9338 CONriDENTIM THE WHITE HOUSE WASH INGTON MEMORANDUM OF TELEPHONE CONVERSATION SUBJECT Telcon with Russian President Boris Yelstin PARTICIPANTS The President Russian President Yeltsin NOTETAKERS Jenny McGee Robert Ford Joel Ehrendreich and Sean Tarver DATE TIME AND PLACE December 31 1999 09 02-09 22 p m EST Oval Office The President Boris President Yeltsin U Hello Bill How do you do Bill U The President I'm fine I just wanted to call you today I know this has been a tough but courageous decision I just wanted to say I read your statement this morning I'm sad but I am very proud of you You have guided your country through a historic time and you are leaving a legacy that will leave Russians better off for years to come I want you to know that we will work with Putin and the Russian people as they make their choice for the next democratically elected president and you can be proud that you created a constitution that works and that it continues to guide this transfer today I know that the democratic changes you led made it possible for Russia to be integrated into the international community I was very proud when Russia joined the G-8 and I am proud of the work we did on arms control and other issues I know we didn't finish everything we wanted to do on arms control but we set the framework at Cologne and I will continue to work with Putin on these objectives Jt Boris I believe that historians will say you were the father of Russian democracy and that you worked to make the world a safer place and I wanted you to know that Hillary and I are thinking of you and Naina Thank you very much for all the times we have spent together and all the work we have done together President Yeltsin Thank you Bill for the very kind words for the sincerity that you expressed to me now Of course this was not an easy decision for me and you as no one else can CONFIDENT PAL Classified by Reason 1 5d Declassify on Robert A Bradtke 12 31 09 DECLASSIFIED PER E 0 13526 cis-o-nx- n-% 3 13 K6k understand that But I want to support Putin 100 percent and now I've given him three months three months according to the constitution to work as president and people will get used to him for these three months I am sure that he will be elected in the forthcoming elections I am sure about that I am also sure that he is a democrat and that he is a person with a big soul and that he is very strong and very intelligent and on many occasions I had a chance to know that myself Together with you we did a lot to strengthen Russian-American cooperation Thanks to our interaction our personal efforts and our contacts we managed to overcome emerging problems Of course I will help Putin with everything in all areas Of course he needs international experience He needs international contacts and I will of course help him with that I will go with him I will fly on board the plane I will meet with you and him in order to transfer the viewpoint of Russia on different questions And of course this will be done without breaking away from democracy from pursuit of a market economy from everything we managed to agree with you on which includes the reduction of armaments and the issue of chemical weapons Of course it is not very easy and you understand it very well Particularly I have always been criticized that I am just trying to keep a grip on power This proves that I have not just tried for power If it is necessary for Russia if it is necessary for democracy I am able to sacrifice this half a year of presidential rule And of course I will make use of what you just told me and if I find myself in America I will drop by at your place and together we will be able to remember all that we managed to achieve together and we can discuss those questions of mutual interest to us And I want to tell you Bill that on the seventh I will leave for Bethlehem in order to celebrate the bicentennial of Christianity and this will also be a very important event During this period formally I will not be president but I will be recognized as president and I will try to put on the table something to make a contribution to the settlement in the Middle East I am very glad I was your friend and I will continue to be your friend I am very glad that Hillary and Niana had a very good relationship I think that it should be continued 1- T The President It will be continued U President Yeltsin But as for the rest the President is President and he is supposed to perform his duties Putin is a strong person and he will be able to cope with the task he has And that was what I wanted to tell you and thank you very much Bill Thank you for this telephone call which you made by your own initiative I appreciate it very much Bill And I think that Russia should enter the third millennium with new politicians who are intelligent and strong dynamic people It is so and it will be like that And Bill I would like to congratulate you and Hillary on the New Year and express my gratitude to you that you wished this happy New Year to Naina and myself Thank you very much The President Thank you Boris U President Yeltsin And I embrace you cordially You should believe me it was done for Russia for the sake of Russia for its future I would like from the bottom of my heart to embrace you I want you to continue the celebration of Christmas and the New Year because the New Year will come to our country in a few hours All the best to you Bill I embrace you most cordially and I hope we will meet each other in the not too distant future Okay Bill The President Thank you Boris It is good to hear you sounding so strong and chipper and brave as always I can't wait to see you and I promise to be a good partner with Putin President Yeltsin That is very good and very important is what I had in mind The President Great President Yeltsin Good bye Boris Okay Bill Happy New Year Good bye End of Conversation U That U This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu