Russia's first president, Boris Yeltsin, promised Bill Clinton of the United States that Putin would “continue Yeltsin's” line.
HS told last week how characterizing Finnish diplomatst Vladimir Putin in the fall of 1999.
It was the first time we could read about it publicly, as the archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were opened after 25 years.
a year The 1999 change of power in Russia is shed light by another archive treasure.
The conversation took place with the first president of Russia Boris Yeltsin and the President of the United States Bill Clinton's sometimes, and it can only be described as amazing.
Yeltsin and Clinton met for the last time on November 19, 1999 in Istanbul.
You can read the entire conversation From the website of the National Security Archive. It's worth doing, because the memo is a hair-raising read.
in Istanbul the cripple was talking to the drunkard.
Not only that Clinton had cut off his moth, he was in the final stages of his second term, in other words, a “lame duck” in American terms. Besides, the sexual relationship of a 22-year-old White House intern Monica Lewinsky with had led to impeachment, after which Clinton limped to the end of her term.
Yeltsin, on the other hand, was an exhausted alcoholic. Everyone knew that Yeltsin's second and last term was coming to an end, but not yet that Yeltsin would resign in the new year.
The destruction and destruction caused by Putin might tempt you to think that after Yeltsin, someone more moderate would have been elected president.
The Istanbul debate underlines that such an option never existed. Yeltsin had already announced in August 1999 when appointing Putin as Prime Minister that he would like him to be his successor. At the same time, Putin registered as a presidential candidate.
Clinton brings up the matter with Yeltsin when the meeting has actually already ended.
Who will win the Russian presidential election, Clinton asks – perhaps only rhetorically, since the outcome of the election is usually not known in advance.
“Putin, of course,” Yeltsin replies, and clearly not at all rhetorically. “He will be Boris Yeltsin's successor. He is a Democrat, and he knows the West.”
Yeltsin announces that he will do everything he can for Putin's election – “democratically, of course”, he still remembers to add.
“He will win,” Yeltsin promises.
Tough Putin did not usurp the legacy of a weak Yeltsin, as one might be tempted to think.
In Istanbul, Yeltsin specifically assures Clinton that Putin will continue “Yeltsin's line”.
In the discussion, Yeltsin has already described his line. He is asking Clinton for nothing less than Europe.
“Just give us Europe. The US is not in Europe. Europe should be a matter for Europeans. Russia is half European and half Asian.”
Clinton is most obviously trying to joke when she asks if you want Asia too.
“Sure, Bill. At some point we have to agree on all of this.”
Clinton points out that the Europeans might not like it.
“Not all. But I'm European too. Moscow is in Europe and I like it. You can take all other states and guarantee their security. I will take Europe and guarantee its security”, says Yeltsin.
“Or not me, but Russia.”
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