Washington, 19 February 1997 (RFE/RL) - The head of Russia's Communist Party, Gennady Zyuganov, told college students in New York today that the West's proposed expansion of NATO will be the world's biggest mistake since World War II.
Speaking on the third day of his five-day visit to the United States, Zyuganov said it is crucial for Americans to understand Russian politics.
"The post Yeltsin epoch is coming," he said, and America will play a vital role in serious changes.
A U.S. State Department spokeswoman says Zyuganov is scheduled to meet in Washington Friday with John Herbst, the State Department's Deputy U.S. Coordinator for relations with former Soviet republics.
The spokeswoman said Zyuganov will not meet Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, who will be in Moscow later this week for talks between U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Russian President Boris Yeltsin.