Yeltsin demands Russian regions pay wage arrears

President Yeltsin has made a second visit to his Kremlin office in as many days after recuperating from a heavy cold and chest infection at a Moscow sanatorium.

He appeared on television discussing back-pay for public sector workers with first deputy prime minister, Boris Nemtsov.

Correspondents say he forcefully told Mr Nemtsov that the central government had met its commitment to provide funds to pay wage arrears; now it was up to the Russian regions to honour their part of the pledge to pay all arrears by the first of January.

A presidential spokesman said Mr Yeltsin had now gone to his country residence.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service