Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=07/25/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=RUSSIA / U-S (L-O)

NUMBER=2-278641

BYLINE=REBECCA SANTANA

DATELINE=MOSCOW

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: U-S National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice has arrived in Moscow. She is scheduled to meet Thursday with top Russian leaders about U-S missile defense plans. Earlier today (Wednesday), Ms. Rice advised Ukraine to hold fair elections and continue political reforms or risk losing economic support from the West. V-O-A's Rebecca Santana has more from Moscow.

TEXT: U-S National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice met with Ukrainian leaders Wednesday and gave them some strongly worded criticism.

Ms. Rice said Ukraine needs to ensure that parliamentary elections next March are free and fair. During her meeting with Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, Ms. Rice stressed that political and economic reforms must continue.

Ms. Rice said Ukraine must investigate the recent killings of journalists. She said the world is watching how Ukraine probes the murders of Ukrainian journalists, Georgiy Gongadze and Ihor Aleksander.

/// OPT /// The body of Mr. Gongadze was found beheaded outside of Kiev late last year. The journalist's death sparked protests against the government with the opposition calling for the resignation of Mr. Kuchma. Opponents of Mr. Kuchma say he ordered the journalist's death, a charge the Ukrainian president strongly denies. Another journalist -Ihor Aleksander - was killed earlier this month under suspicious circumstances, which also fueled international attention. /// END OPT ///

Ms. Rice also met with newly appointed Prime Minister Anatoliy Kinakh. Mr. Kinakh came to office after the parliament passed a vote of no confidence against his predecessor, Viktor Yushchenko. Mr. Yushchenko had been praised by Western leaders for his economic reforms.

Ms. Rice is now in Moscow. She is scheduled to meet with President Vladimir Putin Thursday to discuss Washington's plans to build a national missile defense system. Moscow has said in the past that it is strongly opposed to the plan but is now hinting that it might be ready to negotiate. (Signed)

NEB/RS/GE/FC