One of the prominent members of the Yabloko faction in the State Duma, Deputy Chairman of the Defence Committee Alexei Arbatov thinks that the republican Bush Junior will win the presidential elections in the USA on November 7, 2000.

Arbatov also noted that “unlike the other presidential candidate, the leader of the democrats Albert Gore, Bush is not experienced in the international affairs.” Arbatov thinks that George Bush and his team would not become so involved in iRussia’s domestic affairs, unlike the Bill Clinton – Albert Gore Administration. If George Bush wins, US policy towards Russia would be “extremely tough”, forecasts Arbatov.

This will concern first and foremost deliveries of Russian weapons and nuclear technologies to China and the countries of the third world, said

Arbatov.

In addition Arbatov said that George Bush would be tougher in the implementation of the idea of the national anti-missile defence system, unlike Albert Gore, who would in case of his victory “make every efforts to resolve this issue peacefully, i.e. through amendments to the treaty on an anti-missile defence system, 1972.”

Speaking about the policies of the republican leader here, Arbatov thinks that he “will actually make Russia accept the following condition: either agree that the USA will create its own national anti-missile defence system, or Russia will be pushed to adopt a decision on its withdrawal from the 1972 treaty.”

According to Arbatov, the republicans will also react more sceptically to Russia’s proposals on the restructuring of the country’s foreign debt.

Based on Interfax reports.

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Deputy Speaker of the State Duma from the Yabloko faction, Vladimir Lukin, thinks that it is too early to make any serious forecasts over the political course to be taken by the republican or democratic candidate to win the presidential elections in the USA.

“What is happening in the presidential race now is not of any importance and is not directly related to future events,” Lukin said in an interview on

November 3, 2000, referring to his own “long-term professional observation of the American political machine”.

Lukin, a former Ambassador to the USA, also said that here in Moscow many people are “psychologically more comfortable” with the democrats. But, he said, “this does not mean that things are bound to be better with the democrats, if Albert Gore wins”. Vladimir Lukin thinks that the republican team has “many sensible and rational individuals who will play a bigger

role, if George Bush wins”.

“In this sense, I would say, that the republicans are more practical and are less prone to take a risky course in terms of foreign policy”, added

Lukin. However, he went on: “they (both the republicans and the democrats) have their pros and cons in different areas, but it is too early to consider them today”.

Based on Interfax reports.

Dmitry Lenkov elected new head of the St. Petersburg branch of Yabloko

The conference of the regional branch of Yabloko Association in St. Petersburg (closed on November 5) elected Dmitry Lenkov as new head of the St. Petersburg branch of Yabloko. This information was received from the

head-quarters of the St. Petersburg branch of Yabloko.

There were two rounds of voting: in the second round Dmitry Lenkov gained more votes than Mikhail Amosov, deputy of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg (the Yabloko faction).

The head-quarters of the Yabloko Association in St. Petersburg reported that, according to the new by-laws of the St. Petersburg branch of Yabloko, the posts of the Chairman and the Head of the Political Council would be

combined from now on.

Previously deputy of the State Duma Alexander Shishlov headed St. Petersburg Yabloko, while deputy of the State Duma Igor Artemyev was the head of the Political Council.

Lenkov was the first Chairman of the St. Petersburg Regional Party of the Centre (RPC) which subsequently served as the basis for the establishment of the St. Petersburg branch of Yabloko. He was also elected deputy of the

Leningrad Soviet of the 21st convocation, where he headed the Committee for International Affairs.

On the expiry of the term as deputy, Lenkov worked at the Centre for Entrepreneurship Support. He currently heads the Guild of Furniture Manufacturers of St. Petersburg. He is also a neuro-physiologist and professor of St. Petersburg State University.

According to information from St. Petersburg Yabloko, the candidacy of Lenkov was supported by the leader of Yabloko, Grigory Yavlinsky. As well as the election of the Chairman of the St. Petersburg branch of Yabloko,

elections to the Political Council of the association were also held (19

people).

Based on Interfax reports.