DATE=1/26/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-44716
TITLE=ALBRIGHT/RUSSIA UPDATE  (L)
  BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  SENIOR U-S AND RUSSIAN OFFICIALS SAY THE TWO COUNTRIES 
REMAIN FAR APART ON SEVERAL KEY ISSUES, FOLLOWING TWO DAYS OF 
BILATERAL TALKS IN MOSCOW.  FROM THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL, V-O-A'S 
PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS RUSSIAN LEADERS HELD THEIR GROUND IN 
OPPOSING A U-S REQUEST TO AMEND THE 1972 ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE 
TREATY.

TEXT:  SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT ARRIVED IN MOSCOW 
MONDAY SAYING SHE HOPED TO NARROW DIFFERENCES ON ISSUES THAT HAVE
SOURED U-S/RUSSIA TIES. AFTER TWO DAYS OF TALKS WITH SENIOR 
RUSSIAN OFFICIALS, MS. ALBRIGHT TOLD REPORTERS THAT DESPITE 
SEVERAL OBVIOUS DISAGREEMENTS, SHE IS SATISFIED THE TWO COUNTRIES
ARE ON A "GOOD ROAD."

                       ///ALBRIGHT ACT///

         THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT ARE ON THE TABLE WHEN 
         WE TALK, AND ON SOME OF THEM WE AGREE TOTALLY AND ON 
         SOME OF THEM WE DISAGREE, PARTIALLY. BUT I THINK THAT IS
         IN THE SPIRIT FOR TWO IMPORTANT COUNTRIES WHO HAVE THEIR
         OWN NATIONAL INTERESTS, AND IT IS PERFECTLY PROPER.

                          ///END ACT///

MS. ALBRIGHT'S COUNTERPART, FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR IVANOV, TOLD A 
JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE TUESDAY THAT DESPITE WIDE AREAS OF 
DISAGREEMENT, THE TWO COUNTRIES' OVERALL GOALS SEEM TO COINCIDE. 
HE DESCRIBED HIS TALKS WITH SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT AS 
PRODUCTIVE.

      ///IVANOV ACT IN RUSSIAN, IN FULL, THEN FADE TO...///

HE SAYS, "WE THINK THE LACK OF AGREEMENT ON SOME MATTERS MUST NOT
BE AN OBSTACLE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR PARTNERSHIP."

BUT THOSE AREAS OF DISAGREEMENTS ARE IN SOME AREAS SUBSTANTIAL,  
AMONG THEM IRAQ, KOSOVO, AND THE U-S REQUEST TO AMEND THE 1972 
ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE TREATY TO ALLOW FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A 
NUCLEAR MISSILE DEFENSE SHIELD.

IN A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH MS. ALBRIGHT TUESDAY, RUSSIAN 
PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN SHARPLY CRITICIZED ANTI-MISSILE SHIELD 
CONCEPT. FOREIGN MINISTER IVANOV SUGGESTED CHANGING THE A-B-M 
ACCORD COULD UNDO THE ENTIRE ARMS CONTROL PROCESS.

   ///SECOND IVANOV ACT IN RUSSIAN, IN FULL THEN FADE TO...///

HE SAYS, "WE FIRMLY BELIEVE FURTHER REDUCTION OF STRATEGIC 
MISSILES CAN ONLY BE DONE ON CONDITION THIS TREATY IS PRESERVED 
AS A CORNERSTONE OF STRATEGIC STABILITY."

MS. ALBRIGHT TOLD REPORTERS SHE HAD TRIED TO REASSURE RUSSIAN  
LEADERS THAT TALKS ON THE A-B-M WERE WHAT SHE CALLED A "FIRST 
EXCHANGE OF VIEWS" ABOUT POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE ACCORD.

                    ///SECOND ALBRIGHT ACT///

         I STRESSED TO THE FOREIGN MINISTER THAT WE ARE ONLY AT 
         THE BEGINNING OF A LONG PROCESS, ONE WHICH WE WANT TO 
         WORK WITH RUSSIA TO PRESERVE THE SECURITY OF BOTH OUR 
         COUNTRIES.

                          ///END ACT///

MS. ALBRIGHT SAID SOME PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE ON THEIR DISPUTE  
OVER KOSOVO.  SHE SAID THE TWO COUNTRIES HAD AGREED THE RECENT  
MASSACRE OF KOSOVO ALBANIANS SHOULD BE FULLY INVESTIGATED AND 
THOSE RESPONSIBLE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.

KOSOVO WILL BE ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S AGENDA ON SEVERAL OF  
HER OTHER STOPS DURING HER CURRENT TOUR.  SHE LEAVES MOSCOW  
WEDNESDAY FOR SAUDI ARABIA AND EGYPT, THEN WILL VISIT BRITAIN AND
FRANCE BEFORE RETURNING TO WASHINGTON. (SIGNED)

NEB/PFH/PCF

26-Jan-99 3:38 PM EST (2038 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.