Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=07/26/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= RUSSIA / RICE (L-UPDATE)

NUMBER=2-278668

BYLINE=LARRY JAMES

DATELINE=MOSCOW

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

/// UPDATES 2-278660 WITH NEW INFORMATION ///

INTRO: U-S National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice says the United States will continue testing a planned national missile defense system and will not wait for Russian agreement. Her comments came following talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Larry James reports from the Russian capital.

TEXT: Ms. Rice says the United States will go ahead with the tests, which are banned under the Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty (A-B-M), despite Russian objections. She says President Bush has made it clear he believes there is a new threat in the world and that America will need to, as she put it, move beyond the A-B-M treaty to find a solution to that threat.

She says Mr. Bush has not set a deadline but it should be obvious to everyone that he believes it will be something that happens relatively soon.

During a weekend meeting in Genoa, Italy, the Russian and American leaders agreed to link talks on the missile defense system with discussion on offensive weapons. Some in Washington view that agreement as something of a breakthrough. Russian officials, however, say that is not the case. Mr. Putin himself says Russia still views the A-B-M treaty as one of the key elements of strategic stability.

Ms. Rice, who met earlier Thursday with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, underscored the American position that talks on issues of disagreement should move along swiftly. /// OPT /// She says experts could begin meeting as early as next month. Those meetings could be followed by ministerial level talks and then be the focus of Bush-Putin meetings planned for October in Shanghai and November in Texas. /// END OPT ///

Russian officials, however, are sounding a more cautious tone. President Putin's top security advisor Vladimir Rushailo, who took part in the meeting between Ms. Rice and Mr. Putin, says discussions on strategic issues will be lengthy. He says legislative changes will likely be required that will make take time. (Signed)

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