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DATE=3/23/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-228592
TITLE=RUSSIA/US REACT (L)
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAS DISMISSED THE 
GOVERNMENT BECAUSE HE SAYS IT LACKS DYNAMISM AND INITIATIVE. BUT 
MR YELTSIN SAYS FREE MARKET REFORMS WILL GO ON.  FROM WASHINGOTN,
V-O-A'S LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS THE U-S STATE DEPARTMENT EXPECTS 
FEW CHANGES IN RUSSIAN POLICIES. 
TEXT:   STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JIM FOLEY SAYS WASHINGTON 
DEALS WITH GOVERNMENTS, NOT PERSONALITIES.  HE DOES NOT EXPECT 
ANY MAJOR SHIFT IN RUSSIAN ECONOMIC OR FOREIGN POLICIES.
                          //FOLEY ACT//
         WE HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT A CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT
         PRESAGES ANY CHANGE IN RUSSIA'S BASIC ORIENTATION EITHER
         IN TERMS OF DOMESTIC ECONOMIC REFORM OR COOPERATION WITH
         THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS WE'VE SEEN IN THESE 
         RECENT YEARS. IN ANY CASE, I WOULD NOTE THAT AMERICAN 
         POLICY TOWARD RUSSIA IS NOT A FUNCTION OF PERSONALITIES 
         BUT IS A FUNCTION OF OUR SEARCH FOR COMMON INTEREST AND 
         COMMON POSITIONS ON MAJOR INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGES.
                           //END AC//
IN MOSCOW, THE DISMISSED PRIME MINISTER AND KEY ECONOMIC 
OFFICIALS ALL APPEARED TO ACCEPT THEIR FATE CALMLY.   THE FUEL 
AND ENERGY MINISTER, SERGEI KIRIYENKO, WHO WAS NAMED ACTING PRIME
MINISTER, ALSO STRESSES THAT PROGRAMS ALREADY IN PLACE WILL 
CONTINUE. 
MR FOLEY SAYS WASHINGTON  DOES  NOT  EXPECT ANY CHANGE EITHER IN 
RUSSIA'S COOPERATION IN SEVERAL KEY INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS, 
INCLUDING THE CURB ON TRANSFERRING NUCLEAR MISSILE TECHNOLOGY TO 
IRAN.
                        //FOLEY ACT TWO//
         WE HAVE WORKED THE PROBLEM VERY HARD WITH THE RUSSIAN 
         LEADERSHIP.  OUR OBJECTIVE HAS BEEN TO CUT OFF ALL LINKS
         BETWEEN RUSSIAN ENTITIES AND THE IRANIAN MISSILE EFFORT.
                           //END ACT//
MR FOLEY SAYS RUSSIA IS TAKING STEPS TO STRENGTHEN EXPORT 
CONTROLS. AND HE DOES  NOT  EXPECT THAT TO BE AFFECTED BY A 
CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT.
MR FOLEY CAUTIONS AGAINST OVERREACTING TO THE SURPRISE 
ANNOUNCEMENT, WHICH HAD BEEN RUMORED FOR WEEKS.   HE SAYS 
WASHINGTON WAS NOT OFFICIALLY INFORMED AHEAD OF TIME.  BUT  
SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT WILL DISCUSS THE GOVERNMENT
CHANGE WITH RUSSIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER WHEN SHE MEETS HIM LATER 
THIS WEEK IN BONN..(SIGNED)
NEB/WR/KL
NEB/LMK/KL
23-Mar-98 3:17 PM EST (2017 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.