DATE=12/23/94

TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP

NUMBER=6-08761

TITLE=BORIS YELTSIN'S CHECHNYA ADVENTURE

BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE

TELEPHONE=619-3335

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

EDITOR=NANCY SMART

CONTENT=

INTRO: The worsening situation in the Chechnya Republic of the

Russian Caucasus continues to attract the attention of

U-S editorial writers. _______________ has a sampling of

their latest comments in today's U-S Opinion roundup.

TEXT: At least one paper, "New York Newsday" sees the fighting

in the Moslem region of Southern Russia as a "no-win"

situation for President Boris Yeltsin.

VOICE: "If Russian troops actually take over the capital city

of Grozny, he will be blamed for a bloodbath of Russians

by Russians. It's not even certain the army will obey

his orders. But if he backs off, he'll look even more

ineffective than he has recently. . . From the West's

perspective, what matters is whether Russian democracy

and stability can survive. Unfortunately, Yeltsin's

actions are not likely to promote either."

TEXT: Trudy Rubin, senior foreign poolicy columnist for "The

Philadelphia Inquirer," remembers Mr. Yeltsin's visit

to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and all the

questions he asked about the U-S Constitution. She

feels he may have forgotten the concept of federation,

the voluntary linking together of states or regions for

the benefit of all, that he learned on that U-S visit.

VOICE: "Unfortunately [President] Yeltsin seems to have

abandoned that principle in his bloody military attack

on the secessionist Russian republic of Chechnya. That

mistake threatens his own future, and Russia's future as

a democracy. And it makes me worry whether the

open-minded Russian who visited Philadelphia has finally

sunk back into a more traditional Russian view of the

world."

TEXT: In Texas, "The Dallas Morning News" observes:

VOICE: "In the short term, Russian President Boris Yeltsin's

decision to send troops to quell the secessionist

efforts of the Chechnya region has served him well with

ultranationalists, like Vladimir Zhirinovsky, and a

demoralized military. But how hard Moscow puts its food

down could have major long-term consequences for

Russia's political stability. ..... Failure to end the

Chechen rebellion would encourage several other regions

to follow suit and threaten a Russia that is still

desperately trying to solidify itself in the wake of the

breakup of the Soviet Union."

TEXT: That theme - - the wider breakup of Russia - - much the

way the Soviet Union broke up a few years ago - -

occupies the thoughts of editors at "The New York Post."

VOICE: "There is moreover, reason to believe that Moscow's

difficulties with separatist movements extend beyond the

current crisis. The current issue of the authoritative

"Janes's Intelligence Review" suggests that not only has

the former Soviet Union broken apart, but that

separatist impulses are driving a crackup of the old

czarist empire as well - - as exemplified by the

secession of Chechnya, which fell to Moscow in 1864

after nearly a half century of bitter warfare. ...even

the possibility of intermittent civil war in a country

still in possession of some 22-thousand nuclear warheads

has profound implications for Western security."

TEXT: In the Midwest, "The Chicago Tribune" begins a recent

editorial:

VOICE: "A new, tougher Boris Yeltsin may be risking his

political career by sending Russian troops and tanks to

crush a rebellion in tiny Chechnya, but he's also ...

sending a healthy reminder that Russia's transformation

and cooperation can't be taken for granted. And, while

its nuclear missiles may no longer be a threat, it's

still a potent military power capable of unilateral

action.

TEXT: Finally, these editorial words from "The Wall Street

Journal"

VOICE: The Clinton Administration's handling of Russia's

Chechnya crisis has been of a piece [similiar to] with

its handling of Bosnia and of a piece with its handling

of the future of NATO. In short, a muddle, and a

potentially dangerous one for an orderly world. ... The

score [implication] so far: The Russian government can

bomb its own people, but the Bosnian Muslims, bombed for

years by an enemy supported by the Russians, should give

peace a chance. ..... These kinds of contradictions and

confusions from the U-S take a toll. There is,

pointedly, the recent conflict with our allies over

NATO's future. ... Russia no doubt is important. But at

some point the U-S is going to have to find a generation

of foreign-policy leaders who aren't paralyzed from

doing anything that might rub Russia the wrong way

[upset the Russian government].

TEXT: That comment from America's premier business newspaper,

"The Wall Street Journal" concludes this sampling of

U.S. editorials on the fighting in the Russian Caucasus

region of Chechnya.

ANG/NES

23-Dec-94 1:50 PM EST (1850 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America