PUTIN DECREES KREMLIN STAFF ARRANGEMENTS, MAKES APPOINTMENTS

MOSCOW, MARCH 25. (RIA NOVOSTI). President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree, "On the Presidential Staff of the Russian Federation". The staff will now consist of a chief, his two deputies in presidential assistant's rank, several presidential aides, a press secretary, a chief of presidential protocol, presidential advisers, presidential envoys plenipotentiary to federal districts, to the Constitutional Court and to parliament's two houses-the Federation Council and the State Duma, plus experts and other functionaries.

The decree enters into force the instant it is signed, says the Kremlin press service.

Alexei Gromov, presidential press secretary, reported to Novosti personnel appointments the President had made in his staff.

Dmitri Medvedev remains chief of staff. Vladislav Surkov and Igor Sechin are appointed deputy chiefs in presidential assistant's rank. Larissa Brycheva will be presidential assistant in charge of the State Legal Board. Alexander Abramov, Jakhan Pollyeva, Sergei Prikhodko, Igor Shuvalov and Victor Ivanov have been appointed presidential aides; and Igor Schegolev, chief of protocol. Alexei Gromov remains presidential press secretary.

Georgi Poltavchenko was appointed presidential envoy plenipotentiary to federal district Centre, Sergei Kirienko - Volga, Vladimir Yakovlev - South, Petr Latyshev - Urals, Leonid Drachevsky - Siberia, Ilya Klebanov - Northwest, and Konstantin Pulikovsky - Far East.