Читать книгу The Perestroika Effect - Cecilia Tanner - Страница 19

"You recall that in June when seven hundred delegates, representing four major interest groups convened in the Kremlin for a Constitutional Conference? There had been nothing but opposition, confrontation, and hostility between Yeltsin's group and Khasbulatov's Parliamentary Representatives. Yeltsin wanted a constitution with strong Presidential powers, to bring about the privatization he believes Russia needs to catch up to the rest of the world, while the Khasbulatov group insisted on a strong legislature that would reestablish the laws of the land."

"Yes, I recall. Also, that in July, there was a legislative push to take control of the entire reform program and pull it out of the President's hands."

"It was a calculated risk, unimaginably dangerous for both sides," observed General Samocherny. "When you left for Seytchan last week, the situation was still only simmering."

"And now?" asked Sergey, anticipating the reason for the General's call.

"Well somebody has turned up the heat. The pot is boiling. Khasbo is determined to reduce Yeltsin to a mere figurehead at the next session of the Congress and to present a whole basketful of anti-reform measures. This morning, Yeltsin neutralized the move by dissolving the very same Congress of Peoples Deputies in the name of the national security. The parliament has countered by installing its own man as acting vice-president. Neither of them, of course, has the authority to make these moves, but until this matter is settled one way or the other, I suppose they both do.

"Meanwhile, over the last two weeks, Yeltsin has visited me several times. He needs the full support of the Army and our Intelligence Service if he is going to bring this mess to a happy conclusion. Yeltsin promised me virtual autonomy for the FSB in exchange for total support against his adversaries. He promised that there would be no more snooping committees trying to interfere in our affairs. The FSB would be answerable only to him. We would have even more autonomy than we do now."