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CNN Live Saturday

Talks Between Bush, Putin Seen as Positive First Step

Aired June 16, 2001 - 16:00   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is flying home at this hour from his week in Europe. He concluded his five days abroad with a historic get-acquainted session with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was the first time that the two men had met face-to-face. And though they still do not see eye-to-eye on many important issues, both said they viewed the summit as a good start.

CNN's Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty has more from the summit.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Russian President Vladimir Putin prepared carefully for this first encounter with his U.S. counterpart, even studying some English to be able to chat with his fellow president on a photo-op walk through the park.

And it paid off.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I looked the man in the eye, I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul. He's a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country.

DOUGHERTY: Mr. Putin agreed with Mr. Bush, the U.S. and Russia do not threaten each other, and can be partners. And he seemed to give some ground on the biggest issue between the two countries: the Bush administration's plan to build a missile defense system and possibly walk away from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.

VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA (through translator): The differences in approaches do exist, and naturally in one short moment, it's impossible to overcome all of them. But I am convinced that ahead of us we have a constructive dialogue and the will to talk about these topics.

DOUGHERTY: The talks, held in the tranquil setting of Brdo Castle in Slovenia, lasted for almost three hours.

Mr. Bush did raise some points of criticism: Russia's role in Chechnya and crackdowns on the Russian media.

The Russian president, a former KGB intelligence officer, gave a flash of his old job during the joint news conference, reading from what he said were recently declassified documents.

PUTIN (through translator): It was top secret. Look, here is -- this is a note of the Soviet government from 1954, sent to the countries of NATO.

DOUGHERTY: Mr. Putin walked away from the meeting with some other pluses: a promise from Mr. Bush to send U.S. officials to Moscow to encourage U.S. business investment, and support for Russia's desire to join the World Trade Organization.

(on camera): The atmosphere at this first meeting was so positive it almost seemed like a bad dream that just a few months ago the Bush and Putin administrations were sparring over spy scandals. That crisis now is over, said Mr. Putin, and both leaders accepted invitations to visit each other's countries for two more summits.

Jill Dougherty, CNN, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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