DATE=2/13/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-226716
TITLE=RUSSIA / COHEN (L)
BYLINE=MICHELE KELEMEN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN HAS WRAPPED UP HIS
TRIP TO MOSCOW -- A VISIT HIGHLIGHTED BY SHARP DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN U-S AND RUSSIAN POLICY TOWARD IRAQ. V-O-A'S MICHELE
KELEMEN REPORTS MR. COHEN MET FRIDAY WITH THE ARCHITECT OF
RUSSIAN POLICY ON IRAQ, FOREIGN MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV.
TEXT: AS HE CAME OUT OF TALKS WITH THE U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY,
FOREIGN MINISTER PRIMAKOV TOLD REPORTERS HE THINKS THE SEARCH
FOR PEACE IN IRAQ MUST CONTINUE. HE SUGGESTED THE U-N
SECRETARY-GENERAL SHOULD GO TO BAGHDAD TO TRY TO NEGOTIATE AN END
TO IRAQ'S STANDOFF WITH U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS.
/// PRIMAKOV ACT IN RUSSIAN -- ESTABLISH AND FADE ////
MR. PRIMAKOV SAID, "RUSSIA BELIEVES ONE CANNOT TALK ABOUT FAILED
DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS OR REACH A VERDICT BEFORE SECRETARY-GENERAL
KOFI ANNAN GOES TO BAGHDAD."
EARLIER THIS WEEK, THE UNITED NATIONS DENIED AN ANNOUNCEMENT BY
RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN THAT MR. ANNAN WAS PLANNING SUCH
A TRIP.
FOR HIS PART, MR. COHEN SAID THE UNITED STATES AGREES THERE
SHOULD BE A DIPLOMATIC RESOLUTION OF THE IRAQI CRISIS IF
POSSIBLE. BUT HE SAID IRAQ MUST COMPLY WITH UNITED NATIONS
RESOLUTIONS, ADDING LESS THAN FULL COMPLIANCE BY IRAQ WOULD NOT
BE SATISFACTORY.
RUSSIA HAS BEEN PUSHING HARD TO FIND A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO THE
CRISIS AS THE UNITED STATES PREPARES FOR MILITARY ACTION IN THE
PERSIAN GULF. ON THURSDAY, DEFENSE MINISTER IGOR SERGEYEV
PUBLICLY CONFRONTED DEFENSE SECRETARY COHEN, WARNING U-S RUSSIAN
MILITARY RELATIONS COULD BE HURT IF THE UNITED STATES TAKES
ACTION. MR. SERGEYEV DESCRIBED THE U-S STAND AS TOUGH AND
UNCOMPROMISING.
/// REST OPT ///
BUT THE TWO MEN PUT ASIDE THEIR DISPUTE EARLY FRIDAY TO VISIT A
SECLUDED MILITARY BASE IN SERGEYEV POSAD, 50 KILOMETERS NORTH OF
MOSCOW. THERE, ON DISPLAY FOR THE VISITING U-S DEFENSE
SECRETARY, WERE SPECIAL RAIL CARS, METAL CONTAINERS AND OTHER
EQUIPMENT PROVIDED BY THE UNITED STATES TO HELP RUSSIA TRANSPORT
NUCLEAR WEAPONS. MR. COHEN SAYS HE IS IMPRESSED BY THE
COOPERATIVE EFFORT.
/// COHEN ACT ///
THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN HAVE
DISAGREEMENTS ON VARIOUS ISSUES, BUT THAT OUR
RELATIONSHIP IS ONE THAT TRANSCENDS ANY SPECIFIC ISSUE,
THAT WE HAVE A MULTIPLICITY OF ISSUES, PARTICULARLY
THOSE INVOLVING NUCLEAR SECURITY AND SAFETY AND ARMS
REDUCTION, WHICH MUST CONTINUE AND WILL CONTINUE.
/// END ACT ///
THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAS ALLOCATED 116-MILLION DOLLARS
DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS TO HELP RUSSIA'S DEFENSE MINISTRY
IMPROVE THE SECURITY OF ITS NUCLEAR WEAPONS. THE UNITED STATES
IS CURRENTLY PROVIDING RUSSIA WITH COMPUTER TRACKING SYSTEMS,
SOFTWARE AND TRAINING TO IMPROVE ACCOUNTING OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
DURING HIS VISIT TO SERGEYEV POSAD FRIDAY, THE TWO DEFENSE
MINISTERS BROKE GROUND ON A NEW TRAINING FACILITY. (SIGNED)
NEB/MLK/PCF
13-Feb-98 9:09 AM EST (1409 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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