Yeltsin Stumps for His Candidate

MOSCOW: Dont believe the hype: President Boris Yeltsin and his Communist opposition may appear to be headed for a showdown over Yeltsins new prime minister, but theyre just going through the motions, says TIME Moscow bureau chief Paul Quinn-Judge. Nobody wants a confrontation because its not in anybodys interest. If they cant agree, Yeltsin will dissolve parliament and hold new elections. The Communists may not like Yeltsins choice for prime minister, but they like the idea of facing the voters even less, says Quinn-Judge. So, after a ritual showdown, Yeltsin will get his man, and both he and his opponents will remain comfortably entrenched in Moscow.