DATE=7/24/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235994
TITLE=RUSSIA / GORE (L)
BYLINE=MICHELE KELEMEN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE AND RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER
SERGEI KIRIYENKO HAVE DRAWN UP PLANS FOR A FORTHCOMING U-S
RUSSIAN SUMMIT. THEY ALSO SPOKE ABOUT RUSSIA'S EFFORTS TO
OVERCOME A FINANCIAL CRISIS AND IMPLEMENT AUSTERITY MEASURES
NEEDED TO COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL LOAN ARRANGEMENTS. V-O-A'S
MICHELE KELEMEN REPORTS.
TEXT: THIS WAS MR. GORE'S FIRST CHANCE TO HOLD TALKS WITH MR.
KIRIYENKO SINCE THE FORMER ENERGY MINISTER WAS NAMED PRIME
MINISTER IN MARCH. THE U-S VICE PRESIDENT SAYS HE CAME AWAY
FEELING OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT'S HANDLING OF AN
ECONOMIC CRISIS.
/// GORE ACT ///
IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, HE HAS ESTABLISHED A
FULL COMMAND OF ALL THE FACTS CONCERNING THE ISSUES THAT
CONFRONT HIM AS THE PRIME MINISTER OF RUSSIA AND HE HAS
A VERY IMPRESSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF ECONOMIC REFORM AND
OF WHAT MUST BE DONE IN ORDER TO ADVANCE REFORM. I'M
IMPRESSED WITH HIS PROGRAM.
/// END ACT ///
RUSSIA HAS MADE SIMILAR PLEDGES TO REFORM IN THE PAST AND THE
GOVERNMENT IS CURRENTLY FACING RESISTANCE FROM PARLIAMENT ON
CRUCIAL PARTS OF THE AUSTERITY PACKAGE. STILL, MR. GORE SAYS HE
IS CONFIDENT THE RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER "MEANS WHAT HE SAYS WHEN
HE SAYS THEY INTEND TO BRING THE REFORMS TO PASS."
THE GOVERNMENT IS UNDER PRESSURE TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM OF TAX
REFORM AND SPENDING CUTS IN ORDER TO CONTINUE RECEIVING AN
11-POINT-TWO BILLION DOLLAR LOAN FROM THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY
FUND. BUT MR. KIRIYENKO TOLD THE JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE WITH MR.
GORE FRIDAY, THERE ARE MORE COMPELLING REASONS TO GET RUSSIA'S
FISCAL HOUSE IN ORDER.
/// KIRIYENKO ACT IN RUSSIAN, ESTABLISH AND FADE ///
"THE REFORMS ARE BEING CARRIED OUT NOT BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN
PROMISED TO THE I-M-F OR TO ANYBODY ELSE," HE SAYS. "REFORMS IN
RUSSIA ARE BEING CARRIED OUT FOR OURSELVES BECAUSE OF INTERNAL
NEEDS." HE ADDS "THERE IS NO OTHER PATH."
DURING THEIR TALKS FRIDAY, MR. KIRIYENKO AND VICE PRESIDENT GORE
ALSO SIGNED TWO AGREEMENTS TO ADVANCE U-S AND RUSSIAN COOPERATION
IN NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT ISSUES. UNDER ONE AGREEMENT, EACH COUNTRY
WOULD CONVERT 50 TONS OF PLUTONIUM FROM NUCLEAR WARHEADS INTO
POWER PLANT FUEL, AS MR. GORE EXPLAINS.
/// GORE ACT ///
THE FIRST AGREEMENT ON PLUTONIUM MANAGEMENT WILL BEGIN A
BRAND NEW INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO CONVERT PLUTONIUM FROM
DISMANTLED NUCLEAR WEAPONS INTO REACTOR FUEL THAT WILL
HELP GENERATE ELECTRICITY FOR RUSSIA. THE BIBLICAL
PROPHECY ABOUT TURNING SWORDS INTO PLOUGHSHARES IS
ACTUALLY ILLUSTRATED IN THIS KIND OF PROGRAM.
/// END ACT ///
THE UNITED STATES IS ALSO GRANTING AN INITIAL THREE-POINT-ONE
MILLION DOLLARS TO LAUNCH A SO-CALLED CLOSED CITIES INITIATIVE.
IT IS AIMED AT CREATING JOBS FOR NUCLEAR SCIENTISTS IN FORMERLY
CLOSED RESEARCH CITIES IN RUSSIA. SIX OF THE NINE PROJECTS WILL
FOCUS ON THE CITY OF SAROV, WHERE WORKERS HELD A PROTEST THURSDAY
DEMANDING BACK PAY.
// REST OPT ////
FOLLOWING FRIDAY'S TALKS, WHICH ALSO COVERED TRADE AND OTHER
BILATERAL ISSUES, MR GORE SAID HIS RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA'S NEW
PRIME MINISTER ARE OFF TO A GOOD START. THE U-S VICE PRESIDENT
HAD BEEN HOLDING REGULAR MEETINGS WITH MR. KIRIYENKO'S
PREDECESSOR, VIKTOR CHERNOMYRDIN IN WHAT WAS THEN CALLED THE
GORE-CHERNOMYRDIN COMMISSION.
RUSSIA'S NEW PRIME MINISTER HAS COME UP WITH ANOTHER NAME, GORKI,
FOR GORE-KIRIYENKO. THE WORD GORKI MEANS LITTLE MOUNTAINS IN
RUSSIA AND THAT, MR. KIRIYENKO SUGGESTS, COULD REPRESENT
OBSTACLES THAT THE JOINT COMMISSION CAN OVERCOME. (SIGNED)
NEB/MK/LTD/PLM
24-Jul-98 3:25 PM EDT (1925 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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