-s 6Rt l -SreRtT- SECRE'f -6-BCRB - 0513 0513 THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON WAS HI NGTON DECLASSIFIED DECLASSIFIED PER 13526 PER E O E 0 13526 o - ' ol 'lJ u '3s Kp -' owl • lb 1 -D S a 1 o o xo i KQH MEMORANDUM MEMORANDUM OF OF CONVERSATION CONVERSATION SUBJECT SUBJECT One-on-One One-on-One Yeltsin Yeltsin of of PARTICIPANTS PARTICIPANTS The The President President Dimitry Dimitry Zarechnak Zarechnak Interpreter Interpreter and and notetaker notetaker Meeting Meeting with with President President Boris Boris Russia U Russia U Boris Boris Yeltsin Yeltsin President President of of Russian Russian Federation Federation Interpreter Interpreter DATE TIME DATE PLACE TIME AND AND PLACE January January 15 15 1994 1994 9 00 9 00 -- 9 20am 9 20am The Kremlin The Kremlin The The President President started started the the conversation conversation by by saying saying that that before before he he came to Moscow he had worked hard with the G-7 to achieve came to Moscow he had worked hard with the G-7 to achieve the the three to get get the the three aims aims which which the the U S U S and and Russia Russia shared shared first first to next 1 5 billion dollars from the IMF to Russia second to next 1 5 billion dollars from the IMF to Russia second to get get some some debt debt relief relief restructuring restructuring third third to to get get flexibility flexibility in in the the conditions conditions set set by by the the international international financial financial institutions institutions for for setting setting conditions conditions for for aid aid The The G-7 G-7 nations nations agreed agreed to to this this if the President would push for reforms in Russia since they if the President would push for reforms in Russia since they Wiieved believed that that President President Yeltsin Yeltsin was was committed committed to to these these reforms reforms President President Clinton Clinton said said that that he he had had asked asked for for today's today's meeting meeting with with Presid nt President Yeltsin Yeltsin because because President President Yeltsin Yeltsin had had told told him him on on the the previous previous day day that that there there would would be be some some changes changes in in personnel personnel in in his his government related to economic positions For example Gaidar government related to economic positions For example Gaidar would would lead lead the the party party of of reformers reformers in in the the parliament parliament This This was was of course for President Yeltsin not President Clinton of course for President Yeltsin not President Clinton to to decide decide and and President President Clinton Clinton had had come come to to better better understand understand during the days he had just spent in Moscow talking during the days he had just spent in Moscow talking to to the the people in the streets and in the TV studio the political people in the streets and in the TV studio the political pressures pressures facing facing President President Yeltsin Yeltsin President President Yeltsin Yeltsin only only wished that as President Yeltsin worked through wished that as President Yeltsin worked through these these issues issues in in the the coming coming days days he he would would think think about about what what President President Clinton Clinton was was saying saying President President Clinton Clinton said said President President Yeltsin's Yeltsin's decision decision could could have have an an impact on all the individuals who were committed to achieving impact on all the individuals who were committed to achieving the the desired desired goals goals for for Russia Russia President President Clinton's Clinton's credibility credibility was was connected to President Yeltsin's indication that connected to President Yeltsin's indication that he he would would continue continue the the reforms reforms which which were were linked to linked to aa specific specific team team of of people Perhaps this would change but the impression people Perhaps this would change but the impression was was that that Sl CR ET 6ECRE¥Declassify on OADR r pc-r ccrocn- ·· - - a '--v' T 1 9 bt l C I SECRET GDGRET- Y eltsi n Yeltsin line line to to I- 2 would that people people would would stay in would continue continue the the reforms reforms so so that stay in do what they said they would $5 do what they said they would President there should not be be a a signal President Clinton Clinton continued continued that that there should not signal that Russia was backing away from financial responsibility that Russia was backing away from financial responsibility and and reforms would lose reforms If If this this happened happened President President Clinton Clinton would lose credibility credibility with with the the G-7 G-7 and and the the international international financial financial institutions institutions President this was was what what he he was was up up against President Clinton Clinton indicated indicated that that this against He was not trying to interfere in Yeltsin's affairs He He was not trying to interfere in Yeltsin's affairs He understood but he he needed needed to to say understood Yeltsin's Yeltsin's political political difficulties difficulties but say to those who were committed to help Russia that there was someone to those who were committed to help Russia that there was someone there This there who who advocated advocated the the right right long-term long-term economic economic course course This was what President Clinton wished that Yeltsin would think was what President Clinton wished that Yeltsin would think about about as as he he made made his his difficult difficult decisions decisions President President Clinton the President Yeltsin Yeltsin replied replied that that President Clinton saw saw the situation and these difficulties did exist fo1 situation and these difficulties did exist President he had had two two impressions impressions on the President Clinton Clinton continued continued that that he on the basis the streets the basis of of his his meeting meeting with with people people in in the streets and and after after the televised part of the TV show From Yeltsin's point of view televised part of the TV show From Yeltsin's point of view one one of was positive positive The The negative negative of these these was was negative negative and and the the other other was aspect well-educated aspect was was that that most most ordinary ordinary citizens citizens and and some some well-educated ones did not feel connected to what Yeltsin was ones did not feel connected to what Yeltsin was doing doing They They did did not feel that their lives had improved The positive aspect was not feel that their lives had improved The positive aspect was that was going going on on and most of them that they they were were interested interested in in what what was and most of them believed that Yeltsin was doing the right thing that he was believed that Yeltsin was doing the right thing that he was on on the right side of history Yeltsin had unleashed democracy the right side of history Yeltsin had unleashed democracy and and without TV show would not not have have been been without that that President President Clinton's Clinton's TV show would possible would not not have have been been possible and and the the recently recently held held elections elections would possible n possible President President Yeltsin Yeltsin ran ran into President Clinton Clinton continued continued that that if if President into problems during the early days of his work with the Duma he problems during the early days of his work with the Duma he might national television television At At might appeal appeal directly directly to to the the people people over over national home in the U S President Clinton found that if Congress did not home in the U S President Clinton found that if Congress did not agree told their their agree with with him him but but if if the the people people did did and and told Congressmen the Congress would vote to support him Congressmen the Congress would vote to support him President the Russian Russian people people wished wished to to be be President Clinton Clinton continued continued that that the with knew that that their their success depended on with President President Yeltsin Yeltsin They They knew success depended on President Yeltsin's success Perhaps President Yeltsin President Yeltsin's success Perhaps President Yeltsin could could do do such the Duma Duma would would hear hear from their such aa TV TV program program The The members members of of the from their constituents and would want to work with the President This constituents and would want to work with the President This kind U S The Russian people people are with kind of of approach approach works works in in the the U S The Russian are with Yeltsin It is a struggle The United States will stay engaged Yeltsin It is a struggle The United States will stay engaged and $' and help help as as much much as as possible possible --- End End of of Conversation Conversation -- SECRET -seeRBT