DATE=12/22/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243413
TITLE=RUSSIA/U-S  (L)
  BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  RUSSIA'S AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES WILL RETURN TO 
WASHINGTON LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER HE WAS RECALLED IN PROTEST OVER
U-S/BRITISH AIR STRIKES ON IRAQ.  V-O-A'S PETER HEINLEIN IN 
MOSCOW REPORTS THE U-S/RUSSIA RELATIONSHIP IS RETURNING TO 
NORMAL.

TEXT:  RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR YULI VORONTSOV IS TO FLY BACK TO HIS  
POST IN WASHINGTON WEDNESDAY.  AMBASSADOR VORONTSOV WAS CALLED 
HOME FOR CONSULTATIONS LAST FRIDAY -- ALONG WITH MOSCOW'S 
AMBASSADOR TO BRITAIN -- IN RESPONSE TO THE AIR STRIKES ON IRAQI 
TARGETS.

BUT WITH THE MILITARY ACTION HALTED, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY 
SPOKESMAN VLADIMIR RAKHMANIN SAYS THE EMPHASIS IS AGAIN ON 
IMPROVING BILATERAL RELATIONS.

         ///RAKHMANIN ACT IN RUSSIAN, THEN FADE TO...///

HE SAYS, "NOW, WHEN THE UNITED STATES HAS STOPPED ITS MILITARY 
ACTIVITY -- WHICH RUSSIA INSISTED ON -- IT IS NECESSARY TO RETURN
TO THE PROCESS OF MAKING IRAQ AGAIN A POLITICAL ISSUE."

THE SPOKESMAN TOLD REPORTERS THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR WOULD ALSO BE
RETURNING TO HIS POST SOON, BUT GAVE  NO  DATE.  

MOSCOW'S IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS ONE OF OUTRAGE AT THE AIR 
STRIKES.  PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN DESCRIBED THE RAIDS AS A 
"FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER."  RECALLING 
AMBASSADORS WAS A SYMBOLIC GESTURE  NOT  SEEN SINCE THE DAYS OF 
THE COLD WAR.

BUT AFTER THE INITIAL FURY, RUSSIAN REACTION LEVELED OFF. FOREIGN
MINISTER IGOR IVANOV HAD WHAT WAS DESCRIBED AS A POSITIVE 
CONVERSATION WITH U-S SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, AND 
A STATEMENT ISSUED IN MR. YELTSIN'S NAME SUNDAY -- WHILE STILL 
CRITICAL -- WAS COUCHED IN MORE CONCILIATORY TERMS.

A SENIOR U-S OFFICIAL WAS QUOTED AS SAYING, "THE RUSSIANS  
RECOGNIZE THAT THEY NEED TO KEEP GOOD POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC TIES
TO THE WEST."  THE U-S OFFICIAL SAID, "EVEN IF THEY ARE ANGRY AND
EMBARRASSED, THE RUSSIANS ARE  NOT  READY TO RISK THAT FOR THE 
SAKE OF IRAQ."

SPOKESMAN RAKHMANIN CONFIRMED THAT POSITION TUESDAY, TELLING 
REPORTERS A DETERIORATION IN BILATERAL RELATIONS IS  NOT  
RUSSIA'S CHOICE.  HE EMPHASIZED MOSCOW'S FIRM OPPOSITION TO 
MILITARY ACTION, BUT SAID RUSSIA REMAINS IN FAVOR OF A STEADY 
DEVELOPMENT OF TIES WITH THE UNITED STATES IN THE INTERESTS OF 
WORLD STABILITY.

HE POINTED TO SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT'S PLANNED VISIT TO THE 
RUSSIAN CAPITAL LATE NEXT MONTH AS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN 
FURTHERING RUSSIAN-AMERICAN COOPERATION.  (SIGNED)

NEB/PFH/PCF/GE

22-Dec-98 11:32 AM EST (1632 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.