YELTSIN TELLS SECURITY COUNCIL HE MUST BE "TOUGH."

In an indication that he may in fact dismiss one or more ofthe power ministers as some in the Duma have demanded, Yeltsintold the Security Council June 29 that he would have to apportionblame for the Budennovsk disaster and be "tough" againstthose responsible, Interfax reported. (On June 28, a "reliableKremlin source" told Interfax that Yeltsin would make nomove any time soon.) Meanwhile, the political crisis–which onepaper called a kind of "show trial" with the parts ofeach side carefully scripted–seemed to be ending. Prime MinisterViktor Chernomyrdin won the support of the 50-strong AgrarianParty Duma delegation by promising to increase spending on agriculture.Their departure from the anti-government coalition means thatit will be virtually impossible for those who want the governmentto fall to achieve the 226 votes needed.

Moscow Makes Concessions at Chechen Talks.