DATE=4/30/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-230519
TITLE=RUSSIA COMMUNISTS/START TWO  (L)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  RUSSIA'S COMMUNISTS ARE PROMISING A SERIES OF NATIONWIDE 
STRIKES AIMED AT BRINGING DOWN THE GOVERNMENT.  CORRESPONDENT 
PETER HEINLEIN IN MOSCOW REPORTS COMMUNIST LEADER GENNADY 
ZYUGANOV IS ALSO THREATENING TO BLOCK RATIFICATION OF THE 
"START-TWO" ARMS CONTROL TREATY.

TEXT:  ON THE EVE OF THE TRADITIONAL MAY FIRST HOLIDAY, MR. 
ZYUGANOV SAID THE TIME HAS COME TO ORGANIZE THE MASSES AGAINST 
PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN AND HIS NEWLY-APPOINTED GOVERNMENT.

MR. ZYUGANOV, EMBARRASSED BY HIS PARTY'S FAILURE TO BLOCK THE 
NOMINATION OF PRIME MINISTER SERGEI KIRIYENKO, CALLED ON ALL 
OPPOSITION FORCES TO UNITE IN SUPPORT OF NATIONWIDE STRIKES.

HE PREDICTED IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, RUSSIANS WOULD BE HEARD, 
SAYING -- THEY HAVE GROWN TIRED OF LAWLESSNESS.  SOME ARE 
STARVING.  SOME ARE COMMITTING SUICIDE.

IN A CALL CLEARLY AIMED AT THE ANGER OF ECONOMICALLY-DEPRIVED 
RUSSIANS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, THE COMMUNIST LEADER SUGGESTED ROAD 
BLOCKADES TO CUT OFF FOOD SUPPLIES TO MOSCOW. OPINION POLLS HAVE 
INDICATED MOST RURAL RUSSIANS BELIEVE MOSCOW IS SIPHONING-OFF THE
NATION'S WEALTH AT THE EXPENSE OF THE REGIONS.

BUT MR. ZYUGANOV'S COMMENTS, MADE AT A WIDE-RANGING NEWS 
CONFERENCE, WENT VIRTUALLY UNREPORTED IN RUSSIA'S MAINSTREAM 
MEDIA.  ALL THREE MAJOR TELEVISION CHANNELS INSTEAD FOCUSED ON 
HIS CRITICISM OF NEW CABINET APPOINTMENTS.

THE COMMUNIST LEADER ALSO SAID HIS PARTY -- THE LARGEST IN 
PARLIAMENT -- WOULD OPPOSE RATIFICATION OF THE START-TWO ARMS 
TREATY.  PRESIDENT YELTSIN HAS SAID HE WOULD WORK HARD TO GET 
LAWMAKERS TO ACCEPT THE 1993 ACCORD, BUT MR. ZYUGANOV RIDICULED 
THE IDEA, SAYING RATIFICATION MAKES  NO  SENSE AT A TIME WHEN 
RUSSIA HAS, IN HIS WORDS -- ZERO NATIONAL SECURITY.

START-TWO, SIGNED BY PRESIDENT YELTSIN AND FORMER U-S PRESIDENT  
GEORGE BUSH, CALLS FOR THE TWO COUNTRIES TO SLASH THEIR NUCLEAR  
ARSENALS FROM ABOUT SIX-THOUSAND EACH TO 35-HUNDRED BY THE YEAR 
2007. 

THE U-S SENATE APPROVED THE TREATY IN 1996, BUT THE OPPOSITION- 
DOMINATED RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT (DUMA) HAS CONSISTENTLY DELAYED ITS 
CONSIDERATION.  MANY LAWMAKERS SAY THE TREATY IS UNREALISTIC  
BECAUSE RUSSIA DOES  NOT  HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THE 
DESTRUCTION OF ITS WEAPONS.

VLADIMIR LUKIN, HEAD OF THE DUMA'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
COMMITTEE, WAS QUOTED THURSDAY AS SAYING HE EXPECTS PARLIAMENT TO
DEBATE THE TREATY BEFORE THE END OF MAY.   (SIGNED)

NEB/PFH/PCF/RAE

30-Apr-98 12:59 PM EDT (1659 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.