NEW YORK, July 22, 1997 (Reuter) - A State Department report to be released Tuesday assails China over the suppression of religious life and urges Russian President Boris Yeltsin to veto legislation restricting worship there, the New York Times said.

The Times said in its Tuesday edition that the report, which it calls a "comprehensive review of persecution of Christian groups around the world," was prepared at the behest of Congress.

The report covers 78 countries and also touches on religious persecution faced by non-Christians, such as Tibetans in China.

The report said constitutional promises of religious freedom were regularly violated in China, the Times said.

In Russia, it said, there was concern over new legislation that would restrict religious freedom for the first time since the break-up of the Soviet Union.

The legislation, which is awaiting Yeltsin's signature, would restrict religions not registered 15 years ago, in the Soviet era, the Times said.