JUNE 1996 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION REMAINS CRUCIAL.

Russian financial markets reacted calmly to news of the communists’ strong showing the Duma elections. (21) Financial experts pointed out that the country’s economic policy is set by the president and government, not parliament, and that Yeltsin has reiterated his determination not to depart from the reform course. The future of market reform, they stressed, depends not on the present parliamentary elections but on the presidential elections scheduled for June 16, 1996. Yeltsin told journalists December 17 that he would announce in February whether or not he will stand for re-election in June. (22) As for Communist party leader Gennady Zyuganov, he has not yet indicated whether he will become a presidential candidate or whether the communists will throw their weight behind another candidate.

1. Interfax, December 18

2. Itar-Tass, December 18

3. Itar-Tass, December 18

4. Interfax, December 18

5. Interfax, December 18

6. Interfax, December 18

7. Interfax, December 18

8. Interfax, December 18

9. Interfax, December 18

10. Itar-Tass, Interfax, Ekho Moskvy, Reuter, December 18

11. NTV, Russian TV, Reuter, December 18

12. Reuter, December 18

13. BBC World Service, December 18

14. BBC World Service, December 18

15. Interfax, December 18

16. Interfax, December 18

17. BBC Radio, December 19

18. Itar-Tass, Reuter, December 18

19. Interfax-Ukraine, December 18

20. Interfax, December 18; AFP, December 11

21. BBC World Service, December 18

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