f:!"\ J 1, 1,... THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON MEMORANDUM OF TELEPHONE CORSATION SUBJECT: LIMITED ACCESS 8863 DECLASSIFIED PER E.. O,. 12958, AS AMENDED :t"''l-tcrgtt-rut Z/"Z.-7-/Ilg Telcon with ident Bori Yeltin of ic of Ru PP.-RTICIPANTS: Preident Bori Yeltin, Preident of Republic of Ruia Interpreter: Dimitry Zarechnak Notetaker: Ed A. Hewett DATE, TIME AND PLACE: November 30, 1991, 9:42 - Camp David_ 10:19am Hello? your voice. Bori? Can you hear me? I hear you Mr. Preident. I'm happy to hear The Preident: Frt, I want to convey my peronal greeting. Then I want to give you comment on Ukraine o that there are no di between u on. I want to ak, did you he pa to you? I've Ru f
SECRE (U} Ihe Preident: Firt, with relation to your repone to Sunday' referendum. We think 1 be a trong vote independence. Thi a powerful ignal from the people Ukraine, and a celebration of new atmophere created when you the force put down the attempted coup. I hope you undertand that a a democratic nation, we mut 1 the people. But we want to do o in a way that encourage a peaceful tranition to a new order, built on a trong, friendly, Ukrainian-Ruian relationhip. My with Kozyrev wa very good. I aured him we don't want to upport interaction that play into the hand of radical Ruia or Ukraine. We do think would be a mitake to take action that would appear to re, or omehow punih through economic anction, thi vote for independence. We feel Ukrainian independence i inevitable, and we regard it a a tribute to the defeat of the coup in which you played uch a pivotal role. We alo think that the priority hould be on making ure that independence advance the caue of peace, freedom, and democracy in Ukraine, and in Ruia. kat A we move toward recognition I want to be ure that the arrangement which emerge provide for: collective, central control over nuclear weapon; a non-nuclear Ukraine, which i ignatory to the NPT; repect for human right, with equal right for minoritie; and implementation of exit ie (START, CFE). to to our f are
Thoe are the main point. frank on U.S. po will work out. I am mot ion, but over the treaty ha two lavic deal. I undertand, Mr. Pre, your concern ion now with our union. Right now the dra only even tate to ign up -- five il (Byeloruia and Ruia). That concern me a I 11 with you, a alway. I bel Ukraine won't in union, then thi will be a union. I told Gorbachev today, and I aid yeterday newpaper interview, that if Ukraine will not join the then that i a problem for Ru if weak Gorbachev i alway telling me that he'll get together with Ukrainian leader and they will the agreement. But if the referendum how that the majority of the people of Ukraine are for independence, then that mean that Ukrainian will not ign the treaty now preparation for a Union of Sovereign State. That would dramat ly change the balance in the Union between and ilamic nation. We can't have a ituation where Ruia and Byeloruia have two vote a lavic tate againt five for the Ilamic nation. Moreover, after Ruia, Ukraine i the larget tate, and we've had good relation. We don't want to loe thoe good relation; we want them to develop. I told Gorbachev that I can't imagine a union without Ukraine. Of coure i till early today to reach concluion without of the re iat I
with Ukraine di It will alo create new ext t if we do not ze. So we i more proper, people independence, that Ruia hould recognize Ukraine, whether or not they've igned the t of Right away? do. immediate.ly. e. peci ce we are approaching the new year and: e:c new reform.:. Gorbachev not know about thi. He till think Ukrc:dne, will ign. ve, 1 meet new preident of U.:.Craine in the beginning of Decen:tber to dicu the principle. of relation between Ru and Ukraine. W< neecl.to dicu::: central control of trategic nuclear weapon. the removal of nuclear weapon from Ukrainian terr ory, even though thi will cot R25 billion and require year. They have very modern intallation there -- large ilo. Of coure we'll talk about Ukrainian acceptance of all international agreement regarding nuclear weapon. We alo want to have an agreement between ourelve on the ize of military force or national guard. 1hen I wa that perhap of Germany I talked with Kohl about the poibility U.S., Germany, and France, along with the the G-7, could urge Ukraine to come to an agreement line. But now I think that i ue ; trengthen t group. --- that
I am aking you, Mr. Preident, not to reveal the content of dicu until the of the referendum are publihed. The Preident: I you pledge. OK.?.l!!t1 Are you atified with my explanatron of I aure you that we do not want to play Ru or ele. (S) Of coure. {U) touch. fte1 I appreciate thi. We hould tay in cloe Mr. Preident, I am glad to be contact by phone. I aure you that right now we are beginning a eriou reform which will radicalize Ruia, and make Ruia the engine which will.pull other republic along te democratic path. It begin December 16, and will be very difficult. There will be critical moment where people could be out in the treet. I hope we can count on the upport of the G-7 during thee critical moment. J;i!t1 I alo want to ay that I met with Gorbachev and leader of the union government on the budget, ince the budget i on the verge of collape. The union ha no money to pay for the army, c;;ience, culture, or for other. Ruia, on the other hand, ha a budget urplu. So only Ruia can ave the entire country. (#!If' We have agreed to create republic have agreed to will give to o we won't So Ru But 1 mut t J.S+a conolidated Union/Ruia budget. guarantee a credit which only Ru In thi way upport on to ret of on to union r own 1 on. We 1 11 cont 1,