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Office of Research Issue Focus Foreign Media Reaction

Commentary from ... Europe Middle East East Asia South Asia Africa Western Hemisphere

July 26, 2001 U.S.-RUSSIA: BUSH 'POCKETS UNEXPECTED SUCCESS' ON MISSILE DEFENSE

The Bush-Putin deal linking talks on missile defense and strategic arms cuts met with notably positive reviews in overseas media.  Most opinionmakers in Russia, NATO states and elsewhere in Asia and Latin America judged the Genoa meeting of minds to be a hopeful, albeit unexpected, "step forward" in "overcoming differences" on MD, and perhaps "paving the way to modifying the ABM Treaty."  Some painted a more ambitious picture, musing that the U.S. and Russia could outline a welcome post-Cold War framework for disarmament.  "Russia would clearly like to use discussion of [MD] as an entry point for a wide-ranging new security dialogue with the West," said London's independent Financial Times, adding that "it would be hard to see who the loser would be from such a dialogue."  Indeed, many portrayed the deal as a win for both sides.  As one German pundit put it, "Putin has now spared himself the embarrassment of making empty threats," and Bush has "recognized the advantage" of seeking "accommodation, not confrontation, with Moscow."  Some eyes turned to NATO capitals, wondering whether the promise of a U.S-Russian accord on the future of the ABM Treaty might effectively squelch European opposition to MD.  Themes follow:

 

RUSSIAN 'PRAGMATISM':  Several major official and non-official Moscow dailies credited the Russian president with seizing one of "the precious few opportunities" open to him and taking a "pragmatic" course in agreeing to a dialogue.  They emphasized that Russia has more to gain by "seeking a worthy compromise" and perhaps even salvaging the ABM in a modified form, than by pursuing "a useless confrontation" and threatening a renewed arms race with the new U.S. administration.  "From now on," reformist Izvestiya said, "Russia will be part of a global effort to mold a new security system."  Only a few naysayers in the opposition and reformist press criticized the Genoa outcome as a Kremlin "surrender," with "Putin abandoning his stand for a mere promise to consider NMD" in conjunction with reducing strategic arms.

 

EUROPEANS 'OFF-GUARD'...:  "What is really going on in Moscow?  Is the ABM up for sale?" asked a Danish paper, which nonetheless judged that a compromise--large-scale arms reductions for a revised ABM Treaty--would "meet Allied demands that the U.S. reach a negotiated solution with Russia."  Right-of-center Frankfurter Allgemeine claimed that European governments, caught "off-guard" by the deal, now look like "Cold War Mohicans who cling to the stability of mutually assured destruction...even though the main actors have begun to design more up-to-date security formulas."  

 

...BUT ONE 'ENTHUSIASTIC' BACKER EMERGES:  Bannering a "Berlusconi-Bush Axis" and "The Shield Of B&B," Italian dailies saw PM Berlusconi's post-Genoa "endorsement" of MD as an effort to carve out a niche for Rome as "a linchpin" of U.S. continental strategy in the face of "recalcitrant" Paris and Berlin.

EDITOR:  Katherine L. Starr

 

EDITOR'S NOTE:  This survey is based on 56 reports from 14 countries, July 23-26.  Editorial

excerpts are grouped by region; editorials from each country are listed from the most recent date. 

 

EUROPE

 

RUSSIA:  "Funeral Of ABM Treaty"

 

Georgiy Bovt said in reformist Izvestiya (7/26):  "Coming to Moscow...Condoleezza Rice has an ambitious plan.  She is here for a funeral.  Vladimir Putin has been invited to attend.  The proposed burial ceremony is for the ABM Treaty....  Linking the talks on missile defense to strategic disarmament is a real chance for compromise.  In fact, the talks suggested by America are not so much on strategic arms as on a new infrastructure of bilateral and international relations.  It will no longer have the epoch-making treaties (SALT I, SALT II, START I, START II) as its basis.  Instead, it will use mutual understanding and a common perception of the contemporary world whose principles and values conform to the notion of the 'Western civilization.'"

 

"Illusion Of Accord"

 

Under this headline, reformist Izvestiya (7/26) published an article by Pavel Podvig:  "The Russian president has agreed to start consultations and admitted publicly that he would not like to increase the number of warheads on Russian missiles, thereby robbing opponents of the U.S. program of their argument that MD deployment will cause Russia to launch a new arms race.  It will only do Russia good.  An arms race and the role of a bugaboo in world politics are the last things Russia wants.  But starting consultations gives the U.S. administration a great deal more freedom to carry out its MD plans....  There is no way Russia can influence things, whether it is safeguarding the ABM Treaty or deploying MD.  The Genoa accords are a good chance to resume the Russian-American dialogue on arms control.  The ABM Treaty, if preserved, would help enhance international security.  But we can't ignore anymore that it has long since ceased to exist in practical terms.  What's more, attempting to revive it artificially hinders the solution of many vitally important problems in Russia."

