§ Lord Brougham and Vauxasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are their views on the outcome of the Russian elections and referendum, and whether they consider the poll to have been free and fair.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)The elections and referendum have given Russia its first post-Soviet democratic parliament and a constitution which guarantees democratic institutions and individual human rights. This is a major advance. The democrats and reformers have won about one-third of the seats in the new parliament, although there is no single party with an overall majority. The extreme nationalists did unexpectedly well. But we should keep this in proportion. They have 64 seats in a Duma of 450. President Yeltsin said that Russia will continue on the path of reform. Britain will continue to support that process.
The British team sent to observe the elections concluded that the election procedures, although complex, were adequate to ensure a fair poll and reflected the views of the Russian people. Copies of their report have been placed in the Libraries of the House.