DATE=6/5/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233431
TITLE=RUSSIA / START TWO (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=MICHELE KELEMEN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:   RUSSIA'S FOREIGN AND DEFENSE MINISTERS HAVE MET LEADERS 
OF THE COUNTRY'S PARLIAMENT AS PART OF A GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGN TO 
ENCOURAGE LAWMAKERS TO RATIFY THE "START-TWO" NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT
ACCORD.  V-O-A MOSCOW CORRESPONDENT MICHELE KELEMEN REPORTS 
RUSSIA'S GOVERNMENT WANTS THE TREATY RATIFIED TO PAVE THE WAY FOR
SUMMIT TALKS BETWEEN PRESIDENTS CLINTON AND BORIS YELTSIN.

TEXT:  RUSSIANS LAWMAKERS ARE DEMANDING THE GOVERNMENT ANSWER 
THEIR QUESTIONS ABOUT START-TWO BEFORE THEY TAKE ANY ACTION. THE 
COMMUNIST SPEAKER OF THE LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT (DUMA), 
GENNADY SELEZNYOV, SAYS THERE IS SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT THE COSTS 
OF IMPLEMENTING THE TREATY. 

AND WHILE THE UNITED STATES HAS LINKED RATIFICATION TO (HOLDING) 
A U-S / RUSSIAN SUMMIT, MR. SELEZNYOV AND OTHER COMMUNIST 
LAWMAKERS APPEAR TO BE LINKING ACTION ON THE DISARMAMENT TREATY 
TO BUDGET MATTERS. 

       /// SELEZNYOV ACT IN RUSSIAN ESTABLISH AND FADE ///

"WE HAVE ASKED THAT THE GOVERNMENT STOP CUTTING DEFENSE FUNDING,"
HE SAYS. "WHEN THE GOVERNMENT STOPS DESTROYING OUR DEFENSE 
INDUSTRY AND ARMY, THEN WE WILL TALK OF OTHER MATTERS."

MR. SELEZNYOV WAS SPEAKING AFTER A CLOSED-DOOR (PRIVATE) SESSION 
FRIDAY WITH FOREIGN MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV AND DEFENSE 
MINISTER IGOR SERGEYEV, WHO ARE WORKING ON PLANS FOR START-TWO 
HEARINGS.  THE CONSULTATIONS, WHICH ARE DUE TO TAKE PLACE AT THE 
ARMY'S CHIEF OF STAFF BUILDING, WERE PUT OFF FROM JUNE 9TH TO 
JUNE 16TH.  

START TWO, SIGNED IN 1993 AND RATIFIED IN 1996 BY THE UNITED 
STATES, CALLS ON MOSCOW AND WASHINGTON TO REDUCE DEPLOYED NUCLEAR
WARHEADS FROM SIX-THOUSAND EACH TO NO MORE THAN 35-HUNDRED.  IT 
WILL ALSO PAVE THE WAY FOR A "START-THREE" TREATY.

FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN VALERY NESTERUSHKIN SAYS HE IS 
SOMEWHAT OPTIMISTIC LAWMAKERS WILL TAKE ACTION ON THE TREATY 
BEFORE THEIR JULY-AUGUST RECESS.  BUT EITHER WAY, HE SAYS HE 
HOPES THE UNITED STATES WILL STILL CONSIDER A SUMMIT MEETING.

                    ///  NESTERUSHKIN ACT ///

         WE WOULD BE VERY HAPPY IF THE RATIFICATION IS 
         IMPLEMENTED BEFORE THE SUMMIT.  BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE
         DON'T BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE AN OBSTACLE THAT WOULD 
         POSTPONE ALL OF THESE MEETINGS.

                         /// END ACT ///

MR. NESTERUSHKIN SAYS THE GOVERNMENT WILL PRESS FORWARD WITH ITS 
CAMPAIGN TO WIN RATIFICATION, BUT HE WARNS EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON 
THE DUMA.  AND DUMA SPOKESMAN SELEZNYOV SAID FRIDAY HE DOES  NOT 
EXPECT ANY ACTION BEFORE SEPTEMBER. (SIGNED) 

NEB/MLK/PCF

05-Jun-98 11:49 AM EDT (1549 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.