Daily Report— Central Eurasia FBIS-SOV-95-242 Monday 18 December 1995 reso en cmnmnmecs metas. Copying seminati is prohibited without permission of inate “i Daily Report Central Eurasia FBIS-SOV-95-242 CONTENTS 18 December 1995 NOTICE: An * indicates material not previously disseminated in electronic form. DUMA ELECTION ISSUES Key Results Dec 15 - Final Minutes of Election Campaign Lebed, Skokov Interviewed {Moscow Radio] Gaydar, Communist Spokesman Debate [Moscow ORT] Broadcast By Nur Muslim Movement [Moscow ORT] Financial Details Reported of Some Parties’ Expenses [Moscow Radio] TV Si: sar Announce Plans for Election Coverage [MOSKOVSKIY KOMSOMOLETS 16 Yeltsin To Announce Whether Running for President in Feb /ITAR-TASS] Yeltsin Reaffirms Intention To Continue Reform Policy [INTERFAX] Yeltsin: Return to Communism in Russia Impossible [INTERFAX] Zyuganov Expects Communists To Lead Parliament Coalition [INTERFAX] Communist’s Zyuganov Interviewed on Future Plans [Moscow ORT] Central Electoral Commission Information Center Opens [Radio Rossii] Shumeyko Predicts 55 Percent Duma Election Turnout [INTERFAX] Long Lines at Moscow Polling Stations [Moscow NTV] Turnout of 46.6 Percent Reported in St. Petersburg /JTAR-TASS] Nearly All Servicemen Participate in Elections [INTERFAX] Moscow Elections Valid; Over 30 Percent Voter Turnout [Moscow 2x2 TV] OSCE Official Claims Elections ‘Free and Fair’ [/ITAR-TASS] Election Commission Official on Preliminary Results /ITAR-TASS] ITAR-TASS Provides Preliminary Election Results TV Carries Election Results; Communists Lead [Moscow ORT] Yeltsin’s Remarks at Barvikha Polling Station Reported [Moscow Radio] TV Reports on Yeltsin Voting [Moscow TV] Yeltsin Favors Chernomyrdin as Head of New Government [Moscow RTV] Yeltsin Discusses Election Returns With Assistant (ITAR-TASS] Zyuganov Satisfied With Early Returns, Eyes Presidency [/ITAR-TASS] Zyuganov Anticipates Strengthening of Duma Powers [Moscow RTV] Grachev Votes in Moscow, Comments on Chechnya //TAR-TASS] Zavagayev, Lobov Vote in Chechnya /ITAR-TASS] Rybkin Will Form Coalition With Centrist Deputies (INTERFAX ] Women of Russia Leader Hopes To Enlarge Duma Faction /ITAR-TASS] Lebed Wins Duma Seat in Tula Constituency /ITAR-TASS] Rutskoy To Run for President Despite Duma Defeat [INTERFAX] Reformists, Businessmen Win in One-Seat Communities /[TAR-TASS] Regional Activities Regional Election Results in Keeping With ‘General Picture’ /JTAR-TASS] Elections Progressing ‘Without Incidents’ [INTERFAX] High Turnout in Far East, Low Turnout in North Viewed //TAR-TASS] ITAR-TASS Describes Voting Situation at 0900 GMT Elections Progressing in Republics, Military Garrisons /[TAR-TASS] Cee e Ons isaaauwuuuwe fs 2wne— FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 Roundup of Reports on Regional Voter Turnout Central Electoral Commission Outlines Elections [INTERFAX] Zyuganov Hopes for Success in Single-Mandate Districts [INTERFAX] Leadership Changes in One Moscow Single-Mandate District [INTERFAX] Cae. : an ‘Our Home’ Improves Standing [INFORMATSIONNOYE AGENTSTVO Chernomyrdin Bloc Consolidates Lead in Moscow [ITAR-TASS] Progress in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Chechnya Reported [Moscow Radio] Observers To Visit Polls in Moscow, Regions [ITAR-TASS] Agrarian Leader: Most Parties Want Land Redistribution [INTERFAX] Voter Turnout High Among Russians Abroad {Moscow Radio] Federal Border Service Election Arrangements Reported [SEGODNYA 15 Dec] LDPR Takes Lead in Maritime Territory Voting [Moscow radio] — ions Preliminary Election Results [INFORMATSIONNOYE AGENTSTVO EKHO , Yeltsin ‘Foe’ Goryacheva Elected To Duma From Far East /ITAR-TASS] Communists, LDPR Leading in South Siberia Regions /ITAR-TASS] Nazdratenko Reportedly Leading Far East Election [INTERFAX] Commission Reports Maritime, Sakhalin Turnout /JTAR-TASS] Election Turnout Estimated in Siberia [INTERFAX] State Duma Elections Continue in Far East Region [INTERFAX] Six Associations Exceed 5 Percent in St. Petersburg [/TAR-TASS] Yabloko Bloc Leads in St. Petersburg Area [ITAR-TASS] ‘Scandal’ as Polling Station Runs Out of Ballot Papers /St. Petersburg TV] St. Pete. burg Polling Stations Run Out of Ballots /St. Petersburg TV] Petersburg Commission Warns Voters About Slander /St. Petersburg TV] Communists Lead in Northern Region of Arkhangelsk [ITAR-TASS] Kozyrev Pulls Ahead in Murmansk Duma Race [INTERFAX] Early Results Show Zavgayev Victor in Chechnya /ITAR-TASS] Chechnya Voting Activity Deemed ‘Exceptional’ //TAR-TASS] Early Results Put Zavgayev as Chechen Head of State [INTERFAX] ‘No Incidents’ Reported in Groznyy During Elections [INTERFAX] 27 Percent Turnout So Far in Chechen Capital [Moscow Radio] Voter Activity in Chechnya ‘Sharply Increased’ [INTERFAX] Zavgayev: Voting Shows Chechen’s Favor Stabilization //TAR-TASS] Eligible Voters Turn Out in Tajikistan /INTERFAX] Tartar Nationalists Arrested for Tearing Russian Flags [INTERFAX] Tatarstan Opposition Does Not Expect Fair Electio: ,SEGODNYA 16 Dec] Tatarstan Election Campaign Viewed [VYBORY-95 WWW] Voting of Russian Citizens in Estonia Detailed [INTERFAX] Communists Reportedly Leading in Baltic Voting /JTAR-TASS] Polling Stations for Elections Open in Estonia {/JTAR-TASS] Chernomyrdin’s Party Takes Lead in Minsk [INTERFAX] Elections Valid in Republic of Mordovia [Radio Rossii] Elections in Krasnoyarsk Deemed Valid [JTAR-TASS] Elections Declared Valid in Volga Regions [INTERFAX] ‘Double Victory’ for Communists in Jewish Region [INTERFAX] Elections in Mari Republic Valid [Radio Rossii] 60 Percent Turnout Reported in Kamchatka [Moscow ORT] Prepoll Political Machinations in Bryansk Region Eyed [ROSSIYSKIYE VESTI 14 Dec] FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 Results of Preelection Polls in 20 Cities, 2 Oblasts /KOMMERSANT-DAILY 15 Dec] Election Guidelines Ryabov Issues Message on Eve of Elections [Moscow RTV] Media To Carry Live Election Reports ‘Round The Clock’ /ITAR-TASS] Filatov on Campaign; Media Leaders on Advertising Profits //TAR-TASS] Parliamentary Official Opposes Foreign Observers [Moscow Radio] Commission: Zhirinovskiy Inciting ‘Ethnic Hatred’ [ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA 15 Dec] — ve Group Learns of Irregularities (INFORMATSIONNOYE AGENTSTVO EKHO , Commission Head Rules Out ‘Massive’ Vote Rigging [INT7zxXFAX] a NDR Leaders Named as Key Violators of Campaign Rules [NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA 16 : Vladivostok Observers To Be Refused Early Results [Moscow Radio] Automated Vote Counter To Be Used Experimentally [INTERFAX] Moscow Electoral Commission Notes Problems With Computer //TAR-TASS] Commentary Zyuganov Votes, Comments on Presidential Powers [Moscow RTV] Communist Leader Attributes Success to Opponents’ Mistakes [Moscow Radio] CPRF: Yeltsin Statement in Breach of Election Law [INT. RFAX] Communist Party Refutes Reports on Chernomyrdin Meetii /INTERFAX] Zhirinovskiy: Vote Result Will Be Falsified by 20 Percent /(/NTERFAX] Zhirinovskiy: End Chechnya War By Napalming Villages [Moscow TV] Zhirinovskiy Election Address [Moscow Radio] Chernomyrdin Does Not ‘Intend To Resign’ /ITAR-TASS] Vows To Sustain Economic Reform Policy [Moscow RTV] Relations With West Will Only Improve /ITAR-TASS] ‘Russia is Our Home’ Considers Success To Be 30% of Seats [INTERFAX] Chernomyrdin Makes Final Campaign Speech [Moscow RTV] Zyuganov, Yavlinskiy Interviewed on Elections [Moscow 2x2 TV] Yavlinskiy Interviewed on Election Results, Chechnya [Moscow TV] On Forming Coalition in Duma [INTERFAX] Yabloko, CPRF Leaders Interviewed on Privatization [Moscow NTV] Rybkin Has No Worries on Election Day {//TAR-TASS] Lapshin: Election Results Will Decide Land Issue [INTERFAX] Women of Russia’s Lakhova on Election Results [Moscow NTV] Yeltsin Appreciates Voters Turnout in Russia //TAR-TASS] Filatov ‘Not Pleased’ With ‘Fellow Democrats’ [INTERFAX] Yeltsin Aide: ‘Parity’ Still Exists in Duma /INTERFAX] Yeltsin Official on Expected High Voter Turnout /Radio Rossii] Yeltsin Aide Satarov Interviewed on Elections [Moscow NTV] Aide: Communist Success ‘No Surprise’ to Yeltsin /ITAR-TASS] Party Leaders on First Steps in Future Parliament /KOMMERSANT 12 Dec] European Observers Find Russian Elections ‘Democratic’ [ITAR-TASS] Election Commission Releases Comments on Early Voting [INTERFAX] European Monitor: Duma Elections ‘Cannot be Rigged’ /ITAR-TASS] OSCE Delegation Head: No Irregularities in Duma Elections [Radio Rossii] International Observer Says Elections Will Be Honest //TAR-TASS] Ryabov: No Serious Change in Parliamentary Line-Up [Moscow 2x2 TV] Army Legislation Moves Seen as Electioneering [KRASNAYA ZVEZDA 14 Dec] Chernomyrdin Seen Emerging Damaged From Election [SEGODNYA 16 Dec] Differences Between Duma Election, Previous Polls /[[TAR-TASS] FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 Central Eurasia Implications of Early Election Results Discussed /JTAR-TASS] Poll Projects Possible Distribution of Duma Seats [INTERFAX] Poll Results Will Not Imperil Chernomyrdin [IZVESTIYA 16 Dec] Communist Victory Said To Mean ‘Disaster’ [ROSSIYSKIYE VESTI 15 Dec] Political Commentator Warns Against Wasting Votes [ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA 15 Dec] Ryzhkov Says Elections Should Lead to Reshuffle [INTERFAX] Gorbachev Says Communist Victory Not ‘a Reversal’ [INTERFAX] INTERREGIONAL AFFAIRS ITAR-TASS Carries Press Review for 16 Dec RUSSIA INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Belgrade Attache Denies Mladic Offered Asylum [Radio Rossii] Kozyrev