DATE=9/8/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA / U-S ARMS (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-253593
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO:  Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott is in 
Moscow for preliminary talks on arms reduction 
agreements.  Moscow Correspondent Eve Conant reports 
the negotiations will focus on reducing nuclear 
stockpiles and a U-S request for changes in the Anti-
Ballistic Missile Treaty.

TEXT:  Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott is 
holding two-days of talks with Russia's Deputy Foreign 
Minister Georgy Mamedov.  The talks are focusing on 
the prospect for a Start-Three nuclear reduction 
agreement and the U-S desire to change the 1972 Anti-
Ballistic Missile Treaty.

The Cold War era A-B-M accord forbids the construction 
of missile-defense systems, but the Clinton 
Administration wants to amend the treaty to allow the 
construction of a limited missile-defense system.

Mr. Talbott told reporters he was looking forward to 
continuing what he described as good discussions with 
his Russian counterparts, despite their opposition to 
making changes in the A-B-M treaty. 

Russian President Boris Yeltsin agreed last June to 
discuss modifications to the A-B-M treaty.  But 
Russian officials have made it clear they consider the 
treaty the cornerstone of international arms control.  
The head of the Defense Ministry's International 
Relations department, Leonid Ivashov, has said that to 
change the treaty would upset the current arms balance 
and create a new arms race. 

The other issue on the agenda is the Start-Three 
missile reduction treaty.  Start-Three would see even 
further cuts to the Russian and U-S nuclear arsenals, 
but Russia has yet to ratify its predecessor, Start-
Two.  The United States says full-scale negotiations 
on Start-Three will not begin until Start-Two is 
ratified by Russia's parliament. 

These preliminary talks come ahead of several top-
level meetings scheduled for the coming days.  Defense 
Secretary William Cohen is due Sunday in Moscow, and 
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is expected to 
meet with President Clinton next week in New Zealand.   
(SIGNED)

NEB/EC/JWH/RAE



08-Sep-1999 10:50 AM LOC (08-Sep-1999 1450 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.