MOSCOW, Oct 1 (AFP) - Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov denied
Thursday that his government intended to curb foreign currency
exchange in Russia to defend the ruble, saying that the purchase and
sale of hard currency would remain unrestricted, news agencies
said.
"All talk that the government could get a monopoly on the flow
of hard currency into the country is totally worthless," Primakov
was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying.
Cabinet ministers earlier discussed an economy crisis package
drawn up by economic supremo Yury Maslyukov which includes strict
controls on trade in and circulation of foreign currency in Russia
in a bid to defend the ruble.
But Primakov said the measures, which would severely limit
currency dealing in the banking sector, were only the suggestions of
one of his deputies, and had not been inked into the government's
crisis package.
"This document is one of six versions possible which are
circulating," Primakov said. "You have presented them as a
programme, linking it to one of my deputies.
"I repeat once again, there is no programme, the government will
work out this programme," he told journalists in comments broadcast
on Russian television.
Primakov added that other elements in the crisis programme would
involve drawing billions of dollars hoarded by Russian citizens out
into the 'real economy'. This would also help stabilise the ruble,
he said.
Primakov has taken three weeks to put together his government,
which is still not complete, and to hone an economic programme to
pull Russia and its currency out of a steep nosedive. The programme
is not due to be published until October 8.
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