DATE=2/17/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-226881
TITLE=RUSSIA / IRAQ (L)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN'S STATE OF THE NATION
SPEECH WAS OVERSHADOWED BY THE KREMLIN'S EFFORTS TO AVERT
MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRAQ. V-O-A'S PETER HEINLEIN IN MOSCOW
REPORTS RUSSIA IS STEPPING UP ITS DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS IN THE FACE
OF INCREASINGLY LONG ODDS.
TEXT: PRESIDENT YELTSIN DEVOTED ONLY THREE SENTENCES TO THE IRAQ
CRISIS IN HIS 30-MINUTE SPEECH TO PARLIAMENT. THEY WERE MOSTLY A
STATEMENT OF RUSSIA'S GROWING FRUSTRATION AT ITS INABILITY TO
BROKER A COMPROMISE BETWEEN IRAQ AND THE UNITED NATIONS.
/// YELTSIN ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER ///
HE SAID, "THE WHOLE WORLD IS WORRIED ABOUT THE SITUATION AROUND
IRAQ."
/// REESTABLISH YELTSIN - FADE BACK UNDER ///
MR. YELTSIN RESTATED RUSSIA'S POSITION THAT THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT
MUST COMPLY WITH U-N RESOLUTIONS. HE AVOIDED THE BOMBAST OF SOME
OF HIS EARLIER STATEMENTS, WHEN HE WARNED OF GLOBAL CONFLICT.
THIS TIME HE SIMPLY CALLED FOR RENEWED DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS, AND
WARNING THAT FORCE IS THE LAST AND MOST DANGEROUS OPTION.
/// OPT /// AS MR. YELTSIN FINISHED SPEAKING,
ULTRANATIONALIST LAWMAKER VLADIMIR ZHIRINOVSKY, AN OUTSPOKEN
SUPPORTER OF IRAQ, TOOK THE FLOOR TO MAKE AN URGENT PLEA FOR MORE
AGGRESSIVE RUSSIAN DIPLOMACY.
/// OPT // ZHIRINOVSKY ACT - RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER ///
/// OPT /// MR. ZHIRINOVSKY, JUST BACK FROM A VISIT TO
BAGHDAD, TOLD THE RUSSIAN LEADER "ONLY YOU HAVE THE MORAL
AUTHORITY TO STOP THIS. ALL THE WORLD IS LOOKING AT MOSCOW."
/// OPT /// MR. YELTSIN SHOT BACK -- IN HIS WORDS -- "THERE
IS NO ONE IN THIS HALL WHO IS MORE CONCERNED WITH IRAQ THAN I
AM." /// END OPT ///
LATER IN THE DAY, THE RUSSIAN LEADER MET CHINESE PREMIER LI
PENG. THE TWO MEN ISSUED A JOINT STATEMENT OPPOSING MILITARY
STRIKES AGAINST IRAQ.
THE TEXT RELEASED BY THE KREMLIN SAID "RUSSIA AND CHINA, AS
PERMANENT MEMBERS OF THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL, DO NOT ACCEPT
THE USE OF FORCE AND FAVOR A POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS."
THE STATEMENT ALSO REITERATED CALLS FOR A VISIT TO IRAQ BY U-N
SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN.
RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS, MEANWHILE, EXPRESSED HOPE THEIR EFFORTS TO
FIND A COMPROMISE MIGHT STILL BEAR FRUIT. FOREIGN MINISTER
YEVGENY PRIMAKOV, ON A VISIT TO GREECE, TOLD RUSSIAN TELEVISION
IRAQ IS READY TO SUBMIT TO U-N INSPECTIONS. BUT HE GAVE NO
FURTHER DETAILS.
MR. PRIMAKOV HAS SAID SEVERAL TIMES HE BELIEVES A DIPLOMATIC
SOLUTION IS NEAR, DESPITE THE HARDENED POSITIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF
THE DISPUTE.
/// REST OPT ///
A RUSSIAN ENVOY, DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER VICTOR POSUVALYUK HAS
BEEN IN BAGHDAD ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY SINCE THE LATEST CRISIS
ERUPTED. BUT HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPEAT RUSSIA'S SUCCESS
THAT DEFUSED A SIMILAR CRISIS LAST NOVEMBER. (SIGNED)
NEB/PFH/JWH/JO
17-Feb-98 12:08 PM EST (1708 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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