By Vitaly PORTNYKOV, The Day
The Council of the Federation, Russian Parliament's upper house, did not
have time enough to vote on the Grand Treaty with Ukraine during its morning
session. Signed by Presidents Yeltsin and Kuchma back in May 1997, while
the Russian Chief Executive was visiting Kyiv, the document was ratified
by the lower house (State Duma) only prior to the New Year. Its opponents
make no secret of expecting a revenge, hoping the treaty will be torpedoed
by the upper house.
However, the Federation Councils' CIS Committee recommended the upper
house ratify it, and Committee Chairman Oleg Bogomolov spoke in its favor.
As expected, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov turned out to be the treaty's most
outspoken opponent, claiming that its ratification will deny Russia the
opportunity to get back Sevastopol. With completely unexpected brilliance,
emotion, and simultaneous professionalism, Russian Foreign Minister Igor
Ivanov supported ratification, calling on the Federation Council to stop
living in a world of illusion and wake up to current political realities.
Moscow







