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CNN Live Today

Bush, Putin to Sign Major Agreements

Aired May 23, 2002 - 14:16   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: Jill Dougherty in Moscow, and President Bush there, too, for what may be the highlight of his trip abroad.

Tomorrow, on Friday, he and his Russian counterpart are to sign a treaty reducing United States and Russian nuclear warheads by 2/3 over 10 years.

More from our bureau chief, Jill Dougherty, standing by again, live for us, in the Russian capital.

Jill, good evening.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Bill.

Well, this is kind of a different summit, you know. The main events, of course, are going to be taking place here in Moscow in the capital, but part of it this weekend will be held in St. Petersburg, a different type of city. The hometown of Vladimir Putin.

But the highlight, as you mentioned, will come tomorrow, Friday, here in Moscow, when the two leaders sit down and sign two main agreements.

The first one is an arms control agreement, a different type of agreement, not as detailed, certainly, as previous arms control agreements. It will be cutting strategic nuclear warheads by 2/3 over the next 10 years.

However, this is likely to be the last summit which is really defined by any type of Cold War arms control agreement.

Proof of that is the second agreement that they will sign, and that will be a broader relationship, outlining a new strategic relationship between Russia and the United States, based on common interests: things like terrorism, the fight against terrorism, and economic issues -- Bill.

HEMMER: Jill, how is he being received? We saw some protests in Berlin. What's been the message, I guess, from Muscovites and other Russians so far?

DOUGHERTY: Well, there actually were some demonstrations here, but actually pretty small, organized by the Communist Party, in a way a type of ad for the Communist Party, which is going through its own domestic political troubles at this point.

But quite angry, against both President Bush and President Putin. Maybe we can listen in a little bit to those demonstrators.

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(UNINTELLIGIBLE CHANTING)

DOUGHERTY (voice-over): Essentially, they are angry, not only at President Bush, but President Putin. They believe that he gave away too much to President Bush, and they're angry about that.

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(on camera): They feel that Russia has become kind of a second citizen, a lower partner, to the United States.

So there is a lot of that, and there is also quite a bit of anti- American feeling still, here in Russia -- Bill.

HEMMER: Thank you, Jill. Jill Dougherty, our bureau chief in Moscow.

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