DENVER-
Boris Yeltsin’s appearance at a Denver summit of the world’s most powerful industrial nations was hailed as a triumph for his efforts to transform the Russian Federation into an industrial democracy—and win acceptance into an elite group of rich nations that had kept the former communist state at a distance.
Yeltsin sat with President Clinton and other Group of Seven leaders at a massive, hand-crafted conference table during the June 1997 summit, held at the Denver Public Library.
He made small talk with Mayor Wellington Webb—and he caused a stir when he turned in early one night, reviving questions about his often-fragile health.
Still, the Summit of the Eight was a breakthrough for Yeltsin, who died Monday at age 76.
“I want very much for it to be written: ‘Denver conclusively agrees that the G-7 is transformed into a G-8,'” he told reporters before the summit.
Even if his aspirations for Russia’s political future weren’t fulfilled, the G-8 name stuck. Russia had joined the ranks of the major industrial nations of the United States, France, Great Britain, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada. The G-7—all of those nations except Russia—continues to deal with economic issues.
“In some ways, at least from the sector of global economics, (the summit) marked the end of the Cold War,” said David Shneer, an associate professor of Russian history at the University of Denver.
“In retrospect, it’s not a big deal because it did not keep Russia on a political path” the other members had hoped for, Shneer said. “If the goal was to bring Russia into the global order of democratic capitalism … that failed.”
Clinton saw the Denver summit as a moment of change.
“Russia’s role here at the summit reflects the great strides Russia has made in its historic transformation,” he said.
The summit’s final communique praised the economic reforms Russia had undertaken and held out the hope of more prizes down the road, including membership in the World Trade Organization.
That goal remained elusive, with WTO members urging Vladimir Putin’s government to push ahead with reforms to implement the rule of law in a transparent, impartial manner and open up its market to foreign traders. Moscow hopes to join the WTO later this year.
Yeltsin stepped down in 1999, turning the government over to Putin, his handpicked successor.
Yeltsin had a history of heart trouble, and Denver’s 5,280-foot elevation and the hot June weather were tough on him. Then 66, he stumbled during one public appearance, and he retired early one evening while the other leaders were out sampling some Old West atmosphere. That led to news reports questioning whether his health was failing, but he seemed to bounce back the next day.
“I feel good. Denver is good,” Yeltsin proclaimed. “The weather and the Group of Eight are also good.”
Webb recalled getting a laugh out of Yeltsin during the summit.
Yeltsin was once the Communist Party chief for Moscow, a job Webb likened to mayor, so they chatted through a translator about their common experiences.
“I told him, ‘Once a mayor, always a mayor,'” Webb said. “He kind of laughed at that.”
