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CNN Sunday Morning
Bush Satisfied With Progress Made at APEC Summit
Aired October 21, 2001 - 09:19 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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: APEC leaders meeting in China have wrapped up a two-day summit with strong words about terrorism. Afterwards, President Bush met with his Russian counterpart on arms control and missile defense.
CNN's John King joins us with more now from Shanghai -- John.
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Martin, the president will be heading back to Washington pretty soon from here in Shanghai. And he says he leaves satisfied he has made progress in the diplomatic war against terrorism and progress on the most difficult issue dividing the United States and Russia, the issue of the United States going ahead with a missile defense plan.
A meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was the last official item of the Bush agenda, their third meeting in five months. Still clear after that session that the two leaders have not completely resolved their differences. Mr. Bush wants to do away with the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. That document forbids the U.S. from going ahead with its missile defense plan.
President Putin says he still disagrees with that, does not view the threat of missiles, incoming missiles as President Bush does. But he says he's willing to negotiate. And as those negotiations continue and intensify in advance of a Putin visit to Washington and Crawford, Texas next month, the president says two things go hand in hand.
One, discussions about missile defense; number two, both countries trying to move to dramatically slash their nuclear arsenals.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We discussed significantly lowering offensive nuclear weapon arsenals within a framework that includes limited defenses. Defenses that are able to protect our -- both our lands from political blackmail, from potential terrorist attack. Both our nations must be able to defend ourselves against the new threats of the 21st century, including long-range ballistic missiles.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now some leaders here at the APEC summit question the wisdom of those U.S. military strikes on Afghanistan. On that point, Mr. Bush will head home very satisfied with one statement at that news conference by President Putin. Mr. Putin saying he agreed with Mr. Bush's initial decision to launch military strikes, and the Russian president saying once those strikes are underway, you must complete your objective.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VLADIMIR PUTIN, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA (through translator): I fully agree with the position of President Bush. And I believe that his action was measured and adequate to the threat that United States was confronted with at first.
Second, and it is very important for everybody to know: If we started fighting terrorism, it should be completed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now, that Putin statement goes well beyond the summit communique issued by the 20 APEC nations gathered here, Asian-Pacific nations, gathered here this weekend. That statement condemned the September 11 attacks on the United States, but it did not endorse the U.S. military strikes. And indeed, some leaders here, especially those from predominantly Muslim nations like Indonesia and Malaysia, criticizing the U.S. military campaign.
So Mr. Bush will welcome that statement from the Russian president as he heads home. He says he heads home convinced the international coalition against terrorism is quite solid. But obviously, some delicate diplomacy in the weeks ahead. Indonesia's foreign minister warning after the discussions today that there will be, quote, "explosions across the Muslim world if the U.S. military campaign continues into the holy period of Ramadan," which begins in just a few weeks -- Martin.
SAVIDGE: CNN's John King reporting to us live from Shanghai. Thank you very much.
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