Denies Asylum Offer to Mladic [INTERFAX] Russian Peacekeepers To Go to Bosnia 18 Dec [INTERFAX] Yeltsin: Peacekeeping Contingent May Be Increased [INTERFAX] Grachev: Force May Be Needed To Implement Bosnia Accords [INTERFAX] Karasin Satisfied with UN Resolution on Bosnia Accord [ITAR-TASS] Karasin on Former Yugoslavia Disarmament Conference [ITAR-TASS] Duma’s Bezborodov on Russia’s Role in Balkans [/JTAR-TASS] Ukrainian Peacekeepers Cooperate With France [KRASNAYA ZVEZDA 15 Dec] Military Officer Discusses Reasons for SU-27 Crash [INTERFAX] Vietnamese Military Report Pilots’ Death [Moscow Radio] Grachev’s Talks With Norwegian Counterpart Detailed /KRASNAYA ZVEZDA 15 Dec] Agreement Signed on Tumannaya River Basin Development [ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA 16 Dec] Term Extended for Indonesia To Repay Debts in Goods [ROSSIYSKIYE VESTI 14 Dec] RUSSIA NATIONAL AFFAIRS Political Issues Yeltsin Addresses Nation on Elections [Moscow ORT] Speech Seen as Anti-Communist Plea [SEGODNYA 16 Dec] Chernomyrdin Discusses Current Issues [Moscow Radio] Yeltsin, Chernomyrdin Discuss Chechnya Situation [Radio Rossii] Lebed Advocates Death Penalty, ‘League of Slav Peoples’ [Vienna KURIER 16 Dec] Problems Seen in Transition From Yeltsin /KOMMERSANT-DAILY 16 Dec] Russia Said in Pre-Revolutionary Conditions [SOVETSKAYA ROSSIYA 14 Dec] Attempts To Restore Strategic Influence Viewed [London THE TIMES 18 Dec] Military & Space Issues Wreckage of Tu-154 Believed Found in Khabarovsk Kray /ITAR-TASS] Air Traffic Controllers’ Strike Closes Buryatia Airport /ITAR-TASS] Wage Debts for Teachers, Military Paid Off [ITAR-TASS] Nuclear Research Institute Shown for First Time [Moscow RTV] Regional Affairs Chechnya Reportage: Elections, Negotiations, Military Zavgayev Elected: ‘Fraud’ Observed [AFP] Khasbulatov on Quitting Chechen Elections [VEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA 15 Dec] Chernomyrdin on Chechen Elections /ITAR-TASS] FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 Central Eurasia Zorin: Elections Valid Despite Provocations /JTAR-TASS] Lobov: Moscow Willing To Continue Talks [INTERFAX] Rybakov: Situation in Gudermes Under Control [Moscow RTV] Gudermes Citizens Seen Used as Human Shield /JTAR-TASS] Rebels Surround Soldiers in Gudermes [ITAR-TASS] Air Force Begin Flyovers of Urus-Martan [INTERFAX] GUOSH in Groznyy ‘Heavily Shelled’ [INTERFAX] Economic Issues Chernomyrdin: Changes in Economic Life ‘Unlikely’ /ITAR-TASS] Deputy Premier Chubays Hails 1995 Economic Results [SEGODNYA 16 Dec] Production Sharing Bill Said Illegally Amended [SEGODNYA 15 Dec] Yabloko, KRO Rivals Clash Over Production Sharing Law [SEGODNYA 16 Dec] UKRAINE International Affairs Kuchma: Business as Usual With Moscow After Elections [INTERFAX] Effect of Russian Election on Ukraine Viewed [/INTELNEWS] FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 Key Results Dec 15 - Final Minutes of Election Campaign Lebed, Skokov Interviewed LD1612000395 {FBIS Editorial Report] Moscow Mayak Radio Net- work in Russian at 1830 GMT on 15 December broad- casts a 30-minute election slot by the Congress of Rus- sian Communities, represented by Yuriy Skokov and Lieutenant General Aleksandr Lebed. After the opening pleasantries, studio host Yuliy Semenov invites listen- ers to phone in with their questions and then asked Gen Lebed to start the program with an important announce- ment. Lebed says: “I have to make a statement as follows. Under a ruling by The Russian Federation Central Electoral Commission, an Aleksandr Ivanovich Lebed — my full name — has been removed from the list of candidates for the State Duma advanced by the Dzhuna Davitashvili bloc. Here is the telegram issued by the relevant electoral commission. However, only the number of that bloc is given, No 34. Judging from telephone calls we have been receiving, this is being interpreted in the regions as an instruction to remove my name — Lieutenant General Aleksandr Ivanovich Lebed, running for the Congress of Russian Communities No 31 — from the voting papers. I must state that I am Lieutenant General Aleksandr Ivanovich Lebed and that I am remaining and will remain on the list for the Congress of Russian Communities socio- political movement. I have not broken away from that movement and I remain on the list of candidates for No 31, the Congress of Russian Communities in single- mandate constituency No 176 in Tula Region". He concluded, “Este aed listeners, let me give this warning: don’t mess with us.” Semenov clarifies matters by saying that that Lebed had been removed from that list, and that this Lebed is still on this list of candidates and is here in the studio as well. A listener asks whether the Congress of Russian Com- munities will try to change the rules on Duma deputies’ immunity. Lebed answers that “deputies’ immunity is entireiy unnecessary. The law should apply equally to all, from the President down to the caretaker, and vice- versa. We also believe that people wishing to take their place in representative forums should have an unblem- ished reputation. If these people have blemishes, then they have no place there and should do something else. We think that incomes should be declared and that re- DUMA ELECTION ISSUES strictions should be placed on presents so we know if these really are presents or something else.” In response to a question about the meaning and nationalistic undertone of the name Congress of Russian Communities, Yuriy Skokov explains it is a stepping stone to a union of all peoples in the Russian Federation to resolve nationality issues. There are already several national coagresses, he said: of Tatars, of Circassians, of Bashkirs and others. "On the recommendation of leaders of these national) movements, we agreed we would set up a congress of Russians — there are, after all, 120 million of us out of 148 million. This Russian congress would initiate the creation of another organization, the Union of Peoples, so that we can jointly agree on the principles of nationality policy.” A question concerning allegations by Vladimir Zhiri- novskiy of financial irregularities at the 14th Army in Dniester under Lebed’s command is given short shrift by Lebed. If there had been anything going on, news of it would have surfaced and an investigation launched. "I don’t know what he’s on about", Lebed says. “This is what Zhirinovskiy is up to — he has nothing to do but throw mud at people in the hope that some of it will stick.” Asked about the Black Sea Fleet, Lebed says: “The Black Sea Fleet question is being decided by rust. Neither Russia nor Ukraine can resolve the issue. It's a great idiocy and a crime against our shared future. There's not a single archeologist or historian or anyone else who can explain exicily what is the difference between Ukrainians and F-ussians.” The next question is about Chechnya and briefly an- swered by Lebed. “There's no military solution to the problem. It can only be solved by diplomatic, economic, and political methods and at state level. Not at the level of field commanders, whoever they may be.” Skokov is asked how his party would finance its election promises if elected. He replies that the money always seems to be available in the budget for certain pressure groups like the farmers. Also, up to one-fifth of the budget is squandered. The money is there, he says, and election promises would be funded from imposing tighter control on the state coffers. A listener asks whether restoration of the USSR features in the Congress of Russian Communities’ manifesto. The idea is dismissed as unrealistic by Skokov, on the grounds that disintegration has gone too far. He is, however, in favor of closer links, especially economic. A listener asks what the Congress of Russian Communi- ties will do if it cannot manage to win power by demo- cratic means. Semenov puts this question to Lebed, on This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. DUMA ELECTION ISSUES account of his “tough image." "I think we’ll manage. If we don’t, we'll live with it. No problem.” Skokov adds: "It depends what happens on 17 December. If we are able to create a political force and if the people uader- stand that they can act against the rising tide c‘ crime, thuggery and unbridled officialdom, against unlimited abuse of power, by uniting into a single force — and they do understand this and will unite — then there'll be an opportunity to solve these problems in 2 truly tough but democratic manner in the name of that force, in the name of that movement. So we are waiting, asking and hoping.” Skokov uses a question about care for the future generation of children as an opportunity to outline his stance on the economy: "Answering this question, I want to stress that we are for a strong national economy, protection of the domestic market and protection of the Russian producer. If we don’t have that, if our people aren’t working, if we can’t create our own material product, if we don’t have a strong national economy, then we’ll have nothing. The government is committing a crime when it directs all our raw-material resources not to the domestic market but to markets abroad, creating jobs over there and letting people over there get rich.” He elaborates on this after another question about the Congress of Russian Communities’ economic mani- festo: is it one of stabilization, or is reform required? “It is a program to restore the country’s economy after the destruction under perestroyka and the reforms. Our economy has shrunk by over 50 percent, which is more than it did during the war." Semenov invites last-minute raliying calls before airtime runs out. "Russians unite,” Skokov says. "Our people are in trouble. If we want to survive, then let’s join together. But not just us — together with other peoples.” Lebed says: "In order to survive, we need courage. Given courage, everyone can decide for themselves." Gaydar, Communist Spokesman Debate LD1612003695 [FBIS Editorial Report] Moscow Russian Public Televi- sion First Channel Network in Russian at 1955 GMT on 15 December carries the 40-minute Vzglyad program, hosted by Yuriy Lyubimov. Lyubimov begins by saying that the last minutes of the election campaign are running out, and that it just so happened that two radically different parties asked them to stage TV debates. This is followed by a video report of a betting office where bets are being made on the elections. FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 Lyubimov is then shown again, and says “Here, face to face, are Yegor Gaydar, leader of the Democratic Choice of Russia, and Yuriy Ivanov, an official spokesman for the Communist Party of the Russian Federation." The video shows Gaydar, Lyubimov, and Ivanov, live in the studio. Gaydar and Ivanov accused each other of hypocrisy, of various political blunders, of destroying the economy, and of provoking the 1993 political crisis. The fellowing text rolls up on the screen: “Gaydars, Chubzayses and others. who hate everything Russian, Soviet and national, and who do nct want us to live in accordance with the laws of truth, good and beauty, are trying hard to push us into the cheap intellectual prison camp, but their attempts are doomed — Gennadiy Zyuganov" Gaydar and Ivanov then accuse each other of enjoying various privileges, using illegal money for the election campaign, and unleashing the Chechen war. Lyubimov asks: "With whom does the future lie?" Ivanov answers: “The future does not lie with Yegor Timurovich Gaydar, of course. Yegor Timurovich repre- sents today a dwarfish and half-broken party. They will not gain more than 10 percent together with Yavlin- skiy — his brother-in-arms — even if they try really hard. The future lies with those who work with the peo- ple. I know the people, I have been campaigning for a month and a half, and I know all their sufferings and pains. I represent the interests of the dispossessed ma- jority, whereas Yegor Timurovich represents those fat cats that were in the party nomenklatura in 1991 and are at the top now. Yegor Timurovich, you are alien to the people. Your future is very bleak. Our faction was de- bating today whether Zyuganov should take part in the TV debates, and all of us decided unanimously: how long are we going to argue with Gaydar and Yavlinskiy — with those political dwarves? Well, Chernomyrdin, for example, is a person one can talk to. So for how long? And then there was a decision: Gaydar needs a lawyer. So they have sent me here. Yegor Timurovich, in three years housewives will beat you — as well as Chernomyrdin and Yavlinskiy — with their bags in the streets. I will stand for you — I promise. And the present Communist Party is in favor of a peaceful way of re- construction...” Lyubimov interrupts, saying: "So, tne future lies with you.” Ivanov says: “Of course, the future lies with the Communists. I have no doubt whatsoever." pete clea pee in ip geen gli aenaae is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 Gaydar then argues that the futvie lay with the democrats, which had been proven by the world history. He also said the Communists could come to power for only a short period of time. Gaydar and Ivanov then accuse each other of provoking the 1993 political crisis. Ivanov says: "The elections are bringing Gaydar’s political career to an end. This is the last performance of the artist, let us put it this way - do you remember a film with this title? So I do not object to Yegor Timurovich speaking. Let the viewers see him for the last time, because his value will drop sharply in the eyes of our commentators." He accuses Gaydar of battering the legislature in 1993, and then goes on to say: “That was like a flash of lighting, and everyone saw that on the one hand, there were dispossessed people with Communists in their ranks and, on the other hand, pro-Westerners and democrats, who were trying to establish a new, pro-Western and pro-American regime at Uncle Sam's bidding. You pro-Westerners have no future, Yegor Timurovich. The elections are the end of your story. And you know perfectly well that your bloc will not be represented in the Duma. And we — we will be there — for a very long time, forever! On this cheerful note", then ke pauses and changes tack. "I will not prevent you from saying goodbye to the Muscovites, so dear to your heart, to the Westerners and the democrats.” Lyubimov asks Ivanov why he is burying the opposition, and Gaydar says that it is too early ‘o bury them. Ivanov says: "The Communists have an ideology. They, the democrats, have no ideology. What is their ideol- ogy? To serve the West?” Lyubimov says: “It may be a good job that they have no ideology.” Gaydar responds: "We have an ideology. We have a liberal ideology — the ideology that has triumphed in the world in the 20th century, the ideology that will triumph in Russia in the 21st century without fail. And Russia will without fail take the normal road of interest, freedom, open society, and open economy. Well, probably you would manage to steal a few years from us in the end of 20th and the beginning of the 21st century. No more than that. There is no communist regime that has not collapsed.” Ivanov says: "Russia will throw out traitors who work for the West. And you will have to seek a place of residence in Brighton and to provide yourself with gasoline.” DUMA ELECTION ISSUES After this, there is a general discussion with Lyubimov, Gaydar and Ivanov interrupting each other. Lyubimov then signs off asking Gaydar and Ivanov to shake hands, which they do. Broadcast By Nur Muslim Movement LD1512162195 [FBIS Editorial Report] Moscow Russian Public Tele- vision First Channel Network in Russian at 0525 GMT on 15 December carries the “Election 95" program and a seven and a half minute election broadcast by the Nur Muslim movement. Khalit Yakhin, live in the stu- dio, reads out a statement outlining how Mu: im values could be of service to the whole country. “Our task,” he says, “has been to create a Muslim grouping in the State Duma. How successfully this task will be achieved depends now only on you, on how you vote, esteemed voters. "We are trail-blazers. Before us none of Russia’s Muslim organizations had taken part in a parliamentary campaign. The Nur Muslim movement is the first Muslim political organization in the history of Russia that has legitimately, in an equal political struggle with other Russian parties and movements, taken part in the elections to the State Duma. “We call on all people of Russia, regardless of ethnic group or religion, to adopt an understanding attitude to the program aims of the Nur Muslim movement. As citizens and patriots of Russia we are not striving for divisions and discord. We pledge to organize our activities in the interests of all Russia. “Our movement puts forward, as the uniting idea, the Muslim idea. The moral and ethical standards of Islam can and should influence the whole fabric of society.” Yakhin goes on to compare Muslim values with those currently being promoted in society. "We are opposed to the unbridled adoption of Western values which ev- erywhere, including in Russia, take on the ugly shape of increased crime, prostitution, the unprecedented growth of alcoholism and drug abuse, the cult of violence, the lust for profit by any means, sex and pornogr iphy on the television screens. We are in favor of taking the most valuable things from Western culture and from the rich cultural heritage of the East." Yakhin concludes by appealing to all of Russia's Muslims for their support at the pois. This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. DUMA ELECTION ISSUES Financial Details Reported of Some Parties’ Expenses LD1512220695 Moscow Rad’ sstantsiya Ekho Moskvy in Russian 1600 GMT 15 Dec 95 (FBIS Translated Text] A question was repeated many times during the run-up to the election as to how much and in what way political blocs have been spending their money on canvassing. Our radio station has learned some details at the Central Electoral Commission de- scribing the situation as of 4 December. The LDPR (Liberal Democratic Party of Russia) ranks first as far as donations to the party’s pre-election budget are con- cerned, with more than 11 billion rubles. The top three also includes Russia is Our Home with 7.205 billion rubles, and the Congress of Russian Communities with 5.342 billion rubles. These three blocs in the same order of succession are at the top of the list of the extrava- gantly wasteful, too. The Union of Municipal Services and the Bloc including the leader of the Party of De- fense of Pensioners and Veterans turned out to be the most tight-‘isted ones. Judging by the released data, of the 80 million rubles which they received from the Cen- tral Electoral Commission according to the law, they did not spend even one kopeck. TV Companies Announce Plans for Election Coverage MKI1612125395 Moscow MOSKOVSKIY KOMSOMOLETS in Russian '6 Dec 95 p2 {Report by Vitaliy Bochkarev and Elina Nikolayeva: "TV-Elections: There Will Be No Repetition of 1993")} (FBIS Translated Text] The election will