Yeltsin's victory important

Only four days after Boris Yeltsin came out on top in Sunday's direct presidential election, which resulted in a run-off, he sacked three of his key aides following a scandal involving the arrest of two of his campaigners.

The sacking of the head of the presidential guard Alexander Korzhakov, chief of Federal Security Mikhail Barsukov and First Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Soskovets is seen by many analysts as paving a way for Alexander Lebed, the new national security chief, to increase his power.

The three hardliners were fired after Lebed reported to Yeltsin that two of the president's campaign officials had been arrested for their attempt to disrupt next month's run-off election.

Results from the June 16 poll showed that Yeltsin, who obtained 35 percent of the votes, came first while his main rival, Communist leader Gennady Zuganov trailed close behind with 32 percent. Lebed, with 15 percent of the votes, came third.

As neither Yeltsin nor Zuganov gained a majority, they have to compete in a run-off scheduled for the first week of next month. Lebed's support for Yeltsin should prove to be the deciding factor.

Most world leaders welcomed the result of Russia's June 16 election and expect that Yeltsin will maintain his present post and thus continue his political and economic reforms for the 148 million Russians who live in an area that sprawls 11 time zones.

Despite his unpopular 18-month bloody military campaign to crush the rebellion in Chechnya, which has drawn worldwide criticism, Yeltsin has taken concrete steps to improve the welfare of his people and introduced a democratic system of government, two basic human requirements which were a taboo under the Soviet communist regime.

In addition to this Yeltsin has also tried to improve his tainted image by clinching a peace deal with Chechen fighters and a gradual withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya so that spending on the military campaign, reportedly US$30 million a day, can be channeled to Russia's development.

Against this backdrop, political analysts believe that Yeltsin deserves a second term to complete the reforms he began in 1991 when he assumed the Russian presidency.

Now with the support from Lebed, who has promised to stand hand-in-hand with him against Zyuganov in the second round of the presidential race, Yeltsin looks set to win.

Yeltsin however should also correct his past mistakes, such as neglecting to pay some 35 million pensioners on time. He should also realize that the time has come for Russia to have a more relaxed political system, a more open economy, and younger but more moderate leaders, like the 46-year-old Lebed who many believe to be his most likely successor.

The Russians, in Yeltsin's words, have only this choice: "Its either back to revolutions and shocks, or ahead to stability and prosperity..."

This explains why Yeltsin's victory is important not only for Russia but also to the wider world.