Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.wpost From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Russia, Britain Sign Amity Treaty; Yeltsin and Major Update 1766 Pact, Date: Tue, 10 Nov 92 04:53:22 EST Message-ID: <43.1992Nov10.045323@AmeriCast.com> Russia, Britain Sign Amity Treaty; Yeltsin and Major Update 1766 Pact, Service= LONDON, Nov. 9 - Russian President Boris Yeltsin and British Prime Minister John Major today signed the first Anglo-Russian friendship treaty since 1766, pledging cooperation on a range of issues and, in Major's words, "consigning the Cold War to histo- ry." Yeltsin, on a two-day official visit, said the pact furthers Russia's effort to rebuild "its relations with the outside world on the basis of generally recognized norms of international law and human morality." Major said the treaty confirms "our joint commitment to democratic values and economic reform." The treaty was accompanied by five other agreements on economic, defense and security issues. Britain also agreed to provide $400 million in export credits to help Russia's struggling economy, a government spokesman said. Yeltsin's high-profile visit comes at a time when he is strug- gling against efforts by both communists and nationalists to un- dermine his government's authority. Throughout the day, Yeltsin appeared to be playing to the audience at home, and British offi- cials obliged with expressions of strong support. On Tuesday, Yeltsin is scheduled to address a rare joint session of Parlia- ment and to lunch with Queen Elizabeth II. "It is particularly timely that this visit is happening at a momemt when reform is under pressure, because this enables us to demonstrate our long-term commitment to reform and democratiza- tion," a British official told reporters. Foreign Office Minis- ter Douglas Hogg said the government wanted to send Yeltsin home with a message of "strong support." The treaty is the first since the 1766 Treaty of Amity and Com- merce, signed under Catherine the Great. It pledges the two na- tions to work together to foster economic cooperation, peaceful relations and international security. A separate military pact provides for reciprocal visits by mili- tary officials and British advice on how to run an armed forces establishment in a democratic society. Another pact offers Brit- ish technological help in safely transporting nuclear warheads for destruction. Major said his government will seek to strengthen ties between Russia and the European Community. Major currently holds the EC presidency. He has been more outspoken than most European leaders on having the EC reach out to European nonmembers. While Yeltsin will return to Russia with unequivocal expressions of support, he is expected to leave with nowhere near the massive financial aid his government seeks. In prepared remarks for speech to business leaders, Yeltsin called for the rescheduling of the debt incurred by the Soviet Union in the year before it dissolved in December. Creditors have agreed to reschedule most of the estimated $70 billion to $80 billion Soviet debt, but not the 1991 part. Tonight, Yeltsin was to be feted at a formal dinner at London's Royal Naval College in Greenwich, where one of his predecessors, Czar Peter the Great, stayed in 1698 on a visit to study ship- building. While Peter caroused, drank brandy and generally en- joyed the perks of being a czar, Yeltsin told Russian reporters when he arrived at Heathrow Airport that his visit is "absolutely businesslike."< 02:32 11-10C9999----- Copyright 1992, The Washington Post. This story is from the Washington Post's Capitol Edition On-Line and is not to be ar- chived or redistributed. For more information, send-email to American Cybercasting Cor- poration (usa@AmeriCast.COM)