be the most ex- Citing subject of television reports on Sunday and Mon- day. All of the six main television channels received in Moscow will cover its progress in a dry and restrained manner. In gearing up for another Duma election, there was a manifestation of the 1993 syndrome, when "demo- cratically” disposed television chiefs wished to demon- strate for the whole world to see the victorious progress of democracy in Russia. They organized a get-together to celebrate a "new political year." As everyone remem- bers, it was a disgrace. Celebrating democracy proved to be celebrating Zhirinovskiy. ORT [Russian Public Television] viewers will be getting all the necessary information in special newscasts. There may also be interviews with political scientists, sociol- Ogists, and public figures, who will comment on the events. On Russian Television, in addition to “Vesti,” which plans to go on the air twice an hour, there will be live broadcasts of a set of programs with the general title "A Night of Expectations.” The proposed programs will range from Svanidze’s “Details [Podrobnosti]" to FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 Oleynikov’s and Stoyanov’s humorous "Gorodok”" pro- gram. Also planned is an auction where the personal effects of former deputies who have distinguished them- selves in one way or another will go on the block. On NTV [Independent Television] it will be business as usual, the only difference being that its “Itogi" {newscast} will go on the air at 2200 instead of 2100. It plans to conclude with an additional segment of “Itogi” around midnight. Thus, Yzvgeniy Kiselev will score the winning point. He has already won the journalists’ election marathon by managing to finally organize regular live television debates at the end of the campaign. Yeltsin To Announce Whether Running for President in Feb LD1712081795 Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service in Russian 0744 GMT 17 Dec 95 [By ITAR-TASS correspondent Andrey Shtorkh] ([FBIS Translated Text] Moscow, 17 Dec — "At some major meeting in February I will announce whether I am going to run for the presidency again,” Boris Yeltsin told journalists at the Barvikha sanatorium after he had voted in the parliamentary elections. The president said several factors would affect his final decision. Speaking about his health, Boris Yeltsin said he was “feeling well, things are getting better." The president said a council of doctors would decide when he could move to work in the Kremlin, but he expressed the hope that this would happen soon. Yeltsin Reaffirms Intention To Continue Reform Policy LD1712125495 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1128 GMT 17 Dec 95 {FBIS Transcribed Text] MOSCOW, Dec 17 (Interfax) — Russian President Boris Yeltsin has reaffirmed his intention to continue the reform policy. "Nobody and nothing can force me to abandon the reform policy. There can be no doubt about it,” the president told correspondents Sunday at the Barvikha resort, where he participated in the Duma elections. As for the future cabinet, the president said that “the government composition should take into account a certain distribution of forces in the new Duma. As for Chernomyrdin, he and I wiil exchange opinion, and may settle the problem in some other way in the i. ‘erests of Russia. But I expect Chernomyrdin to head the new government.” This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 Yeltsin: Return to Communism in Russia Impossible LD1712150995 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1401 GMT 17 Dec 95 (FBIS Transcribed Text} MOSCOW, Dec 17 (Interfax) — Russian President Boris Yeltsin is not sure that the communist opposition can win at the elections to the State Duma. He has his “own point of view regarding the possi- ble victory of communists despite a great number of prognoses.” Yeltsin told journalists after voting in the Barvikha sanatorium. “One should not be in a hurry,” he said. The new composition of the State Duma “will not be busy with political mongering but will preserve and will improve cooperation between the president, the government and the State Duma,” Yeltsin said. He advised aew deputies to take into consideration that the previous composition of the State Duma failed to adopt more than a hundred decrees “because they wasted time on unnecessary activities.” Asked whether it is possible to restore a communist regim« in Russia, Yeltsin said: “No, and once more no.” Zyuganov Expects Communists To Lead Parliament Coalition LD1712132195 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1128 GMT 17 Dec 95 (FBIS Transcribed Text) MOSCOW, Dec 17 (Interfax) — The Communist party aims to form a coalition rather than Communist opposition majority in the new State Duma, which will make it possible "to some extent balance the system,” Communist party boss Gennady Zyuganov told journalists at a polling station Sunday. For this purpose, he recalled, during the election cam- paign the Communist party had pulled 63 of its candi- dates from various constituencies in favor of electoral blocs which are current or potential allies of the Com- munist Party. For instance, communist candidates have been with- drawn from the districts where former Soviet Prime Minister Nikolai Ryzhkov from the bloc Power to the People, film director Stanislav Govorukhin from the bloc named after him, and representatives of the Agrar- ian Party and the Congress of Russian Communities run for parliament. Election results will show the country’s leadership that "to govern the old way is impossible, and the current course should be corrected," Zyuganov said. DUMA ELECTION ISSUES Asked what percent of the vote the communists expect to get, Zyuganov elusively answered, "the whole percent will be our percent, if properly counted." In an earlier interview with Interfax on the eve of voting, Zyuganov said that Russia did not need "a sharp political turn to the left or elsewhere." “On a big ship, the wheel should be smoothly handled in line with the laws of aerodynamics," Zyuganov said, adding that “although the country was turned sharply to the right, nothing good has come out of it.” If the Russian Communist Party wins more votes than at the previous elections, that can be regarded as a success for the party, Zyuganov remarked. At the December 1993 elections, the Communists won 12.4 percent of the vote. Communist’s Zyuganov Interviewed on Future Plans LD1812051695 Moscow Russian Public Television First Channel Network in Russian 0345 GMT 18 Dec 95 {Interview with Gennadiy Zyuganov, leader of the Com- munist Party of Russia, by an unidentified correspondent on 18 December; place not given — live or recorded] (FBIS Translated Text] [Zyuganov) We had a total of 10 percent in the Far East the last time. Today we have around 20 and if the same trend is confirmed in central Russia, then we have had 20 to 25 here. Therefore I think that we have an opportunity to double our strength in parliament and have quite a solid and large faction. It should be said straight out that we have preliminary data on a number of districts. [Svetlana] Goryacheva has also been elected in a single-seat constituency in the Far East. [Viktor] Ilyukhin in Penze. And I think there will be a lot more, [Correspondent] Do you have any grounds for saying that the results of the elections may be falsified? [Zyuganov] The grounds exist. According to data from American electronic intelligence, nine million votes were falsified the last time at the constitutional refer- endum. It is impossible to check this now because all the materials have been destroyed. Nonetheless the of- ficial authorities have not denied this news. Well, not only have we sent observers to all the polling stations — we had our representatives on the electoral commis- sions and they carefully checked that the elections were fair and accurate. Wherever attempts are made to add votes on, we will be able to check them. We are count- ing the data from the polling stations and we will see if peep : Tohted gc pe pe is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. 6 DUMA ELECTION ISSUES a town, district or region has had votes added on. Under the law criminal charges can be brought in such cases. [Correspondent] Do you intend allying with other par- ties in the Duma? [Zyuganov] Well my immediate plans are for getting a good night’s sleep. During the election campaign, over the three months, ! travelled from the Far East to the Baltics, through all the largest regions. I had almost 300 meetings with different workforces. Well, we have already worked out the technology of consultations with our possible allies — with everyone who will ente, the Duma in fact — in order to define key positions and form a grand coalition. There ae three, very simple key positions: the unity of the territory of the Russian Federation, peace throughout its lands and care for the well-being of everyone instead of individuals. [Correspondent] Can you name the members of this coalition? [Zyuganov] Everyone who is ready to answer these three questions and present their proposals from the point of view of the law and realistic politics. We are not shutting the door to anyone. Realistically, those Closest to us are the Agrarians — we have already come to agreement with them on many things. Then a number of trade unions, women’s organizations, goods manufacturers without regard to the form of ownership, veterans’ organizations, the officers’ union. There are quite a few. Central Electoral Commission Information