MOSCOW - The American heart surgeon Dr Michael DeBakey and President Yeltsin's press secretary, Mr Sergei Yastrzhembsky, have sent out conflicting signals about the date for the Russian President's operation, writes Seamus Martin.
Dr DeBakey, who is due to arrive in Moscow this weekend, said a meeting of doctors on Monday would decide when Mr Yeltsin would undergo what is expected to be a quadruple bypass operation. On the other hand, Mr Yastrzhembsky, in a press briefing yesterday, said this was unlikely to be the case.
A poll of Muscovites published yesterday shows that very few people believe Mr Yeltsin to be in charge, despite daily announcements that he has been issuing decrees and weekly radio broadcasts to the nation.