Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=11/22/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE= PUTIN / BUSH SUMMIT (L ALT)

NUMBER=2-296754

BYLINE= LISA MCADAMS

DATELINE= ST. PETERSBURG

CONTENT=

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INTRO: U-S President George Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin have warned Iraq it must comply fully and immediately with a U-N ultimatum to disarm. But during a summit with Mr. Bush Friday, Mr. Putin also reiterated his opposition to any unilateral U-S action against Iraq. V-O-A's Lisa McAdams in St. Petersburg.

TEXT: President Putin is urging the U-S leader to give diplomacy a chance to work before resorting to force to compel Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to rid his nation of weapons of mass destruction.

Mr. Putin told President Bush that Russia wants to see the United States work within United Nations guidelines on Iraq -- and to honor pledges to consult its allies before taking any further measures.

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Mr. Putin said Russia believes that the United States, together with council member nations, can achieve positive results.

In a joint news conference after a little more than an hour of talks, Mr. Putin said Russia also believes more work needs to be done to combat global terrorism before confronting the Iraqi leader.

Since Russian forces stormed a Moscow theater to end a deadly hostage siege by armed Chechen militants, President Putin has said that Russia, like other nations, is under attack from an international islamic conspiracy.

President Bush has firmly backed President Putin's handling of the crisis. At the same time, he has urged the Russian leader to strike a balance in fighting terrorists and ending the Chechen conflict.

Following the summit, a senior U-S official told reporters President Bush again reiterated his hope that Russia would find a peaceful political solution to the crisis as early as possible.

Presidents Bush and Putin also discussed NATO's continued eastward expansion. Mr. Putin said Russia continues to believe there is no necessity for NATO enlargement. But he said Russia will take into account the U-S President's position, and hopes to see relations with all NATO countries develop positively in the future.

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Mr. Putin says he and Mr. Bush also discussed matters relating to nuclear weapons and the arms cuts the two nations agreed to last May in St. Petersburg.

A senior U-S official told reporters the two leaders also agreed to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear program.

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Following a stop in Vilnius, Lithuania, President Bush travels to Romania before heading home. But he'll back in St. Petersburg early next year to help celebrate the city's 300th anniversary. (Signed)

NEB/LAM/KBK