Clinton, Yeltsin Get Down To Business (3/21/97)

Prepping For Helsinki (3/17/97)

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Not Allies, Not Enemies: Partners

Clinton, Yeltsin emphasize their areas of agreement and agree to disagree on NATO expansion

HELSINKI, Finland (AllPolitics, March 21) -- The U.S. and Russia have "agreed to disagree" on whether NATO should expand eastward in Europe, but found common ground on other military and economic matters, said President Bill Clinton in a joint press conference with his summit partner, Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

The two leaders emphasized three key areas where they did find agreement after two days of talks in Helsinki, Finland:

• The U.S. agreed to begin START III arms-reduction treaty negotiations with Russia, and will allow Russia to delay the weapons destruction called for in the START II treaty. Yeltsin also pledged to work to get START II passed in the Russian legislature. Yeltsin and Clinton said START III's goal will be to reduce nuclear arsenals by 85 percent from their Cold War highs by 2007. (416K WAV sound)
• Russia will sign a non-binding agreement with NATO that would keep nuclear and conventional NATO weapons out of the new NATO member states in Eastern Europe. "We agree that there must be a partnership between NATO and Russia going forward into the future," Clinton said.
• Clinton and Yeltsin also agreed that Russia should play a larger role in international economic organizations. Notably, they will join the Group of Seven (or G-7) making it the Group of Eight, a longtime Russian goal. "And, if certain internal changes are made...then the United States will make a more vigorous effort to facilitate investment in Russia," Clinton said. (256K WAV sound)

Clinton and Yeltsin made it clear that they still disagreed over the eastward expansion of NATO, but tried to make the best of it. "We are building a new NATO, just as the Russian people are building a new Russia," Clinton said. "I am determined that Russia will become a respected partner with NATO in making the future for all of Europe peaceful and secure."

"I reaffirm that NATO enlargement in the Madrid summit will proceed," Clinton said. "And President Yeltsin made it clear that he thinks it's a mistake." (256K WAV sound)

Can Clinton and Yeltsin deliver the assent of their legislatures on the arms-control agreements? Russia's Duma has stalled the START II treaty, and the Republican majority in the U.S. Congress is sharply critical of the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, which Russia sees as a prerequisite for moving forward.

"I expect that the state Duma will make a decision based on my advice," said Yeltsin, which drew a laugh from Clinton, who said, "Boy, I wish I could give that answer." Clinton added that those in Congress who support ABM limits with exceptions for theater missiles will like the agreement, and that the rest do not make up a majority. (160K WAV sound)

Clinton seemed tired but relaxed at the table he and Yeltsin shared, though the height of his wheelchair made him appear significantly shorter than Yeltsin.

Yeltsin, for his part, appeared stiff through the first part of the news conference, but loosened up, calling Clinton "Bill" and making warm references to their ability to work together. "I would say that emotions sometimes get the upper hand in assessing Russian-American partnership," Yeltsin said. "This is not the approach that Bill and I have." (256K WAV sound)