DATE=12/22/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243405
TITLE=RUSSIA / START TWO (L ONLY)
BYLINE=EVE CONANT
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  RUSSIA'S PARLIAMENT HAS OFFICIALLY DELAYED DEBATE ON THE 
START-TWO NUCLEAR ARMS REDUCTION TREATY.  BUT AS EVE CONANT 
REPORTS FROM MOSCOW, THE ACCORD COULD COME UP AS EARLY AS 
FEBRUARY.

TEXT:  LAWMAKERS IN RUSSIA'S COMMUNIST-LED LOWER HOUSE OF 
PARLIAMENT SAID LAST WEEK THAT START-TWO MIGHT NEVER BE RATIFIED.
THAT WAS IN RESPONSE TO THE U-S LED ATTACK ON IRAQ, WHICH DEALT A
BLOW TO RUSSIA'S POLITICAL PRESTIGE AND WAS VEHEMENTLY DENOUNCED 
ACROSS RUSSIA'S POLITICAL SPECTRUM.

BUT THIS WEEK, RUSSIA'S LAWMAKERS SEEM TO BE SOFTENING THEIR 
POSITION ON THE TREATY. 

THE DEPUTY SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT, VLADIMIR RYZHKOV, TOLD RUSSIAN 
NEWS AGENCIES START-TWO WILL BE ON THE AGENDA FOR PARLIAMENT'S 
FIRST SESSION IN EARLY 1999.  BUT MR. RYZHKOV EMPHASIZED -- IN 
HIS WORDS -- "RATIFICATION IS  NOT  GUARANTEED,  NOR  IS IT 
CERTAIN PARLIAMENT WILL EVEN CONSIDER START-TWO." 

MR. RYZHKOV SUPPORTS THE TREATY, BUT SAYS MANY RUSSIAN LAWMAKERS 
STILL HAVE WHAT HE CALLS A "SHARPLY NEGATIVE ATTITUDE" TOWARD 
LAST WEEK'S MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRAQ.  HE SAID "ANY OPTIMISM
WOULD BE PREMATURE." 

COMMUNISTS IN PARLIAMENT HAVE CONSISTENTLY OPPOSED THE 1993 
TREATY AND HAVE BEEN STALLING RATIFICATION FOR YEARS.  THEY SAY 
START-TWO, WHICH WOULD REDUCE BOTH THE RUSSIAN AND U-S NUCLEAR 
ARSENAL BY ONE-HALF, WOULD WEAKEN RUSSIA'S SECURITY AND IS TOO 
EXPENSIVE.  PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN AND HIS ADMINISTRATION HAVE 
SUPPORTED START-TWO AS A WAY TO TRIM AND MODERNIZE RUSSIA'S 
MILITARY FORCES. 

                       ///  REST OPT  ///

EARLIER THIS MONTH, A VISITING U-S DELEGATION EXPRESSED HOPE 
RUSSIA MIGHT RATIFY THE ACCORD BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR.  
(SIGNED)

NEB/EC/JWH

22-Dec-98 9:39 AM EST (1439 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.