DATE=4/30/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-230519
TITLE=RUSSIA COMMUNISTS/START TWO  (L)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  RUSSIA'S COMMUNISTS ARE PROMISING A SERIES OF NATIONWIDE
STRIKES AIMED AT BRINGING DOWN THE GOVERNMENT.  CORRESPONDENT
PETER HEINLEIN IN MOSCOW REPORTS COMMUNIST LEADER GENNADY
ZYUGANOV IS ALSO THREATENING TO BLOCK RATIFICATION OF THE
"START-TWO" ARMS CONTROL TREATY.

TEXT:  ON THE EVE OF THE TRADITIONAL MAY FIRST HOLIDAY, MR.
ZYUGANOV SAID THE TIME HAS COME TO ORGANIZE THE MASSES AGAINST
PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN AND HIS NEWLY-APPOINTED GOVERNMENT.

MR. ZYUGANOV, EMBARRASSED BY HIS PARTY'S FAILURE TO BLOCK THE
NOMINATION OF PRIME MINISTER SERGEI KIRIYENKO, CALLED ON ALL
OPPOSITION FORCES TO UNITE IN SUPPORT OF NATIONWIDE STRIKES.

HE PREDICTED IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, RUSSIANS WOULD BE HEARD,
SAYING -- THEY HAVE GROWN TIRED OF LAWLESSNESS.  SOME ARE
STARVING.  SOME ARE COMMITTING SUICIDE.

IN A CALL CLEARLY AIMED AT THE ANGER OF ECONOMICALLY-DEPRIVED
RUSSIANS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, THE COMMUNIST LEADER SUGGESTED ROAD
BLOCKADES TO CUT OFF FOOD SUPPLIES TO MOSCOW. OPINION POLLS HAVE
INDICATED MOST RURAL RUSSIANS BELIEVE MOSCOW IS SIPHONING-OFF THE
NATION'S WEALTH AT THE EXPENSE OF THE REGIONS.

BUT MR. ZYUGANOV'S COMMENTS, MADE AT A WIDE-RANGING NEWS
CONFERENCE, WENT VIRTUALLY UNREPORTED IN RUSSIA'S MAINSTREAM
MEDIA.  ALL THREE MAJOR TELEVISION CHANNELS INSTEAD FOCUSED ON
HIS CRITICISM OF NEW CABINET APPOINTMENTS.

THE COMMUNIST LEADER ALSO SAID HIS PARTY -- THE LARGEST IN
PARLIAMENT -- WOULD OPPOSE RATIFICATION OF THE START-TWO ARMS
TREATY.  PRESIDENT YELTSIN HAS SAID HE WOULD WORK HARD TO GET
LAWMAKERS TO ACCEPT THE 1993 ACCORD, BUT MR. ZYUGANOV RIDICULED
THE IDEA, SAYING RATIFICATION MAKES  NO  SENSE AT A TIME WHEN
RUSSIA HAS, IN HIS WORDS -- ZERO NATIONAL SECURITY.

START-TWO, SIGNED BY PRESIDENT YELTSIN AND FORMER U-S PRESIDENT
GEORGE BUSH, CALLS FOR THE TWO COUNTRIES TO SLASH THEIR NUCLEAR
ARSENALS FROM ABOUT SIX-THOUSAND EACH TO 35-HUNDRED BY THE YEAR
2007.

THE U-S SENATE APPROVED THE TREATY IN 1996, BUT THE OPPOSITION-
DOMINATED RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT (DUMA) HAS CONSISTENTLY DELAYED ITS
CONSIDERATION.  MANY LAWMAKERS SAY THE TREATY IS UNREALISTIC
BECAUSE RUSSIA DOES  NOT  HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THE
DESTRUCTION OF ITS WEAPONS.

VLADIMIR LUKIN, HEAD OF THE DUMA'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE, WAS QUOTED THURSDAY AS SAYING HE EXPECTS PARLIAMENT TO
DEBATE THE TREATY BEFORE THE END OF MAY.   (SIGNED)

NEB/PFH/PCF/RAE

30-Apr-98 12:59 PM EDT (1659 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.