Outlook While I would agree that the unemployed Catholics were Letters/Russia Veronica Fagan WHEN BORIS Yeltsin made his New standing down in favour of heir PasCus British press this was a complete scarcely inspires confidence the extent to which vanous correspondenis nad been seriously following the We welcome readers' let- situation either in ters on any topic. Letters or Cliceanya over 400 words may be cut It is true rather than months Yeltsin had hung tenaciously on to Write to Socialist Outlook, PO Box 1109, London N4 power despite being a physi.
cal and political wreck. Buf the best chance that Yeltsin email: [email protected] had to ensure he could hand over tae reins of power to his chosen successor cisely at this moment. The recent parliamentary clections saw showing "Bear" coalition put together by Yeltsin's supporters. But whether enough to ensure the election of Putin less certain. After received less than 25 per cent of the vote while 50 percent is necessary to elect the Pres. Moreover the itself was cobbled together gramme or common goals -other than the promotion of If the political or economic situation begins to further there is no guarantee that the coalition will remain himself is under fire and his Presidential aspirations no longer seem a certainty. At the moment that announcement, war in Chechnya popular, bolstered both by the Great Russian chauvin. ism that is one of the bitter cracies or starnism, and or the media black-out as to what is actually happening on the ground. This resulted in high opinTion poll showings Vladimir Year's Putin, very much tect of this war.
Putin, But now Putin is claimed that We We Collie surprise already Well 88 0 307 war casualties the and becomes more ditficult to hide these Moscow from the Russian that for years That is certainly has dential election forward from June date March 26. this came pre- will enough remains to a relatively breaking as we go to press that Russian military commanders have cash bribes of 23,500 - and a wide screen televisson relura lor Holl as their presi- number of Chechen villages.
In other areas all, they that underpaid officers had stopped attacks in return for food! Stories of serious levels of desertion coalition circulate. So much for the morale of the Russian troops. Concrete proway the wind is blowing by making a speech on January lower the expectations of the Russian people over the against Chechnya. admitted that mistakes have xen made, and not only his predecessor and, unlike Yeltsin, has offered no dead. Yeltsin "Step by step" The war will go on "step by the brutal remained step he said. When it 'will depend on expediency". Whether this is preparing for the possibility that Russia will be unable to completely subordinate Chechnya for decade remains to be seen. It Was Putin put in at the right rime?
is certainly not clear that the accepted 08058000 a as agreed at the end of the last would again be acceptable in Grozny. bombing a Nor are Putin's concerns restricted to the situation in Chechnya. The cconomic situation itself remains a major problem. major political forces in Russia are deeply committed to and privatisa tion - they differ only on the tactics how quickly it is carty this out without risking war back lash from the Russian working class Much of the other jockey: ing is about which political formation promises i the biggest slice of the cake to waica paracurar indivsqual. But if the war in Chechnya goes SOUT will be paid at home to the desperate situation of people home and whether they continue believe politicians who year in year promised them a share in the supposed glitter of capitalism while their real