DATE=12/17/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243170
TITLE=RUSSIA / IRAQ (L-UPDATE)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: RUSSIA HAS CONDEMNED THE AIRSTRIKES ON IRAQ AND CALLED
FOR AN IMMEDIATE HALT TO THE MILITARY ACTION. V-O-A'S PETER
HEINLEIN IN MOSCOW REPORTS THE U-S AND BRITISH ATTACK HAS DIMMED
HOPES FOR RUSSIAN APPROVAL OF THE LONG-DELAYED "START-TWO" ARMS
TREATY.
TEXT: PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN ISSUED A STATEMENT DENOUNCING THE
STRIKES AS "UNPROVOKED" AND A "FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF THE UNITED
NATIONS CHARTER." HE SAID THE ACTION "EVOKES THE MOST SERIOUS
CONCERN, AS WELL AS A FEELING OF DISMAY AND ALARM."
THE RUSSIAN LEADER ARRIVED AT THE KREMLIN EARLY IN THE DAY AFTER
WHAT HE SAID WAS A SLEEPLESS NIGHT MONITORING DEVELOPMENTS ON
IRAQ.
///YELTSIN ACT IN RUSSIAN, THEN FADE TO...///
HE SAYS, "ALL NIGHT WE WORKED INTENSIVELY WITH HEADS OF STATE AND
OUR MINISTERS. THIS SITUATION IS UNACCEPTABLE."
AMONG THE LEADERS MR. YELTSIN WAS SAID TO HAVE SPOKEN WITH BY
TELEPHONE WERE CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN AND FRENCH
PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC. BUT RUSSIAN NEWS AGENCIES QUOTED AN
AIDE AS SAYING MR. YELTSIN SEES NO REASON TO CALL PRESIDENT
CLINTON.
U-S AMBASSADOR TO MOSCOW JAMES COLLINS WENT TO RUSSIA'S FOREIGN
MINISTRY THURSDAY, WHERE HE MET DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER GEORGY
MAMEDOV. AN EMBASSY SPOKESMAN REFUSED COMMENT ON THE MEETING, BUT
A MINISTRY STATEMENT SAID THE AMBASSADOR HEARD A "DECISIVE
PROTEST."
THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR WAS SAID TO HAVE RECEIVED A SIMILAR
PROTEST.
SENIOR KREMLIN OFFICIALS AND LAWMAKERS THURSDAY SAID THE
AIRSTRIKES DESTROYED CHANCES FOR EARLY RATIFICATION OF THE
"START-TWO" ARMS CONTROL TREATY. //OPT// COMMUNIST PARTY CHIEF
GENNADY ZYUGANOV SAID AN EXPECTED VOTE IN THE DUMA, OR LOWER
HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, ON THE ACCORD LATER THIS MONTH WOULD NOT
TAKE PLACE.
///ZYUGANOV ACT IN RUSSIAN, THEN FADE TO...///
HE SAYS "CONSIDERING START-TWO IN THIS SITUATION IS POINTLESS."
//END OPT//
LATE THURSDAY, THE DUMA OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED A NON-BINDING
RESOLUTION CALLING THE AIRSTRIKES "INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM," AND
CALLING FOR INCREASED SPENDING ON RUSSIA'S STRUGGLING ARMED
FORCES.
///OPT/// THE VOTE WAS 394 IN FAVOR, WITH ONLY ONE AGAINST.
THE NEAR-UNANIMOUS EXPRESSIONS OF OUTRAGE FROM MOSCOW INDICATE
FRUSTRATION OVER THE INABILITY OF RUSSIAN DIPLOMACY TO PREVENT
THE USE OF FORCE AGAINST IRAQ. SEVERAL LEADERS SUGGESTED THE U-S
AND BRITISH ATTACKS WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED IF BAGHDAD'S OLD
ALLY, THE SOVIET UNION, STILL EXISTED.
RUSSIA'S MOST EXPERIENCED DIPLOMAT, PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY
PRIMAKOV, ACCUSED CHIEF U-N WEAPONS INSPECTOR RICHARD BUTLER OF
THWARTING MOSCOW'S EFFORTS TO BROKER A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION.
///PRIMAKOV ACT IN RUSSIAN, THEN FADE TO...///
HE SAYS, "AS FOR BUTLER, HE PLAYED NOT THE BEST ROLE IN THE
STORY." MR. PRIMAKOV SAYS THE CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR ASSURED
RUSSIAN OFFICIALS DURING A VISIT TO MOSCOW THIS MONTH HIS
COMMISSION WAS WORKING WELL, THEN SUDDENLY PULLED HIS PEOPLE OUT
OF IRAQ JUST BEFORE THE AIRSTRIKES BEGAN.
RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV CALLED FOR MR. BUTLER'S
OUTRIGHT DISMISSAL, SAYING HE HAD "GROSSLY EXCEEDED HIS
AUTHORITY" IN PULLING HIS INSPECTORS OUT OF IRAQ. ///END OPT//
RUSSIA HAS CONSISTENTLY OPPOSED MILITARY ACTION AGAINST BAGHDAD,
FOR BOTH ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REASONS. THE SADDAM HUSSEIN
GOVERNMENT OWES MOSCOW BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT CANNOT BE REPAID
UNTIL INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS ARE LIFTED. (SIGNED)
NEB/PFH/PCF
17-Dec-98 11:32 AM EST (1632 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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