DATE=4/27/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S / RUSSIA TALKS (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261789
BYLINE=KYLE KING
DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:   Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has 
wrapped up three days of intensive discussions on arms 
control issues in Washington.  As VOA's Kyle King 
reports, the two sides continue to disagree about the 
need to amend a key arms-control agreement that stands 
in the way of a proposed U-S missile defense system.

TEXT:  Speaking to reporters after talks with 
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, the Russian 
Foreign Minister said there are considerable 
differences of opinion about U-S plans for a national 
missile defense system.

The United States has been hoping to negotiate 
amendments to the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty 
to allow the deployment of a limited missile defense.

U-S officials say the system is needed to defend 
against potential attacks from small numbers of 
nuclear weapons from rogue states like Iran or North 
Korea.

Foreign Minister Ivanov, speaking through an 
interpreter, said Russia remains opposed to changes in 
the ABM treaty.

            /// IVANOV / INTERPRETER ACT ///

      We believe -- and it has been stressed at the 
      highest level -- the ABM Treaty of 1972 should 
      remain a cornerstone of the strategic stability 
      and the basis for strategic stability in the 
      world.

                  /// END ACT ///

During his earlier meetings with President Clinton and 
other administration officials, Mr. Ivanov offered 
some alternative proposals.

U-S officials said they were intrigued by the ideas, 
which deal with shorter-range missile systems that are 
allowed under the A-B-M treaty.

However, Secretary of State Albright says the Russian 
proposals do not fully address U-S concerns about the 
threat of long-range missiles launched by rogue 
states.

                /// ALBRIGHT ACT ///

      We have spoken before, and we did again in this 
      meeting, about cooperating on theater missile 
      defense, and we think it can supplement but it 
      is not sufficient to deal with the problems that 
      we have, and so I think we will continue to talk 
      about it.

                  /// END ACT ///

In addition to arms control, Ms. Albright and the 
Russian Foreign Minister also discussed a range of 
other issues, including Chechnya, Kosovo, the Middle 
East and North Korea -- issues that are expected to be 
discussed again when President Clinton and Russian 
President Vladimir Putin hold summit talks in Moscow 
this June.

That summit is also expected to include talks on the 
so-called Start-Three Treaty, which would slash U-S 
and Russian nuclear arsenals even further than 
previous strategic arms reduction agreements.

Secretary of State Albright says the Clinton 
administration will continue to pursue its arms 
control agenda despite opposition from conservative 
(U-S) Senator Jesse Helms.

Senator Helms said Wednesday that any new agreements 
negotiated by the Clinton administration during its 
remaining months in office would be dead on arrival 
[have no chance of passage] in the U-S Senate. 

Secretary of State Albright says she disagrees with 
the senator, and does not think the U-S public wants a 
pause in arms control talks for the rest of the year.   
(Signed)

NEB/KBK/WTW



27-Apr-2000 18:36 PM EDT (27-Apr-2000 2236 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.