He's Up. He's Down. But Is He Out?

ELECTIONS -- SOME KIND, SOMETIME. THAT PROPOSItion began emerging as the key to resolution of Russia's political crisis, although it remained unclear if in fact one can be reached. Early in the week Russia's Constitutional Court ruled that President Boris Yeltsin's proclamation of "special rule" was unconstitutional, a declaration expected to form the basis for impeachment. But when Yeltsin finally published his decree for an April referendum on his own rule and the outline of a new constitution, it did not mention special rule. The court looked at best overly hasty and partisan in condemning a nonexistent document.

By the time the Congress of People's Deputies met Friday, even Yeltsin's archenemy, Chairman Ruslan Khasbulatov, was disavowing impeachment. However, that issue remains in doubt. On Sunday an attempt at compromise threw the crisis into an explosive new phase. Yeltsin and Khasbulatov stunned the Congress with a new plan calling for elections and abandonment of the April 25 referendum. The Deputies reacted angrily, voting down the plan and agreeing to a secret ballot on the removal of Khasbulatov and the impeachment of Yeltsin. Both men survived the secret vote. When the Congress convened, Yeltsin was predicting that "there will be no winners. It will be a tie." Breaking that tie may take time, and chaos may continue, but the country seemed ready to pull back from the brink. (See related stories beginning on page 22.)