Center Opens LD1612085895 Moscow Radio Rossii Network in Russian 0800 GMT 16 Dec 95 [FBIS Translated Text] Russia’s Central Electoral Com- mission [CEC] Election 95 information center opens to- day [16 December] in Moscow. Beginning 0800 on 17 December, the day of the elections to the State Duma, over 1,000 Russian and foreign journalists accredited to Russia’s CEC will be able to follow the course of the voting across the whole territory of Russia on an elec- tronic screen. Some 10,000 fiduciaries from electoral blocs and 50,000 observers, including 900 from abroad, will also observe the progress of the elections. Shumeyko Predicts 55 Percent Duma Election Turnout LD1712133495 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1128 GMT 17 Dec 95 (FBIS Transcribed Text) MOSCOW, Dec 17 (Interfax) — The head of Russia’s upper house of parliament, Vladimir Shumeyko, has predicted a turnout of about FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 55 percent at Sunday’s election for the State Duma, the lower house. Talking to Interfax at one of Moscow’s polling sta- tions, Federation Council Chairman Shumeyko did not, however, disciose for whom he had voted but said his younger daughter Natalya had cast her ballot for the bloc Democratic Choice of Russia—United Democrats. "She can’t imagine a new Duma without (bloc leader) Yegor Gaydar," Shumeyko said, adding he shared her sympathies. “Various democratic forces must certainly be repre- sented in the new parliament,” he said. By noon the polling station where Shumeyko and many other members of the upper echelon of government are registered had shown a turnout of 10 percent. Long Lines at Moscow Polling Stations LD1712172095 Moscow NTV in Russian 1600 GMT 17 Dec 95 [from the "Segodnya” newscast] {(FBIS Translated Excerpt} [Announcer Tatyana Mitkova] Now we can get the most up to date infor- mation from the Federal Information Center, where our correspondent Vadim Glusker is working. [passage omitted] Have any reports come in of infringements of voting procedure? {Glusker] The Central Electoral Commission so far has no information on this, but everybody is commenting on the rather lengthy lines at polling stations in Moscow, and pointing out that people wait for five or ten minutes and then just go away without casting their vote. Central Electoral Commission spokesmen have to some degree admitted their responsibility for this, saying that they just could not predict the exact number of voters who would be coming to the polling stations today. [passage omitted] (Mitkova, over video of crowded polling station] In contrast to the top leaders of the state and leaders of electoral organizations, ordinary citizens were today forced to remember the forgotten habits of waiting in lines. Many polling stations were packed, and not just because of the number of people wanting to vote. Today’s elections are remarkable for the high turnout, as you have already heard, and at some polling stations there were lines for ballot papers. Members of district electoral commissions think that there were lines not only because people were hurrying to vote between This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 0800 2200 hours — the time allowed for voting was four hours less than in ihe last elections. [passage omitted] Turnout of 46.6 Percent Reported in St. Petersburg LD1712182895 Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service in Russian 1745 GMT 17 Dec 95 [By ITAR-TASS correspondent Nataliya Cherepanova} {FBIS Translated Excerpt] St. Petersburg, 17 Dec — Some electoral commissions did not expect such a brisk voting in St. Petersburg, where 46.6 percent of the electorate had cast their votes by 1800. This has somehow slowed down their work. [passage omitted] Nearly All Servicemen Participate in Elections LD1812123395 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1037 GMT 18 Dec 95 (FBIS Transcribed Text] MOSCOW, Dec 18 (Interfax) — A total of 97.6 percent of servicemen participated in the Duma elections, a representative of the Defense Ministry’s Main Educational Department told Interfax Monday [18 December]. Some 94 percent of servicemen of the Strategic Missile Troops, 93 percent of servicemen of the Army, 92 percent of servicemen of the Navy, 93 percent of servicemen of the Air Force, 92 percent of servicemen of the Air Defense Troops, and 92 percent of servicemen of the Air-Borne Troops came to the polling stations on December 17. The most active participants in the elections were students of military schools (99.9 percent), military builders (99.0 percent) and main departments of the Defense Ministry (98.5 percent). The voting was well-organized in all military districts. It is impossible to say which parties or blocs were supported by the servicemen, because they came to open polling stations together with civilians, said the official. According to preliminary information, over 70 percent of servicemen who voted at closed polling stations supported the Russia is Our Home bloc. The closed polling stations were open for servicemen ioned in Georgia, A is, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Transdniester, Ukraine (the Black sea fleet), Belarus (the strategic missile units) and far abroad, said the ministry representative. All in all, there were 92 closed polling stations outside Russia. Preliminary voting results have come from the Trans- dniester region. A total of 43.2 percent of the service- men voted for Russia is Our Home, 12.9 percent for the DUMA ELECTION ISSUES Congress of Russian Communities, 10.9 percent for the Liberal-Democratic Party, 9.8 percent for the Russian Communist Party and 4 percent for the Women of Rus- Sia. According to preliminary information, nine servicemen may be elected Duma deputies. The overall number of military candidates to the State Duma in single-mandate electoral districts was 118. Moscow Elections Valid; Over 30 Percent Voter Turnout LD1712141095 Moscow 2x2 Television in Russian 1300 GMT 17 Dec 95 (FBIS Translated Text} According to official informa- tion, Russian Federation citizens are turning out in force to vote in the State Duma elections. Information coming in to the Moscow city electoral commission from most territorial commissions on the situation as of 1400 [1100 GMT] make it possible to state that the elections to the State Duma in the capital are valid — up to 30 percent of the electorate has already voted in the city. OSCE Official Claims Elections ‘Free and Fair’ LD1812113495 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 1109 GMT 18 Dec 95 (By ITAR-TASS correspondent Ivan Novikov] ([FBIS Transcribed Text) MOSCOW December 18 (ITAR-TASS) — The parliamentary elections in Russia were free and fair. Peter Emery, head of the delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said this on behalf of all the 140 internationa! observers from 26 countries. They held a news conference in the State Duma on Monday. Observers unanimously concluded that the multi-party elections were held successfully, Emery said. International observers had an opportunity to monitor the elections from the opening of the polling stations to their closure and the counting of votes. Emery said his colleagues arrived at the conclusion that this year’s elections were held in a better way than in 1993. The shortcomings during the elections were insignificant, Emery said. He noted, specifically, that some voters cast ballots “by proxy” and that the counting of votes was somewhat slow at some polling stations. Asked about observers’ opinion regarding the elections in Chechnya, Emergy said they can say nothing as there were no international observers in Chechnya. ee rage Sapo lage is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. 8 DUMA ELECTION ISSUES Election Commission Official on Preliminary Results LD1812024595 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 0232 GMT 18 Dec 95 {FBIS Transcribed Text} MOSCOW, December 18 (Itar-Tass) — The Central Election Commission played down fears that communists and nationalists may domi- nate the new State Duma and advised journalists to wait till Monday morning for exact early returns from major industrial centres. "It is too early to speak about a definite leader", Commission secretary Aleksandr Yelmakov told Tass on Monday, but admitted that the Communist party of Gennadiy Zyuganov will be among the leaders. “One should seriously look at the informaion by 10:00 hours Moscow time (07:00 GMT), although it will also be selective and not objective”, he added. The major cities are lagging behind from the countryside in providing election results and therefore the current election situation “does not correspond to the general temperatrure of Russia", Yelmakov said. He suggested that the Our Home is Russia election bloc of premier Viktor Chernomyrdin “may be among the leaders” as the final results are known. He agreed that the Liberal Democratic Party of Vladimir , the Women of Russia and the Yabloko bloc of Grigoriy Yavlinskiy will eventually overcome the 5 per cent hurdle. However, some four-five other parties may overcome the hurdle as well, Yelmakov predicted. He added that a majority of the Russian population lives from the Urals to the western borders of the country and the most exact results can be expected by 16:00 hours Moscow time (13:00 GMT) Monday. ITAR-TASS Provides Preliminary Election Results LD1812030195 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 0254 GMT 18 Dec 95 (FBIS Transcribed Text) MOSCOW, December 18 (Itar-Tass) - Reformist