Clinton To Meet With Yeltsin In Russia In September
By Eileen O'Connor/CNN
WASHINGTON (July 6) -- President Bill Clinton will visit Russia in early September to meet with Russian President Boris Yeltsin, the White House announced Monday.
A written statement released by the White House said Clinton underscores the vitality of the U.S.-Russia relationship and he "looks forward to engaging President Yeltsin and the Russian leadership on a broad range of issues."
Clinton has asked Vice President Al Gore to use his July 23-24 meetings in Moscow to prepare the agenda for the summit, the White House said. Gore will hold his first meetings with Russian Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko in July, as part of what was the "Gore/Chernomyrdin" Commission.
The White House had tried to link any summit to the Duma's ratification of the START II treaty, saying only then would the two leaders be able to go forward in negotiating further arms control treaties.
The Russian leadership has been pushing for a summit, and with recent legislative battles over Kiriyenko and economic reform, including an austerity budget, ratifying START II is unlikely anytime soon.
|
News