIN WOULD BE RETAINED IN THEIR 
POSTS.   ///  END OPT  ///

MR. PRIMAKOV'S CONFIRMATION ENDS A STANDOFF THAT BEGAN AUGUST  
23RD WHEN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN DISMISSED FORMER PRIME  
MINISTER SERGEI KIRIYENKO AND BROUGHT BACK VIKTOR CHERNOMYRDIN.  
BUT MR. CHERNOMYRDIN WITHDREW AFTER THE DUMA TWICE RESOUNDING 
REJECTED HIM, AND FOREIGN MINISTER PRIMAKOV WAS NAMED AS A 
COMPROMISE.

THE COMPROMISE WAS A HARSH POLITICAL BLOW TO MR. YELTSIN, WHO  
HAS BEEN BADLY WEAKENED BY HIS CONFRONTATION WITH LAWMAKERS. 

IN A TELEVISED SPEECH TO THE NATION FRIDAY, THE RUSSIAN LEADER 
ISSUED A PLEA FOR NATIONAL UNITY.  HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S CHIEF
TASKS WILL BE TO BRING DOWN SOARING PRICES, RESTORE GOODS TO 
EMPTY STORE SHELVES, AND STABILIZE THE COUNTRY'S BANKING SYSTEM. 
(SIGNED)

NEB/PFH/JWH/JO

11-Sep-98 1:55 PM EDT (1755 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.