I - UNCLASSIFIE D Date Printed 12-Apr-2000 PAGE 01 SECTO ACTION NODS-00 INFO 4 DOC_ NUMBER l993SECT017027 - 17027 RELEASED IN FULL 01 OF 06 251124Z LOG-00 CCOE-00 ADS-00 OOOW ------------------FD1862 0 250704Z OCT 93 ZFF4 FM USDEL SECRETARY IN UKRAINE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9762 INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 25112SZ 38 SECTION 01 OF 06 SECTO 17027 DECAPTIONED E O 12356 DBCL OADR TAGS OVIP CHRISTOPHER WAR REN PREL RU SUBJECT SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT YELTSIN 10 22 93 MOSCOW I R E TEXT 2 SUMMARY PRESIDENT YELTSIN OPENED THE OCTOBE 22 MEETING BY PROVIDING A BRIEF RUNDOWN ON THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 21 AND OCTOBER 3-4 EXPRESSING SPECIAL APPRECIATION TO PRESIDENT CLINTON AND SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER FOR THEIR EARLY AND EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE BACKING HE REVIEWED THE ELECTORAL SCENE NOTING THAT WORK HAD BEGUN BY POLITICAL PARTIES THAT ELECTIONS WOULD BE HELD FOR THE PARL_ AND THAT A PAGE 02 SECTO 17027 01 OF 06 251124Z REFERENDUM WOULD TAKE PLACE ON THE CONSTITUTION BASED ON THE TEXT APPROVED BY THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCE EARLIER THIS YB AR THIS WOULD MARK THE END OF THE SOVIET ERA AND THE INCORPORATION OF A TRUE DEMOCRATIC FUTURE FOR RUSSIA SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER CONVEYED PRESIDENT CLINTON'S HIGH APPRECIATION OF PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S ACTIONS DURING THE RECENT CRISIS AND PASSED ON HIS GOOD WISHES AND CONTINUING STRONG SUPPORT SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER ACCEPTED ON BEHALF OF PRESIDENT CLINTON PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S INVITATION TO VISIT IN THE SECOND WEEK IN JANUARY TORNING TO THE QUESTION OF NATO EXPANSION SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER EXPLAINED THE U S APPROACH OF ESTABLISHING A PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE AND STRESSED THAT THE APPROACH TO FUTURE NEW MEMBERSHIP IN THE ALLIANCE WAS INCLUSIVE AND NON-DISCRIMINATORY PRESIDENT YELTSIN CALLED IT A IJN TED STATES DEP4RTMFNT OE ST4U REVIEW AUTHORITY ERIC W FLEISHER DA TE CASE ID 8 MAY 2000 200000982 CHANNEL n a Page - 1 UNCLASSIFIED •• UNCLASSIFIED Date Printed 12-Apr-2000 4 DOC_NUMBER 1993SECT017027 BRILLIANT PROPOSAL PLEDGED HIS FULL SUPPORT AND THANKED PRESIDENT CLINTON FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE WHICH COULD HAVE PROVED EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR RUSS IA TO HANDLE END SUMMARY 3 SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER MET PRESIDENT YELTSIN AT ZAVIDOVO OUTSIDE MOSCOW FOR 45 MINUTES ON THE AFTERNOON OF OCTOBER 22 YELTSIN WAS ACCOMPANIED BY FOREIGN MINISTER KOZYREV FOREIGN AFFAIRS ADVISOR RYURIKOV AND PRESIDENTIAL ASSISTANT ILYUSHIN SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER WAS ACCOMPANIED BY AMBASSADOR AT LARGE STROBE TALBOTT AND AMBASSADOR PICKERING BOTH SIDES HAD INTERPRETERS PRESENT 4 --- PRESIDENT YELTSIN WARMLY GREETED SECRETARY PAGE 03 SECTO 17027 01 OF 06 25 124Z CHRISTOPHER ON THE THRESHOLD OF