DATE=1/25/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244617
TITLE=RUSSIA /ALBRIGHT  (L)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT IS IN MOSCOW FOR 
TWO DAYS OF TALKS WITH RUSSIAN LEADERS.  ON ARRIVAL, SHE SAID SHE
WANTS A POSITIVE DIALOG RATHER THAN CONFRONTATION ON DISPUTES 
CURRENTLY TANGLING U-S / RUSSIA RELATIONS.  CORRESPONDENT PETER 
HEINLEIN HAS DETAILS FROM MOSCOW.

TEXT:  MS. ALBRIGHT SAYS THE POINT OF HER VISIT IS TO ENGAGE 
RUSSIA IN PROBLEM SOLVING.  SHE DENIES THE BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP
HAS SOURED TO THE POINT THE UNITED STATES IS TRYING TO CONTAIN 
RUSSIAN INFLUENCE.  SHE TOLD REPORTERS BEFORE BEGINNING HER 
MEETINGS MONDAY -- I DO NOT SEE THIS AS SOME KIND OF CRITICAL 
POINT.

BUT SENIOR OFFICIALS ADMIT THERE WILL BE SOME TOUGH TALK DURING 
MS. ALBRIGHT'S VISIT.  RUSSIA HAS PLAYED A LEADING ROLE IN 
OPPOSING U-S POLICY ON IRAQ AND KOSOVO, AND REJECTS WASHINGTON'S 
ACCUSATIONS IT HAS LEAKED SENSITIVE MISSILE TECHNOLOGY TO IRAN.

RUSSIAN LEADERS ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE U-S REQUEST TO 
RENEGOTIATE THE 1972 ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE TREATY.  PRESIDENT 
CLINTON WROTE TO RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN LAST WEEK SAYING
THE UNITED STATES WANTS TO OVERHAUL THE A-B-M ACCORD TO ALLOW FOR
CONSTRUCTION OF A MISSILE DEFENSE SHIELD.  

MS. ALBRIGHT'S FIRST MEETING MONDAY WAS WITH HER RUSSIAN 
COUNTERPART, RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV. BEFORE THEIR  
MEETING, MR. IVANOV PLEDGED STIFF OPPOSITION TO ANY CHANGES IN 
THE A-B-M TREATY, WHICH HE CALLED THE "CORNERSTONE OF FURTHER 
CUTS IN STRATEGIC OFFENSIVE WEAPONS."

MS. ALBRIGHT'S MOSCOW SCHEDULE ALSO INCLUDES A TELEPHONE 
CONVERSATION WITH PRESIDENT YELTSIN, CURRENTLY IN A HOSPITAL 
RECUPERATING FROM A BLEEDING ULCER, AND A MEETING WITH PRIME 
MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV. 

WITH PRESIDENT YELTSIN LARGELY SIDELINED BY ILLNESS, PRIME 
MINISTER PRIMAKOV HAS TAKEN OVER MOST OF THE DAY TO DAY AFFAIRS 
OF STATE.  HE AND MS. ALBRIGHT KNOW EACH OTHER WELL, HAVING 
WORKED CLOSELY DURING MR. PRIMAKOV'S TENURE AS RUSSIA'S FOREIGN 
MINISTER.

MR. PRIMAKOV WILL BE HOPING TO PERSUADE THE UNITED STATES TO 
SUPPORT MOSCOW'S EFFORT TO WIN INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND 
SUPPORT FOR RUSSIA'S ECONOMIC REFORMS.  AN I-M-F TEAM IS ALSO IN 
MOSCOW CURRENTLY FOR TALKS ON A SUSPENDED 22-BILLION DOLLAR LOAN 
PACKAGE. 

WHILE HERE, THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL ALSO SEE SEVERAL 
POTENTIAL RUSSIAN LEADERS OF THE FUTURE.  SHE HAS APPOINTMENTS 
WITH MOSCOW'S POWERFUL MAYOR YURI LUZHKOV, SIBERIAN GOVERNOR 
ALEXANDER LEBED, AND LIBERAL FACTION LEADER GRIGORY YAVLINSKY.   
(SIGNED)

NEB/PFH/RAE

25-Jan-99 5:17 AM EST (1017 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.