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Russia: Communists Decide To Drop No-Confidence Vote


Moscow, 21 October 1997 (RFE/RL) - Russian Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov said today his party has decided to drop a no-confidence vote in the government from tomorrow's Duma agenda. It was not clear whether the Communists had decided to scrap the motion altogether or put it off. Zyuganov said the party will make an official statement on its next moves tomorrow.

Zyuganov made the announcement to journalists after a meeting of Communist Duma deputies.

Zyuganov said the Communist deputies were satisfied with a letter from President Boris Yeltsin in answer to their demands. Itar-Tass said in his letter Yeltsin, who met earlier today with opposition leaders, promised to withdraw from Parliament a draft tax code opposed by the Communists.

The draft tax code was among the main reasons for the latest row between the government and the opposition. The Communists initiated the no-confidence vote a week ago but put it off following a last minuite intervention by Yeltsin.

Itar-tass said in his letter Yeltsin also confirmed an earlier promise to hold regular meetings between government and opposition representatives. Yeltsin's spokesman Sergei Yastrzhembsky said earlier today the first roundtable discussions will be held tomorrow to deal with a controversial draft land code.

Earlier today, Grigory Yavlinsky, the leader of the reformist Yabloko faction, said he will continue to support the no-confidence measure unless the government drops the proposed tax code.
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