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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: MSI who wrote (252785)	5/3/2002 11:25:16 PM
From: calgal	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769667

Bush Optimistic on Nuclear Arms Pact Fri May 3, 9:40 PM ET By BARRY SCHWEID, AP Diplomatic Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush (news - web sites) expressed optimism Friday that the United States and Russia will reach a major nuclear arms reduction agreement that he can sign with President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites) at a Moscow summit in three weeks. Photos AP Photo Audio/Video U.S., Russia Fall Short on Nuke Deal (AP) Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said there was a "very high probability" of reaching a deal that would cut U.S. and Russian arsenals of long-range warheads to a maximum of 1,700 to 2,000 on each side within 10 years. Bush offered his assessment at the Camp David presidential retreat after meeting earlier in the Oval Office with Ivanov and Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites). "The secretary of state is optimistic, but there's some work that remains to be done," Bush said. "We've been spending a lot of time with Russia to reach an agreement that will codify" his pledge to "substantially reduce our offensive nuclear weapons." Bush talked with reporters after he greeted Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, the European Union (news - web sites)'s current president. Powell also met separately with Ivanov and said he was encouraged by progress they made in detailed discussions. "Remaining differences are there, and we need to spend more time working on them and discussing them to see if we can resolve them in time for the Moscow summit," Powell said. "If we can, fine," he said. "And if we are unable to, the work will continue, but I am encouraged." A key sticking point is whether the discarded warheads are to be stored or disposed of, a senior U.S. official told The Associated Press. On the other hand, substantial progress was made on how to verify that the reductions in arsenals of long-range nuclear warheads are being carried out, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. There was progress on other "core issues," as well, he said, but some small items remained unsettled. Powell and Ivanov are due to meet again at the spring session of the NATO (news - web sites) alliance in Iceland May 14-16. And Undersecretary of State John Bolton will meet in Moscow that week with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Mamedov. "There are outstanding issues we have to agree on," Powell said, while declining at a joint news conference with Ivanov to identify any problems. He did say no decision had been made on whether the accord would be in the form of a treaty or an executive agreement, and that the cutbacks would be legally binding. Ivanov said, "We achieved progress." Bush and Putin are committed to reducing U.S. and Russian arsenals of long-range warheads, but the Russians want to make sure the dismantled warheads are destroyed, not stored. Determined to proceed with an elaborate anti-missile shield, Bush opted out of a 1972 treaty that outlawed national defenses against missile attack. Russia objected, but has muted its criticism on the point. Still, the Russians wanted to include in the agreement an opening for negotiations over missile defenses, but the United States said no and that debate is over, the senior U.S. official said. The Bush administration long ago deferred to Russia's insistence on a formal agreement. Powell has said it could be a treaty or an executive order, about five or six pages long. A treaty would require approval of two-thirds of the Senate. An executive order would need the approval of a majority of the House and Senate. "Any codification of this type has a lot of T's to be crossed and I's to be dotted. And that's what the lawyers and negotiators are working on now," Fleischer said. Aides to Bush and Putin are making plans for a signing ceremony in Moscow. An administration official said bargaining could continue right up to the eve of the May 23 summit. Bush has said he intends to reduce the U.S. long-range nuclear arsenal regardless of whether Russia reciprocates. Putin has said Moscow would be willing to cut the Russian arsenal even deeper — to 1,500 warheads. story.news.yahoo.com