DATE=8/19/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA - U-S ARMS  (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-252933
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO:  A preliminary round of strategic arms talks 
between the United States and Russia has ended with a 
stern warning from Moscow's chief negotiator.  V-O-A 
Correspondent Peter Heinlein in the Russian capital 
reports the future of the talks is in doubt.

TEXT:  It was what U-S officials described as a symbol 
of the first stage of renewal in the Moscow-Washington 
relationship in the post-Kosovo period.  It consisted 
of official-level talks on a START-Three arms accord, 
and discussions about the Clinton administration's 
request for changes in the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile 
treaty to allow construction of a national missile 
defense system.

The early signs were positive.  The chief U-S 
negotiator, Undersecretary of State John Holum, told 
V-O-A the talks were businesslike, and he looked 
forward to further meetings next month in Washington.

But a terse joint statement issued Thursday was less 
optimistic.  It said only that the two sides exchanged 
views and reaffirmed their readiness to begin START-
Three talks after Russia's lower house of parliament 
ratifies the 1993 START-Two treaty. 

As for the A-B-M accord, the statement simply said the 
27-year old treaty continues to be the cornerstone of 
strategic stability, adding that  no  specific 
proposals for changing it had been discussed.

But later in the day, Russia's chief negotiator told 
reporters that the United States request to amend the 
A-B-M treaty would touch off a new nuclear arms race 
in space.  The director of the Russian foreign 
ministry's arms control department, Grigory 
Berdennikov, said, "We see  no  way that would allow 
the United States to set up an anti-ballistic missile 
system and still preserve the A-B-M treaty." 

News agencies quoted Mr. Berdennikov as saying "if 
this takes place, talks on a START-Three treaty will 
be ruined."  He said it is  not  clear when another 
round of the preliminary talks would be held.

A U-S embassy official in Moscow  (Thursday)  said he 
was  not  surprised at Mr. Berdennikov's comments, 
noting that the negotiator was simply stating a well-
known Russian position.  The U-S official, who asked  
not  to be identified, said negotiators do  not  take 
such public statements seriously, and said the 
comments seemed to be designed mostly for domestic 
consumption. 

He expressed hope that the talks would resume next 
month in Washington, as expected. (Signed)

NEB/PFH/JWH/KL



19-Aug-1999 14:22 PM EDT (19-Aug-1999 1822 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.