MOSCOW - President Chirac of France met President Yeltsin in Moscow yesterday and afterwards praised the Russian leader's "personal victory" in reaching an accord with NATO and affirmed France's role in making the deal possible. Describing the planned signing of the NATO Russia Founding Act in Paris on May 27th as "historic", Mr Chirac said all difficulties between the two sides had been resolved.
The French leader, whose hosting of the signing reflects his determination to be seen playing a major role in European security reforms, met Mr Yeltsin during a brief stopover on his return from a visit to China.