Communists will back Kiriyenko: Speaker

MOSCOW, April 18: Russia8217;s Communist Party, the single largest group in the Duma, will not risk dissolution of the parliamentary Lower House over President Boris Yeltsin8217;s candidate for Premier, Duma Speaker and Communist Party member Gennady Seleznev said on Friday.

8220;I don8217;t think that the plenum of the Communist Party will tell the Communist Deputies Do everything you can for a dissolution8217;,8221; Seleznev, who is among the party8217;s more moderate members, told Russian television.The future of both Premier-designate Sergei Kiriyenko and the Duma have come down to a vote next week which will decide whether Kiriyenko becomes Yeltsin8217;s official Lieutenant.

If, as in the two previous times, last week and yesterday, the Duma votes against Kiriyenko8217;s candidacy, the Lower House is automatically dissolved and elections are called.

The Communists are to decide their stance next Thursday with a meeting of the full central committee. The parliamentary vote is likely to take place the following day.