RUSSIAN ECONOMIST APPROVES REINTEGRATION OF RUSSIA AND EASTERN EUROPE.

Academician Leonid Abalkin, head of Moscow’s Institute of Economics and a former advisor to the Gorbachev government, has told Interfax in an interview that Russia’s reintegration not only with the CIS states, but also with the states of Eastern Europe is a positive and necessary trend. (Interfax, March 26) Abalkin’s views are noteworthy because, according to well-informed sources, he is acting as economic advisor to Russian Communist party leader Gennady Zyuganov. Also acting in such a capacity are said to be former Gosplan head, Yuri Maslyukov, and Stepan Sitaryan, who also used to work for Gosplan. Abalkin told Interfax that he saw Russia as "a center of gravity." He predicted that reintegration would achieved not through the establishment of a unitary state, but by the creation of multinational companies and financial institutions. As for politicians, Abalkin said, they must not "trail behind or hinder the objective process" of establishing "a new lineup of geopolitical forces."

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