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From: C-afp@clari.net (AFP / Dmitry Zaks)
Newsgroups: clari.world.europe.russia,clari.world.europe.union,clari.world.europe
Subject: Food aid, Yeltsin health on EU-Russian agenda
Organization: Copyright 1999 by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet)
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Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1999 5:05:39 PST
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   MOSCOW, Feb 17 (AFP) - A fight over food aid and the now  
traditional check-up on President Boris Yeltsin's health will 
dominate a two-day summit between European Union leaders and Russia 
which starts here Thursday. 
   "There is a disagreement at the moment on certain red-tape  
measures on the Russian side," conceded the European Union's envoy 
to Russia, Ottokar Hahn, referring to a troubled agricultural goods 
agreement. 
   "But we are on the same continent," Hahn added. "Our future must  
be together in peace and in trade." 
   Last December Europe announced a massive foodstuffs deal for  
Russia which was meant to help the economically-ravaged country make 
it through the winter without starving. 
   Million of tonnes of European beef, wheat, oats, rice and  
powdered milk were due to be donated for sale by the Russian 
government this winter. 
   Moscow was to use the receipts, estimated at some 500 million  
dollars, to pay overdue pensions and develop social projects. 
   But the deliveries have become bogged down in a host of  
arguments ranging from Russia's plans to set a 500 dollar tariff on 
every aid truck crossing the border to questions about food quality 
and distribution problems. 
   The two sides still cannot agree how the Russian government  
should handle the proceeds and at what price the food should be sold 
to the people who really need it. 
   Diplomats hint that most of those disputes should be ironed out  
by the time German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and European 
Commission President Jacques Santer meet with Yeltsin and premier 
Yevgeny Primakov on Thursday. 
   But the food aid row represents a broader disillusionment that  
has set into a Europe grown weary -- or openly exasperated -- with 
Russia's hapless efforts at reform. 
   "Russia is certainly a very rich country, potentially and in  
real terms, because it sells oil, gas and other raw products. But 
where is the product of these sales," demanded the German ambassador 
here, Ernst Jorg von Studnitz. 
   "The real problem is not a question of confidence in the  
government of Yevgeny Primakov but of understanding what he really 
wants." 
   Hahn agreed. "With a change of government it is quite clear that  
we must learn what the intentions of this government in relations to 
the World Trade Organization is," the EU ambassador said. 
   "We have postponed our free trade negotiations."  
   Yeltsin's decision last September to appoint Primakov in charge  
of Russia's first post-Soviet leftist cabinet has unnerved the West 
and the country's acute economic crisis has stalled nearly all 
negotiations with private and public creditors. 
   The Kremlin chief has since removed himself from almost all  
decision-making while Primakov and economic aides languish. 
   Kremlin watchers are waiting for the European Union summit with  
some anticipation, however, as it will mark Yeltsin's first 
appearance in full view at home in months. 
   The ailing Russian 68-year-old leader has not uttered a single  
word publicly since late December but Kremlin aides have been 
hinting broadly that all that is about to change. 
   Yeltsin is due to speak at length about this year's  
parliamentary and next summer's presidential election when he 
delivers an annual address to a joint session of parliament next 
month. 
   But an under-the-carpet row has developed between Yeltsin and  
Primakov during the president's spell of silence. 
   The premier offered to mediate a political truce between the  
Kremlin and parliament which would grant him extra job security. 
That plan seems to have unsettled Yeltsin. 
   Schroeder and Santer will have a chance to grill the Russian  
leader about his long-term commitment to Primakov. 
   They also will be able to evaluate first-hand whether Yeltsin is  
physically strong enough to last in office until his term expires in 
August 2000. 
  	   	

