DATE=5/12/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232080
TITLE=RUSSIA FOREIGN POLICY  (L ONLY)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAS SPELLED OUT RUSSIA'S FOREIGN 
POLICY PRIORITIES IN A WIDE-RANGING SPEECH TO RUSSIA'S DIPLOMATIC
CORPS.  V-O-A'S PETER HEINLEIN IN MOSCOW REPORTS MR. YELTSIN'S  
COMMENTS CONTAINED A FEW POINTED JABS -- AT THE UNITED STATES, 
AND AT INDIA. 

TEXT:  AS HE PREPARES FOR TALKS WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON THIS 
WEEKEND (FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) AT A MEETING IN BRITAIN OF 
LEADERS OF LEADING INDUSTRIAL NATIONS, MR. YELTSIN EXPRESSED 
GENERAL SASTISFACTION WITH THE DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN 
MOSCOW AND WASHINGTON. 

         ///  YELTSIN ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///

HE SAID THAT AFTER A PERIOD OF ILLUSIONS AND UNREASONABLE  
EXPECTATIONS, RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES ARE FORMING A 
RELATIONSHIP OF MUTUAL RESPECT. 

BUT IN A CLEAR REFERENCE TO AMERICAN ECONOMIC AND MILITARY POWER,
HE CAUTIONED RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS TO BE WARY OF EFFORTS BY ANY ONE 
COUNTRY TO DOMINATE WORLD AFFAIRS.

       ///  2ND YELTSIN ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///

MR. YELTSIN SAID THERE IS  NO  PLACE FOR ONE NATION TO DICTATE,  
NO  MATTER HOW POWERFUL THAT COUNTRY MAY BE. 

DURING A RARE VISIT TO RUSSIA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY, HE JOINED THE 
CHORUS OF CONCERN ABOUT INDIA'S NUCLEAR TESTS.  BUT IN  
RECOGNITION OF MOSCOW'S TRADITIONALLY CLOSE TIES WITH NEW DELHI, 
MR. YELTSIN'S CRITICISM WAS RESTRAINED.

       ///  3RD YELTSIN ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///

HE SAID "INDIA HAS LET US DOWN."  BUT HE CAUTIONED THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY  NOT  TO OVERREACT, SAYING DIPLOMACY IS 
THE BEST WAY TO PERSUADE NEW DELHI TO CHANGE ITS POSITION.

///  OPT  ///  A FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN LATER ISSUED A 
STATEMENT REGRETTING INDIA'S UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR TESTS AND 
SAYING, "AS A CLOSE FRIEND OF INDIA," RUSSIA URGES INDIA TO JOIN 
THE WORLD IN STOPPING NUCLEAR WEAPONS.   ///  END OPT  ///

MR. YELTSIN ALSO CALLED ON RUSSIA'S LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT, 
THE DUMA, TO RATIFY THE 1993 START-TWO ARMS REDUCTION TREATY, SO 
WORK CAN BEGIN ON A START-THREE ACCORD.

       ///  4TH YELTSIN ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///

HE SAID START-THREE WILL BE A BREAKTHROUGH IN ACHIEVING A NUCLEAR
BALANCE WITH THE UNITED STATES. 

THE U-S SENATE HAS RATIFIED THE START TWO TREATY, BUT THE 
COMMUNIST AND HARDLINER-DOMINATED DUMA HAS REFUSED TO VOTE ON IT.
MR. YELTSIN HAS PROMISED PRESIDENT CLINTON TO WORK FOR PASSAGE OF
THE TREATY, AND TUESDAY CALLED IT "A NATIONAL SECURITY PRIORITY".

DUMA SOURCES SAY LAWMAKERS MAY TAKE UP THE ACCORD BEFORE THE 
CURRENT SESSION ADJOURNS.  (SIGNED)

NEB/PFH/JWH

12-May-98 12:40 PM EDT (1640 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.