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CNN Live At Daybreak

Powell in Moscow for Talks With Russian Leaders

Aired December 10, 2001 - 05:00   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Secretary of State Colin Powell is in Moscow for talks with Russian leaders. The agenda includes U.S. plans for a missile defense system, future Russian involvement in NATO, the Middle East peace process and Russia's role in the war on terrorism.

Secretary Powell says the U.S. and Russia still disagree on America's plans for a missile defense system. But he is hoping for a breakthrough.

CNN's Moscow bureau chief Jill Dougherty joins us now with the latest -- good morning, Jill.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.

Well, you know, it is a complicated, thorny issue and these two men have been meeting, I think they said, 16 times but they still have a lot to go. They're divided over essentially a couple of things. One is the U.S., of course, wants to build a missile defense system and in order to do that, they have to test. And those tests would violate the ABM treaty.

So essentially the U.S. wants to either amend that treaty or get rid of it, and the Russians continue to insist that it is a cornerstone agreement, that a lot hinges on it, although they have left the door open to making some changes.

So the question is will they make these changes, could the U.S. go forward as it wants with Russia's semi-blessing, perhaps, but at least go forward? And that's what they're trying to work out.

There's another issue that's a bit easier and that is cutbacks in missiles. The U.S. has already pledged that it's going to cut from 6,000 to about 1,700 to 2,200 warheads and Russia says it also really wants to go down, but it hasn't given any numbers. So one thing we could expect, if there's any news it might be some concrete numbers from the Russians about what they are going to cut.

Now, the second meeting -- most of that has been taking place with Secretary of State Powell and the foreign minister, Ivanov. But just this hour another crucial meeting, of course, and that is with Russian President Vladimir Putin. They have a lot on the agenda. There is the overriding relationship in terms of terrorism, fighting terrorism. Russia, of course, supporting the international coalition against terrorism. The Middle East -- out at this point very much out of control and both sides are trying to come up with something that might pull it back on track. NATO, a very thorny issue again.

In light of the terrorism, Carol, of course the Russians now and NATO want to increase Russia's role. But the question is how and should Russia have even an overt or maybe a tactic veto power. Those are the issues that they will be discussing and we hope to hear something concrete from them pretty soon -- Carol.

LIN: All right, we'll hear from you then.

Thank you very much.

Jill Dougherty reporting live from Moscow.

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