parties and blocs began to slowly catch up with communists and nationalists as early returns from a half of Russian regions (45 out of 89) became known. Follow the preliminary returns of the Russian parlia- mentary elections as for 05:00 hours Moscow time (02:00 GMT) provided by the Central Election Com- mission: l'BIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 The Communist party of Gennadiy Zyuganov - 23 percent (compared to 26 as for 03:00 hours), The Liberal Democratic party of Vladimir Zhirinovskiy - 13.9 percent (15.3). The Our Home is Russia - 7.8 percent (5.9) The Yabloko of Grigory Yavlinskiy - 6.3 percent (5.2). The Women of Russia - 5.5 percent (5.9). Other parties and blocs have not overcome the 5 percent burdle so far. The conservative Agrarian party - 4.8 percent, The diehard communist Working Russia party - 4.4 percent, The centrist Workers’ Self-organisation Party of eye surgeon Svyatoslav Fedorov - 3.8 percent, The Democratic Russia’s Choice of Yegor Gaydar - 3.4 percent, The nationalist Congress of Russian Communities - 3.3 percent, The centrist Party of Russian Unity and Accord of Sergey Shakhray - 3 percent, The Ivan Rybkin bloc of current State Duma speaker Ivan Rybkin - 1.1 percent. TV Carries Election Results; Communists Lead LD1812074995 Moscow Russian Public Television First Channel Network in Russian 0701 GMT 18 Dec 95 (FBIS Translated Excerpt] Good morning. Can you hear me? Good morning. We are in the federal information center. We have just received new data on the results of the elections. Across Russia, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation is for now in the lead. It has 22 per cent. The early morning data had been 21.8 per cent. There has been a fall in the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia [LDPR] vote. In the morning they had 11.7 percent. They now have 11.2 percent. Russia Is Our Home now has 9.5 percent — in the morning it had 9.2 percent. The Yabloko electoral association has 8.4 percent at 1000 [0700 GMT] while it had 7.9 percent in the morning. These four electoral associations have cleared the five percent barrier and one can now say with some certainty that they will get into the Duma. Now for those who are near the five percent bar- rier. That’s Russia’s Democratic Choice — United Democrats. Earlier in the morning they had 4.5 per- cent. Now they have 4.8 percent — i.e. the democrats have almost cleared the five percent hurdle. Women of Russia had 4.7 percent, and they now have 4.5 percent. The Congress of Russian Communities have 4.1 percent. The Working People’s Self-government Party have 4.1 percent. The Communist - Working Russia - For the Soviet Union bloc has 4.1 percent while at 0800 it had 4.3 percent. ‘This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 Voting against all candidates were 2.7 percent of Russia’s electorate. This daca includes the results of voting across 58 components of the federation including St. Petersburg and Moscow. As for the capital, Russia Is Our Home is leading in Moscow with 20.3 percent. Yabloko and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation are level at 15.2 percent while Russia’s Democratic Choice is just behind at 10.6 percent. The Congress of Russian ommunities has 5.3 percent in Moscow and the Working People’s Self- Government Party has exactly five percent. In St. Petersburg, Yabloko is in the lead with 16.6 per- cent. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation has 13.9 percent. Our Home is Russia has 13.3 per- cent and Russia’s Democratic Choice has 12.7 percent. Around 60 percent of the electorate voted in St. Peters- burg. In Moscow, according to data at 0800, it was 46 percent but it is predicted that this figure will rise to 53 percent approximately. [passage omitted] Yeltsin’s Remarks at Barvikha Polling Station Reported LD1712110195 [FBIS Editorial Report] Moscow Mayak Radio Network in Russian at 0730 GMT on 17 December carries a two- minute report by Mayak correspondent Yuliy Semenov on President Yeltsin’s remarks after casting his vote at the polling station at Barvikha sanatorium outside Moscow. Semenov states that Yeltsin “refused to reply to a question about whom he had voted for, seeing in it an element of propaganda on election day.” “As far as various forecasts are concerned, the president believes that there is no need to be in too much of a hurry to make an assessment. One must wait until the results. For all that, he hopes that the composition of the Duma will allow it to be capable of working and that the tradition of cooperation between the legislative and executive power will continue and that the Duma will not allow itself to become involved in political intrigues. He is hoping for such cooperation. In his opinion, no change in the political situation should change the course of reforms. At any rate, he will not reject it. As far as the future prime minister is concerned, just as before, Yeltsin is inclined toward cooperation with Viktor Chernomyrdin and if some changes, considering the balance of political forces, suddenly become necessary, then this issue will only be resolved with Viktor Chernomyrdin. For the moment he does not visualize any other prime minister. As far as Yugoslavia is concerned — there were questions about it from our colleagues — the president said that he has made the decision that Russia should vote in the Security Council in favor of the process of peaceful settlement in Bosnia, in which Russia is DUMA ELECTION ISSUES taking an active part. Responding to a question about his health, the president said that the process of his recovery is becoming stable, there have been some ups and downs, but things were getting better and better. He joked that all he had to do now was to fight against the council [of doctors], in order to return to taking an active part in all the current matters more quickly and, from a personal point of view, he had a completely natural desire to see in the New Year with his sufficiently large family.” Semenov concludes by promising more details laser in the day. TV Reports on Yeltsin Voting LD1712111995 {[FBIS Editorial Report] Moscow Russian Public Tele- vision First Channel Network in Russian at 0955 GMT on 17 December carries an unscheduled “Novosti” bul- letin, which carries a three-minute report on Russian President Boris Yeltsin voting in the Duma Elections. The announcer reports that Yeltsin has cast his vote at the Barvikha sanatorium. Yeltsin is shown arriving at the polling station, having his passport and identity checked by an electoral official, entering the booth and then emerging to submit his ballot paper. Speaking to journalists, he says: “Let us recall what the pluralists were saying in summer and autumn of this year — that the federal authorities are doing all they can so that the elections won’t go ahead because it’s not in the president's interests, and that he wants the State Duma and presidential elections to be postponed. And he is doing all he can to achieve that. And going into hiding at Barvikha was part of the plan! “Look. The elections have to be valid. They’re going ahead at full steam in the Chechen Republic”. The camera cuts to another clip of Yeltsin, who says: “Let's hope the new Duma will be to Russia’s benefit, inclined to working hard and not playing at politics, to preserve and even improve the interaction between the president, the government, and the State Duma. I hope this will be the case, because it will benefit Russia and benefit the people of Russia. “Nobody and nothing will make me turn back and drop the chosen policy of reforms. These are essential — I’m firm on that — and there can be no doubts.” In remarks paraphrased by newsreader Anna Prokhorova, Yeltsin adds that the government's lineup might change after the elections but in any event he was inclined to keep Viktor Chernomyrdin on as prime minister. This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. 10 DUMA ELECTION ISSUES Yeltsin Favors Chernomyrdin as Head of New Government LDI1712182195 Moscow Russian Television Network in Russian 1700 GMT 17 Dec 95 [Video report by unidentified correspondent, including recorded comments by President Boris Yeltsin given in Moscow on 17 December; from the "Vesti" newscast] {FBIS Translated Excerpt] [video shows Yeltsin casting his vote and talking to journalists) [Correspondent] In the Brvikha sanatorium in Moscow Region, Boris Yeltsin cast his vote today. In an interview with journalists, the president wished the new deputies corps would not engage in politicking and attempts to evade answering questions. He reminded that the former deputies of the State Duma had failed to adopt more than 100 laws. The members of parliament did not have enough time to do their main job. It was wasted on unnecessary things, he said. Without having answered the question about the possible alignment of forces in the new Duma, the president said this. [Yeltsin] Nobody and no circumstances will make me abandon the policy of reform that we have chosen. As for the government, provided there is a certain alignment of forces at the State Duma, it will be necessary to consider who will be in the government. As for Chernomyrdin, I am personally in favor of the idea that he should head the new government. [Correspondent] Once again the head of the country has ted the press over whether he will stand for president in 1996. But he said he will make a public statement to that effect in February. As for Yeltsin’s health, he said he felt better. [passage omitted] Yeltsin