President Boris Yeltsin flew to Turkmenistan on Thursday to reassure leaders of ex-Soviet republics that Russia will not rebuild an empire, despite the victory of "aggressive nationalists" in parliamentary elections.
In his first major response to the Dec. 12 elections, Yeltsin told a Kremlin news conference Wednesday that he would continue free-market reforms but try to soften the impact on frustrated Russians.His nationally televised remarks ended days of concern at home and abroad that he might alter the reform course following the victory of ultranationalists who want to dismantle his economic policies and recreate a Russian empire.
Yeltsin headed to Turkmenistan for a summit of the leaders of the 12-nation Commonwealth of Independent States that emerged from the breakup of the Soviet Union two years ago.
One top item on the summit's agenda is strengthening military cooperation - in part to reassure the other former Soviet republics that Russia does not have expansionist aims.
Many of the republics were alarmed by the surprise victory of Russian nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, whose party won about one-quarter of the seats in the Duma, the powerful lower house of parliament. Zhirinovsky has called for Russia to rebuild its army and expand to the borders of the former Soviet Union.
During his news conference, Yeltsin condemned Zhirinovsky's inflammatory rhetoric.
"Throughout the election campaign, wide use was made of demagoguery, preaching of primitive nationalism, outright lies and even dangerous provocations," he said. "Unfortunately, a substantial part of the electorate is still too trusting of reckless promises."