Primakov and Selezniov Criticize Luzhkov

Mr. Primakov said this in an interview on Russian NTV's "Itogi" (Summary) program and also reminded that the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had advanced the concept of no territorial claims and respect for current public sentiments. "One should bear in mind that Sevastopol lives in the heart of every Russian as a city of Russian glory. And we still retain Sevastopol as the main base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. This is what we have done," said Primakov.

Here the head of the Russian government was in fact engaging in indirect polemics with Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, the main opponent of ratification by the Council of the Federation of the so-called Grand Treaty between Russia and Ukraine. Mr. Luzhkov keeps promising that the treaty will not be ratified. The Moscow mayor was criticized by State Duma Speaker Gennady Selezniov, who was in Finland during the Council session and criticized his colleagues' decision from there. After returning to Moscow he again emphasized that the upper house had breached the law by deferring the hearing on this treaty. "The Council of Federation is allotted two weeks to consider bills it receives. After this, if the Senators still fail to consider the document, they should immediately, without considering it again, refer it to the President for signature," thinks Mr. Selezniov. Commenting on Mr. Luzhkov's role in these developments, the Duma Speaker said:
"Mr. Luzkov was led astray by the devil in the person of Konstantin Zatulin, his assistant. And we know only too well how Mr. Zatulin works with CIS countries. This only stirs up feelings of enmity, disputes, and mutual animosity. I wish the Moscow mayor would not orient himself toward people like this."

Mr. Luzhkov was clearly dissatisfied with this assessment of his actions and told the media that the Senators "decide for themselves," while the Speaker rules out the possibility of their independent thinking. Mr. Luzhkov congratulated Mr. Zatulin on "the high appraisal of his activities by the Speaker of the lower house." Mr. Luzhkov continues to hope the Council of Federation will not ratify the treaty. Thus, the main debates among Russian politicians are still ahead.

Moscow