 

"Too Early To Celebrate"

 

Viktor Litovkin said in reformist weekly Obshchaya Gazeta (7/26):  "Talks on a new format of strategic stability are only beginning.  So it is too early to celebrate.  The Genoa accords have not added to optimism in Moscow, something the Kremlin has been trying hard to hide."

 

"Arms Race Spells Suicide"

 

Yuriy Yershov noted in official government Rossiyskaya Gazeta (7/26):  "Hopefully, Moscow and Washington will reach a worthy compromise.  To start a new arms race would be suicidal."

 

"U.S. Wants To Be Free To Act At Will"

 

Vitaliy Gan charged in official parliamentary Parlamentskaya Gazeta (7/26):  "Washington, it seems, is out to overhaul the whole package of agreements on arms control to feel totally free to act at will."

 

"U.S. Is After Technical Breakthrough"

 

Yelena Smirnova held in centrist Nezavisimaya Gazeta (7/26):  "Both Washington and Moscow are fully aware that for the moment there is really no threat to the United States, not even a local one.  Obviously, Washington pursues a very concrete aim, seeing NMD as a fine opportunity to improve and test the latest in military technology.  Russia's stand is far more convincing.  The Americans virtually have no arguments in favor of a withdrawal from the 1972 treaty.  The accord reached by the American and Russian presidents shows that the Americans are ready to change from 'flailing their arms' to a more proper and concrete dialogue."

 

"Old Accords Need Adjustment"

 

Vladimir Lyubetskiy argued in official parliamentary Parlamentskaya Gazeta (7/25):  "The U.S. president avers that the current system of arms control is out of date and, for this reason, needs to be discarded.  Nearly three decades after the ABM Treaty was signed, he says, the United States and the rest of the world are facing new threats.  In a way, this may be so.  But haven't those accords proved their viability by having appreciably reduced nuclear confrontation over the past decade?  Hasn't it been commonly acknowledged that the world has moved considerably away from the edge of a nuclear abyss over the past decade?  Alas, the White House apparently thinks otherwise.  The demand of the times is that the world should adjust its approaches to disarmament.  But as it does so, it should go step-by-step, very cautiously.  The way Washington has been acting, rushing to break and throw away what positive experience has been gained in implementing the agreements, won't do.  Why not just try to modify the current accords through negotiations and reach new ones while we are working on other problems in the area of strategic stability?"

 

"Senseless Standoff To End"

 

Vitaliy Portnikov said in reformist, business-oriented Vedomosti (7/25):  "Russia's geopolitical role is smaller than the Soviet Union's.  Russia needs to realize that if it is to become economically developed and truly respectable.  Obviously, the senseless standoff over the ABM Treaty and the United States' NMD plans is drawing to a close, as is the absolutely useless confrontation with the new U.S. administration.  Over the past decade, Russia has flopped each time it has tried to pose as a superpower, a new Soviet Union.  Conversely, it has scored points by acting in keeping with its true status.  Why not keep scoring points?"

 

"Condoleezza Rice Cautious"

 

Artur Blinov, describing Condoleezza Rice, said on page one of reformist Vremya MN (7/25):  "According to diplomats who know her well, she is cautious in negotiations, not always...volunteering information on details.  This is going to matter much at the upcoming consultations, as Rice's interlocutors are expecting her to go beyond what is known from the press and get down to the nitty-gritty.  It looks like high time that Washington provided details on its NMD plans and what future it sees for the ABM Treaty.  Finally, more information is needed on how far the United States is prepared to go in reducing strategic arms.  Obviously, getting this information is crucial if you want to reach an agreement."

 

"Summit Brings Putin Success"

 

Oleg Shevtsov in Genoa sent this comment to official parliamentary Parlamentskaya Gazeta (7/24): "Clearly, the Big Eight meeting came off successfully, as far as the Russian president is concerned.  Also, he was an equal partner, not a petitioner....  Not to exacerbate their antagonism over the ABM Treaty, still a cornerstone of strategic stability, the (U.S. and Russian) presidents agreed to discuss the United States' global MD program in conjunction with arms control.  The Western press was quick to present this as the Russians' having finally consented to having the treaty modified.  The fact is that, while Russia favors a dialogue, it is not going to forsake its strategic interests."

 

"Accord Paves Way To Modifying ABM Treaty"

 

Svetlana Babayeva commented on page one of reformist Izvestiya (7/24):  "Of the precious few opportunities open to Putin, he used one and carried the day.  Another couple of months of our stubbornness, and the Americans would have announced their withdrawal from the (ABM) treaty, focusing on their projects in Alaska, laser tests, and consultations with malcontents in Europe.  We would have lost much of our political influence everywhere, from the Middle East to the UN Security Council.  Now that Russia has made up its mind, it will get itself involved in a series of multi-tier and multilateral consultations that will not be limited to defense alone.  From now on Russia will be part of a global effort to mold a new security system for the next 20 to 30 years."

