Price regulations generally applied more to old gas, and the law lifted controls for new gas to encourage discoveries and production.

It is also lifting internal controls on the movement of food inside the country, allowing a free market to develop.

Although lifting controls is designed to spur production, many economists say the turmoil it creates could produce a recession.

But then last month he reversed course, taking a more conciliatory approach and, among other things, lifting controls on prices.

Many African governments are lifting controls on farm prices, turning markets back to the private sector and devoting more money to agriculture.

Among measures the Government may be considering, they said, would be lifting some regulations and controls.

The package of new measures would lift most controls over imports, exports and foreign currency transactions on Russian territory.

The list included a pledge to lift controls on the press, and news organizations emerged blinking into a world of relative freedom.

Early in May, however, President Bush gave the green light for lifting controls on 30 of 116 restricted categories.

By lifting controls on a pliant media, he only augmented what he strove to contain.