MOSCOW, Aug 12 (Interfax) -- A member of the Duma's Our Home faction, General Lev Rokhlin, who chairs the Duma Defense Committee and heads the movement for supporting the army, defense industry and military science, on Tuesday urged Russian citizens to demand the resignation of President Boris Yeltsin and the government.

"We, Russian citizens, have every right to bring to account the authorities, first of all the president, for the armed forces' breakup, and demand their resignation," says his eight-page appeal, made available to Interfax.

"The current regime does not only refuse to work out compromises, but does not even want to deal with its opponents," the document says.

"It is getting ready to use the entire potential of its police apparatus. Suffice it to recall the president's statement that he would dismiss Rokhlin and his like," it says.

"The regime has lost the feeling of reality... and has taken off its mask," Rokhlin writes.

He urged Russian citizens "to become united and awaken from sleep and indifference," and "all Russian patriots to brush away their ambitions and stop scoring points off each other."

He proposed forming a new government trusted by the people and preparing conditions for free elections.

He also criticized Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin and his first deputy, Anatoliy Chubays, "who have been charged with reorganizing the army." "The organizers of the movement have no plans to come to power. There is only one thing we are after -- to give the nation one more chance to make its choice. The honor and glory of the Motherland, and tranquility and well-being of the people are the sole goal to which all forces and, if necessary, life can be given," says Rokhlin's appeal.

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Johnson's Russia List

#1122

14 August 1997

djohnson@cdi.org