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Russian Senators Discuss Grand Treaty 

02 February, 00:00
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

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