Russia's former prime minister, Mr Yevgeny Primakov, has given cautious support to a major new political grouping but has given no indication as to whether he will join forces with Moscow's mayor, Mr Yuri Luzhkov, in the run-up to December's parliamentary elections, Seamus Martin reports.
Mr Luzhkov's Fatherland movement has merged with the All-Russia group of regional political leaders to form a new and potentially formidable political grouping. Exceptionally popular in Moscow, Mr Luzhkov needs support elsewhere in order to be a major contender for the presidency after Mr Yeltsin leaves office next summer.
Mr Primakov, who has been the clear leader in all opinion polls since his dismissal as prime minister earlier this year, would be a prime catch for the new movement. Should he join, and the indications are that he may do so, he would with Mr Luzhkov and other leaders create the country's most powerful political bloc.