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CNN Saturday Morning News
Bush, Putin Meet at Camp David for Talks
Aired September 27, 2003 - 09:08 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin are due to wrap up their weekend summit at Camp David today. Rebuilding Iraq and nuclear tensions in Iran are high on their agenda.
Let's get the very latest from CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. Hello, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, as you know, this is a critical meeting for President Bush, who is trying to win more international support for troops as well as money when it comes to Iraqi reconstruction. It has been a very difficult battle for the president.
Now, yesterday, he greeted President Putin very warmly at Camp David. This is a two-day summit. They're going to be wrapping that up this afternoon. The last time the two leaders met, it was four months ago in St. Petersburg. They have a very warm and close relationship.
But, of course, it's very important at this time to get over their differences.
Now, the top of the agenda is going to be, of course, Iraq. President Bush looking for some sort of contribution from Russia. In all likelihood, it is not going to be money. Russia is looking for investments itself.
But Russia could offer some personnel on the ground, advisers and people to assist in the reconstruction effort.
Also, of course, that they're going to be discussing is Russia's controversial nuclear technology deal with Iran. Now, Russia provides technology to help build a nuclear power plant, but U.S. officials believe that that technology could be used to build nuclear weapons. And that is something that has been a very contentious debate among the two leaders.
What's expected is that they will come out in a unified front and say, Yes, Iran must allow inspectors back inside of the country, and to abandon any type of nuclear weapons ambitions it may have.
The Chechnya conflict is also going to be on the agenda as well. Putin would like the administration really to see it as its own war on terror. The Chechen rebels seen as its own al Qaeda. But the Bush administration has been a bit reluctant to actually embrace that.
Also as well, the Middle East road map. The two are members of the quartet trying to bring Israelis and Palestinians back again to the peace table. That, as you know, in shambles. It'll be very difficult to see where they go with that. They are hoping to focus, however, on the Palestinian leadership.
And finally, of course, as U.S.-Russian trade relations, they're hoping to expand relations, specifically when it comes to oil. Russia really wants to open up some of its markets. It's looking to the United States. The United States wants to be less dependent on Middle Eastern oil.
So Heidi, a lot on their plate. We expect just within a few hours to hear from both leaders.
CALLEBS: All right. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much for breaking that down for us.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 27, 2003 - 09:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin are due to wrap up their weekend summit at Camp David today. Rebuilding Iraq and nuclear tensions in Iran are high on their agenda.
Let's get the very latest from CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. Hello, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, as you know, this is a critical meeting for President Bush, who is trying to win more international support for troops as well as money when it comes to Iraqi reconstruction. It has been a very difficult battle for the president.
Now, yesterday, he greeted President Putin very warmly at Camp David. This is a two-day summit. They're going to be wrapping that up this afternoon. The last time the two leaders met, it was four months ago in St. Petersburg. They have a very warm and close relationship.
But, of course, it's very important at this time to get over their differences.
Now, the top of the agenda is going to be, of course, Iraq. President Bush looking for some sort of contribution from Russia. In all likelihood, it is not going to be money. Russia is looking for investments itself.
But Russia could offer some personnel on the ground, advisers and people to assist in the reconstruction effort.
Also, of course, that they're going to be discussing is Russia's controversial nuclear technology deal with Iran. Now, Russia provides technology to help build a nuclear power plant, but U.S. officials believe that that technology could be used to build nuclear weapons. And that is something that has been a very contentious debate among the two leaders.
What's expected is that they will come out in a unified front and say, Yes, Iran must allow inspectors back inside of the country, and to abandon any type of nuclear weapons ambitions it may have.
The Chechnya conflict is also going to be on the agenda as well. Putin would like the administration really to see it as its own war on terror. The Chechen rebels seen as its own al Qaeda. But the Bush administration has been a bit reluctant to actually embrace that.
Also as well, the Middle East road map. The two are members of the quartet trying to bring Israelis and Palestinians back again to the peace table. That, as you know, in shambles. It'll be very difficult to see where they go with that. They are hoping to focus, however, on the Palestinian leadership.
And finally, of course, as U.S.-Russian trade relations, they're hoping to expand relations, specifically when it comes to oil. Russia really wants to open up some of its markets. It's looking to the United States. The United States wants to be less dependent on Middle Eastern oil.
So Heidi, a lot on their plate. We expect just within a few hours to hear from both leaders.
CALLEBS: All right. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much for breaking that down for us.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
