DATE=6/6/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=SUMMIT MEDIA REACT (L-O)
NUMBER=2-263220
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Russians are looking at President Clinton's
whirlwind three-day visit to Moscow as "a gray summit"
that helped to ease bilateral tensions, but was short
on results. Moscow Correspondent Peter Heinlein
reports many newspapers focused on the cool, almost
hostile reception given to the president when he spoke
to parliament.
TEXT: Russia's main newspapers (Tuesday) made one
point vividly clear. Visits by U-S presidents are
just not what they used to be.
In what for many newspapers was the first edition
since President Clinton's arrival, only one of the
majors, Nezavizimaya Gazeta, published a report of his
visit as their lead story. Another paper, Izvestia,
relegated the summit report to page four.
Analysts generally agreed that, as expected, Mr.
Clinton's first summit meeting with Russian President
Vladimir Putin produced little.
/// OPT /// In its commentary, Nezavizimaya Gazeta
concluded that discussions on the U-S request to amend
the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty had revealed what it
called - irreconcilable differences. The author said
disputes on the A-B-M issue could dash all the
achievements of U-S/Russia dialogue in recent years.
/// END OPT ///
The Kommersant Daily noted that many journalists
dubbed the visit - the gray summit - because there was
so little to report. The paper's front-page report
was headlined - Bill Clinton is Vladimir Putin's press
secretary - noting that the Kremlin leader had said
very little, while Mr. Clinton answered western
criticisms of Russian policy.
Most newspapers gave prominent attention to the
negative reaction President Clinton's speech to
parliament received. Kommersant said the 45-minute
speech sounded like a Protestant sermon.
Izvestia noted that most members of parliament
boycotted the address, so vacant seats in the chamber
had to be hurriedly filled by foreign ministry
officials and security officers. Izvestia's page-four
report called the speech - a standard set of American
ideological stereotypes - and said the only people who
applauded were those from the foreign ministry.
Analyst Alan Rousso of the Moscow Carnegie Center said
many Russians interpreted Mr. Clinton's speech as an
insulting lecture.
/// ROUSSO ACT ///
The overall tone was slightly condescending when
an American president comes here and tells the
Russians what they have to do to improve their
society. It contradicted the underlying
message, which is that it is up to Russians to
sort out and fix things that ail the Russian
society and economy. To go on and give a list
of the things they need to do does not come off
well with a Russian audience.
/// END ACT ///
Russia's defensiveness may have been best described by
Alexander Dugin, a senior adviser to the speaker of
parliament. Mr. Dugin was quoted in Kommersant as
saying - Americans regard Russia not as an equal
partner, but as a weakened rival, which must be
finished off.
Mr. Dugin told the newspaper that - if the United
States continues to insist on a dominant role in the
world, a new arms race is inevitable.
Kommersant contrasted that opinion with the views of
former Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev. Mr. Kozyrev,
who now heads a pharmaceutical company, said talks on
A-B-M modifications had been positive because they
gave both sides room to maneuver. He said subtle
shifts in both U-S and Russian positions give hope for
a future deal that could result in a joint system to
protect against nuclear missile attack. (SIGNED)
NEB/PFH/JWH/RAE
06-Jun-2000 12:42 PM EDT (06-Jun-2000 1642 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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