DATE=5/17/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232369
TITLE=CLINTON / YELTSIN (L) CQ
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=BIRMINGHAM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

  
INTRO:  PRESIDENT CLINTON AND RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN 
HELD THEIR FIRST ONE-ON-ONE MEETING IN MORE THAN A YEAR (SUNDAY) 
-- ON THE SIDELINES OF THE EIGHT-COUNTRY SUMMIT IN BIRMIGHAM, 
ENGLAND.  CORRESPONDENT DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS THEY DISCUSSED ARMS
ISSUES AND THE BALKANS AMONG OTHER MATTERS. 

TEXT:  THE TWO MEN DISCUSSED THEIR SHARED CONCERN ABOUT INDIA'S 
NUCLEAR TESTS AND THEIR OWN ARMS-CONTROL AGENDA, INCLUDING MR. 
YELTSIN'S EFFORTS TO GET THE START-TWO NUCLEAR ARMS TREATY 
THROUGH THE RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT. 

THE TREATY TO CUT THE ARSENALS OF BOTH SIDES BY TWO-THIRDS WAS 
RATIFIED BY THE U-S SENATE MORE THAN TWO-YEARS AGO, BUT HAS BEEN 
STALLED IN THE DUMA WHERE MEMBERS ARE ANGRY ABOUT NATO EXPANSION.

IN A TALK WITH REPORTERS AFTER THE MEETING, THE PRESIDENT SAID 
MR. YELTSIN TOLD HIM HE IS PURSUING RATIFICATION WITH NEW URGENCY
-- SO THE TWO POWERS CAN GET ON TO MORE AMBITIOUS ARMS CUTS IN A 
START-THREE FRAMEWORK:

                    /// CLINTON ACTUALITY ///

         I THINK ALL OF US, BECAUSE OF THE INDIAN NUCLEAR TEST, 
         FEEL AN EVEN-GREATER SENSE OF URGENCY TO CHANGE THE 
         DEBATE AGAIN OVER NUCLEAR ISSUES TOWARD LESS NOT MORE.  
         TO CHANGE THE WHOLE DIRECTION HERE.  AND I THINK IF WE 
         CAN GET TO EARLY DUMA RATIFICATION, WE KNOW PRETTY WELL 
         WHERE WE ARE ON A LOT OF THESE BIG START-THREE ISSUES.  
         AND WE WOULD LIKE TO REALLY GET AFTER IT AND TURN THIS 
         NUCLEAR TIDE BACK IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AWAY FROM MORE
         WEAPONS TOWARD FEWER ONES.

                         /// END ACT ///

U-S START-THREE PROPOSALS ARE AIMED AT MOLLIFYING TREATY CRITICS 
IN THE DUMA BY SPARING RUSSIA THE EXPENSE OF BUILDING NEW 
STRATEGIC MISSILES TO MEET THE TERMS OF START-TWO.

THE CLINTON-YELTSIN MEETING COVERED OTHER ARMS ISSUES, INCLUDING 
CONTINUING U-S CONCERN RUSSIAN MISSILE TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN 
REACHING ROGUE STATES, IN PARTICULAR IRAN.  DEPUTY SECRETARY OF 
STATE STROBE TALBOTT SAYS MOSCOW HAS MADE SOME RECENT PROGRESS IN
DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM, BUT U-S OFFICIALS ARE NOT FULLY 
SATISFIED:

                    /// TALBOTT ACTUALITY ///

         THOSE REMAINING PROBLEMS ARE IN THE AREA OF 
         IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT.  AND THAT MEANS 
         IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF RUSSIAN LAWS AND 
         RUSSIAN EXECUTIVE ORDERS. PRESIDENT YELTSIN REAFFIRMED 
         IN  THE CLEAREST AND MOST UNAMBIGUOUS TERMS HIS OWN 
         PERSONAL COMMITMENT AND THAT OF HIS GOVERNMENT TO 
         CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE UNITED STATES TO ADDRESS THESE
         PROBLEMS AND TO DO SO VERY PROMPTLY.

                         /// END ACT ///

THE TWO LEADERS ALSO DISCUSSED THE BALKANS, INCLUDING WHAT MR. 
TALBOTT CALLED -- SOMEWHAT HOPEFUL -- DEVELOPMENTS ON KOSOVO, 
WHERE THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT HAS BEGAN TALKS WITH ETHNIC 
ALBANIANS AIMED AT ENDING SEVERAL WEEKS OF VIOLENCE IN THE 
TROUBLED PROVINCE.

AIDES SAY PRESIDENT CLINTON WANTS TO SEE DUMA RATIFICATION OF 
START-TWO BEFORE PAYING A HOPED-FOR VISIT TO MOSCOW THIS YEAR -- 
BUT THERE IS NO HARD LINKAGE BETWEEN THE TWO ISSUES.   (SIGNED)

NEB/DAG/RAE

17-May-98 12:00 PM EDT (1600 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.