(Updates with telephone conversation with Chernomyrdin, Friday
meetings)
By Adam Tanner
MOSCOW, Aug 27 (Reuters) - President Boris Yeltsin stayed
away from his Kremlin office for a second day in a row on
Thursday in spite of Russia's financial crisis.
The Kremlin said he remained at his Rus hunting lodge about
100 km (60 miles) from Moscow.
"He is in the Rus residence today and he is preparing for
tomorrow's meetings with (Bulgarian President) Petar Stoyanov,"
press officer Lyudmila Krylova said.
Asked if Yeltsin needed an entire day to prepare for talks
with the Balkan leader, Krylova said: "He probably has some
other plans too."
Later the Kremlin said Chernomyrdin spoke to acting Prime
Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin by telephone.
The two men discussed the results of Chernomyrdin's talks
with the head of the International Monetary Fund, Michel
Camdessus, on Wednesday, the Kremlin said.
Chernomyrdin flew to Ukraine unexpectedly on Wednesday
afternoon to talk to Camdessus. The IMF was the leading lender
in a $22.6 billion international loan package for Russia
approved last month.
Yeltsin also planned to meet Chernomyrdin at the Kremlin on
Friday, the press service said.
"It is possible that later today the president will come to
Gorky-9," she said, referring to a government residence in the
suburbs west of Moscow. "That's because it's closer to Moscow."
Yeltsin spent the day at Rus on Wednesday as the rouble fell
more than 40 percent against the German mark.
The Russian currency continued to slide on Thursday,
prompting the central bank to suspend trade and piling pressure
on the country's banking and financial sector.
Kremlin officials deny that health reasons have prompted
Yeltsin to stay away at such a vital time for Russia's economy.
The president, who ended five weeks of holiday on Monday, is
famous for dropping out of sight during crises.
His latest disappearance sparked rumours on U.S. financial
markets on Wednesday that Chernomyrdin, appointed acting prime
minister on Sunday after Yeltsin dismissed the old cabinet, was
planning to oust his boss.
Chernomyrdin spokesman Konstantin Voitsekhovich echoed
Kremlin denials of the rumours. "They defy logic," he said.
Russian newspapers stepped up criticism of the president on
Thursday, some saying he was unable to rule Russia any more.
"It's already clear to everyone that he is no longer in a
condition to rule the country," the leading business daily
Kommersant said.
"Yeltsin's role in resolving the financial crisis consists
and will consist only of putting his signature on needed decrees
at the right place."
Yeltsin plans to meet Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov on
Friday after talks with the Bulgarian leader.
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