Clinton and Yeltsin Summit Ends with Little Progress

Presidents Clinton and Yeltsin met for three hours at the Kremlin, making little progress on key issues that have strained relations between the two countries. Despite Clinton's efforts to persuade Yeltsin to cancel a $1 billion sale of nuclear reactors to Iran, drop his opposition to NATO expansion, and declare a permanent cease-fire in Chechnya, Yeltsin showed little willingness to compromise. The lack of breakthroughs is a setback for Clinton, who had hoped to use the summit to revitalize the Russia-US relationship.

Key Takeaways:

• Clinton failed to persuade Yeltsin to cancel the $1 billion sale of nuclear reactors to Iran, with Yeltsin agreeing to exclude the sale of gas centrifuge equipment but not cancelling the entire deal.
• Yeltsin showed no sign of heeding Clinton's appeal for a permanent cease-fire in Chechnya, with reports of continued fighting and civilian casualties.
• The two leaders agreed to refer the issue of the nuclear reactors to a commission headed by Vice President Al Gore and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, with no specific timetable for action.
• Clinton expressed concern over the potential sale of nuclear reactors to Iran, calling it "unwise" and not in Russia's best interests.
• Yeltsin rejected Clinton's threat of immediate cuts in US aid to Russia, saying "We're not afraid of threats. We never react to threats."
• Yeltsin sees the $1 billion sale as a way to help Russia's faltering economy and is under pressure from hard-liners to stand up to the West.
• Russia agreed to enter into the Partnership for Peace program with NATO, a military cooperation between NATO and its former Warsaw Pact adversaries.
• Clinton urged Russia and NATO to start talking to each other on the issue of NATO expansion, with Yeltsin warning that this would lead to a "cold peace."