WASHINGTON - US President George W. Bush on Monday mourned former Russia president Boris Yeltsin as "an historic figure" who helped democracy take root there and fostered warm ties with the United States.
"Laura and I are deeply saddened by the death of former Russian President Boris Yeltsin. President Yeltsin was an historic figure who served his country during a time of momentous change," Bush said in a statement.
The 76-year-old Yeltsin, who had long been unwell, died of a heart attack at 3:45 pm (1145 GMT) in Moscow's Central Clinical Hospital, presidential medical service chief Sergei Mironov told Interfax news agency.
"He played a key role as the Soviet Union dissolved, helped lay the foundations of freedom in Russia, and became the first democratically elected leader in that country's history. I appreciate the efforts that President Yeltsin made to build a strong relationship between Russia and the United States," said Bush.
"We offer our sincerest condolences to the Yeltsin family and to the Russian people," said the US president.
In a separate statement, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that Yeltsin "will be remembered for his significant contribution to ending the Cold War and his efforts to expand political and economic freedom at home and abroad."
Yeltsin "ushered in a new era for his country in which ordinary Russians were able to speak and worship without fear, to own property, and to choose their leaders freely."
Yeltsin will also be remembered for establishing good relations between Moscow and Washington "after many years of conflict," Rice said.
04/23/2007 20:14 GMT