YELTSIN’S NEW COUNCIL ON RELIGION SEEN AS ELECTION TOOL.

BorisYeltsin’s decision to create a Council on Cooperation with ReligiousOrganizations was clearly intended to help him in the upcomingparliamentary and presidential elections, Izvestiya suggestedAugust 18. Its new secretary, A. Krasikov, has worked for a longtime with various religious groups; he told the paper that his"primary task will be to establish an atmosphere of permanentconsultation between the government and religious denominationsand confessions and thus facilitate their independence from thestate and its policies."

Stavropol Officials Lack Funds to Fight Polio Epidemic.