    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [December 31, 1999]
    [Pages 2351-2352]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on the Resignation of President Boris Yeltsin of Russia and an Exchange With Reporters
    December 31, 1999

        The President. Good morning. Not long ago, I had about a 20-minute
    phone conversation with President Boris Yeltsin, who today ends his
    historic tenure as Russia's democratically elected President. Under his
    leadership, since 1991, the Russian people have faced the unprecedented
    challenge of building a new democracy and a new life after decades of
    corrosive Communist rule. His lasting achievement has been dismantling
    the Communist system and creating a vital democratic process within a
    constitutional framework. The fact that Prime Minister Putin

    [[Page 2352]]

    assumes responsibility today as Acting President, in accordance with the
    Constitution, is the latest example of President Yeltsin's achievement.
        The relationship between the United States and Russia under
    President Yeltsin has produced genuine progress for both our people.
    Five thousand strategic nuclear weapons have been dismantled. Our
    nuclear weapons are no longer targeted at each other. We have worked
    together to eliminate nuclear weapons from the other states of the
    former Soviet Union. Russia has withdrawn its troops from the Baltic
    nations, and now its troops are serving alongside Americans to maintain
    peace in the Balkans. In fact, Russia was instrumental in achieving the
    peace agreement in Kosovo.
        Of course, we have also had our differences, but the starting point
    for our relationship has always been how Russia and America can work
    together to advance our common interests. In that spirit, I look forward
    to working with Acting President Putin, as
    the Russian people begin the process of making the transition from one
    democratically elected President to another.
        To President Yeltsin, let me convey my appreciation again for the
    work we have done together. Hillary and I extend our warmest wishes to
    him, Naina, and their family.
        Thank you very much.
        Q.  Mr. President, are you going to Moscow in February, at the
    invitation of the Prime Minister/Acting President?
        The President. I have made no plans to do that yet.
        Q.  Mr. President, can you share some of your personal recollections
    of Boris Yeltsin? You seemed to have a warm personal relationship with
    him. What did you admire? What are your thoughts about him as a person
    now?
        The President. Well, I liked him because he was always very
    forthright with me. He always did exactly what he said he would do, and
    he was willing to take chances to try to improve our relationship, to
    try to improve democracy in Russia. He took the Russian troops out of
    the Balkans. He recently agreed to take them out of Moldova and Georgia.
    We got rid of all those nuclear weapons in the other states of the
    former Soviet Union. We got rid of thousands of nuclear weapons. He's
    committed to START II, and I hope it will be ratified by the Russian
    Duma so we can quickly move to START III and reduce our nuclear arsenals
    even further.
        I liked him because I think he genuinely deplored communism. He
    lived with it; he saw it; and he believed that democracy was the best
    system. I think it was in every fiber of his being. And we had our
    arguments; we had our fights; we had our genuine disagreement about our
    national interests from time to time. But I think that the Russian
    people are well-served to have a leader who honestly believed that their
    votes ought to determine who was running the show in Russia and what the
    future direction of the country should be.
        I have to go. I'm sorry.
        Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 11 a.m. on the South Grounds at the White
    House prior to departure for millennium celebrations. In his remarks, he
    referred to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who became Acting President
    on President Yeltsin's resignation; and Mr. Yeltsin's wife, Naina.