DATE=12/18/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243266
TITLE=U-S / RUSSIA (L)
BYLINE=KYLE KING
DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT SAYS SHE BELIEVES
RUSSIA WANTS TO CONTINUE A BROAD-BASED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE
UNITED STATES, DESPITE PROFOUND DISAGREEMENT ABOUT THE USE OF
FORCE IN IRAQ. FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT, VOA'S KYLE KING
REPORTS.
TEXT: RUSSIA HAS BEEN THE MOST OUTSPOKEN CRITIC OF THE U-S AND
BRITISH AIR STRIKES AGAINST IRAQ -- GOING SO FAR AS TO RECALL ITS
AMBASSADORS IN PROTEST.
RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV IS QUOTED AS SAYING THE
ATTACKS SET A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT AND U-S RUSSIAN RELATIONS COULD
SUFFER IF THEY ARE NOT STOPPED.
RUSSIA'S LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT HAS PASSED A RESOLUTION URGING
PRESIDENT YELTSIN TO RESUME FULL-SCALE ECONOMIC AND MILITARY
COOPERATION WITH IRAQ.
BUT DESPITE THOSE DEVELOPMENTS, U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEY DO NOT
EXPECT U-S ACTIONS IN IRAQ TO HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON U-S
RUSSIAN RELATIONS. STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAYS
THE UNITED STATES AND RUSSIA HAVE LONG DISAGREED ABOUT THE USE OF
FORCE IN IRAQ.
// RUBIN ACT //
IT'S NO SECRET THAT THE UNITED STATES AND RUSSIA HAVE
A PROFOUND DISAGREEMENT ON THE WISDOM OF USING FORCE
AGAINST IRAQ. THIS HAS BEEN LONG-STANDING AND SECRETARY
ALBRIGHT HAS POINTED OUT TO THE RUSSIANS, AS SHE HAS TO
OTHER GOVERNMENTS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THIS,
THAT THEY DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY OTHER SOLUTION.
// END ACT //
MS. ALBRIGHT AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV DISCUSSED
THE SITUATION IN IRAQ AGAIN FRIDAY, IN WHAT U-S OFFICIALS
DESCRIBE AS A VERY USEFUL TELEPHONE CONVERSATION.
MS. ALBRIGHT'S SPOKESMAN SAYS THE SECRETARY BELIEVES RUSSIA WANTS
TO CONTINUE A BROAD BASED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED STATES.
// RUBIN ACT //
THAT THEY RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING U-S RUSSIAN
RELATIONS BE A STABILIZING FACTOR IN THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY -- NOT A DESTABILIZING FACTOR, AND THAT THEY
ARE GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH US ON A WIDE VARIETY
OF ISSUES.
// END ACT //
HOWEVER, ONE OF THE FATALITIES OF THE CRISIS IN IRAQ MAY BE HOPE
FOR AN IMMEDIATE PASSAGE OF THE LONG DELAYED START TWO NUCLEAR
ARMS REDUCTION TREATY.
THE YELTSIN GOVERNMENT HAD HOPED THE COMMUNIST-DOMINATED RUSSIAN
LEGISLATURE WOULD APPROVE THE TREATY THIS MONTH, BUT THE VOTE HAS
NOW BEEN POSTPONED.
STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAYS THE DELAY IS
UNFORTUNATE.
// RUBIN ACT 3 //
WE ARE SORRY TO SEE THE RUSSIAN DUMA HAS POSTPONED
CONSIDERATION OF START TWO. IN OUR VIEW START TWO IS IN
OUR INTEREST AND IT IS IN THE RUSSIAN'S INTEREST. (OPT
INCREASING NUMBERS OF RUSSIAN OFFICIALS AND LEGISLATORS
SEEM TO BE UNDERSTANDING THAT START TWO IS IN RUSSIA'S
INTEREST. (END OPT)
// END ACT //
OFFICIALS SAY THEY STILL BELIEVE THE YELTSIN GOVERNMENT WANTS TO
RATIFY THE TREATY, WHICH MUST BE APPROVED BEFORE WORK ON START
THREE CAN BEGIN.
MS. ALBRIGHT'S SPOKESMAN SAYS SHE INTENDS TO GO AHEAD WITH A
VISIT TO MOSCOW IN JANUARY. (SIGNED)
NEB/KBK/KL
18-Dec-98 4:34 PM EST (2134 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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