[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 13 (Monday, April 3, 2000)]
[Page 638]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the Election of Vladimir Putin as President of Russia

March 27, 2000

    In a telephone conversation earlier today, I congratulated 
President-elect Vladimir Putin on his victory in the Russian 
Presidential elections.
    Sunday's vote was an important milestone in the development of a 
democratic Russia. The people of Russia demonstrated again their intense 
commitment to democracy. Roughly 70 percent of eligible Russians voted.
    In my conversation with President-elect Putin, I emphasized the 
importance to Russia and the world of strengthening the foundations of 
Russia's democracy and deepening its international integration. 
President-elect Putin has an opportunity to translate his electoral 
mandate into concrete steps to advance economic reform, to strengthen 
the rule of law, to intensify the fight against crime and corruption, 
and to join with us on a broad common agenda of international security, 
including arms control, nonproliferation, and regional peace and 
stability.
    Finally, I emphasized my concerns about the war in Chechnya. I 
stressed to President-elect Putin the importance of launching impartial 
and transparent investigations of reported human rights violations and 
providing prompt and full access for international organizations and the 
press.