News

DATE=8/18/1999 TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT TITLE=RUSSIA - U-S ARMS NUMBER=5-44084 BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN DATELINE=MOSCOW CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: The United States and Russia have opened a new series of strategic arms control negotiations. The first round of the so-called "START" talks was held behind closed doors in Moscow. From the Russian capital, VOA's Peter Heinlein reports negotiators are hoping to conclude a new START-three arms treaty before President Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin leave office. TEXT: The opening session of these mid-level talks was held at a private Russian foreign ministry mansion, away from the prying eyes and ears of reporters. The head of the U-S delegation, Undersecretary of State John Holum, told VOA the two days of talks had been businesslike. These preliminary discussions are being seen as the first delicate step down what could be a long and difficult road. The goal is a new START-three arms accord that would limit each side's nuclear arsenal to as little as two-thousand warheads. The process is complicated by the past refusal of Russia's lower house of parliament, the Duma, to ratify the 1993 START-two treaty. On top of that, the United States recently announced it wants to revise the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty. That announcement raised howls of protest among Russian lawmakers already concerned about what many see as an attempt by Washington to dominate the post- Cold war world. Analyst Alexander Pikayev of the Moscow Carnegie center says these new arms talks could go a long way toward easing the fears that still exist in Russia's political and military establishments. ///PIKAYEV ACT/// These talks are the tools which would permit both sides to repair the relationship which was really damaged by some past developments, including disagreements over war in Yugoslavia and NATO expansion. So during these talks the sides would overcome their disagreements and as a result of these talks, the relations would be repaired, which later on would help both Moscow and Washington to proceed . in developing their bilateral relationship and avoiding paradigms of the Cold War. ///END ACT/// At the same time, Mr. Pikayev says he sees no hope the Duma will ratify START-two until a START-three agreement is also ready for approval. But he points to one glimmer of hope. Both Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin are nearing the end of their terms, and would like to make a contribution to the cause of arms control before they leave office. ///2nd PIKAYEV ACT/// I think that two administrations are interested to conclude a treaty before next June, when there would be Russian presidential election and when Clinton administration would have to make a decision about ABM deployments. ///END ACT/// But Mr. Pikayev says the two sides are already racing against the clock, because the difficult issues ahead of them will take time to resolve. Undersecretary of State Holum was cautiously optimistic after the opening round of talks. He described the atmosphere as "workmanlike," with both sides going away with plenty of homework to do. The next session is tentatively set for next month in Washington. (Signed) Neb/PFH/KL 18-Aug-1999 14:40 PM EDT (18-Aug-1999 1840 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .