"BIG FOUR" MEET.

Russian President Boris Yeltsin yesterday chaired the latest meeting of the "Big Four" (president, prime minister and the speakers of the two houses of parliament). (RTR, January 29) These meetings are fast becoming institutionalized. Yeltsin proposed yesterday that in the future they should work to a formal agenda published in advance. The press reports issued after the meetings read like the minutes of Politburo meetings published in the Andropov period.

Otherwise, Yeltsin did not seem to give much away yesterday. Duma Speaker Gennady Seleznev presented the Communists’ draft proposal for a coalition government that would "reflect the composition of parliament" (in other words, include Communist ministers). Yeltsin brushed this aside. (RTR, January 29)

Yeltsin Secures Budget Compromise.