[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 1 (Monday, January 10, 2000)]
[Pages 1-2]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Departure for Millennium Ceremonies and an Exchange With 
Reporters

December 31, 1999

Resignation of President Boris Yeltsin of Russia

    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 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 Russia has withdrawn its troops from the Baltic 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.

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    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. 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. This item was not received in time for 
publication in the appropriate issue.