Summit Notebook

A noisy coalition of leftist protest groups made off with a U.S. flag and tried to set it on fire outside Boris N. Yeltsin’s hotel. Police arrested six of the demonstrators, who included environmentalists, pacifists, supporters of Iraq and others. The 100-odd protesters said they opposed the carving up of the world by those with money and power. Chants included, “Hey, hey, ho, ho. New World Order has got to go.”

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The menu for Saturday night’s private dinner at Seasons in the Park restaurant was heavy on regional favorites: fresh Dungeness crab, spinach ravioli, romaine salad, sockeye salmon and fresh blueberry tart.

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The renowned Museum of Anthropology, which Clinton and Yeltsin visited Saturday, had appealed to U.S. site-selection teams as an ideal place for the Saturday talks. But Yeltsin is said to be superstitious, and sources said the spooky presence of masks, totem poles and other mystical artifacts caused the Russians to balk.

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Along with the ballpoint pens and tourist brochures that helped fill the goody bags given out to summit visitors was an item possibly unique in the 33-year history of East-West summitry: a letter of welcome from McDonald’s of Canada, along with two burger-shaped coupons good for a Big Mac in Vancouver or Moscow.

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A pasta place named Mike Fridays is pouring a head-busting summit “martini” made with Russian vodka, Tennessee sour mash and Canadian Club.

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Yeltsin’s hosts on a harbor boat cruise gave the Russian president just the kind of weapon he needs at home: a totem pole that gives its chief the power to talk without being interrupted. “I’ll use it at the presidential council and in the Parliament,” Yeltsin said, pounding the carved wooden pole that was nearly as tall as the burly Siberian. He toured Vancouver harbor aboard the Hotei, a private cruiser that belongs to Canadian businessman Jack Charles.

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When Clinton and Yeltsin took their “walk in the woods” on the heights overlooking the spectacular harbor, they probably did not notice that one of the trees had recently been hauled in and planted along their path. The tree, a tribute to the tirelessness of image-makers who toil in advance of any such event, had been used to fill the space normally occupied by a sign cautioning passers-by that the beach below was a “clothing optional” area.

POSTSCRIPT

Poll Finds Boost in Aid Opposed

Four out of five Americans oppose increasing overall aid to Russia, a USA Today-CNN-Gallup poll found. Oppose more aid: 80% Favor more aid/other: 20% Source: Poll of 1,000 Americans interviewed by phone March 29-31. Margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points