Discusses Election Returns With Assistant LD1812123495 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 1144 GMT 18 Dec 95 [By ITAR-TASS correspondent Andrey Shtorkh] [FBIS Transcribed Text) MOSCOW, December 18 — Russian President Boris Yeltsin discussed the prelimi- nary results of the elections with first presidential as- sistant Viktor Ilyushin at Monday noon, the presiden- tial press service reported. Later, Yeltsin held a work- ing meeting with Speaker of the Federation Council Viadimir Shumeiko. They, specifically, discussed the results of the work of the Federation Council and the agenda of its forthcoming meetings. The President highly accessed the voter turnout in Rus- sia, Sergey Medvedev, the presidential Press Secretary, told Itar-Tass on Monday. He said that this confirmed the President’s forecast. FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 According to the Central Electoral Commission, 64.95 percent of registered voters went to the polls. This refuted the forecasts that voters were going to ignore the polls, the Press Secretary said. "People’s decision to go to the polls was largely influenced by the President’s address to the nation broadcast by the media on the ev. of the election,” the Press Secretary believes. Medvedev said presidential assistants and the chief of the presidential administration keep the President posted about the counting of votes. Medvedev believes it is yet early to sum up the elections. The final conclusions can be made after the Central Electoral Commission documentedly confirms its reports, also as regards one- seat constituences. On Tuesday Yeltsin will be discussing preliminary election returns at his usual working meeting with Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, Medvedev said. Zyuganov Satisfied With Early Returns, Eyes LD1812003995 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 0035 GMT 18 Dec 95 (By Tamara Ivanova] {(FBIS Transcribed Text) MOSCOW, December 18 (Itar-Tass) — Gennadiy Zyuganov, whose Communist party is said to be enjoying a major success in the Russian Far East and Siberia, is satisfied with the early returns and hopes to enhance success in other Russian regions as well. The Communist party has “seriously gained" compared to the 1993 State Duma elections, Zyuganov told Tass on Monday adding that the party has “very good positions” also in the central regions of Russia. He did not conceal his plans to win the presidential elections next year as well. The election technology of the Communist party is planned for two stages: the parliamentary and presidential elections, he said. Early returns said the Communists won over 21 per cent of votes in the Far East and Siberia. However, Zyuganov was sceptical of whether the pos- sible victory could allow him to change the situation in the country. “Even if 100 per cent of seats in the Duma is won by the opposition, it would be hard to change anything under the existing (executive) authority", he said. Still he will work to create “a solid coalition, a serious program in order to offer something solid and serious". is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-9S-242 18 December 1995 Zyuganov Anticipates Strengthening of Duma Powers LD1812112795 Moscow Russian Television Network in Russian 2310 GMT 17 Dec 95 (FBIS Translated Excerpt) [Unidentified presenter] We have in the studio Gennadiy Andreyevich Zyuganov, chairman of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation; Viktor Ivanovich Ilyukhin, chairman of the outgoing State Duma committee on security; and Viktor Petrovich Peshkov, secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. Gennadiy Andreyevich, what are your feelings as the results come in? [Zyuganov] We believed that we would actually gain everywhere and that is what is happening. We have just had the figures from Volgograd — we have had a considerable increase there, getting almost 27 percent, and we have around 30 percent in Altay. Even in Moscow we have made substantial gains; in Moscow Region we have around 20-22 percent. This success comes through the nature of the party, which has regained its strength, and through the fact that we have all, without exception, used new technology and worked directly with people. We have been in all the territories, without exception; we have had hundreds of meetings. We have a pretty sure and solid team and a clear and precise program, which provides for two stages: the State Duma elections and the presidential elections. The first, highly important, step towards strengthening the position of the popular patriotic forces has, I believe, been taken. This will have a palpable effect on the formation of a big coalition in the State Duma, which is our main idea and which both the program and the team can offer. [Presenter] Your first steps in the Duma? We know that you are one of the most influential forces there. [Zyuganov] Well, Viktor Ivanovich [Ilyukhin] is work- ing in the Duma now, and I hope he will be continuing; this is exceptionally responsible work. [Presenter] There remain 200 laws from the previous Duma. [Zyuganov] No, the key issues — wherever we have been, people put first prices, personal public security, and unemployment. Our first steps involve bringing in basic order, providing security. If we do not guarantee these rights, there is no point in all the rest. There has to be public assistance, targeted assistance, for those who this winter are ultimately unable to make ends meet — DUMA ELECTION ISSUES 11 people with big families, the disabled, the elderly, and so on. Another key issue is the power structure. The present government is essentially neither overseen nor account- able and the president has so many powers that a per- fectly healthy and very highly experienced person would not be able to cope. We will therefore be striving to deal with things by not making the situation more diffi- cult, but by strengthening the oversight functions of the State Duma and at the same time being ready to give the greatest powers to the executive and administrative authorities, if they can be unitary and not duplicated as at present. You know that the president’s team makes decisions, so does the government, but neither takes re- sponsibility for the outcome. [Presenter] So, Gennadiy Andreyevich. If the forces of the left are going to be so well represented in the State Duma, have so many seats, many people are naturally going to be worried that the pendulum will swing in the opposite direction, that there will be many different forces and movements, so people are of course worried about stability and continuity. Will this not mean new tendencies in the State Duma, above all in the power structure, and too great shocks? [Zyuganov] We discussed this matter today with Rus- sian business to create conditions for very efficient work regardless of the kind of ownership and for normal or- ganization of life. We will be trying to do this. In my view, a very solid left-center coalition could take shape. A coalition, on the one hand, of people who are well aware that without justice and friendship among peo- ples there can be no prosperity in Russia, and on the other hand, of people with experience, pragmatism, and a knowledge of government. In our team we have Aman Tuleyev, Petr Romanov, Svetlana Goryacheva, Viktor Ilyukhin — who has a good knowledge of security, Nikolay Gubenko, and a whole series of uther people who have proven they are able to operate effectively, both under the old system and in the new conditions. [passage omitted] Grachev Votes in Moscow, Comments on Chechnya LD1712084195 Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service in Russian 0811 GMT 17 Dec 95 [By ITAR-TASS correspondents Artem Protasenko and Gennadiy Yezhov] {[FBIS Translated Text] Moscow, 17 Dec — One must not stir up tension in the country. "The country needs stability, whoever wins today’s elections,” Russian De- fense Minister Pavel Grachev said leaving a polling sta- tion in Krylatskoye [in Moscow]. Asked by journalists This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. 12 DUMA ELECTION ISSUES for whom he had voted, the minister said he had voted for "peace and stability.” As for the army in general, the minister said it consisted of “living people, and every one of them has his own opinion.” The minister was asked about the situation in Guder- mes, where fighters continue to lay siege to the com- mandant’s office building and the railway station. The minister said the army was virtually not involved in the Operation to neutralize the fighters, which was being conducted by the Chechen interior troops and police. The Defense Ministry troops “back them with artillery and air force” when necessary. Pavel Grachev was confident that the elections in Chechnya would be valid. Zavagayev, Lobov Vote in Chechnya LD1712085895 Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service in Russian 0829 GMT I7 Dec 95 [By ITAR-TASS correspondents Sergey Trofimov, Rus- lan Maysigov, and Sharip Asuyev] {[FBIS Translated Text] Groznyy, 17 Dec — Russian presidential envoy to Chechnya Oleg Lobov and Chair- man of the Chechen government Doku Zavgayev today at 1100 cast their votes ai the polling station No. 29 at Severnyy airport in Groznyy. After the voting Doku Zavgayev told journalists: “Vot- ers are very actively taking part in the elections. Ac- cording to preliminary data, the voting has taken place. This shows that people strive for peace and civil ac- cord, and that they support steps taken by the republic's