 

"Putin Prefers Compromise To Militarization"

 

Vadim Solovyov stated on page one of centrist Nezavisimaya Gazeta (7/24):  "(Putin) does not want to militarize the economy and he is certainly right, since to try to compete with the United States, which accounts for a quarter of the world's industrial output, is not just stupid but downright ruinous to a country that occupies a sixth of the world's land.  Still, there is some moral damage in that, too.  As a superpower, Russia has perhaps for the first time capitulated unconditionally to follow in the wake of the other superpower, the United States.  But it has done so for pragmatic purposes.  The Americans, we must give it to them, did great in this diplomatic game.  They acted beautifully, careful not to hurt the very sensitive Russian patriots nor Vladimir Putin as the head of a great power."

 

"Kremlin Loses Face"

 

Sergei Guly held in reformist Noviye Izvestiya (7/24):  "The United States and Russia have agreed to continue their consultations on strategic stability, linking offensive arms reduction to missile defense.  This formula, Moscow believes, will help it get out of a head-to-head collision with Washington over ABM with the least damage.  This is the vague future.  As for the present, a...decision...implying readiness to stop opposing the U.S. plans and to forsake the ABM Treaty is definitely a dent in the Kremlin's prestige."

 

"Putin Loses"

 

Nationalist opposition Sovetskaya Rossiya asserted in a commentary by Vasiliy Safronchuk (7/24):  "It is plain that President Putin has lost, beaten by President Bush in the second round.  You could tell that by the way Putin pointed out that the Ljubljana spirit had been confirmed.  We know what kind of spirit it is.  The pro-Kremlin media are out to present Putin's defeat as a victory.  But facts speak for themselves....  The results of the Genoa summit have surpassed the wildest of U.S. journalists' dreams.  They thought Washington would have to pay a high price for the Kremlin's consent to NMD.  Putin abandoned his stand for a mere promise to consider NMD in conjunction with the reduction of strategic offensive arms."

 

"Russia Gives Up"

 

Boris Volkhonsky stated on page one of reformist business-oriented Kommersant (7/23):  "The 1972 treaty is dead.  Vladimir Putin and George Bush have virtually condemned the Soviet-American treaty on missile defense.  Recent statements by Russian officials threatening a withdrawal from all arms control agreements, if the United States should pull out of the ABM Treaty, were no more than rhetoric.   It was meant to intimidate not so much the Americans as their European allies.  Intimidation didn't work.  Russia has had to admit that.  President Putin said, 'Russia's response may not be needed now.'  The U.S. president may feel like a winner.  In fact, all he wanted from the Russians was a hint of 'the go-ahead.'  Now he doesn't have to fear a split in Europe or Russia's scheming elsewhere, say, in Asia.  President Bush, the winner, could afford to be big as he gave the nod to a bilateral business forum to promote economic ties.  Now Moscow, the loser, is waiting to welcome the winner.  U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice is coming over to discuss the nuts and bolts of the ABM Treaty's surrender, and the treasury and commerce secretaries will be here at the head of a large group of U.S. businessmen to sweeten the pill."

 

"Putin Convenient Partner"

 

Aleksei Germanovich remarked on page one of reformist, business-oriented Vedomosti (7/23):  "Vladimir Putin didn't give a hard time to anyone at the G-8 summit in Genoa. He...seems to have made concessions on MD to his...Bush."

 

BRITAIN:  "U.S. And Russia"

 

An editorial in the independent Financial Times held (7/24):  "Russia hates the idea that the Baltic countries might join NATO.  Putin says NATO should be dissolved, replaced, or opened to Russia as well.  Perhaps it should.  But all these options are long-term possibilities, at best.  The real question is how to manage Russia's mistrust of NATO in the short term.  Closing the arguments over missile defense before they collide with new arguments about NATO enlargement is part of the answer.  Beyond that, Russia would clearly like to use discussion of missile defense as the entry point to a wide-ranging new security dialogue with the West.  That may not be Mr. Bush's current intention.  It is important that China does not feel that Russian and the United States are ganging up against it.  But once that condition is in place, it is hard to see who the loser from such a dialogue would be.  Assuming, of course, that Mr. Bush obliges."

 

FRANCE:  "A Reprieve For The ABM Treaty"

 

An editorial in right-of-center Les Echos argued (7/24):  "The meeting between Bush and...Putin...denoted especially the pre-eminence, probably temporary, within the Bush administration of Colin Powell over Donald Rumsfeld....  The secretary of state puts the emphasis on negotiation and pragmatism on strategic issues, while the secretary of defense advocates a harder line....  The bottom line for Russia was to be better integrated into the global strategic balance since they cannot join NATO.  The agreement in Genoa constitutes a first step toward compromise and ensures, for the time being, the maintenance of the ABM Treaty."

 

GERMANY:  "Silence"

 

Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger argued in center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine (7/24):  "The European governments...apparently do not know how to react to the U.S.-Russian agreement from Genoa.  Their silence looks like an admission that they were caught off-guard.  It was predictable that Moscow would agree to talks with Washington on the planned missile defense project if they were linked to negotiations on a reduction of strategic nuclear arsenals.  Both sides will benefit from such a link.  It will allow Washington to remove any obstacle on the path to missile defense, and it would allow Moscow to negotiate as an equal partner with Washington, thus remaining a major player in the international arena.  While President Putin has now spared himself the embarrassment of making empty threats, the new president has now recognized the advantage of operating his project in an atmosphere that is based on accommodation, not confrontation, with Moscow.  Now, Europe's governments look like the Cold War Mohicans who cling to the stability of mutually assured destruction--even though its preconditions have disappeared and the main actors have begun to design more up-to-date security formulas."

