DATE=7/6/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235057
TITLE=CLINTON/RUSSIA (L)
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS AGREED MEET RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS
YELTSIN IN MOSCOW IN EARLY SEPTEMBER, DESPITE THE FAILURE OF THE 
RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT -- THUS FAR -- TO RATIFY THE START TWO NUCLEAR
ARMS TREATY.  V-O-A'S DAVID GOLLUST HAS DETAILS FROM THE WHITE 
HOUSE.

TEXT:  PRESIDENT CLINTON HAD SAID HE WANTED TO SEE THE ARMS 
ACCORD APPROVED BY THE DUMA BEFORE HOLDING ANOTHER FULL-SCALE 
SUMMIT WITH MR. YELTSIN.

BUT WITH THE TREATY STILL BOTTLED UP IN PARLIAMENT BY YELTSIN 
OPPONENTS, THE PRESIDENT HAS DROPPED START-TWO RATIFICATION AS A 
CONDITION FOR A SUMMIT, AND ACCEPTED MR. YELTSIN'S INVITATION FOR
A SEPTEMBER VISIT.

WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN P-J CROWLEY SAYS THE PRESIDENT STILL WANTS 
THE TREATY ENACTED, BUT FEELS THE RELATIONSHIP IS TOO IMPORTANT 
TO BE, IN EFFECT, HELD HOSTAGE TO A SINGLE ISSUE:

                     ///CROWLEY ACTUALITY///

         WE CLEARLY FAVORED A MEETING FOLLOWING START TWO 
         RATIFICATION BY THE DUMA -- NO  QUESTION ABOUT THAT. 
         HOWEVER THE RANGE OF IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITH 
         RUSSIA IS SUCH THAT WE BELIEVE THERE IS PLENTY FOR THE 
         TWO PRESIDENTS TO DISCUSS -- INCLUDING WHERE WE GO ON 
         ARMS CONTROL ONCE THE DUMA DOES RATIFY START TWO.

                          ///END ACT///

START-TWO -- WHICH WAS RATIFIED BY THE U-S SENATE MORE THAN TWO 
YEARS AGO -- WOULD CUT THE NUCLEAR ARSENALS OF THE TWO POWERS TO 
NO MORE THAN 35-HUNDRED WARHEADS ON EITHER SIDE.

 TO MEET RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY COMPLAINTS ABOUT START-TWO TERMS 
AND IMPLEMENTATION COSTS, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAS DECLARED
ITS READINESS TO NEGOTIATE EVEN DEEPER WEAPONS CUTS UNDER A 
START-THREE ACCORD ONCE ITS PREDECESSOR TAKES EFFECT.

RUSSIAN LEGISLATORS, MANY OF WHOM OPPOSED START-TWO AS A PROTEST 
OF NATO EXPANSION, WILL TAKE UP THE TREATY AGAIN LATER THIS YEAR 
BUT PROBABLY  NOT  BEFORE THE SUMMIT.

SPOKESMAN CROWLEY SAID THE KOSOVO SITUATION, RUSSIA'S ECONOMIC 
PROBLEMS, AND WEAPONS PROLIFERATION WILL ALL BE KEY ISSUES AT THE
SEPTEMBER MEETING.

IT WILL BE THE FIRST FORMAL U-S/RUSSIAN SUMMIT SINCE THE TWO 
PRESIDENTS MET IN MARCH OF LAST YEAR IN HELSINKI, THOUGH THEY DID
MEET IN MAY ON THE SIDELINES OF EIGHT-NATION ECONOMIC SUMMIT IN 
BIRMINGHAM ENGLAND.

THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE WILL LAY GROUNDWORK 
FOR THE SUMMIT WHEN HE VISITS MOSCOW LATER THIS MONTH FOR A 
MEETING OF THE JOINT COMMISSION HE CHAIRS WITH RUSSIAN PRIME 
MINISTER SERGEI KIRIYENKO. 

MR. GORE WILL ALSO VISIT KIEV FOR TALKS WITH UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT 
LEONID KUCHMA. (SIGNED)

NEB/DAG/LTD/MMK

06-Jul-98 3:32 PM EDT (1932 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.