Yeltsin Stokes War of Words Over Republic : Politics: He challenges Gorbachev’s decree about Russian resources. He reaffirms his commitment to the home-rule concept.

Russian Federation President Boris N. Yeltsin took Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev to task Saturday, saying that the Kremlin chief should not interfere in the affairs of the country’s largest republic.

“I would advise (Gorbachev) not to quarrel with Russia,” Yeltsin told reporters at an airport on Kamchatka peninsula during his barnstorming trip across the vast federation.

Yeltsin’s statement challenged a Gorbachev decree that declared Russia’s resources to be the property of the Soviet Union, the official Tass news agency reported.

Gorbachev issued the decree Thursday and confirmed that the Soviet Union would honor its export agreements, including a recent deal with the Swiss subsidiary of De Beers, the South African diamond merchant, to market Soviet diamonds over the next five years in return for a $1-billion loan in advance.

The Russian Federation earlier threatened to annul deals such as the diamond accord unless they were approved by the Russian Parliament, and Yeltsin reaffirmed that home-rule concept as he toured the Soviet Far East.

“The president’s decree does not concern the Russian Supreme Soviet decision,” Yeltsin said, according to Tass. “He does not have such a right.”

The war of words between Gorbachev and Yeltsin over who owns Russia’s wealth of diamonds, gold, oil and other natural resources is part of a greater battle for power between the two leaders.

It also symbolizes the growing conflict between “the center,” as people call the national government in Moscow, and the 15 constituent republics over the control of everything from borders to vegetable crops. The Presidium of the Russian Federation also published a report Saturday calling the Gorbachev decree invalid.

The Russian Federation assumed control over all its mineral and other natural riches under a sovereignty declaration issued in May.

The Presidium’s report said actions contrary to the economic interests of Russia, such as deals made by the Kremlin to sell Russia’s riches, should be governed by Russian laws until a new federal treaty is signed between the constituent Soviet republics.