Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 21, 1995 TAG: 9503210111
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The decision to accept President Boris Yeltsin's invitation to be in Moscow on May 9 came a month after U.S. officials said the fighting in Chechnya made it unlikely Clinton would join the Russian celebration.
The apparent concession to Yeltsin was coupled with the second embarrassing moment in U.S.-British relations in less than a week.
The British, like the French and the Americans, celebrate the victory over the Nazis a day earlier than the Russians.
Rather than accept Prime Minister John Major's invitation to be in London on May 8, White House spokesman Mike McCurry said Clinton would mark the occasion at Arlington National Cemetery ``with U.S. veterans, their families, and their loved ones.''
McCurry said the British ``are delighted'' that Vice President Al Gore will represent the United States in London. Gore also will participate the same day in ceremonies in Paris and Berlin.
He said Major will meet with Clinton in Washington on April 3-4.
``There's no connection I'm aware of'' between Clinton's travel plans and tensions with Britain over Northern Ireland, McCurry said. Similarly, he said a spat with France over alleged U.S. industrial spying did not figure in the decision to pass up celebrations in Western Europe.
The British made clear last week their annoyance over an invitation to Irish nationalist leader Gerry Adams to a St. Patrick's Day celebration at the White House, as well as the decision to allow Adams to raise money in the United States.
``The president will meet with President Yeltsin in Moscow for bilateral discussions on a range of issues in keeping with the commitment by both leaders to hold a summit meeting in the first half of 1995,'' McCurry said.
by CNB