Observers say there is little chance that Chernomyrdin's nomination will be approved. Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov said they would again vote against Chernomyrdin.

President Boris Yeltsin had asked Chernomyrdin to submit the list of Cabinet members to him, Public Russian Television (PRT) reported.

Quoting unnamed Kremlin insiders, it said that according to the list put forth by Chernomyrdin, foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov, interior minister Sergei Stepashin, defence minister Igor Sergeyev, and federal security head Vladimir Putin would retain their posts in the new Cabinet.

Before going into summit talks with US President Bill Clinton in the Kremlin today, Yeltsin made it clear that he would stand by Chernomyrdin.

``I insist thatChernomyrdin be, as soon as possible, approved as Prime Minister because it's impossible to have a temporary person at such a post,'' he said, greeting students at a Moscow school on the occasion of the first day of the academic year in Russia.

``I insist on the speedier confirmation of the candidate, because he is my nominee,'' noted Yeltsin, calling on the defiant Duma to approve Chenomyrdin in the second vote, scheduled for Monday.

Under the Constitution, Yeltsin can submit the same nomination thrice and if the Duma refuses to confirm thrice in a row, he is entitled to dissolve the House and call for an early election.

Zyuganov, however, made it clear that the Communists would again vote against Chernomyrdin. ``I am not concerned about the dissolution of the Duma. I am concerned about the dissolution of the country,'' he said, expressing the mood of majority of the deputies.

``He (Yeltsin) insisted on the appointment of Ilyushenko, (former prosecutor-general) and nominated his candidacy thrice. ButIlyushenko went straight to prison. He also insisted on the nomination of (Sergei) Kiriyenko, who brought the country on the verge of bankruptcy. Now he is insisting on Chernomyrdin. This is the molestation of Duma, rape of Russia,'' he said.

Speaking to commercial NTV, recently-appointed Russia's Federal Security chief Vladimir Putin said Yeltsin was not considering use of force to solve the economic problem of the country as claimed by many lawmakers.

Putin said he had no instructions from either the Kremlin or the government to use force to deal with Yeltsin's Communist rivals.