 

"Swap Shield For Missiles"

 

Tomas Avenarius judged in an editorial in center-left Sueddeutsche Zeitung of Munich (7/24):  "It is remarkable that President Putin, after his threat of a new arms race, showed his willingness to enter into talks.  His 'nyet' to the U.S. missile defense project and to amendments to the ABM Treaty must now be understood as a yes....  The Kremlin leader would have some reason to make concessions: Moscow can no longer afford its thousands of nuclear missiles....  Why should Putin not play a poker game if the Americans swap disarmament for a 'yes' to missile defense?  A reduction of nuclear missiles is also in Bush's interest....  But time will tell whether the Kremlin leader will make true concessions concerning missile defense:  Putin may not be able to prevent the U.S. project--but he can very well put up obstacles for Bush for his own benefit."

 

"Your Devoted Peace Partner"

 

Christoph von Marschall noted in centrist Der Tagesspiegel of Berlin (7/24):  "The Kremlin has given in, and President Bush achieved what he wanted to achieve without having to give up basic positions....  The U.S. insistence on its missile defense is now even setting in motion a disarmament spiral.  Putin has shown his willingness to accept the cancellation of the ABM Treaty without a tough reaction...because Bush offers a reduction of strategic nuclear missiles to 1,500 systems....  Obviously, the United States has a better feeling than the Europeans for Moscow's interests, and a better feeling for Putin playing a tough poker game to get as high a price as possible for his concessions.  The Kremlin knew that MD cannot be prevented; it will not mean a breach of law if the United States cancels the ABM Treaty on time.  This MD project does not hurt either, since it is not directed against Moscow.  And there is also no need for the Kremlin to modernize its arms, because the currently available technology intercepts at best 20 missiles, and in view of 1,500 such strategic systems, there are still enough that will come through....  President Bush was wise enough to pretend in public that both sides made concessions.  At closer inspection, Putin is not a victim, but a beneficiary of missile defense, too.  Russia will need such a protective shield much earlier than the United States....  The governments, including the German government, must explain why everything will now turn into a different direction.  They will then certainly say that this change happened due to their good influence on George W. Bush."

 

"Nothing New"

 

Karl Grobe penned in left-of-center Frankfurter Rundschau (7/24):  "Presidents Bush and Putin unanimously said they achieved an important success, but with respect to the matter itself, nothing is new....  Both states announced their intention to scrap some of their nuclear weapons....  This reduction goal is now linked to talks about the U.S. [MD] plans.  But this reduction, which was called START III, was already on the agenda of talks between presidents Clinton and Yeltsin in Helsinki on March 21, 1997....   But what then can be reported from Genoa as new?  New is that both sides will reduce their weapons of mass destruction without having a timetable for this reduction.  At the same time, both sides will talk about the destruction of the ABM Treaty.  Russia has given up its intention to defend this treaty.  While the United States leaves the impression of being too strong for its own good, Russia comes exhaustedly to a halt.   This is what Putin calls progress, but it is nothing new."

 

"The Classic Game"

 

Frank Herold analyzed the situation in left-of-center Berliner Zeitung (7/24):  "Putin was able to make clear to Washington that there is an inseparable link between defensive and offensive weapons.  This simple insight was the core of stability in the decades of the Cold War.  The strategy of deterrence was based on the fact that there were always more offensive than defensive weapons and that mutual destruction was guaranteed in case of their use.   Russia wanted to return to the classic rules of the game of arms control....  This goal has now been achieved for the first time.  A look at the initial positions shows how far apart the two sides are on a 'new system of strategic balance.'  This is not surprising at the beginning of this negotiating process [and] one should also not forget that both sides have not talked about arms control for a long time.  That is why the agreement between Bush and Putin is a step forward."

 

"Disarmament American Style"

 

Washington correspondent Malte Lehming filed in centrist Der Tagesspiegel of Berlin (7/23):  "The strategy of the Bush administration is coming true:  Establish a good relationship with Russia, then you will lull the Europeans to sleep.  This is the U.S. plan that will end with the establishment of a missile defense system....  In principle, this trick is very simple.  First you offer a carrot before you show the stick.  At the beginning, George W. Bush allowed others to abuse him as an arrogant hardliner, and, in the end, everybody is pleased that the atmosphere at least with Russia, is right.  This time in Genoa, the representatives of the two biggest nuclear powers again acted as an inseparable duo.  And in the fall of this year, Putin will even travel to Texas to the ranch of his buddy.  In the long run, such scenes will have an effect.  Sooner rather than later, the European NATO Allies will look like grumblers with their permanent criticism of the missile defense system.  But at the end of the line, there is still China.  But over this question, the Americans are well-calculating.  If Russia sits in the same boat, if the Europeans have been appeased, Beijing, too, will not be able to put up with its resistance to MD for too long."

