Putin wins in Duma when deputies cut deal

Tuesday January 18, 5:55 pm Eastern Time
By Peter Graff

MOSCOW, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Russia's Acting President Vladimir Putin called on Tuesday for a new era of cooperation with parliament, and lawmakers answered with a deal splitting control of the lower house among the Communists and a pro-Kremlin party.

The Duma elected Communist Gennady Seleznyov as speaker at its first session since an election on December 19. But the deal gave control of a large number of key parliamentary committees to the Unity bloc, created three months ago to support Putin.

The deal drew furious criticism from a host of smaller parties whose members quit the hall in disgust after it became clear they could not oppose the Unity-Communist alliance.

But it was clearly a victory for the acting president, who had opened the session by telling deputies he wanted to end the tradition of bitter relations between parliament and government that had been the hallmark of President Boris Yeltsin's rule.

Putin also seemed to score gains in Chechnya, where Russian forces said they had made new advances in a second attempt to seize the regional capital Grozny.

The Chechnya campaign had been bogged for several weeks after early successes that won Putin the overwhelming popularity likely to carry him to victory in a presidential election on March 26.

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, answering questions at a foreign policy forum, described Putin as a leading reformer and said she saw positive economic and political changes in Russia.

PUTIN CALLS FOR END TO POLITICAL BATTLES

In his first address to the new Duma, Putin called on deputies to work with him and each other, and bring a halt ``to the notion of political battles and personal ambitions.''

``A policy of cooperation and mutually agreed restraints is the only one possible,'' he said.

But there was plenty of political battling on display in the Duma after it became clear that Unity and the Communists had cut a deal to lock up the battle for the chamber's leadership.

Seleznyov ran unopposed after his challengers, including two former premiers, bowed out of the race and their parties stormed out of the hall. Seleznyov's supporters called the move little more than a stunt, since Seleznyov was backed by the majority.

Communists remain the largest single group in the Duma, but the balance of power has shifted toward parties, such as Unity, that back Putin. Even many of the deputies that walked out on Tuesday describe themselves as the acting president's allies.

Although Seleznyov is a member of the anti-government Communist Party, he has a reputation as a smooth-mannered pragmatist capable of steering legislation through parliament.

Fighting for the Chechen capital resumed after a lull last week that saw rebels launch counterattacks against Russian-held towns, dealing government troops their worst setback in the three-and-a-half month campaign.

Tass quoted Russian military headquarters in Chechnya as saying troops had reached Grozny's centre after a night of heavy artillery and aerial bombardment. Interior Minister Vladimir Rushailo said the operation to take the city was nearing an end.

Rebels said the Russian attacks had indeed been stepped up, but guerrillas were still holding their positions in the city.

CAMPAIGN POPULAR IN RUSSIA

The Chechnya campaign is popular in Russia, but has angered Western leaders concerned about the plight of civilians.

The leader of a Council of Europe delegation which Rushailo escorted to areas near the war zone said Russia should call a ceasefire and hold talks to end the war.

In Washington, the foreign minister in Chechnya's separatist government, Ilyas Akhmadov, said on Tuesday talks with U.S. officials last week had been ``a small victory'' but added that the officials had listened while saying little.

``You cannot expect to change things in one meeting,'' Akhmadov said of his talks with mid-level U.S. officials, largely on humanitarian issues, at a Washington hotel last Thursday.

Putin made no mention of Chechnya in his speech to parliament, and has been making a concerted effort to show that he stands for more than just the hawkish Chechnya policy that has become his trademark.

He cited several pieces of legislation needing quick treatment, including laws on land and labour, criminal and civil justice codes and changes to military conscription policy.

After his speech he told reporters his government stood for ``moderately liberal'' economic policies.

``The government should create a good investment climate in the country, trying to strengthen the state institutions that support market mechanisms,'' he said.


"anti-government Communist Party", what!

Sounds to me like they are saying - "OK, KGB and reformed communists are back in charge, no more political arguments allowed."

-- Possible Impact (posim@hotmail.com), January 19, 2000

Answers

Possible, you're right. But, were they ever really not in charge?

-- (4@5.6), January 19, 2000.