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DATE=1/19/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S / RUSSIA (L)
NUMBER=2-258230
BYLINE=KYLE KING
DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will 
visit Russia later this month for talks expected to be 
dominated by arms control, non-proliferation issues 
and the war in Chechnya.  V-O-A's Kyle King has this 
report from the State Department, where officials have 
also issued their first public reaction to Russia's 
new national security doctrine.
TEXT:  U-S officials say Russia's new national 
security doctrine does not make the use of nuclear 
weapons more likely.
Analysts had said the new policy unveiled last week is 
more aggressive than the previous security doctrine 
issued in 1997.
But State Department spokesman James Rubin says there 
is no significant change in Russian policy, which had 
previously allowed for the first use of nuclear 
weapons to resolve a crisis.
            /// RUBIN ACT ///
      I think its fair to say that we recognize there 
      have been some adjustments in the wording.  But 
      in terms of a major departure, going from say no 
      first use, to first use, we think that isn't 
      what happened here.  They have always retained 
      that right.
            /// END ACT ///
During her talks with Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and 
other Russian officials, Ms. Albright will be 
discussing arms control, non-proliferation issues, and 
U-S concerns about the conflict in Chechnya.
Officials did not say if Ms. Albright would hold talks 
with acting Russian President Vladimir Putin, but 
analysts say the two are likely to meet during her 
visit.
Tuesday, during a major foreign policy speech, Ms. 
Albright called Mr. Putin a leading reformer in 
Russia.  But she said the United States is not what 
she called "starry eyed" about the Russian leader and 
will judge him by his actions.
Ms. Albright will be the highest ranking U-S official 
to visit Moscow since President Boris Yeltsin named 
Mr. Putin as acting President on New Years eve.
During her visit, Secretary of State Albright will 
also take part in a multi-lateral Middle East peace 
conference co-sponsored by the United States and 
Russia. (Signed)
NEB/KBK/TVM/JP
19-Jan-2000 17:57 PM EDT (19-Jan-2000 2257 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.