 

"Bush The Real Winner At G-8 Summit"

 

Right-of-center Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung judged (7/23):  "The real winner at the G-8 summit is George W. Bush, not only because the U.S. positions were accepted without great frictions during the talks.  The most important concrete success, which turned out to be the surprise event in Genoa, was achieved at a parallel meeting.  The agreement with his Russian colleague Vladimir Putin to integrate the controversial issue of missile defense in consultations on the nuclear weapons arsenals of the two powers, cannot be esteemed highly enough for the climate between Washington and Moscow, but also for substantial progress in the disarmament of nuclear weapons.  For the time being, the issue of missile defense is losing much of its precariousness.  In the future, both sides will talk with each other, instead of hardening fronts through escalations.  Even the critically concerned European nations should accept this with a sigh of relief."

 

ITALY:  "Anti-Missile Shield, Rice In Moscow"

 

A front-page paragraph in leading, business Il Sole-24 Ore (7/26) led to this inside-page report:  "USA And Russia Are Already At Work For An Agreement On Star Shield" in which Vladimir Sapozhnikov stated, "The Cold War has finished forever.  So said George Bush in Genoa, while yesterday Condoleezza Rice reiterated the concept in Moscow....  Anti-missile defense is the acid test of the new relationship between the two former enemies."

 

"A New Strategic Axis"

 

Mario Platero wrote in leading, business Il Sole-24 Ore (7/26):  "After the summit in Genoa between Putin and Bush and after Condoleezza Rice's remarks in Rome, everybody talks about the new definition of the Russian-U.S. relationship....  In Moscow, the United States is aiming for the economic recovery of Russia in order to place it...on the same level as Germany and Japan....  [The United States'] main goal, though very tough in the middle term, includes the transformation of the poor economy of the former USSR into an advanced industrial economy; the inclusion of Russia in Europe; and a bipartisan approach to handling offensive and defensive weapons....  That means a 360-degree rapprochement.  And it is so much so, that U.S. Treasury and Commerce Secretaries, Paul O'Neill and Don Evans, will visit Moscow, in order to continue the discussions on economic issues."

 

"Putin Deals With Bush, But He Plays At Other Tables To Raise The Ante"

 

An unsigned front-page editorial in elite, classical liberal Il Foglio opined (7/26):  "In Genoa, Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush decided to discuss anti-missile defense issues, as well as the reduction of nuclear, strategic arsenals, with regular consultations.  Yesterday, Colin Powell and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov...established the timetable for (future) meetings while, Condoleezza Rice...in Moscow was saying that Russia and the United States had overcome their first obstacle.  The schedule of their agenda will be tight, the timetable of the discussions will be long....  However, the first agreement between the two presidents has already raised questions among European observers, who only a few days before the G-8 had underlined the danger of a Russian-Chinese alliance, and had accused the White House of promoting a new Cold War.  Now, [the questions come] mainly French and German diplomats, surprised because Bush has also obtained Italy's support....  In fact, Moscow and Beijing share a common interest in hampering the U.S. political-military leadership, but on strategic, technological, industrial levels, Putin knows that an agreement with Washington is more convenient for Russia."

 

"Italy-U.S. Relationship And A Rethinking About Europe"

 

Alessandro Corneli opined in leading business Il Sole 24-Ore (7/25):  "By supporting Bush's missile defense plan, Berlusconi...went against the policy line followed by Paris and Berlin and established a connection with London."

 

"The Advantages Of The Shield"

 

Cesare De Carlo opined in conservative, top-circulation syndicate La Nazione/Il Resto del Carlino/Il Giorno (7/25):  "The joint statement that President Bush brought back to Washington is the first document in which an Atlantic ally approves his national defense plan....  It has decisive meaning.  Bush is no longer isolated.   He can count on his 'friend' Berlusconi to convince Chirac and Schroeder and strengthen recent deals with Putin....  As for us Italians, (by supporting the plan) we will gain in terms of security; we will gain economically...as it is likely that some of the money that the U.S. government will earmark for the shield will also go to the Italian aerospace industry...and we will gain from a political point of view....  The statement calls for 'global' UNSC reform--a reform that sees Italy entering into the club of countries with a veto power.   As we can remind, Clinton slammed the door on us.  Bush will be more open."

 

"Bush's Trip To Kosovo And Berlusconi Says 'Yes' To The Shield"

 

Vittorio Zucconi judged in left-leaning, influential La Repubblica (7/25):  "With Italy in his pocket and Europe torn in pieces, George Bush returned home with a consolation prize after the disaster in Genoa: relations between Washington and Rome are back to where they were in the '70s.... Once again, Rome will go back to playing its role as the capital of the 'Bulgaria of NATO.'...  From the disaster in Genoa, and a Europe that is politically broken in two, with Italy and Spain lined up, and France and Germany, recalcitrant, Bush obtained what he wanted:  the confirmation that a political Europe is an empty formula.  Today nobody has the strength nor the autonomy to counterbalance the unilateral approach of this new administration....  The other countries will only be able to choose whether or not to wag their tails at him, as Italy is doing."

