MOSCOW -- Russian President Boris Yeltsin received former U.S. President Richard Nixon in the Kremlin Wednesday for a private meeting that began with Yeltsin thanking Nixon for speaking out on behalf of Russian reforms.
Although Nixon resigned in disgrace during his second term as president when he was threatened with impeachment, he has managed to make himself something of an elder statesman in the foreign policy arena.
Nixon, an old Cold Warrior, has been outspoken in support of Western help for Russia's struggling post-Soviet economy and reforms.
Foreign investment in Russia will depend largely on whether the country can curb inflation and assure stability, Nixon told reporters after a meeting with Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev.
Nixon predicted that by continuing reforms Russia will see 'huge amounts' of money flow from Western companies -- eventually.
Nixon declared his 'resolute support' for deferring Moscow's foreign debt payments for 15 years.
Nixon, who first made a name for himself as an anti-communist although he later initiated arms talks with the Soviets and opened up to China, said lingering differences between Washington and Moscow were no cause for alarm.
Nixon called both countries 'great powers,' and said there was nothing dangerous about disagreeing sometimes, as often happens among allies. He said differences in U.S. and Russian positions should be respected.
Last year when the United States was taking slow, cautious steps toward aiding the republics of the broken-up Soviet Union, Nixon urged Washington to drop its reluctance to provide assistance to its former adversary.
Yeltsin acknowledged Nixon's support, saying, 'I welcome you. I'm very glad you haven't forgotten Moscow and are interested in the affairs in Russia. What's more, besides just interest, you generally support reform in Russia.'
Before journalists were ushered out of the Kremlin photo session, Nixon could be heard introducing his companions -- not by name, but rather by job or affiliation, such as the U.S. oilman who provided Nixon with a plane. 'This is our friend from ARCO,' Nixon said. 'He's very important. He furnished the airplane.'
Although Nixon, 80, was visiting for the second time in the last eight months, Yeltsin was unsure what to call the former president. He pondered the problem aloud with Kozyrev while waiting for Nixon.
'Gospodin (Mister) President?' Yeltsin asked Kozyrev. 'Gospodin President,' asserted Kozyrev.
'For his entire life?' Yeltsin asked.
