DATE=  11/20/97

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

NUMBER=5-38139

TITLE=RUSSIA / IRAQ

BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN

DATELINE=MOSCOW

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  RUSSIA IS CLAIMING A DIPLOMATIC COUP FOR ITS ROLE IN 

HELPING TO EASE TENSIONS IN THE GULF REGION.  AS CORRESPONDENT 

PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS FROM MOSCOW, MUCH OF THE CREDIT IS GOING 

TO RUSSIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV.



TEXT:  FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN VALERY NESTERUSHKIN HERALDED 

THE AGREEMENTS REACHED IN MOSCOW AND GENEVA DURING THE PAST FEW 

DAYS AS A "GREAT SUCCESS" FOR RUSSIAN DIPLOMACY.  HE TOLD 

REPORTERS THE BAGHDAD-MOSCOW-GENEVA CONNECTION PROVES RUSSIA'S 

ROLE AS A CATALYST IN EASING TENSIONS IN THE GULF REGION.



THE SERIES OF DIPLOMATIC MOVES WHICH RESULTED IN THE GENEVA 

MEETINGS SHIFTED INTO HIGH GEAR TUESDAY WHEN IRAQI DEPUTY PRIME 

MINISTER TARIQ AZIZ FLEW INTO MOSCOW ON SHORT NOTICE.  HE WAS 

CARRYING A MESSAGE IRAQ WAS READY TO END THE THREE-WEEK STANDOFF 

WITH THE UNITED NATIONS.



FOR THE KREMLIN, IT WAS A WELCOME OPPORTUNITY.  RUSSIA'S FOREIGN 

MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV IMMEDIATELY TELEPHONED OTHER PERMANENT 

MEMBERS OF THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL WITH THE NEWS.  HE ASKED FOR 

AN URGENT MEETING.



RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY EXPERTS SAY MR. PRIMAKOV IS A NATURAL 

CHOICE TO MEDIATE IN THIS CASE.  NOT ONLY IS HE AN ARABIC SPEAKER

AND A MIDDLE EAST SPECIALIST, HE IS ALSO A LONG-TIME FRIEND OF 

IRAQI LEADER SADDAM HUSSEIN.



ANALYST VIKTOR KREMENYUK OF MOSCOW'S U-S-A / CANADA INSTITUTE 

SAYS THE SUCCESS WILL GIVE A MUCH-NEEDED BOOST TO RUSSIA'S 

BATTERED FOREIGN POLICY.



                     ///  KREMENYUK ACT  ///



         OF COURSE, THIS WILL CONTRIBUTE GREATLY TO MR. 

         PRIMAKOV'S PRESTIGE, BOTH INSIDE THE COUNTRY AND 

         OUTSIDE.  AND BESIDES, IT WILL ENCOURAGE RUSSIA TO PLAY 

         A MUCH MORE VISIBLE ROLE THAN IT HAS PLAYED UNTIL 

         RECENTLY IN THE CAPACITY OF A RESPONSIBLE MEMBER OF THE 

         SECURITY COUNCIL.



                        ///  END ACT  ///



BUT MR. KREMENYUK CAUTIONS THIS SUCCESS IS MOSTLY DUE TO MR. 

PRIMAKOV'S CONNECTIONS.  HE SAYS IT WILL TAKE MORE TIME FOR 

RUSSIA TO COME TO TERMS WITH ITS POST-SOVIET IDENTITY.



                   ///  2ND KREMENYUK ACT  ///



         IT IS STILL TOO PREMATURE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE GENERAL 

         RUSSIAN ROLE IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS BECAUSE RUSSIA IS 

         STILL SOMEWHERE IN THE BEGINNING OF ITS NEW DIPLOMACY 

         COURSE.  BUT IF TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PARTICULAR CASE OF 

         THE CRISIS WITH IRAQ, IT WAS A COMBINATION OF VERY 

         POSITIVE FACTORS RUSSIA POSSESSED AT THE MOMENT.



                        ///  END ACT  ///



FOREIGN MINISTER PRIMAKOV CLEARLY HOPES TO PARLAY HIS LATEST 

SUCCESS INTO A GREATER ROLE FOR RUSSIA IN OTHER PARTS OF THE 

REGION HE CONSIDERS HIS SPECIALTY.  HE IS UNDER GREAT PRESSURE TO

DO SO.



MOSCOW'S "NEZAVIZIMAYA GAZETA", THE "INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER", 

EDITORIALIZED THIS WEEK THAT RUSSIA WAS DONE NOTHING OF VALUE TO 

HELP SETTLE THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT.  THE NEWSPAPER SAID THE 

IRAQ / U-N CRISIS OFFERS MAYBE THE BEST CHANCE FOR MOSCOW TO 

REGAIN ITS ONCE STRONG INFLUENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.   (SIGNED)



NEB/PFH/JWH/RAE



20-Nov-97 11:33 AM EST (1633 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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