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CNN Live Sunday

Missile Defense Plan to Test White House Diplomacy

Aired July 15, 2001 - 16:05   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.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: One small step for missile technology and one giant leap for President Bush's plan for a missile defense shield by 2004. Late last evening the Pentagon launched a missile with a mock warhead from California and sent it high above the Pacific Ocean.

About 20 minutes later an interceptor missile was launched from 4800 miles away and the two collided. The success follows two failed tests and is only the second time the test has worked.

Among the naysayers, Russia has been quick to criticize the testing, saying it undermines the 1972 ABM Treaty.

For a live update, we turn to CNN's Kelly Wallace -- Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Donna, the White House is clearly pleased with the results of this test, but at the same time, the administration is saying, that it's plans to speed up deployment of a missile defense system will put the U.S. in conflict with that antiballistic missile treaty in months, not years.

That is why over the past several days U.S. officials including Secretary of State Colin Powell have saying the U.S. hopes to forge some new understanding, new agreement, maybe even a new treaty with Russia to allow the U.S. to proceed ahead with a missile defense system.

And some of the president's biggest critics in the Congress when it comes to a missile defense shield say the administration is taking exactly the right approach.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TRENT LOTT (R-MS), MINORITY LEADER: Things have changed. What was the situation with mutually assured destruction 10, 20, 30 years ago is different now. That ABM Treaty was a treaty with a country that doesn't even exist, the Soviet Union. So it's time for a strategic review and a very methodical, forward movement on missile defense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: I like the way Colin Powell is going about this because it's clear he does not want to us have some pretext to break out of the ABM Treaty which will cause an arm's race in Asia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And many European allies are quite concerned that if the U.S. were to break out of the ABM Treaty that would fuel some international arm's race in space with countries such as Russia. You can say the president's diplomatic skills will be put to the test; he will try to gain Russia's support. His next opportunity will be a meeting this weekend with Russian President Vladimir Putin -- Donna.

KELLEY: All right, Kelly Wallace at the White House, thank you.

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