Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Bush and Putin Hail New Strategic Partnership

Aired May 24, 2002 - 13:33   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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD: By signing their names today, President Bush and Russian president Vladimir Putin committed their nations to mothball the majority of their nuclear warheads. No previous U.S. or Russian leaders have ever done that before. CNN's John King has more now from Moscow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The new strategic relationship between the Russian Federation and the United States of America is being signed.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: They signed as friends, not rivals, a treaty and a moment both leaders say opens a new strategic partnership that relegates Cold War nuclear tensions to the history books.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The treaty is setting a period of time in the rear-view mirror of both countries, and I am not only confident that this is good for world peace, I am confident it sets the stage for incredible cooperation that we have never had before between our countries.

KING: The treaty commits the United States and Russia to slash nuclear arsenals by two-thirds from roughly 6,000 warheads to a range of 1,700 to 2,200 warheads 10 years from now.

Russia wanted the excess warheads destroyed. The treaty allows them to be kept in storage. A separate statement promises continued cooperation in the war on terrorism, to share information about missile defense systems, and to combat the spread of missile and other weapons technology.

But the friendship is strained on that point. In their face-to- face meeting, Mr. Bush complained about Russian sales of nuclear technology and sophisticated weapons to Iran.

BUSH: He (UNINTELLIGIBLE) gave me some assurances that I think will be very comforting for you to listen to.

KING: But Mr. Putin suggested the United States is pointing the finger in the wrong direction.

PRES. VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIA: According to our data, the missile programs of those countries, nuclear programs, are built largely on the basis of the technologies and with the support of the Western companies. We do have such information and we stand ready to share it with our American partners.

BUSH: Mr. Bush promised religious and community leaders he would urge Mr. Putin to adopt more press and political freedoms. But this walk outside the Kremlin was scripted to the summit storyline -- two friends ready to resolve differences without Cold War confrontation.

U.S. officials dispute President Putin's assertions that Russia's nuclear dealings with Iran are solely for commercial energy purposes, and say that issue is now the major point of contention in an otherwise flourishing relationship.

The White House is hoping for more help pressuring Mr. Putin after Russia signs a partnership agreement with the NATO alliance early next week.

John King, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com