Russia overcoming "growing pains, fear of change" - Yeltsin

Russian President Boris Yeltsin has said that seven years after the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia is overcoming "growing pains and the fear of change" and learning the skills it needs to regain its deserved place in the world.

His New Year address to the nation was broadcast by Russian Public TV to the Russian Far East at just before midnight local time on Wednesday.

"Our state has a thousand-year history, but the new democratic Russia will only be seven years old in 1998.

For a human being, this is the time of school and learning," Yeltsin said.

"It is the same for Russia - it is now acquiring new skills to regain its deserved place in the world.

It is learning almost on its feet, overcoming growing pains and the fear of change.

"But let us remember: Russia has always emerged even stronger from difficulties and troubles, still believing in itself and its mission." Yeltsin said some plans made for 1997 had not been fulfilled, but pledged to see them through to their conclusion in 1998.

He did not give more details.

"This festive night is not the right time for making official final reports or passing judgment.

I would only like to note that we have not managed to carry out everything we planned.

However, I am sure that no later than next year, we will," he said.

BBC Monitoring (http://www.monitor.bbc.co.uk), based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.