DATE=6/3/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA/CLINTON (L)
NUMBER=2-263119
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:


INTRO:  U-S President Bill Clinton has arrived in 
Moscow to begin a three-day summit with Russia's newly 
elected president, Vladimir Putin.  Moscow 
correspondent Eve Conant reports arms control is 
expected to top the agenda at their first face-to-face 
meeting since President Putin was elected in March.


TEXT:  /// OPT /// President Clinton's first 
destination upon arrival is an informal dinner with 
President Putin.  Russian television news has 
described the dinner as a way for the two leaders to 
become better acquainted with each other before what 
are expected to be a difficult round of talks on 
Sunday. /// End OPT /// 

Formal talks between Mr. Clinton and Mr. Putin are 
scheduled for Sunday afternoon, and are expected to 
cover a range of issues, including arms control, the 
war in Chechnya, the Russian economy and Russia's 
commitment to a free press.

Mr. Clinton will try to soften Russian resistance to 
Washington's desire to build a limited nuclear missile 
defense shield to defend the United States from 
attacks by "rogue states" such as Iran or North Korea.  
Building such a system, however, would require 
Russia's agreement to amend to the 1972 Anti-Ballistic 
Missile Treaty.  Russia has refused to consider 
changing the treaty, which it views as the cornerstone 
of all arms control agreements.

Mr. Putin has also threatened to pull out of all arms 
control agreements if the United States moves ahead 
unilaterally.  However, there has been talk of a 
possible Russian counterproposal involving Russian and 
European participation in the nuclear shield.

Mr. Putin, who has recently signed the START-Two arms 
reduction treaty as well as the Comprehensive Test Ban 
Treaty -- a global ban on nuclear testing -- is also 
expected to push for dramatic cuts to both sides' 
nuclear arsenals with a modified START-Three accord.  
Washington, however, has said Russia's proposal to 
slash nuclear arsenals to 15-hundred warheads is too 
low.  Experts say Russia's cash-strapped government 
wants the cuts because it cannot afford the upkeep of 
its present nuclear arsenal.

/// OPT /// Russians like 30-year old Tatyana 
Safronova believe their new president will defend 
Russia's interests much more so than their previous 
president, Boris Yeltsin, ever did.

            /// Safronova Act in Russian in full and 
fade under ///

"Our relations with the United States change all the 
time," she says. "One day it's good, the next it's 
bad.  But at the moment people are afraid of Russia, 
which is very good." /// End Opt ///

This will be the two leaders' first face-to-face 
meeting since President Putin was elected in March.  
Mr. Putin is regarded as more reserved leader than his 
predecessor, Mr. Yeltsin, and Russians are expecting 
him to keep a tough line with Mr. Clinton on nuclear 
issues as well as western criticism of the military 
campaign in Chechnya and Russia's commitment to free 
media.   (Signed)

NEB/EC/DW/JP




03-Jun-2000 11:37 AM EDT (03-Jun-2000 1537 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.