Russia's acting Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, has had his first working meeting with President Boris Yeltsin. Just 24 hours after his appointment, Mr. Putin now faces Russia's worst security crisis since the Chechen war, following the declaration of an independent state in the southern province of Dagestan. The declaration was made by an Islamic council in a town under the control of militants from neigbouring Chechnya this morning. Mr. Putin, has said that President Yeltsin had approved a “package of measures for imposing order and discipline” in the region.
The United States has joined other Western nations in welcoming President Yeltsin's decision to appoint Mr. Putin to the post of Russian Prime Minister. Mr. Putin was nominated for the job following President Yeltsin's surprise dismissal of Sergei Stepashin and his government. His appointment marks the fourth time in 18 months that President Yetlsin has replaced his Prime Minister. However, the White House spokesman, James Rubin, played down fears of further instability in Russia. He said that Washington was confident of working well with the new administration.
Mr. Yeltsin told Russians on Monday that he wanted them to elect Mr. Putin to the post of President next year in order to guarantee reforms and restore the country's greatness in the 21st century. Under the constitution, the Duma has to approve the President's candidate for the Premiership. If the 46-year-old former KGB operative fails at this stage, two further votes are allowed, after which President Yeltsin is obliged to dissolve the chamber. Mr. Putin's chances in the first vote are unclear, but few political analysts expect him to fail outright as the deputies’ main concern is the parliamentary election scheduled for December 19. Newspapers, and those Russians who had heard of him before his Monday appointment, were sceptical that a man who has been dubbed "The Grey Cardinal", for his dour backroom style, would be a suitable President.
Before his meeting with Mr. Putin, President Yeltsin received Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev to praise him for his role in resolving the Kosovo crisis and awarded him a special certificate of honour. Russian news agencies quoted Mr. Putin as saying he wanted to keep security ministers, who include Sergeyev, in place, but that Mr. Yeltsin had the last word. Russian newspapers said that Mr. Putin might remove some ministers, although he has denied this.
