CHINA: TRADE AND BORDER ISSUES TO BE DISCUSSED DURING YELTSIN'S VISIT

AP Archive
AP Archive
225 بار بازدید - 9 سال پیش - (24 Apr 1996) English/Nat
(24 Apr 1996) English/Nat

Trade and border issues are set to dominate the agenda during Boris Yeltsin's three  day visit to China.

The Russian President also intends to play the role of mediator between China and the  U-S, adding to his prestige both at home and abroad just months before presidential  elections.

Russian flags were fluttering on Tiananmen Square Wednesday morning as final  preparations were made for the visit of Boris Yeltsin.

Speaking yesterday in the Russian Far East, Yeltsin said Sino-Russian relations had  entered a new stage of understanding.

For forty years the two countries were bitter ideological enemies on the brink of nuclear  conflict.

The then Soviet Union was the first country to recognise China in 1949 and almost  immediately signed a Treaty of Friendship.

Chairman Mao travelled to Moscow at the end of the year to celebrate Joseph Stalin's  70th birthday. But behind the cordiality lay a powerful and mutual dislike.

Ideological differences caused a split in the 1950s and relations reached a new low  in  1969 when both sides fought a series of bloody skirmishes along the border.

Even though Yeltsin said there are no problems with China, analysts say that deep- down Russia still fears Chinese expansion.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
" The Russian fears of the possible Chinese expansion in the Russian Far East. And I  think to avoid that Russia tries to be much more co-operative and much more soft  towards China."
SUPER CAPTION: Viktor Kremenyuk, Deputy Director USA/Canada Institute

Fresh from his meeting with U-S President Bill Clinton in Moscow last weekend, Boris  Yeltsin is coming to China not only to cement his warm relationship with the Chinese  leadership, but also to act as a mediator between Beijing and Washington.

His chief foreign policy advisor revealed that during their talks Yeltsin had offered Clinton  his help in improving U-S relations with China - soured by the recent war of words over  Taiwan.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We just want to improve the relations with China and we also want to see relations  between China and the United States improve and President Yeltsin is going to talk  about that."
SUPER CAPTION: Dmitry Ryurikov, Advisor to Boris Yeltsin

It was a younger and fitter Russian President who first visited China in 1992.

Then Boris Yeltsin had just been elected President and had played a major role in  bringing to an end seven decades of Communist rule.

Four years on, however, Yeltsin is in the midst of a tough election battle to keep the  presidency.

Ironically, many political commentators suggest that the leadership in Beijing may be  happier dealing with a re-elected Yeltsin than with their Russian communist  counterparts.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I don't think the Chinese would be unhappy if Mr Yeltsin wins the election because  they may count on a more or less good perspective of the relations between the two  countries if Mr Yeltsin stays in office next term."
SUPER CAPTION: Viktor Kremenyuk, Deputy Director USA/Canada Institute

During the three-day visit, Yeltsin and his Chinese hosts will sign a package of 14  agreements.

The Russian President  will also travel to Shanghai to sign a border treaty with China  and the leaders of the former Soviet Republics of Kazakhstan, Kirgyzstan and  Tajikistan.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: Twitter: AP_Archive
Facebook: Facebook: APArchives ​​
Instagram: Instagram: APNews


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
9 سال پیش در تاریخ 1394/04/30 منتشر شده است.
225 بـار بازدید شده
... بیشتر