As we stood on the threshold of the dacha outside Vladivostok, the Australian delegation paused. We had been monitoring Boris Yeltsin’s election of 1993, which followed hard upon his proroguing of the Russian Parliament by deploying tanks. The dacha was splendid; characterized by marble interiors; crystal chandeliers and skylights.Turning to our interpreter, from the Australian Embassy in Moscow, I said: ‘Tolya, in the days of the Soviets, this must’ve been a Party guesthouse’.