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Nuclear Weapons Issue Tops Agenda in U.S.-Russia Talks

Aired March 13, 2002 - 14:32   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Nuclear weapons topped the agenda today in talks between U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his counterpart from Russia. Barbara Starr watching it all from the Pentagon, back with us again for more. Barbara, good afternoon.

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov had a press conference here earlier today with Ivanov's first official visit to the Pentagon. Topping their agenda was a discussion on nuclear weapons.

The Russian minister said there was no tension over nuclear weapons, as both nations work towards a presidential summit on the matter this coming spring. The minister, however, pressed the point that Russia does want to see the United States destroy some of its nuclear stockpile, rather than simply put the weapons in storage. Ivanov made the point several times that the Russians do want to see the U.S. sign a binding agreement on the matter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SERGEI IVANOV, RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER (through translator): We fully realize that the current levels of nuclear potentials of both Russia and the U.S. are not in line with today's realities, and should be cut radically.

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STARR: The Russian Minister Ivanov also is continuing to be briefed on U.S. plans to send military trainers to the former Soviet Republic of Georgia to help that country with its unrest, due to Chechen rebels who have crossed inside into Georgian territory.

The Russian minister said in his mind that there is no question that these Chechen rebels have been aligned with the al Qaeda. He said Russia is watching carefully and will not sit by while it watches this unrest, so close to its own borders, just 10 or 20 kilometers from the Russian border inside Georgia -- Bill.

HEMMER: Barbara, during that briefing, did not hear a whole lot on the Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. But what you are hearing elsewhere on that?

STARR: Our sources here in the Pentagon say yes, it is a fact that Operation Anaconda appears to be in the mopping up stages. And indeed, Afghan forces have taken control of much of the Shah-e-Kot valley and the areas surrounding it. U.S. forces, however, do remain on the ground.

And one of the things they are doing is watching these escape routes, deeper into southern Afghanistan and across the border, also into Pakistan. They believe there is still perhaps 200 al Qaeda up in those mountains. They want to make sure they don't get past the U.S. forces down these escape routes and get out of this area. So there is still plenty of activity up there.

HEMMER: And quite a number of routes, we know. Barbara, thanks. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon updating us there.

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