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CNN Live At Daybreak
Bush to Meet With Putin for Three Days of Talks
Aired November 13, 2001 - 08:52 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush finds his plate, as you know, particularly full, keeping one eye on Afghanistan. Nuclear weapons are also on his agenda today as he begins summit talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and, of course, he has to stay on top of the developments here in New York.
We are joined now by White House Correspondent John King, who is going to attempt to walk us through the president's very busy day. Good morning, John.
JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula. Those summit discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin begin in about an hour, and senior officials telling CNN the president will tell President Putin he is prepared to slash by more than 2/3, by more than 2/3 the U.S. strategic nuclear arsenal. The the United States has about 7,000 warheads right now. We are told the president has settled on a number in the range of 2,000. Some officials saying it is even a bit lower than that.
Now, we also expect, we are told by U.S. officials that the Russian leader will reciprocate, and announce dramatic reductions, planned reductions in the Russian nuclear arsenal as well. The leaders will also try to broker their disagreement over the anti- ballistic missile treaty, and whether the United States can move ahead with a new missile defense program. These talks to begin here at the White House, then move to the Bush ranch in Crawford, Texas.
This is a major redefining, major progress in U.S.-Russia relations, but much of it has been overshadowed because of the military campaign in Afghanistan, and because, yet again, tragedy here at home.
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KING: The meeting with former South African President Nelson Mandela was supposed to be private, but tragedy once again changed the president's routine, and once again involved New York.
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GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is heartbreaking to pick up the phone and call my friend Rudy Giuliani and Governor George Pataki, and once again, expressed our condolences. And at the same time, assured the people of New York our federal government will respond as quickly as possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: No questions because caution is the White House Watch Word. Senior administration officials tell CNN there is no evidence of terrorism and that an exhaustive review of tips received in recent days by law enforcement and intelligence sources turned up nothing that raised eyebrows.
The National Transportation Safety Board is the lead investigative agency, reflecting the preliminary assessment that some sort of catastrophic engine failure doomed flight 587. But that decision came with a caveat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: First information is always subject to change. We have not ruled anything in, not ruled anything out.
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KING: Mr. Bush was in the West Wing at a National Security Council meeting when a military aide slipped him a note. It was 9:25 AM, just moments after the crash. The Pentagon immediately scrambled fighter jets nationwide to patrol the skies as a precaution. From the White House Situation Room, Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge organized a conference call with a half dozen key government agencies, including the Departments of Transportation, Justice, and Defense, and the directors of the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The administration considered shutting down commercial air traffic nationwide but decided there was no evidence to support such a dramatic move.
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KING: It is nearly 24 hours later. Now, U.S. officials this morning saying there is even more evidence now that this was an accident, not terrorism. Still no final conclusions as the president is updated on the latest in the investigation.
He is also keeping track of the dramatic developments on the ground in Afghanistan, Northern Alliance troops moving into Kabul, and, again, one hour from now, he begins three days of meetings with the Russian President, Vladimir Putin. We will hear from both presidents later this afternoon at a news conference here at the White House. Paula?
ZAHN: So both you and the president have a very busy day ahead. Thanks, John.
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