RUSSIA: PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HEALTH UPDATE

Russian/Nat

Looking stronger and healthier than he has in weeks, President Boris Yeltsin insisted Tuesday he was completely in charge of Russia - despite remaining in hospital.

Yeltsin was rushed to a top Moscow hospital last month after suffering his second bout of heart problems in four months.

It was not the same Yeltsin who appeared before the cameras Tuesday.

Today he spoke clearly and shared jokes in a meeting with Kazakhstan's president, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

A well-groomed and smiling Yeltsin told camera crews: "I'm fully maintaining the rudder of such a big ship as Russia, I'm keeping my hand on the pulse".

Yeltsin was rushed to hospital on 26 October suffering from a second bout of heart trouble in four months.

In a television interview earlier this month, during a meeting with Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, he appeared pale and slurred his words.

The Kremlin has released few details of his illness, fueling speculation about his health.

But the President has increased his workload in recent days.

Today he said he was recovering well. His eyes clear and his cheeks full of colour, Yeltsin dismissed rumours that he was planning to go abroad for special heart treatment as "utter nonsense".

SOUNDBITE: Russian

I am feeling OK. The most important thing is to move every day a step forward. We need no help, though I am very thankful to the president of the American Association of Doctors for having offered the assistance. We have all we need: good doctors, medicine and so on."

SUPERCAPTION: President Boris Yeltsin

Apart from discussing Yeltsin's health, the two leaders spoke about trade and political cooperation between their countries.

President Yeltsin also insisted that parliamentary elections scheduled for December will not be put off.

Yeltsin has said he will announce after the parliamentary elections whether he will run in next June's presidential race.
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/1bbe15d5e93cf00bae59b9549f5a5a57
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

Видео RUSSIA: PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HEALTH UPDATE канала AP Archive