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MOSCOW - Following is a selection of reactions to the death on Monday of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin, who presided over the demise of the Soviet Union and Russia's transition to a free market:
Russian President Vladimir Putin, the successor Yeltsin anointed, who has rowed back many
of his liberalising reforms:
"He was the first Russian president. With this title he has for ever entered the history of the country and the whole world.
"A man passed away, thanks to whom a whole new epoch was born. A new democratic Russia was born, a free state open to the world. A state in which power truly belongs to the people."
Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, architect of perestroika reforms who helped Yeltsin to a position of power, then saw him dissolve the Soviet union and take over the Kremlin:
"I express the very deepest condolences to the family of the deceased on whose shoulders rest major events for the good of the country and serious mistakes. A tragic fate."
Bill Clinton, who met Yeltsin more than 15 times as US president at the warmest period in post-cold war east-west relations:
"He risked his life to prevent a coup, then pushed Russia forward through economic hardship and political turmoil to partnerships with Cold War adversaries and membership in the G8.
"Fate gave him a tough time in which to govern, but history will be kind to him because he was courageous and steadfast on the big issues -- peace, freedom, and progress."
German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who negotiated the withdrawal of Russian troops from former communist East Germany with Yeltsin:
"I will never forget the way in which he presided over the withdrawal of Russian troops from Germany. For this the Germans and I will be eternally grateful."
John Major, British prime minister during much of Yeltsin's tenure:
"When he stood on a tank and talked of democracy and the future of Russia, there was a man of immense courage and immense conviction."
Lech Walesa, founder of the Polish Solidarity Union that helped to undermine soviet-led communism, and polish president for five years while Yeltsin was president in Moscow:
"We have to thank Yeltsin for everything we have: the free world, the age of intellect, information and globalisation. The world has all of this thanks to him, so let's bow our heads in his memory and to him.
"Today's era proves that his decisions were ideal. It doesn't matter if he made them while he was sober or not. These decisions embraced their time."
Anatoly Chubais, a former chief-of-staff to Yeltsin, and architect of his controversial sell-off of state assets far below their real value to a group of rising businessmen:
"I consider Boris Nikolayevich did the absolute impossible. He brought us to freedom from a lack of freedom. From a country where lies were daily and everywhere... to a country which is trying to live in truth.
"If you try to understand what figures in Russian history are comparable to Boris Nikolayevich by the amount achieved then perhaps you could compare him to Peter the Great, or perhaps to Lenin and Stalin together, though both must have a 'minus' sign whereas what (Yeltsin) achieved was with a 'plus' sign.
Exiled Russian multi-millionaire Boris Berezovsky, one of the 'oligarchs' who benefited from the sell-off programme:
"Russia has lost a brilliant reformer. No one has done as much for Russia as Yeltsin did. He was a unique person and absolutely Russian in his soul, in his impulsiveness and in his intellect."
Leonid Kravchuk, first president of independent Ukraine, who signed the document with yeltsin that dissolved the Soviet Union:
"He was a contradictory figure, like all great politicians -- there was no logical consistency.
"Boris Yeltsin was a historic figure in the front line of those people who opened a new life to the countries of the former Soviet Union and who later opened up new relations in the world, new lines of security in Europe and the world."
Chechen separatist website -- Yeltsin sent Russian troops to put down rebellion in Chechnya, but the conflict rumbles on:
"We would like to remind people that the government of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria included Yeltsin in its list of war criminals. He is wanted for crimes against humanity."
- REUTERS