 

"Special Friendship Between Bush, Berlusconi Leaves Paris, Berlin Unprepared"

 

According to an editorial in elite, classical liberal Il Foglio (7/25):  "Bush brings home the fact that Russia gave up the ABM Treaty...and that Rome is a linchpin of the American strategy in Europe....   And it needed this anchor to face, and possibly neutralize, the French-German axis that the White House feels is especially irritating." 

 

"Bush-Berlusconi Agreement On Space Shield"

 

Maurizio Molinari judged in centrist, influential La Stampa (7/24):  "Except for British Prime Minister Tony Blair, no European leader--not even Spanish PM Jose Aznar--was ever so explicit in agreeing on the need to defend the West with anti-missile defense.  Berlusconi had already expressed his support for the shield before, but he is taking an extra step forward now.  The text of the 'Joint Statement' is the first example of a joint text between the United States and an Allied country in support of the shield....  In substance, Berlusconi assured Bush that he would work with him in order to convince the partners who are still dubious, beginning with France and Germany....  And around the U.S.-Italy pact on missile defense, the two leaders drew the lines of a broader agreement, which is born from an excellent personal relationship."

 

"Berlusconi To Bush: 'We Are With You On Space Shield'"

 

Maurizio Caprara wrote in centrist, top-circulation Corriere della Sera (7/24): "If it is true that President Putin's  'softening' on the space shield has caught by surprise the European governments that mostly oppose the U.S. missile defense project--such as France and Germany....  Silvio Berlusconi has already occupied a space in the vacuum that has developed."

 

"Italy Supports The United States"

 

Mario Platero observed in leading business Il Sole-24 Ore (7/24): "The Bush-Berlusconi meeting was cordial and friendly, even beyond the most optimistic expectations....  Italy has taken an extra step with respect to other European nations, such as France and Germany, towards supporting the possible revision of the strategic doctrine and of the ABM Treaty, which Washington is trying to negotiate with Moscow."

 

"A Generous Boost"

 

Rome's centrist Il Messaggero had this piece by Paolo Cacace (7/24):  "PM Berlusconi...gave a generous boost to bilateral cooperation, mainly in the field of the anti-missile defense program....  Of course, this initiative rests on the assumption--strengthened also by the 'thaw' between the American and Russian presidents on the same topic--that [MD] is not at all meant to hurt Russia but, on the contrary, is devised against those countries that Washington labels as 'rogue states' and which have nuclear capability."

 

"Enthusiastic Endorsement"

 

Umberto De Giovannangeli wrote in pro-Democratic Left party (DS) daily L'Unita' (7/24):  "Berlusconi played the role of the 'forerunner' and, with the blessing of his 'dear friend George,' transformed himself into the most determined defender of the miraculous virtues of the space shield made in the USA....  The embarrassment among foreign press colleagues, especially the Europeans, at Berlusconi's enthusiastic words turned into perplexity when the Italian [PM] solemnly promised to Bush: 'We will be at the United States' side even going beyond the positions of a few European partners who, in my opinion, have not understood how the world has changed and how one must prepare himself for the future.'...  Italy's enthusiastic endorsement of the space shield contrasts with the continuity...of Italy's foreign policy as indicated by current [FM] Renato Ruggiero.  Berlusconi's 'pro-Atlantic' line.creates embarrassment not only in Paris and Berlin, but has also caught by surprise the U.S. traditional ally in Europe, London.  Diplomatic observers...agree that...Great Britain has so far adopted a 'conciliatory' but 'wait-and-see' attitude on the shield, in order not to hurt EU unity."

 

"Bush-Putin Axis On Missiles Is Born" 

 

Mario Platero filed from Genoa in leading business Il Sole-24 Ore (7/23): "Paradoxically, Moscow's position on missile defense is now more conciliatory toward Washington than that of some European Allies, such as Paris or Berlin....  From yesterday's bilateral meeting with Putin came the political success that the U.S. president wanted to pocket after a G-8 Summit overshadowed by disputes."

 

"U.S.-Russia Green Light To Negotiations On The Shield" 

 

Ennio Caretto observed in centrist, top-circulation Corriere della Sera (7/23):  "After being criticized by the EU on two very important issues...the space shield and Kyoto...President Bush pocketed an unexpected success during his bilateral meeting with Russian President Putin....  The two leaders achieved an agreement in principle on anti-ballistic defense, as well as on economic issues.  Upon his debut in Italy at the most difficult G-8 summit in history, the American leader has de facto surprised his Allies....  The positive outcome of the Bush-Putin meeting changes the prospects of today's talks between Bush and Berlusconi."

