Скачать или смотреть RUSSIA: PRESIDENT YELTSIN OFFERS OLIVE BRANCH TO PARLIAMENT

(30 Jan 1996) Russian/Nat

President Boris Yeltsin has offered an olive branch to Russia's parliament - now dominated by communists and nationalists.

The President has offered to hold talks with the new hardline speaker of the Parliament in an attempt to avert a political stalemate.

Boris Yeltsin announced details of his peace talks with the Russian parliament after a routine meeting with leaders of two of the country's regional councils.

The Presidents of Orenburg and Krasnodar signed a series of documents regulating their relations with the central government in Moscow.

But that government could spend the next six months in political turmoil.

In the run-up to the country's Presidential elections in June, Boris Yeltsin faces a Parliament dominated by the opposition.

Disputes between them could drag the political system into crisis, unless the two sides can work together.

At an impromptu press conference in Moscow the President announced he was in compromise talks with the speaker of the Russian Parliament - Gennady Seleznyov.

He said he would consider agreeing to a set of rules to prevent a stand-off.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"We (Yeltsin and Seleznyov) are going to meet and discuss difficult issues together, to find a compromise so as not to head off in different directions. We must prevent that. For if we part ways, it will be a serious blow to Russian statehood as a whole and Russian authority abroad."

SUPER CAPTION: Boris Yeltsin, Russian President

And he wants to make sure his decrees are carried out by an inefficient government bureaucracy.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"Every decree will be monitored literally article by article every week and the results reported to me. If a decree is not fulfilled, the blame will lie with the individual responsible for it. We must at long last get some discipline into these matters.

SUPER CAPTION: Boris Yeltsin, Russian President

Yeltsin has been trying to shore up his position following his supporters' disastrous performance in the Parliamentary elections.

Earlier this month he sacked the leading architect of the privatisation programme - Anatoly Chubais and he wants to be seen to responding to popular discontent.

And he has been giving impromptu press briefings almost daily - a sharp contrast to his long absences last year.

With his history of ill-health, he wants to show voters that he's still in control and a strong candidate for another presidential term.

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