WASHINGTON, January 26 Former US President Bill Clinton, at a meeting with former Russian President Boris Yeltsin in 1993, offered him help in stabilizing the national economy, noting the importance of unlocking the potential for cooperation between Moscow and Washington, according to a transcript of a face-to-face conversation between the leaders of the two countries, declassified by the American side.
The documents were published by the US National Security Archive, founded by journalists and scientists in 1985. The archive recently filed a lawsuit against the State Department requesting declassification of the materials.
«I want to help you move on to the more important work of stabilizing your economy. The United States wants to help. Ultimately, your security and the greatness of your nation will depend on your ability to unleash the economic power of your country and forge partnerships in security with the United States,» Clinton said at a meeting with Yeltsin in the Kremlin on January 13, 1994.
As the former US President noted in that conversation, shortly before the conversation with Yeltsin, he took part in a meeting with the leaders of NATO member states. “I believe that you would be pleased to listen to the private discussions of 16 leaders. Each of them understands the strategic importance of your independence and wants your country to play an important, leading role in the life of Europe,” Clinton told his Russian counterpart.
In that conversation, Clinton emphasized that the Russian president «remains enormously respected among the leaders» of various countries, who consider him «a great man, leading and losing the battle to the forces of history.»
«It would be good for them to see that you don't believe it, and I don't believe it. We don't want people to have a stereotype of Russia as frozen in the past. We want them to look to the future. So maybe you should invite some of them (world leaders) to Russia in the next few months,» he added.