- BORIS YELTSIN DIES; gRYZLOV LAUDS yELTSIN's CONTRIBUTION TO DEMOCRACY IN rUSSIA

Apr 23, 07:51 PM

Current Headlines: BERLIN. April 23 (Interfax) - Russian State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov has offered his condolences following the death of first Russian President Boris Yeltsin and lauded his contribution to the creation of the modern Russian state.

"We have just received the tragic news that Boris Yeltsin, Russia's first leader elected by the people, has died," Gryzlov said during a German-Russian forum in Berlin.

He asked the forum's participants to observe a minute's silence in honor of Yeltsin.

Yeltsin will "forever remain in our memory as a man who did much to ensure the creation of our state, for the development of democracy in Russia."

Gryzlov offered his condolences to the relatives and friends of Yeltsin, and to Russian citizens, who he claimed "all who view Yeltsin as the greatest politician".

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