An aide of the Russian president has given the clearest indication yet that the ailing leader is preparing to edge away from the hard work of power.
As Boris Yeltsin begins an open-ended convalescence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, a Kremlin official, Mr Oleg Syusyev, told a British newspaper that the president would describe a reduced role in a speech to the Russian parliament early next year.
Mr Syusyev stressed that Mr Yeltsin would not have an economic role. "The political situation in the country has changed," Mr Syusyev said, justifying a lesser engagement by the president.
Whatever the complexion put on it, the signs are not good for Mr Yeltsin. His popularity has fallen to an unprecedented low. According to an opinion poll published in the Izvestia newspaper, only 2 per cent of Russians said they wanted him to stay on as President, 91 per cent said they no longer trusted him to do the job and 7 per cent were undecided.
However, while Mr Yeltsin continues to hold the title of head of state, there is little doubt now that his presidential powers have become as weak as his physical capacity. Officially he is said to be suffering from "exhaustion", but Kremlin statements on his health have been so blatantly untrue in the past that it is difficult to know with any degree of accuracy from what illness he is suffering. It should be remembered that when he suffered a heart attack shortly before the presidential elections in 1996, the Kremlin announced that he had "a sore throat". Such false statements have fuelled a rumour mill which has put out even more unrealistic versions of Mr Yeltsin's illness.
When Mr Yeltsin stumbled, almost fell and had to be held up by the Uzbek president, Mr Islam Karimov, during a recent visit to Tashkent, the official statement that Mr Yeltsin's lack of balance was caused by bronchitis was disbelieved by all but the most naive of Russians.
However, Mr Sysuyev was has been, however, much more forthcoming than any of his associates in the past. Mr Yeltsin had, he said, delegated some of his powers on the day-today running of the country. Mr Sysuyev was elaborating yesterday on the statement he made to the Financial Times. There would not, he said, be any amendments of the constitution which would officially remove powers from the president; rather the president would voluntarily withdraw from some areas of day-to-day government.
The poll published in Izvestia yesterday was conducted among 3,340 respondents in 30 regions of the country by the Centre for International Sociological Research. It followed another which showed that 75 per cent of Russians thought Mr Yeltsin should resign immediately.
The Izvestia poll showed that 57 per cent of those interviewed had received no salary payments at all, 25 per cent had been paid late and 18 per cent had been paid regularly and on time.
Growing fruit and vegetables had became a mainstay for 23 per cent of those polled, while 12 per cent had been reduced to picking mushrooms and berries as well as hunting and fishing.