THE MEETING ROOM AND DURING THE -EXCHANGE OF GREETINGS THE SECRETARY TOLD PRESIDENT YELTSIN HOW MUCH PRESIDENT CLINTON ADMIRES ALL THAT HE HAS DONE IN RECENT WEEKS AND PARTICULARLY HIS FIRMNESS IN PURSUING SUCH A STEADY COURSE IN THE FACB OF HEAVY DIFFICULTIES IN RETURN PRESIDENT YELTSIN NOTED THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON HAD PURSUED AN EQUALLY STEADY COURSE EVER SINCE HE HAD COME INTO THE WHITE HOUSE HE HAD BEEN FULLY AND RAPIDLY SUPPORTIVE OF PRESIDENT YELTSIN IN VERY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE PRESIDENT WANTED PRESIDENT CLINTON HIS FRIEND NNNN PAGE 01 SECTO ACTION ·NODS-00 INFO - 17027 ' 02 OF 06 251125Z CCOE-00 ADS-00 OOOW - -- - - - -- - - -- - - - - - -FD'186A 0 250704Z OCT 93 ZFF4 FM USDEL SECRETARY IN UKRAINE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9763 INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE - LOG-00 SECTION 02 OF 06 SECTO 17027 Page - 2 251126Z 38 CHANNEL n a ------ Date Printed 12-Apr- 2000 UNCLASSIFIED - DOC NUMBER 1993SECT017027 E O 12356 DECL OADR TAGS OVIP CHRISTOPHER WARR EN PREL RU SUBJECT SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT YELTSIN 10 22 93 MOSCOW BILL AS HE KEPT SAYING TO KNOW HOW MUCH HE APPRECIATED THIS 5 AT PRESIDENT YELTSIN' S INVITATION THE PARTY MOVED TO THE MEETING TABLE PRESIDENT YELTSIN BEGAN THE CONVERSATION BY NOTING THAT HE HAD RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT CLINTON REGARDING THE SECRETARY'S VISIT IN WHICH PRESIDENT CLINTON HAD ASKED HIM TO RECEIVE THE SECRETARY HE NOTED THAT THE MESSAGE REFERRED TO A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR THE TWO OF THEM TO - PAGE 02 SECTO 17027 02 OF 06 251125Z DISCUSS HE REMARKED THAT WITH THE UNITED STATES IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THERE ARE ALWAYS QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS TOGETHER AND HE WAS READY TO DO SO HE ALSO INDICATED THAT HE HAD HIS OWN LIST OF QUESTIONS WHICH HE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS AND HE HOPED THAT SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER WOULD AGREE WITH THIS THE SECRETARY SAID OF COURSE BUT HE DID NOT WISH TO PROLONG THE MEETING ESPECIALLY SINCE HE HAD INTRUDED ON PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S STAY AT HIS COUNTRY HOUSE PRESIDENT YELTSIN SAID THAT ONE OBVIOUS QUESTION IS THE COMING VISIT OF PRESIDENT CLINTON TO RUSSIA AND SOME OF THE APPROACHES THAT WE TAKE TO THAT QUESTION I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU f E SAID TO THE SECRETARY SUGGESTIONS WHICH WE THEN COULD PASS ON TOGETHER TO PRESIDENT CLINTON WE CAN HAVE VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE TWO OF US HERE TOGETHER WE SHOULD DISCUSS THE SCHEDULE OF THE VISIT PRESIDENT CLINTON SHOULD COME NOT JUST TO MOSCOW BUT PERHAPS ALSO TO ST PETERSBURG THERE IS THE QUESTION OF AN AGENDA AS WELL WE CAN PERHAPS DISCUSS THE GENERAL QUESTION AND AGREE ON THE MAJOR POINTS AND AFTER THAT THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE COULD BEGIN TO PUT TOGETHER THE DETAILED PROGRAM AND IDEAS FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT VISIT YOU SHOULD KNOW 11 