hospitalized Yeltsin receives birthday greetings from “common Russians”

On his 70th birthday, Boris Yeltsin was greeted yesterday not only by his relatives, friends, and political figures, but also by ordinary people. Naina Yeltsina, Mr. Yeltsin’s wife, says his husband received a lot of cables from “absolutely unknown people,” the cables being “very touching, very warm, and remarkably friendly.” According to Mrs. Yelsina quoted by RIA Novosti, the former president was greeted on the phone by presidents of Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan – Leonid Kuchma and Askar Akayev. It is only a pity that Mr. Yeltsin had to celebrate his birthday in hospital, Mrs. Yelsina complained.