Vladimir Putin, Vyakhirev, Islam Karimov, Heydar Aliyev and Viktor Chernomyrdin

UNIAN ARCHIVE. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, in center, smiles, surrounded by head of Russian Gazprom Rem Viakhiriev, left, Uzbek President Islam Karimov, second left, Azerbaijanian President Heidar Aliyev, second right and former Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin while they pose for photographers after an inauguration ceremony of newly-elected Ukraine's President Leonid Kuchma in Kiev, Ukraine, on Tuesday, November 30, 1999. After Russian President Boris Yeltsin has announced his ahead of schedule resign through Russian TV Friday, December 31 1999, Putin has recieved authorities of acting President of the state in accordance with chapter 92 of Russian Constitution. UNIAN Photo