DATE=12/18/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243226
TITLE=RUSSIA / IRAQ (L UPDATE)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: RUSSIA HAS RECALLED ITS AMBASSADORS TO THE UNITED STATES
AND BRITAIN TO UNDERSCORE ITS OUTRAGE AT THE MILITARY ACTION
AGAINST IRAQ. V-O-A MOSCOW CORRESPONDENT PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS
OPPOSITION TO THE AIR STRIKES HAS UNITED POLITICIANS FROM ACROSS
RUSSIA'S POLITICAL SPECTRUM.
TEXT: A RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN CONFIRMS AMBASSADOR
YULI VORONTSOV IS BEING CALLED HOME FROM WASHINGTON, AND
AMBASSADOR YURI FOKIN IS BEING RECALLED FROM LONDON. THE
SPOKESMAN HAD NO FURTHER DETAILS.
IT IS THE FIRST TIME MOSCOW HAS RECALLED ITS AMBASSADORS FROM THE
TWO CAPITALS SINCE BEFORE THE FALL OF THE SOVIET UNION. RUSSIAN
PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV IS REPORTED TO HAVE PERSONALLY
INFORMED U-S VICE-PRESIDENT AL GORE OF AMBASSADOR VORONTSOV'S
RECALL DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION.
DEFENSE AND FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS FRIDAY CONFIRMED THAT
SEVERAL RUSSIAN AIR FORCE AND NAVY UNITS HAVE BEEN PLACED ON A
HIGHER ALERT STATUS. DEFENSE MINISTER IGOR SERGEYEV WAS QUOTED
AS SAYING THE STRIKES AGAINST IRAQ ARE FORCING MOSCOW TO RETHINK
ITS SECURITY STRATEGY.
A DAY EARLIER, PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN AND PRIME MINISTER
PRIMAKOV BOTH ISSUED STATEMENTS CONDEMNING THE U-S AND BRITISH
ATTACKS IN UNUSUALLY HARSH LANGUAGE. MR. PRIMAKOV ACCUSED CHIEF
U-N WEAPONS INSPECTOR RICHARD BUTLER OF ABUSING HIS AUTHORITY,
AND DEMANDED HIS REMOVAL.
THE AIR STRIKES ON IRAQ HAVE UNITED RUSSIA'S FRACTIOUS
POLITICIANS LIKE ALMOST NO OTHER EVENT SINCE THE SOVIET SYSTEM
COLLAPSED. LAWMAKERS THURSDAY TRIED TO OUTDO EACH OTHER IN
EXPRESSING THEIR FURY AT THE MILITARY ACTION.
COMMUNISTS, THE LARGEST FACTION IN THE LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT,
SAY THEY WILL POSTPONE CONSIDERATION OF THE 1993 START-TWO ARMS
CONTROL TREATY. INSTEAD, LAWMAKERS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED A
HARSHLY WORDED RESOLUTION CALLING THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN
"INTERNATIONAL TERRORISTS".
SEVERAL LAWMAKERS SUGGESTED RUSSIA SHOULD UNILATERALLY DROP
SANCTIONS AGAINST THE BAGHDAD GOVERNMENT.
NEWSPAPERS AND ANALYSTS HERE SUGGEST THE STRENGTH OF RUSSIA'S
REACTION IS DUE IN PART TO ITS FRUSTRATION AT THE FAILURE OF ITS
DIPLOMACY TO PREVENT THE AIR STRIKES. MOSCOW HAS CONSISTENTLY
OPPOSED THE USE OF FORCE AGAINST ITS TRADITIONAL ALLY IRAQ.
ONE ANALYST WAS QUOTED AS SAYING RUSSIA RESENTS THE LOSS OF ITS
SUPERPOWER STATUS. HE SAID THERE IS A WIDESPREAD FEELING IN
OFFICIAL CIRCLES THAT THE AIR ATTACKS ON IRAQ WOULD NOT HAVE
HAPPENED IF THE SOVIET UNION STILL EXISTED.
/// REST OPT ///
U-S AMBASSADOR TO MOSCOW JAMES COLLINS ABRUPTLY FLEW HOME TO THE
UNITED STATES FRIDAY, BUT AN EMBASSY SPOKESMAN SAID THE DEPARTURE
HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IRAQ. THE OFFICIAL SAID THE AMBASSADOR
HAD SCHEDULED CHRISTMAS LEAVE FOR LATER IN THE MONTH, BUT MOVED
UP HIS DATE OF DEPARTURE BECAUSE OF ILLNESS IN HIS FAMILY.
THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR IN MOSCOW, ANDREW WOOD, WAS QUOTED AS
SAYING IT IS NOT LIKELY HE WOULD BE RECALLED TO LONDON. HE
TOLD A REPORTER IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP LINES OF COMMUNICATION
OPEN. (SIGNED)
NEB/PFH/PLM
18-Dec-98 5:02 AM EST (1002 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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