January 30, 1996
Web posted at: 11 p.m. EST (0400 GMT)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Vice President Al Gore said Tuesday that U.S. support for economic reform in Russia goes beyond President Yeltsin or any other individual.
"We support a set of principles, not a single individual," he said, addressing a brief news conference after a two-day meeting with Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin.
Gore's statement is seen by many as a diplomatic move in case the ailing and embattled Russian president reverses course on reforms. Yeltsin is under growing pressure from a communist and nationalist presence in the Russian parliament, and his presidential fate will be decided in the June elections.
Yeltsin, recovering from a heart ailment, has implied he will run for the presidency. But some U.S. legislators, sensing an impending collapse for Yeltsin, are already reportedly urging the Clinton administration to loosen its ties to him.
The administration seems to be listening. "We do not support any candidate, nor do we see any individual as the sole guarantor of reform," Gore said Tuesday.
For his part, Chernomyrdin assured concerned American supporters that despite the recent revival of communism, Russia still remains committed to market reform.
The Russian premier came to Washington largely for two days of discussions of the bi-national commission he and Gore have led since 1993 to seek cooperation in such areas as space, energy, nuclear safety, and business development.
Although it was the commission's sixth meeting, the talks come at a critical time for the future of Russian reform, and Chernomyrdin spent much of his time trying to calm U.S. fears about the future of market reform in Russia.
In a crucial gesture of support, Gore emphatically endorsed a new three-year $9 billion loan to Russia that the International Monetary Fund and other lending institutions are still debating.
President Clinton, who also met with Chernomyrdin Tuesday, said he believes the loan will go through. Clinton said Russia's economy will continue to grow with the support of the United States and international banks.
"They had a good year in 1995. They had inflation down," Clinton said. "Production was stable. The ruble was stronger. They've seen some real economic growth, and it's a record they can be proud of."
Chernomyrdin was due to meet IMF Managing Director Michel Camdessus during his Washington visit to work out what he has acknowledged are sticking points with the IMF on conditions for the new credit line.
Russian parliamentary elections last month posted significant gains for communists and led Yeltsin to purge some top reformers from his cabinet, moves that have alarmed Washington.
The recent ouster of key reformers, including former Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev and Chernomyrdin's deputy for privatization Anatoly Chubais, as well as the strong Communist showing in parliamentary elections, concerned some sections of the U.S. capital, compounding worries that Yeltsin is turning left as the presidential election draws nearer.
Russia's heavy-handed efforts to quash Chechnya's bid for independence also continue to be a sore spot and have clouded the Kremlin's ties with the West.
Chechnya and the Chubais ouster are perhaps the most sensitive political issues blocking the IMF loan, for which the Russians are desperate. The lending institutions are also watching the inflation rate in Russia before coming to a conclusion.
Chernomyrdin has said Russia is sticking to a reform plan agreed to with the IMF, which lent Russia $6.4 billion in 1995.
Chernomyrdin, who on arrival Monday said further "corrections" in the economy are required, flatly refused to outline what form they would take. He said they would be announced by Yeltsin on February 15 and that spending limits imposed by the last parliament would be maintained.
The following are among the agreements signed by Gore, Chernomyrdin, and cabinet-level officials of both governments during the meetings:
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AP contributed to this report.
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