Russia to slap quotas on foreign retail workers

MOSCOW, Oct 11 (Reuters) Russia's government said it wanted to restore Soviet-era quotas on foreigners working in shops and markets, a measure likely to target dark-skinned immigrants viewed with mistrust by many Russians.

Russian President Vladimir Putin last week ordered ministers to protect the ''native population'' from criminal groups ''with an ethnic flavour'' that control some markets.

He said he was trying to defuse ethnic tensions but some critics accused him of pandering to racist sentiment because large numbers of traders are Muslim immigrants from ex-Soviet republics in the Caucasus and central Asia.

Responding to Putin's order, Health and Social Development Minister Mikhail Zurabov said the government was drawing up plans to restore a Soviet policy of ''selective labour immigration''.

The scheme would involve quotas on each type of worker Russia would allow in. Zurabov said a big quota would be set for construction workers.

''(But) if we are talking about bringing in workers for retail and the service sector, here it is possible restrictions will be introduced to ensure that there are opportunities for Russian citizens,'' he said.

Many market stalls, shops and restaurants are operated by workers from ex-Soviet republics such as Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. For many Russians, they are the most visible reminder of the large numbers of immigrants in their country, and help fuel the racism that is widespread in Russia.

Zurabov added: ''In Soviet times Moscow brought manpower into those areas where there were not enough workers, in line with certain limits ... This scheme that worked in Soviet times can be applied today, with certain modifications.'' He said proposals were being drawn up for presentation to the cabinet, after which they would be passed on to Putin. Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov yesterday chaired a meeting of key ministers to discuss immigration.

In a local election in Moscow last year, a nationalist opposition party ran television campaign ads portraying dark-skinned traders leering at a white woman. The slogan was ''Let's clear the city of rubbish''.

The campaign struck a chord with voters, pushing the Rodina (Motherland) party to second place in opinion polls before a court removed it from the ballot for inciting racial hatred.

REUTERS SAM BD1004