DATE=9/2/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-238040
TITLE=CLINTON RUSSIA WRAP (L)
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON AND RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAVE
WRAPPED UP A MOSCOW SUMMIT DOMINATED BY DISCUSSION OF RUSSIA'S 
ECONOMIC CRISIS. MR. CLINTON ALSO MET WITH SOME OF MR. YELTSIN'S 
MOST PROMINENT OPPONENTS. VOA'S DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS FROM THE 
RUSSIAN CAPITAL.

TEXT: THE PRESIDENT HAD SAID IT WAS NOT FOR THE UNITED STATES TO 
PRESCRIBE A SOLUTION TO RUSSIA'S ECONOMIC DILEMMA. BUT IN EVERY 
APPEARANCE HE MADE IN THE TWO-DAY MOSCOW VISIT, HE STRESSED HIS 
SUPPORT FOR THE REFORM PROCESS BEGUN BY PRESIDENT YELTSIN AND THE
DANGER OF A REVERSION TO SOVIET STYLE COMMAND ECONOMICS.

AT A JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE THAT CAPPED THE SUMMIT, MR. CLINTON 
HELD OUT THE PROSPECT OF MORE WESTERN HELP IF RUSSIA STAYS THE 
COURSE ON MARKET REFORM:

                     ///CLINTON ACTUALITY///

         IF THE REFORM PROCESS CAN BE COMPLETED, THEN I FOR ONE 
         WOULD BE STRONGLY SUPPORTIVE OF GREATER ASSISTANCE TO 
         RUSSIA FROM THE UNITED STATES AND THE OTHER BIG ECONOMIC
         POWERS. BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE A VERY STRONG VESTED 
         INTEREST IN SEEING AN ECONOMICALLY-SUCCESSFUL  RUSSIA 
         THAT IS A FULL PARTNER ACROSS THE WHOLE RANGE OF ISSUES 
         IN THE WORLD. I ALSO THINK IT'S GOOD FOR PRESERVING 
         RUSSIA'S DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM.

                         /// END ACT///

PRESIDENT YELTSIN FOR HIS PART SAID FINANCIAL HELP FROM THE WEST 
WAS LESS IMPORTANT THAN A RESTORATION OF CONFIDENCE IN THE 
RUSSIAN ECONOMY THAT WOULD HELP LURE BACK SHAKEN FOREIGN 
INVESTORS:

                    /// YELTSIN ACTUALITY///

         WE NEED FROM THE UNITED STATES POLITICAL SUPPORT SO THAT
         THE UNITED STATES IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE REFORMS IN 
         RUSSIA. THIS IS WHAT WE NEED. ONCE THIS IS IN PLACE, ALL
         OF THE INVESTORS WHO ARE ARE WILLING TO COME TO REFORMED
         RUSSIA, THEY WILL COME WITH THEIR INVESTMENTS. 

                          //END ACT///

MR. CLINTON FOLLOWED UP THE SUMMIT WITH AN UNUSUAL MEETING WITH 
LEADERS OF MAJOR RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY FACTIONS, INCLUDING 
COMMUNIST PARTY CHIEF GENNADY ZHUGANOV -- WHO HAS LED OPPOSITION 
TO PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S EFFORT TO RESTORE VIKTOR CHERNOMYRDIN AS 
PRIME MINISTER.

IN IMPLICIT REFERENCE TO COMMUNIST DEMANDS FOR A RETURN TO 
CENTRALIZED ECONOMIC CONTROLS, HE SAID HE IS UNAWARE OF ANY 
COUNTRY THAT HAS IGNORED THE GROUND RULES OF THE NEW GLOBAL 
ECONOMY AND STILL BEEN SUCCESSFUL. 

THOUGH THE RUSSIAN POLITICAL STALEMATE HAS BLOCKED ACTION ON THE 
START-TWO ARMS REDUCTION TREATY, THE TWO PRESIDENTS SIGNED 
EXECUTIVE AGREEMENTS TO ADVANCE ARMS CONTROL ON OTHER FRONTS -- 
BY AGREEING TO DRASTICALLY CUT STOCKPILES OF PLUTONIUM AND 
INCREASING EXCHANGES EARLY WARNING DATA TO LESSEN THE RISK OF 
ACCIDENTAL WAR. (SIGNED)

NEB/DAG/GE

02-Sep-98 11:21 AM EDT (1521 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.