Christopher Says He Never Planned To Resign

President Clinton met with Secretary of State Warren Christopher toward the end of last year and they agreed Christopher would stay indefinitely, a senior U.S. official said Wednesday.

The disclosure came amid a swirl of rumors that Christopher was thinking of resigning. He called the reports Tuesday “neither new nor accurate” but they have persisted.

Christopher has given no sign he is inclined to step down. On the contrary, he is preparing to go to Geneva next week to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Andrei V. Kozyrev on the crisis in Chechnya.

Over the longer haul, Christopher is getting ready to deal with the new Republican-controlled Congress on such controversial issues as aid to Russia and an agreement to end North Korea’s nuclear program.

Also, Christopher is in the midst of a State Department reorganization study. Critics tend to focus on Christopher’s low-key style rather than the foreign policy pursued by the Clinton administration.

The rumors swirled last year and resumed this week after the Boston Globe reported Tuesday that close aides were trying to persuade Christopher to stay on as secretary. CBS reported Tuesday night that Christopher had indicated he would remain at his post until a successor is found.