YELTSIN TO MEET WITH OTHER CANDIDATES ALSO.

Yeltsin’s office downplayed the significance of yesterday’s meeting between Yeltsin and Lebed, calling it one of several the president intends to hold with other candidates. (Interfax, May 2) The Union of Cossacks yesterday appealed to Yeltsin and his leading rival, Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, to meet prior to the elections and to agree to bury their differences lest these "destroy Russia’s statehood and territorial integrity." The Union called on other presidential candidates to withdraw from the race. Last week, Yeltsin expressed his willingness to meet with Zyuganov. Zyuganov responded by proposing that the two should take part in a televised debate; the Yeltsin team has not yet reacted publicly to this idea. Yeltsin arrived today for a visit to Yaroslavl oblast, 160 miles northeast of Moscow, while Zyuganov is due to travel on Monday to Bonn. (Reuters, May 2)

Zyuganov to Meet with German Leaders.