 

"Bush-Putin: First Agreement On Space Shield" 

 

Maurizio Molinari filed from Genoa in centrist, influential La Stampa (7/23): "This is the first time that Bush and Putin have agreed on a common path to overcome their different views on anti-missile defense.  They both decided to take a step backward:  Putin is withdrawing his threat to use multiple warheads on intercontinental missiles if America goes ahead with its anti-missile tests; Bush is reconsidering his initial decision to build the shield...independent of unilateral reductions in existing strategic arsenals.  The step forward in Genoa, albeit small, is significant.  This shift from an open Moscow-Washington dispute on anti-missile defense to the definition of a negotiating agenda could, if everything goes smoothly, give birth to the first strategic treaty after the Cold War."

 

CZECH REPUBLIC:  "Bush Played Several Games In Genoa"

 

Tomas Klvana judged in business daily Hospodarske noviny (7/26):  "George Bush agreed with Vladimir Putin in Genoa that they would discuss missile defense in the context of lowering the volumes of nuclear arsenals.  It is possible to consider the Genoa agreement as Bush's slight success because his long-term policy is to decrease the number of nuclear warheads anyway.  Moreover, Putin hinted that he is willing to discuss, under certain conditions, both missile defense and revision of the ABM Treaty.  He does not have a choice because Bush holds all the aces.  Putin knows that if he fails to strike an agreement with him, Bush will cancel the treaty and develop the missile defense anyhow.  Therefore, Putin logically decided to use the European pressure on Bush and try to get as much as possible from him in exchange for an agreement.  He is likely to demand concessions related to the entry of Russia into the WTO.  The Americans could negotiate additional transition periods for the Russians to open their markets.  It is not very likely that the Americans would concede to the Russians as regards the NATO enlargement by the Baltic countries."

 

DENMARK:  "Messages From Moscow" 

 

Center-right Berlingske Tidende's Washington D.C. correspondent reasoned (7/24):  "It is a longstanding joke among analysts in Washington that all Russian politicians have two opinions--one for internal use and one for external....  What is really going on in Moscow?  Is ABM up for sale?  A compromise solution looks the most likely whereby the United States will offer to make large-scale nuclear arms reductions in exchange for Russian acceptance of a revision in the ABM Treaty.  This would be the best interests of both countries.  It would meet Allied demands that the United States reach a negotiated solution with Russia, and it would enable Russia to reduce its costly nuclear arsenal." 

 

HUNGARY:  "Serving Russia's Interests"

 

Military writer Gabor Zord pointed out in conservative Magyar Nemzet (7/26):  "Although U.S. and Russian papers reported the accord as being a clearly American success it needs to be added that, this solution serves, in the mid-term, Russia's interests best.  The successor of the one time superpower (Soviet Union) does not have the sufficient, mainly Western, resources it would need for...stable economic development.  Instead of a pilot policy of isolation and powerless confrontation, international cooperation would be needed for the overall modernization of Russia. " 

 

POLAND:  "Wind From The East"

 

Rafal A. Ziemkiewicz observed in center-left Zycie Warszawy (7/26):  "Putin has turned out to be the first realist governing Russia in many years.  He has recognized the fact that Russia...is no longer a global superpower....  By withdrawing from the global rivalry with the United States--which is what his consent to change the ABM Treaty and build the U.S. missile defense shield is all about--Putin will be able to focus all his attention on Europe.  While too weak to be a global power, Russia is still strong enough to play the role of a regional power.  The Russian game is aimed most of all at weakening NATO and bringing back into the Russian orbit the countries that were liberated from Russian rule."

 

"Yes For Missile Defense?"

 

Bartosz Weglarczyk wrote in liberal Gazeta Wyborcza (7/24):  "The [MD/ABM-linked] negotiations with Russia could be the first significant success for Bush in foreign policy and could change the president's image as an isolationist.  His early announcement that he intended to build the [MD] shield was met with strong criticism from the U.S.' European partners who feared most of all Moscow's hostile reaction.  If Putin and Bush forge an agreement now, Washington will deprive the MD opponents of their most serious argument."

 

"Shrewd Operator From The Kremlin"

 

Krzysztof Rak wrote in right-of-center Zycie (7/23):  "Putin is aware that Russia is not a superpower and that it will gain nothing by adopting a hard line [toward MD].  Accordingly, he first stated that the fear of the so-called rogue states...is justified.  Then he added that he is ready to renegotiate the ABM Treaty.  Finally, last Wednesday he showed that Russia would want a new all-European security system from the Americans in return....  Putin noticed that the implementation of the MD project would make America rather than NATO the main guarantor of European security, which would in turn require the redefinition of the Alliance's role and tasks. It is here that Putin sees his great chance."

 

EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC

 

CHINA:  "A Favorable Turn In U.S.-Italian Relationship"

 

Ma Shuqiang commented in intellectually-oriented Guangming Daily (Guangming Ribao, 7/25):  "President Bush's visit to Italy has achieved plentiful results, among which the Italian government's open support for the NMD is the most noteworthy one.  This result has put the EU policy of seeking unified security and diplomacy in an awkward position."

