DATE=1/26/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244688
TITLE=RUSSIA / ALBRIGHT (L)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT IS SPENDING A  
SECOND DAY IN MOSCOW TRYING TO NARROW DIFFERENCES WITH RUSSIA ON 
A NUMBER OF CONTENTIOUS ISSUES.  MOSCOW CORRESPONDENT PETER 
HEINLEIN REPORTS MS. ALBRIGHT HAD A PHONE CONVERSATION WITH 
AILING RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN.

TEXT:  A U-S SPOKESMAN SAYS THE 67-YEAR-OLD KREMLIN LEADER SPOKE 
BY TELEPHONE TO MS. ALBRIGHT FROM THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE IS 
RECOVERING FROM A BLEEDING ULCER.  THE SPOKESMAN SAID DURING THE 
25-MINUTE TALK, THE SECRETARY OF STATE APPEALED TO MR. YELTSIN 
NOT TO LET DIFFERENCES ON KEY ISSUES SPOIL THE U-S/RUSSIA 
RELATIONSHIP.

MS. ALBRIGHT HELD TALKS WITH PRIME MINISTER YEVGENY PRIMAKOV LATE
INTO MONDAY NIGHT.  THE TWO KNOW EACH OTHER WELL FROM MR. 
PRIMAKOV'S YEARS AS FOREIGN MINISTER, AND OFFICIALS SAY THE 
ATMOSPHERE WAS WARM.  

BUT U-S AND RUSSIAN SOURCES SAY MANY SHARP DIFFERENCES REMAINED 
UNSETTLED.  A SENIOR U-S OFFICIAL, SPEAKING ON CONDITION OF 
ANONYMITY, SAID MS. ALBRIGHT AND MR. PRIMAKOV LAID OUT SHARPLY 
DIFFERENT VIEWS OF WORLD AFFAIRS. 

THE U-S OFFICIAL EXPRESSED CONCERN MS. ALBRIGHT'S TALKS HAVE 
REVEALED A STARTLING NUMBER OF RUSSIAN MISPERCEPTIONS ABOUT U-S 
POLICY, ESPECIALLY ON THE REQUEST TO OVERHAUL THE 1972 
ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE TREATY.

MS. ALBRIGHT HAS STRESSED THERE IS NO PLAN TO SCRAP THE ACCORD, 
ONLY TO ALTER IT TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF A DEFENSE SHIELD TO 
PROTECT AGAINST A POSSIBLE NUCLEAR MISSILE ATTACK BY A ROGUE 
STATE.

BEFORE THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S ARRIVAL, FOREIGN MINISTER IGOR 
IVANOV HAD EXPRESSED FIERCE OPPOSITION TO ALTERING THE A-B-M 
TREATY, CALLING IT -- THE CORNERSTONE OF FURTHER CUTS IN 
STRATEGIC OFFENSIVE WEAPONS.   THE HEAD OF THE DEFENSE MINISTRY'S
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION DEPARTMENT, GENERAL LEONID IVASHOV, 
SAID ANY CHANGES IN A-B-M WOULD GIVE THE UNITED STATES DECISIVE 
MILITARY SUPREMACY OVER RUSSIA.

MS. ALBRIGHT'S IS TO SPEAK (TUESDAY) TO THE U-S BUSINESS 
COMMUNITY IN MOSCOW AND WITH TWO POSSIBLE CONTENDERS IN THE 2000 
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, SIBERIAN GOVERNOR ALEXANDER LEBED AND 
LIBERAL FACTION LEADER GRIGORY YAVLINSKY.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE IS ALSO HOLDING A SECOND ROUND OF FORMAL 
TALKS WITH FOREIGN MINISTER IVANOV ON CONTENTIOUS ISSUES SUCH AS 
IRAQ, KOSOVO, AND ALLEGED LEAKS OF RUSSIAN MISSILE TECHNOLOGY TO 
IRAN.

MS. ALBRIGHT WRAPS UP HER MOSCOW VISIT (LATE TUESDAY) WITH A 
VISIT TO THE FAMED BOLSHOI THEATER.  FROM MOSCOW, SHE WILL MAKE 
STOPS IN EGYPT, SAUDI ARABIA, BRITAIN, AND FRANCE BEFORE 
RETURNING TO WASHINGTON.   (SIGNED)

NEB/PFH/RAE

26-Jan-99 6:36 AM EST (1136 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.