DATE=1/24/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244608
TITLE=RUSSIA/ALBRIGHT (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN, WHO HAS BEEN HOSPITALIZED
AFTER DEVELOPING A BLEEDING STOMACH ULCER, MAY BE UNABLE TO MEET 
PERSONALLY WITH U-S SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT -- WHO 
BEGINS A TWO-DAY VISIT TO MOSCOW MONDAY.  BUT A GOVERNMENT 
SPOKESMAN SAYS MR. YELTSIN MAY WILL LIKELY SPEAK TO MS. ALBRIGHT 
BY TELEPHONE.  THE U-S SECRETARY'S VISIT COMES WHEN RELATIONS 
BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND MOSCOW ARE ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT -- AS WE 
HEAR FROM VOA'S PETER HEINLEIN IN MOSCOW.  

TEXT: THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT COMES AT A TIME WHEN THE 
U-S--RUSSIA RELATIONSHIP IS AT WHAT MANY EXPERTS SAY IS THE 
LOWEST POINT SINCE THE END OF THE COLD WAR.  DIFFERENCES OVER 
SUCH ISSUES AS IRAQ AND KOSOVO HAVE DEEPENED THE DIVIDE, CALLING 
INTO QUESTION THE FUTURE OF THE DISARMAMENT PROCESS. BUT MS. 
ALBRIGHT AND HER RUSSIAN COUNTERPART, FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR 
IVANOV, SEEM DETERMINED TO KEEP THE RELATIONSHIP ON A POSITIVE 
TRACK.

A TOP U-S OFFICIAL, BRIEFING REPORTERS ON THE VISIT SAID, WE 
CONSIDER IT ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN A REGULAR 
ENGAGEMENT AND DEAL WITH DISAGREEMENTS AS THEY EMERGE.  FOREIGN 
MINISTER IVANOV TOLD REPORTERS RUSSIA WILL NOT ALLOW ITS MOST 
IMPORTANT BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP TO DETERIORATE.

                    ///IVANOV RUSSIAN ACT///

HE SAID: IT'S IMPORTANT THE DIALOGUE CONTINUE AND THAT THESE 
DIFFERENCES DO NOT ESCALATE INTO FRONTAL CONFRONTATION.

A SENIOR OFFICIAL ON MS. ALBRIGHT'S DELEGATION SAID HER NUMBER 
ONE AGENDA ITEM WILL BE ARMS CONTROL.  THAT INCLUDES SEVERAL 
ISSUES -- INCLUDING RUSSIA'S FAILURE TO RATIFY THE START TWO 
TREATY, AND A U-S REQUEST TO RENEGOTIATE THE 1972 ANTI-BALLISTIC 
MISSILE ACCORD.  

PRESIDENT CLINTON LAST WEEK REQUESTED AN OVERHAUL OF THE A-B-M 
TREATY TO ALLOW FOR A MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM SIMILAR TO THE STAR 
WARS IDEA PROPOSED BY FORMER PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN.  THAT 
REQUEST WAS SEEN BY MANY ANALYSTS IN MOSCOW AS A SIGN THE UNITED 
STATES HAS ABANDONED HOPE THAT RUSSIA'S PARLIMENT WILL EVER 
RATIFY THE START TWO ACCORD.  

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT ALSO IS EXPECTED TO BRING UP SEVERAL OTHER 
CRITICAL ISSUES DURING TALKS WITH PRIME MINISTERYEVGENY PRIMAKOV 
AND OTHER TOP RUSSIAN OFFICIALS.  ONE IS THE NON-PROLIFERATION 
DISPTUE INVOLVING ALLEGATIONS THAT RUSSIAN NUCLEAR AND MISSILE 
TECHNOLOGY HAS LEAKED TO IRAN.  

FOR THE RUSSIANS, MS. ALBRIGHT'S VISIT IS EXPECTED TO BE A 
DIFFICULT CHALLENGE.  ANALYSTS SAY THE KREMLIN WOULD LIKE TO TAKE
A TOUGH LINE AGAINST WHAT MANY HERE SEE AS AMERICAN BULLYING ON 
ISSUES SUCH AS KOSOVO AND IRAQ.  BUT THE RUSSIAN POSITION IS 
WEAKENED BY MOSCOW'S NEED FOR U-S SUPPORT IN ITS NEGOTIAITONS FOR
A RESUMPTION OF LOANS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND.   AN 
I-M-F TEAM IS ALSO CURRENTLY IN MOSCOW FOR TALKS ON A SUSPENDED 
22-BILLION DOLLAR LOAN PACKAGE.

                          //REST OPT// 

WHILE HERE, THE SECRETARY OF STATE ALSO WILL SEE SEVERAL 
POTENTIAL FUTURE RUSSIAN LEADERS.  SHE HAS APPOINTMENTS WITH 
THREE POSSIBLE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES: MOSCOW MAYOR YURY 
LUZHKOV, SIBERIAN GOVERNOR AND FORMER GENERAL ALEXANDER LEBED, 
AND LIBERAL FACTION LEADER GRIGORY YAVLINSKY.  MS. ALBRIGHT 
LEAVES RUSSIA WEDNESDAY.  BEFORE RETURNING TO WASHINGTON, SHE 
WILL ALSO VISIT EGYPT, SAUDI ARABIA, BRITAIN, AND FRANCE.  
(SIGNED)

NEB/PH/WFR    

 

24-Jan-99 9:03 PM EST (0203 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.