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CNN Live At Daybreak

Bush Discusses NATO Expansion

Aired June 15, 2001 - 07:06   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.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get the latest now on President Bush's diplomatic trip. He began in Spain; he's been to Belgium and Sweden; today it is Poland; tomorrow he is in Slovenia.

CNN's John King is with the president in Warsaw and joins us now -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Colleen, as you mentioned, this stop four of five for President Bush on this five-nation European trip. He chose to come to Poland today to deliver what aides describe as a major speech describing his view of U.S.-Europe relations and how, in the view of the Bush administration, Europe and Russia should adapt to the continuing changes in the post- Cold War world.

Mr. Bush in consultations this morning with the Polish president Aleksander Kwasniewski discussing, among other things, additional U.S. military aid, additional U.S. economic aid. But most of all, Mr. Bush wanted to come here because Poland, of course, a former Soviet satellite state, two years ago it joined the NATO alliance.

Mr. Bush says that has proved to be quite a productive relationship. And on the table now under discussion additional expansion of the NATO alliance to allow more former Soviet client states to join the Western NATO alliance. Also on the table, expanding the European Union. As all that is discussed, Mr. Bush says Poland is a remarkable example.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Since joining the alliance two years ago, Poland has contributed greatly to its success and serves as a fine example for all future members of NATO. The president and I talked about how NATO must continue to enlarge to increase Europe's security. We talked about the challenges and opportunity NATO faces in its relations with Russia and with neighbors in transition like the Ukraine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now Russia, of course, has raised objections to the past NATO expansion and to plans for future NATO expansion. Mr. Bush making the case, and he will again in his speech today, that Russia has nothing to fear from this. And as he prepares to sit down with President Putin tomorrow, Mr. Bush again making the case that the United States does not consider Russia an enemy.

He, of course, wants Mr. Putin to agree to changes to the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Those changed would allow the United States to continue aggressive research on its controversial missile defense plan. U.S. officials saying they expect no breakthrough in this first summit meeting between Mr. Bush and the Russian president, but they do hope the leaders get to know each other a little bit and begin negotiations again on that very controversial subject of missile defense -- Colleen.

MCEDWARDS: I guess you'd expect them to minimize expectations in this, their first meeting; but what, John, does the president have to offer Mr. Putin to get him on his side?

KING: Well, one of the things Mr. Bush wants to offer, he says if the United States moves to missile defense, a defensive program, it can reduce the number of nuclear warheads. And if the United States dramatically reduces, then Russia could reduce as well. That would save Russia billions of dollars. Russia, of course, economically strapped at the moment, so Mr. Bush believes that is one financial incentive.

Mr. Bush also talking of, perhaps, if Russia agreed to these changes to the ABM Treaty and joined in at least unofficially in a missile defense program, that there perhaps could be other economic or military-to-military relationships that would benefit Russia. Most of all, what Mr. Bush says, if Mr. Putin goes along, he will be viewed much more favorably in the West and by his neighbors in Europe -- Colleen.

MCEDWARDS: Politically, John, in the United States, I mean, can Mr. Bush's missile defense plan go forward? Can it survive politically without the participation, or at least the approval of Russia?

KING: Well, certainly Mr. Bush could abrogate as president, he could say he was breaking away from the 1972 ABM Treaty. It's controversial to begin with, much tougher now that the Democrats control the Senate back in the United States. That's one of the reasons the administration pushing aggressively for the plan, but taking a slower approach in terms of putting out the actual details.

One of the reasons at the NATO meeting this week Mr. Bush was able to at least get some NATO allies who are quite skeptical to the actual details to say they're willing to listen is there's no plan on the table right now and there may not be for months, if not longer. This is still an idea. Mr. Bush still hasn't settled on what the technology would be, how much would it cost and how quickly he would want to deploy that system -- Colleen.

MCEDWARDS: Understood. CNN's John King in Warsaw, thanks very much.

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