PRESIDENT YELTSIN SAID THAT I HAVE A VERY LARGE INTEREST IN MAKING THIS VISIT A FULL SUCCESS THE PEOPLE OF RUSSIA WILL WELCOME PRESIDENT CLINTON WITH ENTHUSIASM 11 WE OURSELVES HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO THE MEDIA ABOUT PRESIDENT CLINTON IN ORDER TO CONVEY TO THE PEOPLE OF RUSSIA A SENSE OF THE IMPORTANCE WHICH THE GOVERNMENT Page - 3 4 CHANNEL' n a ---- · UNCLASSIFIED - 4 Date Printed 12-Apr-2000 · DoC_NUMBER 1993SECT017027 PAGE 03 SECTO 17027 02 OF 06 25112SZ ATI'ACHES TO THIS VISIT WE WANT HIM TO APPEAR NATURAL AND WITHOUT ANY SPECIAL EMBELLISHMENT WE WANT TO GIVE HIM FULL CREDIT FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE IN HIS SHORT TIME IN OFFICE 6 PRESIDENT YELTSIN SAID HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE SECRETARY HAD A GOOD MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER CHBRNOMYRDIN HE SAID IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO BRIEF THE SECRETARY ON THE ACTUAL SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY FOLLOWING THE EVENTS IN OCTOBER THE COUNTRY HAS CALMED DOWN APPRECIABLY THERE IS NO LONGER THE PROBLEM OF DUAL AUTHORITY THERE IS ONE GOVERNMENT AND IT IS VIGOROUS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM AND FROM FEDERAL CENTER TO THE LOCAL AREAS THERE ARE NO STRIKES AND NO APPRECIABLE UNREST IN THE COUNTRY THERE IS NO OVERT DISCONTENT AND THE CRIME RATE IS DOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THIS IS PARTICULARLY WORTH NOTING HE EMPHASIZED THERE IS NNNN PAGE 01 SECTO ACTION NODS-00 INFO - 17027 03 OF 06 25112SZ LOG-00 CCOE-00 ADS-00 OOOW ------------------FD1872 0 250704Z OCT 93 ZFF4 FM USDEL SECRETARY IN UKRAINE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9764 INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE -- 251126Z 38 SECTION 03 OF 06 SECTO 17027 E O 123S6 DECL OADR TAGS OVIP CHRISTOPHER WARREN PREL RU SUBJECT SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT YELTSIN 10 22 93 MOSCOW NOW AN ACTIVE PROCESS TO PREPARE AN ELECTION WITH THE APPOINI'MENT OF THB CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION AND DISTRICT COMMISSIONS CONSTITUENCIES FOR THE FIBTFST TIME HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AND FOR THE FIRST TIME Page - 4 UNCLASSIFIED CHANNEL n a UNCLASSIFIED Date Printed 12-Apr-2000 - DOC_NUMBER 1993SECT017027 POLITICAL PARTIES ARE FORMING ON A REALISTIC BASIS THIS WILL BE THE FIRST FREE AND FAIR ELECTION FOR THE PARLIAMENT SINCE 1917 AND IT MARKS A CLEAR END OF SOVIET POWER -- PAGE 02 SECTO 17027 03 OF 06 251125Z 7 YELTSIN SAID RUSSIA IS NOW BEGINNING TO EXERCISE ITS DEMOCRACY MUCH AS IT IS DONE IN THE UNITED STATES AND ELSEWHERE AND THINGS ARE FOLLY ON TRACK THE PARTIES AND THE BLOCS ARE MAKING THEIR NOMINATIONS THERE WILL BE 225 SEATS FOR REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PART•IES ELECTED AT LARGE PROPORTIONATELY IN THE COUNTRY THERE WILL BE 225 REPR ESE ATIVBS OF THE TERRITORIES ELECTED IN THEIR DISTRICTS WHAT HAS COME AS A SURPRISE TO US PRESIDENT YELTSIN SAID IS THE VERY LARGE INTEREST IN THE POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE ELECTIONS THE PARTIES ARE ACTIVE AND