MOSCOW, JULY 29, RIA NOVOSTI - President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin has addressed Russian servicemen on the occasion of embarking upon key reforms in the military sphere. The text of the appeal, circulated by the presidential press-service, runs as follows:

Russian servicemen!

I appeal to you on the occasion of a major event in the life of the armed forces, in the life of all Russia.

We are embarking on key activities under the military reform which is largely to affect Russia's image in the next century, the next millennium.

I know that you and your families are living through a hard time. You are suffering from chronic delays in wage payment, back allowances, housing shortage and the inability to perfect your skills. This is too tiresome to drag out such a miserable existence with no prospect for the better. At the same time, the coming reform makes you anxious about your future. As all Russians, you wonder whether the planned change does not affect the fighting capacity of Russia.

As the president and commander-in-chief, I assure you that the reform is directed at a strong enhancement of the country's defence capacity. Moreover: Russia's safety in the future cannot be ensured without such a reform. The reform is also meant to improve the social status and wellbeing of uniformed people. I guess you know that I have demanded the government should do away with the army wage arrears until September 1 and settle welfare benefits arrears by the end of the year. This task shall be performed, but thus the state will only live up to its duty.

Our strategic line is to advance all the time along the set path, to raise the living standards of the servicemen and to return high prestige and respect to the military profession.

The military reform provides for the curtailment of the armed forces and other troops as one should proceed from the existing and forecast military-political and economic situation. But what is particularly important: the modern armed forces should be compact, mobile and well-equipped. The motto of the 18th-century Russian military commander Suvorov, "victory is a product of skills rather than number", is ever more essential for the 21st century. The Decrees I've signed in the past few days pursue this very idea.

In accordance with the Decree "On priority measures to reform the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and to perfect their structure", the strategic missile forces, the military aerospace forces and the extraterrestrial missile defence of the Air Defence Force will be transformed into a new arm of the Armed Forces--the strategic missile troops. This is a way to step up the efficiency of handling sophisticated armaments, to do away with duplication and to save funds.

The same aim was pursued when transforming the central command of the land forces into the main board for the land forces. There will be now the uniform management of all troops in one military district, which is supposed to add up to reaction and responsibility and consequently--the fighting capacity.

The reform presupposes a drop in the number of the Defence Ministry staff so as not to exceed one percent of the general strength of the armed forces. This an urge of the time, a strict requirement, rather than another campaign for combating red tape in the defence ministry. The latter will be gradually ridding itself of irrelevant functions.

My other Decree transfers the Defence Ministry's federal road-construction board under the jurisdiction of the Federal Road Service of Russia. In compliance with this and two other Decrees, redundancies at Military Defence and special construction enterprises will amount to 150,000 servicemen and military builders while construction functions will be taken over by civilian companies.

Reductions will be thus made not at the expense of fighting units. Quite a number of unoccupied posts will be struck off the list.

From January 1, 1999, the number of the servicemen in the Russian Federation will amount to 1,200,000. Redundancies are always a painful process, and the state ought to do its best to ensure social benefits for all the demobilised persons, to help them ascertain themselves in a new life and to find jobs corresponding to their training, skills and life experience. A special network of institutions and funds will take care of them. Some discharged servicemen will be directed to undergo refresher courses at the best colleges and universities abroad. Organisational and financial conditions of the dismissal process will be worked out beforehand. A special Defence Ministry account to accumulate receipts from the privatisation of armed forces' immovables and the sale of unused and discarded military hardware will be opened. This money will be spent only on backing the social security of the demobilised servicemen, above all, on the construction and acquisition of housing for them. I want to reaffirm the statement I

've already made on several occasions that the Defence Ministry and regional authorities are responsible on a par for the construction of 100,000 flats for servicemen. Such will be the beginning for the solution of one of the key problems.

The armed forces should concentrate on martial tasks, not to waste their time and effort on elementary survival. The lofty calling of the servicemen is to serve his country. The recent decrees is only the first link in a chain of activities aimed at reaching these objectives.

My mind will be constantly intent on the life and activities of the Armed Forces. Thank you, Russian soldiers, for the dedicated service to our Homeland. I am confident you will support and join the change underway.

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Johnson's Russia List

#1097

29 July 1997

djohnson@cdi.org