Moscow, June 19 (RFE/RL) - The new head of the Russian Security Council, Alexander Lebed, today met the Communist leader and presidential challenger Gennady Zyuganov.
Lebed, who came in third in Sunday's presidential vote, told a Moscow radio station that the meeting was part of a series of routine consultations with presidential candidates who won more than one percent of the votes. Zyuganov indicated today that he would agree to holding the run-off against president Boris Yeltsin on July 3.
He told "Ekho Moskvy" that he expected the Russian parliament, which is dominated by his Communist faction, to accept Yeltsin's proposal for a mid-week run-off.
Russian elections are traditionally held on Sundays. Correspondents say a mid-week poll is more likely to favour Yeltsin because his supporters tend to leave the cities for their dachas at the weekends. Yeltsin has drawn up a draft law making July 3 a public holiday.
The lower house of parliament, the State Duma, will discuss Yeltsin's proposal on Friday.
Lebed, who came in third in Sunday's presidential vote, told a Moscow radio station that the meeting was part of a series of routine consultations with presidential candidates who won more than one percent of the votes. Zyuganov indicated today that he would agree to holding the run-off against president Boris Yeltsin on July 3.
He told "Ekho Moskvy" that he expected the Russian parliament, which is dominated by his Communist faction, to accept Yeltsin's proposal for a mid-week run-off.
Russian elections are traditionally held on Sundays. Correspondents say a mid-week poll is more likely to favour Yeltsin because his supporters tend to leave the cities for their dachas at the weekends. Yeltsin has drawn up a draft law making July 3 a public holiday.
The lower house of parliament, the State Duma, will discuss Yeltsin's proposal on Friday.