VIGOROUS WHILE THE FASCIST GROUPS AND PARTIES HAVE HUNKERED DOWN THEY ARE THE ONES TO BLAME AND THEY BEAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ATTEMPTED MILITARY BLACKMAIL 8 MOVING ON PRESIDENT YELTSIN EMPHASIZED THAT HE WAS ALSO GOING AHEAD WITH THE NEW CONSTITUTION DRAFT HE WANTED A DECISION ON ITS ADOPTION IN A REFERENDUM TO ACCOMPANY THE ELECTION ON DECEMBER 12 THE TEXT WILL BE THE ONE APPROVED BY THE ·CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCE WHICH HAD BEEN ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF MANY OTHER GROUPS I'HIS DRAFT WILL ENSHRINE POPULAR DEMOCRACY IN RUSSIA AND THE VOTE WILL OF COURSE TAKE PLACE ON IT ON DECEMBER 12 RUSSI WILL THEN HAVE A CONSTITUTION UP TO THE STANDARDS ·OF THE BEST WESTERN DEMOCRACIES 9 PRESIDENT YELTSIN ALSO NOTED THAT AS RUSSIA CONTINUED TO MOVE AHEAD IT WOULD BE MOVING CONSISTENTLY WITH THE PARTIES TO END THE OLD PAGE 03 SECTO 17027 03 OF 06 25112SZ TOTALITARIAN REGIME WITH THE POWER ASSIGNED TO THE SOVIETS MOCKING THE PEOPLE AS HE DESCRIBED IT SINCE 1917 HE EMPHASIZED AGAIN THAT RUSSIA WOULD BE ADOPTING A NEW DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUTION WHICH MET THE HIGHEST STANDARDS HE CQNCLUDED BY SAYING 11 IT ONLY REMAINS FOR US TO RE-BURY LENIN Page - 5 UNCLAS TFTRD 4 CHANNEL n a -- UNCLA SJ l i'lliU Date Printed 12-Apr-2000 4 DOC_NUMBER 1993SECTOi7027 10 THE SECRETARY IN REPLY NOTED THAT JUST BEFORE HE LBFT HE HAD A GOOD MEETING WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON THE PRESIDENT WANTED HIM SPECIFICALLY TO COVER THREE SUBJECTS AND HE WOULD DO SO QUICKLY IN ORDER NOT TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME FROM THE PRESIDENT WHILE HE WAS RESTI G AT HIS COUNTRY RESIDENCE 11 THE SECRETARY SAID FIRST THAT HE WANTED TO BRING CONGRATULATIONS ON HOW PRESIDENT YELTSIN HAD HANDLED RECENT EVENTS PRESIDENT CLINTON HAD FOLLOWED EVENTS CLOSELY AND PERSONALLY HE WAS EXTREMELY INTERESTED IN PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S SUPERB HANDLING OF THE CRISIS NNNN PAGE 01 SECTO ACTION NODS - 00 INFO 17027 04 OF 06 25112SZ CCOE-00 ADS-00 OOOW -------------- ---FD189A 0 250704Z OCT 93 ZFF4 FM USDEL SECRETARY IN UKRAINE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9765 INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE - LOG-00 251127Z 38 SECTION 04 OF 06 SECTO 17027 E O 123S6 DECL OADR TAGS OVIP CHRISTOPHER WAR REN PREL RU SUBJECT SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT YELTSIN 10 22 93 MOSCOW AND ADMIRED THE RESTRAINT WHICH THE PRESIDENT HAD PRACTICED AFTER SEPTEMBER 21 HE JOINED IN REGRETTING THAT ACTION HAD TO BE TAKEN WHEN THE REVOLT LEO TO VIOLENCE BUT THE WAY YOU DID IT WAS THE LEAST THREATENING AND CAUSED THE LEAST LOSS OF LIFE PRESIDENT YELTSIN RESPONDED WITH A THANK YOU 12 CONTINUING THE SECRETARY NOTED THAT ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 3 THE PRESIDENT ALSO CLOSELY FOLLOWED EVENTS AND WANTED TO TELL PRESIDE IN THAT WE IN -- Page - 6 UNCLASSIFIED CHANNEL n a UNCLASSIFIED Date Printed 12-Apr-2000 - 4 DOC NUMBER 1993SECT017027 PAGE 02 SECTO 17027 04 OF 06 25112SZ WASHINGTON FELT THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THE