Moscow Times - 06.18.2001

 

 

The Moscow Times

Putin, Bush Reach Across the Divide

By Ana Uzelac
Staff Writer

 

BRDO PRI KRANJU, Slovenia — They talked about their daughters and mothers-in-law. They cracked jokes and took a stroll, laughing and gesticulating, along a tree-lined path at a picturesque Slovenian castle. They even exchanged invitations to visit each other's homes.

But, more importantly, President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President George W. Bush agreed at their first meeting Saturday to start a difficult dialogue on building a new framework for global security. The framework could change the system that has kept the world at peace for more than 50 years by maintaining a balance of fear and military might between the United States and Russia.

Putin and Bush agreed to ask their top security officials to start immediate consultations to try to bridge differences Russia and the United States have on missile defense. They also agreed to hold two more summits — one in Washington this fall, with a stopover at Bush's ranch in Texas, and another in Moscow at a yet to be determined date.

Friendly and chatty, the presidents showered each other with compliments during an hourlong news conference on the green gardens of the 16th-century Brdo Castle, where the two men met face-to-face for the first time Saturday afternoon.

Bush called Putin "a remarkable leader" whom the United States could trust, while Putin praised Bush's "large-scale approach" to world problems and said Russia and the United States could be "partners and allies."

The summit in Slovenia was the final stop of a weeklong tour of Europe by the U.S. president. Bush took the trip in a bid to gain support from European leaders for his ambitious plan to build a strategic missile shield over the United States which, he says, would protect the United States from attacks by so-called rogue nations like North Korea and Iran.

The plan has failed to win much enthusiasm from many of the United States' European allies and has met staunch opposition from the Russians.

Putin on Saturday reiterated that the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which prohibits the building of such a shield, is "a cornerstone of the modern architecture of international security."

The ABM Treaty prohibited the United States and the Soviet Union from deploying a missile defense system that would cover the whole territory of the two countries. The idea was that if one of the countries would deploy such a system, the other would try to build weapons to break through it and, thus, spark a fierce arms race.

Bush, however, argued Saturday that the ABM Treaty is a relic of the past and that the two countries should move beyond the Cold War mentality to face the new threat of rogue nations that are "developing the capacities to hold each of us hostage."

In a sign of Russia's willingness to talk, Putin agreed that the two countries should "sit down and have a good think" about the "threats from the future." But the threats, he said "have to be defined" first.

"We feel that we can do it best together," Putin said in a diplomatic warning against Washington taking a unilateral approach.

The ABM Treaty allows Russia and the United States to withdraw on six months' notice. Analysts have voiced concerns that the Bush administration — supported by the Republican-dominated Congress — could be able to do so independently of Russia's or anybody else's objections.

But for the time being the agenda is talks. Putin said he and Bush agreed to have their foreign and defense ministries to start consultations "without delay" to bridge the wide gap between the countries.

Bush appeared confused as to whom U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was actually supposed to talk. After mixing up foreign and defense ministers Igor Ivanov and Sergei Ivanov, he named "security adviser Andrei Ivanov" as Rumsfeld's counterpart.

Also, Bush reiterated that the United States favored the further enlargement of NATO — another sore point in relations with Russia. Moscow is displeased with the alliance's plans to stretch ever closer to Russia's borders and accept the former Soviet republics of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as members.

In somewhat of a theatrical move, Putin came up with a 1954 document in which the Soviet Union requested to join NATO and was flatly refused.

Putin pulled out the document when Bush invited him to answer a reporter's question about NATO expansion.

The Soviet Union proposed joining NATO in March 1954 in order to halt the West from forming a European Defense Community. The Soviets said that joining NATO would end the Cold War by reuniting the allied forces of World War II.

Putin reminded Bush that last year then-U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright rejected a similar proposal made by the Russians.

"We ask ourselves a question: Look, this is a military organization, isn't it? Yes, it's military. They don't want us there? They don't want us there. It's moving toward our border. Yes, it's moving toward our border. Why?" Putin said.

But Putin and Bush repeated earlier statements that they did not view each other's countries as enemies anymore.

Although divided on policy issues, the two leaders seemed very much at ease with each other.

Bush praised Putin for his trustworthiness and sincerity. "I looked the man in the eye," he said. "I was able to get a sense of his soul."

"I found him to be … a man deeply committed to his country."

In a slightly less outspoken manner, Putin returned the compliments, saying that in reality the meeting "had surpassed expectations" of an "open, frank and confidential dialogue."

He also complimented Bush on his "very global and large-scale approach" as befitting for a history major. Bush has a degree in history.

"We've pushed all the papers aside and spoke of the past, the present and about plans for the many years ahead of us," Putin said.

Trying to return the compliment, Bush praised Putin's historical knowledge, saying they both are history majors.

Putin actually received a degree in law.

But the gaffe was ignored, and both presidents praised each others' diplomatic skills.

Bush recounted a scene from their private talks in which Putin had noted that the 19-year-old twin Bush daughters, Barbara and Jenna, were named after Bush's mother and mother-in-law.

Bush said, "Yes, I'm a great diplomat, aren't I?'' and Putin, who has two teenage daughters himself, proudly said he did the same thing.

Although the news conference was dominated by questions about security issues, Bush insisted that the meeting had focused on other matters as well.

At the end of the conference, he said the United States supports Russia's entry into the World Trade Organization.

He also complimented Putin for introducing a flat income tax of 13 percent. "I'm not so sure I'll have the same success with our Congress," he said.

Putin acknowledged that the investment climate in Russia is still far from what it should be and pledged to improve it. He invited a top-level American business delegation to come and visit Russia.