YELTSIN "IMPROVED," CHERNOMYRDIN DUE BACK FROM HOLIDAY.

Kremlin doctors said yesterday that there had been a marked improvement in Yeltsin’s condition. The president was "still a little wheezy," but was able to move about and had met for half an hour with his aide, Anatoli Chubais. (BBC, Interfax, Itar-Tass, January 14) The doctors did not, however, say how long Yeltsin would remain in the hospital. Having been told a week ago that the president suffered only from a cold, many Russians are now highly skeptical of the doctors’ reports. Meanwhile, government sources said Chernomyrdin would return from his short vacation today. (Itar-Tass, January 14)

Russian, Chechen Interior Ministers Sign Cooperation Agreement.