Yeltsin Nominee Gets Second Veto

Russia's parliament overwhelming rejected Boris Yeltsin's candidate for premier Friday for a second time, setting up a showdown with the president in next week's expected third and final vote.

Parliament's lower house, the State Duma, resoundingly turned down the nomination of Sergei Kiriyenko by a vote of 271-115.

The president immediately renominated Kiriyenko, his office said.

If parliament rejects the president's candidate a third time, Yeltsin is empowered to dismiss the State Duma, parliament's lower house, and call new elections.

Kiriyenko had lobbied hard to win additional support this time, but received even fewer votes than last week, when he was turned down 186-143.

He needs 226 votes, or a simple majority in the 450-seat Duma.

Friday's ballot was an open vote, which allowed the Communist Party and other opposition factions to see which way their members voted. Last week's vote was done by a secret ballot, and that may have accounted for Kiriyenko's stronger showing in the first round.

Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov gave an impassioned speech to the Duma before today's ballot, saying parliament and the Russian people "have become hostages to a dead constitution and an absolutely incapable president."

"If we do not show courage today, we would all be participants in the final destruction of Russia. Our children and our grandchildren would not forgive us. We shall not vote for Kiriyenko," Zyuganov said.

But Yeltsin has insisted he has no other candidate besides Kiriyenko, a 35-year-old former banker with less than one year of government experience.

The Communists and other Yeltsin foes in the Duma say that Kiriyenko is too young and green to lead Russia's government.

In his weekly radio address, Yeltsin insisted the impasse was no crisis for Russia.

"Many developed countries treat such things calmly. They don't dramatize the situation, as they understand that such a crisis is not a catastrophe. We also have no reason to build up fears and frighten people," he said.

"All the ministries and government institutions are working," Yeltsin added. "Whatever our opponents say, whatever they frighten us with, a normal political process is underway."

Russia has been operating with an interim government since March 23, when Yeltsin abruptly dismissed the entire Cabinet, saying he was frustrated swith the government's inability to improve Russia's weak economy.

Kiriyenko, who served as fuel minister in the previous Cabinet, has been holding regular meetings with government officials, but the interim Cabinet has not made any major policy decisions recently.

By Vladimir Isachenkov.
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