The interactions of regional and central (federal) authorities in 1992-93 were basically determined by the Center's striving for systemic economic reforms and regions' attempts to protect themselves against the "negative" (i.e., the most painful) consequences of the reforms. At the same time, some regions have tried to exploit to the maximum the possibilities that arise in the reform process for economic progress, while others have tried to correct (or reorient) the very direction of economic reform.