From: renews@office.relcom.msk.su (Shliemin V.A.)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.soviet
Subject: renews.politics: At the Congress of the People's Deputies of Russia
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 92 19:36:51 +0200
Distribution: world
Organization: RELCOM AG
Reply-To: renews@office.relcom.msk.su

   Notes from the Congress of the people's deputies of
                         Russia
                    PRESS-CONFERENCE
             OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF RUSSIA
                   Viktor Chernomyrdin

* I  am  a  proponent  of  reforms!  It  is  no  backway!
* Neither  prices, nor  loans will be restrained! But the
* system of prices and loans needs improving.
* Russia will pay depts. Although it is not easy.
* I am a proponent of regulated prices.

I do  realize the measure of responsibility I have put on
myself. I  higly appreciate  confidence of  the President
and the  Congress. It has been a lot questions today. The
main of  them was: What kind of year will we have? I want
to declare  again, that  I am a proponent of the reforms,
that I  never has  given a  ground to  think, that  I  am
against reforms. I came in the government by my own will.
And I  honestly did  my job,  performed my  duty.  I  was
responsible  for  the  fuel-energetical  complex  of  the
country. Let others judge my achievements at this post.
I repeat: I am pro-reformer! It is no backway!
It were  correct to  ask, wheter  any corrections  of the
program of  reforms will be made? Probababely, they will.
Program  is   corrected  according   to  the  changes  in
situation. So  that some  corrections will  be done.  The
life itself  makes this  corrections. But  the maine line
will be kept.

QUESTION. Do  you want  to make  some corrections  to the
program of  privatization and  to the  project of federal
budget? Will the cheque auctions be kept?
ANSWER. Cheque auctions will be kept. We will not correct
the project of budget. This was decided in advance.
QUESTION. But  if you  will not change the project of the
budget, how will you fulfil the decision of the Congress,
which  requires  regulation  of  the  current  assets  of
undertakings and  indexation of  the  personal  deposits.
This is  impossible without  extra investments.  But  the
existing project  of  the  budget  does  not  imply  such
investments.
ANSWER. This is the main question, which needs additional
studying. Our  principal purpose  today is  to  stop  the
depression of the industry. This will demand mobilization
of additional  sources. That's  why I  will not  make any
changes just today.
QUESTION. In  what extent  will the  new  course  of  the
government differ  from that  accepted by  previous prime
minister?
ANSWER. Probabely  you understand,  that today  it is the
first day  of may tenure. So that it would not be fair to
speak  about   any   changes.   This   requires   careful
calculations, approbation.
QUESTION. During your first interview you have said, that
you are  supporter of  market, but  are  against  bazaar.
About which concrete measures could we speak?
ANSWER. I  think, that  market economics  is a  difficult
thing... I  support such  a market,  that will  raise our
economics. But  covering our  country  with  stalls...  I
think, this is not a market.
QUESTION. Have  you offered minister positions at the new
cabinet to the members of the current one?
ANSWER. The  cabinet already  exists. It had had no prime
minister (now  he was  elected).  What's  more-time  will
show.
QUESTION. You  have said, that you will make an accent on
the basic branches. Could you specify-on what branches?
ANSWER.  On   the  main   branches  of  industry.  It  is
impossible  to  develop  agriculture,  private  business,
economics at  all without their help. It is impossible to
develop farming  without elementary tools. Can we develop
it on the basis of spades or without fertilizers?
QUESTION. By what means plan you to consolidate industry?
ANSWER. By  means  of  advancing  and  consolidating  its
solvency.
QUESTION. Do you plan to fixate prices and loans?
ANSWER. No.  Prices is  a serious and difficult question.
Up to  my opinion,  the prices  of fuel  are decisive.  I
think, that  we will improve existing concept of the fuel
prices. As  well as  prices of  the production  of  heavy
industry.
What's about  loans, here  are many  drawbacks. But it is
impossible to introduce restrictions.
ANSWER. Is  it true,  that it  was an  informal agreement
between you and Elzin, that you object your candidacy?
ANSWER. It was no agreement.
QUESTION. Your  comments to the fact, that your candidacy
was  promoted  by  six  pro-communist  fractions  at  the
Congress? What  assesment  would  you  give  to  possible
finanancial expansion of the West?
ANSWER. I  do not  know, what fractions have promoted me,
only the persons. I am thankful to them. What's about the
Western expansion  I think, that it does not exist. I see
no will to make such an expansion.
QUESTION.  Do  you  agree  with  the  opinion,  that  the
stabilization will just begin?
ANSWER. There are really some signs of stabilization. But
we have not yet passed crisis.
QUESTION.  Your   attitude  towards  the  circulation  of
different currencies in Russia?
ANSWER. Negative. We will make our own Russian ruble.
QUESTION.  You  have  said,  that  you  are  against  the
transformation of  Russia to  a country  of  shopkeepers.
But,in such  case, how  can the  country be provided with
everyday consumption  goods? Industrialization  will  not
provide with them.
ANSWER. I  am a  proponent of  reasonable combination  of
various forms.  Without extremities.  Small undertakings,
as well  as private business are needed. I am not against
that. But  they alone  are not able to make the country a
developed one.
QUESTION. How plan you pay the debts of Russia?
ANSWER. Due to the results we will obtain.
QUESTION. Will the prices of fuel raise?
ANSWER. I  am a  proponent of  regulated prizes. Today we
have practically  free prices  of oil,  but  we  regulate
those of  gas and electricity. So will we do with oil, as
well as with coal.

  Vladimir Shliemin
    Head of Information department RELCOM Corp.
    Editor of RENEWS
    Phone: +7 095 4016248
           +7 095 1989510
              Moscow
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