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Yeltsin says progress slow on pre-election deal

Yeltsin

May 18, 1996
Web posted at: 5:15 p.m. EDT (2115 GMT)

KRASNOYARSK, Russia (CNN) -- With less than a month to go before the presidential election, President Boris Yeltsin was trying to build a coalition as a bulwark against the Communists, but his Democratic rivals are playing hard to get.

"I am ready to unite with anyone," Yeltsin told a rally of 2,000 supporters in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk. "I am ready to form a coalition government ... the task is not to let those who do not want reform seize power."

Yavlinsky

Yeltsin said his primary liberal rival, economist Grigory Yavlinsky, is setting tough terms for pulling out of the race.

"I offered him a post of first deputy prime minister in charge of reform, which is his main platform, his beloved child, but he wants the job of prime minister. His pride does not allow him to accept (the deputy premiership)," Yeltsin said. Yavlinsky also reportedly wants Yeltsin to dismiss all senior members of his cabinet.

Yeltsin focusing on communist rivals

Yeltsin, 65, views his campaign for re-election as a crusade against the communists.

Zyuganov

A poll published on Saturday put the Russian leader eight percentage points ahead of his communist rival Gennady Zyuganov, who is winning support from nationalists, the elderly and from those who lost out from painful economic reforms.

But 20 percent of voters had not made up their minds and one survey issued on Friday put the communist leader well ahead.

On Saturday, Yeltsin won the backing of Yegor Gaidar, the liberal reformer who launched Russia on the road to a market economy. Gaidar, a former acting prime minister, urged his Democratic Choice of Russia party to back Yeltsin.

"We will vote for the normal, civilized development of Russia and today that chance is linked to a Yeltsin victory," Gaidar said, describing Yeltsin as the only real alternative to a Communist comeback.

Campaign dogged by concerns over Chechnya

Gaidar

Other members of the reformist party have said they cannot support Yeltsin because of his bloody campaign in the separatist Caucasus region of Chechnya.

Yeltsin sent troops to Chechnya in December 1994 to crush an independence bid.

Ignoring advice from security chiefs and ministers, Yeltsin said he will visit the region to give new impetus to planned talks between the Russians, the rebel Chechens and a pro- Russia Chechen government Moscow has installed.

"We have a bit of a problem in Chechnya," Yeltsin said. "Nobody else can solve this problem but me. Maybe it is risky going there, but all our life is risky. I will have to be there to sit the three sides to the negotiating table."

Chechen rebel leader Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev said there are no operations planned during Yeltsin's trip, but he said could not ensure the Russian leader's safety. Many rebels hold Yeltsin responsible for the death of their former leader Dzhokhar Dudayev who, some say, died in a Russian air strike.

"No one can take away the right of every Chechen to avenge the slain president," Yandarbiyev said, referring to Dudayev.

Turnout expected to be high

The June 16 contest is the first presidential election in Russia since the Soviet Union fell apart. If no candidate wins an overall majority in the first round of voting, a second ballot will be held, probably on July 7 or possibly on July 14.

The head of the central electoral commission told a news conference the June 16 turnout could be up to 80 percent. "My prediction is an 80 percent turnout. My dream is 85 percent," Nikolai Ryabov said.

CNN Moscow Bureau Chief Eileen O'Connor

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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