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Bush, Putin Cite "Progress" On ABM Talks
Shanghai (AFP) Oct 21, 2001 Russian President Vladimir Putin said he and US President George W. Bush "made some progress" Sunday towards resolving their dispute over the ABM treaty that prohibits Washington's planned missile defense shield. Amid mounting pressure from the United States to agree to bin the 1972 arms control accord, he also said "full-fledged" negotiations on the matter would begin at a November 12-14 summit in Washington and at Bush's Texas ranch. "We must truly and finally move beyond the Cold War," and defend against "new threats," Bush insisted during a joint press conference after their first meeting since the September 11 terror strikes on the United States. Putin reiterated that he viewed the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty as "an important element of stability in the world" but acknowledged the need to face "possible threats in the future and we are prepared to discuss that". The Russian leader also renewed his strong support for the US-led global war on terror and explicitly for military strikes on Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, who have refused to hand over suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden. "His action was measured and adequate to the threat," said Putin, who said the campaign "should be completed, because, otherwise, terrorists might have an impression that they are not vulnerable." Still, the Russian leader expressed skepticism of Bush's view that last month's attacks "make it clearer than ever that a Cold War ABM treaty that prevents us from defending our people is outdated and, I believe, dangerous". "It would be difficult for me to agree that some terrorists will be able to capture intercontinental missiles and will be able to use them," said Putin, who held out hope of reaching a deal in November at their fourth meeting. "I believe we do have understanding that we can reach agreement, taking into account national interests of Russia, United States, and take into account the necessity to strengthen international stability," he said. "We discussed significantly lowering offensive nuclear weapon arsenals within a framework that includes limited defenses, defenses that are able to protect both our lands from political blackmail, from potential terrorist attack," the US president said after the 90-minute exchange. The two leaders, who agreed to link mutual arms reductions to the debate over the ABM treaty at their second meeting after a July Group of Eight summit in Italy, did not elaborate what progress they had made. Bush's national security advisor, Condoleezza Rice, said Bush had not discussed figures for the cuts or a deadline by which Washington would give the six months' notice required to withdraw from the accord. "We've got work to do between now and Crawford (Texas, site of Bush's ranch). And I look forward to continuing to work with him," said Bush. US officials have repeatedly said that efforts to test and develop a missile shield to blunt threats from so-called "rogue nations" like Iraq or North Korea will run afoul of the ABM treaty in "months, not years." "It's going to be time to move on fairly soon," said Rice. "We're not going to permit a program of testing and development to be constrained by a treaty that we think is outmoded." She also said that Bush had renewed support for Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization "once Russia is able to meet the terms that are necessary to be a functioning member". Rice said that Bush and Putin had "a candid dialogue" about other divisive issues, such as Washington's criticisms of Russia's records on arms proliferation and treatment of the media, as well as Moscow's bloody campaign in Chechnya and ties with Georgia. Bush said that, while the war on terror is important, it "should not be used as an excuse to repress minorities" and that it was "extemely important ... to respect the territorial integrity of Georgia." Meanwhile, in earlier background spin ahead of Bush's meeting with Putin, a top US official said,...
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