Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=7/12/2001

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-278208

TITLE=BUSH / PUTIN (L ONLY)

BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS

DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE

CONTENT:

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The White House says President Bush wants to talk about new strategic relations with Russia when he meets next week with Russian President Vladimir Putin. V-O-A's Scott Stearns reports the White House says a new "strategic framework" is needed because the Cold War is over.

TEXT: The two leaders will meet on the sidelines of next week's summit of industrialized nations in Italy. U-S National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice says President Bush hopes to make continued progress on what she calls a "constructive, realistic" agenda for U-S / Russian relations.

Ms. Rice says that agenda includes a new strategic framework to focus more on joint security threats and less on Cold-War era arms accords. The United States wants to develop a nationwide missile defense system that is prohibited under the 1972 Antiballistic Missile Treaty. Ms. Rice says that treaty is outdated as it reflects a time of open hostility between the nuclear powers that no longer exists.

/// RICE ACT ///

It's not appropriate to a relationship between great powers that are not enemies. And so, what we are saying to the Russians is, "Let's move beyond that treaty." We have some time now with the Russians to try and come to a new strategic framework.

/// END ACT ///

Russia objects to Pentagon plans to develop a system of land-based, sea-launched and airborne missile defense over the next four years, saying it could lead to a new arms race. The Bush administration hopes to encourage President Putin to renegotiate security arrangements by promising to cut one-thousand weapons from the U-S arsenal including scrapping 50 M-X missiles and retiring 33 B-1 bombers.

The existing A-B-M treaty allows for defenses against shorter-range missiles but not against intercontinental ballistic missiles. U-S Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the treaty is "an impediment" to robust testing for missile defense. The president's critics say he should not be so quick to get out of a treaty that has helped prevent nuclear war for nearly 30 years. (Signed)

NEB/SKS/JWH