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December 18, 1998

Cable, US Embassy Moscow to the Secretary of State, 'Deputy Secretary [Talbott] Meets Malashenko'

This document was made possible with support from Blavatnik Family Foundation

Deputy Secretary Talbott met with Media Most Vice Chairman Igor Malashenko December 8. Malashenko reviewed the domestic political situation. He said Yeltsin would remain in office until 2000 at all costs, and suggested that Luzhkov had the best shot at succeeding him. He was positive on Yavlinskiy's strength, and saw him as a possible kingmaker and prime minister in 2000. He viewed the changes in the Presidential Administration darkly, particularly given the military counterintelligence backgrounds of key figures there and in Primakov's entourage. He said that the fate of FSB Director Putin, a Chubays protege, would be a litmus test of intentions on safeguarding civil liberties. Malashenko admitted Media Most and NTV had been severely weakened by the crisis. To buy time for the 18-24 months he estimated it would take the economy to recover, Gusinskiy was negotiating to sell a further 25 percent of the company to Gazprom.



Document Information

Source

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Case Number F-2017-13804, Doc No. C06814868, US Department of State Virtual Reading Room.

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Original Uploaded Date

2024-09-23

Type

Cable

Language

Record ID

301038

Original Classification

Confidential

Donors

Blavatnik Family Foundation