CRISIS AND THAT OUR THOUGHTS WERE WITH YOU IN MOSCOW ALL DAY WE WERE GREATLY RELIEVED WHEN YOU RE-ESTABLISHED CONTROL 13 THE SECRETARY ALSO NOTED THAT WE FELT THAT FOREIGN POLICY ADVISOR RYURIKOV HAD MADE AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT ON SUNDAY EVENING MOSCOW TIME WHICH ESTABLISHED CONFIDENCE IN THE WORLD OUTSIDE PRIME MINISTER CHERNOMYRDIN AND FOREIGN MINISTER KOZYREV HAD ALSO DONE SUPERB WORK AND IT WAS A HIGH COMPLIMENT TO PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S JUDGEMENT AND TASTE 14 THE SECRETARY NOTED THE HOLDING OF THE FIRST COMPLETELY DEMOCRATIC PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN RUSSIA SINCE 1917 AND THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON WOULD LIKB TO OFFER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN ANY WAY THAT WOULD BE USEFUL THERE ARE ALREADY NUMBERS OF OUR EXPERTS HERE WHO COULD BE HELPFUL BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY IN WHICH WE COULD DO SO 15 PRBSIDENT YELTSIN NOTED THAT HE HAD ALREADY EXTENDED INVITATIONS TO OBSERVERS FROM THE G-7 THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND THE CSCB IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES TO VISIT DIFFERENT REGIONS OF RUSSIA THEY WOULD HELP TO SEE THAT THE ELECTION IS DIRECT ANO FREE AND MEETS THE HIGHEST DEMOCRATIC STANDARDS WITH RESPECT TO THE IDEA OF ASSISTANCE THIS WAS A NEW OFFER AND HE WOULD LIKE TO THINK IT THROUGH AND TAKE IT UNDER ADVISEMENT AND WOULD BE RESPONDING PRESIDENT YELTSIN NOTED THAT THEY HAD ALREADY SET UP AN INTBRAGENCY COMMITTEE TO COORDINATE - · PAGE 03 SECTO 17027 04 OF 06 251 2SZ ASSISTANCE AND HELP FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AS THE SOLE COORDINATING BODY HE AGAIN THANKED SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER FOR THE OFFER OF ELECTION TECHNIAL AID AND WOULD GET BACK TO US WITH HIS THOUGHTS 16 PRESIDENT YELTSIN NOTED THAT FOR THE PAST SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS ANY ELECTION IN RUSSIA HAD BEEN CONDUCTED THROUGH THE COMMUNIST PARTY AND THESE WERE NOT ELECTIONS WHICH WERE FAIR TO OTHERS BUT THERE HAD OF COURSE BEEN FREE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS AND NOW TIIIS WAS THE FIRST PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION UNDER THE NEW RUSSIAN DEMOCRACY 17 SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER THEN TURNED TO HIS SECOND Page - 7 UNCLA88TFTRn CHANNEL n a - UNCLASSIFIED Date Pri nted 12-Apr-2000 4 DOC_NUMBER 1993SECT017027 CHANNEL n a SUBJECT HE SAID THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON WISHED TO CONFIRM HIS ACCEPTANCE OF THE INVITATION TO COME TO RUSSIA AND WOULD LIKE TO COME IN THE SECOND WEEK OF JANUARY AFTER THE NATO SUMMIT WHILE IT IS NOT CLEAR NNNN PAGE 01 SECTO ACTION NODS-00 --- 17027 OS OF 06 2Sll26Z OOOW CCOE-00 ADS-00 ---------- --- -- - --FD189E 0 2S0704Z OCT 93 ZFF4 FM USDEL SECRETARY IN UKRAINE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9766 INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE INFO LOG-00 - 251127Z 38 ECTION 05 OF 06 SECTO 17027 E O 12356 DECL OADR TAGS OVIP CHRISTOPHER WARREN PREL RU SUBJECT SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT YELTSIN 10 22 93 MOSCOW THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL BE ABLE TO VISIT ANY RUSSIAN CITY BESIDES MOSCOW SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER AGREED THAT ST PETERSBURG SHOULD CERTAINLY BE CONSIDERED ANOTHER POSSIBILITY MIGHT BE YEKATERINBURG YOUR HOME CITY AND A CITY IN WHICH THB U S MAY SOON BE OPENING A CONSULATB 11 18 PRESIDENT YELTSIN REPLIED ENTHUSIASTICALLY THAT WOULD BE A GREAT HONOR FOR ME WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO THIS AND WILL WARMLY WELCOME PRESIDENT CLINTON PAGE 02 SECTO -- 17027 OS OF 06 2Sl126Z 19 SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER THEN TURNED TO HIS THIRD SUBJECT WHICH HE NOTED WOULD BE MORE SUBSTANTIVE HE SAID THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON PARTICULARLY WANTED HIM TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S RECENT LETTER ON NATO WITH A GREAT DEAL OF CARE AND STUDY PRESIDENT CLINTON DECIDED ON WHAT RECOMMENDATION TO Page - B r- UNCLASSIFIED _ UNCLASSIFIED Date Printed 12-Apr-2000 DOC NUMBER 1993SECT017027 MAKE TO THE NATO SUMMIT IN JANUARY IN THIS RESPECT YOUR LETl'ER CAME AT EXACTLY THB RIGHT TIMB AND IT PLAYED A DECISIVE ROLE IN PRESIDENT CLINTON'S CONSIDERATION THERE COULD BE NO RECOMMENDATION TO IGNORE OR EXCLUDE RUSSIA FROM FULL PARTICIPATION IN THE FUTURE SECURITY OF EUROPE Mi A RESULT OF OUR STUDY A PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE WOULD BE RECOMMENDED TO THE NATO SUMMIT WHICH WOULD BE OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE NACC INCLUDING ALL EUROPEAN AND NIS STATES THERE WOULD BE NO EFFORT TO EXCLUDE ANYONE AND THERE WOULD BE NO STEP TAKEN AT THIS TIME TO PUSH ANYONE AHEAD OF OTHERS 20 PRESIDENT YELTSIN JUMPED IN AT THIS POINT AND ASKED IF HE UNDERSTOOD CORRECTLY THAT ALL COUNTRIES IN CEE AND THE NIS WOULD THEREFORE BE ON AN EQUAL FOOTING AND THERE WOULD BE A PARTNERSHIP AND NOT A MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER REPLIED YES THAT IS THE CASE THERE WOULD NOT EVEN BE AN ASSOCIATE STATUS YELTSIN REPLIED 11 THIS IS A BRILLIANT IDEA IT IS A STROKE OF GENIOS 11 ' 21 PRESIDENT YELTSIN THEN SAID THAT THIS SERVES TO DISSIPATE ALL OF THE TENSION WHICH WE NOW HAVE IN -- 111111119 PAGE 03 SECTO 17027 05 OF 06 251126Z RUSSIA REGARDING EAST EUROPEAN STATES AND THEIR ASPIRATIONS WITH RESPECT TO NATO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE FOR RUSSIA ARTICULARLY IF IT LEFT US IN A SECOND CLASS STATUS NOW UNDER YOUR NEW IDEA WE ARE ALL EQUAL AND IT WILL ENSURE EQUAL PARTICIPATION ON THE BASIS OF PARTNERSHIP IT •IS AN IMPORT ANT CONTRIBUTION FROM THE UNITED STATES THE PRESIDENT OF THB UNITED STATES WILL BE LEADING THE EUROPEANS IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THERE IS AN IDEA OF PARTNERSHIP FOR ALL AND NOT NEW MEMBERSHIP FOR SOME WAXING ENTHUSIASTIC PRESIDENT YELTSIN SAID IT REALLY IS A GREAT IDEA REALLY GREAT HE SAID TELL BILL I AM THRILLED BY THIS BRILLIANT STR OKE 11 22 THE SECRETARY SAID WE WILL TELL HIM THAT YOU BOUGHT HIS RECOMMENDATION WITH REAL ENTHUSIASM PRESIDENT YELTSIN REPLIED 11 0F COURSE YES YES NNNN - Page - 9 UNCLASSIFIED 4 CHANNEL n a UNCLASSIFIED Date Printed 12-Apr-2000 PAGE 01 SECTO ACTION NODS-00 -- DOC_NUMBER 1993SECTO17027 17027 06 OF 06 251126Z CCOE-00 ADS-00 000W ------------------FD18A9 0 250704Z OCT 93 ZFF4 FM USDEL SECRETARY IN UKRAINE TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9767 INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE INFO - 4 LOG-00 25ll27Z 38 SECTION 06 OF 06 SECTO 17027 E O 12356 DECL OADR TAGS OVIP CHRISTOPHER WARREN PREL RU SUBJECT SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER'S MEETING WITH PRESIDENT YELTSIN 10 22 93 MOSCOW 23 SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER ADDED THAT WE WILL IN DUE COURSE BE LOOKING AT THE QUESTION OF MEMBERSHIP AS A LONGER TERM EVENTUALITY THERE WILL BE AN EVOLUTION BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A HABIT OF COOPERATION BUT OVER TIME AND THIS TOO WILn BE BASED ON PARTICIPATION IN THE PARTNERSHIP THOSE WHO WISH TO CAN PURSUE THE IDEA OVER TIME BUT THAT WILL COME LATER PAGE 02 SECTO 17027 06 OF 06 251126Z 24 CONTINUING SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER SAID I SENT THr IDEA OUT TO MY COLLEAGUES IN NATO BY CABLE LAST TUESDAY EVENING OCTOBER 19 I AM GLAD TO TELL YOU PRESIDENT YELTSIN THAT IT HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED IN NATO CAPITALS I AM DELIGHTED WITH YOUR APPROVAL AND NOW I PREDICT WIDESPREAD ACCEPTANCE OF THE IDEA THE PRESIDENT IN PARTICULAR WANTED ME TO DELIVER THIS MESSAGE TO YOU AND HB IS MOST GRATEFUL FOR YOUR HAVING RECEIVED ME HERE 25 CONCLUDING THE SECRETARY SAID THAT HB HAD GOOD TALKS WITH BOTH THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE FOREIGN MINISTER AND THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO TAKE OP MORE TIME BUT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO PRESIDENT YELTSIN IF THERE WERE ANYTHING FURTHER HE WOULD LIKE TO DISCOS$ HE REAFFIRMED THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON PUT GREAT WEIGHT ON THE RUSSIAN-AMERICAN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AND WOULD CONTINUE TO DO ALL HE COULD TO SUPPORT IT Page - 10 UNCLASSIFIED CHANNEL n a UNCLASSIFIED Date Printed 12-Apr-2000 - DOC_NUMBER l993SECTO17027 26 PRESIDENT YELTSIN SAID THAT HE HAD NOTED THAT OF LATE THE U S• PRESS HAD BEEN SOUNDING 11 PESSIMISTIC NOTES CONCERNING OUR ALLIANCE PARTNERSHIP HE HOWEVER WAS ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON WAS NO PESSIMIST HE HAD COMPLETE TRUST IN TRE UNITED STATES AND IN PRESIDENT CLINTON HE CONCLUDED BY SAYING -THAT HE APPRECIATED IMMENSELY PRESIDENT CLINTON'S EARLY CONTINUING AND EXTREMELY GENEROUS SUPPORT AND THAT HE WANTED TO PASS ON HIS HIGHEST ESTEEM FOR THE PRESIDENT 27 -- IN A SHORT CONVERSATION UPON LEAVING PRESIDENT PAGE 03 SECTO 17027 06 -OF 06 251126Z YELTSIN ONCE AGAIN ASKED THAT HIS VERY GOOD WISHES BE PASSED ON TO PRESIDEN t CLINTON CHRISTOPHER NNNN Page - 11 UNCLASSIFIED 4 CHANNEL n a                 NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE     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  NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE 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