ACCESSION NUMBER:00000 FILE ID:96061414.WWE DATE:06/14/96 TITLE:14-06-96 VERSHBOW: NO NEGOTIATIONS WITH RUSSIA ON NATO ENLARGEMENT TEXT: (Matlock, Vorontsov stress need to consider Russian views) (630) By Rick Marshall USIA Staff Writer Washington -- The question of expanding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) "is not a question for negotiations with Russia," Alexander Vershbow, the director of European Affairs at the National Security Council, told a special session of the Atlantic Council June 14. While stressing that NATO would not backtrack on its decision to take on new members, Vershbow said that in the end he was convinced Russian security concerns would not be overlooked. "We want to strike a balance," he commented. Though the Russians will likely object to NATO's expansion, it is important the United States stay the course. At the same, he added, ways should be found to keep the Russians involved in European security matters. Vershbow refused to say which Central and Eastern European nations were likely to be admitted to full membership in the Alliance first. Instead, he pointed to the ongoing discussions between the 16 NATO members and the countries which are interested in joining. A decision on the next step may well be taken at the NATO foreign ministers meeting in December, he said. Vershbow also noted that congressional approval will ultimately be needed to amend NATO's basic charter so that the new members can be included. A congressional bill to that effect has already been proposed. While the administration is eager to work with the Congress to shape such legislation, Vershbow warned that the congressional enthusiasm might dim once the cost implications of the move are better understood. Nonetheless, he predicted that the legislation would ultimately be passed. Turning to Bosnia, Vershbow noted how important it is that NATO learn from its early failure in Bosnia. During the first years of the war, NATO was still adapting to the new European environment, and it was not until the last year -- with the stepped-up air campaign and the Dayton Accords -- that the Alliance was able to act effectively. "We must learn well the lessons Bosnia has taught," he concluded. At an earlier panel, Jack Matlock and Yuli Vorontsov added their views on the need to consider Russian concerns over the proposed NATO enlargement. Matlock, who was the U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1987-91, agreed with the administration that the Russians should not have a veto over NATO's expansion and expressed his full support for the central and eastern Europeans' desire to become fully integrated into European institutions. At the same time, however, he questioned whether the drive to incorporate new members in NATO was not being done in haste. "I don't know what the hurry is," he said. While NATO expansion will not threaten Russia, Russian chauvinists will not understand that, Matlock said. "It will certainly be used by them ... It will make, inevitably, building democratic institutions more difficult in Russia." Vorontsov, who has been the Russian ambassador to the United States since 1994, contended that NATO's expansion would be a "step backward" and encourage a return to Cold War attitudes. "We will have to react," he commented, stressing that such a move would only strengthen the hand of the militaristic elements within the country. "We should squeeze the Cold War out of our thinking, icicle by icicle," he commented. Turning to the Russian elections, Vorontsov said that he was "absolutely sure" that President Boris Yeltsin would win. He predicted he would get about 40 percent of the vote in the first round. Yeltsin election will bring about no changes in Russia's foreign policy, Vorontsov said, but predicted there would be "tremendous change in the government" as it focused more attention on people's everyday concerns. He also said that economist and presidential candidate Grigori Yavlinsky would probably join Yeltsin's administration after the elections. NNNN  .