DATE=3/10/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-227894
TITLE=GORE / CHERNOMYRDIN (L)
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE AND RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER VIKTOR
CHERNOMYRDIN HAVE CONVENED A TWO-DAY MEETING IN WASHINGTON OF THE
U-S/RUSSIAN BILATERAL COMMISSION. VOA'S DAVID GOLLUST HAS DETAILS
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.
TEXT: IT IS THE TENTH MEETING OF THE GORE-CHERNOMYRDIN
COMMISSION, WHICH CONVENES TWICE YEARLY AND IS CREDITED BY BOTH
SIDES WITH HELPING TRANSFORM RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO FORMER
COLD WAR ADVERSARIES.
IN WELCOMING REMARKS TO THE PLENARY MEETING AT THE STATE
DEPARTMENT, MR. GORE SAID TIES WITH MOSCOW HAVE REACHED A NEW
PHASE OF MATURITY BECAUSE OF THE MANY JOINT PROJECTS BEGUN BY THE
COMMISSION:
/// GORE ACTUALITY ///
THESE ARE TRIUMPHS FOR RUSSIA, AND THE RUSSIAN SPIRIT.
THEY ARE ALSO VICTORIES FOR THE VIRTUES OF COOPERATION
AND OUR NEW -- I DARE SAY HISTORIC -- WILLINGNESS TO
WORK TOGETHER AS PARTNERS TO CONFRONT COMMON CHALLENGES.
///END ACT///
PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN, FOR HIS PART, SAID -- HEARD HERE
THROUGH AN INTERPRETER -- THAT THE COMMISSION HAS HAD A PALPABLE
AND POSITIVE IMPACT ON U-S / RUSSIAN RELATIONS ACROSS-THE-BOARD:
///CHERNOMYRDIN ACTUALITY///
TRADE HAS IMPROVED. INVESTMENT HAS INCREASED.
PARTNERSHIP RELATIONS HAVE EXTENDED TO NEW AREAS OF
ACTIVITIES. THE COMMISSION HAS HELPED CONSIDERABLY IN
INCREASING TRUST BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES. AND I THINK
IT FULLY JUSTIFIES ALL OF THE EXPECTATIONS WHICH EXISTED
WHEN IT WAS FIRST FOUNDED.
///END ACT///
U-S OFFICIALS HAVE SAID MR. GORE INTENDED TO PRESS MR.
CHERNOMYRDIN FOR MORE DEFINITIVE ASSURANCES THAT MOSCOW HAS
CEASED NUCLEAR AND MISSILE COOPERATION WITH IRAN. AND THEY
SUGGESTED THAT IN RETURN, THE ADMINISTRATION WAS WILLING TO CLEAR
THE WAY FOR EXPANDING RUSSIA'S ROLE IN THE LUCRATIVE COMMERCIAL
SATELLITE LAUNCHING BUSINESS. THAT, IN TURN, WOULD HELP RUSSIA'S
FINANCIALLY STRAPPED SPACE AGENCY PAY FOR ITS SHARE OF THE
PLANNED INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
OTHER ISSUES INCLUDED THE TWO COUNTRIES' DIFFERING IDEAS ON HOW
BEST TO GET CASPIAN REGION OIL RESERVES TO MARKET, AND THE
EXPLOSION OF UNREST IN SERBIA'S KOSOVO PROVINCE.
THE VICE PRESIDENT AND RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER ARE TO REPORT TO
PRESIDENT CLINTON AT THE CLOSE OF THE TWO-DAY MEETING WEDNESDAY.
THEY TRAVEL TOGETHER LATER IN THE WEEK TO CALIFORNIA TO VISIT THE
LOCKHEED-MARTIN CORPORATION -- WHICH IS USING RUSSIAN-DESIGNED
ENGINES IN A NEW LINE OF SATELLITE BOOSTER ROCKETS. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAG/KL
10-Mar-98 12:44 PM EST (1744 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