 

"Evading Differences"

 

Luo Jinbiao commented in the official Communist Party People's Daily (Renmin Ribao, 7/24):  "Although both Bush and Putin have claimed that they achieved new progress on the issue during their meeting, it is obvious that differences still remain."

 

JAPAN:   "Time Is Ripe For U.S., Russia To Promote Disarmament Talks"

 

Business-oriented Nihon Keizai editorialized (7/25):  "Sunday's agreement between Presidents Bush and Putin in Genoa to tie U.S. missile defense shield plans to future talks on reducing nuclear stockpiles was considered to be the first major move on the part of the two nuclear superpowers toward reaching a compromise on the highly sensitive national security issues.  The question is how the United States and Russia will be able to close the gap over the ABM Treaty.  Given the fact that both nations continue to 'stick to their guns,' difficult negotiations are foreseen."

 

SOUTH ASIA

 

PAKISTAN:  "Missile Understanding"

 

An editorial in Islamabad-based, independent, national Dawn maintained (7/24):  "It is too early to be optimistic about the constructive potential of the understanding on a new 'strategic framework' reached between Presidents Bush and Putin in Genoa on Sunday....  The United States knows it is the strongest of the three parties and seems determined to have its way....  Both Russia and China have grasped America's uncompromising attitude, and this seems to have had, from America's point of view, the desired effect....  It is time America reciprocated Russia's eagerness for a compromise on the missile shield issue.  It should realize that it is not only Russia and China which are opposed to the missile shield; its European Allies have also voiced reservations about it....  If the United States goes ahead with its plans, Russia and China may be compelled to upgrade their missile defenses, leading to a new arms race.  This may also compel India to join the race if it sees China strengthening its missile force.  This result wil be a global missile race....  This will also undermine Washington's nonproliferation concerns and may in the longer run weaken America's own security."

 

WESTERN HEMISPHERE

 

ARGENTINA:  "Surprising Accord Between U.S. And Russia"

 

Julio Algañaraz, on special assignment in Genoa for leading Clarin, wrote (7/23):  "Yesterday the United States and Russia announced an accord to negotiate the control of nuclear arms that could outline the strategic balance of the new century and produce a great change in the relations between the two great nuclear powers....  There seems to be a new spirit of cooperation between the United States and Russia and this is good news for the rest of the world, which would suffer the consequences of a war between the two nuclear superpowers."

 

CANADA:  "Bush, Putin Seek Stamp Of Approval"

 

Columnist Richard Gwyn observed in the liberal Toronto Star (7/25):  "The catalytic agent that prompted George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin to surprise observers--and most probably themselves--by reaching an agreement, in principle, at least, on the hyper-controversial issue of missile defense, was mutual respect.  Not so much mutual respect in the term's usual meaning of having a high regard for each other, although they do get on well.  Mutual, rather, in the sense that each can provide the other with the kind of respect that they both need badly.  Putin's need for this kind of recognition is the more obvious....  Being treated seriously by the world's only superpower provides Russians with a psychological rush and Putin with a political one.  Bush...is looking for international respect....  Bush's choice of Putin as the international leader with whom to make his mark is interesting.  And shrewd....  Bush is not trying to win the applause of the more worldly and cynical, and so more demanding, European leaders, even though these are his allies....  Putin is easy to deal with: He needs Bush badly to get international respect for Russia and, more practically, to get American support for [IMF] loans....  Over the next few months, Putin will be providing Bush with some international legitimacy and respect, while in exchange Bush will be providing Russia with some respect and some loans.  For each of them, it's a pretty good deal."

 

"Bush, Putin And The Reality Principle"

 

Mario Roy judged in centrist, French-language La Presse (7/25): "The will expressed in Genoa by Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush to negotiate a new  post-Cold-War accord to limit nuclear arms is interesting to say the least.  It tells us something about the pragmatism of the Russian president and about how he perceives the strategic position of his country....  It also seems to confirm that under those rough Texas cowboy edges, the American president is not totally lost in the area of international relations....  The Genoa accord suddenly shows us a world where from two evils (the spread of nuclear arms in the last half century and the rebirth of the American anitmissile project) something good could emerge."

 

"Arms Deal Takes Shape"

 

The left-of-center Winnipeg Free Press editorialized (7/24):  "To the surprise of almost everyone, George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin emerged from the summit after a private meeting to announce a major development on the issues of nuclear arms control and nuclear defense.  It was a beginning, both leaders claimed, of an outline of what the post-Cold-War world might look like.  It is an outline that looks promising....  Mr. Bush and Mr. Putin agreed to negotiate cuts in their respective nuclear arsenals with an eye to reducing them significantly.  They also agreed to link those cuts to Mr. Bush's plan to establish a limited nuclear defense shield....  It is the second time in a matter of weeks that Mr. Putin has backed away from his first position that such a missile shield would be in violation of the ABM Treaty....  Both leaders seem anxious for the negotiations to proceed as quickly as possible.  Even with good intentions on both sides, however, it will a hard row to hoe....  America's...European Allies are deeply suspicious of the U.S. missile defense proposal, even though they have been invited to participate in it."

 

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