government and the federal authorities to stabilize the situation in Chechnya.” Rybkin Will Form Coalition With Centrist Deputies LD1712131495 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1128 GMT 17 Dec 95 {FBIS Transcribed Text] MOSCOW, Dec 17 (Interfax) — If the election bloc of Ivan Rybkin wins the Duma elections, its deputies will make a coalition with centrist parties, including those of the right-wing center, and the Agrarian Party of Russia in the new Duma, Rybkin told correspondents at the 20Ist polling station of Moscow Sunday. He regretted the failure of sober-minded forces to unite before the elections because of their leaders’ arrogance. Commenting on the elections progress, the Duma speaker said that the voters are now 1.5-2 times more active than before. In his opinion, “it is very important that people vote and choose their leaders.” Rybkin likes the “unhurried FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 replacement of the old Russian parliament with the new one in accordance with the Constitution." "The people’s voice is the God’s voice," noted Rybkin. Women of Russia Leader Hopes To Enlarge Duma Faction LD1812075395 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 0719 GMT 18 Dec 95 (By Tamara Ivanova] {(FBIS Transcribed Text] MOSCOW, December 18 (Itar-Tass) - Preliminary results of polling in Sunday's {17 December] elections to the State Duma of Russia were not unexpected to Alevtina Fedulova, leader of the Women of Russia movement. Commenting on the Central Electoral Commission re- port that the Women of Russia movement his polled tentatively 5.5 percent of the vote on party lists, as of 05.00 Moscow time (02.00 GMT), in 45 regions of the country, Fedulova told Itar-Tass that the polling results “confirm the initial estimates to a certain extent". Fedulova voiced hope that even five percent of the vote gained in elections this time “will weigh more than in 1993” (when the Women of Russia movement polled 8.13 percent of the vote) and will enable the movement to enlarge its faction in the State Duma. Fedulova reafffirmed the movement’s position — not to ally with any associations — since she does not see so far a political force which would regard the women as partners in politics, "not just as the electorate”. Lebed Wins Duma Seat in Tula Constituency LD1812042795 Moscow ITAR-TASS World Service in Russian 0355 GMT 18 Dec 95 [By ITAR-TASS correspondent Valeriy Rudenko] (FBIS Translated Text] Tula, 18 Dec — General Alek- sandr Lebed, one of the leaders of the Congress of Rus- sian Communities association, has won a confident vic- tory in the 176th single-mandate constituency in Tula. The former commander of the 14th Army in the Dni- ester region won twice as many votes as his closest opponents — Tula Mayor Nikolay Tyaglivyy and Ed- uard Pashchenko, a deputy of the first State Duma. Rutskoy To Run for President Despite Duma Defeat LD1812121595 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1037 GMT 18 Dec 95 [FBIS Transcribed Text] MOSCOW, Dec 18 (Interfax) — Leader of the Derzhava (Great Power) social- patriotic movement and former Russian Vice President This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. FBIS-SOV-95-242 18 December 1995 Aleksandr Rutskoy plans to run for president in 1996, despite his defeat in the 1995 Duma elections. "I do not care for the defeat, because there can be nothing surprising in this country with its ugly political system,” Rutskoy told Interfax Monday [18 December]. Commenting on the elections success of the Russian Communist Party, Rutskoy said “people must have had too little bloodshed and suffering, and want more of them." "I hope that sooner or later Russian citizens will become lucid. We are a great country, and deserve a worthy life,” said Rutskoy. Reformists, Businessmen Win in One-Seat Communities LD1812032895 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 0314 GMT 18 Dec 95 {[FBIS Transcribed Text] MOSCOW, December 18 (Itar-Tass) — Well- known businessmen and reformist politicians have won in one-seat constituencies in the Russian capital of Moscow. The Russian TV network quoted the Central Election Commission as saying that, as for 05:00 hours Moscow time (02:00 GMT), the following candidates have won in Moscow: Democratic lawmaker Irina Khakamada, Former Human Rights Commissioner Sergey Kovalev, Democratic investigator Telman Gdlyan, Reformist businessmen Konstantin Borovoy and Artem Tarasov. Regional Activities Regional Election Results in Keeping With ‘General Picture’ LD1812112495 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 1110 GMT 18 Dec 95 (FBIS Transcribed Text) MOSCOW December 18 (ITAR-TASS) — Preliminary information about the results of the elections to the State Duma received by ITAR-TASS correspondents in Russian regions are in keeping with the general picture of the results of the voting presented by the Central Electoral Commission. Communists are leading in many subjects of the Feder- ation on federal tickets. This situation is characteristic not only of Siberia and the Far East but also of Cen- tral Russia. For instance, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation is leading by a large margin in the Tambovsk region (35 per cent), Bryansk region (33.8 percent), Belgorod region (29.6 per cent), Smolensk DUMA ELECTION ISSUES 13 region (about 25 per cent). Communists earned approx- imately 20 per cent of votes in the Samara, Voronezh, Leningrad, Vladimir and some other regions in the Eu- ropean part of Russia. The LDPR [Liberal Democratic Party of Russia] is ahead of Communists by some 1.5 per cent in the Maritime territory. It earned 20.2 per cent of votes. Yabloko bloc is leading in the Kamchatka peninsula so far. In keeping with experts’ forecast, the leader in the Sverdlovsk region is Transformation of the Fatherland movement formed by the region’s governor Eduard Rossel. The democratic forces have the strongest positions in Moscow and in St. Petersburg, while they have not been able to overcome the five per cent hurdle in Russian provinces. There have so far been only sketchy reports about lead- ers in one- seat constituencies. Moreover, they are pre- liminary. Among the well-known personalities who are ahead of competitors are Speaker of the State Duma Ivan Rybkin (the Voronezh region), Russian Foreign Minister Andrey Kozyrev who ran in the Murmansk region, Boris Yeltsin’s associate in the recent past Gen- nadiy Burbulis (the Sverdlovsk region), prominent eye surgeon Svyatoslav Fedorov (Chuvashia), Far Eastern entrepreneur Valentin Tsoy (the Khabarovsk territory), former Speaker of the USSR Supreme Soviet Anatoliy Lukyanov (the Smolensk region), USSR ex-Premier Nikolay Ryzhkov (the Belgorod region), General Al- bert Makashov (the Samara region), leader of St. Peters- burg regional committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Yuriy Belov (the Leningrad region), journalist Aleksandr Nevzorov (the Pskov region). It is characteristic that preference in one-seat constituen- cies is given to local chiefs as the population hopes that they will exert efforts toward improving their life. Elections Progressing ‘Without Incidents’ LD1712151995 Moscow INTERFAX in English 1401 GMT 17 Dec 95 ([FBIS Transcribed Text] MOSCOW, Dec 17 (INTER- FAX) — The Duma elections are progressing without incidents throughout Russia, deputy head of the Russian Interior Ministry’s press service Mikhail Doronin told INTERFAX Sunday. There have been several telephone calls claiming explo- sive devices in Buryatia and the Far East, he said. Reinforced police patrols in Moscow and the Moscow region have helped to solve about 40 grave crimes. This report may contain copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the copyright owners. 14 DUMA ELECTION ISSUES A certain Sobyanin, a resident of Novokuznetsk, was arrested at the Sheremetyevo airport for a series of hired murders in Moscow and other areas. The police arrested a lawyer of the Moscow City Bar, Molchanov, who organized the kidnapping of several citizens. They were kept hostage at a rest house in the Moscow region. According to Doronin, the activities of several criminal groups involved in drug trafficking were stopped in the past 24 hours. High Turnout in Far East, Low Turnout in North Viewed LD1712134495 Moscow /TAR-TASS in English 1328 GMT 17 Dec 95 (By Tamara Zamyatina] ([FBIS Transcribed Text] MOSCOW December 17 (ITAR-TASS) — Explaining the reasons for a surpris- ingly high turnout at the elections to the State Duma, experts from the analytical centre at the staff of the Russian president give two possible explanations. “It may be the result either of the fear to see the present authorities replaced by new ones, or of a protest against the policy, pursued by the government.” Emil Pain, head of the special task group created at the analytical centre specially for the elections, told TASS that “the growth of the turnout in comparison with 1993 in the Far East and Siberia is exceedingly high — by five to 10 per cent." The voting is over in that part of the country. Against this background low turnout in the northern ar- eas — the Magadan Region, Norilsk and the Taymyr Peninsula — is especially noticeable. Leonid Smyrnya- gin, head of the department of regional problems at the analytical centre, made a telephone call to Norilsk and found out that on the eve of December 17 Anatoliy Fila- tov, director of the Norilsk Metallurgical Complex, had said in his TV address that he was not going to take part in the voting in protest ag