Moscow, Jan. 22 (RFE/RL) - Russian President Boris Yeltsin said today he will likely seek a second term in office.
Yeltsin told a group of foreign investors at the Kremlin: "I will probably agree to put myself forward for the presidential election." He said he used the word "probably" because he would announce his final decision in mid-February.
Yeltsin said he understood that if he does run for another term of office, "the fight will be fairly tough... but we hope for the best."
Today was the strongest indication he has yet given that he would run in the June 16 ballot. He will turn 65 on February 2 and has been hospitalized with heart problems twice in the past year.
The Kremlin has created a campaign team for Yeltsin, or for whoever he might nominate to run for president.
Russia's ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party has already named Vladimir Zhirinovsky as its candidate, and Russia's Communist Party, which won last month's parliamentary poll, is expected to name Gennady Zyuganov as its candidate soon.
Yeltsin told a group of foreign investors at the Kremlin: "I will probably agree to put myself forward for the presidential election." He said he used the word "probably" because he would announce his final decision in mid-February.
Yeltsin said he understood that if he does run for another term of office, "the fight will be fairly tough... but we hope for the best."
Today was the strongest indication he has yet given that he would run in the June 16 ballot. He will turn 65 on February 2 and has been hospitalized with heart problems twice in the past year.
The Kremlin has created a campaign team for Yeltsin, or for whoever he might nominate to run for president.
Russia's ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party has already named Vladimir Zhirinovsky as its candidate, and Russia's Communist Party, which won last month's parliamentary poll, is expected to name Gennady Zyuganov as its candidate soon.